Sharing our Hope

Bishop Seraphim : Homily
Sharing our Hope
80th Anniversary of Holy Resurrection Sobor
12 September, 2004
Hebrews 3:1-4 ; Matthew 16:13-18


In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

The readings of today are those of the Altar Feast of this Holy Temple. This feast-day is the Dedication of the Temple of the Holy Resurrection in Jerusalem, which took place originally just before the first time the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was served there in the fourth century. This feast-day is usually offered on 13 September ; but we are marking it today, Sunday, when the most people can be present to mark this day, and this very significant anniversary.

When the Apostle speaks about our being like members of a building, and that the Builder is God, it is important for us to remember that it is the same Apostle who talked to us about being members of the Body of Christ. In both cases, the same principle applies in our Christian living. If a building is not properly built, if the stones or the wood that constitute the building are not properly put into place and each part is not doing its job, the building can very easily fall down (especially if there should be any sort of stress, such as an earthquake or windstorm). However, if a building is properly constructed, it cannot easily be shaken down by an earthquake. Vancouver has many buildings constructed in modern times according to the modern disciplines of physics and architecture that are built for this exact purpose. So then why do we now hear about various buildings falling down here, and in other parts of Canada ?

It is not only because of our descent more and more into crime and corruption, which causes the production of low-quality structures that unexpectedly collapse. It is also because are making more and more laws to try to protect ourselves from each other. The more we make such laws, the more complex every operation becomes, and more opportunities then can be found for the unscrupulous to circumvent the laws and regulations. There is a great loss of honour and respect for ourselves and for the other as we become obsessed with making money and acquiring power. The next consequence of this selfish attitude is that we can have no concern for the health and welfare of those who live in, work in, and use these structures. The laws that we are making now in great number were not necessary before ; but even so, it does not seem to matter how many laws we make. These laws of protection do not work because we in Canada, in general, are forgetting all about Jesus Christ. Especially since the 1960s, people have been more and more forgetting (apparently often quite deliberately) about Jesus Christ. They have been reducing Him to some sort of philosophical idea (at the very best). They want to reduce Jesus Christ to something or someone that they can control, and as a result, they lose Him altogether. Jesus Christ is not some sort of philosophical idea. He is not some sort of system. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and no-one can control God.

On the other hand, there is a strong tendency nowadays to misunderstand completely our relationship with Jesus Christ, and to forget that He is the Love of God incarnate – the Love of God who has taken flesh for us. Jesus Christ is the One whom God the Father sent. He is His Only-begotten Son. Because God so much loves the world that He wants us to be saved, He sent His Only-begotten Son (see John 3:16 ff). He allowed us to abuse Him, and to kill Him so that His Son could rise victorious over sin and death, and finally break down the barriers between us and the Lord, that we, human beings had established. We humans seem to want to blame God for all the things that are wrong in the world. We habitually blame God for all the terrible things that are happening. In fact, I hear this sort of thing said rather too frequently. It is not at all the case that the Lord is to blame for the mess. These horrible things that are happening on earth are our fault. Just last week, I was asked why God is allowing all these horrible hurricanes and typhoons to happen and to cause so much destruction. It is not that God wants all these hurricanes, horrible storms and earthquakes to be afflicting us. Rather, it is because we human beings as a race are so stubborn, so rebellious, so rejecting of Him. The fact is that we are so sunk in our selfishness and our criminal activities in the world that the weather is deteriorating very rapidly, and the condition of the earth, itself, is deteriorating rapidly.

If we Christians, especially we Orthodox Christians, would remember to pray, and be willing actually to pray, then things could be better. For instance, just recently Hurricane Yvonne was supposed to cause horrible destruction on Jamaica. It did cause much destruction, but the main part of the hurricane missed the main part of Jamaica and went to the west. Of course, everyone was surprised at this last minute change. Why did that happen ? The people of Jamaica have nothing ; they have no resources, and they are poorer than Russians or Romanians. They are very, very poor. They have nothing, except prayer. It was nice that they said this on the news, because the news broadcasts (especially Canadian news) usually erase that element. However, God is merciful, so the news reports said that the Jamaicans could only pray. Even the government said that there was nothing left to do but to pray. The people of Jamaica did pray, and I believe that this is why the hurricane moved and did not go straight over Jamaica as the meteorologists were predicting that it would do. The people prayed and trusted God to save them, and they are not even Orthodox Christians (see Acts 10).

We Orthodox Christians have a very great responsibility to pray, and to take our Saviour, Jesus Christ, very seriously. In a similar way, people would like to say that communism was overthrown because the American government was very clever in sowing the seeds of discontent, desire for material goods, and that there was American manipulation behind the scenes. The fact is, however, that these activities were not accomplishing anything. The American and western European interference in Russia made things much worse, in general. Communism went down for only one reason, which is very much neglected in people’s consciousness. In the first place, communism was overthrown because of the many millions of martyrs that Russia has had in the last century. In the second place, very many faithful people continued to pray to God to save them. It is because of their prayers, and because of the blood and the prayers of the martyrs that the whole system began to change.

There are many prophecies about Russia and its future contribution to the world. Orthodox prophets predict that Russia will be the source of future peace and growth of Christianity in the world. If it is going to be so, it will be because people were faithful to Jesus Christ throughout the course of the horrible suffering in the last century. It will also be because, in Russia and in other countries, people are still being faithful, and they are still depending on Jesus Christ. The faithful people are continuing to trust our Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation. Our Saviour is answering their prayers. We, Orthodox Christians in North America, have to remember our responsibility and to act on it. We are called to witness for Jesus Christ. We are called to witness for Him who is the Truth, plain and simple. He is the Truth. Truth is not some sort of philosophical idea (contrary to what many Canadians think). There is only one Truth, not many truths. Jesus Christ is the one and the only Truth. We Orthodox Christians understand that, and we live in accordance with that. It is our responsibility to show everyone else around us how it is that Jesus Christ brings joy to our hearts and our lives in the midst of all sorts of difficulties, sorrow and pain. He brings joy ; He brings hope ; He brings power to our lives. He brings a sense of direction. He opens doors in front of us. Things that seem to be impossible do happen.

Just a short while ago, I had the blessing to have lunch with a man who was told by the doctors two years ago that he had just one week to live. However, this man and his family are believers, and they prayed. Even though he is supposed to be dead, he is not. It is not God’s time for him to depart. This man is not taking it lying down either – he is building his house even though he is not supposed to be able to do any of that. This is because of the love of Jesus Christ. Perhaps in due course he will die, as it happens to everyone sooner or later. However, it will happen in God’s time and it will happen when this man will have testified enough to the love of Jesus Christ and to the hope that Jesus Christ brings. The Lord brings much hope to this man and to his family. He is not the only one, but he is the most recent example that I can mention to you. God is exceedingly merciful to us, and it is important for us Orthodox Christians to trust in His mercy. It is important for us to turn to Him and to turn to the Mother of God who is always protecting us. It is important to run to them in hope, and to pray fervently for those things that we need, so that we may glorify Jesus Christ. Our Saviour will give us what we need in accordance with His will ; and in doing that, He increases our confidence and our joy in Him.

It is our responsibility to share our hope and our love with our friends, neighbours and the persons that Jesus Christ sends to us day-by-day. It is important for us to share this love. We do not have to talk all the time, as do the television and radio evangelists. In North America, words are so cheap. In North America, it seems not to matter what anyone says ; people do not find it convincing. In North America, you have to do the love of Jesus Christ to other people. In this community, you are celebrating eighty years of Christian witness. This parish was the first Orthodox community to be established in Vancouver ; and throughout the years, you have drawn many people into the Body of Christ because of the loving hospitality you have shown to them. I can tell you that I am one of them. I experienced this love and this care for me amongst you thirty years ago when I first came here as a student. Because of this love, many people have come into the Body of Christ through this community. It is important for each one to pay attention to how well you take care of each other ; how well you support each other, nurture each other, and encourage each other in being faithful to Jesus Christ. It is important for you to go in the right and life-giving path, living in accordance with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you do these things, anyone coming into this community who is suffering from the terrible pains of life in this world, will feel the love, concern and care in Jesus Christ that you have for each other. They will be drawn to this community by your love, and by the doing (not just the talking) of your love. It is important to do the things that show that you love each other : you telephone each other and ask how you are ; you find out if someone is ill and you take care of that person ; you find out if someone is out of work, and you help that person to find work in one way or another. If the Lord gives it to us, it is the responsibility of each one of us to help and nurture the other person.

There are many amongst you, who have arrived recently from Russia or Russian-speaking lands, or from other Orthodox countries abroad. Between these Orthodox countries and Canada there are similarities and dissimilarities. I really hope that you would do your best, if possible, to avoid imitating the typically Canadian habit of standing in the back of the Temple and as far back as possible (and even outside the Temple). Everywhere I go in Russia, Ukraine and Romania, the faithful people are not hiding in the back. They are coming near to the front. Canadians avoid being in the front because they still remember sitting under the nose of the teacher in school and being afraid that the teacher might ask a question. No-one wants to be the first to answer a question in school because of fear of giving the wrong answer. However, here in the Temple of the Lord, we are not in school. I do not usually ask questions during a homily, but if someone were to give a wrong answer, I would not make fun of the person (or bite). What matters is that we are here in the Temple of the Lord. Throughout two millennnia, Orthodox Christians everywhere have always tried to come as close to the Holy Table as possible. That is why when you go to a Temple in Russia, Ukraine, Romania and other countries, you will find that people are all crowded up at the front. They want to be as close to the Grace of God as possible. There is Grace pouring from the Holy Table, from the Altar of the Lord, and they want to be near. That is why, when I am giving Holy Communion, I always want to stand in the Royal Doors (which is the old, historic way) in order to allow the people to come as close as possible to the Holy Table when they are receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. It is normal for you to come and be near, but it is not so normal to be crammed in the back like sardines. It is nicer to be up front where the windows are open and you can breathe. Please remember your heritage. Do not be afraid to come near to the Lord. The Lord loves you. He is waiting to give you His Gifts and His Grace. Do not be afraid to come close to the Lord and be near Him. You will receive His love, His nurturing care and His Grace (and you will not be bitten). I remember very vividly that, in Constantinople, in Greece and Egypt, the faithful are very comfortably moving near, coming up to the icons, touching them and kissing them all the time. If you get caught in the traffic of liturgical movement, you should not worry but just step out of the way, and then return to you place again. This is the living nature of our liturgical assemblies ; this is why we do not usually have much furniture in our Temples, and this is why all Orthodox cultures have this spaciousness in their Temples. Orthodox worship does not entail our being a spectator or part of a sedentary audience ; but rather, living, active, moving participation. Our worship is truly organic.

We are co-workers with the Lord, and this is expressed in our worship. Everything in our worship, everything in our life is focussed on our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Our worship and our whole life are testifying, along with the Apostle Peter : “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. We understand that if we are doing anything good, if we are building anything, then we are doing it in, with, and for our Saviour. In this case, a beautiful community has been established, which worships in a beautifully appointed Temple. This was possible only because the faithful people here have done everything in, for, and with our Saviour. Therefore, it is and has been because of love. It is because of Christ’s love, love beyond expressing, that we can confess, along with the Apostle Peter, Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God. It is because of this love that we can have faith, which also means confidence and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. It is because of this faith rooted in true love that our Saviour might say to us, as He did to the Apostle Peter, “on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it”. Our building (which really means this community) will resist all spiritual storms and spiritual attacks as long as it is firmly and resolutely founded in Christ, and only Christ.

Let us, carried by the prayers and love of all those who have gone before us, offer ourselves whole-heartedly to our Saviour today, tomorrow and always. Let us offer our single-minded co-operation to our Lord. Let us ask our Saviour to refresh us by the Holy Spirit, so that our whole lives will proclaim every day the glory of the Most Holy Trinity : the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages.