Homily on the Sunday of the entry of our Lord into Jerusalem
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Phil 4:4-9
We as Orthodox Christians are set apart from the rest of the world in that other Christian faiths have changed or modified their teachings in order not to offend others or simply – to get with the times. We however who belong to the one and only Apostolic faith have remained faithful the ancient teachings of the Church Fathers for 2021 years and counting.
Hence, because of our unchanging faith many are skeptical about us because they perceive our faith as being somewhat primitive or extreme. However, as we the faithful are well aware this could not be further away from the truth!
Our faith nourishes us! Our faith sustains us! Our faith affirms daily that God is with us! Our faith gives us the chance to truly live and to live in Christ! Our faith renders our being whole!
As a young child and up until my early 20’s I always felt that I didn’t belong – I was always the odd one out. I knew from a very young age that I didn’t meet the standard criteria of the average young kid. I wasn’t interested in play fighting with the boys or crazy over sport; although I did play for a year to be more like my father.
Thus, I then discovered the Roman Catholic Church which for several years gave me a sense of meaning. However, as I began to grow in age and in mind, I slowly began to feel that something wasn’t right. Those feelings of not belonging had started to return and I began to become quite rebellious towards the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Therefore, one night as I was standing at the back of the church with my wife – before communion was distributed I had enough and left with my wife. In a way that I couldn’t explain the Catholic Church had let me down.
Hence, I was so worried about how terrible of a sinner I was that many times I would cry because I was afraid of burning in hell. This is what the Catholic Church had drilled into me!
Furthermore, I had two priests that I was good friends with that always reassured me not to worry about hell fire. However, being still very young and naive the majority of Catholicism obsessed over sin and hell therefore in my mind it was something that I too was to focus my attention on.
In addition, this sick obsession with sin is the cause of many suicides in the world. A person especially a young and impressionable mind that is mentally unstable can easily become a victim of suicide. If we have been taught by society that priests are to be trusted and they advise us that we will burn in hell (this off course rampart in evangelical sects which has become a time bomb for Western Christendom) a mind that is unsound will think to end their life immediately in order to sin no more.
Therefore, Orthodoxy teaches us not to worry about who, what, why or how we are. Our main focus is to take part in the Divine Services, partake of Holy Communion and to live in the presence of God who is present everywhere and fills all things.
However, although the orthodox faith instructs us not to dwell on our human fragility, yet there is a great problem within the Arab Churches particularly for they have been dominated by their captors (Islam) and unfortunately this has resulted in collateral damage when it comes to welcoming others who seek the true faith and blocks future potential due to such spiritual schizophrenia!
Hence, these continuously mock what our Father amongst the saints exhorted - “The Church is a hospital for the wounded not a court house where the guilty are punished!” St John Chrysostom
Thus, as a wonderful and Holy iconographer once stated - “We do not have a guilt complex. When we fall (sin) we pick ourselves up and move on. We do not have a guilt complex like other religions. The sin is when we wallow in our sorrow over the “sin” and beat ourselves up over it”.
Hence, this iconographer is right! Christ ascended the wood of the cross in order that our “sins” would have no hold over us. That is why keeping the Sabath Holy and receiving our Lord in the mystery of Holy Communion is so important - Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. Jn 6:54-56
This Saturday the Church commemorates Saints Processus and Martinian.
These men were pagans who served as guards at the Mamertine prison in Rome. In the prison there were many criminals. However, it was home to countless Christians.
Processus and Martinian often here the Christinas preaching about Christ and about the faith. Slowly but surely the men were filled with joy and began to want to know more about Christianity.
When the Holy Apostle Peter was sent to prison, it was there that the two Saints were baptized.
Thus, after Holy Baptism the Holy men released the Apostel Peter from prison to continue his Apostolic mission.
Therefore, when the warden of the prison found out that two of his guards had converted to Christianity, he ordered them to renounce Christ and make an offering to the pagan god Jupiter.
The men refused to renounce Christ; turning to the statue of Jupiter they spat at it.
This of course enraged the prison warden so he ordered that the two be tortured. They were whipped with iron rods and burned with fire and thrown into prison.
Thus, whilst in prison the Saints beheld a vision of Saint Lucy of Sicily whom gave them immense encouragement.
Soon after the chief warden became ill and within three days he died. The son of the prison warden believed that the two men had cast a spell on his father causing his death. Hence, he ordered via succeeding his father that the Saints be put to death.
Thus, in the year 67AD the Saints Processus and Martinian were given a Holy Martyrs death and the now Saint Lucina buried the bodies of the Holy men
May we always know that via Holy Baptism and Chrismation we make part of the communion of Saints. We are never alone even when we feel that we are. Firstly, as we here in the deacon's litany we all have an Angel of peace which was assigned to us at birth. Secondly, we have Holy Mother Church which always protects her own. Lastly, we live and breathe in God’s grace via our faith.
Hence, when we encounter our God via prayer or attending Divine services or whatever means, let us not be afraid or repulsed by corrupted thinking that God’s love is only for the righteous. Away from the warped thinking many supposed Christians employ. Let us be full of confidence in approaching the Lord who at the inquisition of the religious bigots of His day’s (Pharisees) were always questioning why He reached out to those who did not belong where He boldly stated - “Those who are well do not need a doctor yet the frail constantly need a physician to tend to them.
Thus, let us then lift up our hearts and acclaim Hosanna to the Lord who desires to be welcomed in the intimacy of our hearts!
Therefore, Through the prayers of the Theotokos Her spouse Joseph, the intersession of the communion of Saints, Lord Jesus Christ our God have mercy on us and save us!
Comments