Epoka Para Lindjes se Krishtit dhe Epoka Pas Vdekjes se Krishtit

E Diela e gjithe Shenjtoreve

Webster, 2008

Apostujt, profetet dhe martiret; peshkopet, prifterinjte dhe asketet; burra dhe gra; te pasur dhe te varfer; te rinj dhe te vjeter; disa qe ne vitet e para te jetes se tyre ishin vrases dhe hajdute; te tjere qe ishin prostituta dhe krejt imorale ne sjelljen e tyre; te gjithe ata qe ishin te semure dhe te renuar ne nje fare menyre, qofte fizikisht, menderisht, emocionalisht apo shpirterisht, shume qe ishin krejt te humbur ne jetet e tyre – shenjtoret e Kishes, prezantojne nje game krejt te gjere te njerezve te magjepsshem.

Jisui Krishti kujdeset dhe i do te gjithe njerezit, pamvaresisht cilet jane dhe cfare kane bere, dhe nese e lejojme Ate, Ai na merr pikerisht atje ku jemi dhe na transformon ne nje krijese te re! Kete e degjuam qarte ne leximin e Ungjillit diten e Pendikostise, te Henen e kaluar, qe ishte gjithashtu edhe Festa e Shpirtit te Shenjte. “Biri i Neriut, Jisu Krishti, ka ardhur te shpetoje ata qe kane humbur. “ ne kete lexim, Zoti yne perdor nje analogji te gjalle te nje bariu qe kujdeset per grigjen e dheneve te vet. Kur Bariu i Mire kupton se nje nga delet e tij ka humbur, Ai nuk mund te qendroje i kenaqur duke numeruar te 99 delet e sigurta. Jo, Ai deshiron te shpetoje delen e humbur, te dale jashte dhe te kerkoje ata qe jane te renuar, te semure, te vuajtur, ata qe ndihien te braktisur, te vetmuar dhe te frikesuar. Jisu Krishti do secilin nga femijet e Vet, pamvaresisht se cfare kane bere ne jeten e tyre, pamvaresisht se sa te humbur mund te kene qene ata!

Shpesh mendoj per shenjtoret e panumert te Kishes sone qe ishin kaq ne meshire te fatit ne jetet e tyre. Shen Fotinia, gruaja Samaritane, qe u martua me pese burra te ndryshem dhe akoma nuk e gjeti se cfare kerkonte. Cfare grua e renuar dhe e perbuzur qe duhet te kete qene ne kohen e saj! Shen Pavli mendonte qe po ushtronte vullnetin e Perendise duke persekutuar dhe madje vrare te Krishteret e pare! Sa i corjentuar ishte ai? Shen Moisiu i Etiopise ishte nje bandit dhe kriminel i frikshem, qe madje grabiste murgjerit e pa mbrojtur. Shen Mari Magdalena, paraqet nje grua te turbulluar, te dermuar dhe te demonizuar, me pak shprese per te ardhmen e saj. Shenjt Zakeu ishte nje burre pa principe, vidhte nga te varferit qe te pasurohej. Dhe pergjate historise, per 2000 vjet, ne mund te lexojme per te tjere qe dukeshin tej-skaj te humbur, dhe tashme te cilet gjeten jete te re dhe kuptim dhe qellim te ri tek Jisu Krishti. Madje dhe sot, kam takuar njerez qe u ishin dedikuar droges dhe alkoolit, qe u mbyllen ne burg per krime te tmershme, qe urryen Perendine dhe ushtruan ateizem luftarak, qe jetuan jetera te shkateruara dhe tashme u kthyen ne krijesa te reja, duke jetuar renjesisht ndryshe nen mbrojtjen e Krishtit Jisu.

Sot ne Diten e gjithe Shenjtoreve, ne duhet te kuptojme qe Kisha jone nuk i koncepton shenjtoret si njerez te shenjte qe nga barku i nenes se tyre. Sigurisht, qe disa shenjtore jetuan nje jete te devotshme dhe shpresetare madje edhe ne nje moshe te re, duke mesuar nga prinderit e tyre te krishtere dhe rriteshin ne hirin e Zotit. Megjithate, te tjere, nuk kishin te benin fare me Perendine, deri vone ne jeten e tyre.
Megjithate ajo cka i bashkon te gjithe shenjtoret, dhe cfare frymezim dhe mesazh na mesojne ne ata, eshte se si secili nga ata perfundimisht erdhi ne nje maredhenie te gjalle me Perendine, i hapen zemrat e tyre veprimit te Shpirtit te Shenjte brenda tyre, dhe se fundi i dedikuan jetet e tyre ne ndjekjen e rrugeve te Mbreterise se Krishtit. Keta shenjtore u perpoqen qe ti bindeshin porosive te Tij. Pamvaresisht se sa te veshtira ishin ato, dhe u bene drite e dashurise se Tij per boten rreth tyre!
Per cdo shenjtor dhe secilin nga ne, duhet te kete nje kohe, ajo e Eres se Vjeter dhe e Eres se Re.- nje kohe “Para Krishtit” dhe nje kohe “Anno Domini”- “Ne vitin e Zotit tone.”
Perpara Krishit, i jetonim jetet tona sipas deshirave, pasioneve dhe nevojave tona. Perpara Krishtit, ne ndiqnim ndikimin e botes, me menyrat dhe intresat e saj. Perpara Krishit, egoja jone dhe qendrimi me qender vetveten drejtonte shpesh jetet tona. “Anno Domini”, te jetosh ne “vitin e Zotit” nenkupton qe dicka tjeter se vetja jone qendron ne qender te historise. Te jetosh ne vitin e Zotit do te thote qe ne kuptojme dhe pranojme Perendine si fillim dhe mbarim te cdo gjeje. Ai eshte Burimi i jetes, jete Dhenesi, dhe Mbeshtetesi i jetes. Te jetosh ne vitin e Zotit, do te thote qe ne ti jetojme jetet tona sipas deshires se Tij, jo tones. Mesimet dhe porosite e Tij, do te jene qendra e influences ne jetet tona, jo media, shoqeria dhe opinioni i votuesve dhe i botes rreth nesh. Si te Krishtere, dhe me potencial shenjtoresh, Perendia na therret te jetojme tani “ne vitin e Zotit”.

Pergjate kesaj jave qe kaloi, java e pare pas Pendikostise, Kisha fillon te lexoje perseri Ungjillin e Mateut dhe ne fillojme me themelet e besimit tone ashtu si duket edhe ne Predikimin ne Mal. Ne kete pershkrim te jetes ne Mbreterine e Perendise, Jisui u tregon qarte pasuesve te Tij se si eshte jeta reale ne Vitin e Zotit”. Te behesh Shenjtor, te ndermaresh nje perpjekje te sinqerte dhe megjithe zemer te ndjekesh Krishtin (dhe shenjteri te tilla perbejne potencialin dhe na theresin secilin nga ne) nenkupton luften per te ndjekur mesimet konkrete dhe te perditshme te Perendise, pamvaresisht se sa te veshtra duken. .
Ne predikimn ne Mal, Jisui na paralajmeron qarte, “hyni nga dera e ngushte; se e gjere eshte porta dhe e gjere eshte rruga qe te con ne shkaterim, dhe ka shume qe kalojne prej asasj.” Rruga e djallit eshte e lehte. Ne s’kemi shume per te bere. Vetem te ndjekim instiktet tona te renies; te shkojme me rrymen e shoqerise; marim rrugen e lehte qe sipas opinionit te votuesve, shumica reklamon; dhe ne do te ecim ne ate rruge te gjere dhe te hapur qe te con ne shkaterim! Njerez te panumert, te paditur, ecin ne ate rruge te gjere dhe te hapur, thjesht se nuk e vrasin shume mendjen. Por, “Jisui na sfidon, “E ngushte eshte porta dhe e veshtire eshte rruga qe te con ne jete, dhe jane te pakte ata qe e gjejne ate”. (MT 7:13-14)Zoti yne na thote se PAK do ta gjejne Mbreterine e Perendise!!!
Po, eshte e veshtire te behesh shenjtor! Sigurisht eshte e veshtire te ndjekesh me bestari rrugen e Perendise. “Te duash armikun tend. Ti falesh ata qe te lendojne. Te meshirosh ata te cilet nuk e meritojne. Te kthesh faqen tjeter dhe te mos lejosh inatin te ngelet ne zemrat tona. Te kuptosh qe shkelja e kurores fillon me mendime epshore, dhe vrasja fillon me inatin e pakontrolluar. Te bekosh ata qe te mallkojne, tu beni te mira atyre qe ju urrejne, dhe te luteni per ata qe ne menyre dashakeqe ju shfrytezojne. Te kerkoni se pari Mbreterrine e Perendise”.
Shenjteria nuk mund te harriet, nese nuk kerkon te ndjekesh me ndergjegjie rruget e Perendise. Po, sigurisht qe kerkon nje perpjekje te madhe nga ana jone. Nuk mund te ndodhe thjesht vete. Ne fakt, rruga e shenjterise eshte e pamundur te ecet vete nga ne, vetem me perpjekjen tone. Kjo eshte arsyeja, pse Krishti na kujton ne vazhdimisht qe nuk jemi vetem. Nese jetojme ne vitin e Krishtit, ne kuptojme qe Ai eshte gati te na ndihmoje. Krishti ka derguar Shpirtin e Shenjte te zere vend tek ne dhe te na frymezoje. Ai na ka dhene Kishen qe te na ushqeje dhe drejtoje. Krishti nuk do te lejoje qe te vije tek ne ndonje tundim qe eshte me i madh se fuqia qe kemi ne te. Kur ne perpiqemi te bejme pjesen tone, Ai i gatshmem do te beje pjesen e Tij. Dhe pjesa e Tij eshte shume me e madhe se jona. Ne hedhim hapin e pare dhe Ai do te na mbaje ne per 10 hapa te tjere. Ne luftojme te hedhim nje hap tjeter ne Mbreterine e Tij, dhe Ai do te na mbaje ne krahet e Tij per 20 hapa te tjere. Zoti eshte besnik (i vertete) per te na dhene ndihme, por Ai gjithashtu shpreson dhe prźt nga ne, te parashtrojme perpjekjen tone te sinqerte dhe me gjithezemer.

Sot, ne festen e gjithe shenjtoreve, te gjithe atyre burrave dhe grave, te njohur dhe te panjohur qe kane luftuar per te ndjekur rrugen e Perendise, le te mos nderojme vetem kujtimin e tyre, por me se rendesishmi le te mesojme prej tyre, duke imituar perpjekjen dhe jetet e tyre ne pasimin e rrugeve te Zotit!


Perktheu: Marinela Prifti






B.C. and A.D.

All Saints Sunday

Webster, 2008

Apostles, prophets and martyrs; bishops, priests and ascetics; men and women; rich and poor; old and young; some who were murderers and thieves early in their lives; others who were prostitutes and quite immoral in their behavior; all who were sick and broken to some degree, whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually; many who were quite lost in their lives – the saints of the Church represent quite a wide range of fascinating people.

Jesus Christ cares and loves all people, no matter who they are or what they’ve done, and if we allow Him, He takes us from where we are, and transforms us into a new creation! We heard this clearly in the Gospel reading the day after Pentecost, last Monday, which was also the Feast of the Holy Spirit. “The Son of Man, Jesus Christ, has come to save those who are lost.” In this reading, our Lord uses the vivid analogy of a shepherd caring for his flock of sheep. When the Good Shepherd realizes that one of His sheep are lost, He can’t stay content counting the 99 safe sheep. No, He longs to save the lost sheep, to go out and look for those who are broken, sick, suffering, those who feel abandoned, alone and afraid. Jesus Christ loves each of His children, no matter what they have done in their lives, and no matter how lost they may be!

I often think of the countless saints of our Church who were so adrift in their own lives. St. Fotini, the Samaritan woman, who married five different husbands and still didn’t find what she was looking for. What a broken and despised woman she must have been in her time! St. Paul thought he was doing God’s will by persecuting and even killing the first Christians? How astray was he? St. Moses the Ethiopian was a fearsome bandit and criminal, who even robbed defenseless monks. St. Mary Magdelene represented a confused, crushed, demon-possessed woman, with little hope for her future. St. Zaccheus was a man without principle, stealing from the poor to become rich. And throughout history, for 2000 years, we can read about others who seemed desperately lost, and yet who found new life and meaning and purpose in Jesus Christ. Even today, I have met people who were addicted to drugs and alcohol, who spent time in prison for terrible crimes, who hated God and professed militant atheism, who lived broken lives, and yet became new creations, living radically different lives under the guidance of Christ Jesus!

Today on All Saints Day, we must realize that our Church does not understand saints as people holy from their mother’s womb. Of course, some saints did lead devout and pious lives even from a young age, learning from their Christian parents and growing in the grace of the Lord. Others, however, had nothing to do with God until later in life. What unites all the saints, though, and what inspiration and message they teach us, is how each one eventually came into a living relationship with God, opened their hearts to the movement of the Holy Spirit within, and ultimately dedicated their lives to following the ways of Christ’s Kingdom. These saints tried to obey His commandments, no matter how difficult they were, and become lights of His love to the world around them!

For every saint, and each one of us, there needs to be a time of B.C. and an A.D. – a time “Before Christ” and a time “Anno Domini” – “In the year of our Lord.” Before Christ, we live our lives according to our own desires, passions, and needs. Before Christ, we follow the influence of the world, with its ways and interests. Before Christ, our ego and self-centered attitude often rule our lives. “Anno Domini”, living in “the year of the Lord” implies that something other than ourselves stands at the center of history. Living in the year of the Lord means that we understand and acknowledge God as the beginning and end of everything. He is the Source of life, the Giver of life, and the Sustainer of life. Living in the year of the Lord means we will live our lives according to His will, not ours. His teachings and commandments, living in the year of the Lord, will be the central influence in our lives, not the media and society and opinion polls and the world around us! As Christians, and potential saints, God calls us to live now “in the year of the Lord.”

During this past week, this 1st Week after Pentecost, the Church begins reading the Gospel of Matthew once again. And we start off with the fundamentals of our faith as seen in the Sermon on the Mount. In this description of life in the Kingdom of God, Jesus clearly shows His followers what life is like practically “in the year of the Lord.” Becoming a saint, making a sincere and wholehearted attempt to follow Christ (and such sainthood is the potential and call of each of us) implies striving to follow the concrete and everyday teachings of God, no matter how hard they appear.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus clearly warns us, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go by it.” The way of evil is easy. We don’t have to do much. Just follow our fallen instincts; go with the flow of society; take the easy path that the majority in opinion polls often promote; and we will be walking that wide and broad path that leads to destruction! Countless people, unknowingly, walk that wide and easy path simply because they don’t give it much thought. “But,” Jesus challenges, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Mt 7:13-14) Our Lord is telling us that FEW will find the Kingdom of God!!!

Yes, it is hard to become a saint! Surely it is difficult to faithfully follow the path of God. “To love your enemy. To forgive those who hurt you. To show mercy to those who don’t deserve it. To turn the other cheek and not allow anger to linger in our hearts. To understand that adultery begins with lustful thought, and murder begins with unchecked anger. To bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To seek above all else the Kingdom of God.”

Holiness will not be reached, unless one consciously seeks after the ways of God. And yes, it surely requires great effort on our part. It won’t simply happen on its own. In fact, the path of sainthood is impossible to walk by ourselves, only with our own effort. That is why Christ reminds us constantly that we aren’t alone. If we live “in the year of the Lord”, we realize that He is ready to help us. Christ has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in us and inspire us! He has given us the Church to nourish us and direct us! Jesus will not allow any temptation to come to us that is greater that the strength we have within. When we strive to do our part, sincerely, He readily will do His part. And His part is much greater than ours. We take one step forward, and He will carry us for the next 10 steps. We struggle to take another step in His Kingdom, and He will hold us in His arms for the next 20 steps. Our Lord is faithful in aiding us, but He expects and waits for us to put forth our own sincere and wholehearted effort as well.

Today, on this feastday of all the saints, all those men and women known and unknown who have struggled to follow the ways of God, let us not only honor their memory, but more importantly let us learn from them, imitating their effort and lives in following the ways of the Lord!