JOHN 5:24-30---- The Gospel read at Orthodox Funerals
Life and Judgment Are Through the Son
24 “Most
assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me
has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from
death into life. 25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is
coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and
those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in
Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and
has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all
who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come
forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have
done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 I can of
Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I
do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me
I had
the great privilege and honor to have participated in the Orthodox Funeral
service for the Hiermonk John Hardenbrook, the father of our beloved Ft.
Thaddaeus from St. Lawrence Orthodox Church in Felton, California.
Father
John was a Christian in the truest sense of the word. Without going into what he has accomplished
in this posting (would actually need a book to do so), it is sufficient to say
he has lived entirely for Christ and by default, for His people. Ft. John was a servant’s servant; the wellbeing
and concern (spiritual, physical, or otherwise) of others was his life’s focus
in the Light of Christ.
In his
Homily, Ft. Thaddaeus said a phrase that I have been chewing on all night. To paraphrase (not sure if I have the wording
exactly right): In death, “Whatever we have done for ourselves will
pass away into utter oblivion, but whatever we have done for others, will
accompany us into eternity…..”
At the
moment of hearing this very true Orthodox teaching about the falling asleep of
the body, I was immediately beset with such overwhelming and mixed
emotions. On one hand, I was overjoyed
that this servant of God has indeed done good and lived for others, thereby
bringing consolation to all that his memory will be blessed. On the other hand, as I stood so close to
such a Christian that has now begun his journey to life everlasting, I couldn’t
help but to reflect on my own shortcomings and self-centeredness.
The thoughts
rushed in like lava spewing from a volcano: What good have I really done for
others? Why am I always so preoccupied with my own welfare and when it’s convenient
for me or at the right time, then and only then do I think of others? How do I become
like Father John, and every other faithful servant of Christ who devoted their
entirety to the building of the Kingdom and the saving of souls?
I was gleefully
ecstatic with joy for Father John and at the very same time, ashamed of myself!
God
gives us many, many opportunities and
situations to reflect, learn, and make changes in our lives to better conform
ourselves to His Image; and yesterday was one of those heavenly whispers for me.
We must
all ask ourselves some core Life questions: Who am I really serving—God, the world ,or
myself? How am I using the precious gift of time that He has given me--- for
His glory or my own?
And it
was this very thought of limited time that kept resonating in my soul. We are all given only so much time to
cultivate our heart and soul to produce spiritual fruit. And like a thief in the night, our Lord and
Saviour will call us, when—I don’t know, but sooner then we all want or expect,
that I am sure.
The above
scripture says the time has now come that those who hear the Voice of the Son
of God will live. I want to live!!! I want to be alive in Christ now, so that I may
enter to the resurrection of Life (not the resurrection of condemnation) when
he comes for me. I want to live in the
land of the Living, where all the choir angels and saints sing endless hymns
and praises. I want to be in HIS
presence today and unto the ages of ages--- and I want this for all of you.
But I must
first commit to the path of salvation: to that tireless journey of Becoming like HIM
so that I may be HIM to others, to the constant listening for His precious
voice calling me into deeper waters, to that nudging of the Holy Spirit calling
me out of my comfort zone so that He may fill me with more grace, more love,
more forgiveness and compassion. To that life of living for others and not
myself, to the laying down my life for my friend as He has laid down His Life
for me, to the very life that the Gospel of Jesus call us all to--- love the
Lord God with all you soul, with all your mind, with all your heart, with all
your strength AND love your neighbor as yourself---in this is fulfilled all the
commandments!
This was the high calling that
Father John reached and aspired for. And
may this also be our lot as well so that we may see him again in the
Resurrection of Life.
May his memory be eternal!
Your
servant in the King of Glory,
Ft.
Spyridon
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