Homily on the eighth Sunday after Pentecost: Matthew 14:14-22.
In today’s Gospel, we have the account of our Lord and Saviour feeding the great multitude with the five loves and two fish. This miracle is a precursor of the most fundamental miracle in the life of the Church- apart from Christ’s birth, death and resurrection – this being the miracle of the Holy Eucharist. This Holy Eucharist is the new Heavenly manna given us so that we may have life within us (John 6:53). Just like when the Hebrews were in the desert receiving the provisions of manna (Exodus 16: 1-36), so too has the All-Holy Trinity given us an even better provision in our journey towards Him – the Mystery of the Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour! Without partaking of this Holy Mystery, a Christian cannot effectively enter into communion with the All-Holy Trinity. This is why Christian sects that insist that there is no need for the Holy Mysteries, have in many ways have tended to turn worship into an experience where man is at the heart of what is being worshiped. Therefore, a church that is without Mysteries cannot be considered a church at all, as it is spiritually powerless to help those it proposes to help. Let us pray that all these may come to the truth of the nature of Christ and His Holy Orthodox Church.
Throughout the ages, we the Church (Christ’s Body) have consistently prayed that those who desire to come to the All-Holy Trinity may do so. After all, it is apparent that there are many people who are broken, lost, and downright spiritually destitute. This is has led to a great cynicism that has pervaded our society for generations now. How did we let this rot of nihilism in? How did we let it take over the hearts and minds of our youth? Many in this day and age have fallen to the point where they embrace political and philosophical ideologies which do not even respect or value human life– let alone value the All-Holy Trinity whose is the source of all life! The problem here is that rather than turning to the truth that can help them construct lives full of happiness, joy and love, these poor people -through their embrace of nihilism- have created lives full of despair, hate, and emptiness! This does not make for a healthy society as exemplified in places like America where it is not uncommon for someone with a grudge to go out on a shooting spree! I often wonder what effect tighter gun laws can have if one does not first treat the cause of this malady - which is the state of the current culture that these people are living in. This is a culture which values guns, drugs, gang violence, and people as sexual objects to be used at one’s pleasure – one only has to listen to the music many of our youth are listening to, to get a clear picture of this devastating trend! How can a society truly be healthy if these are the values that parents are letting their children absorb through the music that they are listening to? However, this situation is fixable if we have the courage to trust in the All-Holy Trinity and through our actions, show people that there is a way to greater fulfillment. This is a process in which we would be required to welcome all, so that they may see the truth of Christ and his Gospel for themselves! Indeed, this process could be uncomfortable for some, because we would be letting in the truly broken – in much the same way as Christ welcomed the untouchables of his day - like Saint Mary Magdalena prior to her conversion! This is what we are called to do welcome those in that need the healing hand of our Lord and Saviour and show them that the All-Holy Trinity is truly good! Did not Christ say bring the little children to me (Matthew 19:14)? Also, did He not say that those who are well do not need a doctor (Matthew 9: 12)? Then let us be not afraid to minister to this broken World and the people therein, and surely if we do this the All-Holy Trinity will help us to effectively bring them unto Him – the source of all life, joy and love!
This week we celebrate the great feast of the Procession of the Life Giving Cross this feast recalls the old custom of processing the relics of the True Cross into the streets of Constantinople, to drive away all sicknesses from the people. Finally, on the eve of this great feast (August 13) these relics were brought into the great Cathedral of Hagia Sophia and laid out so that all may venerate it and receive the healings that they bestow - they were laid out till the feast of the Holy Dormition of the Holy Theotokos. Why is the True Cross so important to us Christians? In many ways, the Cross could seem to be a source of great confusion to people -even a scandal (Corinthians 1:18). Why do Christians value that torturous instrument upon which hung the Saviour of the World? Well because from this instrument of death and torture comes great life – if Christ had not been incarnate, died and rose again we would not have anything to be joyful about! However, He did rise again, and it is on this Sacred Cross that He died so that all may come into communion with the All-Holy Trinity if they so wish! Let us ever be grateful for this act of complete love, for our Lord and Saviour has shown us that He truly loves all - even to death on the Holy Cross!
Finally, as we prepare for the Dromition Fast, which begins this coming week, let us pray to the Holy Theotokos, that she through her prayers may help us to truly be Christ’s hands and feet in this broken World.
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