Fr Nikolai wrote:
What canon says to give no compassion to novices (that are not yet monks) and to instead attack them when they are sown?
Since he is just a novice, then he has all the freedom to leave. But, to expose his personal differences with a bishop who seems to be in his own world, is another matter.
I've had issues with my bishops, but you don't see me writing at naseaum about it here.
Perhaps, he's not cut out to be a monk. Obedience doesn't seem to be his strong point.
Is this how you hope others will treat you in your worst days?/quote]
Perhaps, many of us have been treated in a certain way, in our worst days. I, for one, have to remind myself, that God allows this to happen to me, for my salvation. I may not understand at the time, but I know that I am being corrected by God. But, I look within myself..eventually. I hope Nathaniel will be able to understand that too.
I would think that you, Fr. Nikolai have had such experiences of correction, in your life too. But, I see that you are taking this on a more political level.
We don't always hear what we want, but we hear what we need. That's the way God works in our lives. Understand?
No matter what we are facing in our lives, we have to remember that the core enemy is satan. We're not Nathaniel's enemies and he's not ours, but sometimes trying to set someone straight is painful to that person because all he wants is justification for his sufferings.
The only sufferings that affect us, is the self-imposed ones. If we had true inner peace with God then the conduct of others wouldn't bother us. If we can at least admit that much, then we are still sane enough to understand the spiritual warefare we are constantly in. But, if we drown ourselves in self-pity, self-justification, and all the other self things, instead of self-judgement, then we are spiritually lost.
In Christ,
Joanna
