I share what I can, and you share. And it turns out unity

Sinful man, with his infirmities, selfishness, pride, narcissism, egocentrism, narcissism, jealousy and discontent. Here is what I have. And it’s not talent, and wounds. Real wounds, real picture – how to open and save your talent and why all of our unique abilities is actually a need for unity – says Archimandrite Andrei (Konnos).

Photo: optina.ru

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And here’s another way to keep your gift: to understand why you have it. Our Lord stands for everything that we have, and it is important to understand it. As for what He gives us things. For ourselves? No. In order to share with others. That is my talent, my blessing does not belong to me alone. The Lord gave me this so I lived with my brothers. And He gave you something that you could share with me. For example, you write beautiful icons. And I get to speak well. And the Lord said to me:

Archimandrite Andrew Konnos

– You get to talk to people.

And you:

– You write the icons, of My face.

And someone else:

– You will teach children.

Or:

– Be a monk living in a monastery, to work on earth and to pray for the whole world!

There are indeed many gifts. They are diverse, but none of them enough to live separately from the others. We all need each other.

Now I’m talking to you. But at some point you will want to eat. I can’t eat words! Talk, talk and then get hungry. What do I do? I’ve never worked with the land not sow the field, I have no idea what a garden is never done. And you grow vegetables, you deliver these vegetables at the stores, you’re fixing roads that delivered to shops vegetables. Thus our talents complement each other, and each of us helping the other, I know one thing, you another, but your talent (to grow vegetables) I really need.

I share what I can, and you share. And it turns out unity. And it is important to feel this unity, to understand what the terms of any gift, in communion with others, to be together. The Apostle Paul says we are one body, one part of the body. Therefore, we need each other.

For example, the hand to function normally, we need foot. If we want to buy something (with your hands), then go to the store (feet). But one of the legs will not be enough: Yes, they lead us to the store, but to make a purchase, the necessary hands that we take what we need. And still can not do without the eyes – need to see what you’re buying; and the ears to hear the information. And who’s to say that one thing is necessary, and without the other you can do?

And we, the people. All we need, in particular you really need. So you should treat your talents and abilities. They give us the opportunity to be together with each other.

It was a beautiful service, because you prayed with us!

One man once came up to me after the Liturgy and said:

– What a beautiful you had! I really liked it.

I replied:

Service was fine, because you prayed with us! Together with the choir, the people, together with me and we all prayed together. It was not my Liturgy, and our. You have invested your feelings – love, pain, suffering, your heart. I have made a Liturgy of the hands, the voice – that is, through his body. So, together, we served the Liturgy.

I had the opportunity to serve in one temple, where it was so good that we were always thanking God and praying people, whose prayers you feel, and the chorus, which sounded solemnly, orderly and gracious and humble. During this service all felt the balance. No extremes, no rush. The measure of everything. “How good!” I thought.

We all need each other. What I would do, for example, without an altar server? “Just think, post! – you say you are. Nothing complicated: fill the incense, warm water, cooking heat, cut the communion bread…” Yeah, but how would I one did it with no altar server? That’s why I say to him:

– I need you!

And he answers:

And I need you. Without you will not be Liturgy.

– Yes, but without you here, too!

– Not going to sort things out.

– No, let’s poyasnye! With love…

Here is “love” bickering says that I still need you, and I you. And as you think that I’m in charge and I think what is more important – you. But the Lord looks at us and rejoices:

– Well done, understand the meaning of life! Understand why I’m having such a variety!

We, in essence, are?

Diversity is necessary to achieve harmony, says Christ. This forms a unity – a unity of souls, personalities, spirits. After all, if God gave everyone only one person, all would have envied him: why, he has everything and we have nothing!

No person would be all. And no man who had anything. Everyone has something. And we all need each other.

This is quickly forgotten, constantly have to remind myself – it is so easy to begin to identify your talent with myself, thinking that since God gave it to you, so you, your “role” in this world. How can I explain it better… Now, imagine an actor who has to play a variety of roles in film or on stage. He played, for example, the king or some famous person, a great scientist, physician, inventor. So he goes down the street and meet him, recognizes him and shouts:

– You’re the doctor from that movie!

And imagine how the actor suddenly forgets that he’s actually only played the doctor. Forgets that he was the doctor, and the doctor has his role that he was given in the film. And begins a smug nod: “Yes, I’m a doctor!..”

And in life. I don’t want to say that we constantly deceive each other, no. I gave an example to show what you have really isn’t yours, remember that. Do not attribute to themselves their talents.

Well, if each of us ask this question: “am I Using what I have, for the common good? Are there or is credited with all the virtues of myself, being proud of their talents?

We, in essence, are? If you think about it, you will understand that you’re the most normal, very minor. The publican saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner”.

Sinful man, with his infirmities, selfishness, pride, narcissism, egocentrism, narcissism, jealousy and discontent. Here is what I have. And it’s not talent, and wounds. Real wounds, real picture. First and foremost, this applies to us priests. It is easy to forget that who we are, the revealed grace of God, a gift of God.

People don’t kiss my hand, and – Christ

Here, for example, yesterday, the day before his ordination, he was just plain George. And all who knew him – relatives, neighbors, colleagues, I turned to him:

– Hey, George! How’s it going?

And now this man, the most ordinary, set apart. And now it is known even by those who previously did not know. Now he’s in the spotlight, all kiss his hands, called his father George (or father Nikolai, father Anastasius, who, how) and take the blessing. Now it is recently the same as all the notice, called the father. “Father, bless!”

But if I forget that the people kissing are, in fact, not my hand, not me, but Christ; that they need not I, but Christ, some might be tempted to attribute all this solely to himself, his “I”.

Somewhere I read that here lies great danger for us, priests. The robe gives us great power and honor, but we must match this with his life, elevation of the soul. You need to be aware of this and often say to myself:

– Wait a minute! Who you were yesterday? And who imagines himself now? What you have designed of God, people, your neighbors. It’s not yours. The Church has given you for the Church!

I think you understand what I’m saying boils down to one thing: love.

All our talents we need only to cultivate love. If the gift that you have, doesn’t make you loving, giving, sacrificing, it means he’s not reached his goal.

Unfortunately. Unfortunately – because that is what you gave it to God!

And the Lord says:

– No, I did not give you this. I gave you that you loved!

In addition to love, will remember and about what I said above: namely, the unity. Let these two words be long. Unity with all. That is, God gives you a talent that you were together with other people – not separately, but together, one heart, one power. This is very important.

Sometimes you have to see how two charismatic, talented wife take divorce. He, for example, works as an accountant – a smart, intelligent man; but his young wife, musician, teacher. Such talented, educated people – and their ability to not combine them, has not led to unity. And intelligence they sent to tell each other hurtful words to hurt each other and break up. They do not use their talents for the purpose – to love and to unite in his love.

Wherever you were in Greece, on the Islands, in Cyprus, abroad – remember: we are not strangers, not by themselves. Nothing separates us, we are not rivals, not opponents.

Now, while I’m saying all this, Christ is in our midst. Stop, take a look at It and say:

– O Lord our God, Creator and Redeemer of ours, we go together to You! We are one!

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