Continue Forward With the Love of Christ

 

St. Paul writes to the Corinthians in today’s epistle reading, “Brethren, be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Cor. 16:13)


These words are fitting for my last Sunday serving at the Cathedral for they reflect my feelings toward the Cathedral community that I have come to love and have been honored to serve.

While I have not served at the Cathedral for as long as I expected, I have strived to encourage the faithful to be vigilant in faith striving to grow in understanding and relationship with Christ and each other and to express this faith through action. This is the foundation of an Orthodox Christian community. The purpose of gathering is not to bolster ourselves, but to strengthen one another in understanding and expressing our faith.

Striving to grow and to express our faith is not easy. There are personal traits or feelings, as well as aspects of relationships, that can affect spiritual growth in both positive and negative ways and it takes courage and strength to move forward. For example, when we focus on our own self-interests we do not give ourselves permission to explore fully our relationship with Christ. This also hinders the development of our relationships with others because they become ‘me’ centered, rather than ‘Christ’ centered.

This can have devastating effects on a parish because when we focus on our own self-interests, even while interacting with others, we are not acting with the love of Christ, as St. Paul tells us, but the love of self.  Our community has faced issues over the past couple of years that have created turmoil distracting us from growing in the love of Christ as individuals and as a community.  I continue to implore the faithful of the Cathedral community to open their hearts to the love of Christ and allow His love to reign in this historic parish.

The love of Christ must be central to all that we do, in our homes, workplace, and parish.  This has been the message I have strived to convey throughout my tenure at the Cathedral.  There have been times of challenge, but I hope that you will remember the efforts we have all invested to help each other and the community grow in the love of Christ.

I have been honored to serve the Cathedral community and will continue to pray for you, the faithful, to grow in grace and love of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and ask that you pray for me.