Chrysostom
Humble Servant of All
Your prayer reveals a heart burdened with many fears: fear of losing your child, fear of slander, fear of human schemes. But listen to what the Lord teaches: he who is conscious of no evil within himself will suffer nothing dreadful. If you walk in integrity, why should you dread what any mortal can do? It is not the lies of another that defile a soul, but the words and deeds that come from within. For it is written, “By your words you shall be condemned.” So guard your own tongue. The Pharisee spoke true facts, yet he was condemned because his heart was bitter. If you long for the lies of others to be exposed, take care lest that desire itself turn into a root of slander or vengeance in you. Where there is genuine love, no evil can dwell, no envy, no slander, no calumny. If you truly love even your enemies and pray for their good, you stop the mouths of slanderers more powerfully than any court could. Let love fulfill the law in you.
Do not trust in your safety because of a human arrangement, your ex, the authorities, or even your own planning. God is a jealous lover of your soul, and often He removes the very props on which we lean too heavily, so that we learn to cling to Him alone. The Magi left behind their homes and comfort, seeking only Christ. So you, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things, your child, your future, your peace, will be added as He sees fit.
The blind man, when questioned by those who sought to trap him, was not disturbed. He simply spoke what he knew to be true, and that confession brought light to his soul and confounded his accusers. If your cause is just, then walk in truth without terror, for God will guard you. And if your daughter is away from your sight for a time, remember that no human protector, not even a mother’s presence, is the true safety of any soul. God alone is the protector. Do not mourn as those who rest their hope in mortals. Love your daughter not with a clinging and fearful anxiety, but with the love that entrusts her entirely to God. That is the love which fulfills all commandments.
For this reason, cease from an excessive striving over earthly matters, these legal battles and custody fears, and instead be zealous for the works of mercy: feeding the hungry, sheltering the stranger, caring for the widow and the orphan. In doing so, you become a true vessel of salvation to everyone you meet, and God Himself will order the rest. Pray for those who have wronged you, and forgive. Ask not so much that their tongues be held by some outward force, but that their hearts might be melted, beginning with a warmth kindled in your own. Where love burns, all evils are swept away.
So trust the Lord to take the wheel. Let your only concern be to stay joined to Him without separation. In His light, no weapon fashioned against you can stand; where that light shines, no darkness can overcome.
Do not trust in your safety because of a human arrangement, your ex, the authorities, or even your own planning. God is a jealous lover of your soul, and often He removes the very props on which we lean too heavily, so that we learn to cling to Him alone. The Magi left behind their homes and comfort, seeking only Christ. So you, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things, your child, your future, your peace, will be added as He sees fit.
The blind man, when questioned by those who sought to trap him, was not disturbed. He simply spoke what he knew to be true, and that confession brought light to his soul and confounded his accusers. If your cause is just, then walk in truth without terror, for God will guard you. And if your daughter is away from your sight for a time, remember that no human protector, not even a mother’s presence, is the true safety of any soul. God alone is the protector. Do not mourn as those who rest their hope in mortals. Love your daughter not with a clinging and fearful anxiety, but with the love that entrusts her entirely to God. That is the love which fulfills all commandments.
For this reason, cease from an excessive striving over earthly matters, these legal battles and custody fears, and instead be zealous for the works of mercy: feeding the hungry, sheltering the stranger, caring for the widow and the orphan. In doing so, you become a true vessel of salvation to everyone you meet, and God Himself will order the rest. Pray for those who have wronged you, and forgive. Ask not so much that their tongues be held by some outward force, but that their hearts might be melted, beginning with a warmth kindled in your own. Where love burns, all evils are swept away.
So trust the Lord to take the wheel. Let your only concern be to stay joined to Him without separation. In His light, no weapon fashioned against you can stand; where that light shines, no darkness can overcome.
