Trust Has Consequences

When Archangel Gabriel gave word to Zacharias that his wife Elizabeth who was in old age would bear a son, he stood in disbelief. He found it impossible that God would be able to reverse the sterility of her Elizabeth’s womb. As a result of his disbelief, he was made mute until the birth of his son. You can read the entire account of the conception of Saint John the Baptist below.

The point I wish to make today is that when we find it difficult to trust the promise of God, there are consequences that we may find difficult to bear. For Zacharias the consequence was not being able to speak, but in his day, this was understood as a sign from God. For most of us the consequence of not trusting God is often subtler than losing our ability to speak. More often than not our consequence is found in the way of increased struggle.

When we pursue a life that God does not desire for us, we will find increased struggle. We may find that “things just don’t work like we expect them to,” when we don’t trust God’s promise. We know from the entire story of Zacharias and Elizabeth, that he only received his voice back once he obeyed the will of God. Once Zacharias named his son, John, his voice returned and he glorified God. If you find that things just are not working as they should, maybe you are in that place of disobedience. Maybe it is time to call your spiritual father for confession, and trust in God’s promise. Once you follow God’s will, your voice will return.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. "And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. "And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. "He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. "But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. And so it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people." (Luke 1.5-25)

Some Choose to be Blind

On the Sunday of the Blind Man, the sixth Sunday of Pascha, the Church once again offers a chance for us to see and believe in the power and majesty of God. Unfortunately many of us choose to remain consumed in our own reality and blind to the truth of God. We say we believe, but we do not live as if God is real in our life. We remain blind to our own sinfulness thinking instead about our self-righteousness. We have seen the Light; now we should live by it instead of remaining blind.

The Faith Problem

When people are confronted with pain and suffering they turn to God, which is a good thing. The not-so-good thing is when someone suggests that God didn’t save someone who may have suffered some tragedy. The tragedy is often in the light of some accident or other sudden illness. Most people I have met eventually come to terms with the death of loved one who succumbed to a long term illness. The “faith problem” as I might call it, comes when we are suddenly face-to-face with death.

The reality of sudden tragedy has been a real part of human life since the very beginning as we are reminded in today’s reading from Genesis. When Cain killed his brother Abel, Adam and Eve were faced with the sudden ugliness of the fallen world. Adam and Eve, as we will read tomorrow, continued to honor their relationship with God and had additional children. They didn’t blame God. They didn’t ask why He allowed their son to die. They most likely figured that, as God had already told them, life would be a struggle from now on, and they could either accept the struggle and push forward, or they could sit pouting that God hadn’t hear their prayers.

The reality is that life is hard, and just because tragedy happens, doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love you. Just because a loved one is healed in the way we wish, doesn’t mean they haven’t been saved by God. As Orthodox Christians our salvation is not found in our earthly life, but in our eternal life in heaven with God. Take a  moment and read today’s readings and you will see that life has always been a struggle, but God has always had a plan to rescue us from the struggle. His promise isn’t to always rescue us while we are still alive, but He for sure will rescue us from eternal struggle if we learn to love Him and live in communion with Him. That much is your choice during the Great Fast. Will you spend energy wondering why God didn’t save your friend or loved one? It is the faith problem that Great Lent is meant to help you solve!

Here are today’s Old Testament Readings:

Isaiah 5:7-16 (RSV) - Thus says the Lord: For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry!  Woe to those who join house to house, who add field to field, until there is no more room, and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the land.  The LORD of hosts has sworn in my hearing: "Surely many houses shall be desolate, large and beautiful houses, without inhabitant.  For ten acres of vineyard shall yield but one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield but an ephah."  Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening till wine inflames them!  They have lyre and harp, timbrel and flute and wine at their feasts; but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.  Therefore my people go into exile for want of knowledge; their honored men are dying of hunger, and their multitude is parched with thirst.  Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude go down, her throng and he who exults in her.  Man is bowed down, and men are brought low, and the eyes of the haughty are humbled.  But the LORD of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.
 Genesis 4:8-15 (RSV) -  Cain said to Abel his brother, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.  Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"  And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.  And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.  When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth."  Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.  Behold, thou hast driven me this day away from the ground; and from thy face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will slay me."  Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! If any one slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who came upon him should kill him.
 
Proverbs 5:1-15 (RSV) - My son, be attentive to my wisdom, incline your ear to my understanding; that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.  For the lips of a loose woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.  Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; she does not take heed to the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it. And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.  Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house; lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless; lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of an alien; and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed, and you say, "How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!  I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors.  I was at the point of utter ruin in the assembled congregation."  Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.

Free to Doubt

When someone encounters the truth about God, even those who have been “born in” the faith or members for a very long time, there is never a compulsion to believe. God truly has given every human being the freedom to accept Him, the freedom to reject Him, the freedom to love Him and the freedom to hate Him. God has even given us the freedom to doubt.

Today’s Gospel Reading: Luke 11:14-23 (RSV) - At that time, Jesus was casting out a demon that was dumb; when the demon had gone out, the dumb man spoke, and the people marveled. But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons"; while others, to test him, sought from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters."

He desires our open free hearts to believe and follow Him. He has given us His Church as a witness for others to come and see for themselves so they can choose to follow rather than being forced to accept a truth they may never have heard about or seen. Invite them in, but do not force them. Welcome them, but do not obligate them. Share with them your experience of God, but allow them the freedom to doubt.

Humility Accompanies Faith

When we think of faith, many times we think of how we believe God will do special things for us. We “have faith” that God will find us a job. We “have faith” that God will help us get pregnant. We “have faith” that God will find us a new house. It seems we always “have faith” for that God will look favorably upon us, but what about others? Consider today’s Gospel Reading:

Luke 7:1-10 (RSV) - At that time, Jesus entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a slave who was dear to him, who was sick and at the point of death. When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his slave. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he built us our synagogue." And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that followed him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.

The centurion wasn’t asking for himself. He wasn’t even asking that Jesus come all the way to his house. “Say the word, and let my servant be healed.” Yes, he was showing his faith that Jesus only had to speak and his servant would be healed, but there is something more in the reading if we open our eyes. Consider the deep humility of the centurion. When was the last time you asked God for a blessing for someone else without any regard for yourself? When was the last time you said, “God, You don’t even have to come to me. Just say a word and that little boy I have never met, whose picture I saw on the internet, will be healed.” When was the last time you didn’t feel blessed because God “heard” YOUR prayers and healed someone?

I’m not suggesting we shouldn’t want God to heal our friends. I’m not even suggesting that we should only pray for complete strangers. But we should consider if our prayers lack the humility of the centurion. Just something to consider as you prepare to attend Divine Liturgy tomorrow. Don’t forget to say your prayers and prepare to receive Holy Communion. 

The Power of Faith

Every now and then there comes a time in our life when God calls us to reach out of our comfort zone and trust that He knows our abilities and has our best interest in His mind. At those moments, it doesn’t do us any benefit to look back at our failures but ahead to God’s glory and promise for a blessed future. Too often our fears and lack of confidence take control and we refuse to trust that God indeed knows what He is doing.

When Jesus commanded some fishermen to “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch,” (Luke 5.4) He knew what was about to take place. At that moment these average fishermen had a choice to make. Trust the Master or dwell on the past. One of them stood up and said, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5.5) He was willing to trust in the power of his faith in the master.

If the fishermen remained in the past they would never have been able to realize the blessings of God. If they had remained in the past they would never have witnessed the power of faith. If they had remained in the past, they would have remained mere fishermen. But thankfully they didn’t remain in the past. Thankfully they didn’t dwell on the lack of fish in their nets from the night before since it wasn’t the only time they had gone fishing. They had many successful nights in the past. Thankfully they put their trust in God’s wisdom and launched out into the deep.

The deep water of life can be a frightening experience. Without the safety of known and shallow water our comfort zone can be shattered. Without the comfort of familiar surroundings fear tends to cloud our judgment and decision-making abilities, and we rarely make sound choices based upon fear. Fear limits our talents and we remain standing still rather than moving ahead in life. But the fishermen knew their abilities to navigate the sea, and refused to allow fear to control them.

Because the fishermen were able to trust in God’s Wisdom, they caught a huge number of fish, so many their nets were about to break and their boats were about to sink under the heave weight of the catch. Then God said, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men." (Luke 5.10) and they dropped everything. From that moment they trusted in God’s Wisdom to guide them.

A Good Day to Stop Doubting

Today is the Feast of the Conception of John the Baptist. In case you don’t remember the story, Zacharias (the father of John the Baptist) was a Temple Priest. He and his wife Elizabeth were elderly and without children. In those days it was often thought that being unable to bear children might have been a result of sinful past. But this was not the case with Zacharias. Here is today’s Gospel reading...

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:5-25 (RSV) - In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth; for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared." And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time." And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they wondered at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, saying, "Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."

Despite being righteousness, Zacharias doubted God’ promise for his wife to give birth to a son. Even after being face-to-face with the Archangel Gabriel, he doubted God’s promise, so he was left unable to speak until he witnessed God’s power. Finally after John the Baptist was born, Zacharias was able to open his mouth and speak the glory of God.

Don’t wait to witness God’s miracles before you learn to trust in God’s promise. His promise for you isn’t always going to be miraculous. In fact, it will rarely be about miracles since as life experience has already shown to you, miracles are extremely rare. God’s promise for you is that you will be strong enough to endure the struggle of life so long as you live in Communion with Him. He will hold your hand. He will guide your heart. He will sometimes even perform miracles. He just asks that you trust Him. Today is a good day to learn from a righteous man. Today is a good day to learn from Zacharias. Today is a good day to learn to have faith and stop doubting God. 

Are you holding to your faith?

We live in a world surrounded by temptation, which is not news. Even the Lord was tempted, so we would do better to realize that our goal is to remain faithful in that world of temptation. Consider the words today from Saint Paul...

Epistle Reading: St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 13:3-13 (RSV) BRETHREN, since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me, he is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we are weak in him, but in dealing with you we shall live with him by the power of God. Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed. But we pray God that you may not do wrong - not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. What we pray for is your improvement. I write this while I am away from you, in order that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority which the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down. Finally, brethren, farewell. Mend your ways, heed my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

The only way to remain faithful in a world of temptation is to be constantly evaluating our life. As Orthodox Christians we do this through the Mystery of Holy Confession. By humbling ourselves in front of the Icon of Christ and our Spiritual Father, we reveal our heart in an open and often profoundly vulnerable. Everything about our life is open for God and our spiritual father to examine, and by God’s grace we are led to, as Saint Paul urges, test ourselves to determine whether we REALIZE that Christ is in us. From the moment of our Baptism, He has come to live in us for all eternity. Unfortunately we often forget that He is present.

Through the Mystery of Holy Confession, the sight of Holy Icons, the fragrance of incense, the sound of chanting, and the taste of the Precious Body and Blood of our Lord, we are continuously reminded of God’s presence. This is a great gift! Don’t let the gift go unused. Contact your spiritual father today and schedule a time for Holy Confession. “Test yourself.” If you have forgotten God’s presence, don’t panic; there is still time to start over. Today is your chance to start over and hold on to your faith.

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He never said it would be easy...just blessed

He never said it would be easy...just blessed

Today's Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:16-22 - The Lord said to his disciples, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."

It never ceases to amaze me just how many Christians think life is supposed to be easy "just because" they carry a membership card to a Church. Blessings from God bear eternal payoffs, not earthly. Something worth remembering in today's secular environment.

What are you worried about?

Let’s face it, life is difficult. “Where will my family live?” “What will my family eat?” “How will I send my children to college?” “Will I have a job next week after the merger?” Although we may not struggle about these exact questions, we all know life is a struggle, no matter who we are or where we live. And yet the Lord says, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on.” (Matthew 6.25)

This commandment by Christ creates a conflict in our hearts. We wake up every morning feeling with our own hands and seeing with our own eyes the struggle that is before us. Some are tempted to respond by “just sitting back and waiting for God to provide,” because Jesus says, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6.26) But this mentality is not where our hearts should attempt to resolve the conflict. Jesus also says, “For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well." (Matthew 6.32-33)

The birds are not anxious, nor are the birds lazy. They live every day struggling just as we do to make ends meet. They search for food and shelter just as we do. The key my brothers and sisters isn’t to avoid the struggle; the key is to avoid the anxiety. The cure to anxiety is the Kingdom of God, the only place of true peace and rest. Seek the kingdom and the peace of God will settle the anxious heart. Only then can we truly fly high above the earthly cares as the birds.

We are not without hope

With all the commotion about gun control and hate speech debates I bring you this little story to show that we are not without hope. As you know I hear stories from fans all the time from throughout the world. I received this message from someone today about an incident at work.

"Last week I took over a large portion of accounts from a coworker. Of course many of the clients were not happy with the change, and one client in particular came to me to close her account. She walked in my office and immediately saw my icon on my desk and then told me her prayers were answered. She was so moved that I displayed my faith even when some of my clients may be offended. Now I might not get that reaction from all my clients but at least I made a difference to one."

My brothers and sisters THIS is what changes hearts. It wasn't court proceedings. It wasn't congressional action plans. It wasn't a public media campaign. It wasn't a TV commercial. It wasn't some sort of street corner evangelism. It wasn't even a letter to the editor or a Presidential speech. It was a single life dedicated to living the Orthodox Christian life that moved the heart of another person. This is what it means to live a new life in Christ.

May Our Lord God bless and keep you. May He cause His face to shine upon you. May He have mercy on you.

Those who have not seen and yet believe

Eight days after Christ’s glorious resurrection from the dead, He appeared for a second time to His Disciples. This time Thomas was present unlike the first time Christ appeared to them. Just eight days earlier Jesus had appeared to His Disciples, but since Thomas wasn’t in the room to witness it for himself with his own eyes and hands, he found it impossible to believe. Now eight days later, Thomas could see and touch Jesus and he said, “’My Lord and My God’. Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20.28-29)

The truth of the resurrection is something that without God’s grace and the help of the Holy Spirit, is impossible to believe. God blessed many in the days following His glorious resurrection by appearing to many, and because of those witnesses we have received the Gospel stories of His resurrection. Since the first days, the Church has continued to message the Disciples first said to Thomas, “We have seen the Lord.” (John 20.25)

Now is our chance to respond with the words of Thomas, “My Lord and My God.” We have not seen, and yet we are asked to believe. God has promised blessings for us because of our faith. If you are finding it hard to speak the words of Thomas, consider the other voices – the myrrh bearing women, the Ever-Virgin Mary, the thousands who witnessed Jesus alive after His Crucifixion. Finally consider the Church which has stood as His witness to the world for twenty centuries. If you still struggle to call Jesus your Lord and God, ask Him for help. He will provide what you need to believe. He helped Thomas, He will help you.

How Much do you Trust God?

What if God were to call you this afternoon as tell you take your family and move to another city? He doesn’t tell you why, and He doesn’t allow you any time to debate with Him. You either accept His commandment or not. It’s  your choice, but you will ONLY receive His blessing IF you accept, without hesitation, His commandment to pick up and move. And to top it off, you are an old man, and had to take your nephew along with you and ALL your possessions. The only hint of protection is that He will curse anyone who curses you. This is exactly what happens in today’s reading from Genesis.

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.  And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves."   So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.  And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and the persons that they had gotten in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.  Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (Genesis 12:1-7)

Fortunately for us, God rarely speaks with such force nowadays. Chances are you won’t be called by God in the middle of the night to get out of town, but you will be asked to trust that He knows what is best for you and your family. And fortunately for you He has given us His Church to guide us in the way He wants us to live. When you make the most of your Great Lenten journey, and allow the Church to guide you along the road of life, sometimes it even feels like you are moving to strange land.

The world you have become so comfortable in is filled with temptations and distractions that spending Great Lent without certain foods, attending Church services rather than going out with friends, giving charity to the poor rather than building up your bank account, can all begin to feel like God actually did send you to a foreign land. That’s because you were meant to live with God in paradise, but (if you remember the first and second week of Great Lent) you now live in this world struggling until you are ultimately reunited with God.

When Abram trusted God and took his family to another country, He was blessed to become the Father of many nations. We’ll learn more about how God rewarded Abram’s faith next week. Until then, ask yourself, “How much do you trust God?” 

Be faithful in your struggle

Today’s Epistle Reading: St. James' Universal Letter 1:1-18 - JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greeting. Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord. Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like the flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Do you feel tempted by God? Then this reading is for you. God DOES NOT TEMPT. You are being tempted by the devil who desires more than anything that you give up hope on God. Don’t let the devil win. Welcome your trial knowing it will produce steadfastness in the Lord. Your steadfastness in the Lord will be blessed by God. It is those who give in to the world and pursue the world, giving up all hope of a new life in Christ, that are lost and perish. But YOU, remain faithful in your struggle and God will not abandon you. He has proven it over and over again.

Belief Takes Some Effort

Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3.14-16) When most Christians hear this promise of our Lord, we are comforted that “all we need to do is believe” and we will be saved. But what does it mean to believe?

Belief requires some sort of action if it is going to have any meaning in our life. We believe penicillin will cure certain ailments, but if we refuse the treatment, that simple belief is no good to us. If the Jews “believed” that the serpent of Moses would be strong enough for them not to die, but they did not keep their eyes on the serpent, they would have died. Mere belief is never enough. It takes effort.

What are we doing with our belief in Jesus? He said our belief would keep us from dying, but unless we put that belief into action, we will die. When the doctor gives us a prescription for penicillin, it comes with instructions, and if we want to be healed, we follow the instructions. Jesus gave us a prescription He called the Church, and it also comes with instructions. The time has come for us to follow the instructions that came with the cure, so that we can truly live in Christ, and never die. What are the instructions? The God-inspired life of the Orthodox Christian Church IS the instruction manual that comes with the cure, and IF we believe in Christ, we will follow His instructions. After all....belief takes some effort. 

Beware, Lest the Church is Taken Away

The Gospels are filled with moments when Jesus warned the Jews that if they were not willing to bear fruit for God, He would remove them from the Church, and invite others to enter the Kingdom. As Christians, we are thankful that God has invited us to enter into His Church to become the New Israel, and receive the adoption as sons and daughters of God. But we should be careful not to become too comfortable with our entrance into the Church.

In the Parable of the Vineyard (Matthew 21.33-42), after the continuous actions of greed and violence toward the King’s servants and the His Son, Jesus said, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” (Matthew 21.41) It has always been understood that Jesus was speaking about the unfaithful Jews and the invitation of the gentiles to enter the Church. But He was also speaking to the Church of today.

If God was willing to take His Church away from the Jews, His chosen people, because of their cold hearts and refusal to bear the fruits of faith, He will surely do the same for us in the Church today. As Saint Paul said, “Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.” (Romans 11.20-21)

It is never too late, to repent and begin to bear fruit of faith for the glory of God. As the Bishop’s prayer during the Divine Liturgy reminds us, “Lord, Lord, look down from heaven and behold the vineyard which Your right hand has planted.” May our hearts never grow cold, and may the fruit of our faith always glorify God.

What is Gained by Prayer and Fasting?

Shortly after He was transfigured on Mount Tabor, Jesus was met by a father who had a sick child. Nobody had been able to cure his son, not even the Disciples. The man said to Jesus, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” (Matthew 17.15-16) When Jesus challenged the man to believe, the man said, “I believe, help my unbelief.” (Mark 9.24) Neither the faith of the Disciples NOR the father was strong enough to cure the boy of his epilepsy. So what did Jesus say?

“If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move....However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17.21) Jesus knew their faith needed to become stronger, so He reminds them of the power of prayer and fasting. Their faith could not grow so long as they remained focused on the physical world.

This story isn’t about physical healing, but about faith. Jesus was not promising us that we will always be healed when we pray and fast. He was telling us that when we pray and fast, our faith grows stronger; and when our faith grows stronger, we are able to better understand the illness that affects us. Without faith, we will remain spiritually paralyzed. With faith, “nothing will be impossible.” (Matthew 17.20) What does Jesus mean when says, “nothing” will be impossible? With a stronger faith, we will realize that life isn’t about physical health and comforts, but about uniting ourselves to God through Holy Communion and His Church.

Are you praying and fasting? Your faith will grow strong when you do.

Being True to the True Faith

On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the first Sunday of Great Lent, the Church proclaims the truth of the Faith. The Church proclaims, “This is the Faith of the Orthodox! This is the Faith of the Apostles! This is the Faith which has established the universe!” What are you doing to be true to the Faith of the Church as revealed by Christ, received and protected by the Holy Apostles, and guided by the Holy Spirit? Are you living as Nathaniel and Philip who went and told their friends about Christ, or are you keeping the truth to yourself?

It isn’t about Doing More; it’s about Being More

You wake up every morning running at full speed even before getting out of bed because you already know there are more things you need to accomplish today than you have time to finish. But every day you wake up committed to working hard for your family’s needs, and you don’t stop until the moment your head hits the pillow, and the next day begins all over again before you are even finished with today. The sense of exhaustion is real. Just when we are at our most exhausted moment, the Christ calls to us, “Let’s go, there’s more to do.” Just then you beg God, “Please, don’t ask me to do more.” 

Not Every Struggle Should be Embraced

When Jesus Christ said, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow Me,” (Mark 8.34) He was comparing our Cross to our Christian struggle. But does God expect us to welcome every struggle? We all struggle, but not everyone embraces their struggles nor should they. What types of struggles are we expected to embrace if we are to follow Christ?

When we find ourselves in a struggle that is beyond our control such as poor health or natural disaster, we would do well to remind ourselves, that this sort of struggle is the result of our fallen world, and is not necessarily punishment for poor behavior or a test from God. Sometimes things just happen. These struggles should be embraced as any other part of daily life and they strengthen us for tomorrow.

When we find ourselves in a struggle that is the result of our Faith in Jesus Christ, either in the form of temptation or persecution, we would do well to remind ourselves that the world will forever fight against us to keep us from calling upon the Lord. We will never avoid temptation or persecution so long as we are following Jesus Christ. These struggles should be embraced as building spiritual muscles to fight against the devil and our passions.

And then there are the struggles that we bring on ourselves. We procrastinate. We eat poorly. We sleep when we should be working. We work when we should be praying. We make all sorts of decisions EVERY day that bring us struggle. HOWEVER these struggles should be avoided because they are the result of our poor decisions. This type of struggle is NOT your cross, but your consequence.

And THESE struggles can only be avoided when we embrace the Cross and those struggles that strengthen our faith SO THAT we can fight against temptation. Avoid the poor behavior and the struggle fades away.