Mission Monthly – August 1999
His Beatitude, Ignatius IV, Patriarch of Antioch
July 25, 1999, Homily at Patriarchal Divine Liturgy
I was particularly moved by the homily given by His Beatitude, Ignatius IV, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East at the Antiochian National Convention’s Patriarchal Divine Liturgy. In fact, throughout the week of the convention I was blessed to hear His Beatitude speak several times. All his talks were deeply rooted in the theology of the Incarnation. “We do not worship a god who is far off or unrelated to who we are, rather we worship Him who out of love became all that we are in order to draw us to Himself.” The Incarnation, God become man, is truly mystery and miracle. Grace entered the world through this divine and holy act, completely and concretely renewing the authority of creation, restoring and proclaiming its original beauty in the image of its Creator.
We worship God “who has revealed Himself to us” in His Church given to us by the Holy Spirit, through Christ and His Apostles, as a body of believers given to each other to witness to the power of the True God with our consecrated authority in the world. I am amazed by the truth and power of this vision, I am challenged by our call to stewardship and I am humbled by my many selfish failings.
What challenged (and captivated) me the most about His Beatitude’s words was this idea of being consecrated for the other. In a world where looking out for oneself is held up as the standard by which a society measures individual achievement and success it was most refreshing to be reminded that as children of God true blessings will only be found through acts of giving, sacrifice and offering. When St. Paul explained the purpose of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, “So with yourselves; since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church” (1 Cor. 14:12), the church at Corinth to whom he was writing was indeed searching for “manifestations of the Spirit.” He instructed them that the purpose of these gifts was not for personal gain but rather for the good of all. How I wish the churches of our own day hungered for this instruction. It often seems that Christians today, just like everyone else, are more interested in manifestations of talent rather than manifestations of the Spirit in order to pursue a higher and more comfortable, personal standard of living. This divergent application of personal gifts has eroded the authority of the Church as God’s children pour their energies into building personal accomplishment and temporal security rather than nurturing an eternity secure in the gift of a clear, “other-centered” conscience. Most pastoral issues brought to my care center precisely on the problem of people dedicating their energies to false gods and simply losing their connection with the True God and the life He has intended for us to live. How much more simple can it be than this, “Seek first [God’s] Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well” (Matt. 6:33)?
I reflect on His Beatitude’s words to remind us of one of life’s many meanings. We are first and foremost called to be stewards of God’s great creation, not possessors or owners. We are consecrated tenants called to “lift up our eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest” (John 4:35). We are free but only when this freedom is used for obedience and virtue. Jesus asked, “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself” (Luke 9:25)? Why do we hear so many stories of successful people who after years of worldly pursuits come to realize their self-centered emptiness, finding only God and service to their fellow man as the only source of true fulfillment?
Jesus encountered the rich young man saying, “If you would be perfect, go, sell all that you possess and give it to the poor… and come, follow me” (Matt. 19:21). The young man was unable to see the inner idols of his own heart and sadly, and selfishly, departed. Let us strive to be even more generous in our consecration to serve each other and thereby gain a deeper understanding of the words of Jesus, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).