Healing is for repentance

One time I attended a special roundtable discussion with several nondenominational clergy to discuss the issue of hospital ministry. We were asked, “Who wouldn’t visit a hospital and NOT pray for healing?” We do it all the time. We pray for others to be healed from sickness. Being totally honest I thought the question was sort of short-sighted, so I answered, “I don’t.”

What I meant was that we as Orthodox Christians don’t merely pray for healing, but we pray that our friends and family will be healed so they can have time for repentance. If our prayer is merely for physical healing, it will be a waste of time. In today’s Gospel, Jesus healed Saint Peter’s mother-in-law, (Luke 4.38-39) who once she was healed immediately began to serve Him. In fact, at each healing we read about in the Scriptures, it is followed the worship of God and a life of repentance. Any other healing is a waste of time.

Nothing is too hard to forgive

On this the last Sunday of the Great Fast, the Church invites us to take one final look at our sinfulness. Over the past nine weeks our eyes have been directed toward the ultimate goal of repentance and salvation. One does not take place without the other. Looking quickly at the Gospel lessons of the past nine weeks, we find those who were saved lived not for themselves but for God who were saved.

• Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee – It was the sinful tax collector…
• Sunday of the Prodigal Son – It was the sinful younger son…
• Sunday of Judgment – It was those who saw God in others…
• Sunday of Forgiveness – It was those who chose to forgive…
• Sunday of Orthodoxy – It was those who understood the Holy Scriptures…
• Sunday of Gregory Palamas – It was those who brought their friend to Christ…
• Sunday of the Holy Cross – It is those who willingly deny themselves and accept their cross…
• Sunday of St John Climicus – It was those who realized they needed God…
• Sunday of St Mary of Egypt – It was those who were willing to be last among their friends…

By now the Church expects that we have realized our sinfulness, admitted our mistakes, and chose to return to God and “take our lumps” with whatever God has planned for us. Some of us may be worried that our lives are not worthy of God’s forgiveness. Maybe some of us worry that our sins too big, or that we can’t possible change this late in life.

That is one blessing about the Great Fast. Today the Church brings our attention to one of the greatest sinners in the history of the Church. Mary of Egypt was a prostitute who was given a second chance by God. She devoted the remainder of her life to total repentance if God would allow her just a chance to enter the Church. After He allowed Mary to enter the Church, she left and spent the rest of her life in the dessert. Her repentance was so complete that even wild animals respected and reverence her body at the time of her death.

Your sins may not be as drastic as Mary of Egypt and you probably are not being called to live the rest of your life in the desert, but the fact remains. No matter how bad you think you may have sinned, it is not too late to repent and start fresh. It isn’t too late to return to God, schedule a confession and begin a new life dedicated to God and serving others. It is the whole witness of the Great Fast. We are asked to admit our sins, return to God, seek His forgiveness, and begin our new life free from the past’s sins. Nothing is too hard to forgive when it comes to God.

Here are today’s Readings:

Epistle Reading: St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 9:11-14 (RSV) - BRETHREN, when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
 Gospel Reading: Mark 10:32-45 (RSV) - At that time, Jesus taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise." And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant of James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
 

What if the Flood wasn’t punishment?

As we continue our preparations for Holy Pascha, I wanted to pose the question, “What if the flood wasn’t punishment, but salvation?” In today’s reading from Genesis we hear of the wickedness of humanity. Moses even uses the word, “And the Lord was sorry.” As I read various news reports online lately, or listen to radio talk shows, it regularly occurs to me that the wickedness we are experiencing today is nothing new. The world has always been plagued with wickedness since The Fall.

As we finish out the second week of the Great Fast, I thought we would look at the issue of punishment and salvation from the Orthodox vantage point. It should help you navigate the remaining weeks of the fast. If the world has always had evil, then how can today be different? Many Christians today are afraid of God, or at least they think they are supposed to be afraid of Him. In fact when most people refuse to be afraid of God, that often leads not to repentance but further sinful choices. If we don’t have to be afraid, we argue, then why repent? But what if we are supposed to both repent AND not be afraid?

When we look at God’s judgment expressed in the Old Testament, many see the anger and punishment of God. Just a few days ago we heard, “Lest they now eat of the Tree of Life...” and today we hear the flood is coming. The formula seems to be: God gives us a commandment, we screw it up, God gets angry and punishes us leaving in fear. We should really be looking at the cycle like this: God gives us a commandment, we screw it up, God steps in and saves us from further danger, we thank God and try better.

Based on this cycle the flood isn’t punishment but salvation. You see God knew He was going to enter into creation. Today’s reading from Isaiah reminds us of that much. God also knew that if He allowed life to continue (just like in the Garden) evil would prevail and it would be too late to save us because there would be no righteous woman (the Panagia) from which to take flesh. Before it got too late, God allowed everyone to die leaving just one righteous family to start over. This would allow Him to enter into creation as Christ later.

So as you look ahead to the remainder of your 2017 Great Lenten Journey, consider how you may have screwed up, and rather than be afraid of God, make a commitment to try better next time. That is true Orthodox repentance. If we figure that much out this year during the Great Fast, we will succeeded.

Here are today’s Old Testament Readings:

Isaiah 7:1-14 (RSV) - In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but they could not conquer it.  When the house of David was told, "Syria is in league with Ephraim," his heart and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.  And the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go forth to meet Ahaz, you and Shearjashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller's Field, and say to him, 'Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah.  Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying,  "Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it," thus says the Lord GOD: It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass.  For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. (Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken to pieces so that it will no longer be a people.)  And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.'"  Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz,  "Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven."  But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test."  And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
 Genesis 5:32-6:8 (RSV) -  After Noah was five hundred years old, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.  When men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair; and they took to wife such of them as they chose.  Then the LORD said, "My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for he is flesh, but his days shall be a hundred and twenty years."  The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.  The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.  So the LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the ground, man and beast and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
 Proverbs 6:20-7:1 (RSV) - My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching.  Bind them upon your heart always; tie them about your neck.  When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.  For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adventuress.  Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; for a harlot may be hired for a loaf of bread, but an adulteress stalks a man's very life.  Can a man carry fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?  Or can one walk upon hot coals and his feet not be scorched?  So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.  Do not men despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry?  And if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.  He who commits adultery has no sense; he who does it destroys himself.  Wounds and dishonor will he get, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.  For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.  He will accept no compensation, nor be appeased though you multiply gifts.  My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you.

You have been Warned

Since the earliest days of the Church, and during the Old Testament times, there have been issues with member of the Church living lives that are not worthy of being called Christians. Many have even over the centuries caused great scandals in the Church by their behavior. Christ often spoke of the people who were members in name only as hypocrites. Look around your parish this weekend and I’m sure you will find a few, maybe even in the mirror.

In preparation for the Great Fast, the Church makes ever effort to bring our attention to our own sinfulness and begs us to stop looking for the sin in others. But that does not mean we are not supposed to keep our eyes open to the warning signs that one of our brothers or sisters is walking a dangerous line. St Jude boldly warns those who live this ungodly life that the “gloom of darkness has been reserved for ever.” While there may always be faithless members of our Church, that in no way should offer us the excuse to not be counted among the faithless. Consider the Epistle Reading:

St. Jude's First Universal Letter 1:11-25 (RSV) - Beloved, woe to the ungodly, for they walk in the way of Cain, and abandon themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error, and perish in Korah's rebellion.  These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they boldly carouse together, looking after themselves; waterless clouds, carried along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars for whom the nether gloom of darkness has been reserved for ever. It was of these also that Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with his holy myriads, to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness which they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."  These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own passions, loud-mouthed boasters, flattering people to gain advantage. But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; they said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions."  It is these who set up divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.  But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.  And convince some, who doubt; save some, by snatching them out of the fire; on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and for ever.  Amen.

I invite you read this epistle reading as if to you and not to “the others”. Are you a grumbler, malcontent, follow your own passions, loud-mouth boaster? Do you flatter people to gain some advantage? Do you set up divisions among the members of the Church? I pray you are not, but chances are better than you struggle, even if you don’t fall, with the temptations that St Jude warns against. Lucky for you, the Church offers the Great Fast as an opportunity to reset your bearings and abandon the ungodly life.

The Great Fast is about repentance through prayer, fasting, almsgiving, Holy Confession, and the other Mysteries of the Church. It is about spending time IN CHURCH in the PHYSICAL PRESENCE of God. It is about restoring what was lost in our ancestors’ disobedience in the Garden. It is about living a new life in Christ. I pray you are willing. If not.....you’ve been warned by St Jude what awaits.

When was the last time you denied knowing Christ?

Please trust me when I tell you it is not be accident that the Church this week before the Great Fast calls our attention to the events of Holy Week. Great Lent is an ancient journey and sacred tradition for members and catechumens of the Church to focus attention on the really important things in life. These things have nothing to do with stock markets and international trade deals, but everything to do with the eternal comfort of our souls. As the Great Fast approaches, the Church invites us to take a moment and consider the question of denial. When was the last time you denied knowing Christ? Take a moment to read today’s Gospel reading for the Tuesday before the Great Fast...

Gospel Reading: Luke 22:39-42, 45-71; 23:1 (RSV) - At that time, when Jesus came out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him.  And when he came to the place he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."  And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done."  And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, "Why do you sleep?  Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation." While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them.  He drew near to Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, "Judas, would you betray the Son of man with a kiss?"  And when those who were about him saw what would follow, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"  And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.  But Jesus said, "No more of this!"  And he touched his ear and healed him.  Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?  When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me.  But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house.  Peter followed at a distance; and when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.  Then a maid, seeing him as he sat in the light and gazing at him, said, "This man also was with him."  But he denied it, saying "Woman, I do not know him."  And a little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them."  But Peter said, "Man, I am not."  And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, "Certainly this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean."  But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying."  And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed.  And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times."  And he went out and wept bitterly. Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and asked him, "Prophesy!  Who is it that struck you?"  And they spoke many other words against him, reviling him. When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to their council, and they said, "If you are the Christ, tell us."  But he said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I ask you, you will not answer.  But from now on the Son of man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God."  And they all said, "Are you the Son of God, then?"  And he said to them, "You say that I am."  And they said, "What further testimony do we need?  We have heard it ourselves from his own lips." Then the whole company of them arose, and brought him before Pilate.

Saint Peter whom we know as the leader of the Apostles fell to the temptation of self preservation and denied even knowing Christ. In Peter’s case it wasn’t just once but three times before he realized his sin. Fortunately for Saint Peter, Christ forgave him and offered Peter the chance to repent after the resurrection when He asked, “Simon Bar Jonah, do you love Me?” (John 21.15) Three times Peter denied knowing Christ, so three times he was able to confess his love for Christ.

I’m sure there have been days, weeks or month even, in your life when you have denied knowing Christ either in words or actions. We each fall to the temptation of self preservation at one time or another. That is one of the great benefits of the Great Fast. We have a chance to repent and confess, in actions and words, our love for Christ. The Sunday before the Great Fast is known as Forgiveness Sunday in the Church. Take a few minutes this week and consider how you may have denied knowing Christ in your life. Then come to Church Sunday and confess your love for Him by being with Him in Church and offer your voice in praise of His glory. Call you priest and make an appointment for Holy Confession during the Great Fast. It worked for Peter; it can work for you.

Fight Against Hypocrisy

As we approach the end of the second week of the Triodion and the Sunday of Judgment, it would be good to consider the question of hypocrisy. Looking back over the past few weeks we remember the great journey from sin to salvation of Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector, and the Prodigal Son. We can see in each of those stories also the warning against hypocrisy. The Church continues to send the message, “Don’t be like....those guys over there. BE like Christ.”  With Judgment Sunday around the corner, I invite you to read both today’ readings in the context of your tendency toward hypocrisy. We are all tempted to think of ourselves as better than the others. Of course it doesn’t help matters that so many Christians have chosen to categories sins as “not so bad” “bad” “really bad” and “OH BOY THAT’S REALLY REALLY BAD” when in truth ALL SIN IS THE SAME. Take a moment and read today’s readings:

Epistle Reading: St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 2:1-10 (RSV) - TIMOTHY, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hardworking farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel, the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with its eternal glory.

Gospel Reading: Luke 20:46-47; 21:1-4 (RSV) - The Lord said to his disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and love salutations in the market places and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers.  They will receive the greater condemnation."  He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins.  And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had."  Having said this, he proclaimed, "He who has ears let him hear."

We are encouraged to beware of scribes not because we are better than the scribes but exactly because it is so easy for us to become just like they are. We are reminded that athletes will not be crowned as victorious if they do not compete not because we have already won the race, but exactly because many of us so easily want to avoid the race all together and simply be escorted into heaven as champions.

Great Lent is about growing closer to Christ through repentance. It is about realizing that WE are sinners and hypocrites and often untrustworthy witnesses to the love of Christ. It is about following Christ into heaven. He is the example. He was lied about, spit on, arrested without (and convicted and executed) without cause. He was perfect God and all these things happened to Him. The greatest hypocrisy would be to think we are above the same challenges that He faced. 

Before it’s Too Late

As we begin our second week of the Triodion, the Church brings our mind to the coming end. Most of us live as if there will be no end, or at least that the end won’t be coming any time soon. The Church however is constantly reminding us that we must be prepared for the end which can come at any time. We will sing the hymn, “Behold the Bridegroom comes in the middle of the night, and blessed is he who He finds being vigilant.” (Holy Week Bridegroom Matins) Young people have a long history of acting indestructible by performing death-defying acts. But much worse than our physical danger is the risk we place our souls when we ignore the coming end. Consider today’s Epistle Reading:

St. John's First Universal Letter 2:18-29; 3:1-8 (RSV) - Brethren, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out, that it might be plain that they all are not of us.  But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know that I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth.  Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?  This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.  No one who denies the Son has the Father.  He who confesses the Son has the Father also.  Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you.  If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father.  And this is what he has promised us, eternal life. I write this to you about those who would deceive you; but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.  If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that every one who does right is born of him. See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.  The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.  And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Every one who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.  You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.  No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him.  Little children, let no one deceive you.  He who does right is righteous, as he is righteous.  He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning.  The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Yesterday the Church reminded us of the Parable of the Prodigal Son who had wasted everything. He finally came to his senses realizing the seriousness of his situation. He was able to return home before it was too late. Will you?

Heaven isn’t about loyalty

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son Jesus tells us a story of two sons, one loyal and the other not. The not-so-loyal son, thinking he was deserving of his inheritance early, spent everything he had on harlots and sinful living. The loyal son remained at home with their father and maintained the family business. The not-so-loyal son found himself broke and hungry with nothing to call his own. The loyal son had the family wealth at his fingertips whenever he desired. After a long separation, the three were reunited. The not-so-loyal son was comforted by the father while the loyal son found himself suffering with anger.

What was the difference? Both sons were loved by the father, but only one experienced his love as comfort. When the not-so-loyal son returned to his father to become a servant, the father was willing to forget his sins and selfishness and welcome him home again. The father never once stopped waiting for his son to return, and the son felt the father’s love deep in his heart. The loyal son, though he never left the father, refused to experience the father’s love as comfort. Instead he could only resent his brother for returning home as if nothing had happened. The father never stopped sharing everything he had with the loyal son, but the loyal son never accepted his father’s love.

The difference was love. Without love the son’s loyalty was nothing more than a job. Without love the father may have forgiven the son, but would never have welcomed him home. Without love both sons would be left out in the cold, but with love both sons had the potential of being comforted by the father. Love makes all the difference.

The Orthodox Church teaches that this parable is about our reality of being loved by God. If we experience God’s love as comfort, we will be in heaven. If we experience God’s love as a burden and unfair as the loyal so experienced, we will be in hell. Heaven and hell won’t be about whether or not we sinned. Heaven and hell will be about how we experience God’s love.

Do you want to be in heaven? Then you must learn the lesson of love. Love isn’t about loyalty and obligation. Love is about forgiveness and repentance. As we continue our preparations for Great Lent, the Church invites us to choose to experience God’s love for what He intends. God loves every one of us, loyal or not. It is our choice how we experience His love.

What will your excuse be?

One time I was sitting around a table with religious leaders from all sorts of different backgrounds. This group included Christians and non-Christians, and we were discussing the importance of hospital ministry. One Christian pastor asked, “Is there anyone who would visit a patient in the hospital and not pray for physical healing?” The question sounded obvious enough since the very reason a patient enters the hospital is to be healed by doctors who have been trained in all the newest technologies. We don’t go to the hospital to die. I was troubled by his question because as Orthodox Christians we approach life from a different vantage point, so I raised my hand. “I don’t!” I let it sit out there for a minute or two. “As an Orthodox Christian I pray they are healed so that they may live long enough to repent.”  A long discussion ensued.

I think it has become too easy to pray for healing just so that we are no longer sick. We pray that God fixes what is broken in our bodies so that we can continue to pursue our dreams of building great dynasties. We pray that God allows us to get up from our sick bed so that we can walk into work another day and close that perfect deal we were just about to wrap up. We even pray to God that we don’t die too soon so that we can enjoy time with our family. Let’s face it; we all have excuses about why we don’t want to die. But if we’re honest the excuse rarely if ever includes time for repentance and confession. We hear something similar in the Gospel.

The Lord compares heaven to a great banquet to which many had been invited. The master had sent word to those who had been invited that the banquet was ready, “But they all with one accord began to make excuses.” (Luke 14.18) The result was that others were brought into the banquet and those who had made excuses were left outside. The master said, “For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.” (Luke 14.24)

The stories in the Gospel are never just stories. They are meant for us today to hear and embrace as a witness to God’s loving promise about our future with Him. That means WE have been invited to the banquet which He calls Heaven. We have been called by His servants, the Saints of our Church, to remind us that He is waiting for us. We have been given the opportunity to accept His invitation to the banquet. It also means that we have been the chance to come up with excuses about why we aren’t ready to attend. It isn’t because we don’t want to attend; we just would rather spend more time doing what we like to do “down here” for a while longer. That’s really why we spend so much energy trying to get healed and leave the hospital. We want more time to check out the new property we just purchased, test the new equipment we just installed, or enjoy time with our family.

The truth of God’s promise is that we don’t know exactly when He will send His servants to “bring us” to the banquet, so we need to be willing to answer the call when the time comes. That can only mean that we must be ‘ready and waiting’ for His call. But when He calls and you aren’t ready, what will your excuse be? Instead of making excuses, be ready for Him. Be waiting for Him. Enter into the banquet together with Him and avoid being left outside the gates of heaven. It isn’t about property, jobs, and family. It is about entering into heaven with God.

Sin is against God

Temptation and sin are an everyday experience, but it wasn’t always meant to be that way. Originally God created humanity to live in communion with Him under His protection, but our ancestors were led astray by the devil and his cunning ways. It began with the lie, “You will not surely die.” (Genesis 3.4) With these words the devil proved that he could not be trusted. But God had a plan to save us from ourselves and death. He understands our weakness. This is why said, “Temptations and sin are sure to come.” We can one the one hand be comforted that our Lord knew in advance that we would sin.

Then He said, “But woe to him by whom they come!” These words are more serious. WOE...isn’t just an insignificant expression. It is serious business to cause someone to sin. It is something that as a priest I consider every day. Are my actions, teachings, and guidance leading others toward God or toward sin? It is often easy to excuse away our behavior by rationalizing the behavior of others. But if we are honest, every day we cause others to sin. But it isn’t all bad news. There is always hope.

Since we all sin, and we are all tempted, the hope is our opportunity for repentance and God’s willingness to hear our confession, but that’s the “easy” (or at least easier) part. In Psalm 50 we pray, “Against You, You only have I sinned and done that which is evil in your sight.” If our sin is against God, and God commands us to forgive those who sin against us, that means He will forgive us. The difficult part is to understand that while we may “feel” the sin of others, their sin is really against God and we have no reason to hold any grudge or resentment against anyone. If OUR sin is only against God, then THEIR sin is also only against God. We really have no legitimate right to refuse to forgive anyone.

Just a bit to consider with today’s Gospel Reading

Luke 16:15-18; 17:1-4 (RSV) - The Lord said to the Jews who came to him, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and every one enters it violently. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one dot of the law to become void. Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery." And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."

Grace IN ACTION

It’s one thing to preach about the grace of God; it’s another to actually witness grace in action. I’ve been blessed many times during my priesthood to witness changed lives through the services and mysteries (sacraments) of the Church. I’ve been blessed to be a part of many of those lives, even witnessing the return of the prodigal son.

If you remember the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15.11-32) as the father waited, the son “wasted his possessions with prodigal living.” The father continued to wait and wait. Finally after the son reached the lowest possible depth of personal despair that “he came to himself” and realized just how far he had fallen. Looking up from deep despair he decided to return to his father humiliated, shamed, and afraid of the possible rejection. “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him... said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.”

I have witnessed with my own eyes and through the mystery of Holy Confession, the prodigal son climb in one night from the depth of despair to stand before the Holy Icon of Christ and bear his soul in genuine repentance. I have been blessed to see shame turn to relief in the eyes of someone who once thought he could never be worthy of God’s (or the Church’s) love, and receive the news that God had forgiven EVERYTHING and restored him to his proper place. I have witnessed the grace the God in action giving the prodigal son a new beginning from which to live a new life.

I have been blessed to be a part of so many new lives as people chose to embrace the opportunities the Orthodox Christian way of life offers as a ladder to climb from the depth of despair to heaven, while God is holding their hands. None of those lives changed without hard work. None of those lives remained perfect and sinless, but none of those lives was left abandoned by God. I know, because I have witnessed grace in action.

Where’s the Repentance?

I hear and read all the time, “Jesus ate with sinners,” but I’m not convinced those who say it know what they are saying. I’m reminded of a line from a movie, “I do not think that means what you think it means.” It appears to me that when I hear or read that Jesus ate with sinners, what they actually mean appears to be, “Leave me alone. So I am a sinner. Jesus ate with sinners, so I can’t be all that bad.” Of course I might be wrong but the evidence is overwhelming since their behavior doesn’t change.

Consider today’s Gospel Reading - Gospel Reading: Luke 7:36-50 (RSV) At that time, one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house, and took his place at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "What is it, Teacher?" "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Here we see Jesus eating with supposed religious and pious Pharisees when he was approached by a sinner. We’re all sinners by the way. The woman was so grateful for the blessing of being in Christ’s presence; she experienced deep and profound repentance. Her life was changed by being in His presence. Before we proudly announce that we are sinners and therefore worthy of God eating with us, we need to remember the woman......and allow the deep repentance to fill our soul Without repentance, it will just be another dinner.

Hypocrites and Lazy Virgins

On Holy Tuesday we hear two great Gospel lessons. The first warns us against hypocrisy while the other warns us against not being prepared for Christ’s return. Both are great lessons for us to embrace during Holy Week.

Here is an excerpt from the reading for Matins (actually celebrated last night in anticipation), but you can read the entire selection at Matthew 22:15-46; 23:1-39.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity. You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like white-washed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build  the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, saying, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' Thus you witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to Gehenna? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Zacharias the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all this will come upon this generation.

When we refuse to even attempt the Christian life, we are bound to called out as hypocrites by Our Lord. The Christian life isn’t about always getting it right, but working at it. In the Gospel Christ directs our attention toward the danger of outwardly reflecting something different from what is in our hearts.

The other benefit from today’s readings is from the Vesper Liturgy (celebrated this morning in some Churches) in which we hear the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 24:36-51; 25:1-46; 26:1-2.

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise replied, 'Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man shall come.

These first days of Holy Week the Church has been preparing us to greet the Lord. Yesterday we heard Jesus wither a fruitless fig tree, and today we are warned against hypocrisy and laziness. Thankfully God has given us another chance to repent. We have another opportunity to live prepared to greet our Lord and to live an authentic Christian life, in AND out. If we just spend the next few days going about our business, we will miss the chance to be welcomed into the Kingdom by God. We are also fortunate that the Church offers us the opportunity for Holy Confession so that we can have a fresh start.

By the grace of God, through the authority He has given His Church with Holy Confession, we will have another chance. Don’t waste it with hypocrisy or laziness.

The Greater the Sin, the Greater the Repentance

On the fifth and final Sunday of Great Lent the Church commemorates Saint Mary of Egypt as a joyous example of repentance. At the threshold of our final week of Great Lent, the Church urges us to consider our need for repentance. Maybe the story of a woman stuck in her sin might be encouragement enough for us to consider our repentance. We all sin, but is the Church telling us we all need to move to the desert like Saint Mary of Egypt?

In the Orthodox Christian understanding of sin, all sin is sin, but not all sin is equally dangerous. If we consider that sin is like a wound, all wounds require healing, but not all wounds require the same level of treatment. Some wounds, like paper cuts and rug burns, while uncomfortable will heal with a bit of TLC. Other wounds, like knife cuts may require stitches. They are more painful and require a slightly more painful treatment. Still other wounds, like cancer require chemotherapy and radiation treatment. These types of wounds are so severe, if we endure no treatment we will most surely die, while the severe treatments will allow us time, even if we are not cured, to gather our life into order and prepare for our eventual death.

Sin is treated in much the same way. Certain sins require a brief confession and are conquered with maturity and proper attention. Other sins require a longer confession and a regiment of repentance with prayer and fasting. Still other sins are so dangerous that after a lengthy confession an intense detailed period of repentance with prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and maybe even a period without permission for Holy Communion leads us to purity.

What the story of Saint Mary of Egypt can offer us this final week of Great Lent is the courage to repent. We might not all be called to live in a desert for forty-seven years like Saint Mary of Egypt, but we still must repent. As we draw closer to our Holy Week Journey and the Passion of Christ and the Feast of Holy and Great Pascha, allow repentance to be a real part of your journey. Whether your sins are “paper cuts” or if you have been in a “spiritual knife fight” repentance is always part of your healing.

Make a Change

There have always been two ways, one of life and the other of death. Since the earliest days of the Church the Holy Apostles confirmed this truth in “The Teaching of the Apostles to the Nations” which was written around 70AD. This teaching of the Apostles was not created by them as we can see from today’s reading in Proverbs 15:7-19.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the minds of fools.  The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.  The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but he loves him who pursues righteousness.  There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; he who hates reproof will die.  Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, how much more the hearts of men!  A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.  A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.  The mind of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.  All the days of the afflicted are evil, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.  Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it.  Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.  A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.  The way of a sluggard is overgrown with thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.

The way of life described in Proverbs and in “The Teachings” might seem unachievable by today’s standards. It might seem like the Church is expecting an unreasonable level of dedication from members in the 21^st Century. It might seem like the Church is out of town and “old fashioned” in her teachings and laws. It might be, but it isn’t.

The Church’s way of life has been given to us by God incarnate, and guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth through the Holy Apostles. This way of life, as I have said already in our Daily Lenten Journey, can be trusted. It is the worldly life that needs to be reevaluated, not the Church. Continuing with our theme this week of renouncing the world, I invite you to consider your decisions from yesterday, and make your own judgment based upon today’s’ reading in Proverbs. I invite you to evaluate your options today and ask yourself if you could have lived a life more in line with the Church. And then.....make a change.

Let me know how it goes....Using the “Tell us what you think” link on my blog, let me know how your decisions are going. I would love to hear (and share with others) how your Daily Lenten Journey is going.

The Lord God is my Strength and my Song

You will say in that day: "I will give thanks to thee, O LORD, for though thou wast angry with me, thy anger turned away, and thou didst comfort me. "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation." Isaiah 12.1-2

Words of comfort can come from God at any moment, and in any form. Today’s words from the Prophet Isaiah finish with these words of hope and gratitude that God has not held our sins against us. As we approach the end of our third week of Great Lent, it is good to remind us that our sins have not been held against us.  God has come to save us. His Cross, which we will celebrate this coming Sunday, has brought life to the world. We can trust God and know that He will save us.

I can’t help but share my thoughts about how we share our gratitude to God for not holding our sins against us. Too many in our modern world understand God’s mercy as free license to continue a life of sin, not even attempting a life of holiness. Too many in our modern world understand God’s unfailing love as license to ignore repentance. “If God is going to love me no matter what, why should I change? God made me this way, and He loves me.”

If we were genuinely thankful for God’s mercy, then we should live a life of continual repentance. While it might be impossible for us to live without sin, that should not be considered permission to stop trying. We owe our dedication to God as thanks for His Cross. “The LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

To Be Made Well

The Church does a wonderful job teaching what we should and
should not do in our daily lives. But when we fall short of the Church’s
teachings, many of us are too ashamed or feel shunned, to even approach the
Church in repentance. What’s worse, when we finally repent, many of us continue
on our way without returning to God to thank and worship Him, and we remain
sick in our sin. Whether our own shame or the shunning of others, we must fully
repent and return to God to thank and worship Him. When we fully repent, then
we will hear the words, “Your faith has made you well.”

We Have Seen the Light

In every Divine Liturgy, following Holy Communion, we sing the hymn, “We have seen the Light, the true Light, we have received the heavenly Spirit; we now have found the true faith, by worshiping the undivided Trinity, Who has saved us.” This declaration of faith is a confirmation that Jesus Christ is the same Light that God has promised His people. We hear in the Gospel that Jesus traveled to Galilee after John the Baptist was arrested. There is a direct reference to Jesus, Who is the Light, being seen in the darkness. This was prophesied by Isaiah (see Isaiah 9.2)

We live in a world surrounded by darkness and temptation, no differently than those in Galilee at the time of Christ or Isaiah. With the celebration of the Feast of Theophany (God Revealed), the hymn from the Divine Liturgy makes more sense, but only if we allow the Light to illuminate our path. Having light shine in the darkness only has value if it leads out of the darkness. This was beautifully expressed during our candlelit celebration for Theophany last week. The Altar was filled with light while the faithful were in darkness with lit candles symbolizing the Light in the darkness. As we approached for Holy Communion, we approached the Light and left the darkness behind.

With the New Year and New Year Resolutions still lingering, we have an excellent opportunity to act upon the words of Christ. The Gospel sets a beautiful image set in Galilee, as a light in darkness. Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4.17) Now is the perfect time to follow the Light out of the darkness. Start the New Year with repentance and leave the darkness behind. 

Your Soul will Thank You

Today’s Gospel Reading: Luke 21:28-33 - The Lord said to his disciples, "Look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." And he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

When Jesus shared this parable He was speaking of His Own presence in the midst of the people. The Kingdom of God is found in Jesus Christ. His call then for people to raise up their heads and take notice of what was going on around them, is as true today as it was then. We MUST raise up our heads and take notice of the signs of our times. Christ also said,

 Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24.15-22)

Only the Lord knows if we are in the “end times” but we must nonetheless be prepared and watch for His return. The Kingdom of God is near as Saint Paul warned us,

“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.” (Romans 13.11)

Don’t let another day go by without searching your heart, calling upon the Lord and repenting to Live A New Life In Christ. Call your priest today and schedule Holy Confession for Christmas. Your soul will thank you.