Orthodox Sermons & Articles

When we do something wrong, we say that we were not thinking clearly at the time. It is because our minds were not completely clear at the moment of that particular decision. Making decisions is a very important and responsible step that requires the whole mind to be working clearly. Just take for example, a drunken person: he or she is not capable of making responsible decisions because his or her mind is clouded by other things. If you want to be drunk, dear brothers and sisters, strive to be "drunk" or captured only by God. Keep your thoughts directed only towards Him.

 

Jesus teaches us in today’s Gospel to serve only one master, otherwise we will be torn apart. Our loyalty to many masters in our lives can harm us in the sense that humans will always server one master more then the other. Jesus tells us the straight truth: "You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matt. 6: 24). As you know, mammon is a name for material wealth that has a degrading influence on a person. These words of Jesus are both of conviction and forewarning. Conviction for those who foolishly say that they can manage both God and mammon, and forewarning for those who are about to make such a foolish decision. Usually, when we convince ourselves that we CAN serve both, we end up trading our eternal relationship with God for temporary and short-lasting wealth (whether it be for money or personal pleasure). There is no person on earth who could prove this statement of Jesus to be wrong! Only serving God with our minds being occupied by God we will receive what is important even for our temporally earthly lives!

 

Our worries about the essentials for earthly life should not prevail over our concerns about our souls. Jesus Christ says that the person, who is afraid to put his or her trust in God, is unable to make God the "number one" priority of life. This person has "little faith". He teaches us: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6: 33). We Orthodox Christians fully trust every word of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we should act accordingly.

 

The Epistle reading of the Sunday helps us to understand this matter even more deeply. It speaks about righteousness, which we have to first seek according to the words of Jesus, as a living reality. St. Paul the Apostle opens this discussion for those who say that we are sinners and therefore we cannot achieve righteousness. He tells us that our faith is a helpful tool in the process of becoming righteous. It is because real faith transforms our lives and helps us to keep our minds clear in times when we need to make a decision. True righteousness is only in God. Therefore, when we become closer to God through our faith, we are able to see more clearly what true righteousness is and strive to reach it. By faith in Jesus Christ, according to St. Paul, "we have access…into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom. 5:2).

 

However, the grace of God is not the only thing we receive through faith in Jesus Christ. St. Paul says that we also receive strength to survive tribulations of life through hope that is born in tribulation. "We also glory in tribulation,"- writes the Apostle, "knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope" (Rom. 5: 3-4). Some might ask how to keep our hope alive especially during tribulation. St. Paul answers, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Rom 5:5). Therefore, we will never fail to have hope in God if we keep in mind His love to us all. Love of God is being poured upon us not only when we become faithful, but always, even before we know Him. "But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). No one was righteous in the time of Jesus’ coming on earth, but He came to make us righteous through faith in Him because He loved us even then.

 

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, our lives, although full of tribulations and tests, are lives which should always produce enduring hope through being faithful to our Lord. Without doubt, this task is not easy, but we should offer our best efforts towards it, knowing that we will receive what was promised to us, especially because God has already performed His self-sacrificial step towards us.

 

So, today’s readings convince us to concentrate our attention on the things that are eternally important and to keep our minds clear by upholding our faith in both: grace and tribulation. Let us listen to the lessons from the Holy Scripture and stand firmly on the path of following Christ. Let us be faithful to our high calling even in the small things within our daily lives. Let us wash the tint from the lamp of our mind in the Sacrament of Penitence so that we could clearly see the right way of following Christ. Let us show our love to Him, Who loved us first, by proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel to others. Let us proclaim our faith not only by words, but also by the deeds of our faith. Let us seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then everything else will be abundantly given to us. Amen.