Here's a check list for all clergy and even faithful....

• Are you obstinate, and do you always try to have your own way?

• Have you tried to get revenge against those who have offended you?

• Have you deceived others by what you say about others and yourself, especially those who have offended you?

• Have you told untruths or twisted the truth to suite your own needs?

• Have you gossiped?

• Have you judged and condemned others?

• Have you hit animals without a cause or been cruel to them or neglectful of those in your care?

• Have you insulted anyone with intent to get their reaction?

• Have you quarreled or fought with anyone?  Have you hit anyone or threatened them?

• Have you entertained bad feelings, ill will, or hatred against anyone?

• Have you forgiven those who have offended you or been offended by?

• Have you asked forgiveness from those whom you have offended or been offended by?

• Have you refused, by your actions (even your words), to accept the forgiveness or repentance of anyone?

• Have you outwardly accepted the repentance or forgiveness of another while in your heart and mind you continued in holding an attitude contrary to that which you had said? Such is false, both spiritually and materially for it is mocking God and the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ!  This is not uncommon for some clergy in almost every jurisdiction of the Church Catholic as a result of man's politics, the disease of scholasticism and 'correctness'. 

Many of the above are actually sins against God if you have done anyone of them or refused to accept one's forgiveness or asked forgiveness in spirit and truth.

These many things are truly a part of the human condition and not a one of us are exempt from having committed one, two or more of those sins.  Not a one of us are exempt at all!  No profession ... no vocation... in this life is exempt from having committed those sins against God.

It is easier for people to blame everyone else for things (real or imagined) that happens in life than it is to accept blame.

It is easier for people to remember all the wrongs, mistakes or evil done by those whom they have known over time than it is to remember any of the good they have done.

Such is the way of the human condition; it is a part of one's animal nature it would seem.  Such is the way of so-called Christian believers too.  Yet, we are reminded by Jesus Christ, that we must abide by his WORD in order to overcome those faults in us which lead to sin.

Bishop, Priest, Pastor, Laborer, Judge, Farmer, Lawyer, Doctor, Nun, Secretary, Waitress, Gas Station Attendant, Truck Driver, Husband, Wife, Son, Daughter and.... so it is for ALL!  No one is exempt if they profess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  No one is exempt if they claim to practice and believe in Jesus Christ's Life and Teachings!  No One is exempt!

Everyone who is in a serious situation where they hurt because they hold someone else responsible, is suffering sin in themselves.  Their soul is sick!  the only medicine to be obtained is Penance, Forgiveness and a daily diet of constant struggle in this life to overcome the guilt held within.  That kind of medicine can only be obtained from the spiritual hospital instituted by Jesus Christ and the Holy Apostles.  That is the hospital called, today, the CHURCH!

However, if the sin is agitated and maligned with that of any of those, especially clergy mentioned above; both need a spiritual physician.  If known to one, don't go to the other.  Flee for fear you would fall into the pit further.

Those who are unable or unwilling to take this medicine, this understanding, to heart, are malcontents living under the influence of the Evil one, the spirit of Antichrist!

Normally, those who may fit this description are apt to judge others, act rashly, manipulate other's way of thinking and speaking, attempt power struggles, misuse and abuse holy scripture to make themselves appear as a virtue of God's goodness.  They are apt to speak highly of themselves in defense, before others, think much about their image and may even resort to ideas and schemes to thwart any microscopic viewing of themselves.  Often they boast of their abilities (real and imagined) - - - their zeal and imagined achievements, family connections (if any) or riches.  Ironically, if they be someone who is in a position of authority or prominence, they refuse and often reject any idea that they are guilty of these characteristics and refuse to accept admonishment from their friends and colleagues.  Remember the story of King David and Bethsheba, and what God did to shake King David awake to the realization of his errors?

These type of people, if they are supervisors, teachers, spiritual elders, priests or anyone in lawful authority: flee from them and go to another who is not afraid to admit error in themselves before you and others.  Go to them who have the spirit of humility about them, although somewhat hidden at times.  Deny yourself further association with your former associates who fit those harmful characteristics for they will lead you into the pit further, from which you will never get out in the next life.  Uncorrected, and unrepentant, they will cause for your fall!

The hurt you may have caused another is a hurt to yourself!  The hurt they have caused in you whether real or imagined lingers far too long and causes a deeper wound to the soul which affects one's mental outlook not just to yourself and the one whom you blame, but to so many other people around you.  If the one whom you hold as being guilty of hurting you repentantly comes to you, you must forgive them no matter what the harmful word or action may have been.  And, you must also do likewise toward any one whom you know you have hurt!  But should they not accept your true and sincere repentance or forgiveness even though they say they do... a grave and serious sin is committed by them... and if it is yourself who has done so, you bear a greater burden than before.

The types of people who fail and refuse to inwardly repent and forgive although their outward actions and words say they have... these type of people are about self-glorification even though they may speak much about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and Holy Church; they are themselves far from Holy Spirit and are not seeking the true Glory of God, but of themselves.  True Repentance... True Forgiveness will be known by God... and over time their own response to you or yours to them will provide the real answer as to whether you have or have not forgiven them or they of you. 

Re-read and review these many things.  Meditate, examine within yourself and seek correction by willful struggle while you have time to do so.  Resort to meditation, prayer, repentance, penance and forgiveness of self and others.

Make a part of your own penance, that which might be given you by a true Father Confessor...  a rush to those who have offended you and those by whom you have been offended by - - - as a means to straighten those things necessary between you and they before you have an accident, a heart attack and die; before you meet the Lord and face Judgment.

Seek to remember the good that they whom you are offended by, have done.

Nothing in this life happens but what the Lord allow it to happen for your benefit or ill.  The Lord never visits hardships upon you or anyone, but what you allow it to happen to yourself either directly or indirectly because you permitted the Evil One to enter in.  The Lord permits the Evil One to do those things according to one's strength.  The Lord does not close a door but what he ensure that there is a window by which you can open and escape even though the means may be either embarrassing or humbling.  We all have FREE WILL!

Free Will is one of God's greatest gifts at birth!  We therefore have choices to make.  The Lord provides to those who remain truly faithful to His Word, a means of overcoming the hurt, blame, guilt and self-pity.

YOU YOURSELF HAVE MADE THE CROSS WHICH YOU MUST NOW CARRY!  A saintly man once said, "The wood of the Cross that now breaks your back first, grew in the soil of your heart."  He was right!  St. Macarius, Starets of Optina... Taken from the "Russian Letters of Spiritual Direction".

A Recent article we posted for Archbishop +Randolph of the Western Orthodox Church in America provides even deeper understandings.  Part of the article says:

"We speak and act as if we believe that as long as we're correct in our beliefs, rituals and sexual morality, that we're right with God. However, God is interested in every area of life. Jesus himself said that God cared about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, and the Scripture talks of many other things of a non-religious nature that God is interested in. Yahweh cares about the poor. Yahweh wants justice to reign on earth. Yahweh wants people to be in right relationships with one another. Yahweh wants people to care for the earth, which the Psalmist reminds us today, all belongs to Him. Yahweh is opposed to discrimination. These issues are not what usually come to mind when thinking of theology, but maybe that's because our definition of theology is too small.  Or perhaps it is because only when we can reduce Yahweh from  "a Great God, and a Great King above all gods", down to a size where He can be fit into a box of our own creation that we are comfortable with entering "into His presence".

Click here to Read the full article

In another article he writes:

"But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." (1Sam 16:7 RSV) for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light, (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),  and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.  (Eph 5:8-11 RSV)

Great Lent is a time of sharp contrasts; Light and darkness, sight and blindness, life and death.  As the calendar inches us closer to the events of Holy Week, these contrasts become even sharper, more defined and they begin to call us to make a decision and take a stand.  Either we continue to cling to our old lives and ways of relating to God, ourselves and our neighbors, or we risk it all, step out in obedience and faith, and embrace a new life, a new Covenant.  Today, this process of contrast begins, in the words of Chef Emeril, "to kick it up a notch".  Each of the Scripture lessons for today presents us with a powerful vision of the importance of sight, and the necessity to look beyond ourselves, past our own blindness, and to begin viewing life as God does.  With all due respect to the Bard of Avon, Shakespeare got it very wrong.  The real question is not "to be, or not to be", but rather, "To see, or not to see"."

Click here to view the full article...

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