November 2009

26th Sunday after Pentecost – the Rich Man.

Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

The Gospel for last Sunday related to us the parable about the Merciful Samaritan and finished with these words: “Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise” (Lk. 10:37). And today’s Gospel — how does it end? “But God said unto him… This night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Lk. 12:20)

Here are two different ways. They both bring us to our last moment — to death. But there is no death, but rather eternal life. This means that these different paths bring us to the mysterious passage, to the meeting with eternity. All of us have to meet this “mysterious something.” And this meeting will prove to be the most important moment of our entire life on earth, basically what we have lived for. There aren’t even words in our language to express it; but today’s Gospel and also last Sunday’s Gospel give us some indications of this moment, this meeting. At the end of one way will thunder the terrible word, “Fool!” (Lk. 12:20). At the end of the other way, the Gospel does not even give us the word which we will hear, but says only: “Go, and do thou likewise!” This means, only do the same, act in the same way! And you will receive what no words can express.Continue Reading

25th Sunday after Pentecost – the Merciful Samaritan.

Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

“And, behold, a certain lawyer… tempted Him [Christ], saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself (Lk. 10:25-27).

Remember, brothers and sisters, how the Holy Church brought us to this passage in the Gospel narrative. Remember last Sunday how Jairus, a Jewish prince, came to Christ. His daughter was dying and he could find help nowhere. She was dying. And so he ran to Christ, fell at His feet and asked for help. She was dying — his only daughter. Christ went with him and Jairus walked with Christ. Maybe this was not long, but in the mind of Jairus it was the way of his whole life. He should be close by his dying daughter…but he hoped. He hoped because he believed that Christ could perform something great, could perform a healing which no one else could do. And this is like away of life.Continue Reading

24th Sunday after Pentecost – the Resurrection of Jairus’ Daughter.

Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

Last Sunday’s reading from the Apostle told us that we are saved by Grace, and that Grace is received through faith, and this is the gift of God. And we were shown what faith is in a striking example.

And here, even today’s Gospel speaks about faith. To some degree we all possess it. But because it is imperfect, our faith is often subject to temptations. And the most terrible, the strongest of such temptations, is the death of a person near and dear to us. I think that the majority of those present here have already lived through, or are now living through, this incurable grief. But if not, it is something which will inevitably come. Today’s Gospel gives us a classic example of how, in spite of all the difficulty of such an experience, it is possible to endure it. And at the same time it shows us again how much we need faith. For only through faith does God give us and will give us His power of Grace not to fall spiritually in such a terrible moment.Continue Reading

23rd Sunday after Pentecost – the Possessed Gadarene

Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

“Now the man out of whom the demons were departed besought Him that he might be with Him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and tell what great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him” (Lk. 8:38-39).

So, brothers and sisters, ends today’s Gospel reading where, as you heard, the Lord tells the healed man to reveal the mystery of his healing before all the Gadarene people. And this is what he did. The Gospel does not tell us how he related what had happened to him; but according to the meaning of the Gospel narrative, we can fully imagine what he must have said and what he most likely did say. Here is what he must have said:Continue Reading

22st Sunday after Pentecost – the Rich Man and Lazarus

Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

Brothers and sisters, have you noticed how the Holy Church for a long time now has been telling us about the Word of God? With His Word Christ calmed the storm, healed the servant of the centurion and the daughter of the Canaanite woman, raised the son of the widow of Nain, and filled five thousand people with five loaves of bread. By His Word, the miraculous catch offish was accomplished. And even today’s Gospel reading speaks about the Word of God. “There was a certain rich man,” relates the Gospel, “which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores” (Lk. 16:19-21).Continue Reading