It may sound strange and illogical, but death is a prerequisite for the eternal life in Christ. Firstly through the holy sacrament of the Baptism, we die to this world and we are born in Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven. Then, in the further
course of our lives we are bound to die for the world and ourselves, to keep our spiritual life in Christ.
Our dying consists of giving up on our will, including all our personal plans and desires, and accepting God’s will through the obedience to our spiritual Father. In particular, for those of us who are on the first stage of our spiritual life of purification and liberation to our heart from the passions. Until we gain an enlightenment of our mind in knowledge of God’s will, we should obey in all, the word of our spiritual Father.
This is very important and we can say a lot about it, especially about the works of the devil who can hide behind our “good” thoughts and plans that sometimes can even be pious. As Savle thought that he was obeying God, he was actually a fighter against God. But when he gave up from himself, and he died within himself, that’s when St. Apostle Paul was born who said:
Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again…If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (1 Cor. 11, 21-30), but he also said: I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth). How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (1 Cor. 12, 2-4)
Therefore, if we want to be with Christ and have His glory, it’s not required to seek our own but only God’s will and glory. Amen.
