This issue will be short. No news, no map, no culture. I have only a few things on my mind.
First, we lost a much-loved uncle recently. I was there in the hospital (along with several other family members) with his wife and two children and I saw them slowly loosen the grip they had kept him with. The weight of the news. The weight of the decision. The gravity. The warping gravity.
Twenty minutes can be so long, and so very short.
I thought of the following homily (sermon) that is always read at a high point of the Easter (Pascha) service. Given within a few years of the year 400 (quite a long time ago…), this was spoken to people who were just like us in many ways, though very different in others. Christians have always fasted, and the fast before Easter (Pascha) is the most grueling for the faithful.
John (the author) knew this. He knew people were just people and that some would have been more successful in their fasting than others. He knew that some would go through the motions. He knew that some would be casual in their faith. While he knew that his flock would strive in different ways with different degrees of faithfulness and with different levels of wholesome construction, personal depth, attention, and honesty, he also knew Christ.
As we think of how we want to leave this body behind, let us consider how we have judged others and how we need mercy just as much as those we judge. We don’t know people like Jesus knows them. We see the gritty imperfections, we feel the grudges, and we pass judgment.
John knew us. John knew Jesus. Below is what he said and what Orthodox Christians say with him and to each other and for the whole world.
Don’t give up on people. That’s just another way of saying don’t judge anyone. And THAT is just another way of saying keep your eyes on your own life of prayer and repentance. Your mouth cannot condemn you if you are ever-repentant. Let the sin you acknowledge be your own.
Love one another.
If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored 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 honor, 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.
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 honors 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, honor 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.
Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.
O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.
-John Chrysostom
SCRIPTURE
MATTHEW 20 (ESV)
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius1 a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And gabout the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And hwhen evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his iforeman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and jthe scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, k‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take lwhat belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 mAm I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or ndo you begrudge my generosity?’2 16 So othe last will be first, and the first last.”
This is all I wanted to say this time.
Life is short, but Christ is risen. Judge not. Pray always.