Continuation of The Prayer Letter. For part 1, click here. For part 2, click here.
The last few things that I touched based in the letter were my thoughts on fasting, festivities, and praying. As I wrote this last part of the post, I realized that it would get pretty extensive. So, I decided to cut this part 3 short, and will later on expand on each point as a separate post.
I must confess that as a Christian, I have never fasted. Sure, I've skipped a few meals here and there. And at times, my church leaders occasionally encourage fasting. But it isn't something we practice as a congregation, something I believe that would be helpful if we did.
In my congregation, as most Protestant Christians make habit of, we celebrate Easter and Christmas to commemorate the Birth, Life, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, similarly to the Orthodox. We don't, however, commemorate the deaths of the Christian martyrs on a daily basis, honoring them for having denied themselves, for having picked up their cross, and imitating them just as they imitated Christ. Paul said, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" (1 Cor 11:1, NIV) For a while, it seemed to me strange to honor someone I've never spoken to or seen, and much less a 'dead' person. But gradually, it started to make sense to me. If Paul calls us to imitate him as he imitated Christ, then what difference is there in imitating others (who are actually alive in Christ) who imitated Christ as well?
Like all normal people, I go about my daily living, but like all normal Christians, when do I stop to pray to God and consistently make him the focal point of my life? Which goes to the final point: prayer. In many Protestant Churches, prayer is suppose to come from the heart. Repeating other people's prayers is considered vain, and often times the words of Christ are used to resonate against such a practice: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." (Matthew 6:7, KJV) However, I came to the conclusion that when Christ mentioned 'heathens' he certainly wasn't talking about pious souls in search of unity with God in holiness, something I see in the Orthodox Church. Further more, another conclusion that I have come to is "What difference is there in memorizing Bible verses and memorizing the prayers of others?" We are encouraged to memorize the prayers of King David (Psalms); if the prayers of other people reflect our own emotions and needs, than why not?
When I came to the end of the prayer letter, I came upon a very sad conclusion. I don't pray like I should. I don't fast. In all honesty, I don't imitate Christ, and much less honor those who have. I don't take Holy Communion every Sunday (and haven't done so in three years since the last time I partook in it), and I don't confess my sins on a daily basis, nor am I held accountable for my sins. What fruit am I producing as a Christian?
Indeed, is this the fruit of a Christian? If I were living in the 1st century, and lived this life equivalent to one of 1st A.D., would I be considered a true Christian? We all know the answer, and it's a big NO! Of course, with this I am not saying that all Protestants are like me, or have experienced their faith as I have. But the fact that I am the daughter of a Protestant minister of more than 20 years, born and raised as a Protestant Christian, bring these questions into light, "Is apathy a consequence of the structure of a church?" "Considering that the Orthodox Christian doesn't teach Once Saved, Always Saved, what does this say in regards to my salvation?"
Exploring Christian Orthodoxy and considering to become Christian Orthodoxy? May I suggest that when you consider Christian Orthodoxy, evaluate your spiritual life in the context of Christian Orthodoxy. A Prayer Letter might do the trick...
