Homily on 25th Sunday of Pentecost Lk13:10-17
St John Chrysostom (349-407 AD) in his pastoral epistles stated that “the Church is a hospital, and not a courtroom, for souls! “Such a place where people come to be treated for their melodies, via the medicine which is the grace of the Holy Spirit given us by Jesus who IS Bishop of His Church and beckoned the children ( those who are weak and oppressed to come as they are onto Him for He is meek and humble of heart.
Unfortunately, at times, we tend to get so caught up in rigorous rules, traditions and unrealistic disciplines, completely losing sight of why we are here. (“To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength and your neighbour as yourself.”) (Mk 12:13-31)
Cannon 20 of the first ecumenical council states that “no worshiper lay or cleric should kneel on Sunday’s (Sabbath) or during the period of Pentecost, because kneeling is a penitential act; thus, turning a joyous occasion into a morbid one!”
Due to the fact that Sunday (The Sabbath) and the season of Pentecost is associated with our Lord's Holy Resurrection, the First Fathers of the Church decided that it was not suitable to kneel, hence the faithful were required to remain standing in order to reflect upon the Resurrection. (To rise up)
Thus, at time theatrics would take place were people would totally exaggerated such acts of devotion, distracting the liturgy via turning people’s attention away from the divine services!
In pondering on such practices in a logical and realistic manner; if our Lord where to appear to us on one of these day’s, would anyone dare say to Him,
“ Oh sorry Lord, but I can not kneel in your presence because it’s Sunday or it’s the season of Pentecost and the church forbids us to do so!”
Thus, when one reflects on such given the description above, it would be fair to say that, this is an absolute joke! Such does not make sense! No one in the right frame of mind would dare make such a remark in the presence of our Saviour!
Within the Church universal (Katholic) there exists the poor in spirit- people who are so empty within themselves yet they try to validate their very persona via submitting to every form/rites available which results in spiritual schizophrenia!
Regarding the circumstances we have all heard of or perhaps have met certain rigorists and religious madmen/women who acclaim, “The lives we lead is a Sin, repent or we'll burn in hell!” (in a round about way) As our church Father’s teach us, when something becomes an addiction or consumes us in such a way that we loose all control, that is sin; as is the case for the obsession of these religious bigots that attempt to impose there madness onto others.
When I served in the western congregation as an altar server, I came across several of these characters although this may sound offensive and in some way bias, the obsessive madness developed within the pattern of religiosity of such was truly a resemblance of: an overpowering stench (spirituality speaking)
It happens very slowly and discreetly; If I may add the reality of spiritual warfare; we must not forget that, that the serpent of old is intelligent and extremely cunning especially in the twisting of Holy Scripture, as he attempted to do with our Lord, when he (evil personified) tempted Christ whilst He was fasting for forty days in the Judean wilderness. ( Mt 4:1-11)
Although we expressed this subject in previous paragraphs, yet I’d like to stress once again the behavioural patterns of certain individuals who obsess over anything and everything religious. Unfortunately, it extends onto sacramental territories, obsessing over the mysteries (sacraments) in an unhealthy way resulting in sacrileges. (wilfully defiling that which is Holy)
Our bodies tell us when we lack vitamins and minerals; we will begin to crave particular foods that contain these sustenance’s.
Although in spiritual terms if I may make the comparison to our nutritional needs, we will know when we have gone to long without receiving the mysteries of the church and shall begin to crave them; and under the direction of the bishops and presbyters we can healthily resolve our spiritual needs.
Hence, such people who abuse/defile the Holy Mysteries via acquiring an uncontrollable impulse (often under the influence of putrid entities) to receive our Lord in the mystery of communion multiple times per day and although not orthodox lay practices unless one is in a monastic setting.
Thus, to the extreme extends onto going from church to church in order to satisfy their twisted impulses. This is where evil has taken over the agenda and convinced the individual that they must partake the mysteries in order to be Holier than thou- the climax of purity; in extreme circumstances putting themselves on a pedestal and on par as the Holy martyrs and saints of God.
May I note that such misguided individuals who consider their spirituality as a prescription of the Philokalia- they also make it their duty to hijack a given jurisdiction and seek to implement their ways. Furthermore, such behaviours and ways of thinking are totally derailed and could not be further away from the truth. (Christ) The church will not tolerate such forms of behaviour from these certain individuals, it will be corrected, rectified and in some cases stamped out via anathema! (Excommunication)
Hence, we must safeguard or faith, given to us by Christ, Professed by His Apostles and taught us via their successors the bishops; not by what the madman/women preach and teach, nor the pagan rituals that grandma has taught us is the norm; ie, lighting the stove and throwing salt on the fire in order to ward off the evil eye, and other such practices- a firsthand account I witnessed!
If we profess and confess “Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by His death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!”( Troparion of or Lord’s Holy Resurrection) why then do we feel the need to replace the prayers and mysteries of the church with pagan rituals??? Such is and never was part of our Lord’s teachings nor that of the Church; in addition, it will not work!
Christ, shattered the kingdom of darkness and conquered death, yet there exists those who prefer the deluded mindset of a quasi voodoo Christianity where such hocus pocus witchcraft and airy fairy rubbish thrive. Only the All Holy name of JESUS CHRIST will defeat evil in it’s vastness; and this supposed evil eye, which by the way does not exist, it only does when someone wilfully allows it to.
May I add the demonic stupidity such as the cute little eye that some people hang from their homes and wear as jewellery which the supposed champions of orthodoxy “Greek’s) subscribe too theses talismans will not save, protect or defend us again the odds of spiritual warfare It is only our faith in Christ that will save us, If we but subscribe wholeheartedly.
“Therefore, we pray Thee that this evening and the coming night be peaceful- and as we pray with fervent faith, cloth us with the armour of light that we may be defended from dangers and nocturnal influences. Grant us tranquil sleep and free us from all fears and powers unseen as we seal our senses with thy all holy name- remaining in thy grace and adhering to thy commandments.”) (Seventh priestly prayer of light taken from the Vesperal services.
The Church reminds us of the love of God which cannot separate those who love Him in Christ via the three commemorations of the Cross. (The exaltation of the cross, The Triumph of the cross and the procession of the cross.) Thus, the Church is not a death cult as many who claim to be Christian pontificate via their obsession of sin which stems from non-apostolic groups as the apostle Paul clearly states regarding scripture being interpreted outside the Church.
Thus, with the whole Church we who live I the vine who is Christ our bishop and have received the true faith of the risen Lord and joy of His saints via the branches who are His holy apostles now sing in affirmation: Oh Lord, save your people and bless your heritage. Grant victory to orthodox Christians over their enemy’s, and protect thy people by thy precious and life giving cross. (Troprion of the exaltation of our Lord’s Cross)
Within this Holy season of advent leading up to our Lord’s Holy Nativity, let us prepare the manger of our hearts by riding ourselves from all the stupidities (a tendency that those who may be orthodox in structure are beginning to follow the heterodox,) that have weaselled their way into the church and have mascaraed themselves as faith and teachings. Furthermore, let us ask the Lord our God to defend us from further diseases infiltrating Holy Mother church and attempting to take over our His agenda, our Salvation!
“And when He had said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.” (Lk 13:17)
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