Elder Moisis the Athonite †
We’ve said before that God isn’t impassioned, punitive or vindictive. If he were so, he’d have to be evil. But there’s not a trace of wickedness in the divinity.
Every trial’s a divine lesson and a form of asceticism, which we’ve otherwise voluntarily removed from our lives. Our loving God tries in a variety of ways to bring us close to him. Before God, we’re all strivers.
Today’s economic crisis is a serious trial, test and lesson. God’s an excellent educator. He tries us for our own good and for us to win. Our homeland [Greece in this particular instance but ‘let those who have ears to hear, hear’] has been exposed, is not secure, is frightened and in turmoil. Spiritually defenseless, seduced by the good life, by hyper-consumerism, riches and profligate dissipation to saturation point. The magnetic effect of materialism on life has brought misery and bitter disappointment. All that’s left is to be concerned with what to eat…
