FROM THE ABBOTS DESK I do not keep up with internet blogs, but occasionally items are brought to my attention. I was recently told of an Orthodox Monk who criticized western-rite Orthodoxy on the grounds that he saw no great need for it. The vanity of his criticism was brought home to me as I listened this morning to the reading from the holy rule of St. Benedict: For the Abbot must have the utmost solicitude and exercise all prudence and diligence lest he lose any of the sheep entrusted to him ... Let him rather imitate the loving example of the Good Shepherd who left the ninety-nine sheep in the mountains and went to look for the one sheep that had gone astray, on whose weakness He had such compassion that He deigned to place it on His own sacred shoulders and thus carry it back to the flock (Luke 15:4-5). [Chapter 27] The fore-mentioned critic would no doubt see no great need to go after one lost sheep. In that, he departs from the opinion of our good Shepherd Christ, and indeed of our good shepherds Metropolitan Hilarion and Bishop Jerome who have shown by word and example their belief that if only one soul is saved through western-rite Orthodoxy their mission will have been worthwhile. May God bless and increase such good shepherds in the church.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 14:43:35 +0000