Mission Monthly Newsletter November 1999

...Meditate on These Things. Phillipians 4.8

"A ploughman plows a field, does he not repeat this action again and again?  How else would the field be tilled if he did not repeat this action from dawn to dusk, deepening furrow after furrow?  A traveler goes along a road.  Does he not every moment renew the same action, the same effort?  How else would his journey pass and his destination be reached?  A carpenter cuts planks in his workshop.  Does he not repeat the same effort for every plank?  How else would he prepare the required number of planks?  My brethren, is not everything that we do on a practical level a series of repetitions?  Let not the preacher of Truth grow weary and say, ‘I have told them, I will not repeat it.’  Let not the hearer of Truth grow proud and say, ‘I have heard that once and don’t need to hear it again.'"

St. Nicholi of Geza (gzeecha) Chrysostom

It seems so obvious, doesn’t it?  So obvious that you and I both wonder why I would even feel the need to “meditate” on such a topic?  The truth is, however, when it comes to matters of faith and salvation people seriously struggle to sustain convicted, repetitive effort in living the Orthodox Christian life.  Truly embracing a message like this is not as obvious (or easy) as it may seem.

     I suspect that most people don’t know this but of all the “complaints” lodged against the life of the Church one of the most common is, “Father, liturgy can sure be boring.   It’s the same thing over and over again.”  Superficially I suppose this is true but this is certainly not the essence of Divine Liturgy or for that matter of any aspect of our life in Christ.  In response I ask, How many times is it enough to sing, “Lord, have mercy.”?  How often do you believe you need Holy Confession and Communion?  Which days during the church year are you willing to decide that your rule of prayer or keeping the fast is optional?  Are you bold enough to proclaim when Truth is Truth and when it is relative?  Beloved, our whole life in Christ is built upon repetition and routine.  Physical athletes must train every day to achieve success in their discipline.  We are spiritual athletes continually training to grow, by the grace of God, in strength and endurance, that we might be successful when called to spiritual contest.

     Each man is responsible to face the humbling task of recognizing his own weaknesses.  These are very difficult to discern.  My “recognition”  may be true.  It may be defined in weakness or in innocent error.  It may also be the product of obstinacy or an unfaithful refusal to live within God’s clear boundaries and commands.  St. Tikhon of Zadonsk reminds us, “It is not the name of Christian that shows the true Christian, but the struggle against the flesh and against every sin” (Journey to Heaven).  True Christianity is immersed in this unceasing struggle and the Church in Her holy wisdom gives us the standards by which we evaluate the state and progress of our soul.  This is the one constant reminder of our need for vigilance and the fact that no matter what our perceived limitations are there is no neutrality in spiritual warfare: we either grow or fade.

     Repentance, repetition, routine, ritual are all foundations of our cooperation with God’s grace as we work out our salvation in fear and trembling.  We must never tire of Godly discipline and the seeking of the knowledge of our sin revealed in the temptations that we face.  Maybe it would be easier if we were to define what our life in Christ is not.  It is not fast-paced, ever-changing, entertain me and then bless me Christianity.  It is a steady, repetitious, slow-paced, highly dedicated and involved lifestyle, and it is God given because He knows our binding need for regularity and routine in order for our heart to enter into the joy and freedom of God’s Kingdom within and without.