Koan #37: Inane Trivialities

It is truly a strange and distressing phenomenon, that Man will spend an inordinate amount of time—his most precious resource—discussing the most inane trivialities, but not even grant a moment of reflection for that which may affect Him eternally. Pray that one is not such a man!

Koan #36: Changing the World

It is the sign of a well-intentioned, but naive and unreflective mind, of those that state that they wish to “change the world.” For truly, “changing” the world is by no means a difficult thing, nor is it necessarily desired, as many evil men have indeed changed it. What is difficult, by contrast, is to change one‘s self—with God’s grace—both consciously and specifically from a proclivity towards evil to an intense revulsion towards it, thus striving for a moral perfection and holiness not often seen. And in doing this simple, yet certainly not easy thing, the world would be immeasurably changed in a manner both worthy and deserving of change.

Koan #30: God will Ask How

Let the personally and professionally down-trodden, discouraged and disappointed always remember: when one must account for one’s self before God, He will, without doubt, ask how one did the things he did in his life before he asks what one did in his life. Therefore stand firm to the understanding that how one does what one does is most certainly of greatest importance than the what itself, for God is happier with a compassionate kitchen-hand than a conceited king. Truly, it is no accident that the Lord chose to be born into a family of labourers! Thus again, remember this the next time despair and disappointment are felt about one’s position and place in this life, for even if one cannot change what he does, he can change how he does it.

Koan #12: Time and the Divine

What is most obvious to the wise, and thus still elusive to most men until it is too late for them, is that Man’s most precious resource is time, for from it all other things flow. Let one not, therefore, waste it on the trivial and the banal; the Believer especially must heed this, for not only is the Believer’s time accountable to the Almighty, it is also for the Almighty. Every moment can be used fruitfully and faithfully for Him in some manner. Thus the Believer’s time is doubly prized, for he knows both that it is precious and that it is for God, a combination of utmost importance. But by the same token, the Believer’s waste of this precious resource is doubly sinful, and he will be held accountable for any waste of it twofold. Let the Believer remember this and act on its truth.

Koan #11: How or What

If one places the “What” that one does in life above the “How” that one does it, then what chance is there of avoiding evil and embracing the good? For the individual that places the “How” below the “What” will thus necessarily sacrifice the former in order to achieve the latter. And this way can only lead to damnation.

Koan #9: Truly Working for the Lord

When a Believer—be he a priest, apologist, theologian, monk, lay-man or other—can be happy and content, rather than spiteful and envious, of another that does the same task for the Lord as he does, yet does it better, then such a Believer can know that what he does, he truly does for the glory of God, rather than for his own. And it is arguably only such a Believer that can call himself faithful.