CAN WE BE TRUE CHRISTIANS? ... [for us to want TO BE and TO BECOME and not TO HAVE!]

T A L M A C H
so much and simple

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                              Sermon on Sunday of All Bulgarian Saints 2010
                      [for us to want TO BE and TO BECOME and not TO HAVE!]

From: BulgarianOrthChurch| June 06, 2010 | 31 views

The sermon was delivered by His Grace, Bishop Photii, of Triaditsa,

at the Most Holy Theotokos Assumption Church, Sofia.

       In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit!

       Today, beloved, is a day of spiritual celebration of our native residents-of-heaven, of our spiritual fathers and mothers who have testified and are testifying that our ancestry is from the heaven, that man is a true man when he lives with God and sees neighbors as part of himself, sees them in this way – sincerely and kind-heartedly, and serves them with humility and love.

       What is the essence of today’s holiday and what is our share in it? Is this only the holiday? In a [certain] sequence: from worship – then we taste consecrated food – we talk a bit, we speak shortly or longer – and we leave! And – seemingly – with this the holiday is over! No, of course not! The essence of the holiday is by far NOT in this!

       We are called to partake in this celebration – not to attend it, but exactly to participate! And this holiday is not limited to this day only – today is only its most vivid expression! To have in essence a share in this holiday, to partake in it, means – to the extent of our, albeit small faith – to integrate ourselves with the lives of our native intercessors before God's throne. We need to desire to live with God, in God; we need to wish to integrate ourselves into the lives of our native saints, for us to want TO BE and TO BECOME and not TO HAVE!

       Not to possess, to have – earthly goods and human souls; not to fight for a small mass of earth; not to want to place human personalities in dependence, because we have a need to be loved and valued; not to want to pile our hearts with earthly treasures! But (rather) for us to want TO BE and TO BECOME! For us TO BE and TO BE FOR AGES of Christ; for us TO BE BEING and TO BE [become] humble servants of our neighbors in the name of Christ; for us TO BE and TO BECOME children of our native residents-of-heaven! This is, beloved, the condition for us to partake in today’s holiday!

       But not only this! I think it will not be exaggerated if I say that this is the condition for us to simply live as Christians. A conscious choice of ours is to be the choice ‘for us TO BE BEING and TO BE’! For us to consciously and firmly overthrow the choice I WANT TO – HAVE, TO OWN, TO GOVERN, for it TO BE MINE! The latter choice implies that the focus of our lives, of the meaning of this life – is we ourselves: I want to have, I want to own, I want to govern, I want them to value me, I want them to love me, I want them to listen to me, I want.... I want..., I want…

       Our native residents-of-heaven! forgive us and help us! Ask Christ the Savior to resurrect our souls, so we may become alive in Him, for us to utterly desire – from our whole beings – TO BE and TO BECOME, and not TO HAVE [want]; for us to utterly desire to live for the heavenly truth, for the eternal life in Jesus Christ, our Lord – Who together with His Father and with the Sweet and Life-giving Spirit may be most glorified now and ever and unto eternal ages! Amen!