So, November kind of snuck up on me this year and it is already the 2nd of the month. November is the month in the Catholic church when we most focus on those who have carried the Faith before us and from whom we have received it. As I have in the past, I am hoping to celebrate the month of November by sharing stories of some of the Saints of the Church.
Our Pastor recently shared a quote from today's featured Saint in his Sunday homily. Considering what is happening in our world today, I thought that this was a very timely Saint.
Dorotheus of Gaza lived in the sixth century in, of all places, Gaza. Not much is known about his early life. As a young man he joined the monastery of Abba Serid near Gaza and later started his own monastery nearby and became the Abbot there. It was to the monks of his monastery that he addressed his teachings, many of which survive today and are what he is best known for. This is the quote that Father used in his homily that I found to be such a great teaching:
Imagine that the world is a circle, that God is the center, and that the radii are the different ways human beings live. When those who wish to come closer to God walk towards the center of the circle, they come closer to one another at the same time as to God. The closer they come to God, the closer they come to one another. And the closer they come to one another, the closer they come to God.
St. Dorotheus of Gaza's feast day is celebrated on June 18 in the Orthodox Church and on June 5 (along with 3 other Saints of the same name) in the Roman Catholic Church.
St. Dorotheus of Gaza, Pray for us and for our world.
No comments:
Post a Comment