✅FLEEING SIN:
There once lived a certain holy man in a community of great sinners. Fearing that he might be contaminated by the sinful life in his community, he fled to the wilderness where he decided to live entirely for God, devoting himself to constant prayer and austerity.
While sleeping one night, a man appeared and woke him up saying. "The heaven where you desire to go is meant for as many people as have not existed on earth. Why now do you desire to go to heaven alone when you have the members of your community to convert? Behold, God to whom you desire to go stripped Himself off His majesty, came into the world, related with sinners and converted them through His examples. You too, can become a greater saint more than a hermit in the wilderness, if you, by relating with sinners in your community and neighbourhood convert them to God."
This story reveals to us the humility and mercy of God in the person of Jesus Christ who was in glory, left everything, stripped himself of His Glory and became man(phil. 2:6-9 ) and at the same time teaching us to holdfast the work of salvation of souls which the Lord God have entrusted in our hands. Not attempting to save ourselves alone and declare "I don't care whatever my brother is doing, I am good to go"
The avoidance of sin doesn't necessarily require one to flee from relating with people and holiness of life without temptation leads to vainglory!
The reward of he who conquered the world and sin through many struggles is greater than he who conquered through isolation(solitude)! One is rewarded in proportion to the sacrifices he has made and crosses borne ! The heavier the cross, the more the reward and vice versa.
While the life of silence and solitude catalyze spiritual growth, it is also required of us to bear the crosses offered to us by Christ in this life while still maintaining this important habit, isolation from noise!
The detachment Christ teaches us is the detachment of ourselves from everything created. It is to incline our lives completely to heaven and create a great contempt of the world. Living in this world as though we didn't live. Using the things of this world as though we didn't use them!
In order to flee sin, we must create great horror and hatred for sin! It is not to run away from people but to mingle with people sinful as they may be and still remain whom you are. Radiating the rays of holiness wherever you may be!
One may ask, how about the monks, nuns and other religious who are as the case may be locked out of this world?
Yes ! the monks, hermits, nuns and many religious have chosen the path of isolation (solitude) owing to its successful impact on the soul, detaching from the world of distraction and fleeting pleasures to dedicate oneself completely to God in mental prayer and meditative life. Praying for the world and instituting many rules that would help everyone grow in holiness including those in the world. It is in the monasteries and convents that great mysteries have been revealed! Great theological writings were borne in the monasteries! Their life of prayer, sacrifice and austerity alone is a heavy cross! Still they cease not to go for missionary journey no matter how dangerous.
The main point we are to grasp here is that God has called us all to be holy and use our holiness to renew the face of this world! Be holy first and lead others to holiness!
May the Lord help us as we meditate on this Amen 💖 🙏
