My dear friends, contemplating the uniqueness and universal nature of scriptures had challenged me to seek insights on the meaning of Faith and why people believe. The truth is, as Humans, we all share similar beliefs despite our differences in "religion". There is a need to highlight these similarities and show that "the Good" and "Moral Codes" are quintessential to the glorification of the human race. The deeper you get into your spirit, the more you understand that the Word of God (as understood by most in this generation to particularly mean the texts of any of the Holy Scriptures) are inexhaustible.
Concerning the texts of the Christian Faith, I used to be of the school of thought that one interpretation must be superior above all others and it must be universal (Gk. Catholicam). I used to judge people who consider it more personal than universal because, in most cases, they consider their understanding to be above those of many others. There was a time I had a very universal approach to scriptures in which I was more centered on it's meaning as it applied to the people of God by trying to understand it's significance in history and how much we in modern times can learn from our ancestors in the faith. I gained vast knowledge in the texts but it barely came alive in my personal life so I got distracted. Lately, I became more personal and it helped me deal with a lot of feelings and resolutions yet I realised this is what most fundamentalists do and if not properly guided it could lead to distortions in actual meanings. For many people scriptures is just a tool to be tailored to suit their own desires.
Last night as I wondered why the word of God can mean so many things to so many people, I heard a beautiful citation from St. Ephraim the Cyrian (306-373AD) and as lengthy as it is, it's laden with wisdom.
"Lord, who can grasp all the wealth of just one of your words? What we understand is much less than we leave behind, like thirsty people who drink from a fountain. For your word, Lord, has many shades of meaning just as those who study it have many different points of view. The Lord has colored his word with many hues so that each person who studies it can see in it what he loves. He has hidden many treasures in his word so that each of us is enriched as we meditate on it.
The word of God is a tree of life that from all its parts offers you fruit that is blessed. It is like that rock opened in the desert that from all its parts gave forth a spiritual drink. He who comes into contact with some share of its treasure should not think that the only thing contained in the word is what he himself has found. He should realize that he has only been able to find that one thing from among many others. Nor, because only that one part has become his, should he say that the word is void and empty and look down on it. But because he could not exhaust it, he should give thanks for its riches.
Be glad that you are overcome and do not be sad that it overcame you. The thirsty man rejoices when he drinks and he is not downcast because he cannot empty the fountain. Rather let the fountain quench your thirst than have your thirst quench the fountain. Because if your thirst is quenched and the fountain is not exhausted, you can drink from it again whenever you are thirsty. But if when your thirst is quenched and the fountain is also dried up, your victory will bode evil for you.
So be grateful for what you have received and don’t grumble about the abundance left behind. What you have received and what you have reached is your share. What remains is your heritage. What at one time you were unable to receive because of your weakness, you will be able to receive at other times if you persevere. Do not have the presumption to try to take in one draught what cannot be taken in one draught and do not abandon out of laziness what can only be taken little by little"
The wisdom of the Holy Spirit in the Fathers of the Church clearly showed that we can never stop seeing the Word of God differently. But we can all agree that what abundance there is unknown by our limitations is our human heritage and it must be for the cause of the Greater good and the purification of the moral code rather than to cause discord and lead to violence and selfish agendas that hurt others. It is my prayer that as we approach our various texts, we find it in our hearts to be open minded to sharing and living the truth because the only result of truth is a Grace and Peace that would transform the world. Shalom! As-salamu alaykum! Namaste! Peace be upon us all!
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