Letters to the Olympics
19.99 €
Out of stock
Letters to the Olympics
19.99 €
Adam's fall, through All-Wise Providence, brought immeasurable benefit to man—the conscious discovery of God's love in the cultivation of his fallen nature. And this is found only on a sorrowful and thorny path, in the blows and spitting of the personal cross, in co-crucifixion. From birth, numerous sorrows and dangers await and befall the poor man throughout his life. It is not easy to accept and bear them—that is what sorrows are for, as the Fathers note. Even more difficult is to love them so as to dwell in them as on blessed pus. The key to love is faith. Faith that all that is sent is from the loving right hand of the Lord. Here is consolation—a soothing drink—and a kerchief that dries the bitterness of tears. Then the quality of sorrows grows closer to the Cross of Christ and unites us with the blessed God in eternity. Love especially bestows the greatness of accompanying consolations upon its most faithful companions and secret partners—those who follow the wisdom of the prudent thief. Herein lies the test of our faith and love, and the validity of our hope. In edifying sorrows lie both God's truth and our justification. Those who bear great sorrows are also deemed worthy of great Love. But when life passes without sorrow, there are no opportunities or paths to understand and know first ourselves, our fall and corruption, and then God, His attributes: His mercy, His truth, His holiness. To assimilate ourselves to Him. And to love, at least to some extent, both our neighbor and the Creator. Only in a storm can one find a sure and unshakable anchor of trust, and only after stormy trials does the long-awaited sun become truly clear and precious, its rays now revealing beautiful and hitherto unseen pearls on the calmed sands of the shore: "Christ is with me—whom shall I fear? "Though the waves rage, and the whole sea rush against me, or the wrath of rulers, all this is a spider's web to me, even more insignificant than a spider's web" (St. John Chrysostom, "Homily on Returning from Exile"). How can we desire and love that which brings us pain and suffering, and how can we sense, amidst these turmoils, the Hand that once raised Peter (see Matthew 14:31)? Here is the mystery of the Cross of Christ, revealed to the faithful with His Glory. In the image of Christ, the great luminary and universal saint drank his great cup, according to his great measure, who, finding peace and victory, and with it Love, concluded his way of the cross with the simple, laborious, edifying words: "Glory to God for all things!"
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