Christian Violence

We’ve been nourished with the Bread of Life. We’ve given thanks. We’ve sung we have seen the Light the true Light and received the heavenly Spirit. We’ve partaken of Christ who is our Life. It is fitting that we should continue with the words from the epistle reading today, which is Colossians 3:4-11. “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” We have a tendency to pause right there, at least we want to. We kind of glance from side to side and say I’m good. We’re good. It’s all good. Close the book. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. Let’s depart and go in peace. But the apostle doesn’t stop there. While it’s true you also will appear with Him in glory, that’s not the end of the story. The little word ‘therefore’ comes next. There is always a therefore. There is always an in between time between then and now. It is called the present. St. Paul says, in the meantime, while you are waiting to appear with Him in glory, here is what you are to do. It is something that requires great courage and strength, courage on your part and heavenly strength on His part.

(νεκρωσατε) We are to mortify, put to death, to make to become lifeless our earthly members like fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness. The image is of a corpse lying on a cold slab of stone. When you lift up the arm of the body from the table and let it go, it falls back to the slab with a lifeless thud. We are commanded to act without compassion, but not without struggle. This is an imperative, not a suggestion, or just a good idea. Mortify your earthly members. But interestingly, we are not told the manner of execution. We are given a command, but the manner by which the death sentence is to be carried out we are left to perceive in the Holy Scriptures and the teachings of our Church.

Jesus himself said, “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’” (John 15:20) What’s that Lord? I don’t quite follow you. He says again, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24). Saint Paul explains to us “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

The manner of execution comes into focus; we are to crucify ourselves. (νεκρωσατε) We are to put to death within ourselves such things as fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness. The command is given. It is now up to us to carry out the sentence. It requires courage. He gives us the strength to do it. Our Lord said, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) We are to deny ourselves, take up our cross, lie down on that cross, crucify ourselves, and stay put. That is the only means by which we render these things lifeless. This is the way to blessedness. But often we say, why does it have to be so hard? This is too difficult. I can’t do it. I want to be at peace. I don’t want to be at war. You’re right. It is hard. It is a battle. It’s almost like hand to hand combat. Only this field of battle takes place on the spiritual plane. It is difficult to take on a raging beast like fornication. It is difficult to quench the fiery blast of passions. It is difficult to purify ourselves of evil desires. It requires great courage and heavenly strength.

We are in a battle. All of us have been conscripted. We are called into combat. We cannot avoid the battle. But there is a place of safety on the battle field, if you are willing to take it. You will not be retreating from the enemy, if you run to it for protection. But you have to know that if you want to take up this position you will find yourself on permanent guard duty and your position will be on the very front line of the battle. But, take courage and do not be afraid. You will also find that you are in the great stronghold of the saints. From this position the Church will set before you the detailed battle plan of the enemy. The Church will also arm you for combat. The Church will place in your hands the spiritual weapons we are to use against our enemy.

Prayer

The question is how we enter into combat with an invisible enemy. How do we do that? How do we even prepare ourselves to do that? The first weapon is prayer. It cannot be done without prayer. Prayer is the key. It makes all things happen. St. Theodoros the Great tell us the following. “The fathers define prayer as a spiritual weapon. Unless we are armed with it, we cannot engage in warfare, but are carried off as prisoners to the enemy’s camp.”

All the virtues and power of God are attained primarily by prayer. Without prayer, Thomas Hopko says, there is no spiritual life. Theophan the Recluse said, “If you are not successful in prayer, you will not be successful in anything, for prayer is the root of everything.” Prayer is essential before we can begin putting to death and making to become lifeless. Prayer is also essential to putting off the old man and putting on the new man fashioned in the image of the one who created him.

Penitence

OK, we know that it helps to pray. But in practical term, how do we put off the old man? What does that mean and how do we do that? It’s not enough to work up enough mental determination. It’s not enough simply to say OK I’m not going to do that any more and brow-beat ourselves a couple of times, or maybe a handful of times. It takes more than that. The Church knows that and our Lord knows that too. So how do we put off the old man? The word St. Paul uses provides the key.

(απεκδυσαμενοι) The word means to disrobe, to set aside, or put off. The word picture is that of an athlete stripping down in preparation for a contest. Which one of us, let’s say if you had gone to the gym or to the local Y for a good, old fashioned sweaty, push it to the max workout, which of us would put on business attire over our stinky, sweaty gym clothes and head to the office? Well, none of us. That would be uncomfortable, not to mention disgusting. The same is true in the spiritual life. We have to set aside and put off the dying and corrupted old man before we can put on the new, the robe of light and incorruption. You cannot put on the new over the old. It won’t work. It doesn’t fit. The Church enables us to put off, to set aside the old man through the sacrament of holy Confession. The second spiritual weapon is penitence. For the sake of our soul, each one of us needs to do this, without exception. In fact, I made my confession last Thursday. I want to recall that of which Father Steven reminded us. We all, each one of us, need to confess at least four times a year, at least prior to every great feast. This, beloved, is how we die and put off the old.

Participation

But our Lord Jesus who loves mankind does not leave us naked, vulnerable, and alone. The Church clothes us in garments of righteous and holiness. She comforts us and embraces us. She strengthens the new man through receiving Holy Communion. Our participation is the third spiritual weapon. St. Nicholas Cavasilas says, “Those whom the priest calls holy are not only those who have obtained perfection, but also those who are striving for it without having yet obtained it.” Holy is communion for sinner and saint alike. But make note of the sequence, the order. First we put off; then we put on. And notice at the tense of the verb (ανακαινουμενον). It is a passive verb. This is something that happens to you. It is a work of God that He does to you. We cannot bring this about on our own, by the will power of self. It is impossible, for it comes to us from above. We cannot renew ourselves. Our job is to put off and put on. It is His job to renew. St. Nicholas Cabasilas goes on to say, “By dispensation of His grace, Christ disseminates Himself in every believer through that flesh whose substance comes from the bread and wine, blending Himself with the bodies of believers, to secure that, by this union with the Immortal, man too may be a sharer in incorruption.” Brothers and sisters let us not forsake the holy chalice. But let us approach with the fear of God, with faith and love.

Before I conclude,

My brothers and sisters let us consider these things: prayer, penitence, and participation. Let us take them to heart and act upon them, especially now, during the time of preparation for the nativity of Christ. Pray. Come to holy Confession. Then, approach the holy Chalice. When we do, we are fulfilling these commands of the apostle: put to death, put off the old, and put on the new, the new man renewed after the (εικονα), the image of the One who created him.

Glory to thee, O Christ our God, glory to thee. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God in three Persons. Amen.