October 2013 Anniversary Message from Fr. Antony
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Glory to Jesus Christ!
"Don’t be attached to the desire to be loved
Be attached to the desire to be love."
- Jerred Endsley
The question has been asked (in a curious way) what am I for? I will tell you. I am pro Holy Trinity. I am pro Incarnation. I am pro Gospel of Jesus. I am pro Orthodox Church and rejoice when she actually lives up to her high calling. I am pro image of God in every man, woman and child I meet. I am pro “least of the brethren.” I am pro compassion. I am pro happiness and wish it for all people. I am pro you and I am pro me and I am pro everything that God has made (except maybe ticks and mosquitoes and some spiders, but that is my problem).
I am pro Divine Liturgy, prayer and meditation and mindful living. I am pro honesty even when it doesn’t quite “fit”. I am pro great music and good literature and art that inspires and challenges and beauty in whatever form it takes. And delicious food and sweet wine and walks at night in the new-fallen snow. And mountains and the ocean. And Fall and colored leaves. And family and friends. And my parish and its wonderful people. I love truth and see it everywhere. I rejoice when I see it, wherever and in whoever it appears.
I am not pro anything that does harm to anyone or anything that God has made. I do not value ignorance or the fear of questioning or the fear of change. Slander and libel is definitely not my thing. I love science, psychology and philosophy. I am pro knowledge and learning and growing and I dearly love expanding horizons. I am not pro extremism in religion or politics or any other venue where it tends to grow.
I am neither a conservative nor a liberal because I would rather not label myself or other people in order to justify any kind of separation between me and them. I do not see straight or gay when I look at you like so many think they must do. I strive always to be free to look deeply enough to see the truth in everyone - the Image. I am not pro moralism although I am pro virtue and am not happy when the Faith is reduced to legalism. Since it is fear that causes the mind to narrow and close, to hate, to discriminate, to criticize, to lie, to hide and to condemn, I am not pro fear!
Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.
Areopagitica, Milton
I have no agenda except to become love, to share in God’s life, to live authentically, to be a help to others and to die well. I want to serve whoever comes near and bring joy and peace to them in whatever way I can. That’s what I am for. And if anyone would like to question me face to face, that is what I would say.
Most sincerely in the Love of Christ,
Fr. Antony