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| Secco Ego tempra Icon by the hand Archon Maestor Elias Damianakis, Iconographer |
Baptism was my first public statement of repentance.
The universality of brokenness is our human condition. It is in our weakness and through our failings that we are made useful. The struggle is our credential our authority. We cannot deny our brokenness and hope to be helpful to our neighbor. We are not merely generally fallen we are individually imperfect. If we are only available to serve superficially and refuse to use our own suffering as a source or well spring of healing, then what do we hope to accomplish? Our service, even well intentioned and sincere, is nothing more then activity not love. The vulnerability of sharing one's experience is the sacrifice of love to step out of the shadows into the light to bear witness to the hope that is. By sharing in spite of weakness and despite our failing we leave nothing to be wasted we use even that which the enemy thought he would lay claim. We all fall short and we work together to rise again. As human beings we all bear the hand print of God and there is a dignity and stature which is granted us but we all also should be humbly kneeling in the recess of our heart. The Resurrection is not the abandonment of the cross. Quite the contrary we bring it with us making use of everything God has willed for us knowing it all leads to good for those that love Him. Repentance is the gateway an threshold of the Resurrection. We cannot hope to be made whole or help our fellow man if we do not embrace our brokenness as a treasure an gift to offer to one another as unvarnished truth and sacrificial service. Our Lord stood before Thomas bearing His wounds allowing to be poked and inspected. How else would Thomas know but by the suffering which the Lord took upon Himself. Christ our Lord is the Wounded-Healer Who took on flesh and suffered.
The universality of brokenness is our human condition. It is in our weakness and through our failings that we are made useful. The struggle is our credential our authority. We cannot deny our brokenness and hope to be helpful to our neighbor. We are not merely generally fallen we are individually imperfect. If we are only available to serve superficially and refuse to use our own suffering as a source or well spring of healing, then what do we hope to accomplish? Our service, even well intentioned and sincere, is nothing more then activity not love. The vulnerability of sharing one's experience is the sacrifice of love to step out of the shadows into the light to bear witness to the hope that is. By sharing in spite of weakness and despite our failing we leave nothing to be wasted we use even that which the enemy thought he would lay claim. We all fall short and we work together to rise again. As human beings we all bear the hand print of God and there is a dignity and stature which is granted us but we all also should be humbly kneeling in the recess of our heart. The Resurrection is not the abandonment of the cross. Quite the contrary we bring it with us making use of everything God has willed for us knowing it all leads to good for those that love Him. Repentance is the gateway an threshold of the Resurrection. We cannot hope to be made whole or help our fellow man if we do not embrace our brokenness as a treasure an gift to offer to one another as unvarnished truth and sacrificial service. Our Lord stood before Thomas bearing His wounds allowing to be poked and inspected. How else would Thomas know but by the suffering which the Lord took upon Himself. Christ our Lord is the Wounded-Healer Who took on flesh and suffered.
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