WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.960 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:17.300 of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Today's commemorations 00:00:17.300 --> 00:00:26.000 offer the preacher so many riches. that one finds 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:29.339 oneself floundering in it all. We celebrate the 00:00:29.339 --> 00:00:32.659 memory of St. Thomas the Apostle today, the one 00:00:32.659 --> 00:00:35.520 who said to Jesus after the resurrection, the 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:38.140 first one to say, my Lord and my God, and you 00:00:38.140 --> 00:00:43.759 see up here to my right, fresco, the belief of 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:46.619 Thomas, Thomas coming to belief in the Lord and 00:00:46.619 --> 00:00:50.659 proclaiming him as his Lord and Savior. We have 00:00:50.659 --> 00:00:54.509 this marvelous gospel. about Jesus raising the 00:00:54.509 --> 00:00:59.130 widow's son. It's incredibly dramatic. St. Luke 00:00:59.130 --> 00:01:01.810 and the gospel writers don't give you psychological 00:01:01.810 --> 00:01:08.909 profiles and insights. They give you the text 00:01:08.909 --> 00:01:15.590 very simply, but incredibly dramatic. A woman 00:01:15.590 --> 00:01:19.569 losing her son, she's a widow. She has nothing 00:01:19.569 --> 00:01:25.299 now. Jesus, St. Luke calls him Lord for the first 00:01:25.299 --> 00:01:29.799 time in the gospel, as in the Lord spoke to Moses, 00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:34.939 as in Elijah received the word of the Lord, or 00:01:34.939 --> 00:01:38.219 the Lord came to Abraham. Yes, the same Lord. 00:01:39.579 --> 00:01:43.760 And Jesus, it says, had compassion. His heart, 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:49.000 his heart felt sorrow. In Greek, that particular 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:53.969 word means That gets translated as compassion 00:01:53.969 --> 00:01:57.510 means the spleen, somehow or other. We don't 00:01:57.510 --> 00:02:00.090 think that way now, that those kind of deep feelings 00:02:00.090 --> 00:02:03.230 come from the spleen. We would say his heart 00:02:03.230 --> 00:02:11.090 went out to her. The Lord God, as a man, as our 00:02:11.090 --> 00:02:15.830 Savior and our God, touched the open coffin. 00:02:15.930 --> 00:02:19.680 It's all about touch, our salvation. We could 00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:21.759 speak about that. We could speak about the epistle, 00:02:21.819 --> 00:02:25.259 this wonderful epistle about St. Paul's travails 00:02:25.259 --> 00:02:27.560 and difficulties, but I think what I'd like to 00:02:27.560 --> 00:02:32.379 do is focus just on one thing today, and that 00:02:32.379 --> 00:02:38.800 is the marvelous apostle to America, the evangelizer 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:42.180 of the Aleuts, the metropolitan of Moscow, innocent. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:49.719 Ms. Fresco is over here. Icon is here. And in 00:02:49.719 --> 00:02:53.159 the narthex, he's next to St. Herman. So obviously, 00:02:53.419 --> 00:02:56.599 three depictions. You know he's important for 00:02:56.599 --> 00:03:02.520 us. Listen to this psalm verse, which he wanted 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:06.639 preached at his funeral. Preached on. The Lord 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:09.219 guides a man safely in the way he should go. 00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:12.819 Or the footsteps of a man are directed by the 00:03:12.819 --> 00:03:17.520 Lord. St. Innocent left this verse behind as 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:20.460 a theme for his sermon. for the sermon at the 00:03:20.460 --> 00:03:25.240 funeral when he died in 1878 as the Metropolitan 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:28.319 of Moscow, which he had served as for only 11 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:33.860 years. Throughout his whole life, as we will 00:03:33.860 --> 00:03:37.979 see, he felt the guidance and the protection 00:03:37.979 --> 00:03:45.580 of God. This was the case in 1823 when he was 00:03:45.580 --> 00:03:49.039 just a young priest. He was ordained at the age 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:54.340 of 23. He was a successful young priest in the 00:03:54.340 --> 00:03:57.759 city of Irkutsk. If I got my geography right, 00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:02.080 that's southeast Siberia. Is that correct? And 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:08.460 he heard the call from his bishop to go to Alaska 00:04:08.460 --> 00:04:13.460 as a missionary. None of the clergy wanted to 00:04:13.460 --> 00:04:19.389 go, and neither did he. He wrote later this. 00:04:19.470 --> 00:04:22.269 He said, why should I, humanly speaking, have 00:04:22.269 --> 00:04:25.970 traveled God knows where when I had one of the 00:04:25.970 --> 00:04:29.529 best parishes in the city, when I enjoyed the 00:04:29.529 --> 00:04:32.110 love of my parishioners and the good graces of 00:04:32.110 --> 00:04:34.730 the authorities, when I already owned my own 00:04:34.730 --> 00:04:38.209 home and had a larger salary being offered to 00:04:38.209 --> 00:04:46.310 whomever was assigned? Why would he go? But he 00:04:46.310 --> 00:04:50.560 did. He did, brothers and sisters. Let me back 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:55.139 up. He was born in 1797 to a very poor family. 00:04:56.120 --> 00:05:00.040 His father was sort of the caretaker of the parish, 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:05.920 died at his... Father died when St. Innocent 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:08.399 was six years old, and he went to live with his 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:11.120 uncle, who was the deacon in the church, and 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:13.180 he entered the school for the clergy children, 00:05:13.379 --> 00:05:15.240 which was the normal thing. He was a brilliant 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:17.879 student. He eventually married. Of course, he 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:21.339 married the daughter of the parish priest. That 00:05:21.339 --> 00:05:24.620 was what was done there, and ordained at age 00:05:24.620 --> 00:05:27.680 23. You can read the rest of his story, how he 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:31.279 answered that call, how he traveled with his 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:37.209 family. for a year, his wife, his children, his 00:05:37.209 --> 00:05:41.449 mother -in -law, how when he got to Alaska, he 00:05:41.449 --> 00:05:45.529 didn't check into the local hotel or to the rectory. 00:05:45.910 --> 00:05:51.230 He had to build himself an earthen hut. He taught 00:05:51.230 --> 00:05:54.149 the local people, the local American natives, 00:05:54.209 --> 00:06:01.430 skills of carpentry, blacksmithing, building. 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:08.160 He traveled up and down the rivers, visiting 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:11.620 churches that had sort of been established, but 00:06:11.620 --> 00:06:13.860 not really, and the people knew nothing about 00:06:13.860 --> 00:06:17.000 their faith. He learned the local languages, 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:21.240 six different dialects he could do, translated 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:25.439 the gospel. at least some of it, translated some 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:28.040 of the church services, designed and built the 00:06:28.040 --> 00:06:31.100 cathedral in Sitka, Alaska, dedicated to St. 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:34.839 Michael, and on and on and on, preaching the 00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:38.600 good news of the gospel and gaining the trust 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:42.399 and love of the local people only after he learned 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:46.160 their languages. Well, he returned to Russia 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:52.160 in late 1838, I think it was. to secure funds 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:57.360 for the mission, to get help, additional clergy. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.740 While he was gone, tragically, his wife died. 00:07:02.699 --> 00:07:06.040 He was encouraged to be consecrated bishop. It 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:08.959 took him about a year and a half to decide about 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:14.629 that. One could speak... all day long about his 00:07:14.629 --> 00:07:18.470 exploits his encounters his sorrows his successes 00:07:18.470 --> 00:07:22.230 of how he arrived in that remote location where 00:07:22.230 --> 00:07:25.910 no other white man had really been where he was 00:07:25.910 --> 00:07:30.509 greeted by name by a local shaman a local holy 00:07:30.509 --> 00:07:36.649 man who had said that two shining men would come 00:07:36.649 --> 00:07:40.850 to him every week for the last number of years 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:44.439 Other people couldn't see these two people. And 00:07:44.439 --> 00:07:48.079 they would speak to him about the gospel, teaching 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:52.139 him about Jesus Christ and saying, a very noble 00:07:52.139 --> 00:07:56.439 person, a very holy man by the name of Innocent 00:07:56.439 --> 00:07:59.220 is going to come to this village, prepare the 00:07:59.220 --> 00:08:04.759 people. St. Innocent arrives and he's greeted 00:08:04.759 --> 00:08:08.269 by all these people and greeted by name. And 00:08:08.269 --> 00:08:11.170 he's amazed. How do they know to even be there? 00:08:11.350 --> 00:08:14.649 And he discovers this story about this holy man. 00:08:14.850 --> 00:08:17.389 And the man says, I can introduce you to these 00:08:17.389 --> 00:08:23.769 two men if you want. Saint Innocent wrote his 00:08:23.769 --> 00:08:27.569 bishop. And it took a year to receive the answer. 00:08:28.709 --> 00:08:32.269 And his bishop said, if you want to, you're blessed 00:08:32.269 --> 00:08:36.590 to meet them. But Bishop Innocent said, no, I 00:08:36.590 --> 00:08:40.289 will not. I don't want to test the Lord my God, 00:08:40.429 --> 00:08:42.830 nor do I want to meet these angels because it 00:08:42.830 --> 00:08:46.230 will come to my pride. You see how humble this 00:08:46.230 --> 00:08:50.669 man was. Probably a wise thing to do. He was 00:08:50.669 --> 00:08:53.509 a Renaissance man, a deep man of prayer and faith 00:08:53.509 --> 00:08:58.870 of God. I mean, look at his journey. One man, 00:08:59.049 --> 00:09:06.289 a family man. One man, a priest at first only. 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:15.620 with no support, did so many things. Architect, 00:09:16.059 --> 00:09:20.120 botanist, linguist, adventurer, father to his 00:09:20.120 --> 00:09:22.960 children, husband to his wife, pastor to the 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:29.610 community, traveling far and wide. Obedient to 00:09:29.610 --> 00:09:32.990 God in all things. One man, a family man, did 00:09:32.990 --> 00:09:35.789 all these things. Would that any of us, think 00:09:35.789 --> 00:09:39.669 now to yourself, of the gifts and talents God 00:09:39.669 --> 00:09:44.649 has given each of you. Think of this verse that 00:09:44.649 --> 00:09:48.250 Saint Innocent wanted to be preached on at his 00:09:48.250 --> 00:09:52.389 funeral. The steps of a man, of a person, are 00:09:52.389 --> 00:09:57.110 guided by God. Think of the trust in God to do 00:09:57.519 --> 00:10:03.539 his will. Think of each one of us obediently 00:10:03.539 --> 00:10:08.179 nurturing the gifts and the talents God has given 00:10:08.179 --> 00:10:13.320 us. What an amazing thing happened with just 00:10:13.320 --> 00:10:19.639 him, by himself. Eventually, he was elected Metropolitan 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:23.700 of Moscow in 1868. There was no patriarch then. 00:10:23.820 --> 00:10:26.700 Peter the Great had abolished it, and he fell 00:10:26.700 --> 00:10:33.159 asleep. the Lord on March 31st 1879 on Holy Saturday 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:38.379 and was buried in the Holy Spirit Church of the 00:10:38.379 --> 00:10:41.860 Trinity St. Sergius Lavra. I had the blessing 00:10:41.860 --> 00:10:47.600 to go there in 2001. I didn't know his coffin 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:52.159 was in that church and it was such a joy and 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:56.070 blessing to go venerate him. He was glorified 00:10:56.070 --> 00:11:01.490 in 1977 on this date, October 6th, by the Russian 00:11:01.490 --> 00:11:03.429 Orthodox Church at the request of the Orthodox 00:11:03.429 --> 00:11:06.250 Church in America, and his memory is celebrated 00:11:06.250 --> 00:11:09.610 three times during the year. March 31st, the 00:11:09.610 --> 00:11:12.830 day of his repose, and October 5th, yesterday, 00:11:13.129 --> 00:11:16.549 that is the Synaxis of the Moscow Hierarchs, 00:11:16.549 --> 00:11:24.289 and today. Miracles do happen. Miracles do happen. 00:11:24.370 --> 00:11:28.389 The hard heart of Father John Vinyaminov, as 00:11:28.389 --> 00:11:31.070 he was known before he was called innocent, was 00:11:31.070 --> 00:11:35.509 touched by the grace of God. And he accepted 00:11:35.509 --> 00:11:40.769 this mission. Psalm 37, that verse that I've 00:11:40.769 --> 00:11:43.789 mentioned now three times, is about overcoming 00:11:43.789 --> 00:11:49.750 that psalm, is about overcoming anxiety. Overcoming 00:11:49.750 --> 00:11:54.269 worry and fretting. overcoming envy and distress 00:11:54.269 --> 00:11:58.789 over the prosperity and success of others who 00:11:58.789 --> 00:12:02.429 seem to be evil, the wicked. That's something 00:12:02.429 --> 00:12:07.970 that distracts so many of us, isn't it? Our life 00:12:07.970 --> 00:12:14.990 is in God's hands if, and only if, you allow 00:12:14.990 --> 00:12:20.250 him that freedom, for he will not force. St. 00:12:20.370 --> 00:12:25.100 Silouan. He said this, the Lord has given the 00:12:25.100 --> 00:12:31.840 Holy Spirit upon earth. To whomsoever he dwells, 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:37.440 that one feels paradise within himself. Now you 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:40.720 might say, why hasn't this happened to me? Why 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:45.379 don't I feel paradise in my heart? He says, because... 00:12:46.250 --> 00:12:49.309 You've not given yourself over to the will of 00:12:49.309 --> 00:12:52.929 God, but you live according to yourself. Look 00:12:52.929 --> 00:12:55.450 at the one who loves his own will and follows 00:12:55.450 --> 00:13:00.070 his own will. That person never has peace within 00:13:00.070 --> 00:13:03.330 himself, always blames somebody else for his 00:13:03.330 --> 00:13:06.470 problems, always is displeased with something. 00:13:07.950 --> 00:13:11.029 St. Silouan says, but whoever has given himself 00:13:11.029 --> 00:13:17.390 over to God's will, as St. Innocent did. perfectly. 00:13:17.390 --> 00:13:21.049 That person has pure prayer and trust in God's 00:13:21.049 --> 00:13:24.690 providence. His soul loves the Lord and everything 00:13:24.690 --> 00:13:30.710 is acceptable and good for him. I'll finish with 00:13:30.710 --> 00:13:34.769 a word from St. Innocent from this marvelous 00:13:34.769 --> 00:13:37.590 little book which he wrote for the Alaskan Native 00:13:37.590 --> 00:13:41.149 people. As I said last night, some of it seems 00:13:41.149 --> 00:13:44.809 over our head. We're simply not as spiritually 00:13:45.649 --> 00:13:49.870 mature as those people were. He says this, what 00:13:49.870 --> 00:13:53.269 would happen now if Jesus Christ suddenly appeared 00:13:53.269 --> 00:13:56.269 before us visibly and asked us, my children, 00:13:56.470 --> 00:14:00.809 do you love me for what I have done for you? 00:14:02.250 --> 00:14:06.809 Do you feel in your hearts gratitude to me? Who 00:14:06.809 --> 00:14:09.610 of us would not say, yes, Lord, we love and we 00:14:09.610 --> 00:14:14.399 thank you. But if you love, Jesus Christ and 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:17.500 consider yourself grateful to him will you do 00:14:17.500 --> 00:14:23.080 what he deigns you to do because whoever loves 00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:26.000 anyone whoever feels grateful will do everything 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:29.220 he can to please his benefactor but Jesus Christ 00:14:29.220 --> 00:14:34.740 wants from you only one thing he wants you to 00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:39.440 follow him into the kingdom of God to him be 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:42.960 glory now and ever to ages of ages Amen.