Prologue in Sermons: February 25

On Communion with God

February 25

(From the Discourse of Saint Antiochus on the Calling of God)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

We must seek communion with God. Why? Because it is to this communion that God Himself calls us.

“If you will listen to My voice,” He says, “you shall be My chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation; and you shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. I have chosen you as My own special people.”

And Wisdom says: “Draw near to Me, you who desire Me, and be satisfied with My sweetness, for I am sweeter than honey. He who eats of Me shall hunger no more, and he who listens to Me shall not be put to shame.”

And again: “Come, eat My bread and drink the wine which I have prepared for you; forsake folly and you shall live, and seek understanding.”

And David says: “Draw near to Him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed.”

And the Apostle declares: “If you have been raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father,” and he adds that He brings us to Himself. “Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Let us therefore draw near to the throne of the glory of God, that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help.”

And the Lover of mankind, God, calls us, saying: “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls; for My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Antiochus on the Calling of God).

Thus, we must seek communion with God, because God Himself calls us to this communion.

But is there any benefit to us from this communion?

Venerable Seraphim of Sarov says:

“Once I prayed to the Lord that He would bring me into communion with Him and show me His heavenly dwellings. And the Lord did not deprive me of His mercy. He fulfilled my desire and my request; I was caught up into those dwellings — only I do not know whether in the body or out of the body. God knows; it is incomprehensible. And of that joy and heavenly sweetness which I tasted there, it is impossible to speak.”

After prolonged silence, sighing from the depths of his soul, Saint Seraphim said to his disciple:

“Ah, if you only knew what joy, what sweetness awaits the soul of the righteous in heaven, you would resolve in this temporal life to endure every sorrow, persecution, and slander with thanksgiving… There is neither sickness nor sorrow nor sighing there… There is joy and sweetness beyond words; there the righteous will shine like the sun. But if even the Apostle Paul could not explain such heavenly glory, what human tongue can describe the glory and beauty of the heavenly dwelling in which the righteous souls abide?” (Teachings from the Life of St. Seraphim, Archpriest V. Guriev, pp. 22–23.)

Therefore, brethren, as you see, there is benefit for us in communion with the Lord — and the greatest benefit, for there can be no higher happiness for a human being. Let us then seek this communion with all the strength of our soul and strive toward the Lord. Let us remember that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20); and remembering this, while living on earth in the body, let us at the same time live in heaven in the spirit. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.