WEBVTT 00:00:00.300 --> 00:00:03.160 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 00:00:03.160 --> 00:00:08.859 of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Glory to Jesus Christ. 00:00:09.300 --> 00:00:15.960 Glory to God. Let's speak today of the epistle. 00:00:19.140 --> 00:00:23.320 St. Paul wrote to the Roman Church a treatise, 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:28.899 15 some chapters, or is it 16? In the year about 00:00:28.899 --> 00:00:38.719 56 or 57, all his letters had a purpose. That 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:42.799 is to correct something that was going in the 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:47.899 wrong direction. So when we hear a reading like 00:00:47.899 --> 00:00:50.619 we heard today, and I'll review it a bit for 00:00:50.619 --> 00:00:55.200 you, we should be thinking that he's speaking 00:00:55.200 --> 00:01:00.219 to us. He's speaking to a parish. He's not writing 00:01:00.219 --> 00:01:05.000 to an individual. He's not saying, Demetrius, 00:01:05.019 --> 00:01:07.760 this is what you should do. Or John, this is 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:09.819 what you should do. He's telling the parish, 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:14.459 this is the way parish life is. And he wrote 00:01:14.459 --> 00:01:19.219 the letter in 56 or 57 because the Jewish community 00:01:19.219 --> 00:01:25.120 had earlier been expelled by Emperor Claudius. 00:01:26.890 --> 00:01:30.969 And in the meantime, Christians had begun to 00:01:30.969 --> 00:01:33.569 gather and to worship in the city of Rome. The 00:01:33.569 --> 00:01:37.530 Jewish community came back to Rome. You had Gentiles. 00:01:39.209 --> 00:01:42.810 You had Jews. It's kind of like the Russians 00:01:42.810 --> 00:01:45.109 and the Greeks trying to get together, except 00:01:45.109 --> 00:01:54.849 not as bad. St. Paul was very keen to begin his 00:01:54.849 --> 00:02:01.150 epistle. and take through 12 chapters to tell 00:02:01.150 --> 00:02:04.849 us whether you are a Jew or whether you're a 00:02:04.849 --> 00:02:10.210 Gentile, ultimately you are in the same condition 00:02:10.210 --> 00:02:16.449 without Christ. You can keep the law to the letter. 00:02:16.710 --> 00:02:22.370 You will still die, and your sins, that is, that 00:02:22.370 --> 00:02:26.229 which defiles a person. that which corrupts the 00:02:26.229 --> 00:02:30.289 heart, that which makes it impossible not just 00:02:30.289 --> 00:02:35.289 to love God, but to be like God, to be holy, 00:02:35.590 --> 00:02:41.810 to be righteous, to be the image and likeness 00:02:41.810 --> 00:02:45.689 of God. It's impossible without Christ. So he 00:02:45.689 --> 00:02:48.129 says to the Jews and the Gentiles, you're in 00:02:48.129 --> 00:02:50.229 the same position, you're in the same boat, you 00:02:50.229 --> 00:02:54.340 can't judge one another. You have to be united. 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:58.099 And he spends 12 chapters telling them about 00:02:58.099 --> 00:03:02.159 sin, about grace, about the Holy Spirit, the 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:04.939 walk in the Spirit. If you walk in your sins, 00:03:04.939 --> 00:03:07.780 you will die. If you walk in the Spirit, you 00:03:07.780 --> 00:03:13.759 will live, and you will be raised to glory. And 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:17.280 by chapter 12, he has some extremely practical 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:22.490 advice. And this is what I want to focus on just 00:03:22.490 --> 00:03:26.270 for a few moments. And you heard in the gospel 00:03:26.270 --> 00:03:31.870 today how Christ first forgave the man's sins. 00:03:32.229 --> 00:03:38.289 Son, thy sins are forgiven. The friends had taken 00:03:38.289 --> 00:03:41.469 this man to Jesus. And it says in the gospel, 00:03:41.650 --> 00:03:46.650 seeing their faith, the Pharisees were scandalized. 00:03:47.310 --> 00:03:50.069 But the fact is, what Jesus does first for us 00:03:50.069 --> 00:03:57.550 is to lift the burden of corruption, the burden 00:03:57.550 --> 00:04:03.009 of sin, the burden of alienation from us, to 00:04:03.009 --> 00:04:08.389 cleanse us, to make us shine. The healing of 00:04:08.389 --> 00:04:12.310 this man is a prophecy in action. It's what's 00:04:12.310 --> 00:04:15.129 going to happen to all of us. We will be raised 00:04:15.129 --> 00:04:20.759 from the dead. Sins forgiven. Shining like Christ 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:24.600 at the resurrection. This is what we are hoping 00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:27.740 for. This is our goal. This is what we desire. 00:04:31.139 --> 00:04:41.439 So we're free now. We're free. Redeemed. Forgiven. 00:04:42.459 --> 00:04:47.550 And now we can offer ourselves. And our freedom 00:04:47.550 --> 00:04:52.990 to Jesus. That's what St. Paul is saying. Because 00:04:52.990 --> 00:04:57.970 it's to him or it's to something else. If our 00:04:57.970 --> 00:05:01.569 freedom is offered to Christ, we become his servants. 00:05:01.769 --> 00:05:04.949 Then it's complete. If our freedom is offered 00:05:04.949 --> 00:05:06.990 to something else, well, you've got to serve 00:05:06.990 --> 00:05:11.829 someone, said Bob Dylan. And that something or 00:05:11.829 --> 00:05:16.720 someone is not God. and you will no longer be 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:22.259 free. Christ says, if anyone would come after 00:05:22.259 --> 00:05:27.439 me, he does not say, like it or not, you must 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:34.199 come or else. That's not our Savior. The devil 00:05:34.199 --> 00:05:36.959 says St. Paisios, on the other hand, is shameless. 00:05:37.139 --> 00:05:40.439 He will then try to trap us. God respects human 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:44.769 freedom. You can do what you want. You don't 00:05:44.769 --> 00:05:46.930 have to come to church. You don't have to pray. 00:05:47.050 --> 00:05:49.149 You don't have to fast. You don't have to love 00:05:49.149 --> 00:05:50.649 the brethren. You don't have to forgive. You 00:05:50.649 --> 00:05:52.930 don't have to do anything. But if you want to 00:05:52.930 --> 00:05:54.990 walk with God, of course, we do those things. 00:05:55.209 --> 00:06:00.990 But the devil, says St. Pius, because God did 00:06:00.990 --> 00:06:05.730 not create slaves but children, but the devil 00:06:05.730 --> 00:06:10.810 entraps us in our freedom, in our offering to 00:06:10.810 --> 00:06:13.949 God. Well, this is where the words of the epistle 00:06:13.949 --> 00:06:17.410 to the Romans apply. We've been reading the epistle 00:06:17.410 --> 00:06:23.110 to the Romans since we finished Acts after Pentecost 00:06:23.110 --> 00:06:25.310 and we began Romans. Now we're in chapter 12. 00:06:27.569 --> 00:06:29.790 Words that tell us what to do with the grace 00:06:29.790 --> 00:06:32.389 that we have been given. He says many things, 00:06:32.509 --> 00:06:37.209 but let me focus on five simple things. God gives 00:06:37.209 --> 00:06:41.540 gifts to each of us. I don't mean your talent 00:06:41.540 --> 00:06:44.180 when you're born that you develop. I mean the 00:06:44.180 --> 00:06:48.199 gift is given when you are baptized and charismated. 00:06:48.860 --> 00:06:55.100 God gives gifts. St. Paul says to rejoice in 00:06:55.100 --> 00:06:59.800 the hope that you have. To rejoice, not to mourn. 00:07:00.300 --> 00:07:03.519 Get out of the malaise. He says to be patient 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:08.100 in your sufferings. He says to pray, not just 00:07:08.100 --> 00:07:11.680 now and then. He says to care for the saints. 00:07:12.100 --> 00:07:15.339 He says to bless those who persecute you. So 00:07:15.339 --> 00:07:17.040 let's start with the first thing, the gifts. 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:21.220 These gifts are diverse. This is a letter to 00:07:21.220 --> 00:07:25.240 the parish. This is what he says. Having then 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:27.540 gifts according to the grace that is given to 00:07:27.540 --> 00:07:32.519 us, let us use them. The gift given in baptism 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:36.120 and in chrismation, which begins with the cleansing 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:39.800 of the soul and the heart, the mind, And the 00:07:39.800 --> 00:07:43.720 body, when we receive the seal, you've seen a 00:07:43.720 --> 00:07:46.000 seal on an old -fashioned envelope with wax, 00:07:46.259 --> 00:07:49.339 the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. The 00:07:49.339 --> 00:07:53.319 Spirit was given to you. He was sealed within 00:07:53.319 --> 00:07:59.899 us. And that gift over time, the Comforter, the 00:07:59.899 --> 00:08:03.360 Spirit of Truth, he produces with our cooperation 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:09.250 and our goodwill many fruits, many gifts. Through 00:08:09.250 --> 00:08:12.490 what we're doing today, worship, through prayer, 00:08:12.670 --> 00:08:15.209 through confession, through communion, all things 00:08:15.209 --> 00:08:19.189 we can choose to do or choose not to do. Just 00:08:19.189 --> 00:08:21.550 like a farmer can choose to take care of his 00:08:21.550 --> 00:08:26.170 field, but if he doesn't, what happens? Rodents, 00:08:26.189 --> 00:08:31.209 animals, weeds, the weather. So we struggle against 00:08:31.209 --> 00:08:34.169 sin. We struggle to acquire first, though, the 00:08:34.169 --> 00:08:38.029 godly virtues of patience, love, mercy, joy. 00:08:40.089 --> 00:08:43.990 And so we sing that the Holy Spirit is the treasury 00:08:43.990 --> 00:08:48.549 of blessings. That diverse gifts becomes a treasury 00:08:48.549 --> 00:08:52.769 within us. It's not magic. It's synergy. It's 00:08:52.769 --> 00:08:56.830 cooperation. Secondly, after the diverse gifts, 00:08:57.090 --> 00:09:00.029 St. Paul goes on. He says, rejoice in hope, for 00:09:00.029 --> 00:09:03.110 that is your salvation. Rejoice that God has 00:09:03.110 --> 00:09:05.870 saved you, that he has taken the burden of sin 00:09:05.870 --> 00:09:08.850 off of your heart. that he has cleansed your 00:09:08.850 --> 00:09:13.830 mind and your body, that you will stand in the 00:09:13.830 --> 00:09:17.590 counsel of the saints in the life of the age 00:09:17.590 --> 00:09:20.809 to come when Christ comes in his glorious appearing. 00:09:23.549 --> 00:09:27.049 He says, number three, be patient. Be patient 00:09:27.049 --> 00:09:31.929 how? Patience is not, oh God, give me strength 00:09:31.929 --> 00:09:35.529 so I can deal with this person. God, give me 00:09:35.529 --> 00:09:38.250 strength so that I can take care of this person 00:09:38.250 --> 00:09:43.149 that I'm so tired of dealing with. Patient in 00:09:43.149 --> 00:09:46.009 your sufferings, in your tribulations, in your 00:09:46.009 --> 00:09:49.350 sicknesses, and in your sorrows. Why? Do you 00:09:49.350 --> 00:09:54.049 remember what St. Paul wrote in chapter 5? Let's 00:09:54.049 --> 00:09:57.909 memorize this, brothers and sisters. Commit it 00:09:57.909 --> 00:10:00.610 to memory and recite it to yourself every day. 00:10:01.929 --> 00:10:08.590 He says this. We also glory in tribulations because 00:10:08.590 --> 00:10:12.610 they're going to happen. They will happen. No 00:10:12.610 --> 00:10:16.690 one gets to heaven in comfort. We glory in tribulations 00:10:16.690 --> 00:10:20.450 knowing that tribulation produces perseverance. 00:10:22.789 --> 00:10:27.230 Perseverance produces character, godly character, 00:10:27.610 --> 00:10:32.779 shapiness, and character produces hope. Now, 00:10:32.779 --> 00:10:35.019 hope does not disappoint because the love of 00:10:35.019 --> 00:10:37.759 God has been poured out in our hearts by the 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:41.539 Holy Spirit who was given to us, to you and me. 00:10:42.580 --> 00:10:46.899 The Lord is good. As they say in the South, and 00:10:46.899 --> 00:10:49.320 Baltimore is pretty close, someone said, God 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:51.980 is good, and I heard someone say the answer that 00:10:51.980 --> 00:10:56.519 they say down there all the time. Not just now 00:10:56.519 --> 00:11:01.159 and then. He will reward that patience with joy. 00:11:02.990 --> 00:11:07.809 He enters into your suffering. He enters into 00:11:07.809 --> 00:11:11.590 your tribulations. Every time I go to the hospital 00:11:11.590 --> 00:11:16.370 or I visit someone who is desperately ill, I 00:11:16.370 --> 00:11:21.230 see Christ with them, holding them up, giving 00:11:21.230 --> 00:11:24.929 them hope and joy. Not that tomorrow will be 00:11:24.929 --> 00:11:30.669 a better day, but that Christ will come and comfort 00:11:30.669 --> 00:11:35.830 them. The martyrs today are a perfect illustration 00:11:35.830 --> 00:11:39.730 of that. In their suffering, in their steadfastness, 00:11:39.769 --> 00:11:42.289 in their witness to the truth, and especially 00:11:42.289 --> 00:11:46.149 with Boris and Gleb, their passion bearing, that 00:11:46.149 --> 00:11:51.549 is, they made the choice not to fight, but to 00:11:51.549 --> 00:11:55.309 receive whatever God sent to them. They had joy. 00:11:56.649 --> 00:12:01.870 Number four, St. Paul says, pray steadfastly. 00:12:02.590 --> 00:12:05.590 Constantly. Not just now and then. Not when you 00:12:05.590 --> 00:12:08.330 need something. Not, oh God, I forgot to pray 00:12:08.330 --> 00:12:10.950 for so and so. Hey Bob, I'm praying for you. 00:12:11.090 --> 00:12:17.009 Not like that. But when we leave this building 00:12:17.009 --> 00:12:21.870 today, this holy place, let the prayer, the prayers 00:12:21.870 --> 00:12:24.850 that you heard and you said, remain in your lips 00:12:24.850 --> 00:12:28.809 and your heart. Carry that with you. Mother Susanna 00:12:28.809 --> 00:12:33.090 said recently to me, she said, Every single Jesus 00:12:33.090 --> 00:12:37.049 prayer, especially nowadays, is so important. 00:12:37.230 --> 00:12:41.509 Each and every one, just one, is enough sometimes. 00:12:44.870 --> 00:12:51.269 Pray every morning, thanking the Lord God for 00:12:51.269 --> 00:12:55.549 your life, thanking him for your salvation, asking 00:12:55.549 --> 00:12:59.509 him to be with those that you are concerned about. 00:13:00.880 --> 00:13:04.480 asking for forgiveness. Number two, when you 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:08.820 pray, ask the Theotokos to extend her veil over 00:13:08.820 --> 00:13:12.100 you, your family, this parish, and those who 00:13:12.100 --> 00:13:16.019 are in need. Number three, thank your guardian 00:13:16.019 --> 00:13:19.600 angel. You need that guardian angel with you. 00:13:20.379 --> 00:13:25.059 Number five, St. Paul says, care for the saints. 00:13:26.100 --> 00:13:29.799 Who are the saints? Look at the person next to 00:13:29.799 --> 00:13:34.259 you. That person has been given the full potential 00:13:34.259 --> 00:13:39.539 to be saintly, to be filled with God's love, 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:43.919 God's grace, the uncreated light. Each and every 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:48.860 person here has a destiny to be in the council 00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:53.539 of the saints, the members who are striving to 00:13:53.539 --> 00:13:56.740 be what God has created us to be, but what we 00:13:56.740 --> 00:14:02.840 are not yet. And invite others. Invite others 00:14:02.840 --> 00:14:05.500 when you care for the saints, your brothers, 00:14:05.580 --> 00:14:08.460 your sisters, here or elsewhere. Invite others 00:14:08.460 --> 00:14:11.000 to share in the great gift of the forgiveness 00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:13.500 that you heard Christ give that young man today 00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:18.980 in the gospel from Matthew. Rejoice in that and 00:14:18.980 --> 00:14:21.820 let it be known that this is something that God 00:14:21.820 --> 00:14:26.299 does for us. This is why Christ came to us. Finally, 00:14:26.299 --> 00:14:28.220 did I say there were five things? Well, let me 00:14:28.220 --> 00:14:35.600 make it six. Bless those who persecute you. Look 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:38.700 and act with love upon those who frighten you. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:43.860 How? St. Pius says, consider them your own siblings. 00:14:44.299 --> 00:14:46.980 And when we do these things, brothers and sisters, 00:14:47.259 --> 00:14:53.580 it's not to get a reward. It's because that we 00:14:53.580 --> 00:14:59.220 may with one mind as a parish, and one mouth 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:04.059 as a parish, glorify the God and Father of our 00:15:04.059 --> 00:15:07.360 Lord Jesus Christ, and to him be glory now and 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:09.899 ever, to ages of ages. Amen.