O God Save Your People

The Church teaches that everything in life is about our salvation. Our job, our free time, even the food we place in our stomachs are about our salvation. It isn’t because God cares what we eat, but because God wants to save us from ourselves. So, today we begin the fast.

Today is also one of the commemorations of the Precious, Holy, Life-giving Cross of Christ. In the ancient days it was a faithful tradition for the Holy Cross to be processed around the city of Constantinople, and for faithful to come and venerate the Cross for the Fifteen Days of August.

That is where faith and life join for our salvation. In ‘those days’ early August was a common time for many illnesses to spread through the city. The people turned to God for protection and salvation from the illnesses that prevailed against them. You can read about this tradition here.

That was then. What about now? With modern medicine, in America at least, we rarely consider turning to God for protection from illnesses. Modern medicine and advanced methods have made most illnesses ‘routine procedures’ rather than life-threatening risks.

Instead of turning to God, we turn to doctors. That isn’t bad, but it creates a void in our thought process for our salvation. ‘Just because’ we no longer ‘need’ God for common illnesses, we forget that we still need Him. Today’s blog is a gentle reminder. You still need God.

We may not carry the Cross around our city as they did in the past, but we still need God for our salvation. We may not experience annual epidemics, but we I suggest the greater danger we face is the spiritual pandemic of self-absorption we all experience. So, today we begin the fast.

Fasting is the way the Church helps us turn away from ourselves and toward God. Think of the next fourteen-day fast in terms of the daily procession of the Holy Cross through Constantinople in the ancient days. When you turn away from food, ask God to save you from the pandemic.

If you are tempted to say, “Oh well. I don’t think the fast is important,” consider you may be suffering from self-absorption. Instead of turning to yourself, turn to God in fasting. Say instead, “Ok God. I’m trusting the Church in all this fasting thing. Help me understand why it matters.”

You might be surprised how life changes when you intentionally make physical decisions with a spiritual purpose. You probably already choose foods based on a healthy diet. All I am suggesting is that you begin to choose foods based on a spiritual diet.

Once you connect the food you eat to your spiritual journey, the rest of life is a bit easier. Choosing where to live and work, what type of work you choose, even what friends you spend time with, all have a spiritual element for your salvation. It all starts with basic foods.

Save O Lord Your people and bless Your inheritance. Grant victory to the faithful against the adversaries of the faith. And protect Your people by Your Holy Cross.