Voluntary Love

It happened today as my new friends, catecumens and I stood in the front of our iconostasis, we had such heart-warming conversation about Christ's saints. My friends were not very familiar with the way St. John the Forerunner written on an Orthodox icon. Thus when we stood in the front of his holy icon, one of them asked, "Whose icon is this? An angel?" (may be because he saw the wings) I paused for a while looking at the direction at which icon  he asked. I put on smile and answered rather light-heartedly,"Yes." "But a very special angelos (messenger). He was sent with a very special tiding and greatest news to the mankind. That is to prepare the way for the Messiah to come. He is the one sound in the wilderness calling the people of God into repentance so their hearts may welcome the Kings of all".

"Wait. Saint John the Baptist?" "Yes. You got it right." "He is the greatest prophet, whose life is like those of angel's. His purity, sincerety, bravery, obedience and voluntary asceticism astonish us even until today". I continued.

My friends' eyes sparks with such warmth that he venerate his icon and we further discussed his life and how the church honors him in such deep love.

One of the things that really touched me from our spiritual discussion was how these beautiful saints of God have very poignant thing in common: enduring things voluntarily in their obedience to God. In other words, for those who love God beyond words, they put love and obedience to God in the very first priority of their lives. They voluntarily trust and 'abandon' their lives to Christ that He might use it for much bigger than what they humanely possible.

For Saint John it was his life style. He lived in a harsh place, yet far from complaining and whining, he took this ascetic way of life to glorify God, to live like an angel on earth, voicing God's commands for Israelites to lay aside worldly vanity and lies, to come back to God , repent and receive Him. He voluntarily lived his life in such away that "Christ must be greater and he becomes less and less."

Then upon looking at Panaghia's icon, I was reminded that she too, was such lovely example of how God's chosen voluntarily let God work in her so that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven, beyond words, rather by giving Herself to be the tabernacle of The Most High!

Then, if we trace every saint's life, this thread is of very significant importance: to suffer and be poor voluntarily, to endure every single thing for the sake of love toward God foremostly-- which inevitably directly correlate with love towards neighbors.

This thoughts and reflections brings such sweetness and comfort to my soul. Quite often I found myself blindly wish in my heart that the circumstances change in such away that I can always enjoy (that is, in my favour). I forgot that God's wisdom is far beyond my understanding. Such a great joy it is to know that Our Loving Lord is always there with us among the mundane and even sour life experiences to actually transform us into His likeness. One thing is really necessary: to stop looking at ourselves and playing with self-pity. Rather, to accept it as from God, voluntarily and joyfully endure it for the sake of God's love.

So together with St. John the forerunner we would live a life of voluntary obedience, abandoning our lives in the hands of Good Shepperd and keep following Him to Golgotha and beyond, into His eternal presence. Glory to God for all things!