Follow the Path of Your Orthodox Church Fathers
Igor Starkov. https://www.pexels.com
Linto Onakoor- OCP News Service – 8/6/19
Gen.26:18 “And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them. “
Surprisingly the above Bible Verse came to my mind while reading about the recent Papal call for the ‘so-called ecumenism’ (?) and his urge to establish full communion with the Eastern Orthodox Churches…
Two points to all Orthodox ecumenical souls.
Pope Wants to ‘Trick’ Orthodox Churches Through ‘Urgent’ Intercommunion
(i) Issac did not forget the well of his forefathers
It is well understood from the previous verses of the same chapter 26 that, Isaac had a great harvest and he was rich enough (26: 12,13). Hence it was not hard for him to dig a new well. But he refrained from digging a new well. Instead, he opened and used his father’s well.
Two thoughts come to my mind regarding this are:
First, Issac was aware of his parent’s actions. That is the reason why he could easily identify his father’s well. Second, he was quite sure that his father’s well could be used. If he had a doubt, he would not take an extra burden of using an old well.
Brothers and sisters,
Two thoughts I mentioned above seems relevant in the current religious scenario. First, we need to thoroughly understand our father’s ways – how they lived, and what they taught. Second, we need to realize that their teachings are rich with the real ‘presence of Christ’.
“The well of Orthodoxy is ‘deep ‘ enough to feed her children.” Our forefathers drank their whole lives from the well of Orthodoxy. They want their children (us), to do the same. Unlike the other Christian theological teachings, Orthodox theology has its own unique characters. At least realize that ORTHODOXY is what Christ taught, how apostles preached, and what our forefathers practiced.
Please do not kill the Well of Orthodoxy.
(ii) Issac did not neglect the name given by his father to the well
It’s quite interesting that Issac did not even attempt to rename the well, even though he could have easily found a new name. Isaac could have renamed the well by his father’s name so that his Dad would be always remembered. But Issac used the same name given (to the well) by his father.
The point is that the will of our fathers must be our prior consideration as well.
Taking ecumenism in its real taste is completely sweet. But attempts to prioritize such sweetness and to place it above our faith is DANGEROUS. It is just like throwing stones on Church fathers and teachers.
May God bless you all.
Source:
OCP News Service
