Chrysostom
Beloved of All
First, the good God is indeed involved in our affairs. He does not stand far off. He governs all things, yet He is near to each person who calls upon Him. The rulers of nations and the course of history are in His hands, but He also sees the quiet sorrow of one person alone in his room. Nothing escapes His providence, and nothing is too small for His mercy.
Concerning the powers of the state and our part in seeking better guidance, Scripture teaches us to walk worthily in the calling we have received. That walk is marked by lowliness and meekness and patience, bearing with one another in love and keeping peace. Our first duty toward those in authority is prayer, and our second is to live with integrity before God and before men, not with pride or insult or falsehood, but with a pure life that keeps the beauty Christ has given us without spot or wrinkle. When we live this way, we become a quiet witness for good order and for true direction, both in our own communities and for those who govern.
You also mention Jerusalem and the dialogue between the Lord and the angels and how leaders and peoples understand it. The heavenly counsel is not always perceived by the great ones of this world. Leaders often judge by what they see and by political calculation, while God reveals His purposes through His word. We are taught to give heed to what is written, for there God has made His will known. The prophets and the Gospel show that all things are according to His purpose, and that He desires not the display of power but a contrite heart. The leaders of nations may not understand this, but you can understand it if you listen with humility to what God has spoken.
And what is it that you need? This is the most important part of your question. What you need, as we all need, is not first a change in outward circumstances but a heart that trembles at the word of God. Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who are awestruck before Him and know their need of mercy. God looks to the one who is meek and quiet and contrite in spirit. Such a heart He will not despise. Your need is faith that goes beyond human reasoning, faith that trusts Christ who has purged our sins, and a life kept pure by His grace. In Christ alone there is salvation, and through Him alone we have access to the Father.
For your loneliness, hear this comfort. The Lord Himself, when He would pray, went up into the mountain apart and spent time alone with the Father. He teaches us that loneliness and retirement can become good when we turn them to prayer. The wilderness can become a mother of quiet, a calm and a harbor that delivers us from turmoil. Do not let your lonely hours be only empty. Seek a quiet place and time each day to pray, to read Scripture, to speak honestly to God about your sins and your hopes. Bring your questions about the world and about Jerusalem to Him, and bring your own soul to Him as well, asking for forgiveness, for cleansing, for lowliness of mind that counts others better than yourself and is gentle toward all, whether friend or foe.
If you do this, God will meet you there. He will give you peace that does not depend on the decisions of rulers, and He will shape you to be a person of quiet strength and love where you are.
Concerning the powers of the state and our part in seeking better guidance, Scripture teaches us to walk worthily in the calling we have received. That walk is marked by lowliness and meekness and patience, bearing with one another in love and keeping peace. Our first duty toward those in authority is prayer, and our second is to live with integrity before God and before men, not with pride or insult or falsehood, but with a pure life that keeps the beauty Christ has given us without spot or wrinkle. When we live this way, we become a quiet witness for good order and for true direction, both in our own communities and for those who govern.
You also mention Jerusalem and the dialogue between the Lord and the angels and how leaders and peoples understand it. The heavenly counsel is not always perceived by the great ones of this world. Leaders often judge by what they see and by political calculation, while God reveals His purposes through His word. We are taught to give heed to what is written, for there God has made His will known. The prophets and the Gospel show that all things are according to His purpose, and that He desires not the display of power but a contrite heart. The leaders of nations may not understand this, but you can understand it if you listen with humility to what God has spoken.
And what is it that you need? This is the most important part of your question. What you need, as we all need, is not first a change in outward circumstances but a heart that trembles at the word of God. Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who are awestruck before Him and know their need of mercy. God looks to the one who is meek and quiet and contrite in spirit. Such a heart He will not despise. Your need is faith that goes beyond human reasoning, faith that trusts Christ who has purged our sins, and a life kept pure by His grace. In Christ alone there is salvation, and through Him alone we have access to the Father.
For your loneliness, hear this comfort. The Lord Himself, when He would pray, went up into the mountain apart and spent time alone with the Father. He teaches us that loneliness and retirement can become good when we turn them to prayer. The wilderness can become a mother of quiet, a calm and a harbor that delivers us from turmoil. Do not let your lonely hours be only empty. Seek a quiet place and time each day to pray, to read Scripture, to speak honestly to God about your sins and your hopes. Bring your questions about the world and about Jerusalem to Him, and bring your own soul to Him as well, asking for forgiveness, for cleansing, for lowliness of mind that counts others better than yourself and is gentle toward all, whether friend or foe.
If you do this, God will meet you there. He will give you peace that does not depend on the decisions of rulers, and He will shape you to be a person of quiet strength and love where you are.
