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There ought to be a law! Isn’t it fascinating that the first thing most people think about when there is some conflict or disagreement or some unwanted actions in our society is that there should be some governmental control issued to make people “behave” the way they “should?” Why is “passing a law” or getting the government to exercise its power in some way our default answer to conflicts in society? How do you think this is working out for us?
A great example is our current psychological delusion that if we just pass a law then “everything” would be OK. And this delusion is common no matter what side of the political spectrum you happen to be on. And yet, over and over again, we humans have proven that no matter how many laws we enact (and we have enacted thousands of laws) people still do wrong. So, should we abandon making laws? No. But we do need to stop deluding ourselves that external controls are going to solve all our problems!
The wisdom of the Church invites us to the mature and sober balance between personal freedom and wise guidelines; between internal character and external controls. But our self-conceit and prideful arrogance blind us from this mature way of living that poisons our relationships, culture, and self-knowledge.
There is another way!
Look at our lesson today in Galatians 5:22-26; 6:1-2:
Brethren, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
It is significant that St. Paul tells these Galatian Christians to “Look to yourself, lest you be tempted.” It is no mistake because avoiding temptation requires me to be attentive to my brokenness and my tendency to be asleep, until it’s too late, in giving in to temptation.
St. Paul’s wisdom to the Galatian Church, a church made up of a lot of Gentiles who were not raised with the Laws of the Jews, is that there is an internal formation that matters more! In fact, he insists that the formation of the “Fruit of the Spirit” internally is superior to any lawmaking or external control. He even says after having listed that internal “fruit” of a vibrant relationship with Christ that “there is no law” necessary to those who have embraced this internal character.
But, how does one develop such an internal character? How do we learn the balance between inner character and laws and guides? Brace yourselves!
You have to “crucify” yourself! WHAT? Who would do such a thing TO THEMSELVES? Those who humbly accept the reality of a life lived free from the addictions of the passions and desires. Look at all the lawbreakers in our society. They seem to believe what they want is more important than peace or their neighbor’s desires. They are so undisciplined in their inner life that they allow their desires to master them. They are a slave to their wants. They are not free. They need external disciplines from society to control them because they refuse or can’t control themselves. What a horrible and infantile life!
Our self-conceit intoxicates us into believing that “what I want right now is more important than any care for those around me.” Just look at the madness of mass looting of stores all across the country where people are so obsessed with stealing items. Major chain stores are actually closing stores in these cities in reaction to this selfish mindset.
But those who willingly “crucify” (that means actively kill) their desires and passions because they are following Jesus, need no external controls to govern their lives. They are the masters of their desires, not slaves.
AND those who have these desires and passions controlled and disciplined are able to help those around them and even restore their brethren who have “lost control” of their desires. A person who has “crucified” their desires and learned, through the wisdom of the lifestyle of the Faith, to master their passions is a source of strength, peace, harmony, and joy to the whole world. Conversely, those who remain slaves to their passions are the source of dissension, fighting, and childish addiction in society.
St. Kyriakos the Hermit was a monk from an early age in Palestine. When he first desired to become a monk, he was too young, so the monks sent him to his spiritual father, St. Gerasimus, so he could be trained by this holy man in the ways of a devoted disciple of Christ. When St. Kyriakos came of age, he went back to the monastery and entered the life of a monk for Christ. It was said of St. Kyriakos that he was so strict with himself, but he was gentle and compassionate to those who came to him for spiritual direction. One story of this saint’s life is telling. Kyriakos eventually left the monastery and moved into a solitary life further into the desert. But, as you can imagine, a food source was in short supply. In fact, the only thing that grew near where St. Kyriakos lived his solitary life was an herb called squills. The herb was so bitter that not even the animals would eat it. So St. Kyriakos prayed and the Lord made the herb taste sweet and that was the diet of this very austere monk. But that is always the way of true humility. The crucifixion of your desires looks “bitter” and hard to those who indulge their desires. But for the disciple that has placed eternal truth ahead of personal self-conceit, the way of humility and repentance is sweet and joyful!
Today, are you crucifying your passions and desires, or are you indulging them? Are you able to live your life free from necessary external controls because you still are addicted to your passions? Know that the fruit of the Spirit grows in the lives of those who willingly humbly and purposefully embrace the disciplines of the Normal Orthodox Faith to see the character of Jesus created in them. Tame your passions by the wisdom of the Faith and watch as the fruit of the Spirit grows in your life!
P.S. You did prove to be a citizen of the desert, an angel in the flesh, and a wonderworker, O Kyriakos, our God-bearing Father. By fasting, vigil, and prayer you did obtain heavenly gifts, and you heal the sick and the souls of them that have recourse to you with faith. Glory to Him that has given you strength. Glory to Him that has crowned you. Glory to Him that works healings for all through you.
Starting October 2nd, we will be hosting our daily devotionals at FaithEncouraged.org. If you want to keep receiving these daily reminders of the Scriptures and the Saints, sign up at FaithEncouraged.org! Thank you to Ancient Faith Ministries for hosting this ministry since 2012!