In today's Gospel, we have recounted for us the account of the healing of the Roman Centurion's servant by our Lord and Saviour. This is a remarkable account because in it we see expressed for us the faith of the Centurion – He knows that he is not worthy – yet he has the trust in Christ that Christ will do that which he desires. What stands out here is that Christ makes it clear in this passage that many from the East and the West will be saved (Matthew 8: 10-11).
Prior to this, the Jewish people had believed that they were the chosen people of God. However, they had failed to take into account that in many passages in the Septuagint (Old Testament), it is prophesied that peoples from all over the world will come to believe in the All-Holy Trinity. This is why Christ marvels at the faith of the Centurion – because the Centurion represents the coming about of this beautiful reality – the coming of Christ's Kingdom. Moreover, this foreigner has a faith that is greater than that which He has encountered in all of Israel!
Indeed, we recently celebrated the great Feast of Pentecost. It is in the Epistle prescribed for this great Feast we have recounted for us the events of Pentecost in which men from all over the world could hear the Apostles preach – each in his language! Christ came that all may have the opportunity to be saved. This is part of the beauty of the Gospel – all have the opportunity to be saved by being joined to Christ's Body, the Orthodox Church!
Unfortunately, many sects of Protestantism have come up with the idea that all one must do to be saved is to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Whilst accepting Christ is important, it is not the whole picture! One has to work out one's salvation with fear and trembling, as Saint Paul puts it (Philippians 2:12-13). Also, one needs to be baptised and receive the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist, for one cannot receive life from Christ if one does not partake of the Holy Eucharist (John 6: 53).
It is always amusing to listen to Fundamentalist Christians state that the Bible must be taken literally – yet, when it comes to the institution of the Holy Mysteries of the Eucharist of Christ, these words must be taken symbolically! This is a contradiction in terms! If the Scriptures are to be taken literally -at face value- why then should we treat the verses that deal with the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist any differently? This seems somewhat confused and shows how the Fundamentalist position can only be taken as illogical!
Furthermore, the Church has always taught that the Scriptures came out of the Church and not the other way around! This means that the Scriptures were written for the Church and can only be interpreted by the Church using Holy Tradition.
What is this Holy Tradition? Well, Holy Tradition can be considered to be the Doctrines clarified in the Seven Ecumenical Councils, the writings of the Church Fathers that accord with these Doctrines of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, and the Divine Liturgies of the Church which so beautifully enunciate the truths of the Christian Faith.
Unfortunately, in Orthodoxy in the last two Hundred years, there has been a tendency to take everything the Church Fathers wrote as Tradition. Let us not forget the Church Fathers lived through many different ages – each age with its own theological and political challenges!
Often Church Fathers disagreed with each other on the interpretation of Scripture and Theological issues! This is why the Gold standard should be to use that from the Fathers which is consistent with the Doctrines expressed in the Seven Ecumenical Councils! If one does not do this one can end up in all sorts of theological messes, as has happened to various groups over the centuries!
Finally, let us learn from the faith of the great Martyress Elizabeth Romanov who's Feast we keep this Sunday! This woman of great strength did not let the murderous Bolsheviks break her faith; she kept her eye on the prize that is Communion with Christ in His kingdom!
These Bolshevik murderers hated Christ for to them He represented a stumbling block in their desire to topple and subjugate the Russian State and her people! To these blood-thirsty Communists, Christ represented a weak figure. Yet they forgot that the apparent weakness of Christ (His death) lead to His triumph – His Resurrection, for He is God!
These men sought to kill as many people as got in their way! They loved not; to them, power at any cost was their aim! One only has to look at how they treated this great Martyress to see how they regarded human life, especially Christian life! Human life to them was dispensable, to be used in whatever way would successfully push their diabolical agenda forward. One only has to look at how they murdered thousands of Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Nuns, Brothers, and faithful Lay people in cold blood to get an understanding of their profound disdain for human life!
Let us be like Saint Elizabeth Romanov and keep on singing the Lord's praises, even when everything seems impossible! Saint Elizabeth kept singing Church Hymns till her moment of death in the abandoned mine shaft the evil Bolsheviks threw her in!
Remember, Christ promised that He will be with us forever, for He is our Shepherd who will lead us His sheep to His Kingdom! Saint Elizabeth knew this, and her faith in Christ was made evident to all who met her. She was a God-loving woman who worked diligently in Christ's Vineyard to help the many poor of Moscow.
Let us follow her example, especially in this challenging time of the Covid Pandemic. Let us not forget the many people in our community suffering from loss of income and loss of hope due to being locked up alone at home. Check-in on neighbors you know may be at risk of being lonely. Sometimes even a smile can help the love of God be made present to someone you meet. Moreover, pray, pray, and pray to the All-Holy Trinity, for He is a God who loves mankind.
Please also remember to pray for our newest Priest Fr. Matthew who was ordained to the Holy Priesthood last Saturday evening. Pray that he will be blessed with every gift from the All-Holy Trinity as he commences his priestly ministry.
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