Homily on the 3rd Sunday of Great Lent.
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” Mk 8:34-9:1
As we all know the Catholic church and others celebrate the Paschal festivities this weekend as opposed to us in the orthodox Church where we will celebrate Holy Pascha on the 2nd of May.
Thus, for many people who have converted to orthodoxy from Catholicism or other Christian sects, we know very well that it can be quite difficult to find a balance to make the family happy; those who are not part of the orthodox faith.
Therefore, this time for my wife and I it can become quite full on in that we are trying to make our parents and extended family happy by celebrating with them. At the same time, we are trying our best to allow our girls to grow up as normal as possible; believing in the easter bunny and seeing the joy in their faces as they search for eggs on the Sunday morning.
Hence, whilst all this is going on we are at the midpoint of our orthodox Lenten observance where we are not quite ready to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We are still in the mid-point of our fast; celebrating the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, observing the great fast and attempting to better ourselves in whatever way we have chosen to do so.
Thus, for us that have to have two celebrations or more it can become quite difficult to balance and make everyone happy; not to mention stay true to the orthodox faith.
It saddens me tremendously to see how many people call themselves “Christian” however, they don’t attend any type of service to commemorate Jesus’ Glorious Resurrection; let alone make any effort to pray even once a week!
On Thursday I was flicking through Facebook to see if anyone had posted anything of interest when I came across the most despicable picture I have seen in a very long time. It was a picture of the beaten Christ standing with Pontius Piolet and the caption read - “Because of this guy (Jesus) the bottle shops are going to be closed on Friday!”
Thus, my heart broke seeing someone mock Christ in that way; especially when the picture is of Jesus beaten, bleeding and quasi lifeless!
Hence, it completely baffles me how these very people brag and carry on about the importance of the footy (AFL). Such people ought to be ashamed of themselves! They mock their “own” God via cruel and tasteless jokes. However, such people glorify the sport and those who participate in it as they are the ones who out of love ascended the wood of the cross and died for each and every one of us in order that we may have life!
Thus, it is extremely difficult at times being an orthodox Christian! There are those who look at us funny because we follow “strict” and “Outdated Rites”- worshiping God in such a way that hasn’t conformed to the modern world.
Unfortunately, people these days want a quick fix when it comes to “spiritual healing”. Many would rather join religious groups that make you feel good at the time in enjoy other people's company and so on. However, such places only mask spiritual disease where it is not dealt with; it is more or less swept under the rug.
Therefore, it is only a matter of time before the spiritual problem resurfaces and becomes worse than before; intolerable to the point that in many cases it leads to clinical madness or at times suicide.
Thus, the orthodox Church is not a place to come and raise your hands in the air to a rock concert – it is as Saint Basil the Great said “A hospital for souls”! Hence, at this hospital many times due to other religious institutions damaging good people; the Church needs to amputate the diseased part of the person.
Moreover, the Church holds up a mirror to the faces of all and shows them what it is that impedes our grown and that very impediment often times puts people off, so they shut themselves off because they don’t like what they see/hear.
Therefore, just as God is truthful at all times so is the orthodox Church truthful at all times for it does not beat around the bush. If something is wrong it will try to rectify. If something is going well it will see how it can do better.
Hence, this is what being a Christian is all about: worshiping God with all your heart, living the life that God has given us to the fullest, helping others as much as we can, and always strive to become better people in all aspects of life.
In addition, an important lesson that I have learnt in the few years of my conversion too orthodoxy is not to take life to serious but to enjoy as many moments as we can with the ones we love and with our family the Church.
Of course, there are times when a person must compose oneself however not all the time. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Eccl 3:1-8
Therefore, may we learn to become less uptight and begin to live the wonderful life that Christ has granted us. May we strive to become more tolerable of those who at times may frustrate us and do our very best to give back to God what rightfully belongs to Him – observing the Sabaths and the Holy days Pascha, Nativity, Dormition and so forth.
To all people who Celebrate Easter this Sunday may our Lord grant you and your loved ones a blessed and fruitful Easter full of love, joy and every goodness.
Through the prayers of the Holy Theotokos and her Spouse Joseph, Lord Jesus Christ our God have mercy on us and save us!
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