This twentieth (21st as well) century is phenomenal compared to the past ones, because millions of people are traveling without knowing where they are going.
Can we call those people normal people? Or more clearly Christians?
In that unknowing mind, the human race (man), having a thirst for happiness but misguided with wrong theories and false propaganda think those are the closest to their life purpose. It carries an attractive name which similarly said is a disappointment. That’s the reason that Holy Bishop Nikolaj is writing these words: “TO THOSE WHO THINK THAT THEY CAN BE GOOD CHRISTIANS WITHOUT THE CHURCH”! We think that is only pride which comes from paganism, from selfishness which is not making you rich but only poor. Do we think rationally?
“It is correct, my dear brothers in Christ! The Lord Jesus Christ did not make the Church if we could be without it. Why did He give it strength stronger than Heaven, when some individual can win over the “Heavenly doors – Adova vrata”, and without the Church?
The hermit monks spent almost their entire life in hermit loneliness, but did not cut the tie with the Church. They asked for the blessings during their lonely life and died united for the Church.
The less communication they made on their earthly lives, only with the Church when the circumstances made it impossible the greater communication they had with Church in Heaven. Their spiritual experiment is of great value for God’s Church but also for the Worlds Universities.
Take for example, one of metaphysical science which in the world’s Universities is known as the hardest of a kind of science. It is a science which scientists cannot call a science not knowing enough even to discuss it, but call it a THEORY. This is a theory of knowledge. Indeed a fine name for a fine success in a mysterious part of a man’s soul. They will never know enough as long as they are taking in consideration only the external nature which is so indifferent for a man. But they are not taking in consideration two of the most
important factors which are conscientiously and purposely influencing on a man’s soul and that is: God like a friendly force, and the devil unfriendly force.
When a man reads a book, from authors such as, Isac Sirin, Makary the Great, Sinay and Athon’s Fathers, men who spent their entire lives studying themselves and their own souls, levelled their experiments with modern theories of knowledge, indeed it has to be EMBARASSING! That stipulation and fine knowledge of the Church’s Fathers has been rudely lost in our mechanical modern world in which our University professors are lecturing about Psychology, retracting persistence of a soul. That is exactly like somebody teaching about Theology and retracting God, or teaching about Astrology retracting the stars.
O, my dear brothers, we do not know how to respect the great richness of our Church until we are confronted with world ignorance. See, through the preaching for the 20 Centuries of “LOGOS”, the Church is the impeccable career of divine logic. Studying the man’s spirit, this Church knows the best Psychology. Oh yes, in Psychology can be found a trustworthy science of knowledge by the knowledge of Logic and Psychology. On its, own rich treasury of knowledge Church is not using it for world’s fame but for correcting, helping man’s spirit and for preparing them for God’s Heaven. It is only teaching mankind to stand faithfully by a friend, that is God-philanthropy, and to fight against enemies that is the devil-father of lies and man’s killer. It is calling for immediate attention to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ and to be saved for eternity. It’s announcing the victor with his victories.
Our old Serbian rulers were engraving in their seal a Cross in the middle and around it the words: “ CHRIST RESIST + HRISTOS ODOLE” !
WHO BECOMES ESTRANGED FROM CHURCH PULLS, HATE ON HIS OWN SOUL!
Know this my brothers in Christ and tell this to those who don’t know “!
Holy Bishop Nikolaj (Velimirović)
1880 - 1956