In the novel, a wise Colombian writer has a story about how a whole village was covered by a wave of oblivion. The people began to forget the most basic yet the most important truths. So they decided everywhere to hang yourself reminders and one of them was the inscription “God is”. It seems that in reality this can not be, but if you are attentive, you will notice that there are things that people prefer to forget, though it occurs unconsciously, without ill intentions.
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The student and the contemplation of God
Archimandrite Savva (Maruko)
The contemplation of God, the cross is the most difficult of spiritual exercises. We read of the ascetics who indulged in this feat permanently. They not simply contemplate the Cross in silence, but their prayer mysteriously connects with the idea of the Cross, becoming prayerful contemplation of God.
This is probably really weird, but the first time I plunged into the contemplation of God in chemistry class. Of course, I was far from revelations of the elders, but it was then that I suddenly pondered on the mystery of the cross.
It was in the last school. Elderly teacher is hysterically told something important about full of bitter vicissitudes of life chemical elements, but rowdy teenagers indulged more exciting topics, and the class buzzed like a disturbed beehive. Finally, the master lost his nerve:
– To whom I bother?
Children shamefully silent, casting each other accusing glances, but the shame did not last long, and a minute later came back to the usual hum.
That’s when I noticed this sentence – “to whom I bother?“, and for a long time I’m not in school, but don’t let me go these words, Recalling the most difficult of spiritual exercises.
Cross over the city
Saint Constantine the Great saw a cross in the sky.
St. Helen searched for the Cross under the ground.
Saint Andrew erected the Cross on the Kiev hills, and then he was crucified on the Apostolic Cross.
The great architects put the crosses on the spires of churches, the artists carve the sign of the Crucified on the rocks and sarcophagi, icons and frescoes. The cross is decorated with precious garments of the kings, and the poor clothing of a hermit. Hang on fragile neck of the baptized baby, and courageous Coptic Christians burned a Cross on the wrist, and somewhere in distant African villages Christian women wear tattoo of a cross on the face. Russian is not as severe, but constantly cross themselves during prayer, applying to the Shrine, taking food, going to the temple, opening the gospel, and even asking the question
– And why so many crosses? Are there too many reminders of the Crucifixion? Do we not appreciate the unique event of history which demands reverence, silence, and simple human respect?
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And it’s a fair questions.
Or not?
What is a Cross? The answer is obvious: it is the instrument of punishment.
And if not on the surface? If you stop and allow yourself the contemplation of the cross, the work is hard and frightening?
God’s Answer
For many years I wondered what was drawing in the sand Christ when they brought to Him a woman taken in adultery? I always thought it was words, certainly words, some hidden wisdom, which is so stupidly missed and the disciples and chroniclers. The old priest told me that Christ drew in the sand God’s answer to all their questions.
– What is the answer?
– The Sign Of The Cross!
The cross is God’s answer.
The cross is the most convincing testimony of Love and Humanity.
The cross is the revelation of God-Love.
The cross is a testimony of the humility of God.
But how do I know that God is love? Why do you suddenly believe that God does cares a damn?
– Look to the Cross! God gave Themselves to kill to save!
God shows His love for us sinners that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners (ROM. 5:8).
Christ crucified to those and for those who spit in the face, brutally beat and his slander and lies resulted in the executions.
Christ crucified for those who are left bored in the Palace, cowardly he washed his hands, and for those who betrayed Him to death or just run away from fright and unexpectedly renounced before witnesses His eyes.
Christ crucified for those who did not even notice neither His service nor His death nor His resurrection, and for those who continue to live as though we never had the cross and Resurrection.
The answer of the student
The mystery of the cross is not all, not everyone is given this intense contemplation of the cross the mysteries of the world. But that is important for everyone, says the gospel:
Anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me (Matt. 10:38).
Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me, cannot be My disciple (LK. 14:27).
That sounds really painful! Do not take up your cross, then, is not a disciple, not a Christian, not Christ! And what does “take up your cross”?
To take the Cross to go against nature, which everywhere are screaming that we must devour each other, that man is naturally to break forward, not looking around at the corpses of defeated enemies.
To take the Cross – to live like Christ, love like Christ, to believe in people and selflessly serve the Good.
To take the Cross – to be clothed in Christ, so that His feelings become mine, His love for people has become my own, His kindness revealed in my life.
The cross is selfless love for people! The kind of love revenge! Don’t forget that! And not only people!
But to love people very hard! We read about how behaved the people of Jerusalem during Christ’s execution, and I think:
– My God! To whom You crucified!
Hush! Look around! My God, do not have around – look in the mirror! We are surrounded by crosses – Christ continues to grovel we grovel, the idle contemplators, already accustomed to this revelation of love.
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Christ crucified before us! In front of us and for us! And what do we say to that? And who is able to answer that? Only he who takes his cross and follows Christ. This means, contrary to the strongest evidence that the world lies in wickedness, and the people, small and despicable animals who betray, dishonor, trample at the first opportunity – despite all this, the last godfather foolishness, the madness of the cross to continue to witness love and kindness as the only natural state of man and the world as God’s plan of creation.
This people have come up with Auschwitz, it was they who built the camp in Siberia, starved the poor in Bengal, cut the hands of slaves in the Congo, hunted the Indians in America, tortured children in Beslan, and many atrocities committed and still under the cover of night and graceful chitchat.
And yet the world is on love and kindness, though everyone who becomes an Apostle of Kindness, will have to go to the Cross. This is the tragedy of our world.
The righteous can not escape the cross!
Good always be crucified.
So so painful to look at the Cross. Therefore, it is fast clouds our memory the forgetfulness of the Cross, and to remind yourself of His truth, we have so often and persistently to remind myself of this sign of victory.