Sermons & Homilies
Today marks the end of a particular cycle in the Church year. This cycle began with the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee, which is also the beginning of the Lenten Triodion. Today is the end of this period, not only the end but also its apex. It is an apex because the fruit of the work of Christ, which has been illustrated, exemplified, chanted about and homilized on since the beginning of Lent, is born out in the members of the Church. This fruit is the transformation of members of the Church into Saints. The Saints are those who are partakers of God, each in varying degrees and are recognized as such by the Church through their lives.
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This day is the culmination of all human history. Everything that came to pass from the day that Adam was cast out of Paradise, or rather from the very moment when the Lord God commanded: "Let there be light," was foreknown and invisibly directed by the unfathomable providence of God in order to lead precisely to this day. Every event of Christ's earthly life, His birth, His baptism, His teaching, His miracles, His Passion and Crucifixion, His Resurrection and Ascension, every act and every step He took was done in order that, on this day, the Holy Spirit might descend upon the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve.
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The Apostles stand gazing into heaven upon the ascending Christ until He is no longer visible to the physical eyes; but the mind and heart of the Apostles is fully transfixed in an immaterial vision upon Him as He ascends beyond the earth, beyond the whole physical universe, and beyond all the ranks of heavenly angels, sitting down upon His divine throne with our human nature.
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So, here we all are. We are gathered together into this Church, but maybe only physically; we see each other with our physical eyes, but do the eyes of our hearts see the God-like soul of each and every one? Do we understand that we are one body and spirit? We sense the presence of each other here; but do we sense each other’s gifts and virtues, pains and struggles, and silent prayers? Are we bound together by sympathy of mind and heart, bearing each other in our hearts with mutual joy, love, pity and prayer?
A meditation for the Sunday of All Saints, by a monk of the Hermitage.
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