LENT I

Matthew VI: 19-33

Our Lord’s discourse on contempt for riches might seem rather wasted on those of us here, as I doubt if any of us can be said to enjoy great wealth: but we may read it also as representing a warning about allowing worldly things to distract us from spiritual concerns. There is a common tendency among Christians when reading of our Lord strictures against various sins and shortcomings to understand Him as addressing other people: the Pharisees, the tax collectors, extortioners and so on. I usually try to see His words as addressed to me personally, so that I might gain spiritual benefit and find my thoughts and behaviour challenged by what He has to say to me. On that basis my “treasures on earth” are not so much my savings account or my tax-free ISA, but my priorities of time and commitment. If we break our waking hours into different activities how much time and energy do we give to spiritual and charitable activities compared to other preoccupations ?

St John Chrysostom suggests that as the mind is to the soul, so the eye is to the body.  When the Lord speaks about the eye is He not only taking an holistic view of a healthy body, but is also referring to our spiritual perceptions: the light within us. If we do not approach the Lenten observance with the right spirit, but instead merely follow the outward forms, we shall reap no benefits. It has been my experience that the fullness of joy, which we anticipate as we move steadily towards the Resurrection feast, depends very much on how we observe Lent.

There has always been an exclusivity about the Christian life. It makes challenging demands and reminds us of the incompatibility of many things we do or say. The apostle James in talking about the misuse of the tongue points out that, “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing … Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries ? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” (James III: 10-12). In today’s Gospel the Lord reminds us that we cannot serve two masters, God and Money – I prefer the Authorised Version’s word “Mammon”, instead of money: it is the personification of power, ambition and riches. The Lord warns us that either we will hate the one and love the other, or we will be devoted to the one and despise the other. It ancient times Mammon often took on a deified persona, which seems very appropriate when considering those whose obsession with riches and avarice almost assumes the state of worshipping money. Indeed, even in the modern game of “Dungeons and Dragons” Mammon is portrayed as an “arch-devil” who rules over one of the nine layers of Hell.

The harm one receives from the love of Mammon results in the loss of more than riches. It separates us from the God who created us and sustains us with His love. If we become obsessed by the harsher master, devoting our energies to other – worldly – enterprises, we fall short of the greater blessing of being God’s servant. In the things of the world we are distracted by many cares, anxieties and tasks which can preoccupy our time and energies, but which in themselves are of little value compared to the things of God. People worry about how they look, about what others think of them, about all sorts of unimagined disasters that may befall them.

In this passage our Lord also touches on the issue of anxiety, which has a deep relevance in our modern society, where so many people suffer from clinical depression. The concerns which He specifically mentions are about eating and drinking and what we should wear, the latter being not about fashion, but about whether we have the wherewithal to provide the clothing on our backs. However, modern angst is frequently a feeling of deep anxiety or dread, not focused on specific and reasonable concerns, but relating to the entire human condition or the state of the world in general. It is a fear of matters over which we can have no influence or control whatever.

This fear of the unknown reveals a lack of trust in God. By contrast the Psalmist declares that “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want … He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness” (Psalm XXIII: 1 & 3); whilst in the Book of Proverbs we are counselled to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs III: 5-6). The remedy for our perturbation is indeed, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians IV: 6-7).

None of us knows what the future holds, so that if we become anxious we not only spoil the present with our fears but cannot live our lives to the full. We are told to trust in the providential mercy of God and believe that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord (Romans VIII: 28), which clearly shows the difference between ends and means. The Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, says that “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” (1 Timothy VI: 6-8)

The Lord gives us the remedy to human angst, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Don’t let us forget that each time we recite the Lord’s Prayer we pray, “Thy kingdom come.” The late Pope Shenouda said, ““Prayer is a taste of God’s Kingdom, which starts here and finishes there,” which emphasises that as Christians we already have a foretaste of the future kingdom by our communion with God and our striving to conduct our lives according to the precepts He has given us. We are “no more strangers and sojourners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians II: 19).

As we set out on this year’s Lenten journey our destination, in the first instance, is the feast of Holy Pascha but in each journey that we make we come nearer to our encounter with God, and His kingdom, and His righteousness and all these things will be given to us as well. Arise, let us go hence.

PRE-LENT SUNDAY

Matthew VI: 1-18

Religious fasts are not so popular these days, although there is considerable interest in diets for keeping fit and healthy. Anyone embarking on a diet or fast knows that it requires strict discipline or it is just a pointless exercise. Indeed, there are certain parallels with training for athletic or sport’s events, and St. Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians describes his commitment to his vocation by using imagery associated with athletics. In order to compete successfully in races, it is necessary for someone to exercise intense self-discipline which requires a strict and rigorous training code of all participants. If competitors would go to such lengths in order to compete and win in a race, the Apostle argues that the believer should “exercise self- control in everything;” as unlike the secular athlete who applies self- discipline and dedication just to win a perishable crown, the Christian believer looks forward to an “imperishable crown” (1 Corinthians IX: 25).

Tomorrow, for the Orthodox churches the great Lenten fast begins, whereas in the Western churches Lent commences with Ash Wednesday, following Shrove Tuesday – more commonly known as Pancake Day or Mardi Gras (literally, ‘Fat Tuesday’) – the last day when rich and fatty foods can be eaten before giving them up. Although Lent is seen as a preparatory period to the coming Paschal feast, in the Orthodox Church it is regarded not merely as a preliminary but rather as a sacred time in its own right, so we also have pre-Lenten preparations. In the Oriental Orthodox tradition we have the three-day Fast of Nineveh, where we meditate on the message of the Book of Jonah; and in the Byzantine tradition there is the three-week Triodion with Meat & Cheese Fare Sundays where the fast is begun gradually, by giving up meat, then dairy produce, before entering upon a vegan Lent.

However, there is a danger in focussing rather too strongly on what we eat and drink. Although Lent is a time of abstinence, it is not just food from which we abstain. Indeed, underpinning all our Lenten observance there needs to be a total change of emphasis and inner reflection about how we conduct our lives.

Today’s Gospel comprises just a portion of the Sermon on the Mount, which in total covers some three chapters of St Matthew’s Gospel. It was obviously chosen for this pre-Lenten Sunday because it sets the tone for how we should conduct ourselves during Lent, if we are to gain spiritual benefit.

The passage opens with a warning about practising our piety before men as a proof of our spirituality in order to be seen by them in a favourable light. It is true that human nature is susceptible to being praised, admired and respected by others, but the Lord Himself warns us of its dangers. Equally sadly, religious people have a tendency to be judgemental when we fail to live up to our high aspirations and this can lead us to be too conscious of what others think about us and make us anxious to receive their approval and approbation. If we do this our Lord tells us we have received our reward already, because it is only the approval of God that matters, not of our fellow men. By trying to impress others we fall into the danger of pride and hypocrisy, the very attributes which we should reject, especially in undertaking a discipline for our spiritual benefit.

We have the expression in English: “blowing one’s own trumpet”, which perhaps derives from our Lord’s saying that “when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men.”

Whilst there is a clear belief that fasting is spiritually beneficial to the individual, it may appear to be little more than self-absorbed naval-gazing (omphaloskepsis) and of little benefit to the wider community. However,  inextricably linked to fasting is almsgiving, wherein our gratitude to God, our love for our fellow man and our desire to share what we have with those less fortunate, is manifested. The Lord also counsels us to give with the same secrecy as we should show in our fasting. In our current prosperous society there is often great wastage, so we can give away things we don’t ourselves need, either to people directly or through charitable organisations. We can also support others by volunteering to do things with a more “hands-on” approach, such as running errands for the old and infirm.

There is a good old expression, “worshipful giving”, which links the act of giving to worship and prayer – “laying your gifts upon the altar”  (Matthew V:24), where you invoke God’s blessing on your offering and the church community itself distributes your gifts as a collective act of charity. The same passage, however, makes it clear that if there is enmity between you and anyone else – especially within the church community –  the blessing will be denied you. How can you expect God to show mercy to you, if you cannot show mercy to those who have offended or wronged you ? In the Byzantine tradition this last Sunday before Great Lent is called “Forgiveness Sunday” and there is a simple ceremony when the clergy ask forgiveness of the people and the people beg forgiveness from the clergy. Our Lenten journey is not a solitary one, but something we do collectively, because it is with and through others that we can redeem or lose our blessings.

Human ingenuity has also found subtle ways of pious boasting, as our Lord speaks of those who declare their asceticism by feigning haggard faces or even wearing sackcloth and ashes and wailing and sighing whilst praying. The same discretion as giving alms in secret is counselled here, even to the extent of assuming the appearance of being healthy and well-fed, so as to not to draw attention to our ascetic practices.

The truth is that how we heed Lent is up to each one of us and if we start wondering whether someone is keeping the fast, we have already fallen into a judgmental frame of mind, which our Lord abhors.  “Judge not that ye be not judged.” God is the judge – we are not – and we should look to ourselves and our own compliance rather than concern ourselves about the actions and motives of others.

It can also happen that we make the Lenten Fast a burden, rather than a blessing. If we fret and worry about observing the minutiae of the traditional fast rather than embracing its spirit; or we burden ourselves with guilt for our laxity, we can easily become discouraged. I would not wish to diminish the traditional Lenten observance by any means, but if we end up merely keeping the fast as a legalistic and oppressive obligation, we diminish what should be a joy and a privilege given to us as a time of refreshment and spiritual renewal

In his Catechetical Address for Easter St. John Chrysostom shows us the spirit in which we should keep the Fast,

“If any have laboured long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in nowise be deprived thereof. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honour, will accept the last even as the first; he gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour.”

As at all times, the Lord is merciful and wants us to receive the plenitude of His blessing. If we observe the fast in the right spirit and for the right reason – of bringing us closer to God – He will not turn us away empty-handed; but we will receive all the good things God promises us and our joy at the Resurrection Feast will be so much greater. There is, however, an unattractive tendency for a spirit of resentment to be manifested towards those who receive the goodness and mercy of God but whom we judge not to have earned it by their strict obedience. The Prophet Jonah sulked over God’s forgiveness of the Ninevites, just as the brother of the Prodigal son had no joy in their father’s welcome at the prodigal’s return. St. John Chrysostom addresses this attitude by emphasising the goodness and mercy of God and, if we have confronted our own slackness and indifference to the outpouring of God’s love, then how much more should we rejoice in that mercy:

“And he shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one he gives, and upon the other he bestows gifts. And he both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honours the acts and praises the offering. Wherefore, enter you all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honour the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.”

May the blessings of this Lenten season be with us all. Amen.

AMSHIR III

John VI: 27-46

Today’s Gospel actually overlaps with the one read on the first Sunday in Amshir as it begins with verse 27 with which the other lection concluded, where our Lord warned the multitude not to labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life. They asked him what they must do to do the works of God and the Lord responds by telling them that they must believe in Him whom He has sent. They understand that He is referring to Himself, so their response is to ask Him what sign He will give them that they may believe in him. They reminded him that Moses had given them manna – a miraculous food – during their wandering in the wilderness, rather forgetting that in spite of it providing sustenance on a daily basis for 40 years, they had been notably unappreciative of this miracle and had complained about it, saying they loathed this “light bread”. Our Lord tells them that it was not Moses who gave them the bread; but that the true bread from heaven comes from His father and gives life to the world. It is clear from their answer, imploring that He gives them this bread always, that they are still thinking in material terms. We recognise the same response in the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well when our Lord tells her that whoever drinks of that water shall never thirst and she initially thought that He meant natural water.

However, He declares that He Himself is the bread of life and all who come to Him shall not hunger and those who believe in Him shall never thirst. He makes it quite clear that He is not talking of physical bread which merely satisfies bodily hunger; but he is talking of that bread which as St Cyril of Alexandria states, “refashions the entire living being to eternal life. The human being, who has been created for eternal life, is now given power over death.” St Cyril goes on to explain this rather well by asking the question, “what then does Christ promise?” It is nothing corruptible, like earthly food, but rather “that blessing in the participation of His holy flesh and blood that restores humanity wholly to incorruption so that it should need none of the things that normally drive off the death of the flesh, for example, food and drink” and goes on to encourage the faithful to regular communion lest “they exclude themselves from eternal life in as much as they decline to be enlivened.”

The motivation of love which underpins the incarnation is movingly expressed by our Lord’s words, “this is the will of the father who sent me, that of all He has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day” and “then everyone who sees the son and believes in Him may have everlasting life.”

Sadly, they still fail to comprehend his meaning and murmur among themselves asking how He can talk about coming down from heaven when He is the son of Joseph and Mary. How are we to understand the fact that some people so readily opened their hearts and accepted our Lord’s ministry, whilst others appear to have been deaf and blind to all that he said and did ?

Perhaps the key for us in understanding this are His words towards the end of this passage, “No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him.” This image of people being ‘given’ or ‘drawn’ by God shows that belief is no accident and is certainly not the work of human reasoning. It is indeed a gift and, like all gifts it is free. But why, we may ask ourselves, do some receive the gift and others do not? Is it like some divine lottery? Saint Augustine suggests that it depends on our state of heart and that the humble person who delights in the truth, and seeks after blessedness and righteousness will be drawn to God by love. He writes, “Give me one who loves, who longs, who burns, who sighs for the source of his being and his eternal home, and he will know what I mean.” True goodness is actually a very compelling and attractive quality but we sometimes find it difficult to recognise it because the people we expect to manifest it, don’t seem to be any better than the rest of us, and the answer is they’re probably not, because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans III: 23). Yet equally even the most difficult people we encounter will have some redeeming quality and be capable of some selfless act, some little kindness, some inner integrity.”

In the Song of Solomon (III: 1-2) we read, “By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. ‘I will rise now,’ I said, ‘and go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.’ I sought him, but I did not find him.” The church has always understood this as representing the yearning of the soul for God with some writers suggest that the night symbolises our spiritual darkness through the absence of God. I have always loved the words of the 18^th century hymnographer, Bishop Thomas Ken,

“Heaven is, dear Lord, where’er Thou art

O never then from me depart;

For to my soul ‘tis hell to be

But for one moment void of Thee.”

May we all recognise that call from God and let it draw us ever closer to Him that we may find Him and by receiving spiritual nourishment may be raised up on the last day and have everlasting life.

Ever since the earliest days of the church, people have felt called to dedicate their lives to God in chastity. Some have joined monasteries but many have felt the call to live the solitary monastic life under the auspices of a bishop, and under the guidance of a spiritual father or mother, who may or may not be the bishop. After a period of discernment, aided by the guidance of a bishop and a spiritual father or mother, vows may be taken. Those leading the solitary monastic life need to be financially self-supporting. They live in their own homes and do not give up their money or property, rather choosing to manage their material goods according to gospel values. They are either single, divorced or widowed.

Today some people in the church do not understand the call to the solitary monastic life. Not everybody is able to live in a religious community, and many solitaries cannot even consider this option due to ill health. We need to respond positively to this call and give support and encouragement to those living the solitary monastic life. We need to increase awareness in the church of this call and the blessings that it brings.

If you feel this life may be for you, please contact Abba Seraphim or Father Alexis, a solitary who lives in Lincolnshire, via [email protected]

On Sunday, 29 January, at St. Mark & St. Hubert’s British Orthodox Church in Cusworth Village, near Doncaster, Abba Seraphim performed two ordinations to strengthen the diaconal ministry. Reader Athanasius Hall was ordained a subdeacon attached to the Church Secretariat in Charlton, but also to generally assist Abba Seraphim in his wider ministry to other parishes outside London. At the same service Subdeacon Antony Westwood was ordained a full Deacon with pastoral responsibility for the West of England, centred on the shortly-to-be-established British Orthodox Mission of Torbay, under the patronage of St. Petroc. Among the clergy assisting at the ordination were Father David Seeds, parish priest at Cusworth; Archdeacon James Maskery and Monk Alexis Raphael from Lincoln. After the Liturgy the Cusworth congregation provided a light buffet lunch, during which there was warm fellowship. It was also with much pleasure that Hazel Rockliff, a long-standing member of the Cusworth congregation, now confined to a wheelchair, was welcomed back to church after several weeks’ absence through ill health.