Religion

Father, everything is in Your hands. We do not see those hands, nor do we see You, and so we falter day by day, grumbling amidst Your blessings which we do not desire, because our treasures are stored in another kingdom, not in Yours. Saying we believe, we form ourselves in our own image, because we do not trust You to form us in Yours. Religion is our protection, against You.

— from the prayer ‘By Your love,’ at Hidden in the Clefts

Yes, ‘religion is our protection against You.’ How often I have had this thought passing through my mind, especially lately, as the Day of Judgment approaches me and us microcosmic’ly. The Church is certainly at a very strange place at the moment, once again making it difficult for some to find their way, in, out, and round about. We listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd where we can hear Him, but it’s not always where we are told we should. No matter. God knows His own, and in our best moments we dare to hope we’re one of them, just as in our worst moments, we know we are for sure.

Fr Stephen has written a good word titled, ‘Godless Morality,’ a topic to which I have also given much thought. His piece is worth reading. here is a sample…

The disease of religion (and morality) is found in the absence of God. Religious systems, arranged for controlling human behavior and managing our neurotic desire to manipulate the universe, find the concept of God to be extremely useful. Nothing grants ultimacy to any scheme as well as the divine Ultimate. But such religion does not require a real God – indeed a real God brings about the destruction of such neurotic systems.

This is the great struggle of true Christianity. It is not a struggle against ignorance or unbelief. The greatest struggle of the faith is with the perversion of faith – the neurotic grasp for godlike power with its inherent enmity toward the true God.

When I wrote ‘The Church is certainly at a very strange place at the moment,’ this is what I was hinting at—‘the neurotic grasp for godlike power with its inherent enmity toward the true God.’ I suppose that is why this particular passage grabbed me. You can read Fr Stephen's entire post at his blog Glory to God for All Things, by clicking HERE.