Daily readings and reflections, available in text or audio at
http://www/orthodox.net/sermons or http://www/orthodox.net/scripture    


  These reflections and others are also posted on the blog:
http://stnicholasdallas.blogspot.com  

    2  

 

35th Week After Pentecost v Friday 

 

  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they
came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they
desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

   

  This is saying that we can always go back to sinful ways,  if we
retain  any attachment to them. What countries are we still  "mindful"
of? 

 

  The Apostle speaks delicately when he states "they might have had
opportunity to have returned". The truth is, if we retain attachment to
earthly things, we will always be "returning" in some way to these
things, as a dog returns to its own vomit. 

 

  Who knows how far we will go? Do we? Could it not be possible that
with repetition in the indulgence of our passions, we will embark upon
an actual trip back to this "country" and do not come back?  ABSOLUTELY!
In this context, returning to the "country" that we should have left
completely means our perdition. In the meanwhile, as our lives hang in
the balance, we "play with fire", and are ?double minded¦ and therefore
unstable in all our ways. How many times can we indulge ourselves
without becoming completely lost? How much should we gamble concerning
this? 

 

  Human nature quickly tunes out warnings. Punishments, or threats of
danger do little to dissuade us for very long. There is a principle in
action here:  A PERSON WILL DO WHAT HE WANTS TO DO. Look at your life
and see if this is true. Why do you pray very little? Is is not because
you are  "mindful of another country" - something you value above
prayer, such as leisure, or entertainments, or any of a million other
things that we do instead of prayer? Our habits, deeply ingrained
because of our indulgence in them, are very difficult to uproot, and
will certainly not be uprooted by being reminded of punishments. We must
change what we want if we are to become holy.

 

  We see the true motivator to righteousness in this selection: to
desire a ? BETTER COUNTRY, THAT IS AN HEAVENLY.¦ We must daily, hourly,
minute by minute,cultivate  deep desire to become heavenly, holy -
because only those with a clean wedding garment will dine in the
Master's city. 

 

  How do we keep this blessed hope within us? 

 

  It is hard work. We remember that which we repeat. We repeat that
which we value.

 

  We must meditate upon the scriptures with great desire and longing.
This must be a daily occurrence. How can we do that which we do not
know? We must be people of the scriptures. When we hear the beginning of
a phrase, our heart should feel the warmth of holiness as our mind
completes it. Do you know the scriptures this well? I am not talking
about rote memorization here. We remember that which is important to us.
If holiness is important, then we will remember things regarding
holiness, and feel pleasure when these things are brought to our
recollection 

 

  My hope is that these small homilies that I write or speak will spark
a desire in you to delve deeply in the scriptures. Be like a miner, with
a pick and pail, looking for golden nuggets, and hold unto these as a
precious treasure. The only way to maintain the truths taught in
scripture is to live according to them, so in order to "maintain our
face towards Jerusalem" we must cultivate the virtues.

 

  What is it that you need to do today? I do not speak of your itinerary
- do this, do that, go here, then go there. Your task today is to live
like a Christian, and you cannot do this without thinking like one! Let
us take as our example Abraham, and Sarah, and Moses, and all the rest
who cultivated their love for God by their actions and maintained their
steadfast belief that there was something better for them - a heavenly
city. 

 

  Partial Scriptural bibliography: Hebrews 11:8, 11-16 ;  2 Pet 2:22 ;
Luke 9:51 ; James 1:8 ; Luke 15:11-32

 

  Epistle for this day:  Hebrews 11:8, 11-16  By faith Abraham, when he
was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and
was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him
faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him
as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as
the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith,
not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and
were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things
declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been
mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had
opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that
is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God:
for he hath prepared for them a city.