All Things

It is an ancient lie about God that He is withholding something from us. It has always been God's intention to give us "all things." But we have to be made ready to receive them!

I remember the look on his face when I told him that Orthodoxy is “maximalist, not minimalistic.”

And then I reminded him of years of government promotion of the “minimum daily requirements” of various vitamins for good health.

He slowly began to understand what I meant when I added, “We don’t treat spiritual illness with an aspirin. We use the full dose of timeless wisdom.” The light turned on in his head, and he got what I was trying to say.

And that’s one aspect of the Faith that really appealed to me.

I wanted and needed the FULLNESS of the Faith to have every aspect of my life informed and changed by this Orthodox Way of Life.

It’s why I titled the Introduction to Orthodoxy video series we produced “Journey to Fullness.” And why Orthodoxy drew me so strongly.

It was its comprehensive nature and its insight into all aspects of human life that simply captured my heart.

I remember telling my Dad when he questioned me about my entry into Orthodoxy, “Dad, I finally found the Faith big enough for the human soul.”

I knew this Faith was so full, so majestic, so healthy, and well-rounded that it would take the rest of my life just to scratch the surface of this “Sublime Theology.”

So, when Jesus says “all things,” He means “ALL THINGS.”

Look at our lesson today in Matthew 11:27-30:

The Lord said to his disciples, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

In this section of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus reassures John the Baptist that He is indeed the promised Messiah, and then the Lord launches into a series of declarations intended to shake things up.

Earlier in the chapter, He makes the provocative statement, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12)

The Lord then goes on to warn several cities nearby that they are about to be confronted with judgment because of their unbelief. He even warns these cities that “it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.”

Jesus is speaking plainly and directly to warn His audience of the dangers of unfaithfulness and unbelief. And He ends the chapter with our passage by thanking His Father that the Father has revealed these truths to “babes” rather than the intelligent of the day.

After all this plain, and frankly, scary talk, the Lord ends by revealing that the Father has given “all things” to Him to share with us!

And the Lord is clearly offering us the invitation to know Him in the fullness of the truth.

In knowing Him, we are gifted with rest for our souls, assured that everything the Father has given the Son is now shared with those of us who courageously follow Him.

That’s why the lie of the snake in the Garden to Eve was so insidious and evil. The snake tried to suggest to Eve that God was holding back from His creation because He didn’t want to give them everything He had. But that was a lie! God has always intended to provide us with everything, but we had to be trained on how to receive these awesome gifts without hurting ourselves.

Please also note that the Lord clearly teaches that this knowledge of Him, this following Him, and this faithfulness to Him are a much easier way to live than living without Him.

I know what you are saying, “But Father, the church has so many disciplines, so many teachings, and so many services. How can embracing all of that be easier than just living like everyone else around us?”

I get it.

But it isn’t wise to compare these focused disciplines of the Faith to thoughtless living based on our passions or desires. Following our passions and desires makes us slaves to those desires.

And living the disciplined and focused life of the Faithful is true freedom from the slavery of our desires. Our desires are demanding and childish. But Jesus says, “I am gentle and lowly in heart.” The Lord isn’t driving us like the undisciplined passions drive our behaviors and choices. He is leading us as the loving Shepherd leads the sheep. And in our willingness to tame our passions through the practice of the Fullness of the Faith, we become like Him in His freedom from selfish motivations and actions.

St. Hyacinth was only 12 years old when he was made the “chamberlain” of the Roman Emperor Trajan. Hyacinth was raised in a Christian family when Christianity was still illegal in Rome. The Emperor wasn’t aware of the boy's Christian faith, but one of the Emperor’s servants overheard St. Hyacinth praying one night, and the servant betrayed the boy to the Emperor. Hyacith was brought before the Emperor, and Trajan tried to persuade the boy to abandon the Faith. By Hyacinth, despite his youth, was steadfast in his devotion to Christ. The Emperor had him imprisoned and only offered Hyacinth food that had already been offered to idols in hopes of breaking the boy’s faith. But Hyacinth refused the food. After 38 days, Hyacinth died of starvation. When the jailor came to the boy’s cell, he saw two angels over the boy’s body. One angel covered the boy with his own garment, while the other angel placed a crown on the boy’s head. Hyacinth’s bravery and faith at such a young age encouraged other Christians in prison with him, and they faced their martyrdom with courage and faith.