November: Day 8: Teaching 3: Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers

 

November: Day 8: Teaching 3:
Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers
 
(Everything can and should be done for the glory of God.)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. On the day of the Holy Archangel Michael, who is distinguished by his extraordinary zeal for the glory of God, and who is therefore depicted in a militant form, as a warrior fighting for the glory of the Creator and Almighty, as the conqueror of Satan, who, because of his opposition to the will of the Lord, was cast down from heaven by the Holy Archangel Michael and the other Holy Angels, it will be appropriate, brethren, to offer you the instruction of Saint John Chrysostom concerning the fact that everything can and should be done for the glory of God.

II. a) “You will say: How can one eat and drink for the glory of God?” asks this Holy Father of the Church. Invite a poor person, make Christ a guest at your table, and behold—you have eaten and drunk for the glory of God! But the Apostle teaches us not only to eat and drink for the glory of God, but to act in the same way in everything else as well.

b) Whether you leave your house or remain at home, do both for the glory of God. And how can this be done for God? When you come to church, when you participate in prayer and spiritual instruction, then your leaving the house has taken place for the glory of God. Likewise, you can remain at home for God. How, and in what circumstances? When we hear noise, disorder, and demonic revelries; when we hear that the public square is filled with intemperate people, remain at home, withdraw from that noise, and you will have remained at home for the glory of God.

c) One can praise and rebuke for the glory of God. You will say: How can one praise and rebuke for the glory of God? Sometimes you sit in your workshops and see a wicked and worthless man passing by in great splendor. Then, if someone says, “How fortunate he is!” ask the person who says this: Why do you call him fortunate? Is it because he has a fine horse with a gilded bridle, many servants, fine clothes, and feasts every day? But for these very reasons he is only poor and pitiable; streams of tears ought to be shed for him. Can anything be more lamentable than when people marvel at the horse, the bridle, and the beauty of the clothing, yet find nothing praiseworthy in the man himself? What could be poorer than a man who has no possession of his own that he can take with him from this world? For our own true wealth and adornment consist not in horses or clothing, but in virtue of the soul, an abundance of good works, and boldness before God.

On the contrary, when you see a poor man, despised by everyone, living in poverty but possessing virtue, and those sitting with you say, “How unfortunate and pitiable he is!” say: On the contrary, he is more fortunate than everyone else, because he lives virtuously, has acquired inexhaustible wealth, and possesses a pure conscience. What loss is it that he has no money, when he will inherit heaven and the blessings of heaven? If you reason in this way, you will receive a great reward both for your rebuke and for your praise, because you do both for the glory of God.

d) It is also permissible to reprimand for the glory of God. How? We often become annoyed with our servants; but in what circumstances is it permissible to reprimand them for God's sake? If you see that a servant, a friend, or someone else close to you is getting drunk, stealing, attending public spectacles, swearing oaths, breaking oaths, or lying, be displeased with him, admonish him, and correct him: you will do all this for God. If you see that he has wronged you or is negligent in serving you, forgive him, and you will forgive him for God's sake. Nowadays, many people act in exactly the opposite way: when someone sins against them, they become harsh and unrelenting judges; but when someone provokes God and destroys his own soul, they pay no attention to it at all.

e) Next, if you wish to find a friend, seek one for God's sake. We shall have friends for the glory of God if we seek friendship not in order to obtain money for ourselves or to find human patronage, but so that our friends may give us proper counsel, reprimand us when we do wrong, rebuke us for our transgressions, and, through their counsel and prayers, lead us to God.

f) One can also have enemies for God's sake. If you see a dissolute and immoral person, one infected with harmful opinions, withdraw from him; flee from him. Christ commanded this when He said: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you” (Matt. 5:29). He commanded that we cut off and reject even those friends who are as dear to us as our own eyes and indispensable to us in the affairs of life, as soon as they harm the salvation of our souls.

g) If you come to some gathering and speak at length there, do this also for God; and if you remain silent, be silent for God. But how can one attend a gathering for God? If, while sitting there, you converse not about worldly affairs, not about trivialities or useless matters, but about our Christian faith, about Gehenna, and about the Kingdom of Heaven; if you speak not about who has been promoted, who has been passed over, why so-and-so was punished, or how so-and-so became prosperous and rich, but about what deeds or words can please God.

You can also remain silent for God if, when people insult you, revile you, and cause you a thousand sorrows, you bear all this magnanimously and do not utter a single word of reproach against the person who treats you in this way.

And one can weep, grieve, rejoice, and be glad for the glory of God. When you see either your brother sinning or yourself falling into sin, and you sigh and grieve over it, then through your sorrow you have gained salvation, of which the Apostle Paul speaks: “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, without regret” (2 Cor. 7:10). If you see that another person is fortunate and do not envy him, but, as though it were your own good fortune, give thanks to God for granting your brother such glory, then you will receive a great reward for this joy.

h) But why speak of all these things, when even from the most insignificant and trivial matters one can obtain great fruits, if we do them for the glory of God? If you do not arrange your hair elaborately, do not adorn your face, and do not dress in order to tempt and allure others, but dress simply, as necessity requires, then you do this for the glory of God, and you will undoubtedly receive a reward for it, because you have cut off the path of evil desire and restrained misplaced vanity.

i) One can also walk for God and look for God. But how can one look and walk for God? When you do not go toward lawlessness or occupy yourself with the beauty of another; when, seeing a woman walking toward you, you restrain your eyes and guard your face with the fear of God, then you do this for God. Listen to what the wise man says: “The attire of a man, and the manner of his laughter, and his gait, show what he is” (Sirach 19:27).

j) If we enter into marriage, we must do this for God as well. We should not take a wife in order to obtain a wealthy estate from her, but in order to find nobility of soul in her. We should not have in mind great sums of money or the renown of her ancestors, but virtue and gentleness of character. We should take a companion for life, not a partner in feasting.

k) But why enumerate everything? Each person can examine individually everything that occurs and is done, and do it for the glory of God. Just as merchants sailing across the sea and putting in at cities with their ships do not leave the harbor for the marketplace until they have learned that they can sell their goods at a profit, so you should do and say nothing from which there is no profit for the glory of God. Do not tell me that it is impossible to do everything for God. If the cutting of one's hair, clothing, a glance, one's gait, a word, a conversation, entering and leaving, jokes, praise, reproach, approval, friendship, and enmity can all be for God, then what remains that cannot be done for God, if only we wish it?

III. But why speak of everything separately? It is enough to present it all in a single example. Just as those who build a house stretch a cord along the wall as they lay it, to ensure that it is straight, so let us use, in place of a cord, the words of the Apostle: “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Whether we pray or fast, accuse or forgive, praise or reproach, enter or leave, sell or buy, remain silent or speak, or do anything else, let us do everything for the glory of God. And whatever does not serve the glory of God, let us neither do nor say. Instead, let us carry this word of the Apostle with us in place of a weapon, a shield, and an immeasurable treasure, so that, doing and saying everything for the glory of God, we ourselves may receive glory from Him, both here and after our departure from this world. For He says: “Those who glorify Me, I will glorify” (1 Sam. 2:30). Therefore, let us glorify Him continually, not only with words but also with deeds, together with Christ our God, for to Him belong all glory, honor, and worship, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

(Compiled by Priest Grigory Dyachenko from the Homilies of Saint John Chrysostom.)

 

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