My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
SAINT SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN (Part II)
GOD AND THE LAWS OF NATURE
The words and decrees of God become the law of nature. Therefore the decree which God uttered as a result of the disobedience of the first Adam, the decree of death and corruption, became a law of nature eternal and unchanging. For the abolition of this decree, the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, was crucified and died, offering Himself as a Sacrifice FOR THE REDEMPTION OF MAN FROM DEATH.
THE BRIGHT CONDITION OF THE FUTURE CREATION
The whole creation, after it will be renewed and become spiritual, will become a dwelling which is immaterial, incorruptible, unchanging, and eternal. The heaven will become INCOMPARABLY MORE BRILLIANT AND BRIGHT THAN IT APPEARS NOW, IT WILL BECOME COMPLETELY NEW. The earth will receive A NEW UNUTTERABLE BEAUTY, BEING CLOTHED IN MANY FORMED, UNFADING FLOWERS, BRIGHT AND SPIRITUAL. The sun will shine more powerfully than now, and the whole world will become moreAl perfect than any word can describe. Having become SPIRITUAL and DIVINE, it will become UNITED WITH THE NOETIC WORLD, IT WILL BE A PARADISE, A HEAVENLY JERUSALEM, THE INALIENABLE INHERITANCE OF THE SONS OF GOD… BUT WHEN THE EARTHLY WILL BE UNITED WITH THE HEAVENLY, THEN ALSO THE RIGHTEOUS WILL INHERIT THAT ALREADY RENEWED EARTH WHOSE INHERITORS ARE TO BETHOSE MEEK ONES WHO ARE BLESSED BY THE LORD.
PARADISE IS FOR THE WHOLE EARTH
GOD did not grant man paradise only , but the whole earth. "All things visible, those on earth and those on the sea, He gave to Adam and to us, his descendents, for our enjoyment.
SANCTIFYING THE TEMPLE OF THE WORLD
When man finds his destiny, WHICH IS TO GLORIFY GOD, he also leads the whole of creation to its destiny, which is to Glorify God. As he sanctifies the temple of his being, man also sanctifies the the temple of the entire world. Thus, HE TRANSFORMS CREATION, MAKING IT SING THE PRAISES OF THE DIVINE MAJESTY.
THE SEQUENCE OF RENEWAL
At the creation, the pristine earth was formed first and then human beings were created, but in the re-creation and renewal, which follows from the Incarnation and Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, the human being is first restored and creation follows.
THE THINGS OF THE WORLD BELONG TO ALL PEOPLE
The things and possessions that in the world are common to all, like the light and this air that we breathe, as well as the pasture for the dumb animals on the plains and on the mountains. All these things were made FOR ALL IN COMMON SOLELY FOR USE AND ENJOYMENT IN TERMS OF OWNERSHIP THEY BELONG TO NO ONE.
But covetousness, like a tyrant, has intruded into life, so that its slaves and underlings have in various ways divided up that which the Master gave to be COMMON TO ALL. She has enclosed them by fences and made them secure by means of watchtowers, bolts and gates. She has deprived all other men of the enjoyment of the Master’s good gift, shamelessly pretending to own them, contenting that she has wronged no one. But this tyrant’s underlings and slaves in turn become, each one of them, evil slaves and keepers of the properties and monies entrusted to them. Even if they are moved by the threat of punishments… and take a few or even all of these things to give to those who are in poverty and distress whom they have hitherto ignored, how can they be accounted merciful? Have they fed Christ> Have they done a deed that is worthy of a reward? By ;no means! I tell you that they owe a debt of penitence to their dying day for all that they so long have kept back and deprived their brothers from using.
DISTRIBUTING POSSESSION IS TO SET ONE’S
HEART FREE
Cheerfulness consists not regarding these things (such things as we may possess) as our own, but as entrusted to us by God for the benefit of our fellow servants. It consists in scattering them abroad generously with joy and magnanimity, not reluctantly nor under compulsion.
THE NEW MAN BRINGS THE NEW CREATION
When man again (will) be RENEWED and become SPIRITUAL, INCORRUPT AND IMMORTAL, then also the whole creation, which has been subjeted by God to man to serve him, (will) be delivered from servitude, (will) be renewed together with him,and become incorrupt, and, as it were, SPIRITUAL. All this the All-Merciful God foreordained before the creation of the world.
(To be continued)
________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in Christ;s Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
