His Grace Bishop Ignatie of Husi warned against people who act as ‘spiritual pirates’ to Christ’s church ship generating fear through all kinds of ‘ideological boats’.
Addressing the congregation at Delesti, Vaslui County, on Sunday, August 18, the Bishop of Husi stressed that Christians must show courage and trust in Christ, the Helmsman of the Ship, in all conditions.
The hierarch offered his reflections on the gospel passage from Matthew 14:22-33 referring to Jesus walking on the water.
‘The gospel reading transposes us into a reality that each of us faces. There are countless moments in our life when we think we should capitulate or give up the fight. The life’s vicissitudes are so intense that we come to the inner conclusion that everything is in vain,’ His Grace said Aug. 18.
Spiritual pirates and ideological boats
‘We believe that, being in the middle of the waves, in the midst of the winds, the ship of our life is sinking. Maybe there are some who want to drown us, coming around us with all kind of “boats”, behaving like “pirates” who want to tear us from the Ship, which is the Church. Christ always sends us this message: Take courage and don’t be afraid,’ Bishop Ignatie stressed.
He noted that in today’s society there are many “ideological boats”, some more treacherous than others, which are trying to destabilize us, there are “spiritual pirates” who become supporters of everything they consider to be “diversity” and under the guise of tolerance, they are the most intolerant of all.
‘They are very hostile to the Church and manipulate others,’ he added.
Fear hides a lack of trust in Christ
Bishop Ignatie pointed out that the fear of Christians in any trial shows a lack of trust in Christ.
‘We, people, do not always succeed in having our eyes fixed on Christ and we let ourselves to be seduced, captivated, burdened by the fears of this world, by the terror of today’s world. We behave like Peter, we think we are drowning, that our lives are in danger. His little faith lay in the fact that he could not believe the word of Christ: “Come!” no matter how many waves or how many trials would come.’
‘The miracle was not that he walked on the water, the true miracles means to trust Christ when He calls you and follow Him, no matter how hard it feels, no matter how impossible the context in which you are told to follow Him.’
Some claim that we are already shipwrecked. They’re wrong!
Bishop Ignatie said that all those are wrong ‘who claim and are convinced that we have already been shipwrecked, that we as Church, as message, as bearers of Christian values, are lost and drowned’.
‘Even if they want to “save” us from many things, they will not succeed, because only Christ can save us from any kind of imminent danger that could tear us out of the ship of the Church.’
Photography courtesy of the Huși Diocese
