New Years 2008

 

Creator and Co-Creators

By Metropolitan Sotirios

 

 

The phrase “time brings about progress” is a faulty one. Time does not bring about progress. Progress happens within time.

Progress is a creation. The Creator is God. The consummate Perfector of progress is the Creator. Co-creators with God is humanity. Real progress is achieved from God the Creator and man, His co-creator.

Inside of time, swift progress occurs by leaps and bounds. There were, though, periods of time during which, unfortunately, progress was retrograde, and went backwards rather than forward.

Progress was brought forth by the various wise sages of the earth. These include such luminaries as the prophets; the discoverers; the explorers and many others. Progress is both spiritual and material. The technological advances and progress of the last few years is truly astounding. Could you only imagine how behind humanity would be if electricity was not discovered? Progress in telecommunications and the medium of the internet have changed the world, and have elicited the praise and the admiration of all.

The greatest spiritual progress happened when “the fullness of time came and God sent His son.” The Incarnation of God is the greatest event in human History. It is an event never again to be repeated. It brought about true spiritual progress. It brought societal change. Humanity was reconciled with God. The Incarnation of the Lord made possible the return of humanity to Paradise, from whence they were expelled. Whoever desires to be saved, is called upon to do God’s will, and salvation is promised.

A great social change that shocked the world, took place when Christ, through the mouth of the Apostle Paul, said: “There is no Jew or Greek, there is no slave or free, there is no male or female, but all are one in Christ Jesus.” On the basis of these salvific words, there is no difference between people. Woman was now elevated to equality with man. The slave is now on the same level as the free man, and in essence, St. Paul  taught that there should no longer be any slaves or human slavery.

During the time of Christ, only God could say such things. Not a God, but the One and only God, the True God.  “He is with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.” This is who Christ is. The True God. The True Creator. Progress is dependent upon how much man acts as a true co-creator of God. Only then man can create. If he does not co-operate with God, man destroys rather than creates.

Many claim that they are ‘progressive’ and ‘enlightened’. In essence, they are regressive and they reside in and give darkness to others instead of light.  These are the people who battle against and are at enmity with the True God and the Truth. Their minds are puffed up with demonic pride, and they think they can topple and even replace God. They try to exalt man in the place of God. Yet, this can not happen. Because man is a created being, and is not God. These are the pseudo-philosophers and the creators of false religions. The worst of these are those who pass themselves off as atheists, but atheists in reality do not exist. Man is created to worship, and if he chooses not to worship the true God, he will worship that which he makes to be a god.  Atheists usually turn to and trust “horoscopes or the readers of tea leaves and coffee grinds – this is where they anchor their hopes and aspirations”.  In essence, they are pagans, and the worshippers of idols.

Philosophical beliefs and religions that teach terrorism and revenge are not true religions, nor are they true philosophical beliefs. They lead man not to progress, but to darkness. They return him back to pre-Christian times, where there were no human rights. True progress is found where love reigns and is supreme. The True God we worship is a God of love, and He has no relation whatsoever with hatred, terrorism and revenge.

Unfortunately, in our days, there exist many modern pagans, amongst whom we find certain Greeks and others who claim to be worshippers of the so-called gods of Ancient Greece. These people worship the gods of Olympus. One can certainly marvel at the fantasy and the imagination of the authors of Greek mythology, but they are only myths and legends, and they certainly cannot be considered true – even less so, to be the Truth. If one carefully examines the motives of these modern-day worshippers of the ancient Greek gods, one can see that they are motivated by a nationalistic and even racisct pride in the accomplishments of their Greek ancestors. They themselves even admit this. They ask: “why should the bare-clad Jew, Jesus Christ, be greater than the ancient Greek philosophers? Why should you, a Greek, deny your own roots and your own patrimony and tradition, following instead the foreign Jewish tradition and legends?”

Their fallacy and their regressive and backward thinking is truly dreadful. They forget that which Christ said, that there is no difference between Greek and Jew. Christ, the incarnate God, was born a Jew, but He can not be only considered a Jew. He Himself never discriminated amongst peoples, and He called all nations to become children of God. How short-sighted, uneducated and ignorant are these various individuals who claim to be worshippers of ancient deities. They are nothing more than idolaters who try to lead others into the darkness that they themselves are plunged in!

Brothers and sisters:  God created you in His “image and likeness”. He wants you to be His co-creators. He desires for you, true progress and advancement in all good things. He gave you wisdom and a mind to learn and discover the wonders of His beautiful creation, and to be positive and progressive, not negative and regressive.

There is no doubt that we are experiencing a great scientific and technological progress in the era we live in. However, spiritual growth and progress is not keeping pace with science and technology. This is happening primarily because we Christians are “lukewarm” in our faith and relationship to God. When a Christian is “lukewarm”, he is not in an ideal relationship with God, and he is not pleasing to God.   Remember what God said? “You are neither cold nor hot, you are lukewarm, and for this, I will spew you forth” .

At the beginning of this New Year, I invite everyone to think about and ponder over the responsibility we all have for the progress or the regress of humanity. I pray that the Thrice-Holy God grant you all a happy, blessed and progressive New Year.

 

With fatherly love and best wishes,

 

+ METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOP SOTIRIOS OF TORONTO

TS:pa

Note:  To be read in Church on New Year’s Day.