lack balance
sitting down at work today, pretending not to hear, when a man asks me if i believe in God. i tell him yes. 'what religion are you?' he asks. eastern orthodox, i say, wondering whether it is right of me to still claim so, having some time ago left the art of practicing religion to instead attempt living it. however feebly
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Hmmm, what do you mean by this? I'm not asking in a challenging way (you know me). I am curious of the distinction you are drawing here. I can definitely think of some things that might mean (and that I'd wholeheartedly agree with), but I don't want to draw my own conclusions.
I'd encourage you not to let the Fresno experience define Orthodoxy for you in any way, too. I learned a lot there. But I also learned that I had to find an actual Orthodox Church if I wanted to live the religion I was "practicing" there.
I am pretty bad these days at living it as I should. But there is something I have plugged into, being Orthodox these past few years, that was lacking in all my previous church experiences. And this includes Fresno, even though it provided me a glimpse of it. I think the thing that was missing was the component that made Liturgy, prayer, confession, life, work, school and everything one whole. One life lived in Christ that can't be separated into different worlds.
Okay, I know it sounds like I'm preaching. But really, I'm not. I know you well enough to know that if anyone should preach to the other, it should be the other way around. You are such an example of love, generosity and strength that I really admire. Greatly.
I guess I just wanted to encourage you not to give up on the corporate aspect of "living religion" before you've really had a chance to experience it without all the chaos of driving a million miles every Sunday, and questionable ordinations, and all that.
Anyway, I'll shut up. I know you're on a good path. I just felt like opening a discussion with you. And maybe you'll tell me some things I haven't thought of, too.
Love,
- Joseph
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