By Fr. Jonathan Filkins

…and one step closer to the grave.

Such darkness, so replete in such a thought as retained in the aforementioned, reflects the sad nature of the cynicism so rampant within ourselves. Let us  restate: the sad nature of our rampant sin-acism.

Dwelling upon the inevitability of our physical departure from this world is typically grim. Albeit not a subject we readily embrace, the inevitability of the event has been shown to us by the over five billion souls who have proceeded us to their demise. How we proceed in this life, and prepare for the next, is frequently shrouded in mysticism and fear-full sorrow. So often, death is portrayed as something to be avoided, as the corruption of the body and, perhaps, the soul decay into oblivion. Such is our sin-acle nature.

It is not borne out of a relationship with God; for God is the definition of pure love. His constancy and governance are upon what we, His creations, rely. Rather, it comes from a darker place within each of us. It is from this inner part where we have allowed the darkness to flourish and bloom. Seeing life as a trial and each occurrence as a personal depredation bespeaks to the baser, more carnal lusts of, we, the fallen.As Christians, we are told we walk upon a narrow path to be with our Creator. In the Biblical parable of the Sower and the Seed, given to us by Jesus Christ, we hear of good seed being given to poor ground and variously withering, not taking root, or only flourishing briefly. These words, left to their own, would generally be thought as cynical. Or sin-acle.

However, we do have the option of nurturing our good ground, where the seeds take root and flourish; bringing beauty into our world. Such is the condition of us and God’s seeds; His words planted within our spiritual soils; nee souls.

Therefore, there are choices to be made. In our “modern” world, the scientific mind has sought to justify the cynicism so rampant in viewing the supernatural.

Great doubts have been raised about the essential truths of God and what is sought for us. What once was held as a path to everlasting life, may be seen only as only an emotional crutch for the weak minded.

Life today is not easy. It never has been easy. Much verbiage has been spent lamenting the various trials, of life, throughout the ages.

Consider the rampant sin-acism, which is all around us, and within us, is the quite human reaction to what is viewed as the futility of living; devoid of simple answers to the unknown.

If believing in ourselves, above a higher power, leaves us only with the unaccompanied cynicism of our world, then we are in a sad place indeed. Left to figure it out, on our own, we have neither the tools, nor the insights, to accomplish our eternity. Cynicism inevitably becomes sin-acism; an innate ability to only criticize God and His Creation. No longer may we differentiate between good and evil, for our inclinations have been sorely impaired.

If we, having strayed from the narrow path, seek a return to our Godly attributes, we only have to ask. They are still there, perhaps under an overburden of sin-acism.