by Fr. Geoffrey Korz –
…
We should not ever, ever be surprised when the world responds to Orthodox Christianity with skepticism and hostility.
We should not be surprised when the world tries to reinterpret the Bible, or the Church Fathers, or the lives of the saints, to fit some modern agenda.
We should not be surprised when even so-called Orthodox people follow the example of the parents of the Blind Man, and try to make themselves friends of the world, and won’t say a word that might cause waves with the world.
That’s the way it’s always been. Even since the time of Christ Himself. Even with the Apostles, when you think about it.
…
Spiritual truth, versus worldly thinking.
It happened with the saints throughout the centuries, too.
If the faithful wanted to quietly live out their lives as Christians, to pray, to go to Church, they would be mocked. Laws would be passed against them.
They would be asked to conform to whatever the government told them to say or do – whether they lived under the Romans, or the Ottoman Muslims, or the Soviet Communists, or others.
Eventually, they would face death for their faith in Christ.
…
—————————————————
Full article here: Pravmir
Photos of St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, in Lubbock, TX that was vandalized and trashed on June 12, 2021. From the parish page: “Someone/more than one (?) broke in and destroyed whatever they wanted. The stained glass window where we hold our babies to the light … Holy things in the altar … Icons of Christ and His mother, the saints – thrown and smashed … The tomb of Christ we celebrate that is EMPTY hauled across the building and thrown into the refrigerator… They ripped the cross off the doors, even, and threw the crown of thorns outside.”
