Ecclesiasticus I: Introducing Eastern Orthodoxy
Ecclesiasticus II: Orthodox Icons, Saints, Feasts and Prayer
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Life
is magnificent and awesome to humankind; it is holy and divine to God. Man
and woman are the crowning touch of God’s creation, because He delights
in the work of His hands (Genesis 1:27, "So God created man in His
own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female, he created
them."). When the child is formed in the womb, he or she is the masterpiece
of the Creator, the love of Jesus Christ, the hope of society, the joy of
a family. We are given life to rejoice in that life.
When, through illness or some
other tragedy, loved ones lose the fullness of life and the ability to
function, it is God’s desire that healing and our fellow human’s
health be restored. Jesus Christ, as He walked on the earth, could not
bear to see men and women suffer, so He went about healing those who were
not "whole." It is not God’s intention to see us suffer
or not be whole through illness. In cooperation with Him, God has given
the gift to doctors, nurses, technicians and others to use their hands
and minds to help in making our fellow creation be whole (Isaiah 43:7,
"Even everyone that is called by My Name: for I have created him
for My glory, I have formed him; yes, I have made him.").
When I was a newly ordained
priest, the first person I saw die was a healthy woman who had died during
a simple operation. As I stood by her hospital bed, the doctors mentioned
that she donated her eyes to be given to someone upon her death, so they
could gaze upon the face of loved ones, see the beauty of the earth, and
know the joy of sunlight. You see, this woman’s mother was blind
and she had yearned to give her dear mother sight; but since she could
not, she always remembered. She gave that gift of sight to another when
it was possible. This made a deep impression upon me as a young priest
and remains with me to this day.
If a young mother or father
can be saved to live, to raise their children through the gift of organ
or tissue donation, this is the work of God’s compassion. Let that
person who has departed this life do one last great deed for humanity.
Let his or her gift of an organ or tissue be a source of healing and life
in this world created by God. I urge everyone to consider this gift of
God they can give in love to their fellow men and women. This way, God
is glorified by this gift of life.
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