You Can't Talk Your Way Into Heaven

"Good teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life? All these I have observed; what do I still lack?”  These are the words used by a man who hoped to enter into paradise. There was only one problem. The words had never entered his heart.

Many people hear today’s Gospel lesson and immediately think about wealth, and how rich people will have a difficult time to enter into heaven. While it is true that wealthy people will have a difficult time letting go of their wealth, there is a deeper truth to this Gospel lesson that even those without great wealth can learn. If the words we use do not change our hearts, we will never find God.

The man began by asking God what must be DONE in order to have eternal life. The answer was, “keep the commandments.” This was where the young man had difficulty as he had followed the commandments, but they never changed his heart. He may have never killed or committed adultery, he may never have lied or stolen anything, but these ‘actions’ never changed his heart. He was still focused on himself.

The commandments of God are not a list of empty rules, but a way of life meant to train our hearts to love. We are commanded not to kill because it is impossible to kill when we love. We are commanded not to commit adultery because when there is love we do not desire the affection of others. This is why Christ says, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5.27-28)

The young man loved himself and he loved his money. “Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Matthew 19.21-22) All those years of keeping the rules never changed his heart. All the wisdom to call God “good” never changed his heart. This man was all talk, but you can’t talk you way into heaven. You need love in your heart.

+Fr. Athanasios C. Haros

Dear St. Nicholas Cathedral Family, 

Last week we discussed ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ and its role in the Divine Liturgy. After ‘The Lord’s Prayer,’ begin the prayers for Holy Communion; the Eucharist. As we have been building in anticipation the last few weeks towards Holy Communion, we begin to see that the Liturgy is a depiction of the life we are called to live, one that is in communion with God. Hopefully you have also noticed the deeply close relationship between the Liturgy, the Eucharist and our daily lives in the world.

How can our lives be truly “in communion” and lived with a “grateful heart” (Eucharist) you may ask? Living your life in a Eucharistic way has everything to do with seeing life as a gift. Imagine with me what it would be like to live every moment of our lives as just that - a gift - even the moments we would least expect to be gifts? You would be saint-like with that kind of a mindset.

An example of what I am talking about is what comes up next in the Liturgy. We hear the Priest say, “Let us be attentive! The Holy Gifts for the Holy People of God.” What are these Holy Gifts? They are the Eucharistic bread and wine that are now the consecrated body and blood of Christ. And who are these Holy People?  For us, the holy people of God! In the original Liturgical Greek, the word that is translated as both “saint” and “holy” is the same word: Ἅγιος. In other words, every Christian is called to be a saint, to strive for theosis, to be holy as God is holy and to be “perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). The saints then are not just the holy people we see on the walls of our Church, but rather they are you and me!

At this point, the sacrificial “Lamb” is broken up (breaking of bread) into four sections. The letters on the “Lamb” are I Σ = contraction to Jesus XΣ =  contraction for Christ NIKA = conquers. The priest says “The Lamb of God is broken and distributed; broken but not divided. He is forever eaten yet is never consumed, but He sanctifies those who partake of Him.” Then the priest places the piece that is marked IC into the Holy Chalice saying: “The fullness of the Cup of Faith, and of the Holy Spirit.” Then blesses the warm water saying, “Blessed is the fervor of Your saints, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.” Pouring the water into the Chalice, he says, “The warmth of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Not many people know the movements that the Priest does within this part of the Liturgy, and I hope that this gives you an insight. We will talk more about the way that the Priest receives communion versus the Laity shortly.

I would like to take a moment and stress the importance of receiving Holy Communion regularly. This is not only so that you can fully participate in the Divine Liturgy, but also so that you don’t go receive it haphazardly. To receive Communion in the Orthodox Church you must be baptized, or Chrismated Orthodox, AND you must also be properly prepared. Primarily speaking, this preparedness is the condition of your heart. To truly prepare our hearts for the beautiful moment of Holy Communion, the Divine Liturgy exists in its entirety to  do just that - prepare us for this moment of being in communion with God.

With Love in the Lord,

+Fr. Sampson N. Kasapakis

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