WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.799 of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Today, the 00:00:05.799 --> 00:00:10.019 feast of the glorification of St. Seraphim of 00:00:10.019 --> 00:00:15.199 Sarov coincides so beautifully with the conclusion 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:19.420 of the diaconal training practicum held here 00:00:19.420 --> 00:00:25.539 this week at St. Seraphim Cathedral. So today, 00:00:25.579 --> 00:00:32.009 we enjoy the opportunity to celebrate the hierarchical 00:00:32.009 --> 00:00:36.149 liturgy with your ruling bishop, Archbishop Benjamin, 00:00:36.469 --> 00:00:41.090 and the patronal feast of this cathedral. We 00:00:41.090 --> 00:00:44.729 ordinarily speak of St. Seraphim of Sarov as 00:00:44.729 --> 00:00:49.609 a great man of prayer. We cite his words on the 00:00:49.609 --> 00:00:52.409 acquisition of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of 00:00:52.409 --> 00:00:56.450 peace. We describe his ascetic feet of standing. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:00.200 for a thousand days and a thousand nights, a 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:04.060 rock in the forest. We honor St. Seraphim as 00:01:04.060 --> 00:01:08.359 a wonder worker. We describe his constant reference 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:11.519 to the joy of the resurrection, and we recount 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:16.939 his mystical repose in front of the icon of Our 00:01:16.939 --> 00:01:21.219 Lady of Compunction. This year we'll offer another 00:01:21.219 --> 00:01:26.480 glance at St. Seraphim to highlight the theme, 00:01:27.180 --> 00:01:32.439 of this week. Glancing at the initial chapter 00:01:32.439 --> 00:01:37.079 of the epistle, Paul to the Hebrews, which in 00:01:37.079 --> 00:01:42.819 turn cites Psalm 103, we know that God makes 00:01:42.819 --> 00:01:46.799 his ministers flaming fire, or rather makes flaming 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:51.540 fire his ministers or liturgists. These words 00:01:51.540 --> 00:01:55.019 of the psalmist allow us to point to the close 00:01:55.019 --> 00:02:00.870 connection between deacons and flaming fire. 00:02:02.269 --> 00:02:07.829 Truly, the fiery seraphim are the ministers of 00:02:07.829 --> 00:02:11.629 God. They announce the judgments of God to human 00:02:11.629 --> 00:02:16.349 beings. As ministers, deacons immediately come 00:02:16.349 --> 00:02:20.590 to mind, for the term deacon signifies those 00:02:20.590 --> 00:02:25.129 that minister. One of the desert fathers teaches, 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:31.520 his disciples how to pray. As he's explaining 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:36.520 to them, he stretches out his hands. And to their 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:40.259 astonishment, flame comes forth from his hands, 00:02:40.520 --> 00:02:44.819 and he tells them they are to become wholly aflame. 00:02:45.780 --> 00:02:49.379 The service to the church does not consist in 00:02:49.379 --> 00:02:53.960 the mere outward and correct fulfilling of a 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:58.909 rite. or the proper fulfillment of rubrics. Yes, 00:02:59.009 --> 00:03:02.849 we do learn and follow these actions which provide 00:03:02.849 --> 00:03:07.250 for the beautiful order of worship. In doing 00:03:07.250 --> 00:03:10.849 this, it is important not to forget that the 00:03:10.849 --> 00:03:15.490 divine liturgy makes manifest the kingdom of 00:03:15.490 --> 00:03:20.129 God. Our usual problem is that we're content 00:03:20.129 --> 00:03:25.650 to persist in our own blindness. content with 00:03:25.650 --> 00:03:32.009 not seeing what is truly taking place. Saint 00:03:32.009 --> 00:03:35.689 Seraphim of Sarov illustrates how someone that 00:03:35.689 --> 00:03:40.509 prays encounters the kingdom of God here in this 00:03:40.509 --> 00:03:46.669 life. A monastic tonsure, Prokur Moshten as he 00:03:46.669 --> 00:03:51.330 was then known, receives the name Seraphim, thus 00:03:51.330 --> 00:03:54.979 alluding to those fiery servants of God, and 00:03:54.979 --> 00:03:59.479 in a way, this particular calling of his life. 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:03.699 Now in our own history here in the United States, 00:04:04.039 --> 00:04:11.099 around this time of year, in 1787, the founding 00:04:11.099 --> 00:04:14.599 fathers of our country gathered in Philadelphia 00:04:14.599 --> 00:04:20.560 to compose the Constitution of the United States 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:24.189 of America. Now this magnificent document eventually 00:04:24.189 --> 00:04:27.870 impacts nearly every country in the world and 00:04:27.870 --> 00:04:33.370 influences the lives of billions of people. But 00:04:33.370 --> 00:04:40.310 in that same year, 1787, another event, perhaps 00:04:40.310 --> 00:04:43.009 far greater, takes place, and that is the ordination 00:04:43.009 --> 00:04:50.750 to the diaconate of St. Seraphim of Sarov. It 00:04:50.750 --> 00:04:55.040 is fair to say that his life, And diaconate also 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.939 have had a major impact on the church, not only 00:04:58.939 --> 00:05:02.040 throughout what was then the Russian Empire, 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:06.779 but also throughout the entire world. So what 00:05:06.779 --> 00:05:11.459 do we learn about the diaconate of St. Seraphim 00:05:11.459 --> 00:05:15.060 of Sarov? Now, usually we're not thinking of 00:05:15.060 --> 00:05:17.699 him in those terms. When you look at his icons, 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:21.610 you don't see him vested as a deacon. because 00:05:21.610 --> 00:05:26.310 he eventually is ordained a priest. His biographers 00:05:26.310 --> 00:05:30.110 describe him as earnest in spirit, serving daily 00:05:30.110 --> 00:05:33.170 in the house of God, praying incessantly even 00:05:33.170 --> 00:05:36.790 after the service is over. And the Lord grants 00:05:36.790 --> 00:05:40.910 him visions during the church services. He often 00:05:40.910 --> 00:05:45.550 sees holy angels serving with the priests. And 00:05:45.550 --> 00:05:48.230 during the divine liturgy once, on Great and 00:05:48.230 --> 00:05:52.350 Holy Thursday, celebrated by the abbot of that 00:05:52.350 --> 00:05:57.350 monastery, the elder Pacomius, St. Seraphim sees 00:05:57.350 --> 00:06:01.350 another vision. After the little entrance of 00:06:01.350 --> 00:06:05.089 the gospel, the higher deacon Seraphim, just 00:06:05.089 --> 00:06:09.769 like a few minutes ago, Deacon Vitale, pronounces 00:06:09.769 --> 00:06:12.810 the words, O Lord, save the pious and hearken 00:06:12.810 --> 00:06:18.970 unto us. He lifts his orarion, saying, and unto 00:06:18.970 --> 00:06:24.370 the ages of ages, and suddenly a bright ray of 00:06:24.370 --> 00:06:29.050 light blinds him. And looking up, St. Seraphim 00:06:29.050 --> 00:06:32.550 beholds the Lord Jesus Christ coming through 00:06:32.550 --> 00:06:36.050 the western doors of the temple, surrounded by 00:06:36.050 --> 00:06:39.790 the bodiless powers of heaven, and reaching the 00:06:39.790 --> 00:06:45.870 Silea, the Lord blesses all those praying and 00:06:45.870 --> 00:06:51.589 enters. his icon on the right side of the holy 00:06:51.589 --> 00:06:56.970 doors. In spiritual rapture after this miraculous 00:06:56.970 --> 00:07:00.209 vision, St. Seraphim does not utter a single 00:07:00.209 --> 00:07:05.009 word, nor does he move from the spot where he's 00:07:05.009 --> 00:07:11.889 standing. Clergy lead him by the hand into the 00:07:11.889 --> 00:07:17.379 altar where he stands for another. Three hours, 00:07:17.660 --> 00:07:24.819 his face having changed under the power and grace 00:07:24.819 --> 00:07:29.000 that have overshadowed him. After the vision, 00:07:29.259 --> 00:07:34.220 St. Seraphim intensifies his efforts. He toils 00:07:34.220 --> 00:07:38.139 in the monastery by day. He spends his nights 00:07:38.139 --> 00:07:42.759 praying in his forest cell. He spends seven years 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:47.279 total serving as a hierodicum. in the monastery 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:54.120 of Seraph. Now perhaps you, and here maybe I'm 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:57.720 addressing the participants in the diaconal vocation 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:00.579 program, perhaps you will be quick to excuse 00:08:00.579 --> 00:08:03.860 yourselves from praying with the same desire, 00:08:04.100 --> 00:08:08.600 longing, and effect with which St. Seraphim once 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:12.540 served. In the ministry of a deacon, there is 00:08:12.540 --> 00:08:16.750 much that is of a practical nature. Yet we are 00:08:16.750 --> 00:08:21.670 to serve as deacons not as a job, but as a ministry 00:08:21.670 --> 00:08:26.269 of grace. Indeed, deacons are set apart to assist 00:08:26.269 --> 00:08:30.569 in the ministry of the bishop or priests, but 00:08:30.569 --> 00:08:34.169 the responsibility to assist does not circumscribe 00:08:34.169 --> 00:08:39.970 or bookend the diaconal ministry. Never forget 00:08:39.970 --> 00:08:45.210 that the divine liturgy is transformative. Neither 00:08:45.210 --> 00:08:50.049 is your ministry merely liturgical. As St. John 00:08:50.049 --> 00:08:53.850 Chrysostom writes in his famous Paschal Homily 00:08:53.850 --> 00:08:58.129 concerning the wicked one, he swallowed a body 00:08:58.129 --> 00:09:02.490 but encountered God. You are to serve attentively, 00:09:02.570 --> 00:09:06.190 in awe at the totality of the ministry given 00:09:06.190 --> 00:09:11.049 to you. The divine liturgy is our ascent to encounter 00:09:11.049 --> 00:09:15.490 Jesus Christ. And this takes place every time 00:09:15.490 --> 00:09:20.309 that the church assembles, including today. The 00:09:20.309 --> 00:09:23.370 outward actions accompany and provide meaning 00:09:23.370 --> 00:09:30.549 to our sometimes vocal and sometimes silent prayer. 00:09:30.950 --> 00:09:35.750 It is true that later in his life, his ministry, 00:09:35.950 --> 00:09:40.409 the ministry of St. Seraphim, changes in terms 00:09:40.409 --> 00:09:45.320 of function. and place. He lives in the forest 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:49.240 rather than in the monastery proper, only later 00:09:49.240 --> 00:09:52.620 being asked to return to the monastery to continue 00:09:52.620 --> 00:09:56.740 his ministry there, especially in his later years. 00:09:57.059 --> 00:10:01.720 His ministry becomes a continual revelation of 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:04.899 the grace of God working within him and shaping 00:10:04.899 --> 00:10:09.220 him. His words, his gaze, his touch transform 00:10:09.220 --> 00:10:14.220 thousands. There are a series of prophecies ascribed 00:10:14.220 --> 00:10:18.100 to him, but his first seven years in the monastic 00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:22.220 life, followed by his first seven years in diaconal 00:10:22.220 --> 00:10:26.279 ministry, prepare him to be a bearer of light. 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:31.139 As deacons, you will participate in the mystery 00:10:31.139 --> 00:10:35.639 of the kingdom of God. As the life of St. Seraphim 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:40.179 indicates, he receives great gifts. without becoming 00:10:40.179 --> 00:10:43.480 a priest. And they're expressed, first of all, 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:48.480 in his diaconal ministry so well -pleasing to 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:53.500 God. For this reason, cherish this week that 00:10:53.500 --> 00:10:58.679 you have now experienced. Don't count the meaning 00:10:58.679 --> 00:11:03.019 of this week on the cost to travel here or the 00:11:03.019 --> 00:11:07.100 time that you took off work or the days you ministered. 00:11:07.399 --> 00:11:10.940 missed in vacation. Be attentive to the time 00:11:10.940 --> 00:11:13.740 that you serve in the altar, whether as deacon, 00:11:13.899 --> 00:11:17.659 subdeacon, or acolyte. Reflect on the beautiful 00:11:17.659 --> 00:11:21.220 setting of this parish campus as well, as well 00:11:21.220 --> 00:11:24.960 as the fellowship that you have established with 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:30.419 the members of your cohort. The flow and actions 00:11:30.419 --> 00:11:33.779 in the divine liturgy will now acquire new meaning 00:11:33.779 --> 00:11:37.820 and new associations for you. Do not forget that 00:11:37.820 --> 00:11:41.820 you too are to be ministers resembling flaming 00:11:41.820 --> 00:11:46.580 fire. Some of you will serve in cathedrals, some 00:11:46.580 --> 00:11:51.299 in parishes, and some in our far -flung missions. 00:11:52.220 --> 00:11:57.059 Do not forget that your ministry will develop 00:11:57.059 --> 00:12:04.840 like those concentric circles that radiate from 00:12:04.840 --> 00:12:11.500 a... Little pebble falling in a pond. Each successive 00:12:11.500 --> 00:12:15.100 ring will impact the life of the church in your 00:12:15.100 --> 00:12:19.139 local setting. Bring honor to the diaconate by 00:12:19.139 --> 00:12:22.899 the integrity of your life. And the relationships 00:12:22.899 --> 00:12:26.139 that you have established here this week will 00:12:26.139 --> 00:12:31.159 be vital to you in the days to come. Do not underestimate 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:35.669 the fact that your instructors, too, will be 00:12:35.669 --> 00:12:40.190 following your development. Through the prayers 00:12:40.190 --> 00:12:42.590 of our Holy Father, Seraphim, may the Lord bless 00:12:42.590 --> 00:12:46.649 you on this path on which you now walk. To our 00:12:46.649 --> 00:12:50.370 Lord, who is wondrous in his saints, be all glory, 00:12:50.509 --> 00:12:53.350 honor, and worship with his unoriginate Father 00:12:53.350 --> 00:12:56.970 and the all -Holy Spirit unto the ages of ages.