Tending the Garden of Our Souls with the Tools of the Church

The Reading is from Matthew 21:33-42
The Lord said this parable, "There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. Afterward he sent his son to them, saying 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons." Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing, and it was marvelous in our eyes?'"

I spent some time in the garden yesterday. I was planning on digging the whole thing up and calling it quits for the season, but when I started, I noticed new peppers were growing and the eggplant was still producing fruit. Since most of the garden was still producing fruit I decided to let it alone so I could harvest a bit more for the kitchen. Having a garden has been quite an experience this year. Not everything went like I planned. I watched the zucchini all summer. Every morning I saw flowers. I even watched bees going in and out of each flower. But the zucchini didn’t produce a single fruit so I pulled it out and threw it in the compost.

When plants don’t produce fruit in any garden they are removed to make room for other plants that are able to produce. No experienced gardener would waste good soil growing weeds! Of course each climate is different and sometimes we plant things that just won’t produce fruit. Surely we can’t blame a fig tree for not producing fruit in Colorado. But if a fig tree doesn’t produce fruit in South Carolina, something is wrong with that fig tree.

We don’t often talk about people bearing fruit. We’re not trees after all, but God uses this image today to challenge us as Christians. “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their season.” (Matthew 21.41) I don’t think God is talking about figs! So, what fruit are we supposed to produce? “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5.22-23)

My dear brothers and sisters, we are called by Christ to produce these fruits “in their seasons.” That means we must use the knowledge of God and each other to understand just what type of fruit we can produce. Just like a fig tree cannot produce fruit in northern climates, we can only produce fruit when the soil of our hearts is fertile with the richness of the Holy Spirit. Each of us has been created by God with certain talents that we are called to use to glorify God.

We glorify God every time we bear fruit just like a garden that produces record crops brings honor to the gardener. We are the garden and God is our gardener. God has planted seeds in each of us and we need to grow and produce that record crop for the Glory of God. Every gardener has tools in his tool shed that he uses to till the soil, prepare the seed beds, control the weeds, fertilize the ground and eventually harvest the fruit. God also has tools is His tool shed that He uses to nurture our growth and control the weeds that distract us from growing. God’s tool shed is the Church and his tools are the Holy sacraments of the Church.

Through the sacraments of the Church, we are nurtured with the grace of God. In the Eucharist (Holy Communion) we are fed with spiritual food, without which we will certainly die. Jesus Christ says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life.” (John 6.53-54) Just as a garden cannot live without food and water, we cannot live without Holy Communion.

When a tree has a broken limb, it must be pruned and if the cut is deep enough it must sometimes be covered with special ointments to protect the tree from pests destroying its inner core. We also need to be healed and anointed with Holy Confession and Holy Unction. Through these Sacraments our sins are forgiven by God and we are blessed so the demons cannot easily get into our core and destroy the fruit of the Spirit that has been given to us.

A dedicated gardener works his land constantly pulling weeds, adding water, taking precautions to keep the bugs from eating the fruit. This is a never-ending task to keep a healthy garden. When we don’t give the garden the attention it needs, we end up with over-grown bushes in a field of weeds, and the fruit, if it does come, is small and few.

We also have to work constantly to keep our spiritual health from being overtaking by temptations and sin. The devil never stops trying to convince us to forget about God. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are the tools of the Church to help keep us healthy. The Lord commands us to “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5.17) Certain demons cannot be driven out “except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17.21) In the ancient Church everyone “had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.” (Acts 2.44-47) The ancient Church knew the benefits of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Their garden was producing a lot of good fruit. “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2.47)

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5.22-23) So what are we going to do my brothers and sisters in Christ? What are we going to do to tend to our garden so we can produce this good plentiful fruit for God? If we had never planted a garden before we would probably read a book on gardening, so let’s read. Let’s make a commitment to read the Bible every day and ask the Holy Spirit “to guide us into all truth,” (John 16.13) as we read and study His Holy Word. Come to Bible Study and learn about the tools the Church has to offer in our struggle to bear fruit for the glory of God.

Once we begin our journey to heaven, just like in the garden, we simply have to keep using the tools that will help keep us healthy. We must find time to pray every day. We must fast every Wednesday and Friday. We must be charitable to others. And when we do these things, just like in the ancient Church we will produce fruit for the glory of God.

When we really want to learn about gardening we find a good gardener and spend as much time with him as possible. God is our good gardener and we should try to spend as much time with Him as possible and the best way to be with Him is when we receive Holy Communion. When we receive Holy Communion we are as close to God as we can physically be and He will inspire us to bear good fruit. And when we produce the fruits of the Spirit with God’s help we will be worthy of the glory of God.

Don't Be on the Outside Looking In

“He will lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” (Matthew 21.41)

With the above warning Christ encourages us to be vigilant in the Faith that has been given to us by the Lord. The “faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) has remained unchanged by the Church since the time of Christ. We live in a world that elevates selfishness and individualism above the Law of God which is “justice and mercy and faith.” (Matthew 25.23) Saint Paul urges, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12.2)

As Orthodox Christians it is our goal in life to live in constant communion with God. When we live in communion with God our life becomes transfigured and the world will know that we are disciples of Jesus Christ who IS God, one of the Holy Trinity. When we allow the laws of the world to dictate our actions rather than the Law of God, we betray God. Saint Paul teaches: “For if God did not spare the natural branches [Jews], He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell [Jews], severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” (Romans 11.21-22)

The warning of Christ is clear. We must bear fruit in our Faith or God will find others “who will render to Him the fruits in their seasons,” and we will find ourselves outside the Gates of Heaven looking in.

Are We Making Onion Soup? No, Just Trying to Get to Heaven

What do the following items all have in common: bananas, watermelons, avocados, coconuts, pineapples and onions? They are all filled with delicious goodness on the inside but have a skin you can’t eat. I could name more fruits, vegetables and other foods that share this trait – a tough exterior with a delicate interior. And if you read some of the many ‘good health’ guides you will see all these items listed as being “good for you” and a part of every healthy life.

So what is ultimately good for us? This may have been the question that led the rich man to approach Jesus Christ in this morning’s Gospel. All of us seek what we think is good for us whether it is a good education or a good healthy diet or a good doctor when our diet isn’t so healthy. “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19.16) These are the words of a rich man seeking goodness in his life. Believe it or not, the answer to this man’s question begins with understanding that goodness sometimes is to be found under the tough skin of an onion.

In order to get the goodness of an onion, we have to peel away the dry layers revealing the pure core of the onion. Jesus said to the rich man, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” (Matthew 19.17) Goodness is sometimes hidden unless we make the effort to look deep into the core. The man only saw Jesus as a teacher, just as we often only see the dry onion, but Jesus is God and for those who are able to see Him, we see that He is Good…and therefore “good for us.”

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…So God made man; in the image of God He made him; male and female He made them…Then God saw everything He had made, and indeed, it was very good.” (Genesis 1.26-27,31) In the opening passages of the Old Testament God reveals to us that we were made in His image and that He declared us and all creation to be very good. In this morning’s Gospel Jesus reminds us that only God is good, so how can we also be good? The answer is in the onion.

Shortly after God created humanity we began to disobey Him and layer by layer we began to cover the goodness that God had created with bitter skins. By now some of us even find it hard to see the goodness in ourselves let alone the goodness in our enemies. But just like an onion it is there, all we have to do search for it. That is exactly what the rich man was doing when he walked up to Christ in this morning’s Gospel.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as Orthodox Christians our goal is to spend all eternity in Communion with God. Being in Heaven is being in Communion with the Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, One God. Listen again to the dialogue between the rich man and Jesus:

“But if you want to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’(Matthew 19.17-20)

God is telling us exactly what type of life He expects us to live if we want to spend eternity in Communion with Him. Keeping The Commandments is like layers of sin being peeled away slowing revealing the goodness that is inside each of us. And if you have ever peeled an onion, there are always more layers…and that is the message for us this morning. If we want to be perfect and follow Jesus Christ to Heaven we must peel away all the bitter sins of our lives one layer at a time and expose the goodness that is in our core; but God knows, better than us, that it is easier said than done.
“”Assuredly I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19.23-24,26) In ancient times it was common for sailors to call the large ropes on their boats ‘camels’ and since Jesus was speaking to His disciples, many of whom were fishermen, most people in the Church read this passage to mean the it is easier to get a rope through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Does anyone know how to get a rope through the eye of a needle? The answer rests in the onion.

Rope, just like an onion, is made of many layers. In order to make rope, first many small threads are twisted together to make string and many strings are then twisted together to make rope. So…..if we unravel the rope leaving only the original thread we can easily pass the thread through the needle. What our Lord is trying to teach us this morning is that the only we can get into heaven is to remove all the layers of sin that we have wound around our lives and return to the core goodness that He created in the first place.

Onions and rope come in all shapes and sizes, and so do we. Jesus knows that is it not easy living every day in our fallen world surrounded by crime, violence, greed, sexual immorality…you name it our society suffers from it. God also knows that it is not easy peeling away the layers of sin our lives. Like an onion it probably will even cause some tears, but God also knows what is inside our core. As an onion gets older and older it surrounds its core with more and more layers. The longer we wait to begin to remove the layers of sin that we have twisted around the rope of our lives the harder it will be to imagine that we can ever get through that needle.

The good thing is, “With God all things are possible.”

On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!

We all remember these words. They began all the fun races between us and our friends. Our spiritual life is a race. At least it has the same characteristics as Saint Paul himself exclaims, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4.7) Our race toward life in the Kingdom of God, like the 4-person relay in track and field, is not run in isolation but embraced along with our fellow Orthodox Christians as we, “being many, are one body.” (1 Corinthians 12.12) And just as in the 4-person relay we each have our own unique starting point but we share a single common finish line.

The Gospel is a challenge to each of us to take account of our own starting point and run the race with our fellow teammates toward our common goal – Life in Christ. We each have our own history and our own challenges in the race, but only together are we able to reach the finish line. It doesn’t matter who we are, there is always somebody either behind us or ahead of us. The rich man had accomplished many great works in the Law when he approached Christ thinking maybe he was finished when he asked, “What do I still lack?” (Matthew 19.20) “Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor.’” (Matthew 19.21)

Today we each gather at the end of our year to ask the Lord, what do we still lack? Some of us lack more than others but all of us lack something. Let us not be discouraged and let us help each other win the race. Where we were someone now is. Where we wish to be someone now is. BUT, WHERE WILL WE BE in the future?

What Will We Do This Year? Thoughts on the New Church Year

You who created all things in Your infinite wisdom, and set the times by Your own authority, grant Your Christian people victories. Blessing our comings and goings throughout this year, guide our works according to Your divine will. (Kontakion of September 1)

As the above hymn indicates, we invite God into our daily lives each year when we pray for blessings during the new year. This new year, which begins September 1, 2009, is an opportunity for us to praise God in our achievements, seek God’s forgiveness in our failures, and beg His assistance for our future.

These emotions are not foreign to September for children. Our children know them well. As our children get back into the habit of homework and special research projects, they know too well the feeling of achievement and failure and they know that in order to continue to achieve they must correct their mistakes and make progress in their studies if the new school year will be filled with joy rather than sadness.

As adults too we must take a moment to dwell upon our achievements and failures of the past year so that we can move forward in our lives. In our restaurants we must evaluate what sold or what didn’t sell on the menu. Our children know that if they keep making the same mistakes, they will not make any progress in school and we know that if we don’t change our products our business may begin to suffer in the coming year. Unfortunately, our children are often much better at this than we are.

“Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18.2-3) We must take our lessons from children and spiritually evaluate what worked and what didn’t work in our spiritual lives in the last year and then strive to do better this year. What parent does not challenge his children to get better grades in school one year after another? Likewise our Lord is challenging us, His children, to be better Orthodox Christians this year than we were last year. Just like in school there is always room for improvement.

And improvement in our spiritual struggle is of much greater importance than school because the results are eternal. Of course I would never suggest that we should not strive for the best possible grades in school since God is always glorified in our good achievements. But we must never forget to always be striving to improve our spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church while at the same time attending to our daily lives at work.

So this September, let us take a look back and consider the past year with the following questions:
1. Could I have attended Sunday Divine Liturgy more?
2. Could I have read the Bible more?
3. Could I have reached out with compassion to someone in need more?
4. Could I have fasted more?
5. Could I have studied the teachings of the Church more?
6. Could I have gone to Holy Confession more?
7. Could I have prayed more?
8. Could I have received Holy Communion more?

Consider the answer of Christ Himself: “The young man said to Him, ‘All these I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’” (Matthew 19.20-21) We can always do more to show our Love for God. The question is, “What will we do this year?

Forgiveness Has Just Become a Bit Easier

Gospel ReadingMatthew 18:23-35 11th Sunday of Matthew
The Lord said this parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailors, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to everyone of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

The ability to forgive others is one of the most difficult tasks of any Christian. It seems everywhere we turn someone has done something to us or said something to us or about us that genuinely hurts. This is the most painful when we are hurt by our closest friends or family members. For some reason unknown to us it is easier for us to forgive complete strangers, maybe because we don’t expect anything better from them or is it that we expect so much more from our own loved ones?

In the Gospel Christ gives us great comfort in our struggle to forgive each other. He wants us to consider how much more we have been forgiven; more than we have even asked. The servant who owed 10,000 talents (a huge sum of money) simply asked for patience to repay the debt. In return the master forgave the entire debt as an act of mercy. Not a day goes by when each one of us doesn’t do something, however small, that causes pain to a friend or family member or complete stranger. Many times we let these “small things” pile up until we are so embarrassed we can’t even show our face at family or Church functions. It is just then that we think we cannot possibly be forgiven but when we find the courage to ask for “another chance” to show how much we care, not even expecting forgiveness but for a fresh start, our mothers and fathers brothers and sisters come running to us and embrace us with such great love that our body feels warm inside.

The next time we are faced with the opportunity to forgive somebody, let’s not forget how much we have been forgiven by others and by God. Forgiveness comes a bit easier when we take the time to remember we were forgiven first.

Caution!!!!! Dive at your Own Risk! (on Matthew 8.28-9.1)

When I was in sixth grade my class went on a weekend fieldtrip into the Rocky Mountains. One of the activities we enjoyed was an afternoon at a large swimming pool and at that pool was a high dive. I had never been off a high dive before. My friends convinced me to climb up the ladder and there I stood at the end of the diving board looking down into the deep water where I was sure I would drown to death if I jumped. I thought to myself that someone would have to be crazy to jump off that board into the deep….

Last Tuesday, our society took that jump off the deep end. But unlike a child that tip-toes to the end of the diving board and peeks over the edge of the high dive only to run back to the ladder in fear, our society took a flying leap off the deep end with its eyes closed. With the death of Michael Jackson, the so-called King of Pop, our society has finally made the jump into the abyss with thousands of broadcast hours on hundreds of stations and in countless movie theaters and street corners throughout the world being dedicated to the media coverage of his death, autopsy, estate battles, memorials services and public tributes, and there is sure to be more to come. Any effort to direct attention away from Michael Jackson is considered disrespectful by many or at the very least cold hearted by some.

Cold hearted are the words that should come to mind when we hear this morning’s Gospel story. After Jesus healed two men who had been demon possessed for many years, he faced a crowd of cold hearted, selfish, money hungry herdsmen. The demons were so fierce that no one could pass by without being in danger, and rather than be happy for their fellow human beings, “Behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, the begged Him to depart from their region.” (Matthew 8.34) And why? All because Jesus allowed the demons to enter the pigs, “and suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.” (Matthew 8.32)These men who had been watching their fellow human beings suffer for so many years cared more about the lost profit of the pigs than the saved lives of those two men. Talk about cold hearted.

Doesn’t this sound similar to last week’s news? I heard in one radio report last week that t-shirt vendors were complaining when the expected crowds at Michael Jackson’s memorial service were smaller than expected because they couldn’t sell enough t-shirts. T-shirt sales at a memorial service? Is that what our society has come to? Yes…..I’m sorry to say that is exactly what our society has come to and it is no surprise. The memorial service was for the “King of Pop” after all – a man who had given his life over to drugs, scandalous living, and sleepless nights to please a crowd of complete strangers who were paying very large ticket prices …. just to be buried in a 24K gold casket at the young age of 50. This was the last chance to cash in for so many people who had made their fortune off of Michael Jackson and they were not going to stand for any loss of profit. Even the City of Los Angeles, who I’m sure made millions in tax revenue over the years because of Michael Jackson concerts, is asking the public to help pay for the more than $1 Million security costs. If this isn’t off the deep end….I don’t know what is.

My brothers and sisters in Christ it is not too late! Even if our society takes that leap off the deep end, we don’t have to go over with it. We can be like child who errs on the side of caution and returns to the ladder. We can turn back toward God now while we still have a chance. Even with the demons of the world fighting against us as they fought against the two men in this morning’s Gospel, God will protect us. Look again at the story this morning. We know the two men were being tormented terribly by the demons, but the demons have no power against us! We are protected by God as long as it is our will to be protected by God. The demons would have killed the men if they could. Instead they had to settle for killing a herd of pigs. “There is no one who does not enjoy the benefit of God’s providence” (Homily XXVIII On Matthew, sec 4)

Just like God protected the two men, God can protect us. He has more than enough power. But just like the herdsmen lost their entire herd, God can also let us lose everything if we care more about making a profit than we do about our fellow human beings who are suffering around us. And we can’t just think that somebody else is going to help. Every day more and more of our society takes the same plunge as those poor pigs over the deep end.

My brothers and sisters, as a society we are no different from the herdsmen in this morning’s Gospel and we are watching our brothers and sisters suffer around us while we risk losing everything. Who here has not been consumed with the news since last October about the suffering economy? Have we been just the least bit concerned about the suffering of others, who are complete strangers, around us? You would think that our churches would be filled to capacity, standing room only, there is so much fear about bankruptcy and lost pensions and declining housing markets. But as a society our eyes continue to be focused upon our wealth and the daily losses of our investments and spending as many days as possible at the beach while at the same time lives around us, like the recent story about our own Governor, continue to wallow in the mud with the pigs. Don’t look now but the pigs are headed over the cliff….

We are standing at the end of that high dive peaking over the edge at the deep below. We have a choice to make…turn back toward God or jump with the pigs…and there is only one result to that jump….death.

Don’t Take My Word for It, Trust in the Word of God

Most all of us, if we have watched one late night movie or daytime TV show in the past ten years, know about OxiClean. We know about its cleaning powers because of the words of one man – Billy Mays. Billy Mays was known as a pioneer in the infomercial business on cable TV and was able to convince millions of viewers like us to use OxiClean to get out tough stains with just air and water. His infomercials were fun to watch and if you have ever used OxiClean you know how well the product works. Those of us who watch late night movies will miss his energetic voice and words of persuasion.

Words carry a lot of weight in our society. We are constantly being bombarded by the words of others and normally they are trying to sell us something, either a product or an opinion. Unfortunately many people use words to hurt others rather than to help. Many people use words to lift themselves above others rather than to help those around them. And words can hurt when they are used to make fun of others or to spread rumors about someone’s personal struggles and mistakes in life. It’s because there are so many painful words around us that people enjoyed listening to Billy Mays. His words were always meant to help and make our life a better place – at least cleaner and sometimes good as new.

This morning’s Gospel is about words that help – words that restore something to be good as new in fact. “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” (Matthew 8.8) These are the words of the centurion when Jesus promised to go and heal his servant. These are words of deep faith in the healing power of Jesus Christ. With these words the centurion was confessing that he knew Jesus was the same God that created the entire universe. The centurion must have known that no mere human being could just will something to be done. Even his own orders had to done by somebody. He confessed, “For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Matthew 8.9)These were the words of a man who understood the power of words but more importantly he knew the Power of THE Word!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1.1) With these words, Saint John the Evangelist begins his Gospel. The centurion must have known through the Holy Spirit that Jesus was the Word of God. Nothing else can explain his faith that Jesus only had to “speak a word” and his servant would be healed. This is why the Gospel says, “When Jesus heard it [the confession of the centurion], He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.’… ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour.” (Matthew 8.10,13) What exactly was the centurion’s faith?

The first answer to this question rests, I believe, in the opening two verses of the story: “Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’” (Matthew 8.5-6) The centurion had the faith to approach Jesus. Don’t forget, the centurion wasn’t a Jew but a Roman soldier who was supposed to hate and kill Jesus. When he approached Jesus he didn’t ask for his own benefit but for the sake of his servant. In fact he pleaded with Jesus because his servant was suffering. The centurion revealed his faith in God even before Jesus promised to go and heal the servant. Although the centurion was not a Jew, he knew the commandment of God: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind … and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22.37-39) The second answer to this question follows Christ’s promise to “come and heal him.” The centurion had enough faith to know that if Jesus wanted to, He would only have to “speak a word” and it would come to pass. What great faith he had in God.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ we are called this morning to have such a great faith in God. We have an advantage that the centurion didn’t have. We know the whole story about Jesus. We know that He was raised from the dead and performed many miracles while He was on Earth. We know that when two or three are gathered in His name He is there. (Matthew 18.20) We know that “He healed many who were sick with various diseases.” (Mark 1.34) and that Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5.31)

Who among us is not sick? Who among us is righteous? The Church is a hospital and we are all sick, either physically or mentally or spiritually, and we all need the healing that comes from God. The only thing God requires of us is to have enough faith to approach Him and ask or “just say a word.” The Church has a long history of being a place of healing. In his Epistle, Saint James (Iakovos) writes:

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders [Presbyters] of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5.13-16)

We can see then that according to Saint James and the witness of the Church we are healed in and as a community. The servant was healed because of the actions of others in his behalf. He was healed because the centurion took action and approached Jesus and spoke words of faith. We will be healed when we take action and come to God and His Church and as a community we pray for each other that we may be healed. God has already promised that he would come and heal us. All we need to do is “speak a word” of faith and He will come and heal us.

Just like OxiClean restores clothes to brightness when it combines with water, we will be restored to brightness when we combine the water of our baptism with the action of our faith and approach God. We’ve seen the power of OxiClean, now let’s trust in the power and promise of God.

Just Say the Word

“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light.” (Genesis 1.3) God created the entire universe using words. In fact, God is the only one who can accomplish a task with a mere word. The rest of us depend upon the actions of others. The centurion said to the Lord, “But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this’ and he does it.” (Matthew 8.8-9) When the centurion gave his word someone did the work. But when God says the word, it just happens. “Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour.” (Matthew 8.13)

This same God, who created the universe with a word and who healed the servant with mere words and who took on flesh becoming human with us, is calling out to us today with words, the words of the Gospel, and offering us His hand. If we believe in Him He will care for all our needs. Jesus says, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat? Or ‘What shall we drink?’ or What shall we wear? But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6.31-33) God has promised to take complete care of us. “Are we not of more worth than the birds of the air?” (see Matthew 6.26) He is waiting for us to just say the word – “I believe” – and He will take care of the rest.

Where Would You Rather Be?

When we are sitting in Church on Sunday and would rather be at the beach, do we resent God for making us skip spending time on the beach? When we are sitting in Church on Sunday, do we resent putting money in the tray because we have so many other things we want to spend your hard-earned money on? Would we rather be enjoying a football game or going to the races with friends rather than being in Church on a Sunday? When we are sitting on the beach on Sunday do we feel like we missed being in Church? When we are spending $299 for the new IPhone, do we feel like yoweu don’t have enough money to put in the tray on Sunday? When we are at the game with friends on a Sunday, do we wonder who we missed seeing in Church? We make choices every day as human beings. Some choices are as simple as “paper or plastic” at the grocery store while others seem to be more complicated like, “Are we going to Church tomorrow?”

Our Lord says, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6.24) How we answer the above questions might be an indication of a conflict between masters. If we resent being in Church because we would rather be at the beach or out making some more “hard-earned money”, we have a conflict. Of course I am not suggesting that we should never take a vacation since even Jesus went on a retreat to spend time away. I am suggesting however that if we ever would rather be somewhere else on Sunday instead of in Church then we must open our eyes to the Light of Christ and get a clearer picture of what is important in life. Wanting a vacation on the beach or the new IPhone is not sinful, but if we “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours [ours] as well.” (Matthew 6.33)

Think about it…..where would you rather be today?

You Have a Call Waiting on Line One...

We are in an age when information is flowing around us at high speed and from every direction. Our cell phones have become pocket computers with access to the entire world’s source of information. With the click of a button or the swipe of a finger we now have access to information that would have taken hours of searching a mere ten years ago. Twenty years ago it would have taken us days to research the information that today we can read in the palm of our hand in minutes. We even conduct business over the phone without ever actually speaking with anyone. Texting has become the new phone call and Facebook is quickly replacing email. The world of communication is constantly changing around us.

But there is one form of communication that will never change. God doesn’t need telephones or email or Facebook to communicate with us. He speaks to us through His Gospel and the Church and He is calling to invite us to follow Him. The Apostles were all very busy but when the Lord called them, “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” (Matthew 4.20) Have we become too busy to answer God’s call? He is waiting…

On the Feast of Pentecost

“When He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” John 16.13

With these words our Lord prepared His disciples for His death and Resurrection by comforting them with the news that the Holy Spirit would come and guide the Church. This month we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Holy Apostles and upon the Church of Christ. At Pentecost we celebrate the establishment of the Church as the Body of Christ on Earth to continue His saving work – to bring all creation into communion with Him.

In the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed we declare our belief in “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church” which, as promised by Christ, is being guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth. This is the Orthodox Church still alive today with an unbroken link both historically and theologically to the Apostles and Christ Himself. The roots of our Faith and of our Holy Traditions rest firmly in the teachings of the Holy Apostles and the New Testament Church. Saint Paul said, “Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.” (1 Corinthians 11.2)

There are some who will tell you that the Holy Traditions of the Orthodox Church are not scriptural. Some even suggest that we Orthodox are pagans. Nonsense! The Orthodox Church was established by Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit who came down upon the Apostles on the Feast of Pentecost. Those who would suggest that we Orthodox are not “biblical Christians” or not Christians at all are not simply incorrect…they are wolves seeking to lead us and our children astray from the Body of Christ. “Beware of false prophets, who come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7.15)

It is true that some Traditions have evolved over the centuries. One such Tradition is fasting. Fasting is both biblical (Matthew 6.16-18) AND historical. “But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but do ye fast on the fourth day [Wednesday] and the Preparation (Friday). (Didache of the Apostles 8.1). What has evolved over the centuries is not whether to fast but how to fast.

The reality that certain Holy Traditions have evolved in their practice over the centuries should not immediately disqualify them from current practice especially when these Holy Traditions have been passed down through the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit as promised by Christ, from generation to generation. Our task in 2009 as members of the Orthodox Church today is not to reform our Holy Traditions but to reform our misunderstanding of Christian history and “keep the traditions” as they have been delivered by the Church.

We become the most biblical when we heed Paul’s teachings and trust that the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church into all truth. Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14.6) We cannot allow ourselves to be led astray from the Truth or we will surely die. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” (John 10.10)

When you meet others: non-Orthodox or Orthodox; family or friends; Christian Pastors or Christian believers; and they suggest to you that the Orthodox Church is not biblical or that our Traditions as Orthodox Christians are incorrect, come and see what the Church has been teaching for two thousand years as Truth if you are not sure. There are many resources you can use: the Church Library or bookstore has several books that will help you. There are many online resources too, such as the Archdiocese of America website at www.goarch.org that has hundreds of articles, essays, videos, and other recordings that share the teachings of the Church.

The Father Told the Son, the Son Told the Church, the Church Told Us, Who Will We Tell?

There was a very popular TV commercial in the 1970s for Faberge Organic Shampoo. In the commercial, for those of you who don’t remember it…..a woman on our TV screen loved her shampoo so much that she told two friends, and they told two friends and they told friends, and so on, and so on, and so on. The commercial was so popular that people are still quoting it today in web pages and blogs. If the commercial was successful in having two friends tell their two friends and they told their two friends and so on and so on at least once each year, Faberge would have sold 1,099,511,627,776 bottles of shampoo since 1970. Faberge no longer makes their organic shampoo but anyone in business will agree that the idea of telling friends about a product, or a restaurant, or a clothing store, or just about anything you think is good is the best form of advertising. Word of mouth is better than any commercial.

Today’s Gospel lesson believe it or not is about word of mouth advertising, but not for a product. It is about word-of-mouth advertising about the Good News that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became human like each one of us, was crucified, died and rose from the dead so that WE could live forever with Him. Christ says, “Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent me.” (John 17.7-8) And THEN they, the Apostles told their friends, and they told their friends, and so on and so on until today here we are in this Church.

Today the Church celebrates the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council which met in Nicaea in 325AD to thank them and give Glory to God for their courage and wisdom as the Holy Spirit guided them to seek out the Truth about Jesus Christ. Today is an important day in the Church because we remember that the Apostles and Early Church Fathers like Saint Ignatius who in 69AD became the first Bishop in Antioch handed down an unchanged and unbroken chain of Holy Tradition and Faith, before there was a New Testament by the way, from Bishop to Bishop, Christian to Christian, for nearly two thousand years. The Fathers who gathered in Nicaea in 325AD didn’t invent any new beliefs when they adopted the Creed.

In the Fourth Century the Fathers studied the ancient Church and, based upon the writings and prayers and Holy Traditions of the Early Church Fathers and Apostles, established what we have today as the New Testament, nearly three hundred years after the Resurrection of Christ. They were able to do this because the Church has always existed and has always followed the example of Christ.

What Christ heard from the Father He gave to the Church and what the Church heard from Christ the Church gave to us. And now it is our turn to know that all things which the Church has given us are from Christ; and we have received them; and we can know surely that the Church came from God and has been sent by God to us. How can we know this?

Christ’s own words should be a comfort to us. Christ says, “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me.” (John 17.11) “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak.” (John 16.13) And “what is Truth?” (John 18.38)

The truth is not relative my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. The Truth is Jesus Christ Himself and He has promised that the Holy Spirit would guide the Church. And just as Jesus passed on the teachings of the Father to the Church, the Church passes on the teachings of Christ to us. Now it is our turn to pass on the teachings of the Church, which ARE the teachings of Christ to each other, our children and our friends and neighbors. It is time for us to tell two friends and they will tell two friends and they will tell two friends and so on and so on.

The teaching of the Church is simple: the purpose of life is to be in communion with God. Jesus said, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; [He’s talking about us!] that they all may be one, as You Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (John 17.20-23)

There has never been a better gift in the entire history of creation! God has created us human beings to be in communion with Him. The Church has been proclaiming this truth for two thousand years and now it is our turn…I’ve told you and God wants you to tell two friends and they will tell two friends and so on and so on and so on.

A Formula for Guilt-Free Living

“Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9.1) This question by the Disciples was a familiar one in their time but by today’s standards we no longer think of physical illness or disabilities in terms of being punishment for sins. BUT how often do we punish ourselves for our sins? Often times it would less painful to be inflicted with physical blindness than the guilt that we force upon our own lives for our sins. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” (John 9.3)

God does not give us pain or trials because of our sins so neither should we. God forgives us when we ask Him so we need to forgive ourselves also. God does not judge us for sins that have been forgiven so we also need to learn to forgive ourselves (and others) and not allow guilt to bring a dark blindness into our lives. Guilt, especially when it keeps us away from God, has the same effect as being blind and unable to see God’s love but God has the power to heal our blindness so we can live guilt-free lives.

If we are suffering from guilt because of a particular sin in our lives the Church offers us healing in the Mystery of Repentance also known as Confession. When we approach Christ in the sacrament and confess our sins and seek forgiveness, the Priest says: My spiritual child, who has confessed to my humble person, I, humble and a sinner, have no power on earth to forgive sins, but God alone; but through that divinely spoken word which came to the Apostles after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying, “Whosoever sins you remit, they are remitted, and whosoever sins you retain, they are retained,” we are emboldened to say: Whatsoever you have said to my humble person, and whatsoever you have failed to say, whether through ignorance or forgetfulness, whatever it may be, may God forgive you in this world, and in the world to come.

Nobody Should Be Alone on Mother’s Day

Last Monday I was enjoying breakfast with Presbytera when my phone began to ring. It didn’t stop for about an hour as news traveled throughout Florence of the tragic death of our dear friend Josh Waynick, Father Gregory’s son. When the dust settled we realized that the news was true: Josh Waynick lost his life tragically in a house fire while he was trying to save his dog. And today, his mother is spending mother’s day traveling to bury her son. Please remember Presbytera Laura, and the entire Waynick Family in your prayers. I suspect she will never think of Mother’s Day the same again.

Most of us think of Mother’s Day as a day for us to honor our mothers. We buy flowers, candy, and other gifts to show our mothers just how much they mean to us. In Churches throughout America there are sermons about the importance of mothers and images of the “ideal mother” are preached from the pulpit. After Church mothers are waited on in restaurants and country clubs by their children who love them. As a society we spend so much energy on Mother’s Day honoring our mothers we sometimes forget that there are mothers who don’t celebrate today because they have lost their children.

There are mothers who have no children to bring them out for lunch or to buy flowers and candy. These mothers often spend mother’s day remembering the children they have lost. Our society has too many of these mothers either because war has taken their children or illness or tragic accidents have robbed them of the opportunity of spending time with their children. Too many mothers have no one. They spend the day alone.

“Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up.” (John 5.7) This is the cry of the paralytic in this morning’s Gospel. He waited nearby as year after year other people were healed all the while he remained unable to even drag himself into the pool. We may ask where his mother was. The paralytic seems to have lost his mother. He also was left alone and he suffered for more than thirty-eight years waiting for someone to help him. He spent his days alone.

But he never gave up hope. For thirty-eight years he dragged himself to the pool for the annual healing miracle and for thirty-seven years he left still paralyzed. This year was different because Christ was there waiting to ask him, “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5.6) Of course he did! Why else would he drag himself to the pool every year? His problem wasn’t that he didn’t want to be healed, but that he needed help; he couldn’t do it by himself. None of us can.

None of us can go through life totally on our own. We’re not created that way. God made humanity in His image and His image is a community. The Holy Trinity is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If we are made in the image of God, then we also are expected to exist as a community. That is what makes this morning’s Gospel so challenging for us. If the paralytic lost his mother and father, then where was the rest of the community to help him? It is hard for me to imagine that not one single person stood up after so many years to help this paralyzed man. The Jews were gathered in the Temple for the Feast, just like we are gathered here today in this Church, and still they couldn’t find it in their hearts to help this poor man.

We came here today to be in the presence of God but we are not here alone. We are not here as individuals. Our time with God is not just about having a personal relationship with God. We were created to have a communal relationship with God not to live in isolation. Isolation is what kept the paralytic from being healed. When we remain alone we remain paralyzed. It is even worse when someone comes here and still remains alone in their heart because we have ignored them or we treat them like a stranger. It breaks my heart when I hear people share why they don’t come to this church. We may not like to hear it but there are people, even some Greeks, who feel unwanted and like strangers in this Church. And so they sit at home spiritually paralyzed because they are alone…and we as a Church have let them feel alone.

But we can change that! This year can be different. We can reach out to those who do not come to Church – Orthodox or non-Orthodox – and invite them to come spend some time with God. We can reassure them that they are not alone and that we will be here with them. We all know at least one person we can call this week – someone we haven’t seen in Church in a long time – and invite them back. Maybe we know of a “lost soul” at work who, like the paralytic doesn’t have anyone to help them. Can we possibly sit by for thirty-eight years without reaching out?

For some it has been a really long time since they have attended Church. This year can be different. For many years they have struggled to heal themselves but couldn’t. This year will be different because Christ has not forgotten them just like He never forgot the paralytic. The Gospel says, “When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk.’ And immediately the man was made well.” (John 5.6,8-9)

Christ is risen my dear brothers and sisters and He has sent us to help. Jesus says, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20.21) God has sent us, the Church, to bring hope to those in need in and around Florence. If we love God we will go out and take care of those around us.

Mother’s Day should be a day for joy and there will be time for celebrating but we must never forget those who are alone today, mothers and their children. Let us pray to the Lord:

“Lord our God, you who brought back to life the only son of a widow, and who from the Cross made arrangements for the care of Your Own mother, send comfort to those mothers today who have lost their children either through illness, war, accidental death or estrangement. You who from the portico of the Sheep Gate brought health to the paralytic who was alone, bring peace to those who spend this Mother’s Day without their mothers either due to death, distance or estrangement for you are Holy Our God and to You we send up Glory with Your everlasting Father and Your All-Holy Good and Life-Giving Spirit, always now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.”

Christ is Risen!

Focus Upon Christ and Let Him Take Care of the Rest

The story is a common one for many of you here this morning and for most of our ancestors. It is the story of the immigrant. The immigrant leaves his home with whatever he can carry for a journey of unknowns; unknown challenges and unknown blessings in an unknown land. The immigrant sometimes travels with family but sometimes not. He sometimes travels with friends but sometimes not. But when he travels alone, he often finds new friends with which to share adventure and food. He is not alone but has his hope only in God to keep him safe and help him get established in his new home. So much depends upon God for his survival: will he get a job, will he find a place to live, and will he have enough money? The immigrant isn’t held back simply because of these unknowns because God will provide the room, the job and the money he needs to survive. His entire hope rests in God!

Hope in God is what the myrrh bearing women had in this morning’s Gospel. They were already on their way to the tomb to anoint the body of Christ when they asked each other, “Who will roll away the stone from the door for us?” (Mark 16.3) They didn’t hesitate to travel to the tomb just because they didn’t know how they would get inside. All they knew was that they had to go to the tomb. Like the drive of the immigrant, their hope was in Christ to help them when they arrived.

And Christ did help. Saint Mark says, “But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away – for it was very large.” (Mark 16.4) The Gospel of Matthew tells us that God sent His angel to move the stone. (Matthew 28.2) After sending help Christ blessed the women for their faith. He rewarded them by allowing them to be the first to see Him after the Resurrection. He did this because they had the strength and courage to seek Christ no matter what and leave the rest up to Him. The very large stone that had sealed the tomb of God was no match for the faith of these women. We remember when Christ says, “For assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.” (Matthew 17.20) And this was only a large boulder and no boulder was going to keep them from their journey that morning.

We are all on a journey my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. We are on the journey we call life. We are all headed somewhere. But where are we headed? What do we seek from our journey? The myrrh bearing women knew where they were headed and they knew what they were seeking – they were seeking Jesus Christ. We are called to be like the myrrh bearing women and seek Jesus and He will take care of whatever challenges lie in the way.

Each of us here this morning has had some challenge in life to overcome. For some it was or maybe still is a serious illness. For others it may be family struggles with our spouse or children. For others is may be job related. For all of us though our challenges force us to ask ourselves what we really want in life. When our answer includes God and a relationship with Him then God will help us through our challenges. And when we have enough faith that God can do what He promises, “nothing will be impossible for us.” (Matthew 17.20)

The key for us is seeking out Christ first in our lives. It was only two weeks ago when we gathered in the darkness and proclaimed the victory of Christ over death. For a few days maybe we were still on a spiritual high. But it’s been two weeks of work and school and driving the kids around town for their activities and paying bills and more bills and for some of us looking for work just so we can have money to pay those bills. It is no wonder that we grow weak and forget to spend time with God. But the Devil doesn’t forget to tempt us and never stops trying to stop us from seeking God in our lives. The more we worry about our lives the easier it becomes for the Devil to fool us.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ don’t be fooled! The Devil never stops trying to convince us that God isn’t going to take care of us when we are down and out… but God will take care of us. The Devil cheers every time we lose hope in Christ. We must never lose hope that God will do exactly as He promises. He took care of the rock for the myrrh bearing women and He will take care of our challenges. He took care of the immigrant and He will take care of us.

He will bless us and honor us when we place our hope in Him and seek Him like the myrrh bearing women in this morning’s Gospel. They went on a journey headed for Christ and God removed the obstacles in their way. He will do the same thing for us if we keep our journey called life headed for Christ. The myrrh bearing women didn’t travel alone and neither should we. God has given us the Church to help us in our journey just like He sends a new friend to the lone immigrant.

We are not alone! Christ is with us and present in His Church. In the Church we have all the tools we need for our journey to Christ. Are we struggling with our passions? Then the Church has tools to help us overcome that challenge. When we fast we learn how to conquer our passions. Does our mind wander away from God on to other things? Then the Church has tools to help us overcome that challenge. When we pray the Jesus Prayer we learn to keep our focus upon God. Are we struggling with selfishness? Do we care more about ourselves and our own struggles than the needs of our brothers and sisters around us? Then the Church has tools to help us overcome that challenge. When we do charitable works for others and donate money to charities then we learn that life is not just about us. We are all on this journey called life together.

Together we are struggling to know Christ and become transfigured and as Orthodox Christians we have the most blessed help of all in our lives…Holy Communion. God came and “dwelt among us” (John 1.14) and said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” (John 6.54) We can only live if we commune with God. Christ said, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15.6) Death comes if we remain alone and without God in our life.

The immigrant had many struggles when he arrived in this country but he soon found the Church and as a community in Christ, this group of immigrants overcame their challenges and lived fruitful lives in a new land. We can also live fruitful lives in our new land – The Kingdom of God – when we keep our hope in Christ and seek a relationship with Him.

Christ is Risen!

Repent and Be First! Demand and Be Last!

I heard a story once about a man who owned a pizza parlor in New York City. When he was looking for a location the only vacancy he could find already had three pizza parlors. One sign said, “Best pizza in New York!” Another said, “Best pizza in America!” And another said, “Best pizza in the world!” He thought about his future competition and wondered how he would publicize his pizza, so he put up his brand new sign… “Best pizza on THIS street!”

We all want to be the best at what we do to honor God and our family but when we get carried away with being better and more important than anyone else, our ego gets in the way. I doubt this story is true, but it does show how competitive we can be when it comes to business. Many of us are just not satisfied being #2. We will only settle for being #1.

The desire to be #1 is exactly what this morning’s Gospel can help us with. God has given us the perfect formula to be #1 for all eternity! "Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask. Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.’” (Mark 10.35,37) It was just last week when we heard Christ say, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9.23) which is what makes what comes next so confusing.

Christ said, “You do not know what you ask. To sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” (Mark 10.40) If the Apostles believed, why was it not possible for them to sit one on His right and one on His left? The answer is in the rest of Christ’s answer. He says, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life for a ransom for many.” (Mark 10.42-45) Quite simply, it is not possible to believe in God and demand to be first.

In other words, if we desire to be first in heaven we must serve each other and put each other first. When we serve others rather than our own desires, Christ will place us first in heaven. Those for whom the right and the left has been prepared are those who “have set their hopes of salvation and approval on the proof of their own good works.” (Saint John Chrysostom – Homily LXV on Matthew) Don’t you see, we cannot love God and demand our place ahead of the needs of others?

Listen to the affect of James and John demanding first place. “And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.” (Mark 10.41) Their actions put the unity of the Apostles at risk just as it places our community unity as a family at risk when members of our community demand to have their way or no way. James and John reveal for us the risk of being selfish and Christ warns us. “And whoever desires to be first shall be slave of all.” (Mark 10.44)

You could say whoever desires to be first WILL end up being the slave of all. Just look at the life of Saint Mary of Egypt. Today we celebrate the memory of a great saint of our Church – a former prostitute. As one story goes, Mary was so proud of her ability to convince men that she approached a group of men on their way to Church for the feast of the Holy Cross. When she attempted to enter the Church, something would not allow her to enter. She wept in front of the Icon of the Theotokos seeking forgiveness and was able only then to enter the Church where she entered and prayed for forgiveness. After Church she fled to live the rest of her life in the desert alone. The Church considers her to be a great example of repentance.

It is repentance that will bring us to heaven my dear brothers and sisters. James and John repented of their demands on Christ and were found worthy to become great leaders of the early Church. Listen to the words of Saint John Chrysostom about their repentance. “But let no man be troubled at the apostles being in such an imperfect state. For not yet was the cross accomplished, not yet the grace of the Spirit given. But if you learn their virtue, notice them after these things and you will see them delivered from all these passions.” (Homily LXV – On Matthew)

The Apostles had the benefit of not knowing about the Resurrection of Christ as their excuse for their behavior. We have no such excuse since we know the rest of the story. We know Christ is Risen and we have received the Holy Spirit at our Baptism. There is no excuse then that we can use for our selfishness or our demand to have our way or no way. We have no excuse when we refuse to serve others. We have only the words of Christ, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life for a ransom for many.”

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we must find a way to follow the example of Mary of Egypt and repent from our sinful ways of life. Our eternal life depends upon it. If we think we are too weak to turn away from our sins then let us cry to the Lord with tears, “I believe Lord, help me however because my belief is not strong.” (Mark 9.24)

All Things are Possible, Just Have a Little Faith

There is a story about a tight rope artist. One day he struts through some small town and invites everyone to the deadly canyon nearby to witness the most amazing tight-rope act in the world. As you can imagine the whole city gathers that afternoon at the canyon. The tight-rope artist had tied a rope between two large boulders and asked the crowd, “Who believes I can walk across this rope?” Since most people didn’t know him only a few hands went up in the air. After he walked across the rope, he turned to another rope he had hanging between both sides of the canyon and asked, “Who believes I can walk across this rope?” A few more hands went up. He went across and came back and asked, “Who believes I can walk across this rope pushing this wheelbarrow?” Now the crowd was getting into the act and even more hands went up. He went across pushing the wheelbarrow and came back and asked, “Who believes I can walk across this rope pushing this wheelbarrow full of bricks?” Even more hands went up. He did it and asked, “Now who believes I can walk across this rope pushing this wheelbarrow with a person riding inside?” Every single hand in the crowd shot up….. “Ok,” he said, “who will it be?” How many hands do you think were left in the air?

This story is normally told to help us understand faith. As long as the crowd didn’t have to risk their own lives they were willing to believe the tight-rope artist could push someone across the canyon because there was enough proof that he could do it. He had already pushed a wheelbarrow full of heavy bricks. BUT when it came time to risk their own lives, nobody had that much faith. You can almost hear the crowd, “We really want to believe you, but we just can’t. Why don’t you push someone else first, THEN we can believe.” The same holds true for this morning’s Gospel.

This morning we see a crowd gathered debating with the Disciples. “Then one of the crowd answered and said, ‘Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’” (Mark 9.17-18,22) When the father was faced with the idea of belief, much like the crowd watching our tight-rope artist, he didn’t think he had enough. “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9.24)

The father of the child wanted to believe, he really did, but just couldn’t. How many times in our own lives have we heard or said, “I want to believe you, I really do, but I just can’t?” When it comes to the teachings of the Church, we all find ourselves at some time or another looking over the edge of a deep valley at a man with a wheelbarrow and we just can’t find the courage to jump in. My brothers and sisters, when we cry out to the Lord, He will answer us just like He did in this morning’s Gospel. Jesus “rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” (Mark 9.25)

With the trials of life it can sometimes feel like we’re being thrown into a fire or knocked around by somebody much stronger than we are especially with the extra worries about the current job market and economy not to mention the complete lack of morality in today’s society. We talk about our struggles with our neighbors and we look to the government for help, but like the disciples, “they could not.” Our only alternative is to bring our struggles to the Lord and call to Him with tears for help.

When we cry out for help the only thing we need is to believe. “All things are possible to him who believes.” Do we believe or is our faith weak? Listen to how the Modern Greek translates this passage, “I believe Lord, help me however, because my belief is not strong.” (Mark 9.24 Modern Greek translation mine – Πιστεύω Κύριε, βοήθησέ με, όμως, γιατί η πίστη μου δεν είναι δυνατή) The father had enough belief to bring his son to Christ and that little belief was enough and his son was healed. The Lord says it very clearly, “All things are possible to him who believes.” Believe my dear brothers and sisters in Christ! Believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnate Word of God and became man so that we could be united with Him and all things will be possible.

It will be possible to feed our families; to cloth and educate our children; to stay warm in winter and dry when it rains. After all isn’t that what’s important? Aren’t these the things we are worried about with this current economy? I doubt we are losing sleep over whether we can afford that fourth car or that new boat, unless of course we are fishermen but I don’t think any of us in this parish make our daily living as fishermen – it may be our hobby but not our living. All these things will be possible if we believe in Christ.

Listen to the words of Saint John the Evangelist, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (see John 14.1-14) And if we believe in Christ, then we will want to be as close to Him as possible. Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15.5-8)

Trust me my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, get in the wheelbarrow, the ride is fantastic!

On Instant Gratification

We hear in this Sunday's Gospel that a crowd gathered “immediately” when it became known that Jesus was at a neighbor’s home teaching. We also hear that the paralytic “immediately” did as the Lord commanded him and picked up his bed and walked home. In a society that is so in love with instant gratification, this morning’s Gospel lesson is a gentle reminder about how we should have our priorities. When Christ calls us, we should immediately respond to Him as the paralytic did in this morning’s Gospel. It is in this immediate action to follow the Commandments of God that we realize our salvation. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14.21)During the Divine Liturgy, each Sunday, we hear the words “With the fear of God, with faith and love draw near.” The Lord is calling each of us to communion with Him. Will we delay and be like the scribes who doubted the saving power of Jesus or will we be like the paralytic and immediately respond and be saved. Let us not delay. The only true instant gratification is found in the Lord.

Christ’s Time Machine – A Glimpse at Our Future Judgment

In the famous book by HG Wells, “Time Machine” a clever inventor discovers a way to travel across time and soon finds himself over 800,000 years in the future. This book was made into a movie twice in 1960 and again in 2002. The movie was one of my favorites growing up as I often thought about what it would be like as a time traveler. I even made my own time traveler mini-movie in the 1980s. I know I’m not alone. It seems our society is obsessed with knowing the future. We even try to make investments on “futures” in the Stock Market.

It is investing in our future that this morning’s Gospel is about. God gives us a rare glimpse into the future kingdom and how the world is going to be judged. Christ says, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.” (Matthew 25.31-21) It’s almost like Matthew has given us a ride on a time machine. It isn’t every day that the Lord shows us the future. In fact Christ says, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only,” (Matthew 24.36) and yet He reveals how judgment will take place in the future.

I doubt any of us would not make a hundred investments in the future if we had a time machine. This morning’s Gospel should be just as promising for us. Last week I spoke about reading the map to eternal life. This morning God gives us the map. “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’” (Matthew 25.34-36) Do you see the joy in this Gospel reading? Every time we help others we are investing for our future in heaven.

We have been given a ride on a time machine this morning my dear brothers and sisters. We have been given the blessing to see what will get us into heaven. Christ says, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25.40) Christ shows us that when we see Him in others we are investing for our future. If we saw Jesus Christ begging on the street corner wouldn’t we help Him? If we knew Jesus was in McCleod Hospital, I bet we would wait in line to go see Him. In fact, when we are able to look at a beggar on the street and see Christ, then we can “inherit the kingdom prepared for us from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25.34)

Listen again to how simple it can be. “The the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick or in prison, and come to You?” (Matthew 25.37-38) There isn’t any long instruction manual. There isn’t a long list of step-by-step rules. There is simply to see Christ in others and help them and we will inherit eternal life. (Matthew 25.46)

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Great Lent is only one week away. In only 8 days we will begin our intense preparation for Pascha and today the Church is reminding us, by showing us the future, why we do what we do as Orthodox Christians…because we love God. When we love God it is impossible for us to ignore others. When we love God it is impossible for us to allow someone to die of hunger or thirst. What could we possibly do to help?

God doesn’t expect each of us to save the world. That is His job. He has given each one of us talents that can be used to help others. St John Chrysostom says, “He, being gracious, requires only what is within our power.” (Homily LXXIX on Matthew XXV) He doesn’t even expect us to seek out EVERY hungry person and EVERY prisoner. That would be impossible. All God asks is that whenever we encounter people, we treat them as if they were Christ.

We don’t always know who Christ will send to our door asking for help. Sometimes it can be an angel sent to test our faith. Sometimes it can be a demon to temp our pride. Just the other day a woman came to the Community Center asking for money. I don’t know if she was an angel or a demon or just a woman needing help. I didn’t give her any money but I must confess to you that I have been praying she wasn’t an angel. If she was, I sure failed that test.

We will fail at times to live up to the challenge in this morning’s Gospel my dear brothers and sisters. And when we do, God will be waiting for us to return so He can restore us to our full glory. During Great Lent this year, the Church will continue to offer many opportunities for us to focus our attention on God and we should take advantage of these tools to help us along the way.

The tools are prayer, fasting and almsgiving and during Great Lent we are encouraged to increase all three in our lives. Starting tomorrow we are encouraged by the Church to fast from all meat until Pascha – for those of us who do not have a medical condition which requires us to eat meat. During Great Lent there will be services in the Church 5 days each week for prayer and worship. We should come to as many of these services as we can. Finally, we should each take the time to consider a special charity to support this year. Saint John Chrysostom suggests that the money we save by fasting should be given to the poor. In fact, each of our children will be given a special Missions Box for collecting money during Great Lent. Just because our children have the box doesn’t mean we can’t also put in money.

If we each do these few things, then no matter who God sends to us for help, we will know how to help them. In the book “Time Machine” the inventor risks his own life to save the life of a complete stranger whom he meets in the future. Who will we save in our future? Thank God He has given us a glimpse into the future so maybe it can be us who is saved.

The Path to Life or the Path to Death, Which do you Choose?

I’ve mentioned before that I was active in Boy Scouts when I was young. One of the lessons I learned as a scout, and I learned many, happened one weekend in the mountains of Colorado. Our troop separated into two teams. Each team was dropped off at a different spot and our goal was to make our way over the mountain and meet the other team for dinner. I was put in charge of the map for our team and we began our journey. It didn’t take long before we realized that we were on a trail that wasn’t on the map, so we gathered together and attempted to relocate ourselves on the map. We argued over which way was correct and eventually found ourselves very lost in the mountains. Meanwhile the other team was already over the mountain and enjoying a relaxing dinner. While we were pitching our tents in the darkness of an unknown valley, the other team was enjoying the evening campfire. The two teams had chosen two very different paths over the mountain.

Our journey through the mountains of Colorado was much like our journey through life. We follow a certain path that we believe will get us to where we want to be. At first, the path seems like the right way until we realize that either the map is wrong or we are lost. It happens slowly at first. Our path was so close to the path on the map we didn’t realize we were headed in the wrong way. We could have turned back, but instead we kept moving until we were totally lost.

This morning’s Gospel has a similar story. The younger son took his inheritance and followed his own path. His path led to sin and death. Saint Luke writes, “The younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.” (Luke 15.13-14) The younger son could have realized his path was wrong and return to his father, but instead he continued on his way and risked death and took a job feeding a bunch of pigs. “And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.” (Luke 15.16) The younger son was totally lost and near death.

Sometimes we need to be totally lost before we can realize we are on the wrong path. The only way out when we are so totally lost is for us to admit defeat. The younger son quickly realized that he was about to die. At the same time he knew that even his father’s servants had a better life. He realized that the only way to avoid death was to return to his father and admit defeat. He said, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’” (Luke 15.18) Only in complete humility could the younger son realize he was lost. If only he knew how to read a map, maybe he wouldn’t have been lost.

His map, and our map my dear brothers and sisters, of course is the Word of God. Holy Scripture makes very clear the path we are supposed to follow in life. When we don’t understand the map, or worse, when we don’t even read the map, we get lost. In boy scouts our team was trying to get over the mountain, but in life our goal is to have eternal life, or it should be. The path to eternal life is Love.

“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?’ So he answered and said, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’ And He said to him, ‘You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.’” (Luke 10.25-28) Nowhere does the Lord say stay focused on yourself and you will be saved. Nowhere does Christ say worry about your own needs. Christ continues to reveal that loving our neighbor can only be expressed in charity to others. This is the path to eternal life. Our map is quite clear. The Word of God is quite clear.

The younger son did not show love for his brother, his father, nor anyone he encountered because he was only thinking for himself. And thinking only about himself led to death rather than life. The younger son wouldn’t even wait for his father’s death to collect his inheritance. “Father give me the portion of goods that falls to me.” (Luke 15.12) He had to have what was his due NOW! What he received was a life of struggle and poverty. Even the pigs ate better than him. We could say he wasn’t reading his map very well.

When the younger son realized he was totally lost, he “came to himself” (Luke 15.17) and decided to return to his father not as a son but as a simple servant. “I am no longer worthy to be called your son,” (Luke 15.19) he decided to say to his father. But there was a surprise waiting for him. His father never stopped waiting for him to return. As soon as the father saw the son in the distance he went running to him “and had compassion on him, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (Luke 15.20) The son was immediately restored to his original glory as the father’s son.

We have a decision my dear brothers and sisters. Which path do we as a community want to follow; the path toward eternal life or the path toward death? The choice is ours to make and nobody else’s. Our map is clear if we choose to read it and since it never goes out of date we can trust the path it reveals. The path to eternal life is “Love God with all our heart, mind and soul and our neighbor as ourselves” and charity for others. If we choose the path of the prodigal son and think only of ourselves, whether as a community or as individuals, that path leads to death.

When our team realized we were on the wrong path, we didn’t have the courage to trust the map. Instead we kept insisting the map was wrong. The map wasn’t wrong, we were.

Bring the Full Tithe and Give Thanks to God

How many of you remember this commercial, “How do you spell relief? R O L A I D S!” Since 1954 Rolaids has been promised as the savior for everyone who suffers from heartburn. The commercials for ROLAIDS always show someone suffering so much that simple tasks seem impossible, but even while they are still chewing the relief comes and life is embraced once again. American drug companies have been promising us relief from aches and pains for decades. And still our heart burns.

The hearts of ten lepers in this morning’s Gospel burned for healing from Christ. Leprosy was the most painful disease of the Old Testament because not only did the victims have physical pain, they suffered from something much greater; they were outcasts from society. They were forced to live in colonies outside the city so the rest of society could enjoy their comforts of life without being bothered by the gross lepers. They were alone and without hope.

When Christ entered the village, they came up to him without hesitation and cried out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17.13) They belied in the power of Christ to heal them from their horrible disease, but Christ did not heal them immediately. Jesus sent the ten lepers to the temple priests to be healed. Their faith in Jesus was so great that as soon as they turned around they were healed. The Gospel says, “And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.” (Luke 17.14) But that is not what I wish to talk about this morning. I want to talk about what came next…

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.” (Luke 17.15-16) One of the ten, a foreigner at that, as soon as he realized he had been healed, returned immediately to Jesus to glorify God and give Him thanks. Only one man expressed his thanks to God immediately when he was healed while the other nine were never heard from again. “So Jesus answered and said, ‘Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who turned to give glory to God except this foreigner?’” (Luke 17.17-18)

Who are we my brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we the single returning soul that gives glory to God or are we the nine who continue to go about business not even bothering to thank Jesus for our healing or other blessings? In fact, we are the nine ever time we put someone or something ahead of God rather than coming to Him and giving Him glory and thanks. The one who returned to Jesus turned from his regular path and fell at the feet of Jesus; and we should do no less if we have been blessed with good health or a job or a comfortable home. Has anyone of us not been blessed recently? Ask yourself, “How have I given thanks to God?”

When we come to Church, we are like the one single man in this morning’s Gospel who returned to Jesus. When we come to Church we are in the actual presence of God. On this Altar and in the Chalice is the actual Body and Blood of God. We should come like the man in this morning’s Gospel and throw ourselves down at the foot of the Altar and thank God. But God loves us so much, who like the father of the prodigal son, He runs and embraces us as soon as we appear in the doorway of the Narthex. God says to us, “Arise, your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17.19)

Let us arise this morning my dear brothers and sisters in Christ and give thanks to God for the blessings he has given us. Did we come last week or any time in the past and need God’s help? Let us today thank Him, like the man in this morning’s Gospel and let US give glory to God. Did any of us take God up his challenge last week? Did we “put Him to the test and give our tithe to the Church?” (see Malachi 3.10) And did we not have enough or even too much this week? Glory to God!

We need to become a community that knows how to thank God. We know how to thank our family and our friends and even the complete stranger that serves us our dinner at a restaurant. We know how to ask God to help us but that is only the first part. Like in this morning’s Gospel Christ will ask, “Where are the rest?” Who will we be…..the one who returned to give thanks to God or the nine who went about their own business?

Today is Stewardship Commitment Sunday and the Church is giving us an opportunity to thank God for the blessings He has given us. We have the opportunity to express our thanks AND our Faith that God will pour blessings upon our heads when we bring our Tithe to the Church. We thank waiters and waitresses with more than 10% but what about God? Last week I spent several minutes discussing, almost like a bible study, how God expects us to give to the Church, not because the Church needs money, but because we have a need to give money so our hearts will be with God and His Kingdom and mission on Earth.

Listen again to the words of the Prophet Malachi, “Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” (Malachi 3.10) God has a mission for us and the Church so when we bring our tithe to the Church, the Church becomes a safe place for those who need God’s help. The Church will then accept our gifts and give thanks to God by using the offerings to do the work of God, “acts of justice and mercy.” (Matthew 23.23)

Let us take a moment this morning and thank God and give Him glory my dear brothers and sisters. Life is full of aches and pains. For those we have ROLAIDS. But life’s real blessings, give thanks to God. Come to the Church, glorify God with your offerings as thanks and He will say to you, “Arise, your faith has made you well.”

How do our plans for our lives compare to God's plan?

When I first arrived here in Florence I was told the Narthex would be finished by late September or early October but as we all know that plan didn’t work. Something told me when we blessed the foundation two weeks after they were scheduled that we were in for a game of faith when it came to completing the Narthex according to the plans. Things don’t always work out as we plan for them and sometimes that is for the good especially when God is involved. I’m sure we all have stories about how our plans for something didn’t quite work but the result was much better than we had ever imagined.

The same I’m sure is true for Joseph in this morning’s Gospel. As if it wasn’t difficult enough for Joseph to believe the angel about Mary’s Son, now an angel tells him to pick up his family and move to a foreign country. We know from the Gospel that Joseph had other plans but his plans didn’t work out like he had expected.

Joseph was a widower with children so his plan was to find another wife to care for his children. When God got involved in his plans everything changed. Sure Mary was able to help with his children, but nothing in his wildest imagination could have prepared him for Mary’s Son. Once Jesus was a part of Joseph’s life he had to be willing to change his plans. Just listen again to this morning’s story: “An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’” (Matthew 2.13) And when Herod did finally die and Joseph was on his way back just as the angel had told him, “he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.” (Matthew 2.22) Does this sound like Joseph was keeping to his original plan?

Plans change; at least our plans change. There is only one plan that has never changed…God’s plan to save the human race from eternal suffering. God has never wavered from His plan to save us, whether He was speaking through Moses or whether He was telling Joseph to stay away from Judea. What changes is our reaction to His plan. In the story of Christmas Joseph allows his personal plans to change to allow for God’s plan to work.

My brothers and sisters we have plans just like Joseph. We all have personal plans and we have plans as a community. We have plans to complete the Church. We have plans to build our new Hellenic Center. Some of us have plans for an Orthodox School in Florence, or some of us may have plans for an Orthodox retirement center. I’m sure we all have plans for our community to grow in the future. But we must ask ourselves, before we are warned in a dream like Joseph, if our plans are the same as God’s plan.

God’s plan is simple….save the world. Joseph’s plan was simple…find a new wife to help with my children. As long as Joseph remained in communication with God, his plan worked. Even though Joseph had to flee to Egypt, his children were still cared for. I’m sure Joseph wondered how his plan would work. God allowed for Joseph’s plans as long as he was open to God’s desire for Mary and her Son, Jesus.

God will bless our plans too as long we remain open to His plan within our community and our lives. Just like Joseph we have witnessed and celebrated the birth of God and now we must open ourselves to whatever God has planned for us. God is now a part of our lives, and we must remain in communication with Him. We must remember that God allowed Joseph’s plans so long as they were consistent with His plan for Mary and Jesus. Sometimes God asked Joseph to change his plans. As long as our plans for our personal lives and our community remain a part of God’s plan, He will allow them to work.

This morning’s Gospel shows us that other things can also affect our plans. St. Matthew tells us, “But when he had heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.” (Matthew 2.22) When Herod was dead Joseph was supposed to return. That was the plan but there was no mention of Herod’s son. Since Herod’s son was now ruling, Joseph had to change plans even though his original plans were told to him by the angel. The question we must ask every day is, “How do our plans for our lives and this Church compare to God’s plan today not just last month or last year?”

Things are constantly changing around us and we must be in constant communication with God about our plans for the future. God’s plan has never changed, just our part in them. God may need something different from us in 2009 than He did in 2008. Just think how things have changed for our parish in the past year…different priest, different economy, different mayor, some members have died or moved away and others have moved closer. One thing remains always the same…God’s plan.

We must be ready for anything this year my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Joseph was ready to take his family and move to a foreign country even though he had other plans. With God in his life Joseph’s plans were fulfilled when he allowed God’s plan to choose the path. God will bless our plans also when we allow Him to choose our path.

So the Narthex expansion will be complete in a few weeks by the grace of God and if God wants us to have an Orthodox School in Florence, it will be built. As for our plans for a larger community…God’s plan is to save the world and that means bringing more people into this Church. All we have to do is be ready to travel to foreign lands first.

The Nicest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Us

There is a story of a young man who had fallen asleep at the wheel one night while he was driving home from work. His car crossed the median and hit a motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle was killed instantly and this young man was faced with knowing his actions resulted in the death of another human being. He was facing charges of vehicular homicide and reckless driving among other traumatic circumstances. The world seemed to be closing in around this young man at a time when he should have been focusing on graduating from high school. Rather than preparing college applications he was preparing his defense for trial. Just imagine the hopelessness he must have felt at that time!

He couldn’t speak about the accident without becoming emotional but he shared many of the details with others. During conversations he shared what he considered the “nicest thing anyone had ever done for him.” The morning after the accident he was in his hospital room when his brother came to visit. It had only been a few hours since it all happened and he was still without a shirt. His shirt had become saturated with blood at the scene of the accident. His brother removed his own shirt and placed it over his head. “He gave me the shirt off his own back,” this young man said while he was choking back tears. The sound of young people suffering is very painful.

This morning we read from the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel Luke about the birth of Christ and what happened shortly after. When King Herod heard of the birth of God he wanted so badly to capture Jesus, but was outsmarted by the wise men. “Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem from two years old and under.” (Matthew 2.16) And the entire city of Bethlehem wept with the suffering pain of dying children.

Just last week our neighbors in Horry County buried an abandoned baby who was found dead. The news of death and destruction just feels overwhelming at this time of year. Job loss, devastating fires, murders and burglary. Just when people should be preparing for Christmas, they have been preparing funerals and insurance claims. Society feels like it is crumbling around us, but just as the young man I told you about, Christ gives us the shirt off his own back.

This is what Christmas is all about. Two thousand years ago, in the midst of oppression and poverty, God became a human being. The same God who created the entire universe was born as a baby and grew up just as we did in the midst of crime, poverty and death. But He brought us life. He brought us hope for the future.

The birth of Christ my dear brothers and sisters brings us hope for a better tomorrow. What we celebrate this evening is “the nicest thing anyone has ever done for us.” God lowered himself from heaven and became a human being so that we could live forever with Him in Heaven. That is the benefit of Christmas. There is no suffering in Heaven. There is no death in Heaven. There is no pain in Heaven. There is no sighing in Heaven. There is only peace, life and love.

As we pray at every memorial service in our Church, “Give rest to the soul of the departed servant of God in a place of light, in a place of repose, in a place of refreshment, where there is no pain, sorrow or suffering.” (From the Memorial Service) With the birth of Christ, we are now able to become citizens of paradise. Just think, if Christ wasn’t born, He could never have been crucified and resurrected, and if He had never been resurrected we would not be able to get to Heaven. What a great gift He has given us today on Christmas.

Christmas is a time for gifts. We give gifts and we receive gifts from our family and friends. Some of us even receive gifts from our co-workers. Christmas is a time when we should focus our attention on the blessings that are in our life and the blessing of life, the gift we receive from God is precious.

With the birth of Christ God gives us the permission to hope for a better future rather than dwell on the pain and suffering of today. He gives permission “to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1.12) If we believe that God, the same God that created the universe – the only God – became a man and was crucified, buried and raised from the dead, then we already have received the greatest gift anyone could ever give us……forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

I would like to tell you the end of the story for the young man, but it is still being written. The family of the motorcycle driver forgave him and he was never jailed. He went to college and is now a promising bright young man with a college degree and with the hope of a great future. God has blessed him with knowing there is comfort in God when all else seems to fail, and that is a great gift.

Tonight my dear brothers and sisters, when we return home for our own family traditions of Christmas, let us remember that there is always hope for a better tomorrow when Christ is part of our lives.

Christ is Born, Glorify Him! Merry Christmas!