Glory to Jesus Christ. Dear brothers and sisters,
it can be hard to hear such profound words as
we listen to through the Epistle and Gospel and
kind of track with it and get the picture. And
especially we need to remember that these are
the scriptures appointed for our commemorating
the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council,
all Holy Fathers, hierarchs. So I want to, because
of this, because it can be a little difficult,
I want to repeat some major touch points in the
scripture that is appointed for today. A couple
from, first from the epistle to the Hebrews.
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken
the word of God to you, whose faith follows.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and
forever. Do not be carried about with various
and strange doctrines. If there were two verses
that orient us towards the Holy Fathers throughout
the ages, the councils who decided and defined
the faith for us, and especially in our living
out our lives here in a parish, in a diocese,
especially how much it applies to our dear and
beloved hierarchs. They've spoken the word of
truth to us. And their faith is manifest in front
of us as hierarchs so that we can stay on track
and not be carried away with various and strange
doctrines which the world loves to layer onto
us. Self -help, self -care, improvement, self
-improvement. all kinds of philosophies that
are meant to alleviate things about our lives.
But we instead hold true to the gospel and to
the words of the fathers, the decisions of the
councils. And also in the gospel, there's phrases
that I think are, that I'd like to pop out for
you from that wonderful prayer, the great prayer
of our Lord. In John 17, now they have known
that all things which you have given me are from
you. That's Christ speaking. And they have believed
that you sent me. Holy Father, keep through your
name those that you have given me, that they
might be one as we are. While I was with them
in the world, I kept them in your name. Those
whom you gave me, I have kept. And these things
I speak in the world, that they might have my
joy fulfilled in themselves. And thus we hear,
as the apostles heard the prayer, that was for
them, and for all who followed him right down
to the current age. Now I want to focus on something
that is said earlier in the prayer. Something
that we can take to heart personally. Back in
verse 2 of that same chapter. That he should
give eternal life to as many as you have given
him. And this is eternal life. Are you ready?
That they may. know you, the only true God. And
Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. It's so easy
to breeze over that phrase, that they may know
you, the only true God. But eternal life and
salvation, salvation as we seek to experience,
is to know God. He says it. And this is like
to know you, the only true God. There was a young
man once who earnestly prayed in his loneliness
and search for meaning. He prayed something like
this, as I've heard it be told. God, I want to
know you. I don't want to know about you. Now,
why would someone not want to know about God?
He wanted to know God. He didn't want to know
about him. St. Maximus the Confessor addresses
this. He says to know God is to participate in
him. Knowledge of God is not intellectual, but
existential. It rings in your whole being when
you have this insight, these intuitions, these
hopes. These feelings, these even fears that
are based in divinity. Maximus says it is life
itself to know God. It is life itself. And he
draws a sharp comparison between knowing about
God. Now that involves, you know, discursive
intellect. You know, you reason and you study
theology and you get concepts. And you can learn
about historically how he treated his people.
You get to know about him that way. Not that
you don't do that, but the important thing is
knowing God. And this requires the purification
of the noose, as Maximus says, which becomes
a dwelling place for the divine presence. Eternal
life and knowing God is not a reward after death.
But it's the present reality of your communion
with him, with the divine. Wow, so how do we
do that? How do we come to know God in this way
of oneness and communion? Well, you have it in
front of you because it begins by behaving like
a Christian. In all things. I mean all things.
I was on the telephone just yesterday with someone
who had been working, doing some work for me.
And oh, does he love working for the guy who's
next to the church. The retired priest. He loves
the idea of being here and doing that. And he's
so pleasant and proper around me. And we were
on the telephone call while he was driving. And
all of a sudden, it was like, I'll talk to you
later. Great. See you later. And he didn't hang
up his phone, and I didn't hang up mine. The
very next thing I hear is a list of expletives
about the traffic and the person and just a barrage
of this bad, bad mood and behavior towards someone
else on the road. Now, doesn't that give you
a picture of something I think we're all guilty
of? We try to be in really good behavior when
we come here. And it's, good morning, Father.
Oh, God bless you. Oh, good morning, Matushka.
Oh, it's good to see you today. How are you?
We have to get way beyond that in the way we
live the Christian life and everything we do.
In Romans 12, St. Paul says, Do not be conformed
to this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
And in this case, mind is transformed from the
Greek word nous, which is what St. Maximus talked
about. The place of existential perception and
being. And St. Paul goes on, 9. Let love be without
hypocrisy, abhor what is evil, cling to what
is good, be kindly affectionate to one another
with brotherly love, in honor, giving preference
to one another, not lagging in diligence, fervent
in spirit, or serving the Lord, rejoicing in
hope, in patience, in tribulation, continuing
steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs
of the saints. given to hospitality. It all starts,
your coming to know God, all starts with Christian
behavior and all things, and allowing yourself
not to be conformed to the way the world would
have you behave, but by the renewing of your
mind, which is in Christ Jesus. Read the rest
of Romans 12 in your home. You know, St. Paul
gets a lot of bad... Bad press from people who
don't like the fact he lays down the rules of
what is or isn't going to kill you versus give
you life. You don't let a kid go play in the
highway. Duh. It's not time to be, well, what
do you want to do, Johnny? Do you want to play
out there or don't you think it would be better
to come on in off the highway? Paul doesn't do
that much. He doesn't coddle to us. That he gives
us one choice. Conform yourself to Christ. Do
everything it means to do that. That's your choice
if you want life eternal. Salvation always and
continuously and forever is purification by continuously
focusing on Christ. Seeking him in prayer, worship,
and doing it out of love. And of course, recognizing
in humility who you are, and allowing the synergy
of your will and your desire to do what's right,
no matter how many times you trip, repenting
and doing it again, enabling His grace to work
within you. Our guarantee that this is it is
pretty real. It's the fact that He gave His only
begotten Son for us, whom He loves, that we should
not perish, but have everlasting life. Our hope
is in him who so loved the world this way. So,
try to remember this. Try to go out, not just
here, not just at Agape Meal, but when you hit
the highway, the timer's running. Let's see how
you do. Glory to Jesus Christ.