Like a Thief, He comes...

Feb 8th, 2009 is considered as the Sunday in remembrance of the Departed Priests. Two Sunday's before the Great Lent is observed as the same every year. The readings for today are very much related to the Second Coming of Christ  and the hope He has given to the true servants of the Lord. Isaiah 65: 14 says "My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts". In Acts 20: 28 says, "Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." Guidance is given to the priests in following the Word of God and in being shepards to the multitude who has entered in to the path of the Lord. Those who have followed Him shall recieve the gift of accompaniying Christ in His second coming. "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him." (1 Thes 4: 13, 14). It is a great reward for those who follow the path of Christ to be with Him when He comes again. This is our only hope too. 

St. Paul explains the way too in 1 Thes. "But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." (1 Thes 5: 8). Two armors are given to the faithful. One is a breast plate, which is crucial in protecting the heart of a human being in a war. The second one is the helmet, which is needed in protecting the head and brain. The importance of these organs in a human body is very crucial. Wrong function or an attack to either one of them can cause death. Heart is the pump that circulates fresh blood to all the cells of the body to keep it alive, and brain is the organ that gives messages for the whole body in the ways it should work. If heart stops, the cells will die, even the cells in brain leading to death. If brain stops, the human body will loose its direction and no other organ will be able to function as it is supposed to be which will lead to death too. 

Heart and Brain are effective organs for the spiritual being too. Heart needs faith and love as the breast plate, says St. Paul. Faith and Love are two essential factors of a Christian's life. Faith is in our Lord that he is with us, and he is capable of sustaining us. Love is to the Lord and to His creation and true Love is selfless. The Faith in God will lead a person to Love the creation and the creator. Both these factors provide life to the whole spiritual being. While faith and love are practised, Christ Himself will be viewed in our lives, as we will live in His Oneness. Through faith and love, our hearts will be pure from the mighty powers of Satan that teaches to sin and hate and disbelieve in the power of God. 

The helmet for the spiritual being is the Hope of Salvation. Salvation is a free gift given to the creation from the creator due to His love that can never be expressed in Words. St. John said, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son..." (3:16). The only begotten Son was given to suffer and die on the cross. Thereby the sinful and disobeying creation will achieve salvation. Through the blood of Christ, we recieved salvation and that is the only hope one can have. It is only through christ that we are saved, and He is the only ladder that will lead to the Almighty. The helmet of hope of salvation is the power that will direct the brain of the spiritual being in the correct direction. The Hope will lead to the True path. The Hope is tbe power behind the acceptance of 'walking in the Light' that God has shown through His Word. We are chosen to be Sons of God. The Hope of Slavation os the protection to the brain from the attacks of the adversary. The Hope saves us from Satan who compels us to follow the path of sinfulness. 

Faith, Love and Hope are the basic messages. It is with Faith, Love and Hope that one will be able to folow the Word of God. These are also free gifts from God. Humans need to replenish it through spiritual contact with the Lord, which is acquired through prayer. The gospel portion for today, St. Mat 24: 42 - 51 is about a parable that Christ has told. A responsible servant of the Lord will be ready all the time to accept the Lord who comes again as a thief. An irresposible servant will be waiting long time thinking that the Master is not going to come soon. our Lord will be appearing in the heavens any time. It is our duty to follow the Word, with Faith and Love as breastplate saving the heart, and Hope of Salvation saving the brain. 

Through prayer, and through the Word of God, the armors that God has given will be strengthened. In the Philokalia, we read, "Be attentive to your heart and he will guard you from all evil." With Faith, Love and Hope in Christ, we can win over the forces of Satan that are constantly searching for human minds to reside on.  That is our responsibility too. Praise be to Him!