Homily on the 20th Sunday after Pentecost
Hebrews 7: 26-8:2 John 10: 9-16 (Saint Demetrius of Rostov).
As Christians, we are blessed with the protection of our Lord and Savior.
Christ came that all might be saved, should they choose to cooperate with His
salvific work.
Though life presents its challenges, Christ is here to guide us.
Part of the Christian journey involves discerning what the Lord desires for us.
This process should be undertaken with thoughtful prayer, spiritual sacrifices,
and the guidance of a spiritual director. The qualities of a good spiritual
director include the ability to listen deeply and to help one discern the path to
spiritual growth.
Some may fear approaching a spiritual director, afraid of judgment. Yet, just as
a parent guides their child, a spiritual director guides their spiritual child.
The spiritual life is a battleground where the evil one tries to pull us away from
God. He seeks to distract us and lead us into despair. Yet, we have a God
who is patient with our weaknesses and loves us beyond measure.
St. John Chrysostom, in his homily against those who say that demons govern
human affairs, states:
“But look, with me, too, at the wisdom of Paul, how many expressions he
seeks for, so as to present to us the lovingkindness of God. For he did not
speak merely the word grace, nor riches, but what did he say? ‘The
exceeding riches of his grace in kindness.’ Even so, he is below the mark;
we cannot grasp the lovingkindness of God fully. Thus, Paul says: ‘Thanks
be to God for his unspeakable gift.’ For neither speech nor mind can set
forth the tender care of God.”
This mystery of love means that, even though we may not fully understand it,
we can still be thankful for God’s love and forgiveness. Though imperfect,
we are shepherded by Him.
Just as a shepherd feeds his flock, the Lord nourishes us through the Holy
Eucharist, uniting us with Him in a mystical way. This is why the Eucharist is
at the heart of our faith—without Christ’s offering of Himself, our salvation
would not be possible.
There is a debate in the West about the nature of the Holy Eucharist. Some say
that Christ is present, but the bread and wine remain as they are. However,
we in Holy Orthodoxy believe that at the Epiclesis, the bread and wine truly
become the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord. We do not explain how this
happens, only that it is done by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We take to heart Christ’s words, coming to Him with the trust of little children
(Matthew 19:14). Humanity often seeks to understand everything, but only
God possesses all knowledge.
The knowledge that truly nourishes the soul is understanding God’s ways.
Christ commanded us to grow in our spiritual lives by following the two great
commandments: to love God above all and to love our neighbors as
ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40).
This is why we are called to pray for those who hate us and, if possible, to
respond with acts of love. The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-
37) shows us that hate should not be repaid with hate.
As people can be cruel, Christians are called to be beacons of hope and love.
Peace and love are signs of godliness. When we strive to be perfect as
God is perfect, these attributes flow from us naturally (Matthew 5:48). It’s
why, often, when Saints go to their heavenly reward, a beautiful fragrance
emanates from their bodies. This being a sign that they have succeeded in
their goal to become one with the Lord and as a result truly become an icon
of Him in the world.
The words of the Western Hymn Ubi Caritas et Amor sum up beautifully how charity
and love help us to conform more to God’s ways:
"Where charity and love are, there God is.
The love of Christ has gathered us into one flock.
Let us exult, and in Him be joyful.
Let us fear and let us love the living God.
And from a sincere heart, let us love each other (and Him).
Where charity and love are, there God is.
Therefore, whenever we are gathered as one:
Let us take care that we are united in spirit.
Let malicious quarrels cease, let strife give way,
And may Christ our God be present in our midst.
Where charity and love are, there God is.
Together, with the blessed, may we one day see
Thy glorious face, O Christ our God:
A joy that is boundless and everlasting,
Through ages upon ages. Amen."
We as Orthodox must never be afraid to incorporate that which is good which came from the West – after all, the West was part of Holy Orthodoxy before they left at the Great Schism of 1054!
Let us pray that we can follow our Lord’s ways, becoming beacons of hope
and love in the world. Let us also pray for the lost and broken, that they may
encounter the love of Christ and receive the grace to heal.
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