Whether we "spiritualize" our life or "secularize" our religion, whether we invite men to a spiritual banquet or simply join them at the secular one, the real life of the world, for which we are told God gave his only begotten Son, remains hopelessly beyond our religious grasp.

Alexander Schmemann
About This Quote

When we are told that God gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us from the bondage of sin and death, we do not really understand what this means. As far as we are concerned, sin is a passing phase in life. We only know about the sufferings of Jesus in later years when we read the gospels. At that time, however, he is still alive on Earth with his mother Mary.

Jesus still has to die but the story of his suffering is often forgotten by us when we are busy with our own lives. We do not see that Jesus lives for others. That's why when he says "I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me", we think he is talking about himself and not about us.

Source: For The Life Of The World: Sacraments And Orthodoxy

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