Who is a True Missionary? – Part 4
Article – Andrew Smith :: Image – via Wikipedia
The original is translated by ‘Gentleman’ and posted on the OrthodoxChristianity.net forum. Below is my summary. Like the translation, I’m going to divide my summaries into four parts before doing a commentary…
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Fr Daniel tells of a man from the Altai (in Russia) who was fishing on the lake, and saw the ‘white Hostess of Altai’, who told the man to get his nets and go to the village, seek out St Makarii and listen to what he said. When the man found St Makarii, he was in church, preaching. The man looked at the iconostasis and was astonished, asking why the White Hostess of Altai was painted there. In fact, it was the Mother of God all along who commanded the man to seek St Makarii so that he would leave paganism and come to Christ.
Missionaries serve the ancient plan of the Trinity, a plan that predated the creation of the world. The Father created the world that we might, through Jesus Christ, be the children of God. The Holy Spirit calls the people into the Kingdom. Those who love Truth will follow Him; those who do not, will not. Christ wants all to be saved, but knows from the beginning those who would follow Truth.
God sends His messengers to the ends of the world, and pleases Him to send missionaries in particular times and places. The world of missionaries is so unique that it is not possible to schedule or predict it – a missionary lives in the hand of God the Father. He is there when missionaries need Him, and brings people to them when needed – as Fr Daniel’s experience testifies. Even Fr Daniel’s lateness for services has been for the glory of God – whether to save from suicide or from apostasy. Seemingly an accident, but really that’s God’s providence.
Imagine the glory of being a co-worker of God – not just a child of God, but a direct co-worker of the holy Spirit, a messenger of the Kingdom with an incorrupt crown in holiness. Let us pray, therefore, that the Holy Spirit might come upon, not only our missionaries, but upon all our parishioners who serve the Lord Almighty and yearn for the Divine love.
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Comments, questions or feedback? Who do you know that is a ‘true missionary’? Let me know by commenting below, or on Google Plus or Facebook!
