September: Day 20: Teaching 2: Holy Right-Believing Prince Michael and Boyar Theodore, Wonderworkers of Chernigov

September: Day 20: Teaching 2:
Holy Right-Believing Prince Michael and Boyar Theodore, Wonderworkers of Chernigov
 
(Why Do We Live In This World?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. On the day of the Wonderworkers of Chernigov, who courageously confessed their Christian faith before the Tatars and sacrificed their lives so as not to be deprived of the Heavenly Kingdom and eternal blessedness with Christ, it will be appropriate now to talk with you, my brethren, about the fact that the salvation of the soul or the attainment of the Kingdom of Heaven is the highest object of all human aspirations.

II. Indeed, why was man created? Why do we live in this world? This is an important question we must ask ourselves as often as possible! Do we really exist merely to be born, live a little, and then die, like other animals? Are we really created to spend our entire lives worrying, fussing, searching, tormenting ourselves, suffering, and then disappearing? No! We were created for blessedness. The search for blessedness is an indelible and unquenchable feeling in man; and that is why we see that every person, both intelligent and foolish, savage and enlightened, old and young — each and every one of them wants good for himself, wants to live better, all seek well-being. And although not all seek in the same way, and not all consider the same thing to be their highest good, there is not a single person in the world who would not want to be prosperous, at least as he understands and perceives it. Thus, the savage wants to be well-fed and contented, and to have what he likes. Thus, the poor want to be rich, the rich want to be honored and celebrated; the official and distinguished want to be famous — and so on. In short, everyone wants to be happy and blessed, according to their own standards.

a) But what does our well-being consist of? What does our happiness consist of? What exactly should we seek for our blessedness: wealth, rank, pleasure, or something else in the world? No! All this is empty, all this is a shadow; all this will never constitute our well-being. Yes, it is true, sometimes something worldly amuses and delights us. But for how long? For a moment, and truly, no more. Ask the rich, and not even those who were born rich, because such rich people do not know the value of wealth - but ask those rich people who became rich from poor people - ask them: are they happy? are they blessed? But why ask the rich people of today: they are all beggars before Solomon. So, let us look at this king, let us hear what he says about himself - was he happy? It is known that Solomon was so rich that every household utensil in his entire palace was made of pure gold. Solomon was so intelligent, learned, and enlightened that no man could ever become as intelligent, learned, and enlightened on his own. Solomon was so powerful that whatever he desired, and almost anything he wished for, was fulfilled. And finally, with all this, Solomon enjoyed health, tranquility, peace, and the prosperity of his kingdom, the love of his subjects and the respect of his neighbors. In short, Solomon was apparently so happy that one foreign queen envied not only him, but even those who served him. But with all this, was Solomon content with all he had? Was Solomon truly happy? Did he call himself blessed, despite all his apparent blessedness? Oh no! He fully experienced all the world's possible pleasures, and in his old age he admitted that there is no true and lasting happiness in the world: everything in the world is vanity of vanities and every kind of vanity. - So, if even Solomon could not find well-being in this world, then when and where will we find it! And is it really true that there is no happiness or well-being for us in this world? No, there is happiness and blessedness for us - eternal happiness, true and unchanging blessedness - the Kingdom of Heaven. This is our true and eternal good, happiness, well-being, and blessedness!

Only in the Kingdom of Heaven will man be completely content, eternally happy, joyful and cheerful every moment, always at peace. In a word, only in the Kingdom of Heaven can man be completely blessed. And without the Kingdom of Heaven, no one will ever find blessedness. So, what should we desire for ourselves? What should we seek for ourselves - wealth, honor, glory? No! Only the Kingdom of Heaven. Everything in the world is dust, ashes, smoke, and shadow; everything, even the highest enlightenment, is empty for man; everything merely irritates the heart of man, but does not satisfy it; only the Kingdom of Heaven can so satisfy man that he will forever and ever desire nothing more. And so, brethren! Let us direct all our desires, all our thoughts, all our petitions, all our prayers, all our efforts toward obtaining the Kingdom of Heaven. Ah, how happy and most blessed are those people who have received the Kingdom of Heaven! They, living on earth, were as in paradise. But, my God! How blessed they will be there, in heaven! What is there, in the Kingdom of Heaven, is so great that the Apostle Paul, who was caught up into paradise while still alive, said that the blessedness which God has prepared in the kingdom of heaven for those who love Him is so great that no man has ever seen or heard of it, and could never imagine it, and therefore it cannot be described in any language. Ah, how blessed are those people who have been deemed worthy to receive the Kingdom of Heaven, how enviable is their state! And who among us would not wish for such blessedness? It would seem that we should think only about the Kingdom of Heaven, and be concerned only about it. But it is a strange thing: man, with all his intelligence, with all his enlightenment and all his experiences, very often seeks the temporal and forsakes the eternal; he labors for the vain, and neglects the true and essential; he cares about obtaining earthly things, and does not think about heavenly ones. How often does it happen that we spend all kinds of labor and effort for empty pleasures, sparing neither money nor health; but for the Kingdom of Heaven, so to speak, we are unwilling to lift a finger. For the sake of our empty whims, we endure shortcomings and even insults; but for the Kingdom of Heaven, we are unwilling to sacrifice anything! Everything is easy for us for ourselves, but for God, it seems difficult even to bow down. And how many excuses we have, how many justifications for not wanting to care for the Kingdom of Heaven!

b) Many even think that if we think and care only about the Kingdom of Heaven, then all our worldly affairs and duties will stop and collapse. It is very unfair, even insulting to God to think this way! Jesus Christ does not command us to abandon and completely forsake all worldly duties and affairs, does not command us to retreat into the desert, does not forbid us to seek earthly happiness, but only in such a way that the Kingdom of Heaven is our first deed and desire. He says: "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all else shall be added unto you," that is, we must have primary care for the Kingdom of God, and then concern ourselves with worldly duties; and when we receive and attain the righteousness of the Kingdom of Heaven, then all else will come, so to speak, of itself; all else: wealth, honor, and glory will be given to us, as if in addition. And we will even say that anyone who desires to be rich, famous, or enlightened can most quickly and reliably achieve this when they find the Kingdom of Heaven. "Piety is beneficial for all things," says Holy Scripture. True piety can never be inappropriate, harmful, or completely contrary, anywhere, at any time, or in any capacity.

III. Therefore, if you hold an official position in society, do not shirk your duties; fulfill them as befits the obligations and honor of a citizen, and with all diligence, but at the same time, do not forget the Kingdom of God. If you are a father or a mother in the family, do not neglect your responsibilities; raise your children and care for them as diligently as possible, yet do not forget the Kingdom of Heaven. If you are a master and have servants, take care of them as a father would, employ them for your services, but also ensure that both you and they have a place in the Kingdom of Heaven. If anyone is a servant or in service to someone, do not seek freedom on your own terms, but serve your master as you would the Lord Jesus Christ, while also not forgetting the Kingdom of Heaven. In short, seeking the Kingdom of Heaven does not hinder any of our obligations or duties. Therefore, brethren! If we wish to be happy and blessed, let us earnestly seek the Kingdom of Heaven, endeavor to receive the Holy Spirit, and strive to become holy.

 

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.