If we truly consider this, we will not mindlessly drift towards the follies of the wicked, entangled in the cyclical nature of life, distracted by power, status, and wealth. These distractions can ensnare us in the complexities of this world, blinding us to the clear path to salvation. Blessed are those, Ecclesiastes proclaims, who turn away from the alluring temptations of life and choose the hidden path of righteousness. This path is undertaken by those who do not anchor their souls in transient things but diligently aspire to the promises held in faith. Reflecting again on his words, Ecclesiastes states: "the time to procreate and the time to die.” Oh, that my own birth could be timely, and my death favorable! We cannot claim that our unchosen births and arbitrary deaths are markers of virtue, as the pains of birth and the inevitability of death lie beyond our control, which cannot be deemed either virtue or vice. Thus, we must discern the significance of timely birth and death. A birth is truly timely, as Isaiah suggests, when it is born out of a reverence for God, leading to personal salvation with the accompanying pains of birth (Isaiah 26:18). We become spiritual progenitors of ourselves when we cultivate, nurture, and bring forth goodness into the world through divine will. In this way, we receive God within ourselves, becoming children of the Most High. Conversely, we experience a premature birth—light and malnourished—if we do not reflect Christ’s image within us, as the Apostle notes (Galatians 4:19). For a true man of God is made complete (2 Timothy 3:17). Surely, one who fulfills the natural law is perfect. Hence, if someone has attained the nobility of becoming a child of God through virtue, they have learned the right moment for a glorious birth, rejoicing as one does when a child enters the world (John 16:21). However, one who becomes "a child of wrath" (Eph. 2:3) or "the son of perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3) has not understood the true pathway to life. For there exists but one singular moment that brings forth true life. Those who stray due to a premature birth, with spiritual consequence, lead themselves toward destruction. Yet, it is equally evident how we can die at the right time; for, like St. Paul, any moment can serve for a noble death. In his writings, he passionately declares a kind of oath: "I die daily, so your glory may be manifest" (1 Cor. 15:31), and again, "For your sake we face death all day long" (Rom. 8:36), and "We carry within us the sentence of death" (2 Cor. 1:9). This frequent dying refers to one who does not indulge in sin, continually subduing their earthly desires, embodying the death of Christ within themselves, perpetually glorifying Christ and living not for self, but allowing Christ to live through them. Indeed, that death which we contemplate is a favorable death, for it leads to true life. "I kill and I make alive" (Deuteronomy 32:39) demonstrates that dying to sin and being made alive by the Spirit is a divine gift, for through death comes the promise of life by the Word of God. Additionally, Ecclesiastes notes, "the time to plant and the time to uproot what has been planted." We recognize who the true "laborer" is, and what "burden" we are. Christ teaches us one and His servant Paul the other. The Lord states, "My Father is the vine-dresser" (John 15:1), and the Apostle affirms, "You are God's field" (1 Cor. 3:9). Thus, the great Creator knows how to plant only good things, as it is recorded, "God planted a garden in Eden" (Gen. 2:8). He will uproot anything contrary to goodness. "Every plant which my Father has not planted shall be rooted up" (Matthew 15:13). Hence, the deeds of malice, disbelief, and ungratefulness towards Christ's miracles are the plants to be removed. The saving message must prevail and the gospel proclaimed throughout the earth, with every tongue affirming, "that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:11). This mission cannot fail; thus, the present unbelief is not the work of the Father but of the evil one who sows tares in the vineyard of the Lord. What has been revealed to us through the Gospel aligns with Ecclesiastes' message: it is a time to embrace the life-giving faith while simultaneously casting out the weeds of disbelief. Indeed, when it is said that it is "time to plant" righteousness, it indicates a season to uproot injustice; as righteousness grows, wickedness must be eradicated; humility prevails over pride; the flourishing of love extinguishes the poisonous roots of hatred, which suffocates love, drawing us away from the good. Thus, let us strive to articulate every aspect diligently and avoid misrepresentation in our understanding.
THEOSIS