“We Must Be Careful About How We Talk With Others”We must ask God to save us from these temptations that exceed our strength.
Part 7A
Wrath Is a VolcanoAn egotist wants everything to go according to his plans, as he drew it up in his mind and imagination. And when something goes a different way, he loses his temper and starts getting angry.
7B
Photo: pikabu.ru
In the last talk, we finished parsing the text of the Litany of Peace. While the deacon recites this litany, the priest is in the altar, standing before the holy altar table, reading a prayer in a low voice. Those praying in the church don’t hear it—they only hear the final exclamation. This prayer is called the “Prayer of the First Antiphon.” Let’s read and analyze it:
O Lord our God, Whose dominion is indescribable, and Whose glory is incomprehensible, Whose mercy is infinite, and Whose love for mankind is ineffable: Do thou thyself, O Master, according to Thy tender compassion, look upon us, and upon this holy temple, and deal with us, and them that pray with us, according to Thine abundant mercies and compassions.
The Divine Liturgy is a conversation between man and God: The priest addresses God in his prayers, and God answers through the grace of the Holy Spirit He sends down, and this is how God and man meet.
The prayer begins with the words:
O Lord our God, Whose dominion is indescribable, and Whose glory is incomprehensible, Whose mercy is infinite, and Whose love for mankind is ineffable.
No matter what a man says about God, he can’t describe Him. We call God good, the lover of mankind, merciful, tender-hearted—you can give Him a thousand other names, but in the exact sense of these words, God is none of these things, since He can’t be limited by a human definition. If we can put it this way, God is both this way and not this way. For example, God is good, but He’s also not good, because He’s above the definition of goodness. Nevertheless, we feel and experience the boundless, incomprehensible, inexpressible presence of God in our hearts. And every one of us, from a newborn infant to a man on the verge of death, experiences the presence of God in his own special way, known only to him. That’s why the Church doesn’t exclude a single person from the liturgical assembly.
Sometimes we hear: “Why should I go to church if I don’t understand anything in the service?” Of course, it’s very good when we understand what’s happening in the service. But how can a baby understand? How can a deaf person understand? How can a foreigner understand? How can a child with Down syndrome understand? Don’t any of them need to come to Liturgy? Of course they do. After all, the Divine Liturgy isn’t some kind of intellectual activity. The significance of the Liturgy lies in the fact that we who are praying become partakers of the Divine grace that is poured out in church during the Liturgy. Infants, the mentally disabled, the sick, and those close to death can all become partakers of this grace, regardless of whether their brains are capable of understanding the external actions of worship and its mystical meaning.
Some understand the meaning of, for example, the expression: “Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace,” and that’s very good. But those who don’t understand the meaning of this phrase don’t suffer any harm; misunderstanding doesn’t prevent them from becoming partakers of the grace of the mystery of Christ celebrated during the Liturgy.
Of course, that doesn’t mean we abolish rational worship, that we reject the need for understanding. Without a doubt, we should understand what’s said during the Liturgy—we receive much more benefit this way. But what can we do if our circumstances and situation are such that the services are beyond our comprehension?
We have a foreign monk here in the monastery. When he arrived, he didn’t know a single word of Greek. We communicated in French. This brother would stand in church for hours, praying, and participating in the services as if he knew everything by heart. It didn’t bother him at all that he didn’t understand the readings and hymns. We asked him:
“Do you understand anything?”
“No, nothing.”
I can say that he wasn’t harmed or damaged by his lack of understanding.
He has now learned Greek, but at that time, he didn’t know a single word.
There is a sacred connection between God and man. When we pray, we stand before God, speaking to Him openly and honestly, revealing our innermost thoughts and feelings. It is essential to pray with utmost reverence and attention, realizing that speaking to God is a profound and extraordinary act. Just like St. Nektarios of Aegina addressed the Mother of God with utmost respect, we should approach God with a similar reverence.
During the Liturgy, the Church addresses God in a theological manner, expressing its deep reverence and awe. Instead of simply making requests like in a grocery store, we communicate with God differently, acknowledging His infinite mercy and love for mankind. We ask God to look upon us with compassion, knowing that we do not deserve it.
The priest concludes the prayer with a declaration of glory, honor, and worship to the Holy Trinity, and the choir responds with “Amen.” Everything belongs to God, and our role is to respond to His call and do our best to meet the needs of our time. Just as saints like St. John the Merciful and St. Athanasius the Great responded to the challenges of their era, we are called to help one another in times of crisis and difficulty.
In times of need, God can provide for us, but showing mercy and support to our neighbors is essential for our own spiritual growth. Just as Queen Esther hesitated before approaching the king to save her people, we are called to act with courage and compassion towards others, knowing that God can work through us in miraculous ways. Mordecai conveyed to Esther: “If you approach the king and he listens to you, God will bless you and your entire household. But if you let fear hold you back and do not go to the king, God will find another way to save His people, but you and your family will perish” (Esther 4:7-14).
This message serves as a reminder for us today. While God is fully capable of aiding the needy without our assistance, those who neglect to provide for their neighbors will not receive blessings from God. We are called to demonstrate our faith in various ways each day, whether through fasting, giving to those in need, or upholding the teachings of the Church. It is imperative that we remain faithful to God in all circumstances, as our ultimate glory, honor, and worship belong to Him.
As we strive to glorify God, we, as His children, partake in the blessings He bestows upon the world. Everything we do within the Church carries significance that extends into eternity, as death has been conquered, and our actions and words have eternal implications. Therefore, every aspect of our lives holds value and importance.
The journey continues, with our commitment to faith and service leading us towards the endless ages of God’s kingdom.
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