Homily for the First Sunday of Luke (St. Cleopa of Sihastria)

 

Homily for the First Sunday of Luke, 
or Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost

On the Fruits of Obedience to God

“Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; but at Your word we will let down the nets.” (Luke 5:5)

By St. Cleopa of Sihastria

Beloved faithful,

From the beginning of the creation of the world, all people who have obeyed God have been blessed, both in the present age and in the age to come. Thus we see that, as long as our foreparents, Adam and Eve, obeyed God, their Creator, and faithfully kept His commandment, they were blessed and enjoyed all the beauty and delight of Paradise. But when, of their own free will, they turned away from obedience and transgressed the commandment of their Creator, they were punished and driven out of Paradise (Genesis 3:16–19). If we look back through the sacred history of the world, that is, through what is written in the Holy and Divine Scripture, we shall see that all the holy and chosen people of God who obeyed and fulfilled His commandments were blessed on earth and deemed worthy of the blessing of God.

Noah, who was the second Adam of the human race, obeying God and building the ark and doing all that He had commanded him, was delivered, together with his entire family, from the waters of the Flood and was blessed by God (Genesis 6:22; 9:12). Likewise, the blessed patriarch Abraham, obeying God and departing from his land and from his kindred, went to Haran and from there to the promised land, Canaan, where, as he lived there, he demonstrated the most perfect obedience, to the extent that he was willing to offer his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God, thereby mystically prefiguring the offering as a sacrifice by the heavenly Father of His beloved Son for the salvation and redemption of the human race from bondage to the devil. Because of this faith and perfect obedience of Abraham, God blessed him with an oath and called him the father of many nations (Genesis 22:1–18; 17:5). But in addition to the great divine blessing leading to eternal blessedness, Abraham was also blessed by God with temporal happiness, so that he might have an abundance of all that was necessary for life on earth. The divine Scripture says: “Now Abraham was rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold, and the land which he had inherited for his dwelling was like the Paradise of God” (Genesis 13:2, 10). Likewise, his son Isaac was blessed by God because he did not go down into Egypt, obeying His commandment (Genesis 26:2–4).

Thus God also blessed Jacob because he obeyed his father Isaac and his mother and went to Mesopotamia of Syria in order to take a wife from the daughters of Laban, his mother’s brother (Genesis 28:1–4). For this reason, the Most Good God blessed him with honor and wealth, for he departed with only his staff in his hand and returned from there with two camps (Genesis 32:10). Likewise Moses obeyed God when he was sent to bring the people of Israel out of the bondage of Pharaoh (Exodus 4:20–21), and for his obedience God worked great and glorious miracles through his hands, by which He punished the Egyptians with many kinds of plagues and brought His people Israel out of the bondage of Pharaoh (Exodus 14:27–29).

The Good God makes great promises to those who will obey Him and His commandments. Hear what God says to His people Israel: “If you will listen carefully to My word and do all that I command you, and if you will keep My covenant, you shall be My chosen people from among all the nations, for all the earth is Mine, and you shall be to Me a royal priesthood and a holy nation” (Exodus 23:22). Then He says: “You shall serve only the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread, your wine, and your water, and He will drive sickness away from you. In your land there shall be no woman who gives birth prematurely or is barren, and I will fulfill the number of your days. I will send terror before you and will terrify all the people against whom you shall go, and I will put all your enemies to flight” (Exodus 23:25–27). Again He says: “If you walk according to My laws and keep and fulfill My commandments, I will give you rain in due season, and the land and the trees will yield their fruits; your threshing will continue until the grape harvest. The grape harvest will continue until the sowing, you will eat your bread with thanksgiving, and you will live in your land without danger. I will send peace upon your land, and no one will trouble you; I will drive away the wild beasts, and the sword shall not pass through your land; I will drive away your enemies, and they shall fall slain before you; five of you shall overcome a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight, and your enemies shall fall by the sword before you. I will look upon you and bless you; you shall have children, you shall multiply, and I will remain steadfast in My covenant with you; you shall eat the old produce from past years and remove the old to make room for the new” (Leviticus 26:3–10).

Beloved faithful,

With these very few words concerning the happiness and blessing of God for those who obey Him under the Old Law, if we now turn our discourse toward the Law of Grace, we shall find that the greatest and most perfect obedience and submission to God was shown by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Himself, Who obeyed the Father unto death, “even the death of the cross” (Matthew 26:42; John 1:23; 6:38; 8:29; 14:31; 15:10; 17:4; Philippians 2:8; Romans 5:19; Hebrews 2:17; 5:8; 12:2).

Obedience and submission to God were also shown by the Most Holy Virgin Mary when God sent the Archangel Gabriel to her in Nazareth of Galilee to announce to her that she would give birth to Christ, the Son of God and Savior. Although she did not know a man, understanding from the angel the great and certain mystery that God was about to accomplish through her for the salvation of the world, she submitted with great humility and said to the angel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:26–38). Thus, through her obedience and humility on earth, she healed Eve’s disobedience in Paradise.

The Righteous Joseph also showed great obedience, for when he heard in a dream the angel of the Lord commanding him not to be afraid and to take Mary as his betrothed, he obeyed with great trust, understanding that the Most Pure Virgin Mary had conceived of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). Not only did he not doubt her conception, but with great humility and submission he also served the Virgin Mary during the flight into Egypt, as well as throughout the whole course of his life, understanding that by this he was serving God in the mystery of the salvation of the human race, remembering what is written: “Blessed are those who keep His commandments and seek Him with all their heart” (Psalm 118:2); and again, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke 11:28).

The holy and divine Apostles also obeyed the Savior when they were called to become fishers of men (Matthew 4:19–22; Luke 5:11–28). Because of their perfect obedience to Christ, they were also deemed worthy of great gifts from God and were clothed with power from on high at Pentecost (Luke 24:49). Thus they were taught all truth by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26); they were endowed with wisdom beyond all expectation (Matthew 10:19–20; Mark 13:11); they received power to perform miracles (Matthew 10:1–8; Mark 3:13; 6:7; 16:20; Luke 9:2; Acts 2:43); they were sent to preach the gospel (Matthew 10:1–7; 28:19; Mark 3:14); and they were strengthened to proclaim the mercy and forgiveness of sins (Matthew 16:19; 18:18; Luke 24:47; John 20:23).

At the future judgment, the Apostles will have the great honor of judging together with Christ the people of Israel, according to the testimony of the Savior, Who said: “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the renewal of the world, when the Son of Man shall sit upon the throne of His glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28).

Perfect obedience was also shown by the great multitude of Martyrs, Hierarchs, and Confessors of the true faith who, fulfilling the words of the Savior, laid down their souls for Him and for the gospel in order to gain Him in eternal life (Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24). Likewise, the great multitude of monastics, hearing the word of Christ, that “whoever leaves brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or wife or children, or fields or houses for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29), left everything and followed Christ through submission, obedience, a pure life, and voluntary poverty until death, for the salvation of their souls and the inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven. Likewise, all the righteous who came after Christ, our fathers and forefathers, lived under obedience, striving to obey and fulfill His commandments through good works, in order to be crowned on the great day of the final judgment, when the righteous Judge will reward each according to his works.

In today’s Gospel, we see that the Apostle Peter, after showing that he had labored all night fishing and had caught nothing, wishing to obey his Teacher, that is, the Savior, says to Him: “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing, but at Your word” (that is, believing Your word, I will obey) “I will cast the net into the sea. And having done this, he caught a multitude of fish, so that the nets were breaking, and he signaled to his companions in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they were ready to sink” (Luke 5:6–7).

Do you see the fruits of the holy obedience of the Apostle Peter? Although he had labored in vain throughout the entire night, nevertheless, obeying the word of the Lord, he cast the net into the sea and was greatly astonished at the great multitude of fish that he caught, so that, falling on his knees before Jesus, he said: “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). Thus, the fruits of the obedience of the Apostle Peter began to appear through the miracle of the catch of fish, and they grew greatly and multiplied to the glory of God through the catching of so many souls for the Kingdom of God. Both he and the other Holy Apostles, through obedience to our Savior Jesus Christ, became the most renowned fishers of men. But since our subject is obedience to God and the fruits that spring from it, it is good for us to know that the one who obeys God and the one who, for God’s sake, obeys the person who guides him on the path of salvation receive the same reward, because the Savior Himself showed this, saying: “He who hears you hears Me, and he who rejects you rejects Me” (Luke 10:16).

Beloved faithful,

Our Savior Jesus Christ came into the world by the way of obedience, and He obeyed His Father unto death, and even death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). “Therefore God also highly exalted Him and bestowed upon Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth. And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11).

The Christian Church is the Church of love and obedience, because it was founded by Christ through the love of the Father and the Son’s obedience “unto death, even the death of the cross.” The Savior obeyed the Father, and His Apostles obeyed Him. Therefore we say that Christian love and spiritual obedience save the world. The Holy Spirit Himself came to earth, sent by the Son, with the will of the Father, to establish His Church and to pour out the grace of salvation upon those who believe and are baptized in the name of the Most Holy Trinity.

Do you see how great is the power of obedience? It is born of faith and love. For whoever believes in God loves Him and obeys His commandments. The love of God is the source of the creation of the visible and invisible world. As long as the angels obeyed God, there were neither devils nor hell. But when Lucifer and his angels fell away from obedience, desiring to be “like the Most High,” they fell “like lightning from heaven” and were transformed into devils. Likewise, all disobedient Christians who do not wish to obey anyone and live on earth according to their own will fall into hell.

Obedience lies at the foundation of heaven, of the angels, of the planets, of the Church, of society, of the family, and of every soul that believes in God and desires to be saved. Without obedience in society there is neither harmony nor peace among peoples and human beings. Without obedience to God, to the Church, and to the shepherds, who are the successors of the Apostles on earth, there is no salvation, no Christian unity, and no peace in our homes or in the souls of our faithful.

Therefore, beloved faithful, you are obliged to keep the commandments of the Holy Gospel, to obey the Orthodox Church, our spiritual mother, founded by Christ, to obey the ordained ministers of the Church as you would the Holy Apostles, and to obey the spiritual fathers whom God has given you as you would Christ Himself.

When the church bells ring and call us to the service, to the Divine Liturgy, especially on feast days, leave the cares of the household and go all together to church. The angels of the Lord will write you in the book of life and will count your steps. In the evening and in the morning, and whenever you are traveling along the road or working with your hands, pray without ceasing, according to the commandment of the Holy Apostle Paul.

During the four fasts of the Church, do not forget to go to confession and, if your spiritual father permits you, to unite yourselves to Christ through Holy Communion. These are the greatest gifts that the Church offers us after Baptism. Then raise your children in the spirit of obedience, of the Orthodox faith, of humility, and of love for God, nourishing them with holy books, with Orthodox Christian words, with paternal counsel, and above all with the living and pure example of your own life.

The sects are the cancer of the Church. They arise from pride and disobedience. For only the proud and disobedient separate themselves from the Church, blaspheme the Mother of God, cast the icons and the Holy Cross out of their homes, renounce holy things, and hate the shepherds given to them by Christ. Therefore, do not discuss with them, since they are rebellious and children of disobedience. Do not speak with those who blaspheme the Church, the saints, the icons, and the Cross. Rather, remain in the Church of Life, in the Church of love and obedience. Here in the Church is Christ; here are the Holy Mysteries; here are the angels and saints in heaven; here are the faithful people and all our fathers from generation to generation.

Likewise, do not forget to help the priest yourselves in the services, in cleaning the church, and in guiding the faithful along the path of salvation. Do you not see how evil people encourage one another toward evil, toward fornication, theft, and drunkenness? How, then, could we Christians not be obliged to encourage one another, counsel one another, and draw one another to church, to the Divine Liturgy, to fasting, to almsgiving, to forgiveness, and to the reading of holy books? Faith alone is not sufficient for salvation, for even the devils believe, but because of their pride and disobedience they have no forgiveness.

With these spiritual counsels I conclude this homily, reminding you that without obedience we cannot be saved. But if we live in obedience to Christ, to the Church, and to the shepherds, we shall obtain blessing and peace even on earth, and beyond this life we shall inherit eternal life. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.