The Orthodox Church commemorates all the saints on the second Sunday after Pentecost. This is the sermon for this day by Archpriest Viacheslav Reznikov (d. 2011). On the first Sunday after the descent of the Holy Spirit, a holiday is celebrated in honor of all saints. For the world, the life and deeds of saints are an incomprehensible mystery. The world is perplexed when reading about people who “experienced insults and beatings, as well as chains and prison; were stoned, sawn apart, tortured; died by the sword; wandered in sheepskins and goatskins, enduring disadvantages, sorrows, bitterness, … who wandered through deserts and mountains, through caves and gorges of the earth” (Hebrews 11:36-38). The world asks: “Why is this necessary? Why this fanaticism?” Yes, there is a certain secret of the saints; without solving it, it is impossible to understand their amazing perseverance and fidelity. Today's Gospel gives the key to this mystery in a few words. The Church recalls two sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Whoever confesses Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father in heaven; But whoever denies Me before men, he will I also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). And another: “Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37-39). That is the whole secret. Those whom we call “saints” accepted Jesus Christ not as an “ideal,” not as a “principle,” not as an “energy,” but as a living Person. They chose Him and were not afraid to introduce into society Him who was either nothing or something vague and indefinite. From now on, whoever says: “Choose me or Christ” will, without doubt, choose Christ. Therefore, Christ confesses them before the Heavenly Father. Therefore, it gives them both strength and patience. Therefore, when the Last Judgment comes, “when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory,” they too will sit “on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). Then the Lord spoke only about the Apostles because only they were among His disciples. Then the Apostle Paul will say that all the “saints will judge,” and not only the twelve tribes of Israel, but also the whole “world” (1 Corinthians 6:2). And the judgment of the saints is only in this, that there will be Christ; they will be those who chose Him and followed Him. And there will be those who did not choose; they will be disdained, ashamed, and afraid. And He is here, with the Heavenly Father, with the Holy Spirit, with the holy Angels. All is glory, all is power, all is love. Everything is the same as, in fact, it has always been. That's the whole trial. But, thank the long-suffering God, there is still time for us to repent. The saints have already chosen, but we still hesitate. The saints have already arrived, but we are still going. The saints have already risen in perfect rebellion, but we still fall and rise, rise and fall again... But, “having such a cloud of witnesses around us, … let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Source: "Sedmitsa vtoraia po Piatidesiatnitse," Azbuka.ru |
