WEBVTT 00:00:04.139 --> 00:00:10.039 We've all had times in our life when people around 00:00:10.039 --> 00:00:15.380 us, circumstances around us, were leading us 00:00:15.380 --> 00:00:18.100 to try and understand something that we just 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:23.879 weren't getting that well. And finally, the light 00:00:23.879 --> 00:00:30.760 goes on and we start to see that people are helping 00:00:30.760 --> 00:00:34.770 us. Well, in the church, it doesn't work that 00:00:34.770 --> 00:00:39.950 randomly. The church is a personal gift and a 00:00:39.950 --> 00:00:45.490 personal message to our heart. Recent Gospels, 00:00:45.490 --> 00:00:49.210 to my point about trying to get something over 00:00:49.210 --> 00:00:53.609 time, recent Gospels have been obviously to me 00:00:53.609 --> 00:00:58.310 directing and guiding and prompting us towards 00:00:58.310 --> 00:01:01.869 something. Think back. Today we heard about... 00:01:02.380 --> 00:01:06.680 The young rich man who went away sorrowful. And 00:01:06.680 --> 00:01:10.079 notice how Christ, it says, when Christ saw that 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.359 he was sorrowful, he said. How hard it is for, 00:01:13.400 --> 00:01:16.560 he didn't say, when Christ saw how rich he was. 00:01:19.239 --> 00:01:22.819 That's important. Just keep that in mind there 00:01:22.819 --> 00:01:26.340 for a moment. And we have the rich fool who built 00:01:26.340 --> 00:01:29.799 the barns recently. We have the good Samaritan. 00:01:30.750 --> 00:01:33.030 This is all within the last month and a half. 00:01:33.189 --> 00:01:38.930 We had the rich man and Lazarus. We had the 10 00:01:38.930 --> 00:01:42.730 lepers and that relates. Today we have an epistle 00:01:42.730 --> 00:01:46.969 in which St. Paul says, God is rich. God is rich 00:01:46.969 --> 00:01:50.670 in his love for us and in the riches of what 00:01:50.670 --> 00:01:52.930 he will give us. And he goes on and on to speak 00:01:52.930 --> 00:01:54.890 about that. And then we have the rich young man. 00:01:55.129 --> 00:02:01.150 This is not about money. Not merely. It's not 00:02:01.150 --> 00:02:03.329 about being sinful if you're rich because that's 00:02:03.329 --> 00:02:08.370 not a sin. This is about the talk about that 00:02:08.370 --> 00:02:13.870 this encounter that Jesus has with this man demonstrates 00:02:13.870 --> 00:02:17.330 and illustrates to us the condition of the heart 00:02:17.330 --> 00:02:22.509 first, the condition of gratitude. Gratitude. 00:02:24.129 --> 00:02:29.330 We can express our thanks. To God, in whose hands 00:02:29.330 --> 00:02:32.210 is our breath? It says at the funeral service. 00:02:32.349 --> 00:02:35.349 I've done so many funerals now. I almost have 00:02:35.349 --> 00:02:39.349 the whole thing memorized. In whose hands is 00:02:39.349 --> 00:02:42.370 our breath? Every breath is a gift from God. 00:02:42.530 --> 00:02:45.389 The breath you are taking right now, the beating 00:02:45.389 --> 00:02:50.169 of your heart in this moment is a gift of God's 00:02:50.169 --> 00:02:53.129 love. He didn't wind you up and just see what's 00:02:53.129 --> 00:02:58.060 going to happen. He is so close. to each one 00:02:58.060 --> 00:03:02.919 of us. And that should bring out an expression 00:03:02.919 --> 00:03:06.900 from our heart of gratitude because all things 00:03:06.900 --> 00:03:11.560 are from God. The rich man was, this young man 00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:20.080 was incredibly blessed by God. But he, this is 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:26.099 my second point, trusted not in God who has all 00:03:26.099 --> 00:03:29.199 riches, who can give everything to everyone, 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:33.840 but he trusted in the material things in his 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:36.819 life. That's what he pursued, and it made him 00:03:36.819 --> 00:03:41.379 sad that he couldn't let go of it. Gratitude 00:03:41.379 --> 00:03:45.039 and then trust. Each one of us has something 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:48.240 that we trust more than God, or else we would 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:50.219 all be saints. Now, we're a work in progress, 00:03:50.300 --> 00:03:52.669 that's for sure. And we have to give it a little 00:03:52.669 --> 00:03:56.030 bit of time to help us let go of whatever that 00:03:56.030 --> 00:03:59.669 thing or those things are that keep us from truly 00:03:59.669 --> 00:04:04.310 trusting God. Truly trusting our Savior. Because 00:04:04.310 --> 00:04:09.509 when we read the New Testament, we see how rich 00:04:09.509 --> 00:04:13.569 in love Christ is and that he has all things. 00:04:14.229 --> 00:04:18.089 And this young man could have given up everything 00:04:18.089 --> 00:04:22.060 and given it to the people. Poor, as Christ says. 00:04:23.060 --> 00:04:27.579 Given it to the poor and had treasure. More treasure 00:04:27.579 --> 00:04:31.879 than he could have possibly imagined. Come follow 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:37.439 me. My goodness. If our Lord is inviting him, 00:04:37.500 --> 00:04:41.220 he's inviting us too. Christ has all things in 00:04:41.220 --> 00:04:45.740 his power. The Christmas fast is asking us to 00:04:45.740 --> 00:04:49.420 give up a little thing. Some food. We all eat. 00:04:50.439 --> 00:04:54.199 So we can do something. If we can't say, as one 00:04:54.199 --> 00:04:57.500 priest said recently, I'll have that peanut butter 00:04:57.500 --> 00:04:59.639 and jelly sandwich or whatever on Wednesday and 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:01.980 Friday rather than the ham and cheese. There's 00:05:01.980 --> 00:05:04.920 no chance that we're going to survive an assault 00:05:04.920 --> 00:05:09.220 of temptation. Nothing. Because we trust in ourself, 00:05:09.259 --> 00:05:14.540 not in God. So we've had our little Thanksgiving 00:05:14.540 --> 00:05:18.379 break. That's nice. That's good. That's godly. 00:05:19.470 --> 00:05:22.949 But let's get back now to the fast. Let's be 00:05:22.949 --> 00:05:25.709 careful. Let's be zealous. Let's be consistent. 00:05:25.970 --> 00:05:30.870 Let's be grateful. And the final thing, the final 00:05:30.870 --> 00:05:35.709 thing that Jesus is asking this man to do is 00:05:35.709 --> 00:05:42.230 out of his riches to give, to give alms, to share, 00:05:42.470 --> 00:05:46.589 to help, to visit. We can do all of those things. 00:05:46.730 --> 00:05:51.819 Let me give you. Very brief overview now, just 00:05:51.819 --> 00:05:54.459 for five minutes, of the life of the saint for 00:05:54.459 --> 00:05:57.420 today. Because he contrasts with this rich young 00:05:57.420 --> 00:06:01.740 man so beautifully to illustrate how it is we 00:06:01.740 --> 00:06:05.920 might be. There was this man, his name was Filaret. 00:06:06.019 --> 00:06:08.920 He was born in Paphlagonia. That's the northern 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:13.879 part of Turkey, right by the Black Sea. And he 00:06:13.879 --> 00:06:16.519 was instructed by his Christian parents. We're 00:06:16.519 --> 00:06:20.259 talking about the 8th century, so the 700s. This 00:06:20.259 --> 00:06:22.439 was a time of iconoclasm. It was a difficult 00:06:22.439 --> 00:06:26.899 time in the church. As a youth, he was chaste. 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:32.620 He was virtuous. He was loving. He was pious. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:35.399 He loved God. When he reached manhood, he married 00:06:35.399 --> 00:06:40.420 an honorable, well -born, and very rich woman. 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:45.579 theosavia and she brought with her a considerable 00:06:45.579 --> 00:06:51.439 dowry and a great house and everything well philaret 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:57.899 thought i heard this gospel rich man it's harder 00:06:57.899 --> 00:07:01.160 for rich man to enter so i'm going to share and 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:05.240 he began to show mercy to the poor to treat them 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:08.889 as a father would his children. He fed the hungry. 00:07:09.050 --> 00:07:11.209 He gave drink to the thirsty. He clothed the 00:07:11.209 --> 00:07:14.209 naked. He accepted strangers into his home. You 00:07:14.209 --> 00:07:17.949 could do that then. He offered them warm hospitality. 00:07:20.069 --> 00:07:23.670 At that time, just as everything was wonderful, 00:07:23.990 --> 00:07:30.050 God tested him like Job was tested. Not to see 00:07:30.050 --> 00:07:34.189 what he would do because God is omniscient. He 00:07:34.189 --> 00:07:38.269 knows all things. But he tested him like an athlete 00:07:38.269 --> 00:07:41.930 is tested so he will gain strength and confidence 00:07:41.930 --> 00:07:46.350 and have victory in a difficult circumstance, 00:07:46.490 --> 00:07:51.230 just like an athlete. And what was that test? 00:07:51.410 --> 00:07:56.230 Well, invaders came through that countryside. 00:07:56.730 --> 00:07:59.189 They destroyed everything. They took the animals. 00:07:59.310 --> 00:08:02.949 They took his servants. They left him only with 00:08:02.949 --> 00:08:06.839 a pair of oxen, a cow, a horse. a servant and 00:08:06.839 --> 00:08:12.019 one maidservant. It says he rejoiced in his poverty 00:08:12.019 --> 00:08:17.740 as a man would in great wealth because he understood 00:08:17.740 --> 00:08:20.720 that it is easier for one who is poor to enter 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:24.120 the kingdom of heaven than for a rich man. And 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:26.420 he thought, well, I was rich, now God is giving 00:08:26.420 --> 00:08:33.179 me this. So the blessed Philaret, having very 00:08:33.179 --> 00:08:38.129 little, was still giving away things. He saw 00:08:38.129 --> 00:08:41.409 a man whose ox had died and he couldn't plow 00:08:41.409 --> 00:08:45.169 his field. And so, so grieved with this man that 00:08:45.169 --> 00:08:48.409 Philaret took his ox and he said, brother, take 00:08:48.409 --> 00:08:55.149 my ox, plow your field, give thanks to God. Now 00:08:55.149 --> 00:08:59.590 we shouldn't forget his wife. As he approached 00:08:59.590 --> 00:09:02.690 his house, his wife caught sight of Philaret. 00:09:04.349 --> 00:09:09.629 and says to him, my husband, where's the other 00:09:09.629 --> 00:09:14.409 ox? I mean, you don't have much. And Fillaret 00:09:14.409 --> 00:09:18.309 replied, well, while I was resting from my labors, 00:09:18.309 --> 00:09:21.149 I loosened the oxen to allow them to graze. One 00:09:21.149 --> 00:09:24.230 of them wandered off and became lost, or perhaps 00:09:24.230 --> 00:09:29.129 someone took it. Not a good answer. She says, 00:09:29.909 --> 00:09:33.470 Woe is me, woe is me, the wife of a heartless 00:09:33.470 --> 00:09:36.909 man. And tearing her hair, she ran to her husband, 00:09:37.110 --> 00:09:41.750 shrieking and wailing, you inhuman, hard -hearted 00:09:41.750 --> 00:09:44.909 man. Why do you wish to destroy us with hunger? 00:09:45.110 --> 00:09:49.330 She's a wife. She's protecting her family. We 00:09:49.330 --> 00:09:51.750 have lost all our possessions because of our 00:09:51.750 --> 00:09:54.110 sins, and it was only by God's mercy that two 00:09:54.110 --> 00:09:56.769 oxen were left to us so that we could feed our 00:09:56.769 --> 00:10:01.110 children. Oh, I know, she says, you're accustomed 00:10:01.110 --> 00:10:04.509 to wealth and have never labored with your hands. 00:10:04.529 --> 00:10:08.629 And now lazy that you are, you intend to remain 00:10:08.629 --> 00:10:12.690 lying about the house. So you gave away the oxen 00:10:12.690 --> 00:10:17.429 so you don't have to work. What answer will you 00:10:17.429 --> 00:10:19.690 give to the Lord when your children and I perish 00:10:19.690 --> 00:10:24.850 because of your laziness? The blessed Philaret. 00:10:25.549 --> 00:10:29.110 looked at her and meekly, of course, meekly said, 00:10:29.230 --> 00:10:33.350 hear what God, who is rich in mercy, as you heard 00:10:33.350 --> 00:10:36.669 today, commands us. Behold, the birds of the 00:10:36.669 --> 00:10:41.029 air, they sow not, neither do they reap, nor 00:10:41.029 --> 00:10:42.950 do they gather into barns, yet your heavenly 00:10:42.950 --> 00:10:45.710 father feeds them. Shall he not feed us who are 00:10:45.710 --> 00:10:50.169 much better than birds? He says, God has some 00:10:50.169 --> 00:10:52.809 riches for us, which I have stored up. And I 00:10:52.809 --> 00:10:55.090 will bring them to you at the right time. Of 00:10:55.090 --> 00:10:58.309 course, what he meant was he was awaiting God's 00:10:58.309 --> 00:11:02.750 help. And he gave away a horse. And he gave away 00:11:02.750 --> 00:11:06.230 his food. And he gave away his cloak. And his 00:11:06.230 --> 00:11:09.330 wife gave him her cloak because he was standing 00:11:09.330 --> 00:11:14.090 there in his underwear. You are not an angel. 00:11:15.049 --> 00:11:20.289 You think you are an angel, she said. You are 00:11:20.289 --> 00:11:24.250 a man. But you think you have no need of food. 00:11:24.649 --> 00:11:27.950 If you required food, you would not be so anxious 00:11:27.950 --> 00:11:33.029 to give away all our food to the poor. Well, 00:11:33.149 --> 00:11:37.490 to summarize all of this, this man's faith was 00:11:37.490 --> 00:11:42.190 so great. And God, it ends up, it's like a fairy 00:11:42.190 --> 00:11:47.190 tale. His daughter is married to Constantine 00:11:47.190 --> 00:11:53.610 VI, the young. emperor at the time of the seventh 00:11:53.610 --> 00:11:58.990 ecumenical council and philaret is given riches 00:11:58.990 --> 00:12:03.929 and he established orphanages hospitals churches 00:12:03.929 --> 00:12:07.490 and he takes care of all the poor around him 00:12:07.490 --> 00:12:11.250 constantly now why am i telling you this story 00:12:11.250 --> 00:12:13.730 well for one thing it's in the lives of the saints 00:12:13.730 --> 00:12:17.309 and it's important that we know our saints our 00:12:17.309 --> 00:12:22.159 heroes of faith I'm telling you also this because 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:25.659 we can know that in times of distress, times 00:12:25.659 --> 00:12:29.940 of difficulty, times of poverty, if we are seeking 00:12:29.940 --> 00:12:35.539 the one thing needful, it's a radical thing to 00:12:35.539 --> 00:12:41.100 do. We can trust our Lord Jesus Christ. He has 00:12:41.100 --> 00:12:44.340 called us. I'm not asking you to give everything 00:12:44.340 --> 00:12:49.250 away. Of course not. Although... That's what 00:12:49.250 --> 00:12:52.049 the Lord said to this young man who was captivated 00:12:52.049 --> 00:12:55.029 by his riches. But what I am asking us to do 00:12:55.029 --> 00:12:59.970 is consider what keeps you and me from really 00:12:59.970 --> 00:13:04.210 following Christ, from really giving to the poor, 00:13:04.330 --> 00:13:09.830 giving to the church, and supporting that which 00:13:09.830 --> 00:13:15.169 the Lord says, do this. Do this in my name. Let's 00:13:15.169 --> 00:13:17.690 think about that, brothers and sisters, in this 00:13:17.690 --> 00:13:20.250 time of the Christmas fast, when we were preparing 00:13:20.250 --> 00:13:23.070 for the coming of our Lord and the flesh, who 00:13:23.070 --> 00:13:28.330 was poor. Yet God, who is rich in mercy, has 00:13:28.330 --> 00:13:31.610 seated us in the heavenly places. To him be glory, 00:13:31.870 --> 00:13:34.309 honor, now and ever, two ages of ages.