Seventh Sunday of Pascha
Acts 20: 16-18, 28-36; John 17: 1-13.
This Sunday we enter the last period of our Pascal season for this year – although please note each Divine Liturgy is a celebration of this blessed event. This is a time in which we joyfully await the coming of the Paraclete- the All-Holy Spirit. This is a period, in which we reflect upon what are the gifts of the All-Holy Spirit which are freely given to all believers at their Chrismation.
One of the chief gifts given to all believers is that of putting on Christ, which is jointly achieved through the Holy Mysteries of Baptism, Chrismation, and receiving the Holy Eucharist. In Baptism, Chrismation, and the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist we are united and conformed to the image and likeness of Christ - in a way we become ‘icons of Christ in the world.
Saint Justin Popovich puts it nicely when he says:
“To be Orthodox means to have the God-man Christ constantly in your soul, to live in Him, think in Him, feel in Him, act in Him. In other words, to be Orthodox means to be a Christ-bearer and a Spirit-bearer.”
This is why, the Holy Mysteries of Baptism, Chrismation, and the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist belong together because they are the means through which we take off the old man and put the new man, - effectively being made an icon of Christ so that through our words, and deeds of love, we bring others to Him the source of all life and love (Ephesians 4:22-24).
This is why Christ prays in today’s Gospel, ‘that all mine are yours and yours are mine.’ For all that belongs to the Father belongs also to the Son. Thus, by virtue of the God-man being the Second Person of the All-Holy Trinity, all people who are in communion with Him are in communion with the All-Holy Trinity.
Therefore, it makes no sense liturgically and theologically to split these three great Holy Mysteries, so necessary for our unification with the All-Holy Trinity and dispense them away from the baptismal act as has happened in many western groups tracing their lineage to the Roman Catholics.
The point here is that, even if a child has not reached the age of reason, their Soul will instinctively know what great Mysteries they have received and Who they have received them from; just as a baby longs for its parents, and knows who they are instinctively, so too does the human soul know its Creator – even before the full development of the intellect.
This universal truth is so eloquently expressed in the first verse of Saint David’s Psalm 42 for it says:
“Like a deer which longs for running water so too my heart longs for you (God).”
No matter how hard the evil atheistic Communist regimes of the Twentieth Century tried to extinguish this longing for God, they just could not do it. Man is built with a longing for God - God made us and we are not complete without Him in our lives.
Granted, we have been given the gift of free will to either accept or reject God and we will ultimately end up in Heaven or Hell based on whether we accept the gifts of God and live a good life or reject them loving self above all things.
Why does Christ go to great length to point out that we are not to be of this world? This is to say, we must exist in this world, but we must not get lost in the many fads and corruptions which are present in its ways. Saint Nektarios of Aegina makes this point in relation to showing how the things of the world cannot bring true peace or even happiness – only God can:
“How mistaken are those people who seek happiness outside of themselves, in foreign lands and journeys, in riches and glory, in great possessions and pleasures, in diversions and vain things, which have a bitter end! In the same thing to construct the tower of happiness outside of ourselves as it is to build a house in a place that is consistently shaken by earthquakes. Happiness is found within ourselves, and blessed is the man who has understood this. Happiness is a pure heart, for such a heart becomes the throne of God. Thus says Christ of those who have pure hearts: "I will visit them, and will walk in them, and I will be a God to them, and they will be my people." (II Cor. 6:16) What can be lacking to them? Nothing, nothing at all! For they have the greatest good in their hearts: God Himself!” - St. Nektarios of Aegina, Path to Happiness, 1
This is why Christ said to his disciples bring the little children to me for man in his natural unbaptised state is still living under the effects of the Ancestral Sin – the sin of Adam and Eve (Matthew 19:14).
We are then called, just as the Holy Disciples were to the realisation that Christ came as the great healer who wills that all His children have the opportunity to have the salvation which He offers.
Christ is the great physician and through his death and, resurrection we are given the possibility of being healed of whatever spiritual and physical sicknesses afflict us. As any great doctor who has rightly earned the respect of his patients, Christ holds the key to our spiritual wellbeing for He gives us the Divine medicine which can bring about such wonderful healings – the Holy Mysteries of His Church.
Moreover, it is by being connected to His Body the Church and living the true faith we are given the opportunity to work on our Salvation for the sure path of Salvation is through His Church.
Saint Theophan the Recluse says it this way:
“If you want to attain salvation, learn and keep in your heart all that the holy Church teaches and, receiving heavenly power from the mysteries of the Church, walk the path of Christ's commandments, under the direction of lawful pastors, and you will undoubtedly attain the Heavenly Kingdom and be saved. All of this is naturally necessary in the matter of salvation, necessary in it entirety and for all. Whoever rejects or neglects any part of it has no salvation.” - St. Theophan the Recluse, Five Teachings on the Path to Salvation, 3
Therefore, it is vital that each of you regularity receives the Holy mysteries of Christ’s Church such as that of Reconciliation, and the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist, these not only loosen from you any of the things which hold you back spiritually, but in the Holy Eucharist you have the Heavenly food which will not only connect your to Christ the Physician but also make you spiritually healthy.
These great Mysteries of the Church are a sign of our Lord and Saviours great mission to bring all to Him and through these Mysteries heal that which is infirm. Saint Athanasius the great puts it in this way:
“The Lord did not come to make a display. He came to heal and to teach suffering men. For one who wanted to make a display the thing would have been just to appear and dazzle the beholders. But for Him Who came to heal and to teach the way was not merely to dwell here, but to put Himself at the disposal of those who needed Him, and to be manifested according as they could bear it, not vitiating the value of the Divine appearing by exceeding their capacity to receive it.”
— St. Athanasius the Great, On the Incarnation.
Thus, the Church is a hospital where people come to be made spiritually well so that they can grow in their relationship with the All-Holy Trinity and each other. Also, it is the place where we can rest in the Lord and be conformed to His ways as we are taught by the scriptures read and the truths contained therein and taught through the texts of the many services of the Holy Church.
Moreover, it is at the pinnacle of our Church life - the Divine Liturgy - where we are united to the All-Holy Trinity through the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist.
It is extremely sad that many today have lost sight of Christs true Church and seek comfort in new age practices such as smudging and psychics which cannot save. Many times, people who seek the services of such people to get rid of demonic attachments, do not realise that these attachments were brought on by engaging in these very practices in the first place.
The other, day whilst on the commute to work, I listened to the story of a woman who had called in to a radio station to say she had engaged the services of a psychic to rid her daughter of a demonic spiritual attachment as smudging with sage had not worked. My heart went out to that poor woman as I prayed for her for, I knew that the psychic would just make the problem worse.
Therefore, if one lives a good life communed in Christ’s Church these things, as much as they would like to attack you, cannot do much. If ever you come to know of someone engaging in harmful New Age practices, please pray that their eyes are opened to the dangers of demonic attacks, before it is too late failing that, contact a priest so that they can help them.
Another important part of our faith is prayer- prayer is a way through which we can express our love and gratitude to the All-Holy Trinity for all He has done for us. Also, Christ shows us through the prayer He taught us- the Our Father - that prayer is also an appropriate vehicle to intercede to God for that which we need.
Do not worry, even if you forget to ask God for something you need, He already knows what you need - unlike the father who gave his son a stone instead of a fish God will give us that which will sustain us (Luke 11:11; Matthew 6:32).
Also, as Fr. Bishop says time and time again - do not demand things from the All-Holy Trinity like a spoilt child for like any sane parent He will not give that which is desired. What parent will give a two-year-old ice-cream every time they ask for it? What sane parent would let their child tell them what to do?
Sometimes, things can seem hopeless and that your prayers are not being answered because perhaps the All-Holy trinity desires you to learn an important spiritual lesson.
St Leonid of Optina puts it this way:
“A disciple once asked St. Leonid of Optina why after years of struggle he found himself worse instead of better, ie., more inconsiderate, colder of heart, etc. St. Leonid's response is very enlightening:
\Very few have flown up in a short time on the wings of faith and virtue into the spiritual heaven or have sensed in themselves the undying pledge of hope and the betrothal of future glory.... There are others who will never sense this during their whole life on earth; they will not sense it according to the dispensation of our heavenly Protector, God, who always provides what is best for us. For we, infants in our understanding of the judgments of Him that directs the world, often ask of Him such tools which in their own right and power are for our salvation, but we would put them to entirely detrimental use because of our inexperience. Therefore, the loving Father of lights hides from certain pious people the gifts which are for the salvation of some, but to others bring perdition. What would happen in God, Who knows all things, completely fulfilled our every wish? I think, but I'm not saying for certain, that everyone in the world would perish. Even though He does not reject the prayers of His chosen ones, God still does not at all times fulfill their desires. And this only in order to arrange everything in a better way, in keeping with His divine intent.... Just because you see yourself making no progress does not mean that you are not making any progress at all. Such feelings can plant sincere humility in your heart. And when you have the genuine awareness that you are deprived of spiritual fruit, then make an unfailing effort to force your striving for God.... When we have had no success in the virtues, there is no closer means for salvation than humbleness of mind. Haughtiness even when joined to the virtues is offensive to God; but a meek thought will not be forgotten before God."
- St. Counsels of St. Leonid of Optina
Moreover, we must pray for each other every day for prayer is a great act of love and as Christians we are called to show that love to the word! If one is one is full of love, then how can one not want the best for those around us – even if they are difficult to deal with at times?
Never forget to pray for those around you – even those who hate you for doing so combined with deeds of love - will truly mean that you will engage in acts that will feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort those in despair fulfilling Christ’s commands (Matthew 25:35-40).
For lovingly praying for those around you will always lead to good deeds done to those around you. How can someone who prays every day for their neighbour not help them when they are in need?
Saint Justin Popovich puts it in this way:
“Love for Christ overflows into love for one's neighbor, love for truth, love for holiness, for the world, for purity, for everything divine, for everything deathless and eternal ... All these forms of love are natural manifestations of love for Christ. Christ is the God-man, and love for Him always means love for God and for man. When we love Christ God, we also love all that is divine, immortal and Christ-like in people. We can't truly love people if we do not love them for the sake of these causes. Any other love is pseudo-love, which is easily changed into lovelessness and hatred toward people. True love for man comes from love for God, and love for God grows in accordance with the keeping of His commandments.” - St. Justin Popovich, Explanation of the I John, 4:20, 5:2
Thus, as. Christians, it is vital that we follow the two commandments given by Christ to the rich young man - these being of loving God and loving our neighbour (Matthew 22: 34-40). These two commandments are the fulfilment of the Ten Commandments - if one fulfils them, one fulfils the whole of the Ten Commandments. Therefore, let us try and find ways in which we can be icons of Christ to those around us – through faith and deeds (James 2: 14 -26)!
Finally, let us look forward with great joy to the upcoming feast of Pentecost – the feast in which the All-Holy Spirit descended upon the Holy Apostles and filled them with the wisdom of God and gave them the courage to preach openly Christ to the world (Acts 2).
One of the biggest truths the feast of Pentecost shows, through the great miracle of everyone hearing the Holy Apostles speak in their own language, is that it is vital that the Holy Gospel of Christ is preached to the ends of the Earth in all languages.
Moreover, Christ commands it; he gave this as the great mission of the Disciples for he says in Mattew 28: 19-20:
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
One of the great Saints who is an example of this was a humble Basilian brother Saint Herman of Alaska.
Saint Herman was born in the year of 1756 AD, in the town of Serpukhov in Russia, into the family of a merchant. At a young age he became a novice at the Trinity-St. St Sergius Hermitage near Saint Petersburg after which he moved to the monastery at Varlaam to finish his training and take full monastic vows.
Saint Herman was very well liked by his fellow monks but felt called to a more solitary life; this eventually led him to accepting the life of a Hermit with the blessing of Abbot Nazarius. Once he had been given permission to become a hermit, he moved two kilometres from Vaarlam Monestary to a place now named after him – St Herman’s field.
Saint Herman was offered the opportunity twice to be ordained a priest by Metropolitan Gabriel of Saint Petersburg both times Saint Herman refused as he wished to remain a simple monk.
Eventually, Saint Herman ended up in Alaska, under the orders of Metropolitan Gabriel of Saint Petersburg. The situation the ten monks found in Alaska was a terrible one where the native Aleutian people were treated as slave labour by the Russian Sheilkhov-Golikov Company and the Russians living in Alaska were living unholy lives, often buying native brides.
Nevertheless, Saint Herman and his fellow monks persevered and set up a monastery in the Kodak region. The monks found a people hungry for the truths of Christ’s Gospel of love and were subsequently able to bring 7000 Aleutian people into the truth of Orthodoxy. Indeed, to this day, the mission which these monks set up is still going strong today with many Aleutian men being priests and deacons for their local churches.
Once in the Kodiak region the monks quickly realised that they were called by the All-Holy Trinity to become the protectors of the local people from the injustices visited upon them. Saint Herman was one of the strongest defenders of the Aleut people - meaning that he was disliked by those in government and the sealing company alike.
Saint Herman was eventually to become the head of the mission being well loved by the locals as well as eventually supported by some of the Russia population. Saint Herman worked tirelessly setting up a school for the Aleut people as well as learning their language and translating the Holy Scriptures and Divine Liturgy into the local language.
Eventually, he tired and felt called again to the life of a hermit, so he relocated to Spruce Island where he set up his hermitage. He lived there from 1811-1817 AD living a life filled with much asceticism wearing simple cloths and sleeping on a bench covered in deerskin.
Still, his great love for all attracted many of the local Aleuts who regularly visited him, so following the law of hospitality, he built a guest house for them to stay. Eventually seeing the need, he also built a school for orphans as there were many broken Aleutian families at this point in time.
Saint Herman was a perfect example of being an icon of Christ to those around him – his deep love for all over followed in a way which attracted others to him. When asked to this day the Aleut people fondly remember this great Saint who lived a life of service to those around him.
Near the end of his life, the Aleutians were struck with a terrible epidemic – he was the only Russian to visit them delivering aid and helping their sick and dying – this earned him even more love form the Aleut people for he truly was an example of Christ’s love to them.
Eventually, Christ called Saint Herman home at the age of 82 leaving behind a grieving community of Aleut who had lost their spiritual father.
The story of Saint Herman should be a reminder to all of us that the Gospel is to be preached to the ends of the earth so that all have the opportunity to know the love of Christ. Christ desires that all have the opportunity to come to know Him through the work of his Body the Church.
Pray for us Saint Herman that we may be as Christ to all around us.
