A sermon of by Saint John Maximovitch, Archbishop of
Shanghai and San Francisco, to his Orthodox flock in Shanghai, 1937.
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall
Iflee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there;if I make
my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and
dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and
thy right hand shall hold me. (Pss 138:7-10)
These divinely inspired words of David the Psalmist
should be particu¬larly kept in mind today when the entire world is wavering,
as it were, and the news about all kinds of tribulations, perils and disasters
are brought to us daily.
No sooner does one's attention stop to consider what
is happening in one country, than it is deflected by even more severe events
which have unexpectedly flared up in another place; before one has time to
grasp them, still new events draw one's attention to a third place making one
forget the two former ongoing disasters.
Useless are the conferences where the representatives
of different countries try to find the cure for common disasters. They keep
reassuring themselves and the others, saying: Peace, peace! when there is no
peace. (Jer 8:11).
Calamities show no sign of stopping in the countries
where they are raging, but they suddenly strike in places where it was
considered to be safe. Those who escape from some perils run into others, which
are often even worse. It will be as though a man fled from a lion, and a bear
met him; or as though he went into the house, leaned his hand on the wall, and
a serpent bit him. (Amos 5:19); or, as another prophet said: And it shall be
that he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he
who comes up from the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare; for the
windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth are shaken.
(Isa 24:18).
Similar things happen in our days. Those setting out
to work at peace suddenly become the victims of military actions, which arose
where they were least expected. Those escaping from the dangers of war suffer
from natural disasters of earthquakes or hurricanes.
Many find their death where they hoped to be safe from
it. Others, however, are prepared to better expose their life to danger, than
to languish in the places considered to be safe, in anticipation of some other
calamities which might strike there. It seems there is no place on the earth
which could be regarded a peaceful refuge from the world disasters. People are
faced with political, economic and social woes. In perils of waters, in perils
of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in
perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in
perils amongst false brethren, said Apostle Paul (2 Corn -.26).
To these perils, today we should add the particularly
terrible "perils in the air."
When the Preeminent Apostle himself was exposed to all
the perils named by him, he had a great consolation. He knew that he was
suffering for Christ, and that Christ would reward him for his endurance: For I
know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have
committed to Him until that day. (2 Tim 1:12). He knew that the Lord, if need
be, will give him strength to endure even greater perils, and bravely said: /
can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13).
Our present day disasters are terrible for us because
they befall us not as a result of the strength of our faith but be¬cause we do
not endure them for Christ. Hence we do not set our hopes on being crowned for
them.
We are made helpless in the struggle with adversities
because we are not strengthened by the power of Christ, and rely not on God,
but on human power and means. We forget the words of holy Scripture: Trust ye not
in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation ... Blessed is he
of whom the God of Jacob is his help, whose hope is in the lord his God. (Pss
145:3, 5), and: Except the lord build the house, in vain do they labour that
build it. (Pss 126:1).
We try to find a firm foundation apart from God, and
the prophet's words come to pass: Iherefore this iniquity shall be to you like
a breach ready to fall, a bulge in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly,
in an instant. (Isa 30:13). Woe to those who lean on such walls! Just as the
falling wall crushes those who are leaning on it, so are perishing, along with
their false hopes, those who relied on them. Those hopes turn out to be a staff
of reed. (Ezek 29:6).
Things are different with those who seek God's help.
Our God is refuge and strength, a helper in afflictions which mightily befall
us. Iherefore shall we notfear when the earth be shaken, nor when the mountains
be removed into the heart of the sea. (Pss 45:1-2).
He who relies on God fears nothing. He will not fear
an evil man. The lord is my light and my Saviour; whom then shall Ifear? The
lord is the defender of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid? (Pss 26:1). He
is not afraid of the horrors of war. Though a host should array itself against
me, my heart shall not be afraid; though war should rise up against me, in this
have I hoped. (Pss 26:3). He is calm when living at home. He that dwelleth in
the help of the Most High shall abide in the shelter of the God of Heaven. (Pss
90:1). He is ready to travel by sea. In the sea are Thy byways, and Thy paths
in many waters. (Pss 76:19). Daringly, as if on wings, he will fly through the
air into distant lands, saying: Even there shall Thy hand guide me, and Thy
right hand shall hold me. (Pss 138:9). He will not be afraid for the terror by
night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day, nor for the thing that walketh in
darkness, nor for the mishap and demon of noonday. (Pss 90:5-6).
He is not afraid of death, for to me, to live is
Christ, and to die is gain. (Phil. 1:21). Who shall separate us from the love
of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, orfamine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword?... neither death nor life, nor angels nor
principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height
nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God'(Rom 8:35-39).
The Lord says: Is not this the fast that I have
chosen, to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the
oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread
with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own
flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall
spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of
the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will
answer; you shall cry, and He will say, "Here I am." (Isa 58:6-9).
O Lord, teach me to do Thy will and hear me on the day
when we will call on Thee! Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us according as we
have hoped in Thee.
Amen.
Vol. 18, Issue 01-08 Page 11 Orthodox Heritage
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