Being Grateful Makes You a Normal Orthodox Christian
Learning to find the grateful part of any event makes you free from despondency!
St. Paisios said, “Sometimes the devil deceives us and makes us unable to be pleased with anything; however, one can celebrate all things in a spiritual manner, with doxology, and secure God’s constant blessing.” Elder Paisios of Mount Athos Spiritual Councils IV: Family Life
The older I get, the more I see gratitude and the cultivation of gratitude that is the key to spiritual peace.
The ability to be grateful is in direct proportion to humility and honesty.
Cultivating the spiritual fruit of gratitude draws us to God's blessings because gratitude sets me free to see the blessings hidden even in times of struggle. No wonder the Fathers constantly call us to say, “Glory to God for all things.”
If you were to purposefully work daily for this Normal Orthodox perspective of gratitude, can you see how it would change everything in your life and relationships?
But how do we cultivate gratitude in our lives?
Look at our lesson today in Philippians 3:20-21; 4:1-3:
Brethren, our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. And I ask you also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
St. Paul wants these Philippians (and us) to stick with the Faith, so he gets personal with them, even mentioning two ladies in the Church who are bickering with each other! We’ll get to that in a minute.
First, I want you to notice how Paul starts the passage. He insists the Philippians understand their ultimate destiny, not merely in this life.
He starts by referring to the believers as “brethren.” My destiny isn’t by myself.
I am not saved alone but in a community, a “commonwealth.” The modern religious notion of “me and Jesus got our own thing going” isn’t just wrong; it’s dangerous! And the danger comes to me, personally, because I need my “brethren” to be thoroughly Christian.
It’s why Orthodox insist on calling our central act of worship “Eucharist.” We, who are many, drink from one cup and eat from one loaf. This whole emphasis on being a commonwealth is never reduced to the merely political (too small!) but insists that I take seriously the hard work of communion. It is precisely that challenging work that creates the character of Christ within me AND cultivates gratitude as well!
Paul then elaborates on what he means when he tells these believers how dear they are to him.
Philippi was a challenging missionary effort for Paul. The powers that be ran him out of town because of his missionary work—how humiliating! And yet, these Philippians didn’t abandon their disgraced apostle and became huge supporters of the rest of his ministry! Paul loved this church, and they loved him right back. “You guys never abandoned me, so don’t abandon Christ when the going gets tough!” Remembering examples of faithfulness cultivates gratitude!
Finally, Paul makes this cosmic theology of the Church even more personal by dealing with two ladies in the Church. Euodia and Syntyche were leaders in the Church of Philippi, and their disagreement threatened the very unity Paul was trying to teach these folks to keep them strong, faithful, and grateful. Bickering is so dangerous; it saps faithfulness and spiritual strength!
Paul wants these ladies to mend their relationship because their problems will never stay between them. Paul is tough on disunity in a local parish because he knows that this disunity strikes at the heart of a parish’s ability to live a life together of gratitude. By the way, do you have bickering in your parish? Watch as it erodes generosity, peace, and faithfulness! Very dangerous! And a true spirit of gratitude is the antidote for bickering.
St. Clement, the Hieromartyer and Bishop of Ancyra, was born to an unbelieving father and a Christian mother named Sophia. He was born in 258, and his mother raised him as a devout Christian. Both his parents were dead by his 12th birthday, and a woman named “Sophia” adopted him and continued to encourage him to stay faithful to Christ. He became a monk in his teenage years and was ordained the Bishop of Ancyra by his 20th birthday. He was tortured for his faith and finally beheaded with St. Agathangelus in 296. He told the Christians who came to him and ministered to him during his torture that the persecution would be ending soon, and then he encouraged them to stay faithful.
Today, staying focused on Gratitude makes you a free person. Actively developing the virtue of gratitude allows you to live your life as God intended! Purposely building your heart to be filled with thankfulness so molds your character that you become like Christ! Sharing this attitude of gratitude transforms your parish. A grateful parish is a generous parish. A grateful parish is a growing parish! This is the Normal Orthodox Life!
P.S. You blossomed forth for the faithful, O most sacred Clement, as a branch of holiness, a staff of contest, a most sacred flower, and a sweet God-given fruit. But as a fellow-sufferer of martyrs and a fellow-prelate of hierarchs, intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.
Fr. Barnabas Powell is the parish priest at Sts. Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene Greek Orthodox Church in Cumming, GA. He is also the founder of Faith Encouraged Ministries and produces the Faith Encouraged Daily Devotional on Substack. Watch the Faith Encouraged YouTube Channel here - https://www.youtube.com/@FaithEncouragedTV
