Sermons & Homilies
The memory of the righteous is praised, says King Solomon (Proverbs 10:7 LXX); but the Lord’s testimony suffices the righteous one we remember today. What testimony? Among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist(Matthew 11:11). What honor can our praises add to one who boasts such an eminent witness? How can the life that today is crowned with a glorious death be fittingly honored? The life of St. John the Baptist towers so far above the life of ordinary, mortal men as to rival that of the angels. Indeed, the Prophet Malachi calls him such when he speaks of him, saying, Behold, I send my messenger—that is, αγγελος, angel—before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee(Malachi 3:1, Mark 1:2).
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Our Savior begins His parable by telling us the story of ourselves, of every single Christian who has ever repented before Almighty God. He speaks of a servant owing a great and unfathomable debt, one which he does not have even the slightest hope of ever repaying. In the parable of the talents, the Lord described those who were given one, two, or perhaps even five talents; truly the gifts of God are great and precious, and some have calculated a single talent to have been worth the wages of six years of labor. So when we hear today that the servant owed ten thousand talents, we must understand that such a sum was utterly impossible for him to acquire.
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Throughout the Gospels, the divinity of Christ is revealed whether it be through the Annunciation, at His Nativity or at His Baptism. Similarly, there are several accounts where the light and glory of God is made manifest such as with Saul on the road to Damascus, or at the martyrdom of Stephen. However, in these events, His divine nature is not so manifest as it is during the Transfiguration. It is at the Transfiguration where the fullness of who Christ is becomes apparent alongside the means by which His creation is able to receive this, that is, through the opening of their spiritual eyes.
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High up from his hilltop, Jesus saw and knew all. Before he had even sent the disciples away, he knew what he would do. He bided his time until the moment was right. Late at night, about the fourth watch, just before dawn, Jesus came down from the mountain, and calmly walked into the storm. The waves fell at his feet like sheep, meek as a lamb. All things are his servants—the waters made him a path. Water like solid earth held up him who fixed the earth upon the waters. The Voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the God of glory hath thundered; the Voice of the Lord with power, the Voice of the Lord with majesty. His way is in the sea, and his paths in many waters; and his footsteps shall not be known.
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Today we celebrate the memory of just such a saint — the holy Equal to the Apostles and Enlightener of All Russia, Saint Vladimir the Grand Prince of Kiev. And although, as we have just heard, many among the saints once lived very sinful lives, I might dare to say that few ever lived such lives of exceeding filth and depravity as did St. Vladimir before his conversion to Christianity.
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