Not About Us

The past few days I have been writing about the importance of the Church. The Church teaches us morality. The Church teaches us to love. The Church teaches us about God. The Church also teaches us to embrace the importance of humility and patience.

The Lord said to his disciples, “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”

Luke 10.16-21

God assured the Disciples that He had given them power over serpents and scorpions and “over all the power of the enemy.” He promised nothing would hurt them. Yet, they all except one died a martyr’s death. Don’t worry. God didn’t break His promise. When God promises that we will be safe, He isn’t limiting His protection to life on Earth.

Brethren, if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will. For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, “What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou carest for him? Thou didst make him for a little while lower than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Hebrews 2.2-10

Now combine God’s promise of protection with the ending of today’s passage from Hebrews. God made salvation perfect through suffering. When we suffer for God’s sake, we are still protected as so many saint stories teach us. Yet, they all died an earthly death. Don’t worry. God didn’t break His promise.

Today the Church commemorates the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel. More than a thousand years ago the Church moved the feast from March 26 to today, so that we could more properly celebrate. Remember the Feast is technically in the Great Fast, making it inappropriate to fully celebrate.

If we are willing to hear the teaching to better understand the role of the Church, then the calendar becomes vital for our salvation. It isn’t just about today being July 13^th. It is about the Church teaching us to be patient and humble if our birthday or anniversary fall on a fasting day. Delay the celebration for God’s sake. If we pay attention to the calendar, we have been learning this lesson for more than a millennium.

We put off celebrations for all sorts of reasons. We can’t get a reservation at our favorite restaurant. Our family can’t get a flight to visit until the next week. We have to work late that day. We never consider these reasons as if we didn’t ‘get to’ celebrate. Sometimes things happen.

When we delay celebrating for reasons that are beyond our control, we don’t get upset. Following the lifestyle of the Church IS in our control. The office forces us to miss our birthday. The Church ‘guilts’ us to delay our celebration, so we push back against the Church.

If we are willing to delay our celebration to social and professional reasons, we should be willing to do the same for spiritual reasons. Ultimately this teaches us about humility. The willingness to delay a celebration reinforces that we understand life isn’t about us, but about God.

God doesn’t really care when we celebrate. It isn’t about dates and menus. It is about priorities. When we make our spiritual journey the priority, God engages and blesses us. The saints made Him a priority and He protected and comforted them in their suffering.

All the saints still died an earthly death. We will also die, but we want to die being blessed by God. When we embrace putting Him first, and our celebrations second, we have already been blessed. Here are two important things to consider when you are planning your celebrations.

Is it a fasting day or season? Then delay the entire celebration to a non-fasting day when you can fully celebrate.

Is it a Feast Day of the Church? Then consider attending Divine Liturgy as part of your celebration. There is no better way to celebrate than to thank God for your blessings.

Just remember! It is not about us. It is about God!