My grandmother had grown up in a Jewish village in Ukraine, but she’s never been a believer. She’s about 90 years old now and in a way is becoming like a child. Two recent conversations with her have amazed us.
Once, I was talking to her on the phone after work on the way home. I was telling her of some plans that we have and then, half-jokingly, asked her whether those plans are ok? Whether she’s like it this way or that way? And she said: “I want you to do as you wish. And what I have to do – is just to love you.”
And another time my mom/her daughter was talking to her. My granny was telling of this and that happening, and concluded with the words: “whatever happens, we should say: glory to God!”
I know of one Jewish man who said – and wrote – the same. He lived roughly two millennia ago and his commemoration day is today. My granny has never been a believer. Or has she? I believe and hope for our Lord’s mercy to such children of His.
Our God, the living God of Israel, whose Divine Word became a man for us and for the whole human race, out of pure love, to save and to deify all souls that do not resist Him, can never be circumscribed by our thoughts or our beliefs, nor can the words even of Jesus be used by us to deny salvation to anyone, but only to extend it, graciously. Our hope for the salvation of unbelievers is nothing compared to the mercy and love of God which our imaginary lines cannot restrain, for His Son came not to condemn the world, but to save it, and to bestow eternal life. Not everyone who believes is aware of their own faith, nor does everyone believe who says or thinks they do. God is incapable of making a mistake. No one whose soul seeks Him, whether they know Him or not, is condemned, and no one is saved by no matter how much religious devotion, if all along they were seeking only themselves. God, not man, knows the difference, and infallibly. All who have faith, wait. As for the others, let them judge, saved or condemned, to no avail. Only God is God, and only God is love.
ReplyDeleteThank you, brother. That's poured healing oil on my heart.
ReplyDeleteAlthough now I'm not sure whether I am not seeking only myself.
Beloved brother, the same is true of me. Who is it, or even what is it, I am seeking? Is it the Lord, or have I been talking to, listening to, following, preaching and promoting, living and loving only myself? Imaginary lines are what we make, but fine lines there are unmade by us but drawn by the finger of Christ God as He squats and scribes the sand walked by our accusing feet. Whoever and whatever it is that we really seek, even in our blindness we are not deaf to His gentle, persistent words, 'How blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be shown them!' These words are for us who say we believe and hope we are saved, but also for those who do not believe, if they do them. Again we see the Divine Nature at work in us, defying our religion and our irreligion, delivering us from our isolation, from ourselves, making room for us based not on what we do but on Whom we seek, whether we know Him or not. As the desert father replied when asked who are the sheep and who the goats, 'Who the sheep be, God knows, but the goats are such as I,' and yet He accepts even goats' hair as an offering.
ReplyDeleteAgain, your words are consoling, brother.
ReplyDeletePlease pray about my wife and children - they are flying abroad today.
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ReplyDeleteI just found your post, rather late, but I am sure our faithful and good God has brought them to their destination. Meanwhile, as if they are in the air, I ask the Lord to preserve them all in peace and grant them safe passage. And in their destination, again and again, Lord, keep them safe.
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