We (the collective of our kolkhoz and the pharmacy staff: from the elder to Dziunio) are responsible only for what is in our pharmacy, what is available to visitors, that is, for what we say-write,—and you are responsible for what you understood, heard, saw, that is, how you interpreted everything you perceived!!! For everything you were tempted by (for your “temptations”, for all the “heresies” you read here and were “infected” with, in a word, for everything you “learned” in our household…) you will give an account, and only you, not us (the kolkhoz and pharmacy staff)!
You ask, what will happen to us (peasants-kolkhoz members led by the elder) for all this (for everything we have done)? You are not the first to ask such a question: “Lord, what about him? … What is that to you? You follow Me!” (see John 21:21-22).—These are our personal (unique, unrepeatable) relationships with the Lord,—and you watch over yourself!!!
Let us also say: You live (and accordingly react, behave) in the world you created! You are always the author (co-creator) of what you understood, you are the (co)author of the book you read and understood something, more: You are the creator (author) of the whole reality (in your mind, in yourself), interpreting, filling with meaning the reality in which you live, which you perceive! Therefore, you create for yourself Paradise or hell, interpreting, perceiving the objective Reality of the Kingdom of God, Paradise, in which you are every moment (constantly); that is, you interpret God’s Love either as a Gift, the most tender Love of the Father-Love, or as a hellish reality, from which you need to escape, break free to be “happy” (in self-egoism). (The poor forget about three things that steal our Happiness: sadness-regret, anxiety-fear, and ingratitude). Therefore, we testify that everyone is responsible for themselves, no one is to blame if someone sins (tortures, torments themselves, being tempted by their own desires). Each person chooses (“creates”) the world in which they will live (either in the Real— in God’s Love, in the Gifts-Love (when everything and everyone (everything existing: being and Truth) is a Gift of Love), or in thousands of illusory egoistic self-created (born of sadness for the past, anxieties about the future, and ungrateful non-acceptances of the present) fantasies-interpretations). Therefore, the Church, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, calls everyone to repentance—first of all, to a change of mind, consciousness, worldview, world-perception-interpretation and offers the True interpretation of Reality—the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father-Love, the coming of the Holy Spirit. “Repent! Believe in the Gospel—the Kingdom of God is at hand!”
I say again: You are the author of the book you hold in your hands,—You are the author of what you read (understood, comprehended, interpreted, organized in your mind), that is, You are the author of any changes (appropriate or inappropriate) in your life,—and therefore you are responsible (accountable) for your life, Happiness only You! God-Love has done everything (took care of everything, cares and will care forever and ever), so that You are Happy—you are already immersed in the Kingdom of God,—You just need to creatively, humbly and wisely accept the Gift in the Eucharist-Joy!—I do not want to! As you wish, but know: Your Gift (God-given)—is Yours forever (the Kingdom of God is Yours! Forever, forever), so as soon as you decide (change your mind, and want to enter Paradise) to accept the Gift—go and take yours—go to the Father’s House (Father-Love) and Rejoice, be a god (by Grace) among the gods!!! Be Happy! Amen!
***
Your first and constant interlocutors, friends-advisors should be:
THE PARISH and PARISHIONERS—those who have taken the path of trusting the Church before you (we are not talking about believers—they are hard to find even with a fire in broad daylight), that is, those who have already (become interested in the “advertisement”) started to test life, to see if reality is truly as the Orthodox Church testifies; those who are more experienced than you in spiritual (Eucharistic) life and will announce you; those who try to create a parish, become parishioners, and then communicate together with such interlocutors:
Authors of the Books of the New Testament
The Gospel (according to the testimony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and the letters of the apostles in the light of their interpretation (the New Testament Scriptures) by the Holy Fathers.
ANTONY OF SOUROZH, Metropolitan. Here is where you can meet, see, talk to him:
The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God // Being a Christian // School of Prayer // Conversations about Faith and the Church // Man before God // Sermons // …
ALEXANDER SCHMEMANN, Protopresbyter. The Eucharist. The Sacrament of the Kingdom // For the Life of the World // Great Lent // Of Water and the Spirit // Diaries 1973-1983 // Conversations on Radio Liberty (in two volumes and mp3) //…