Today we're here to celebrate the great and beloved
St. Seraphim, my patron saint. And if you'll
permit me, just indulge me a moment to reflect
on this. celebration this particular year is
30 years ago I was being brought into the Orthodox
Church at St. Athanasius in Santa Barbara and
Father Nicholas Spire said, well, you need to
pick a patron saint before you're baptized. And
I said, well, I don't know how to pick a patron
saint, Father. And he said, well, read this book.
And he gave me the book of the life of St. Seraphim
of Sarov by Valentin Zander. Remember the red
cover? And I was studying to become a teacher,
which I eventually became an elementary school
teacher. And the part in the life of St. Seraphim
in that book describes, it's a recollection by
by a man who recalls the time that as a group
of children, they were off in the forest sent
by their parents to go find the hermit Seraphim
off near his Cali. And St. Seraphim had been
troubled by so many hundreds and hundreds of
people all the time coming to see him. that if
he heard people coming, he took to hiding. And
so people figured that out. And then they figured
out he couldn't resist children. He loved children
so much that the adults figured out a way to
get a hold of St. Seraphim. And by using bait
for the hook, they sent their children on ahead.
So this man tells the story of going deep into
the forest with a group of children. And they
were getting scared because the adults were way
back. And they were getting closer to his caliva.
They didn't know where he was. And then this
man tells about the moment when he hears something
rustling in the bushes. And then he said, what
is that? And then he looks inside and he sees
this beautiful, as your blue set of eyes looking
at him. And he goes, and he hears this, shh,
shh, come over here, like this. And then the
kids realize it's St. Seraphim in the bushes,
not wanting the adults to see him. And then he
said, my fear melted away. And I had, my heart
was electrified with joy, this man said. And
we went over to the bushes and he quietly, God
bless you, my joy. Christ has risen, my joy.
God bless you, my joy. And he kisses and hugs
them and says, now remember, don't tell your
parents where I am. And then he sent them back.
And it was that moment that I realized that this
is going to be my patron saint. Because reflecting
now for 30 years on his life and this beautiful
parish dedicated to him, that moment encapsulates,
for me, and perhaps maybe for you too, so much
about innocence in this world. Because it was
a group of innocent children that were off in
the dark woods, scared, and it was the innocence
of St. Seraphim that drew people deep into the
woods where they were afraid. And it was in the
depths of that fearful place, a scary place,
a lonely place, that they discovered the triumph
over fear. And that triumph over fear was overcome
through innocence. And I think in a time when
there's so much anxiety, so much fear, People
can't stand other people because who they vote
for or all these things and the sense of a war
happening. We crumple with fear and we crumple
with anxiety like that young boy off in the woods
of Saurav. And it presents, I think, the question
of what's going to win? Like, can innocence actually
prevail? Because it's a risk to be innocent.
Because in a world that's mad and angry and fearful
and anxious, I mean, you almost feel like you
have to put up your defenses and draw your sword
and enter the fray. Because if you don't, there's
a lot of pointy blades everywhere. And if you
are vulnerable, if you're innocent like a child,
then you're going to get stabbed. So the great
risk of innocence in a mad and angry and ferocious
world, I think is answered by our saint today.
we can follow Jesus Christ and have our heart
be soft and supple and kind and innocent in a
world that's just not innocent. Everywhere around
us there's so much sin and so much decrepit lives
that are riddled with sin and anger and anxiety.
So are we going to Take the risk and acquire
that spirit of innocence and peace that St. Seraphim
always used to speak about. Because it's rolling
the dice. I mean, I think it's rolling the dice.
Because there's a lot of beasts in the forest.
There's darkness. And like, shouldn't I try and
be a good person but also protect myself or stand
up for what's right or whatever? If I'm innocent,
I'm too vulnerable, and then I'll get steamrolled.
The beast will come out. So I want to read a
couple of paragraphs about that same forest.
And this is a recollection of Sister Matrona.
She was in great pain and perplexity and anxiety.
And she goes out there into the forest, just
like those kids did, to go see Elder Seraphim.
And she writes this, just a few paragraphs here.
I went to him after lunch and wept all the way.
It was on the third day after St. Peter's feast.
Father Seraphim took me by the hand and led me
into his cell saying, there my joy, I've been
waiting for you all day. Then he wiped my tears
with his handkerchief saying, mother, your tears
do not fall on the ground in vain. And then he
led me to the image of the heavenly queen of
tenderness and said, kiss her mother, the heavenly
queen will comfort you. I kissed the icon, and
my soul was filled with such joy that I felt
quite revived. Father Seraphim said, Well, Mother,
now go to the hostel, and tomorrow come to the
distant hermitage. And I did so. And as I approached
the hermitage, I suddenly saw that Father Seraphim
was sitting on a tree trunk near his cell, and
beside him stood, you know who's with him, right?
Misha the bear, right? And beside him stood a
huge bear. I was paralyzed with fear and shouting
with all my might, Father, this is my death!
Father, this is my death! And I fell down. On
hearing my voice, Father Seraphim hit the bear
and waved his hand at him. And the bear, as though
he were a rational being, went at once in the
direction pointed out to him by the elder into
a thicket. Seeing that I was shaking with fear,
and even when Father Seraphim came up to me with
the words, Don't be scared, don't be afraid.
I continued to shout as before, this is my death.
The elder said in reply, no, mother, this is
not death. Death is far from you. This is joy.
And then he led me to the same tree trunk and
having prayed, made me sit down. And he sat down
himself. And we hardly had time to sit down when
that same bear came out of the thicket again
and lay down at St. Seraphim's feet. And finding
myself close to such a terrible beast, I was
at first trembling with terror, but afterwards,
seeing that Father Seraphim treated him as a
gentle lamb without any fear, and even fed him
with his own hands with bread which he had brought
in his bag, little by little my confidence revived.
And then the face of the great elder seemed to
me especially wonderful. It was as joyful and
radiant as an angel. And at last, when I had
grown quite calm and most of the bread had been
eaten, the elder gave me the remaining bit. and
made me feed the bear myself. But I replied,
I am afraid, Father, he will bite off my hand
too. But at the same time, I felt glad as I thought,
but if the bear bites off my hand, I won't have
to cook anymore. Father Seraphim looked at me
and smiled and said, No, Mother, I believe he
will not bite off your hand. And so I took the
bread he gave me. And the feeding gave me such
pleasure that I wished I could feed the bear
longer, for the beast was gentle with me, even
with me, a sinner. And seeing me quiet, Father
Seraphim said to me, Do you remember, my mother,
how a lion served Gerasimos in the Jordan? As
for poor Seraphim, a bear serves him, and you
see, even the beasts obey us. And you, mother,
you feel despondent, but don't feel despondent.
I beg you in the name of God, Mother, never in
a no account lose hope, but always imitate the
humility of the saints. So, I think that's just
a picture of life. The boys running into the
forest, afraid, what's going to get them? There
are bears there. Sister Matrona, fearful, this
is my death, this is my death. And yet, The beast
that could have torn them both apart was meek
as a lamb because Misha the bear responded to
not Father Seraphim's violence, not his overpowering
of the bear, but the bear responded to his innocence,
that he was able to face all the dangers of the
wilderness and tame them. Because of his innocence
and the peace in his heart. Not of the warfare
and weaponry in his hands that he tamed the beast,
but through his innocence. And I hope that maybe
you'll reflect on that too as you're facing anxieties
and difficulties and conflicts and a society
rubbed down to the bone. And know that not only
our own lives that are filled with different
anxieties, but the lives of the people all around
here. What do they really need most? They need
to encounter, I think, innocence. To go to confession,
to repent of our sins, to love Jesus Christ and
his most pure mother, and honor his saints like
Saint Seraphim, and to acquire a spirit of peace,
at least a little bit. So that everywhere we
go, we're not bringing conflict or anxiety. We
don't have to have any defenses. We can be a
defenseless people that have nothing to protect
ourselves and nothing to hide. And the only thing
that comes out of us is innocence. And that innocence
will tame every beast, not just bears in the
forest of Saurav, but the worst beasts in men
and... in the spiritual world, because the innocence
comes from Christ, who gives us the peace which
passes all understanding, and the peace which
our saint today tells us, if we acquire it, not
only will we be saved, but thousands around us
will be saved. Through the prayers of our Father
among the saints, seraphim of sorrow, of the
holy wonder worker, Lord Jesus Christ, our God
of mercy.