THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Dear Christians,

Often we get so caught up in our busy life that we forget why we are here. We are not here to save the world. St. Seraphim's words come to mind. "Save yourself first, and thousands will be saved around you."

Christ said, "Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I came to bring a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household" (Matthew 10:34-36).

St. John Chrysostom said, "So I beseech you: with a view to being able to bear without difficulty the effort which virtue involves, let us give evidence of great love of God, and by devoting our attention in that direction let us not be deflected by any of this life's concerns in our course towards that goal. Instead, let us keep in mind the constant enjoyment of future blessings and thus bear without distress the hardships of the present life."

Don't get caught up in the busyness of life, and all the worthy causes you want to involve yourself in. Keep your life simple. The busier you are, the more excuses you give yourself for not doing the will of Christ. Leave tomorrow for tomorrow. The world is in His hands, not ours. If we do His will, we have done everything we possibly can to 'save' the world.

+Bishop Christodoulos

Hellenic Orthodox Traditionalist Church of America
Holy Metropolis of The Greek Orthodox
Old Calendar Church of America
Cathedral of Saint Markella
22-68 26th Street Astoria, N.Y. 11105
E-Mail: Smyrna1922@AOL.COM