On the Sunday of the Veneration of the Precious and Life-giving Cross, St. Mary’s Mt Pritchard held its April installment of Life in Christ, a series of monthly talks aimed at providing Orthodox Christians with a compass to guide them in their everyday life. This month’s talk was on “Adversity and the Orthodox Christian” and was presented by Mr George Daher.
The talk began with a definition of adversity as a ‘struggle in our lives’ and a recount of the state of humanity before and after the Fall of Man. George highlighted that after the Fall, corruption and illness entered the world and, consequently, so did adversity.
George recalled the words of Christ, who said “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:20), showing that adversity is inevitable for every human. With what appeared as a bleak outlook on reality, George challenged the audience and posed the question of whether God wants us to suffer and undergo adversity.
He used practical examples to explain that God does not desire or take pleasure in a person’s adversities, but rather he allows them when they provide a chance for the spiritual growth of the individual. Using examples from the lives of Saints, George spoke of the hope that can be found in the mysteries of the Church: Confession and Holy Communion.
Thank you to George for a confronting yet enlightening and much-needed talk.
See you all at the next instalment of Life in Christ!
