MYSTERY and MEANING

From the Introduction to MYSTERY and MEANING: True religion is the discovery and fulfillment of the meaning of life through the acceptance of divine mystery. The God who created us is infinitely transcendent, yet by ineffable grace He reveals Himself to mortal human beings. We catch glimpses of God through His universal creation. We glean a partial knowledge of God through His universal laws. We hear the voice of God speaking through our consciences. And we feel His omnipresent existence through human expressions of love, mercy, justice, and compassion. Yet in spite of these things, God is still holy mystery. He is not a riddle to be solved, but an Infinite Reality to be worshiped and adored. And with humble hearts, human beings can experience the Lord of creation in mystical depth. For through the simple but sublime message of the Gospel, God has made it possible for finite human creatures to enter into His eternal embrace. By the power of the Cross, we can indeed know Him Who surpasses all knowing. We cannot fathom the profound grace that has made this salvation possible. All we can do is accept the love and mercy of Our Lord with gratitude and thanksgiving. And we will never be able to fully accept the grace of the Gospel if we remain isolated from God's true Church; for it is through the Church - the mystical and corporate Body of Christ - that we receive the holy Sacraments, Teachings, and Truths that bring us salvation and sanctification. The glorious essence of God's holy nature transcends rational explanation. Therefore, the ancient and holy apostolic Orthodox Church has been divinely instituted to convey infinite mysteries to the finite mind. The holy icons are windows through which we can see transcendent truths. The Sacraments are supernatural graces through which our bodies and minds are edified and strengthened. The Divine Liturgy is the apex of our worship, the culmination of the power of the Gospel, through which we receive the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. The Orthodox Faith does not try to explain these ineffable mysteries to the satisfaction of human logic. Instead, the Church simply offers itself to the world as the purest earthly expression of holy Truth and divine grace. And “Whosoever thirsts may come and drink the water of life freely.” [Revelation 22:17] Christian faith is first and foremost the humble acceptance of the infinite, incarnate Christ and His Church. Secondly, it is the volitional endeavor to labor in this world on behalf of Christ and His Truth. This means submission to and participation in the life of His Church. It means reaching out to a broken world with the message of Our Lord's love for lost humanity. It means engaging society in order to proclaim God's message of peace, justice, and human rights. It means being ambassadors of Christ, showing mercy to the weak and the sinful, and opposing those forces that prey upon the weak and the sinful. For as Our Lord said, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” [St. Matthew 25:40] This book is a compilation of philosophical reflections and spiritual meditations that essentially deal with Mystery and Meaning. Herein are some of the various thoughts and opinions that I have put into writing over the years. With the power of the written word, I have tried to express the spiritual ideals and social convictions of my mind, my heart, and my soul. Admittedly, many of my views are unconventional and perhaps even controversial, but I trust they are Orthodox nonetheless. I cannot emphasize strongly enough that my own personal beliefs are always subservient and submissive to the theology of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Where I err, the Church does not. Therefore, I urge the reader to sift the philosophy and opinions contained herein through the trustworthiness of Orthodox inerrancy. It is not easy to gaze directly into the light of spiritual truth, and it is never pleasant to disclose the dark realities of social injustice. But we have a Christian duty to proclaim the truth, regardless of whether that truth is comforting or convicting. I dare not pretend that my humble finite opinions constitute "the truth;" but I pray that they are in conformity with Truth, and I hope that they point to Truth. For I seek only to honor Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who alone is "The Way, the Truth, and the Life." [St. John14:6] The topics within this book are many, spanning the themes of spiritual warfare, mysticism, Orthodox theology, human rights, metaphysics, social justice, Christian pacifism, biblical commentary, cultural criticism, and the teachings of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. It is my hope that God will be glorified through what I have written herein. It is my desire that these words will inspire spiritual devotion, social consciousness, and an interest in the Orthodox Christian Faith. And it is my prayer that the Orthodox ideals I know in theory will eventually become the praxis of my heart and the example of my day to day life. "Lord have mercy." This book is not divided into chapters, and it is not arranged according to specific topics. Therefore, it does not need to be read sequentially from beginning to end. These 750 composed texts may serve as a manual for spiritual reflection or as a guide for philosophical and theological contemplation. I believe most readers will find opinions with which they may wholeheartedly agree, as well as views that they may adamantly oppose. If everything in this book is either pleasing to everyone or offensive to everyone, then I have failed both as a Christian and as a writer. My prayer is that the message of these pages will lead you to Truth, lead you to God, and leave you with abiding peace, love, and hope. GEBRE MENFES KIDUS “Servant of the Holy Spirit”