Homily Two on the Dormition of the Theotokos (Righteous Alexei Mechev)

Homily Two on the Dormition of the Theotokos*

By Righteous Alexei Mechev

(Delivered on August 15, 1914)

“From now on all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48).

With these words, the Most Holy Theotokos expressed her joyful awareness of her calling and her beneficial influence on the whole world, a grateful hope in her immortality not only in heaven but also on earth. And now, at the end of her days, she witnesses the fulfillment of her hopes: the faith in her Son and God growing and spreading, the Holy Apostles conquering the world, and her Name being revered everywhere where the Name of Christ is heard. It seemed to her that her life had not been in vain, that her existence on earth had not passed without a trace. "God has looked upon My humility, has magnified the dignity of the Mother of God. In Me and in My Son He has given the world high examples of perfection - and all nations will look upon Us, learn from Us and become better under Our invisible influence, they will honor My memory: 'From now on all generations will call me blessed' (Luke 1:48)."

Thus, the desire to leave a good memory on earth is a Christian desire, sanctified by the example of the Mother of God.

And so, for all of us, a lesson is presented today – to understand our calling on earth and, through our thoughts and actions, to set examples of edification, so to speak, to live for the sake of others even after we are gone. One feels a sadness imagining that thousands, millions of people have lived on earth just like us, experiencing joy and suffering in the same way – and where are they now, what are their names, what traces of their existence remain? Our turn will come – the inevitable, unrelenting death will appear. And what if nothing remains of us, if our names and deeds are consigned to oblivion, or perhaps the memory of us is overshadowed by our transgressions? Naturally, a desire arises to know by what means we can leave a good memory of ourselves.

A good memory is left by those who have fulfilled their duty and calling here on earth, who have developed and put into practice all the talents given by God, who have lived here a full Christian life. God gives each of us many powers and gifts, and at the same time indicates to each one his calling - entrusts a certain range of duties and occupations and imposes care for the satisfaction of one's needs under the invisible providence of Himself. We do not imagine a Christian as a purely spiritual being, detached from all earthly cares and attachments. He is, first of all, an inhabitant of the earth, which inevitably acts on him and imposes its duties and conditions of existence; he is a son of his fatherland, which he serves, and a member of humanity, to which he belongs, and at the same time he is a being gifted with mind and heart, with the needs of holy faith, knowledge and goodness, with aspirations for higher development on earth for heaven. In accordance with this calling, he has many different concerns: in relation to the world, it is his duty to work and arrange his external well-being; in relation to the fatherland, he must honestly fulfill the duties of his calling and serve for the common good and, moreover, he must engage in the work of his soul, adorning himself with a pure conscience and good deeds.

Whoever we may be, whatever tasks may lie upon us – whether ruling a household or fulfilling a public office, dealing with earthly matters or tending to heavenly affairs, whether cultivating the land or working in a workshop – in every instance we are called to unite the fulfilment of our Christian duties with the honest execution of our calling. Let us be engaged with the cares of life concerning comfort, family establishment, or success in service, yet it is unseemly if we limit ourselves to mere tangible pursuits and do not aspire to higher goals. Above all this, within us reside the needs of moral life – practice in the word of God, pious contemplation of the subjects of our holy faith, duties to God, to our neighbors, and to ourselves. How many of us truly preserve our calling in such a manner? Is it not the case that a significant portion squander precious time necessary for salvation in trivial concerns, neglecting the higher needs of the mind and heart, failing to ennoble themselves through aspirations toward the spiritual and the heavenly? Such individuals will leave no memory of themselves.

Meanwhile, among us, in our daily lives, in the most modest existence, there may be cases and actions for which blessings are expected on earth. The honest fulfillment of one's duty, to which one is called, regardless of how insignificant it may seem; the struggle against disappointments and obstacles that are encountered everywhere in the performance of our responsibilities; contentment amidst the reality one is surrounded by, even if it is poor and harsh – these, indeed, are great deeds worthy of respect.

And what about honest deeds, feats of self-sacrifice, generosity, charity, perhaps invisible to the world, but nevertheless requiring much spiritual strength? For instance, a person who does not like to showcase their virtues, but is capable of concealing them even from their own vanity – and after performing a good deed, they turn to other pursuits as if they had done nothing extraordinary. Here is another: they do not know what it means to judge others, but are able to endure all slander and mockery, hatred, bear insults without irritation, forgive enemies and not seek revenge. Here are the laborers of life: amidst a poor reality, they engage in a small struggle against need, deprivation, suffering – yet do not lose heart, do not grumble, but cheerfully bear their yoke. A craftsman who barely feeds his family through hard work and, nonetheless, does not resort to illegal means of deception; a day laborer who honestly performs his lowly tasks and remains a faithful and sincere admirer of God – they are esteemed both before God and people.

Do you think that such deeds and similar acts pass without a beneficial trace, lost in time and eternity? No, whoever he may be, if he honestly fulfills his calling, he does not live in vain on this earth: his way of life, his deeds will find imitators, and he will leave behind a good memory. His name may remain unknown, but the example of his good life, his useful and benevolent deeds will live on: "The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance" (Ps. 111:6). No less sympathy is evoked by, and perhaps even more so in grateful memory live those individuals who acted directly for the benefit of the world and served the common good. "The merciful will never be forgotten" (Ecclesiasticus 44:9). You know, dear ones, how highly love for one's neighbor is esteemed in our holy faith: it is because we honor in each person his moral dignity and show respect for society as the Kingdom of God on earth. The Son of God Himself, having appeared on earth, "did not come to be served, but to serve" (Mark 10:45), and all His life bears witness to this. The Most Holy Mother of God – what name do we attribute to Her more often and with greater compassion than the name of Intercessor and Helper in all needs and circumstances? In our very lives, we are all placed in such relationships that we always exert mutual influence on one another, whether it be beneficial or harmful. We do not speak of the influence of parents, superiors, or those older in age: their examples inevitably impact an entire circle of people and are reflected in their way of thinking, morals, and actions.

Why is it that in a different society, home, or circle of people, diligence, frugality, the spirit of piety, and good practices thrive, passing down from generation to generation? It is because among their ancestors there was a man of honor and truth, who, through his life and character, imparted a spirit to his descendants; he is no longer with them, but his exemplary life remains and serves as guidance, his spirit seems to live among them.

Beautiful virtues, like good seeds, always bear gracious fruits: by manifesting themselves to the world, they find imitators and thus spread more and more. Every useful action does not go in vain, but like a drop falling on the ground, it turns to the benefit of humanity. You may stand out with the brilliance of honors and merits; you may have amassed wealth and possessions; you may have astonished the world with feasts and extravagance; even if intellect and education have been bestowed upon you and served your vanity, little will remain in the memory of posterity, except reproaches and regrets that all these goods have gone to waste and brought no benefit to anyone. The true benefactor of humanity is one who has instigated a useful institution, contributed to the improvement of morals, alleviated poverty, engaged the idle, comforted the weak, and lightened harsh fates; thus providing help, satisfying needs, and drying tears. If you have rejected a bad habit that serves as a temptation for many; if you have adopted the custom of spending festive days in the quiet company of your family; if, during long evenings, you recount a moral story to your household – these are all good deeds that will benefit many.

The life of the people is poor in spiritual feeling, there are questions and aspirations to which we cannot remain indifferent. Just look at the questions that have now arisen regarding the improvement of the living conditions of our poor brethren, regarding the introduction of education for the lowest strata of society, regarding the enhancement of justice and truth, and regarding respect for the weak and the frail. It is a joy to live with these universally beneficial thoughts and to lend our support to the common cause of our own well-being. We should not expect everything from the actions of the authorities placed above us: we must take it upon ourselves to establish our own welfare, to initiate the transformation of social deficiencies from within ourselves, and to arm ourselves more rigorously against any injustice within ourselves and in others.

In the same spirit of the times, there are also disreputable aspirations that we are all more or less infected by – which, however, greatly harm your common good. Such passions in our time are vanity and luxury: they have permeated all classes and are corrupting the morals of the people. The majority of individuals live and act under the influence of a single thought: to please public judgment and propriety, to shine before others, to display virtues that do not exist, to compel others to speak of them, and to generally acquire human praise. This is vanity – the passion of a person to appear as something they are not, to live and act for the sake of appearances. From this desire to live more for outward appearances arises a new evil: the passion to live above one's means and state, to surround oneself with habits and pleasures incompatible with one’s station; the passion to indulge in luxury and, from this, another new evil: the drive to enrich oneself by any means possible, no longer content with honest labor. And thus it is our duty not to be carried away by the common example, but rather to present a model of a chaste and moderate life, being content with the state in which we have been placed. By this, we will serve the common good and benefit our brethren; our example will find imitators, and our memory will not be forgotten. Therefore, here are simple yet Christian means by which we can leave behind a good memory, not just in name, but in deed. Let us fulfill our calling on earth with honesty and sanctity, no matter how small it may be, to serve society and the good of humanity in every possible way.

Then, at the end of our days, we shall not fear the final hour, nor shall we be horrified at the sight of death approaching us: reflecting on our past lives, we shall encounter death with a feeling, indeed, of natural confusion that is common to all, but in hope of God's mercy, we shall meet death as a path leading us to immortality and blessed eternity. Amen.

Notes:

* Spoken on August 15. Year unknown. Published according to the “Typewritten copy” from the archive of E. V. Apushkina.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.