And so shall you eat: your loins girded and your sandals on your feet (Exodus 11. 11) There are numerous discussions on Internet forums about what people believe, often very heated and expressing an underlying cynicism as each person tries to rationalize their point of view. From an Orthodox view, we do not simply subscribe to a belief system but to a way of life. In the early Church, Christianity was referred to as ‘the Way’. It is how we live, how we strive to live according to the commandments. At the end, we will be judged not by our deeds, but by our intentions. This is not to underplay the importance of good works, but to put into perspective that whatever we do, we do with God’s grace. However there is a synergy between man and God. We are not totally depraved and therefore need to rely solely on the grace of God to do anything virtuous, but in our essence we are on the contrary, divine –made in the image and likeness of God. That image may be distorted but it is still there. And for those baptized in the Church as St John clearly states in his letter: “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things… you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things…” Here the Apostle refers to the chrism that is administered after Holy Baptism.

In other words we are a holy people in essence if not in deed and thought. And through the Church, the mystical Body of Christ, we receive the grace of the Holy Spirit to follow the way of Christ. In this way we live a life of preparedness –our loins girded and sandals on our feet. When the time comes for Lord to call us, we hope to be ready. We shall be taken to heaven with our shoes on, so to speak. The mercy of God will seek to find as ready and prepared.