I love this passage from the first section of Fr Hopko's recent book Speaking the Truth in Love:
Men and women who are truly theologically and spiritually educated reveal a boldness born of humility, a confidence tempered by tentativeness, a speech generated by silence, an apology inspired by charity. They resist premature closure of complex issues and superficial answers to complicated questions. They know how to live with ambiguity as they give, with meekness and gentleness, an account for the hope that is in them. They speak the truth in love with an enlightened zeal that prevents them from replacing God's righteousness with a righteousness of their own. They evangelize without seeking to convert . They witness without seeking to win. They teach without desiring to dominate. They testify to truths in which they delight and find life, whatever the cost of their convictions, because they simply cannot do otherwise. And they have infinite respect for everyone and everything.
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2 comments:
Amen! Reminds me of this quote:
"Someone who has tasted the truth is not contentious for truth. Someone who is considered among men to be zealous for truth has not yet learnt what truth is really like: once he has learnt it he will cease from zealousness on its behalf." – St Isaac the Syrian
this part rings sharply: "They know how to live with ambiguity as they give, with meekness and gentleness, an account for the hope that is in them."
--->it makes me realize how useless i am at dealing with people when it comes to matters of the spirit.
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