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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Hill Country Homilies. Weekly homilies from Holy Annunciation

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<v Speaker 1>Orthodox Church in Liberty Hill, Texas. Holy Annunciation is an

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<v Speaker 1>old calendar Orthodox Church, sharing the faith of the Apostles

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<v Speaker 1>and the love of Christ with all who seek His truth. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>let's listen to this week's homily.

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<v Speaker 2>The Name of the Father and Son the HOI Spirit

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<v Speaker 2>Gord to Jesus Christ, beloved in Christ. I wish you

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<v Speaker 2>all a blessed feast of the meeting of the Lord

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<v Speaker 2>in the Temple. Today we commemorate the fortieth day after

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<v Speaker 2>the birth of Christ, at which time, in accordance with

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<v Speaker 2>the Jewish custom, his parents were make an offering in

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<v Speaker 2>the temple. And on that day it has said that

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<v Speaker 2>Christ was taking up in the arms of Saint Simeon,

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<v Speaker 2>the God Receiver of whom it was prophesied that he

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<v Speaker 2>would not taste of death until he had seen the Messiah.

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<v Speaker 2>In that day he did, and he proclaimed it at

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<v Speaker 2>the prayer of Saint Simeon, which we sing every Vesper's Lord.

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<v Speaker 2>Now let us know thy servant, depart in peace. But

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<v Speaker 2>this Sunday is also the third Sunday of the Triotian

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<v Speaker 2>and we come to the Gospel account of the Last Judgment,

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<v Speaker 2>and having first called us to humility with the publican

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<v Speaker 2>and then to repentance with the prodigal, the Church further

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<v Speaker 2>prepares us for our Linton struggle with the reading from

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<v Speaker 2>Matthew of Christ's account of the Last Judgment. In today's reading,

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<v Speaker 2>the Lord describes the time of the dread Judgment, when

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<v Speaker 2>the Son of God will come in his glory, and

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<v Speaker 2>he will gather the nations before himself, separating them into

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<v Speaker 2>the sheep and the goats. And the criteria he gives

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<v Speaker 2>for making this decision are both simple and terrifying. Those

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<v Speaker 2>found to be sheep are those who served Christ by

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<v Speaker 2>feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, visiting those in prison,

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<v Speaker 2>quenching the thirst of those that are parched, clothing the naked,

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<v Speaker 2>and taking in the stranger.

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<v Speaker 3>In.

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<v Speaker 2>Christ poses each of those actions as if they were

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<v Speaker 2>done personally to him. And when the people, when these

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<v Speaker 2>people who had been judged righteous, humbly ask Christ, almost protesting,

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<v Speaker 2>when did we see you hungry and fed you were thirsty,

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<v Speaker 2>and gave you drink? When did we see you sick

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<v Speaker 2>or in prison and come visit you? And Christ says

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<v Speaker 2>to them, verily, I say unto you, inasmuch as you

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<v Speaker 2>have done it to one of these, the least of

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<v Speaker 2>my brethren, you have done it to me.

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<v Speaker 3>But the goats are judged by the converse.

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<v Speaker 2>They did not feed a hungry Christ, or quench his thirst,

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<v Speaker 2>or rejected him as a stranger. They didn't visit him

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<v Speaker 2>sick or imprison And they make the same protest, Lord,

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<v Speaker 2>when did we see you sick or in prison, or

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<v Speaker 2>hunger and thirsty? And he says, in the same way,

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<v Speaker 2>I say unto you, inasmuch as you did this not

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<v Speaker 2>to the least of these, you did it not to me.

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<v Speaker 2>And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the

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<v Speaker 2>righteous into life eternal.

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<v Speaker 3>Now, before we talk.

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<v Speaker 2>About what this means, I want to say upfront something

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<v Speaker 2>that is very important in understanding this Gospel passage, and

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<v Speaker 2>that is that the Orthodox Church understands this Gospel reading

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<v Speaker 2>to be an account of the Last Judgment, not of

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<v Speaker 2>parable and that's incredibly important for us to know. It's

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<v Speaker 2>also very easy to discern through the language of the

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<v Speaker 2>text and from the Church slectionary. As an example, the

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<v Speaker 2>account of the Last Judgment is found in the twenty

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<v Speaker 2>fifth year after of the Gospel.

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<v Speaker 3>According to the Holy.

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<v Speaker 2>Evangelist Matthew, that chapter begins in a different verse, The

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<v Speaker 2>Kingdom of Heaven is like unto ten virgins who took

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<v Speaker 2>their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

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<v Speaker 3>So he's telling us immediately.

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<v Speaker 2>This is an effort to explain the Kingdom of Heaven

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<v Speaker 2>using example of something that is quite apparently not the

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<v Speaker 2>kingdom of heaven. Ten virgins, kingdom of Heaven, two different things.

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<v Speaker 2>But that's the comparison that he used, and this is

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<v Speaker 2>confirmed when we look at the lectionary, which tells the priest.

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<v Speaker 2>When we read the parable of ten virgins, it starts

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<v Speaker 2>with this introduction, the Lord spake this parable, the kingdom

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<v Speaker 2>of Heaven is like under ten virgins, And a few

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<v Speaker 2>verses later we get a similar introduction, The Kingdom of

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<v Speaker 2>Heaven is as a man traveling into a far country

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<v Speaker 2>who called his own servants and delivered them his goods.

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<v Speaker 2>Now again comparing the heaven to something that is clearly

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<v Speaker 2>not heaven, and the electionary for those verses, again the

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<v Speaker 2>priest starts, the Lord spake this parable. But when we

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<v Speaker 2>get to today's reading, there is no The time of

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<v Speaker 2>judgment is like unto anything. It simply starts, when the

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<v Speaker 2>Son of Man shall come in his glory and all

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<v Speaker 2>the angels with him, then shall he sit on the

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<v Speaker 2>throne of his glory. And we look at the electionary.

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<v Speaker 2>This is how the Church says we're to introduce today's reading.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not the Lord's fake is parable. It's just the

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<v Speaker 2>Lord said the Lord say. There is no parable being

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<v Speaker 2>spoken with today's Gospel reading, because rather than describing the

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<v Speaker 2>judgment as something that is clearly not a final judgment,

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<v Speaker 2>which he does in all of the parables, he then

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<v Speaker 2>proceeds to describe the final judgment as exactly that, the

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<v Speaker 2>judging of all nations at the end of days. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>understanding that what we read is an account rather than

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<v Speaker 2>unparable impact, how we understand.

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<v Speaker 3>What is set before us?

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<v Speaker 2>Because these are Christ's own words describing the basis of

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<v Speaker 2>our judgment. This is not a theoretical comparison offered to

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<v Speaker 2>the hearers because the truth was too difficult. Quite the opposite,

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<v Speaker 2>Christ gives the most difficult message to those who are

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<v Speaker 2>there to hear it, the message of eternal life with

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<v Speaker 2>the Father for those who have done good, but for

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<v Speaker 2>those who have failed to do good, everlasting punishment and

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<v Speaker 2>the fire. Consider that things like the difficulty of the

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<v Speaker 2>rich entering to heaven or the possibility of being left

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<v Speaker 2>behind because of the lack of preparation. Those topics he

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<v Speaker 2>used parables, But when it came to the judgment himself,

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<v Speaker 2>there is no parabolic rhetoric involved. It is if Christ

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<v Speaker 2>is saying, this is too important to leave any ambiguity,

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<v Speaker 2>So let me spell it out for you. Now that said,

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<v Speaker 2>let's consider what this account tells us. First, it tells

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<v Speaker 2>us that there will absolutely be a judgment of all nations.

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<v Speaker 2>And then Christ explains who will be counted among the

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<v Speaker 2>sheep and whom among the goats, and he judges both

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<v Speaker 2>by the same criteria, just with inverse findings. I was

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<v Speaker 2>hungered and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and

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<v Speaker 2>you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you

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<v Speaker 2>took me in naked and you clothed me. I was

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<v Speaker 2>sick and you visited me. I was in prison and

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<v Speaker 2>you came to me. So feeding the hungry, giving drink

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<v Speaker 2>to the thirsty, taking strangers, clothing the naked, visiting.

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<v Speaker 3>Sickly in prison.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, in our western brains, being the legalistic little things

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<v Speaker 2>that we are, we hear this, and we immediately start

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<v Speaker 2>trying to give structure to this. Well, is this a

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<v Speaker 2>conjunctive test? Do we have to meet all of those

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<v Speaker 2>whereas one enough?

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<v Speaker 3>If we do it really well, do we bounce it out? Well?

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<v Speaker 2>If I feed lots of hungry do I have to

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<v Speaker 2>go visiting one in prison? This is how Western brains

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<v Speaker 2>work with the legalists. And of course this thinking about

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<v Speaker 2>this is entirely wrong because the first thing that we know,

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<v Speaker 2>the first thing we know is that as fallible humans,

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<v Speaker 2>no deeds, no actions that we could ever do, are

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<v Speaker 2>going to be so great as to merit our salvation,

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<v Speaker 2>as to earn our salvation. Even if we do all

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<v Speaker 2>those things, ultimately we are still relying upon the mercy

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<v Speaker 2>of God as he sits on that judgment seat.

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<v Speaker 3>There's one sinless man to live, which is Christ, and.

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<v Speaker 2>The rest of us, the rest of us, fall short

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<v Speaker 2>of the glory of God even when we truly try

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<v Speaker 2>to live out our faith. And that's really what this

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<v Speaker 2>list is about. It's a real challenge to sort of

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<v Speaker 2>the faith alone or soul of fee to a crowd

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<v Speaker 2>because apart from Paul, who unabashedly says that the Lord

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<v Speaker 2>will render each man according to his deeds. Now we

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<v Speaker 2>have Christ speaking his own words and telling those who

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<v Speaker 2>hear him at the time of judgment, our fate will

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<v Speaker 2>be revealed by our deeds. And this shouldn't shock us. Really,

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, we can unclutch our pearls even if we

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<v Speaker 2>come from that background, because we know that James told

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<v Speaker 2>us clearly, faith without works is dead. Faith without works

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<v Speaker 2>is that you can't talk about faith.

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<v Speaker 4>Without talking about the works that flow from that kind

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<v Speaker 4>of faith. Nowhere in today's gospel reading does Christ suggest

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<v Speaker 4>that we're going to be judged by some sort of

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<v Speaker 4>abstract conception of our faith. But rather it's that our

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<v Speaker 4>deeds on our time on earth will reveal our faith.

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<v Speaker 2>James said, you have faith and I have works. Show

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<v Speaker 2>me your faith without works, and I will show you

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<v Speaker 2>my faith by my works. The two can't be separated.

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<v Speaker 2>And what ought to be most important here, and I

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<v Speaker 2>say this as a man with a family full of

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<v Speaker 2>Protestants and non denominationals, is that the utter rejection of

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<v Speaker 2>good works in Western Christianity is a dangerous spiritual trap

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<v Speaker 2>and it can ensnare the people that we love the most.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm talking to you today as Orthodox Christians or Orthodox

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<v Speaker 2>catech humans. And what I really want to do is

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<v Speaker 2>open the door and shout it to you know, everyone

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<v Speaker 2>on the street who never bothers to drive a few

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<v Speaker 2>driveways over and come to church as well. Open the

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<v Speaker 2>doors and shout them and say, you know, good works

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<v Speaker 2>are necessary. They're not of themselves salvithic, but that doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>mean that they're not needed. When faith in works become inseparable,

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<v Speaker 2>the one who seeks to separate them is usually one

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<v Speaker 2>who's lacking on either one end or the other, either

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<v Speaker 2>a lack of works or a lack of faith. If

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<v Speaker 2>you have the faith in the God of the Bible,

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<v Speaker 2>you can't help but do good works out of the

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<v Speaker 2>love for mankind. We understand of salvation ar theosis to

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<v Speaker 2>be accomplished by the synergy of God and man through

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<v Speaker 2>the mercy of God. Of course, God offers his grace

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<v Speaker 2>and calls on us to cooperate with it through our faith,

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<v Speaker 2>living it out in repentance in faith and yes, in

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<v Speaker 2>good works. Now, while there's no benefit to us pondering

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<v Speaker 2>whether there's some formula for salvation based on these works

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<v Speaker 2>that are listed in the Gospel reading, a very fair

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<v Speaker 2>question to ask is whether these items that mentioned by

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<v Speaker 2>Christ in the reading, whether these factors constitute the exhaustive

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<v Speaker 2>list of the criteria by which we'll be judged. And

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<v Speaker 2>the answer to that is rather apparently no, certainly not.

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<v Speaker 2>The list that Christ gives in the Gospels a prophetic

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<v Speaker 2>foretelling of the judgment, and it's intended to communicate the

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<v Speaker 2>expected life of a faithful Orthodox Christian. It's not a checklist,

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<v Speaker 2>and thinking of it that way.

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<v Speaker 3>Is missing the point. We are to do good to others.

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<v Speaker 2>Why not because there's a checklist, not because Christ gave.

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<v Speaker 3>Us this and today's costumer.

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<v Speaker 2>We're to do good to others because our God is

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<v Speaker 2>good and we must be transformed in love to be

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<v Speaker 2>like him, which is to be good all good. The

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<v Speaker 2>criteria given by Christ in today's Gospel reading simply reflect

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<v Speaker 2>the goodness that we need to be filled with. Should

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<v Speaker 2>we do those things? Yes, whenever the opportunity is given

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<v Speaker 2>to us? What else should we do?

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<v Speaker 3>Well? The list could run two thousands good.

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<v Speaker 2>How many opportunities do we have to love to serve,

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<v Speaker 2>to minister to our neighbor every single day? And how

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<v Speaker 2>many times do we find other things to do instead?

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<v Speaker 2>And why it can't be due to for God doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>demand that we do all. He demands that we do

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<v Speaker 2>what we can right. Christ doesn't say I was sick

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<v Speaker 2>and you didn't heal me. He doesn't say I was

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<v Speaker 2>in prison and you didn't bail me out. He just

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<v Speaker 2>asks us to do what we can do to visit

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<v Speaker 2>to comfort. Saint John Christen says, being gracious requires only

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<v Speaker 2>what is within our power, and even less than that

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<v Speaker 2>at times, so that we have more to exist to

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<v Speaker 2>exert through our generosity in the future and blessed the

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<v Speaker 2>Apholt tells us that notwithstanding the inexhaustible list of the

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<v Speaker 2>ways in which we may become more like God, more good,

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<v Speaker 2>more christ Like, there's still a reason why the criteria

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<v Speaker 2>Christ listed are sending us a message.

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<v Speaker 3>To care for the poor and the needy.

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<v Speaker 2>He writes, By the least brethren, Christ means all the poor,

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<v Speaker 2>for every poor man is Christ's brother, for the very

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<v Speaker 2>reason that Christ to spend his life in poverty. He says,

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<v Speaker 2>see also God's righteousness, how he acclaims the saints, and

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<v Speaker 2>see the good disposition of their mind, how they deny

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<v Speaker 2>even having.

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<v Speaker 3>Ever served Christ.

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<v Speaker 2>But the Lord accepts as for himself the things that

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<v Speaker 2>were done for the poor. So yes, the list gives

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<v Speaker 2>examples as opposed to the universe of good we may do.

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<v Speaker 2>But we should also give that list special attention for

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<v Speaker 2>those that are close to Christ. Finally, I want to

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<v Speaker 2>speak briefly about a bit of very specific and meaningful

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<v Speaker 2>language the evangelist Matthew records in this gospel reading.

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<v Speaker 3>When Christ speaks to those who are.

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<v Speaker 2>On his right side, those who have done good, those

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<v Speaker 2>who are going to be accounted. Among the sheep, he says, come, you,

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<v Speaker 2>blessed of my Father inherit, the kingdom prepared for you

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<v Speaker 2>you from the foundation of the world. But when he

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<v Speaker 2>speaks to the goats, those that are headed to internal punishment,

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<v Speaker 2>he says, depart from me, you cursed into everlasting fire,

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<v Speaker 2>prepared for the devil and his angels. Understand from this

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<v Speaker 2>distinction God's intended relationship with mankind. When Christ welcomes the

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<v Speaker 2>righteous into his celestial realm, he describes as a domain

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<v Speaker 2>that was prepared for them since the world's creation, a

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<v Speaker 2>realm of boundless joy that he intended from the beginning

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<v Speaker 2>of time for mankind, the object of his love, and

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<v Speaker 2>the intended cohabitant of his kingdom. However, when he declares

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<v Speaker 2>the judgment upon the condemned, his words take a markedly

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<v Speaker 2>different tone. He describes as an eternal flame prepared not

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<v Speaker 2>for them, but for the demons and evil spirits, their

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<v Speaker 2>partners in wrongdoings. This is not a place intended for man.

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<v Speaker 2>God never willed for man to be lost in the pit,

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<v Speaker 2>But the condemned, through their own negligence, their own hard hardness,

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<v Speaker 2>their own lack of love, they have willingly thrown themselves

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<v Speaker 2>into it.

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<v Speaker 3>The unfortunate men and women.

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<v Speaker 2>Now realize that it is they themselves that are the

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<v Speaker 2>sole cause of their own torment and anguish brothers and sisters,

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<v Speaker 2>as we draw ever closer to great lent, the Orthodox

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<v Speaker 2>Church gives us its version of fire and brimstone today,

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<v Speaker 2>but it's very different on our end, because we know

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<v Speaker 2>we know that God intends mankind to dwell with him,

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<v Speaker 2>that he has prepared his kingdom for us from before

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<v Speaker 2>the foundation of.

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<v Speaker 3>The world, and we know that all He asks of

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<v Speaker 3>us is.

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<v Speaker 2>To do what is within our power for those that

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<v Speaker 2>we encounter, and so laid before us is another message

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<v Speaker 2>that whispers prepare, be ready at all times for that

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<v Speaker 2>stranger who may be an angel and aware see Christ.

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<v Speaker 3>And the beggar not your reprobate over.

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<v Speaker 2>Older brother, who needs to be visited, who needs clothing,

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<v Speaker 2>who needs shelter, just a near to listen to, a

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<v Speaker 2>shoulder to lean on. Always be ready to answer those

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<v Speaker 2>questions in your day to day life.

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<v Speaker 3>Do you love God? Do you love your neighbor as yourself?

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<v Speaker 2>Because when you boil it down, that's what all those

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<v Speaker 2>criteria that Christ gave us are.

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<v Speaker 3>Love God, love your neighbor as yourself. And on this

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<v Speaker 3>we will be judged.

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<v Speaker 2>And no, Christ doesn't ask the question intellectually or in

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<v Speaker 2>the abstract.

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<v Speaker 3>He is true to his word. It's our words.

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<v Speaker 2>Our deeds are a lack thereof by which we essentially

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<v Speaker 2>will be judging ourselves. So as we depart today, may

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<v Speaker 2>the same God who is prepared before time his kingdom

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<v Speaker 2>for us to share and give us, ever open and

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<v Speaker 2>ever ready hearts to truly serve.

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<v Speaker 3>Those in need.

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<v Speaker 2>May he strengthen us in our faith, and may he

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<v Speaker 2>bring it the full flower and the glorious deeds of

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<v Speaker 2>love done for His name. So we on that dread

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<v Speaker 2>day may here come you bless it, My father and

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<v Speaker 2>find ourselves in number and on one of the sheep,

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<v Speaker 2>and the name of the Father and Son, the Od Spirit.

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<v Speaker 3>Glory to Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening to Hill Country homilies. For more information,

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<v Speaker 1>visit Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church at www dot Denunciation, tx

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<v Speaker 1>dot com, and please join us again next week