The struggle against the Christ is largely ever-increasing. The world is now connected through traveling, mass Medias and arts, which further promotes harm. These communication vectors can be employed in both good and bad manners; and we have no complaint about their use. Nevertheless, this reality explains the prevalence of sins. Thus, everyone needs to keep an eye on themselves and their children. They cannot live outside this world and form pure groups; because the ways of survival exist within this world and through dealing with the wicked and sinners. You are building your world within the existent humanity and the latter is trying to spread its corruption, while you are attempting, through good potency and words, to make it know God. This is an everlasting battle between light and darkness that you can find almost everywhere; in your workplace, at home, and during social gatherings, in which you are present to fulfill your responsibilities.
However, this does not mean that you are obliged to attend the sinners’ parties and gatherings, or to adopt their social lifestyle. You have to know how to choose your friends and discuss with your children their social groups and the places they go to. You can also choose the TV program you want to watch without being a slave to the screen. In fact, both our eyes and ears have their pureness. You also ought to ask your wife and daughters to be dressed decently, especially if you were responsible for their living.
You also have to be modest as to what you eat and drink, and avoid extravagancy; and the same applies for your clothes and home furniture. The world glory also come from these; for if you desire glory and boast, you shall be void of the true existence on which rely the resistant. The more you have such desires, the more they control your mind and become your ultimate goal, so you shall fall in the bondage of jealousy and pride, and you will boast because you possess living means and power more than the others, and you will impair your soul after it has been enlightened in Christ. While men are proud of their money and power, women are rather conceited because of their beauty, clothes, cars, and much other superficiality. This leads to arrogance and recognizing the family as wealthy, therefore being haughty towards the poor who are, above all, the Christ’s loved ones.
Do not even think that you can show off all your glory and be at the same time passionate about modesty. This behavior contradicts the principle of sharing. If we yearn for glory, we get closer to it; and not only will it grow in vain, but also it will hurt those of weakness and cause in them the desire of this glorious life.
Do not reassure yourself by saying that not all of us are like that. One can seem chaste out of incapacity, but his heart is filled with pleasures. To be free of your wealth by great generosity and free of your poverty by the divine wealth, this is what believers have in common.
Facing this largely widespread corruption – and I did not enumerate all its aspects – I have no solutions to propose. You cannot be freed from extravagancy by decreasing the same. It is not a matter of quantity. Should you purify your soul, you shall be freed from inside. “For by grace you have been saved”. Everything in you must be changed. You have to like the face of God, because He is good solely, and you are far from Him because of the faces of devils hidden behind various desires. Their fight is great, and it needs a greater power to overcome them. When you become convinced that the divine joy is greater than any pleasure, and that the Lord provides consolations, you shall be leaving your world pleasures to the everlasting spiritual enjoyment. So has been the experience of the pure.
Translated by Amani Haddad – 08.02.10
Original Text: “من العالم الى الحب الإلهي” – 05.02.1995
