Wor

dofConsol
ati
onf
ort
hePandemi
c

Ar
chi
mandr
it
eZachar
ias17.03.
2020

Manypeopl e arein conf usion and ot hers pani c because oft he threatoft he
Cor onav i
rusepi demi ct hatspr eadi nt hewhol ewor ld.It hink,howev er ,thatt hi
s
shoul dnothappen, forwhat everGoddoeswi thus, Hedoesi toutofl ove.TheGodof
Christ i
ansi sagoodGod, aGodofmer cyandl ov i
ngkindness, ‘Whol ovethmanki nd’.
Godcr eat edusoutofHi sgoodnessi nor dert oshar eHi slif
eandev enHi sgl orywi t
h
us.Whenwef elli
ntosi n,Heal loweddeat ht oent erourl i
feagai noutofgoodness, so
thatwemaynotbecomei mmor tali nourwi ckedness,butt oseekf orawayof
salvat i
on.Al t
houghwehav ef al l
en,Godhasnev erst oppedt opr ovideforus, notonl y
mat er i
algoodsi nor dertosust ainourr ace, butHeal sosentpr ophet sandr i
ghteous,
prepar ingHi swaysot hatHemi ghtcomeandsol v
eourt ragedy ,andbr inget er nal
salvat i
ont hrought heCr ossandResur recti
onofHi si nconceiv ablelove.Hecame
andt ookuponHi msel fthecur seofsi n,andHeshowedHi slov et otheend:‘ Hav ing
l
ov edHi sownwhi chwer ei nthewor ld,Hel ovedt hem unt ot heend’( John13: 1).Al l
thet hingst hatGoddi dwhenHecr eatedus,whenHepr ovidedgoodsi nor dert o
sust aint hewor l
d,whenHepr eparedHi swayf orHi mt ocomeonear th,whenHe
cameHi msel finper sonandwr oughtoursal vationinsuchanawesomeway ,all
theset hingsHedi doutofgoodness.Hi sgoodnessi sboundl ess.Hesav esusandi s
sol ongsuf feri
ngtowar dsus, wai ti
ngunt ilwe‘ comet ot heknowl edgeoft het r
ut h’ (
1
Tim.2: 4)andbr i
ngt ruerepent ance, sot hatwemaybewi thHi mf oral l
eter ni
ty.Thus,
atev eryst ageofHi srelationshi pwi thman,ourGodshowsonl yHisgoodnessand
mer cy ,‘whichi sbet terthanl ife’(Ps.63: 3);goodnessi sHi sNat ureandHedoesal l
thi
ngsf orthebenef itandsal v
at i
onofman.

Consequent ly,whenHeshal lcomeagai nt oj udget hewor ld,wi l

ladi ff
erentGod
j
udgei t
?Wi llitnotbet hesamegoodGod,t heGodofmer cyandl ovingki
ndness,
Whol ov esmanki nd?Letusbecer tainthatweshal lnotappearbef or eanyot herGod
thanHi m Whocr eat edusandsav edus.Andso, iti
sagai nwiththesamemer cyand
l
ov et hatHewi l
ljudgeus.Fort hisr eason,weshoul dneitherpanicnorwav er,forit
wi l
lbet hesameGodt hatwillrecei veusi nt heot herli
feandwi l
lj udgeuswi ththe
sameki ndnessandcompassi on.Somef eart hatthehouroft hei rendhascome.
Thispl agueofCor onav i
rushasal soaposi ti
veaspect ,becausewehav eaf ewweeks
from t hemomenti twillassailusunt ilourend.Ther efore,wecandedi catethistime
topr epar eour sel
v esf orourmeet i
ngwi t
hGod,sot hatourdepar turemaynotoccur
unexpect edl
yandwi t
houtpr eparat ion,butaf terwehav er unt hr
oughourwhol elife
eacht imewest andi nprayerbef or eGod, attimeswi t
hthanksgi v
ingunt otheendf or
allthet hingsGodhasdonef orusandatot hert imeswi threpent ance,seekingt he
for
giv
enessofourt r
ansgressi
ons.Nothi
ngcanharm uswi h such aGod,Who
t
all
owsallt
hingsoutofHisgoodness.Wemustsimplykeepthanksgiv
ingunt
othe
endandthehumblepray
erofrepent
ancefort
hef
orgi
venessofoursins.

Asf ormy self

,thi
splagueishelpingme.Ilongedt ofindagai
nt heprayerIhadbef ore,
withwhi chIcanr unthroughmywhol eli
fefrom mybi rt
hunti
lnow, t
hankingGodf or
allHisbenef i
ts‘whereofIknowandwher eofIknownot ’
;andalso,wi t
hwhi chIcan
run through mywhol eli
fer epenti
ng forallmysi ns and transgressions.Iti s
wonder fultobeablet orunthr oughyourlif
epraying,bri
ngi
ngal lthi
ngsbef or
eGod
withper si
stenceinprayer.Theny oufeelthatyourli
feisredeemed.Thi siswhyt his
situat
ionist r
ulyhelpingme.Iam notpani cki
ngbut‘ Iwil
lbesor ryformysi n’(
Ps.
38:18).

Wemustseet hegoodnessofGodi nal lthet hingst hatarehappeni ngnow.TheHol y

th
Fathersdi dseeHi slov i
ngkindness.Asi mi l
arepi demi coccur redi nthe4 cent uryin
theEgy ptiandeser t,whichhar vestedmor et hanat hi
rdoft hemonks, andt heFat hers
weresay ingwi thgr eati nspir
ationt hat ,‘Godi shar vesti
ngsoul sofsai ntsf orHi s
Kingdom, ’andt heydi dnotwav er.TheLor dHi msel fspeaksi nt heGospelaboutt he
l
astday s,aboutt het ri
alsandaf fl
icti
onswhi cht hewor l
dwi llgot hroughbef oreHi s
SecondComi ng.Howev er,wedi scer nnei thermor bidsadnessnordespai ri nHi s
words.TheLor dWhopr ayedint hegar denofGet hsemanewi thasweatofbl oodf or
thesal vationoft hewhol ewor l
d,say st hatwhenweseet het err
iblet hi
ngst hat
precedeHi sSecondComi ng,weshoul dl i
ftupourheadswi t
hi nspirati
on,f orour
redempt iondr awsni gh( cf.Luke21: 28).Somet el
lme,‘ MayGodext endHi shel ping
hand.’Butt hi
sispr eciselyt hehandofGod.Hedesi resandwor ksoursal vati
on‘ at
sundryt imesandi ndi versmanner s’(Heb.1: 1):‘MyFat herwor kethhi t
herto,andI
work’ (
John5: 17)
.Thi sv ir
usmaybeameanst hatGodusesi nor dert obringmanyt o
themsel vesandt or epentance,andt ohar vestmanyr eadysoul sf orHi set ernal
Kingdom.Ther efore,f ort hose who sur renderand ent rustt hemsel ves tot he
ProvidenceofGodal lwi l
lcontributef ort heirgood:‘ Allt
hingswor ktoget herforgood
tothem t hatloveGod’ (Rom.8: 28).

Thus,therei snor oom f ormor bi

ddi smay .Nei t
hershouldwer esistthemeasur es
thatthegov ernmenti staki
ngi nordertodi minishthespreadingoft heaf f
li
cti
onswe
seeint hel i
vesofsomanypeopl e.Itiswr ongt ogoagai nstt heaut hori
ti
es.We
shoulddowhat evertheGov ernmentsay s,becauset heyarenotaski ngforust odeny
ourfait
h, t
heyar eonlyaskingust ot akeaf ewmeasur esforthecommonwel lf
areof
allpeople,sot hatt histri
almaypass,andt hisisnotatal lunr easonable.Some
peopletakei tt ooconf essionall
y,theyr aisef l
agsandpl ayt hemar tyrsandt he
confessors.Forust hereisnodoubt :weshal l
showpur esubmi ssiont otheordersof
theGov er
nment.Itisunfai
rtodisobeyt
heGover
nmentsi
nce,whenwef al
lil
l
,iti
sto
thei
rhospital
sthatwer unandtheyaret
heoneswhounder
takeallt
heexpensesand
ourcare.Whynotlistentothem?

Thisi stheet hosofChr istt hatGodshowedi nHi sl i

feonear thandt hi
si st he
apostoliccommandmentt hatwehav er eceived:‘...
besubj ectt opr i
ncipali
tiesand
power s,obeymagi st
rates, ber eadytoev erygoodwor k,speakev i
lofnoman, beno
brawlers,butgent le,
shewi ngal lmeeknessunt oal lmen’ (cf.Tit.3:1-2);and‘ Submit
yourselvestoev er yordinanceofmanf ort heLor d’ssake:whet heritbet ot heking,
assupr eme. .
.’(see1Pet .2: 13- 17)
.Ifwedonotobeyourgov er
norswhoar enot
askingmuch,how wi llweobeyGod,Whogi vesusadi vi
nel aw,whi chi sfarmor e
sublimet hananyhumanl aw?I fwekeept helawofGodwear eabov ehumanl aws,
nd
ast heapol ogistsoft he2 cent urysai ddur i
ngt heRomanEmpi r
ewhi chwas
persecutingtheChr i
sti
ans.I tissur pri
singt oseeint hecount rywher ewel ive,inthe
UnitedKi ngdom,t hatthef oot baller
sshowsuchunder standinganddi scernmentso
as to be t he firstto wi thdr aw f r
om t heiract i
v i
ti
es wi th docili
tyt owar ds the
i
ndicationsoft heGov ernmentt otakepr ophy l
acti
cmeasur es.Itwouldbesadf orus,
peopleoff ait
h,tof ai
lreachi ngt hemeasur eoft hef ootball
ersandshowi ngthesame
docili
tytowardst heaut horitiesf orwhichourChur chpr ays.

Iftheyaskust ost opourChur chser vi

ces,l etussi mplysur r
enderandbl esst he
ProvidenceofGod.Besi des,thisr emi ndsusofanol dtr
aditi
ont hattheFat hershad
i
n Pal esti
ne:i n GreatLent ,on t he Sunday ofCheese f are,aftert he mut ual
forgi
veness, t
heywoul dgoouti nt hedeser tforf or
tydayswi t
houtLiturgy;theywoul d
onlycontinueinf asti
ngandpr ayersoast opr epareandr et
ur nonPal m Sundayt o
celebrat
ei nagodl ywayt hePassi onandt heResur rect
ionoft heLor d.Andso,our
presentcircumstancesf orceust ol iveagai nt hatwhichexistedofol dint hebosom
oftheChur ch.Thatist osay ,theyf orceust oliveamor ehesy chasti
cl i
fe,withmor e
prayer,whichwillhowev ermakeupf orthel ackoft heDiv i
neLiturgyandwi l
lprepare
ust ocelebratewithgr eaterdesireandi nspi r
ationthePassionandResur recti
onof
theLor dJesus.Thus,wewi llturnt hispl aguei ntoat ri
umphofhesy chasm.I nany
case,what everGodal lowsi nourl i
feisoutofHi sgoodnessf orthewel l-
beingof
man, forHenev erwant sHi screatur etobehar medi nanyway .

Cert
ainly
,ifwewi l
lbedepri
vedoftheDi vi
neLitur
gyf
oral ongerperiodofti
me,we
canendur eit
.Whatdower ecei
veint heLit
urgy?Wepar
takeoft heBodyandBl ood
ofChrist
,whichar ef i
l
ledwit
hHisgr ace.Thisisagr
eathonourandbenef i
tforus,
butweal so recei
v ethegraceofGod i n manyotherway s.When wepr acti
ce
hesychasti
cpr ayer,weabideinthePr esenceofGodwi tht hemi ndintheheart
cal
li
ngupont heholyNameofChr i
st.TheDi vi
neNamebri
ngsust hegraceofChri
st
becausei tisi
nseparablefr
om Hi sPersonandleadsusintoHisPr esence.Thi
s
PresenceofChristwhichispur
if
ying,
cleansesusfr
om ourt
ransgr
essionsandsins,
i
tr enewsandill
uminesourheartsot hatthei
mageofGodourSav iour,Chr
ist
,may
bef ormedther
ein.

Ifweshal lnothav eEasterint heChurch,letusr emembert hatev erycont actwith

Christi sEast er
.Wer eceivegraceint heDi v
ineLi t
urgybecauset heLor dJesusi s
presenti nit,Heperformst hesacramentandHei stheOnei mpar t
edt othef ai
thful.
Howev er,whenwei nvokeHi sName,weent erthesamePr esenceofChr i
stand
receivet hesamegr ace.Therefore,i
fwear edepr iv
edoft heLitur
gy ,wealway shav e
HisName,wear enotdepr ivedoft heLor d.Mor eover
,weal sohav eHi swor d,
especi all
yHi sGospel.I
fHi swor ddwellscontinuall
yi nourheart,i
fwest udyitand
prayi t
,i fi
tbecomesourl anguagewi t
hwhi chwespeakt oGodasHespoket ous,
thenweshal lhaveagainthegr aceoft heLord.ForHi swordsar ewor dsofet er
nal
l
ife( John6: 68),andthesamemy st
eryi sperformed,wer ecei
v eHisgr aceandar e
sanct i
fied.

Furthermor e,eacht i
meweshowki ndnesst oourbr ethrent heLor diswel l
-pl
eased,
Heconsi dersthatwedi diti nHi sNameandHer ewar dsus.Weshow ki ndnesst o
ourbr ethrenandt heLor dr ewar dsuswi t
hHi sgr ace.Thisi sanotherwayi nwhi chwe
canl ivei nthePr esenceoft heLor d.Wecanhav et hegr aceoft heLor dt hrough
fasti
ng,al msgi vi
ngandev er ygooddeed.So,i fwear ef orcedtoav oidgatheringin
Chur ch,wecanal sobeuni tedi nspi ri
tint hesehol yv i
rtueswhi chareknownwi thi
n
theBodyofChr i
st,thehol yChur ch,andwhi chpr eservet heunityoft hefaithf
ulwi t
h
Christandwi ththeot hermember sofHi sBody .Allthet hingswedof orGodi sa
Lit
urgy ,fortheymi ni
st erunt ooursal v
ation.TheLi turgyi sthegr eateventoft helif
e
oftheChur ch,whereint hef ait
hf ul havethepossi bili
tytoexchanget heirl
itt
leli
fewi t
h
the boundl ess li
fe ofGod.Howev er,the poweroft his eventdepends on t he
preparationweper form bef ore,t hroughal lthet hi
ngswehav ement ioned,through
prayer,gooddeeds, fasting,lov ef orneighbour ,
repent ance.

Ther efore,mydearbr ethren,itisnotnecessar

ytomakeher oicconfessi
onsagai nst
theGov ernmentfort hepr ophylact
icmeasuresthatittakesf orthegoodofal lpeople.
Nei t
hershoul dwedespai r,butonl ywisel
ymachi nateway ssoasnott ol oseour
l
ivingcommuni cationwi t
ht hePer sonofChr i
st.Not hi
ngcanhar m us,wemust
simpl ybepat ientf oracer t
ainper i
odoft i
meandGodwi llseeourpat i
ence,t ake
awayev eryobstacle,ev erytempt at
ionandweshal lagai nseet hedawnofj oyf
ul
day s,andweshal lcelebrateourcommonhopeandl ovet hatwehav einChristJesus.