Homily on the 17th Sunday after Pentecost.
Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
Today we hear one of my many favourite Gospel readings; when Jesus raises a woman's son from the dead. A pre-figuration of Christ's Glorious Resurrection but also our resurrection which will take place at the appointed time. It is what we loudly profess as Orthodox Christians at each Divine Liturgy at the Nicene Creed - "I look for the resurrection of the dead and life of the world to come. Amen" Nicene Creed
Moreover, this passage in the Gospel clearly shows God's immeasurable love, compassion, mercy and omnipotence in that, He does tend to our sufferings in times of heartache and misery and all things are possible in the All-Holy name of Jesus Christ!
Earlier this week I was so happy to see that Orthodoxy is thriving; more and more people are experiencing as many would call it a spiritual awakening. However in reality it is God reaching out onto humanity, bestowing His salvific grace onto His sons and daughters.
Thus, these new converts are truly what will keep the Church thriving because sadly the majority of "Orthodox Christians" who have had a so called "Orthodox bloodline", were Orthodoxy have been in the family for many generations, take the faith for granted and see it more as an identity rather than a way of life! (Orthodoxy - (Greek) Ορθοδοξία Orthodoxia = Correct form of Worship!)
I would like to share with you an example of people using Orthodoxy as an identity rather than living it. A married couple I know, recently had a child. My wife and I wanted to visit them to congratulate them and bring them a gift for the child. However, they said- "it was not a good time, perhaps we will call you and let you know when". So we waited and waited with no phone call. We attempted several times after that but each time we attempted to visit an excuse was given.
Thus we began to think perhaps we had done something wrong or had offended them somehow, we weren't sure. So we just let it be. Then only a few days ago we found out from a third party that they had waited 40 days for anyone to meet the child. People believe that the forty 40 days are because of the time Christ fasted in the dessert.
However, this is not the true reason why the 40 day seclusion started. It began because of what we call the guilt complex syndrome, were the institutional church teaches it's followers that sin and impurity must be the focal point in their lives; living in constant self hatred and an unhealthy fear of God. In actual fact the 40 days stems from the Levitical law which states - ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding. Liv 12:1-5
Having stated thus, when the couple were asked why 40 days by the third party they answered "it's part of our religious practices". They couldn't even explain why they did it.
Yesterday I came across a very interesting article about an experiment that was conducted with a few monkeys. Let me in my own words give you a summary.
5 monkey were thrown into a room. In the centre of the room was a ladder with a bunch of bananas on top of it. Each time a monkey climbed up the ladder to retrieve a banana the rest of the monkey would be soaked with water. When the monkey came down another monkey would go up and the same thing would happen again. this process was repeated a few times.
However, after a few time when a monkey began to climb the ladder it would be hurled down from it and beaten up by the others because they understood if one goes up, the rest get wet.
So eventually none of the monkeys went up.
Therefore, the people conducting the experiment then replaced one monkey with a new monkey. Obviously the new monkey saw the bananas and went to climb the ladder. Sure enough when the monkey went to take the first step it was beaten by the rest. The people then slowly replaced each of the original monkeys with new ones but at the end of the experiment the new monkey didn't know about getting wet if one climbed the ladder. They just knew that they would cop a beating if they went there.
Having stated thus, the moral of the story is that many Orthodox Christians don't know why they behave or perform certain rituals, they just do it because grandma or grandpa did it and that's that!
Hence, that's why I stated earlier that the new converts of the Church are the future. They will learn the faith directly from the Father's of the Church not from grandparent who don't know the difference from a to z.
Therefore, to all the newly illumined, welcome to Holy Mother Church. You will now discover what it truly means to be alive; no long be in a state of mere existence!
To those who have been part of the Church for many generations, this was not an attack at you. I was only referring to those who are arrogant about Orthodoxy and use it as an identity as stated earlier!
May God in His infinite love and mercy reach out onto all and touch all hearts that have been hardened via arrogance and self obsession; granting them humility to become holy men and women in the service of God and His chosen people!
Through the prayers of the Holy Theotokos, Lord Jesus Christ our God have mercy on us and save us. Amen
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