THE GIFT OF LIFE AND LIGHT: TLC ONTO OTHERS AS MEANS OF HIS PRESENCE
Jesus said onto him: “You shall love the Lord God wholeheartedly; embracing him with the totality of who you are – heart, mind and strength for this is the first and great commandment yet it is fulfilled by loving your neighbour as nurturing your own self!” (Mt 22: 37-39)
Perhaps many of you have never read this passage as written above – the reason why I keep on stating that most translations (bibles) are a product of theological misconceptions and historical blunders; in short – for the tip! Yet, within those very profound biblical statements – laws rather, is the unveiling and totality of the Lord’s incarnation; Love Divine came to love that which is incapable of loving (fragile humanity) and casts out from it all that which is contrary to love!
During this timeframe, we have been brought back to basics; placing once again that which we wilfully or even coerced via our social networks have laid aside – communicating with those we live with and giving them and others we may have neglected the time of day. Furthermore, we may have also been given the opportunity to think about things we have put off or avoided tending to; the paving of a promising outcome for the future.
When we are faced with abnormal worldly affairs – various institutions and those who belong to them tend to have their say regarding the matter. Unfortunately, faith too is tainted with religiosity – the disease of those who have various troublesome issues, yet lay them aside and target others whilst promoting apocalyptic sentimentality; the equivalent of substance abuse that indeed causes collateral damage!
Many of you who are married know well that when a relationship is formed, it takes both to meet half way – where one is lacking another makes up for it and love grows. This is the same relationship we have with God via the Lord’s incarnation where he came to love and make up for what is lacking; commanding us to resent all that is contrary to love – laying aside our earthbound ideologies via embracing the awesome mystery that in God there is only love and no room for anything else!
How do we get there? How can we? Where do we begin? It’s very simple! “Do not be afraid!” “Love one another as I have loved you!” “Render good!” “Despise hate!” “Pray for all people!” When Jesus addressed high profile people as in today’s gospel – he actually gave us a hint; the key to acquire this state which encapsulates humility! When he told him to give away the riches and help the poor and then become a disciple – that’s not what is said/written nor what it means!
In actual fact it is the fulfillment of the law to love God wholeheartedly and those around you, yet this can only be done by one way, one action: stop pretending to be something and someone you are not – detox from that which you have become, love who you really are, and once you are yourself again - then you can truly follow and help others in the same boat as your former self! Hence, the purpose of the incarnation is unveiled in the parable of the prodigal (Lk 15:11-32) where Jesus as Father embraces our fragility, and Jesus as brother makes it possible for our wounded selves to be made totally whole via the Fathers love through, with, and in him!!!
On Wednesday I celebrate my anniversary to the priesthood in which we commemorate the conception of St. John the Baptist and Forerunner of the Lord. Hence, this year shall be a total of 13 years of monasticism in Holy Orthodoxy, 10 years of diaconate, 8 years of priesthood and 4 years of episcopacy.
The problem with many who try to find a solution in any given religion is that they are not willing to go through the mill; one needs to be refined like gold in the furnace as the Wisdom of Solomon states (Wis 3:6) It is ever so fashionable for people to learn the basics and take up certain practices – I tend to laugh and disregard many supposed authors who perhaps have come into the faith, yet they have been their only 5 minutes so to speak/write and here they are launching books; read all about it!
Yet for those of us who have done the hard yards - - the Holy Spirit actually breaks through all of those piety stall devotions and brings us back to where we started; the desert of holy darkness where the light of the presence slowly begins to emerge! Many of you may be familiar with the Desert Fathers of Egypt and Syria who came to Europe and the British Isles at a time the world needed renewal.
Various monastic communities (hermitages) throughout Italy were indeed Syro-Coptic; there are similarities when we look at monastic dwellings taking the shape of a beehive – present in Egypt, Sicily, and the British Isles. Further evidence is rendered via the ancient iconography of grotto churches; the original grotto temple of Vallepietra (400AD) was transformed via the monastics into the grotto church of the Holy Trinity - the icon in the Syro-Coptic style (seen in the picture attached to this homily) testifies to their presence.
Furthermore, our Father amongst the monastics St. Isaac of Syria (613-700AD) was appointed Abbot of the monastery in the town of Spoleto in Umbria – constructed by the people who needed God and his holy back in their lives. Isaac was an acetic, theologian and wonder worker who left us a marvelous homily/reflection upon holy darkness and the light of transfiguration; here is a portion at which I invite you to read it in whole.
“He led them up the mountain and showed them his kingship before his passion, and his power before his death, and his glory before his disgrace, and his honour before his dishonour, so that when he was arrested and crucified by his own people, they might know that he was not crucified through weakness, but willingly by his good pleasure for the salvation of the world.
He led them up the mountain and showed them the glory of his divinity before the resurrection, so that when he rose from the dead in the glory of his divine nature, they might know that it was not because of his harsh toil that he accepted glory, as if he lacked it, but it was his before the ages with the Father and together with the Father, as he said as he was coming to his voluntary passion: “Father, glorify me with the glory which I had with you before the world existed!”
And so on the mountain he showed his Apostles the glory of his divinity, concealed and hidden by his humanity. For they saw his face bright as lightning and his garments were white as light. They saw two suns; one in the sky, as usual, and one unusually; one visible in the firmament and lighting the world, and one, his face, visible to them alone. His garments which were white as light showed that the glory of his divinity flooded from his whole body, and his light shone from all his members.
For his flesh did not shine with splendour from without, not like Moses who was saturated via the uncreated light originating from the burning bush, but the Light came from within him. His light dawned and was drawn together in him – it did not depart and come from somewhere else to adorn him; nor was it for his use. He chose not to display the totality of his glory, but only as much as the limits of their eyes could bare!”
Yet, when we come back to the present reality - the problem is that an incredible number of people don’t want to know about any form of faith; the reason for that is due to the total misconception of who we represent and how we portray the divine: we cannot fool God because it will work against us! Yet many potential flock are turned away because the institutions of what is called church has turned the Ark of Salvation into a house of horrors and the escape lifeboat becomes the titanic!
There are numerous people wanting God, searching for who he really is and asking for meaning in their lives and a genuine boost of spiritual sustenance. Yet I hear it time and time again by numerous people who come to me: “Father Bishop – I don’t go to church because there is nothing there for me and the leaders talk crap - for it is clear they don’t believe in it; they do what they want after the show is over, they have a nervous energy about them and they talk down at people perhaps due to being deprived of intimacy!”
Therefore, we face another brick wall considering such situations due to historical blunders and theological misconceptions that surfaced throughout the centuries: the War Lord Messiah, he preaches love yet will make you pay dearly if you stuff up; constantly reminding you that the grill is hot and ready to sizzle the meat! Spiritual schizophrenia indeed plagues many religious institutions - they can’t make up their minds what side of the fence they are on, yet the party is on once the blinds go down!
The Early Church was never like this and would never fathom that its future would become (the institutional facade) the monstrous cancer that it is today. The Church and bride of our King is all holy and glorious, but the politics and filth (a good number of administering clergy and officials of the people) in it who indulge in such prestige, zealously delight in grand audiences via being acclaimed with honour. Let’s not mention the battle of canonical belongings within state church orthodoxy: “In order for one church to be recognized and accepted by others – hand over all you have and then we will think about it; THE SIN OF SIMONY!”
The Lord warned those who have been given care over the flock to be shepherds, who should tend to each sheep unalike hired workers who cut corners and rush nurturing in order to cater for themselves: “Don’t run away and hide in order to save yourself when trouble emerges!” We were discussing translations; this marvelous parable outlining the functions of a true shepherd (Jn 10: 1-18) runs true today regarding structure, its employers, employees and club members. There is a growing need to detach from such and embrace the bigger picture which of course may be an arid pasture, yet this needs tending to just the same so that its land renders fertile.
When we think of parish community, there is a sense of security – the fold who are safe as it were and they are content in doing the same things over and over again regardless of what they get out of it. Yet, when it comes to the integrity of true ministry and service; we are called to go out of that environment because such (usual members) are always there – it’s the lost yet potential lambs that are stray, stuck and malnourished! These are the very ones the Lord commanded us to bring back on our shoulders – rejoicing when we find them regardless of where via employing extra TLC onto them!
When the apostle Paul was writing to the Church in Corinth, he wrote of how hurdles are overcome via our personal growth in identifying with others around us; although we may be under pressure, but we shall not be crushed, we may worry but we shall not despair, persecuted but not abandoned, beaten yet never destroyed. In conclusion, the true believer should reflect the life of the Christ – becoming the Lord’s hands and feet in the world and testifying to that sublime mystery of incarnation which becomes our very transfiguration.
God has commanded light to shine out of darkness via shining in our very hearts via rendering the light and knowledge of Jesus Christ onto others which truly glorifies God – the treasure within our very persona; these earthen vessels have been rendered in excellence so that the power of God may be made manifest. (2Cor 4: 6-7)
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