WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.019 Glory to Jesus Christ. There's a cave church 00:00:10.019 --> 00:00:18.059 about an hour and a half north of Jerusalem in 00:00:18.059 --> 00:00:23.480 a village called Birkin. It's still active with 00:00:23.480 --> 00:00:27.339 a small congregation. Maybe some of you saw the 00:00:27.339 --> 00:00:31.039 pictures that I sent around. This humble church 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:34.179 has been a place of pilgrimage since the fourth 00:00:34.179 --> 00:00:37.259 century, since the time of St. Constantine, and 00:00:37.259 --> 00:00:40.100 built, in fact, by St. Helen. So it's one of 00:00:40.100 --> 00:00:46.340 the oldest churches in existence. Here it is 00:00:46.340 --> 00:00:51.380 that there's a tradition in this church that 00:00:51.380 --> 00:00:56.100 the ten lepers you heard about today in the gospel 00:00:56.100 --> 00:00:59.700 today, it's where they lived well. We say lived, 00:00:59.820 --> 00:01:06.379 but it was barely survival. Dreadful disease 00:01:06.379 --> 00:01:10.480 is Hansen's disease, leprosy. They had no help. 00:01:10.599 --> 00:01:14.799 They had no hope. There was no safety net. There 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:18.319 were no visits from priests and rabbis to give 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:23.939 them consolation. Just total, absolute outcasts 00:01:23.939 --> 00:01:29.629 living in the desert, homeless. Perhaps food 00:01:29.629 --> 00:01:32.670 was left by some kind people, we can imagine, 00:01:32.829 --> 00:01:36.269 because they did manage to survive somehow. I 00:01:36.269 --> 00:01:38.689 think those people knew what St. James said about 00:01:38.689 --> 00:01:42.370 faith and about religion. The epistle in St. 00:01:42.489 --> 00:01:46.290 James, he says, pure, undefiled religion before 00:01:46.290 --> 00:01:50.989 God and the Father is this, to visit orphans 00:01:50.989 --> 00:01:53.790 and widows in their trouble, in other words, 00:01:53.790 --> 00:01:57.590 the helpless of the world, to keep oneself spotted, 00:01:58.109 --> 00:02:04.409 from the world. That's true religion. St. James, 00:02:04.530 --> 00:02:06.329 the brother of the Lord, a pretty good authority 00:02:06.329 --> 00:02:11.590 on matters of faith, I would think. Faithfulness 00:02:11.590 --> 00:02:17.830 is doing, living, not just thinking about the 00:02:17.830 --> 00:02:20.770 doctrines, the teachings, the life of the church. 00:02:20.949 --> 00:02:24.250 It's being faithful in all of that, starting 00:02:24.250 --> 00:02:27.650 with our actions towards others. And towards 00:02:27.650 --> 00:02:31.469 God, St. John, the beloved apostle, in his epistle 00:02:31.469 --> 00:02:35.909 says, we know this, we know, by this we know 00:02:35.909 --> 00:02:39.789 love because he laid down his life for us. Our 00:02:39.789 --> 00:02:43.129 example of love is Christ. That cross over there 00:02:43.129 --> 00:02:46.409 reminds us when we come in. And our heart should 00:02:46.409 --> 00:02:49.909 be softened when we see it and when we stand 00:02:49.909 --> 00:02:53.860 before it and when we pray. St. John goes on, 00:02:53.979 --> 00:02:57.219 and we also ought to lay down our lives for the 00:02:57.219 --> 00:03:01.460 brethren. But whoever has this world's goods 00:03:01.460 --> 00:03:05.000 and sees his brother in need and shuts up his 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:07.659 heart from him, how does the love of God abide 00:03:07.659 --> 00:03:12.539 in him? I'm quite aware, believe me, brothers 00:03:12.539 --> 00:03:16.060 and sisters, when I quote those words, how lacking 00:03:16.060 --> 00:03:19.719 I myself am in that love, in that faithfulness, 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:26.719 in that action. But there it is. St. Luke is 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:29.500 telling us in this epistle, in this gospel that 00:03:29.500 --> 00:03:33.340 we heard from the 17th chapter of Luke, that 00:03:33.340 --> 00:03:39.800 Jesus, by the way, he always equips us with love 00:03:39.800 --> 00:03:44.840 in every circumstance that we need. He will not 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:50.560 fail us when we step forth. St. Luke is telling 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:55.240 us that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, his 00:03:55.240 --> 00:04:00.039 final visit there, on his way to heal the blind 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:04.520 man at the gates of Jericho, to see Zacchaeus 00:04:04.520 --> 00:04:08.659 up in his tree, to go to his house, to raise 00:04:08.659 --> 00:04:12.710 Lazarus from the dead. To go to Jerusalem, the 00:04:12.710 --> 00:04:15.430 events of Palm Sunday, the institution of the 00:04:15.430 --> 00:04:18.649 mystical supper, the agony of prayer in the Garden 00:04:18.649 --> 00:04:23.529 of Gethsemane, his arrest, his crucifixion, his 00:04:23.529 --> 00:04:28.269 death, his three -day burial and rising. All 00:04:28.269 --> 00:04:31.829 that was ahead for Jesus at that moment when 00:04:31.829 --> 00:04:36.250 those ten men calling from afar, Jesus have mercy 00:04:36.250 --> 00:04:45.240 on us. All that was ahead for him. You think 00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:49.040 about the disciples for a moment. They really 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:53.839 did not understand. How could they? How could 00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:56.980 they? What was ahead for Jesus? And this is the 00:04:56.980 --> 00:05:00.759 way God works with us. Isn't this the way God 00:05:00.759 --> 00:05:04.300 guides us? We walk by faith, not by sight. By 00:05:04.300 --> 00:05:08.920 faith, not by logic. Says St. Paul. And here 00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:12.269 precisely, This is where I want to focus just 00:05:12.269 --> 00:05:16.709 for a moment. This is the lesson for me. The 00:05:16.709 --> 00:05:20.089 ten cry, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And 00:05:20.089 --> 00:05:22.209 how many times are we going to say that today, 00:05:22.350 --> 00:05:27.430 have mercy, at this liturgy? If we could say 00:05:27.430 --> 00:05:32.889 it with the presence of mind and the deep feeling 00:05:32.889 --> 00:05:38.000 of need that those men had. We'd be transformed 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:41.720 with one Lord have mercy, much less three or 00:05:41.720 --> 00:05:45.720 40. Have you seen the bumper sticker, maybe? 00:05:47.699 --> 00:05:56.959 Honk 40 times if you're Orthodox. Jesus says 00:05:56.959 --> 00:06:00.620 to them, go show yourself to the priests, which 00:06:00.620 --> 00:06:03.949 was according to the Jewish law. for many reasons, 00:06:04.009 --> 00:06:06.470 not important right now, but that would also 00:06:06.470 --> 00:06:10.170 be an affirmation to those same priests, many 00:06:10.170 --> 00:06:15.810 who opposed Jesus, of a healing the kind that 00:06:15.810 --> 00:06:21.329 Jesus did that only God could accomplish. Only 00:06:21.329 --> 00:06:26.470 God could accomplish that. This isn't just a 00:06:26.470 --> 00:06:29.990 random miracle. And then they move on to the 00:06:29.990 --> 00:06:33.720 next thing. This is the revelation of the true 00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:38.360 God and our Savior, who can do everything necessary 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:46.980 for us. As you read, to heal leprosy. As Father 00:06:46.980 --> 00:06:50.079 James preached last week, to heal our addictions, 00:06:50.180 --> 00:06:55.939 our shame, our relationships, our hurts, our 00:06:55.939 --> 00:07:02.180 ignorance, our anger. Leprosy. to even raises 00:07:02.180 --> 00:07:08.019 from the dead. And the lepers did as Jesus commanded. 00:07:09.500 --> 00:07:13.480 One turned back to the two priests, that's Christ, 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:20.660 and behold, as they went, they were healed. God, 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:24.029 who is rich in mercy. For his great love, which 00:07:24.029 --> 00:07:27.250 he loved us even when we were dead in our sins, 00:07:27.290 --> 00:07:30.209 sick with leprosy, or whatever we might be sick 00:07:30.209 --> 00:07:33.370 against, acting against his commands, made us 00:07:33.370 --> 00:07:37.649 alive together with Christ. Yes, God is able 00:07:37.649 --> 00:07:43.529 to do all things. But we shouldn't expect first. 00:07:44.620 --> 00:07:47.899 To surpass or succeed in something and only later 00:07:47.899 --> 00:07:51.180 turn to God in order to thank him. This is a 00:07:51.180 --> 00:07:54.439 mistake. The very moment, whatever is happening 00:07:54.439 --> 00:07:59.339 to you, worship, seek, love God, judge yourself 00:07:59.339 --> 00:08:01.600 even if you don't feel like you're to blame and 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:06.500 glorify God who continues to bless your life 00:08:06.500 --> 00:08:10.939 so that your soul is able to do what it could 00:08:10.939 --> 00:08:15.399 not do up to that very hour. to be humble, to 00:08:15.399 --> 00:08:21.160 be cleansed. We walk by faith, not by sight. 00:08:22.660 --> 00:08:26.740 The lepers went at Jesus' command. Our Savior 00:08:26.740 --> 00:08:29.060 can do all things. They were healed then. Of 00:08:29.060 --> 00:08:31.319 course he can do all things. But I have something 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:36.320 to say to you that may surprise you and might 00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:41.799 even offend some of you. Jesus Christ can do 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:47.389 everything. Yes. You remember Job says to the 00:08:47.389 --> 00:08:53.090 Lord, all things are possible and everything 00:08:53.090 --> 00:08:57.769 is possible to you and no thought is hidden from 00:08:57.769 --> 00:09:04.350 you. But do you know what? While Christ can do 00:09:04.350 --> 00:09:08.929 everything, he does not have everything. Do you 00:09:08.929 --> 00:09:13.000 know that? Here's what Father Michael once said 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:17.519 in a sermon. God does not have everything. How 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:22.759 can I say that? Because he gave us freedom to 00:09:22.759 --> 00:09:28.039 say no to him. Even when we repeat the words, 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:32.940 have mercy, but don't want it. We have freedom 00:09:32.940 --> 00:09:36.259 to say, yes, Lord, I trust in thee, I love thee, 00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:42.639 thou art my foundation, my deliverer. Or, no, 00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:48.259 don't bother me. You are too much trouble, Lord. 00:09:48.340 --> 00:09:53.980 You will change my life too much. You want too 00:09:53.980 --> 00:09:59.399 much. I'll go my own way. At the end of the way, 00:09:59.500 --> 00:10:02.799 brothers and sisters, whether you say yes or 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:08.019 no, you have to face the fact that you are going 00:10:08.019 --> 00:10:11.110 to die. Whose hand do you want to be holding 00:10:11.110 --> 00:10:16.370 at that moment? The Lord Jesus Christ said to 00:10:16.370 --> 00:10:18.970 the lepers, go, show yourself to the priest, 00:10:19.110 --> 00:10:24.470 and they could have said, really? What good is 00:10:24.470 --> 00:10:30.710 that going to do? We need something to eat. They're 00:10:30.710 --> 00:10:33.330 going to stone us as soon as we walk in the city 00:10:33.330 --> 00:10:37.730 anyway, and we'll be killed. That's a stupid 00:10:37.730 --> 00:10:43.789 request. But Christ does not coerce us. They 00:10:43.789 --> 00:10:49.809 went. They trusted in him. The Lord never coerces 00:10:49.809 --> 00:10:53.909 because he loves us. There's no love with coercion. 00:10:53.990 --> 00:10:57.029 And God loves us. You've heard me say it so many 00:10:57.029 --> 00:11:02.429 times. A hundred percent, all the time, no strings 00:11:02.429 --> 00:11:10.200 attached. That's God's love for us. He doesn't 00:11:10.200 --> 00:11:14.299 coerce us to come to church. He doesn't coerce 00:11:14.299 --> 00:11:20.279 us to prepare for Holy Communion. To keep these 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:23.940 commandments. No coercion. We do those things 00:11:23.940 --> 00:11:26.679 because we love the Savior, because it was he 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:31.100 who gave us a new life, the kingdom of God. As 00:11:31.100 --> 00:11:35.419 radically different for us as it was for that 00:11:35.419 --> 00:11:41.200 leper with his disease and then... healed. That's 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:43.580 a sign of our Christian life and the way we have 00:11:43.580 --> 00:11:49.279 to go. In thanksgiving and trust and worshiping 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:52.700 saying the Lord is my light and my savior of 00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:56.179 whom should I be afraid? The Lord is the defender 00:11:56.179 --> 00:11:59.759 of my life. Let's think about Christmas in these 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:03.480 days. How we can give to God the one thing he 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:09.710 doesn't have. Our freedom. and really receive 00:12:09.710 --> 00:12:13.009 freedom back from him. Freedom from death, freedom 00:12:13.009 --> 00:12:15.909 from ourself, freedom to love with the love that 00:12:15.909 --> 00:12:20.590 God has for everyone. To him who is our life, 00:12:20.590 --> 00:12:23.450 be glory and honor and worship now and ever to 00:12:23.450 --> 00:12:24.289 ages of ages.