Homily on the Love of Clergy
The homily was given on 2/11 at the celebration of the chapel feast.
Hebrews 13:7-16 (Hierarchs)
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Matthew 5: 14-19 (Hierarchs)
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The Gospel and Epistle start with a sense of the high status of our clergy
- St. Paul says to remember to “remember those who rule over you… to follow their faith.”
- The Gospel is even more lauditory, calling them a light that should be lifted high
- Spoken about all Christians, but it is then said of that light; “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
- Because of the way we use that line (i.e. about the bishop before the Divine Liturgy), it further reminds us of the high status of our clergy
- This matches the overall structure of our ritual; the priest leads the parish. He stands up front. Elevated. Robed.
- Mover over, this reinforces a key part of our psychology – not only do we defer to authority (Milgrim)… we assign it moral authority.
We love our clergy, and well we should.
- We in the UOC-USA are blessed with good clergy.
- Some born and raised in Ukraine.
- Some born and raised in our parishes here in America.
- Some who came to us from outside.
- Role of St. Sophia’s in the formation of our clergy.
- And because clergy are given high status (through canon, ritual, and psychology), and because our clergy are beloved, we take our responsibility of training clergy very seriously.
We teach our seminarians that the commitment made by the basest catachumen as he is brought into the royal priesthood of Christian life is the very same one that we must make every moment of every day; “Have you united your life to Christ? Have you united your life to Christ? Have you united your life to Christ?”
- It is this union; or the Christ that lives in us (St. Paul in Galatians 2:20) that makes us beloved.
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It is also this union that allows clergy to live a virtuous life; the kind of life that will “shine among men” and lead others to worship God.
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As Christ Himself said; “there is no one, not one, that is good but the God that is in heaven” (St. Luke 18:19). Christ is the source of all good, and it is only through Him that we – both the royal priesthood in general and the ordained priesthood specifically – become good.
Conclusion: This is especially true for priests as they lead the liturgy.
- As St. Paul says, we have access to food that even the old high priests could not have.
- The role of the priest in this – and in all the mysteries – is a huge temptation for pride.
- But notice what St. Paul says about our high priest: He offered himself up in humility
- This continues the kenotic service of Christ, the Logos who did not value the godhead that is His due so highly that He wasn’t willing to give it up to save others.
- Thus in Christ we have three sources of humility that should protect us and the people we serve from our pride
- A humility born from our recognition of our own sins and weaknesses.
- A humility born from our appreciation of the majesty of God.
- A humility that comes from our imitation of an participation in the kenosis of the Christ who lives in us.
Let us all rededicate ourselves to Christ as we deepen our union with Him through worship and the Holy Eucharist.
