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The Minister and Culture |
Bishop
Moussa
Bishop of Youth The one who ministers to young people must be cultured. What is meant by this?
1.
The mind is a gift of God:
There is no doubt that the mind - the second component of human personality after the soul - is a vital gift of God to man. From childhood, we know that man is a reasoning animal. Although we are offended by the word ‘animal’, it is a scientific truth that we share our instincts and our material and tangible body with the animal. But man is superior in that he possess a mind to think and a soul that is in touch with God.
The mind is a basic element in human personality; it is impossible for a human to be whole without a mature mind. If he loses his mind, he loses his capacity to function and is no longer responsible for his actions. The authorities, in this case, have the right to declare him incapable and to confine them. Since God has created man in His own image, man must develop those elements that contribute to the fulfillment of God’s purpose in creating man.
2.
Mind and the Fall:
Sin had its inception in the mind, it was just an idea! Thus, we cannot divorce mind from spirit or fragment man!
Although the basic motive resides in the depths of the soul, thought constitutes a link between what is offered to man from the outside and what he desires inside. Very simply, the serpent suggested an idea to Eve and this appealed to what was in her heart, so she accepted it and her whole outlook was changed. She agreed with the serpent in its allegation that God wanted to deprive man of knowledge so that he will not become like God. The idea began to change the senses; she looked at the tree and found it good. It is what is deep within that defiled the senses. Eve ate and gave her husband, and they both sinned.
3.
Plant a Thought:
There is a Chinese proverb that is worth contemplating:
Plant a thought, reap
an action,
Plant an action, reap a habit,
Plant a habit, reap a character,
Plant a character, reap a fate.
This is a truth, for both sin and holiness are just ideas suggested to the mind of man. Man is impressed with the idea, adopts it, and converts into action. When that action is repeated, it is transformed into a habit, and his character is formed out of the collection of habits, and his character in turn decides his fate. Long ago, it was said: “Personality is a collection of habits on two feet!” Thus, the mind plays a crucial role in the formation of personality, for man acts the way he thinks, and his habits are formed out of repetitive actions. These habits determine his fate as well as his personality traits.
4.
The Mind and Salvation:
The mind is important in the salvation of man. The word ‘taab’ (repent) is derived from ‘thaab’, meaning to regain one’s senses. The prodigal son’s repentance began when he came back to his senses and compared his circumstances in the pigsty with his former position in his father’s house.
St. Paul believes that the genuine beginning of the way of salvation lies in the renewing of the mind, ‘metania’, the Greek word meaning a renewing of the mind and thought; ‘meta’ means change, ‘logos’ means reason, and the repentant individual is one whose mind is renewed by the Holy Spirit. He is one who stops a while in his alertness and asks himself ‘Where am I going? what path am I taking? Am I thinking wisely about my eternal destiny? Have I begun my life in Christ? Is the Lord pleased with my life? What does it profit me if I gain the world and lose myself? What is worth a single moment at the feet of Christ and in the presence of His love?’ That is why Gods asks us to be wise and to discern the times for they are evil. Solomon advises us thus: “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished” (Pr. 22: 3). The apostle also advises us saying: “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers” (1 Pet. 4: 7)
5.
The Mind and Knowledge:
half the scientists since the creation of man have lived in the twentieth century. The energy that man will consume in this century is more than that consumed from the beginning of history. The names given to the scientific age have changed in rapid succession. No sooner do we call it the atomic age, then the name is soon changed into the space age, the age of reactions, the laser age, the computer age, the age of satellites, the nuclear age and so on.
Some imagine that this astounding scientific progress is in conflict with faith, but the achievements of the human mind fill us with respect for it. In truth, the achievements of modern science support our confidence in faith and fills our hearts with trust in God in Whom all riches of understanding and knowledge reside.
6.
The Mind and Faith:
We have previously settled this certain truth, for the mind is God’s gift to man. He created us so that we can comprehend and act wisely. The objective of the human mind is to know God and it is able to do so through faith. When our inner vision is enlightened by the Holy Spirit, we comprehend what is incomprehensible, of matters invisible and we are sure of them. As the Bible says: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11: 1)
When the mind studies the universe, it understands timeless matters, divine matters, the creation, and eternity. When it contemplates God’s amazing creation or man’s body that is full of secrets, or the dimensions of the vast universe, it bows down reverently at the Lord’s feet, offering praise and worship.
7.
Man Discovers Laws:
All man does with his human brain is discover the divine laws that govern the world. For example, when man discovered the force of gravity, this did not mean that this force had not previously existed. When electricity was discovered, man was not its inventor. When he discovered the telescope, he saw what had originally been there but which his limited eyesight could not see. Even when man wanted to walk on the moon, he went about it with great respect for the laws of the universe that had been formulated by the Great Architect. The spaceship was projected at a certain speed to enable it to escape from terrestrial gravity and man took oxygen with him because there was none there. He estimated the moon’s gravitational pull and investigated the meaning of weightlessness. He had to take many other matters into consideration and was able to learn a great deal about the works of God and the wonders of His universe.
8.
The Child and the Ocean:
9.
Man and the Unknown:
If the universe is the vast unknown, man is a universe of his own and the depths of his being is a vast world. Philosophy is concerned with the depths of human thought, and the secrets his body are the subject of amazing anatomical, histological, and chemical studies. How much more intricate are the depths of the soul. The soul of man is his light and it is through the soul that man gets to learn about God and acquires real knowledge of his Savior. “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (Jn. 17: 3)
Do you, dear reader, know the Lord Jesus Christ with all your being, your intellect, your heart and your inner experience? Has He become your life companion, the light to your path, and the only savior of your soul? Christ is the way so beware of losing the way!!
10.
The Mind and Culture:
It is important for a man to be cultured, for human culture is a part of a person’s total make-up. It is unacceptable for a person to be spiritual and to lose his contact with the world, with society, and with human thought. That would be mindless and a hindrance to his witnessing to Christ. Man does not consist only of a soul that prays, but also of a mind that thinks, understands, reads, and critiques. He looks for God everywhere, in every person and every idea. He discerns, searches, and delves into ancient human civilization and contemporary thought, in daily human activity, and so is in touch with the truth and with God. He also rejects what is fake, evil, and false.
11.
Culture Glorifies God:
If the birds, reptiles, and trees glorify God, and the stars tell of the work of His hands; how much more does man and the human mind. Therefore, assiduous reading in different fields of knowledge take us into new and rich dimensions of man. A Christian youth should acquire a great deal of knowledge and be familiar with studies and research in numerous fields through which he becomes acquainted with the inner wealth of man, the climax of creation, and the priest of the universe. He also learns about what sin did to man when it brought him down from his pedestal and thus corrupted his mind, defiled his soul, disturbed his spirit and made his body vulnerable to catastrophe, to microbes, and to the beasts of the earth.
A few of the possible areas of knowledge and the benefit to be derived from reading in them are listed below:
a.
Psychology: Psychology and its many branches probes the inner depths of the human psyche, so that we learn about motivations, psychological needs, reactions, and how complexes are formed. We also learn about the emotions we acquire towards the people, objects, values, and habits that shape our day to day life and which affect us beneficially or harmfully. He learn about the tendencies that we develop throughout life and our reaction to our environment, whether it is the family, school, church, society, or the media.
b.
Sociology and Education: Man is a social being and sociology explains to us the dimensions of human behavior whether individual, familial, tribal, or national. We also need education studies because from his childhood, man bears the seeds of his manhood and his personality and sound educational knowledge bestows on us an understanding of the stages through which the human soul passes from the cradle to the grave. Through these studies, we learn about the stages of man’s maturation, from the acquisition of self-confidence to independence, achievement, faith, self-actualization, forming firm friendships, productivity, and solidarity.
c.
Philosophy: It consists of a journey inside the human mind and attempts to identify his ego, its origin and aims on the metaphysical level, what is beyond matter, nature, time, and death. This journey is undertaken by man, sometimes succeeding in his vision and sometimes failing, so that divine inspiration and heavenly light remain the basic sources of spiritual knowledge, of how the universe is organized and the means to attaining true knowledge, or God.
d.
Literature and the Arts: These contain innumerable areas of knowledge and creation that express the nobility and feelings of man toward God, heaven, knowledge, and his human brother. They are different expressions that are impossible to dispense with, such as poetry, praise, drawing, music, .... etc.
e.
The Dynamics of Life: The Christian individual must read about contemporary civilizations and cultures, leaning about human history, becoming aware of the lessons of the past and looking forward to a better age. He examines intellectual currents and current issues and, with God’s grace and wisdom, forms a constructive Christian view.
Dear Reader, read a lot, for reading enriches the intellect and the spirit, and elevates them above what is sensual and materialistic. The Bible remains finally the only source of sure Divine light giving us the right perception and the possibility of reaching God and living in Him forever.
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