Oh man.
Many Years to our beloved archbishop, and not to take away from his elevation, but I have to write about this news piece on the OCA website that explains the financial scandal.
I am almost in tears (good ones) feeling honoured and loved as a member of the faithful who has been so honestly spoken to by the higher ups in the church. they have come forward, dealt with a very difficult issue, opened it wide for all to see, and humbly asked that we all ask forgiveness, of each other and of God.
Honestly, I was so upset by a church that hid its problems ( I was 19 or 20, so perhaps at the height of idealism) and this is such a healing balm. Yes, the chancellor was in the wrong, and he will be disciplined, but for his own salvation, God grant, and the leaders of our churches did as best they could. They didn't hide anything, and they admitted that things were worse than they were first willing to admit.
I read this and I feel as though these men really are Loving God enough to admit to the whole world their own weakness.
I was very blessed to read it.
and yes, Many Years, your eminence, for our sake and yours.
2 comments:
Healing comes through brutal and often uncomplimentary honesty.
Often when we are publicly shamed by our particular sins, we flee them in the future. Let's pray that this happens here too.
"Lord, grant me to see my own sins, and not to judge my brother." - easy to say, not so easy to do.
YES. i hear you dave. i am also hearted by thier willingness to be challenged and by relentlessly seeking the truth. i am reassured by it, that they, once they saw that actually it was a problem, did not hide, did not deny... the sanity and peace that this gives is incredible...
i was at the Cathedral yesterday for the Canon, which was wonderful; all candles and darkness and the battle towards repentance and i found myself thinking how freeing it is - to acknowledge before God in church praying the canon that i am a sinner, yea even the chief of sinners...
i did not know before (before i was orthodox, before i heard that we need live a life of repentance) how good and freeing this is.
blessed lent, this is. May God keep us all to the end...
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