Fr.Vladimir's Sermon Delivered on the 6th Sunday after Pentecost, July 27th, 2008:
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Dear brothers and sisters, last time we heard the Gospel about the Paralytic it was on the fourth Sunday after the Pentecost, where the Paralytic was described as a helpless ill man, who was lying near the pool of Bethesda, waiting for help or some kind of miracle to happen. And, seeing that Paralytic in such a state, Jesus came to him and asked him: "Do you want to be healed?" And the sick man said: "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled…" (Jn. 5:6-7). Then, I identified our parish with that Paralytic, because it was at that time that our parish was going through some very difficult time in many respects, and it seemed that there was no man who would put us into the pool, so that we may be healed.
Today, however, we hear another story of the Paralytic. Instead of hearing: do you want to be healed?, and us replying: there is no man, we hear the following: "And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith He said to the Paralytic: "take heart my son: your sins are forgiven" (Mt. 9:2). It is again, very appropriate reading for the time being, because indeed, when I see people joyfully singing praises to God in our church, when I see them coming in a great number with great interest and dedication to their community, not sparing their own time with their families in order to keep our community alive, when I see the blue color on the stewardship charter in the vestibule rising towards the goal that is set, which, once we rich our goal, will secure the future of our community, when I see great number of visitors coming to see our small but very vibrant community, than what else can I say but: indeed, the words of today's Gospel reading are very appropriate for our community, which is as vibrant through your faith, my beloved brothers and sisters. Just like the Paralytic from today's Gospel story was healed through the faith of his friends, so also our parish goes forward and is blessed through your faith, your prayers, your love and your generosity.
Now, our sacred task is to maintain this wonderful attitude of going forward as a family and growing and maturing as a community (parish). In order to make sure that indeed we do that, today I would also like to share with you, not my own words or thoughts, but rather the words of the incomparably larger authority than myself, that is, the words of St. Apostle Paul from today's epistle reading (Rom. 12:6-14), which I would like to put into the context by including the rest of chapter 12, and one part of chapter 13. You see, the Church gives us small readings in order to get us hooked, and by doing so it forces us to go back and read more in order to find the full context of the particular daily reading. Also, when speaking about the Church, about mystery of life and death, resurrection and life eternal, we should always go back to see how the highest Church authorities speak about them; thus today, I will reread to you the words of the great Apostle Paul from his letter to the Romans:
12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 12:2 Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. 12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. 12:4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don't have the same function, 12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 12:6 Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; 12:7 or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; 12:8 or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. 12:10 In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another; 12:11 not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12:12 rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer; 12:13 contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality. 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don't curse. 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Don't set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don't be wise in your own conceits. 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. 12:18 If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. 12:19 Don't seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord."* 12:20 Therefore
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head."*
12:21 Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Or, elsewhere Paul continues:
"Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
13:9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not give false testimony," "You shall not covet,"** and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."* 13:10 Love doesn't harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. 13:11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. 13:12 The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let's therefore throw off the works of darkness, and let's put on the armor of light. 13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy. 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts."
Two things I would like to add:
1) Although this is implied in the above text, still I must point out that we should shun and abhor talking behind somebody's back, let alone slander anyone.
2) Please, and I cannot stress enough the importance of what I am about to say, approach the Chalice as many times as possible. Receive Communion every time you are at the Liturgy. Do not be scandalized by what I am saying. If our Lord is the Coming One and we do not know when He will come indeed, then we better be ready for Him. You may wonder how can we be ready for Him? Aren't we too sinful to be ready for our Lord?
My beloved brothers and sisters, I am not saying that we are worthy of our Lord; I am simply saying that, although we are unworthy, still He gives us His body and His Blood so that we may be prepared for Him at all times. This means that, although we are unworthy-and we will never be worthy no matter what we do in our lives-still we can be ready. And not only that we can be ready, but we better be ready for Him, for when He comes, He will come in all His glory to judge the living and the dead (Mt 25: 31-46; Mt 16:27; Jn 5:22-29; Acts 10:42; Rom 2:15-16).
Yes, some still may insist, but why am I only one of the few who receives the Communion?
My beloved, do not look around what others do. Make sure that you do what is correct, and what others will do, do not worry. You have enough of your own to bear and worry about. Furthermore, it is not true that fewer people receive Communion. And those who do not receive, how do you know that their spiritual father (father confessor) did not forbid them to approach the Chalice? What if they were told at the confession not to receive Communion? Whose sin is it then, theirs for being obedient to the word of a priest, or yours for judging them for doing so?
"Yes, father," you will say, "but what if Jesus comes during the time when they are forbidden to receive Communion? How can they be ready for Christ's coming if they are not ready to receive Communion, in fact, they are forbidden to even approach the Chalice?"
Again, my beloved, why do you mind somebody else's business? Instead, think about this: if you are not told not to approach the Chalice, then why don't you approach it, but instead you are keeping yourself busy analyzing who does not receive Communion, and you bring yourself into position when you judge you brother or sister. Don't you know that the holy fathers teach that the obedience is far greater than fasting and prayer together? It is the obedience to the father confessor that makes you ready for Christ, even if you are told not to receive the Communion. But if you disobey priest's word, you are bringing great calamity upon yourself; not only that you are not ready to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, but God's wreath will come upon you as well. Do not tempt the Lord your God!
Always keeping in mind these things, dear brothers and sisters, let us all hurry to God's house, that is, His Church; let us always approach the Chalice and enjoy the great feast of the mystery of Christ, eating His Body and drinking His Blood through which we are being saved (Jn 6:47-58); let us live according to His will, that is, as a family, where the family members help each other on our way to the Kingdom of God, and by doing so, may we all acquire that Kingdom and the life that is without ending through our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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