Mission Monthly – September 1996

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Phillipians 4.8

The above verse from St. Paul was a favorite often refered to by my seminary professor and current Dean of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, Fr. Thomas Hopko. This has become a favorite of mine as well and I have decided to use it as an ongoing title for this section of our newsletter. It seems most appropriate as it was brought to mind when I recently read the following beautiful quote from Mother Theresa of Calcutta:

The fruit of silence is prayer.
The fruit of prayer is faith.
The fruit of faith is love.
The fruit of love is service.
The fruit of service is peace.

As Orthodox Christians we have a great wealth of spiritual resources. Our Church has given us many God-revealers, for God truly is glorified in His saints! We also have the gift and duty of discerning grace wherever and whenever it is expressed. The beauty of Mother Theresa’s Christian witness is to be admired and emulated, as in the case of our own saints, and her words truly penetrate, edify and convict our hearts and our souls to the very depth of our being as children in God’s service. It is a long road from silence to peace, but if our faith is to be revealed as sincere there can be no other road. May we build upon the silence, the prayer, the love and the service that one day we may be considered worthy to receive God’s gift of peace… which will be our salvation!