Tag Archive for: Control

Control of the Light Switch

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Armodoxy for Today: The Advent Journey – Light Switch

The metaphor of light is used by Jesus on many occasions, to refer to himself and in turn in reference to you, his follower. “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”  (John 8:12)  Accordingly, as a bearer of that light he then says, “You are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

There is nothing fatalistic about this statement. Your goodness is not determined by God or any other force beside yourself. You are the master of your own destiny. “Let your light so shine,” says the Lord. Control of that light switch belongs to no one else but to you.

As we continue in our study of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ next statement is, The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23)

Placed within the context of the entire Teaching of Jesus, we read yesterday the axiom that where our treasure is there are heart is also. Today the material and the spiritual are divided in terms of the light and dark.

At the end of this Journey you will be coming face to face with the Light, first in the form of a star that will guide you to the True Light. And then, you will be in the presence of the Light to receive the Light. The Advent Journey is understanding how fortunate you are to have the control of the light switch. When you walk in the light, it is because you have chosen to do so. When you are in the darkness, it is of your doing.

Let us pray from the 21st hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s Confession of Faith, Christ, True Light, make my soul worthy to behold with joy the light of your glory, in that day when you call me and to rest in the hope of good things in the mansions of the just until the day of Your glorious coming. Amen.

Cover: Gregory Beylerian, 2014

Control

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Armodoxy for Today: the Advent Series – Control

Yesterday we discovered that Jesus’ teaching about adultery is about fidelity in the context of a broader demand for sincerity. Jesus separates action from thought – what we may refer to as premeditation – the thoughts that lead to actions.  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Jesus continues, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”

Jesus uses hyperbole, for sure, in an attempt to draw attention to the difficulty of disciplining the senses. As we learned in the preamble to the Sermon on the Mount, that is, in the Beatitudes, harnessing our power is essential to spiritual growth. The struggle between the physical and spiritual life is ever present and Jesus refers to this duality throughout his ministry. Most glaringly in the Garden of Gethsemane, he challenges the disciples to stay awake with him as he prays, but he also knows the physical weakness they will succumb to and identifies it as, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

The teaching on adultery, is an invitation to take control of our most innate and powerful physical urges. It is a call to open ourselves to the honesty and control of our expression and to the limits of our physical abilities. The sin is not the physical act alone, but losing our control to the lust that draws us to the physical act. Herein is the challenge to rise and ascend to the spiritual realm, where lust is controlled to prevent the sinful act. In honesty and control we find purity. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

We pray today from the 8th hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s prayer, O Searcher of secrets, I have sinned against you, willingly and unwillingly, knowingly and unknowingly. Grant me forgiveness for since my birth from the baptism font to this day, I have sinned before you Lord, with all my senses and with all the members of my body. Have mercy upon me, a sinner. Amen.

 

Advent 12-50: Control

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Advent Day 12 of 50: Control

Yesterday we discovered that Jesus’ teaching about adultery is about fidelity in the context of a broader demand for sincerity. Jesus separates action from thought – what we may refer to as premeditation – the thoughts that lead to actions.  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Jesus continues, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”

Jesus uses hyperbole, for sure, in an attempt to draw attention to the difficulty of disciplining the senses. As we learned in the preamble to the Sermon on the Mount, that is, in the Beatitudes, harnessing our power is essential to spiritual growth. The struggle between the physical and spiritual life is ever present and Jesus refers to this duality throughout his ministry. Most glaringly in the Garden of Gethsemane, he challenges the disciples to stay awake with him as he prays, but he also knows the physical weakness they will succumb to and identifies it as, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

The teaching on adultery, is an invitation to take control of our most innate and powerful physical urges. It is a call to open ourselves to the honesty and control of our expression and to the limits of our physical abilities. The sin is not the physical act alone, but the lust that draws us to the physical act. Herein is the challenge to rise and ascend to the spiritual realm, where lust is controlled to prevent the sinful act. In honesty and control we find purity. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

We pray today from the 8th hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s prayer, O Searcher of secrets, I have sinned against you, willingly and unwillingly, knowingly and unknowingly. Grant me forgiveness for since my birth from the baptism font to this day, I have sinned before you Lord, with all my senses and with all the members of my body. Have mercy upon me, a sinner. Amen.

 

Forgiveness & Freedom

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Next Step #735: Back in 2007, on this day, we established the Day of Forgiveness based on Christ’s principle of forgiving without limit. Here’s another reminder of the dimensions of forgiveness and leading to freedom. A shooting in Chicago is the latest of a string of shootings in a country that is struggling with freedom and the control of that freedom. Here are the links to today’s topics.
July 3, 2022 – Freedom Sermon at 1:12:25
1927 – 4th of July picnic, picture and commentary
Forgiveness conference on 7/7/7 www.7×77.org
7×77 Universal Peace Symbol through Forgiveness
Chicago Killings
Book of Forgiving by Bishop Desmond Tutu
Jethro Tull www.jethrotull.com
Cover: Building the human embodiment of 7, Vasquez Rocks
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org and Epostle.net
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