Real Truth Reveals & Confronts

In remembering the Three Great Hierarchs, we are reminded that ideas and words have consequences and real meanings. Truth usually hurts!

The great Oriental philosopher Confucius declared "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." I would add, "It may be simple, but it isn't easy!"

So, why do you think we tend to complicate our lives? More and more I'm convinced that those who want things complicated want to maintain a level of control, so if they can make things complicated, then they make themselves indispensable. I told a lawyer friend once that I knew why he made the law complicated; it was so he could be the expert and keep his job secure!

Maybe that isn't always the case, but I confess to being suspicious when someone insists something is very complicated or nuanced. It feels like they are trying to make sure the plain truth doesn't sting them with hard choices.

But, at the very core of the message of Jesus is the very plain truth of choosing between life and death, between freedom and slavery, between joy and self-centered misery. And we live in an age where it seems we want everything to be allowed so no one has to make the hard choice of saying "no" to some desire or craving. This has only guaranteed we are living in a permanent adolescent age where no one wants to grow up and be responsible for taming their passions. There is no lasting future in such an immature age. It only leads to destruction.

Look at our lesson today in John 10:9-16:

The Lord said, "I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd."

Our Lord Jesus knew His words were going to be misinterpreted by His hearers. He knew they were going to be scandalized and even offended by His declarations. And He said these words anyway.

Please notice some stark and plain truths Jesus makes in today's lesson:

I am THE door - Jesus doesn't suggest He is one way to wisdom, but He is the ONLY way to wisdom and life. He compares Himself to the "Thief" who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy people. Jesus comes to give life, abundant life, overflowing life, and real life to you and me.

I am THE Good Shepherd - Our Lord says He is THE Good Shepherd. The claims of exclusivity are plain and challenging. But Jesus doesn't stop there. He compares His Good Shepherd to the "hireling" who only pretends to care for the flock. The Hireling cuts and runs when danger comes. The Good Shepherd lays His life down for the sheep.

Our Lord Jesus cares for everyone, even those whom He knows will reject Him and even crucify Him. But that doesn't make the Lord reject them because they reject Him. He loves them and us enough to speak the Truth to us regardless of our reactions or even misunderstandings. He does this because, all too often, it's the stark and disturbing Light of plain truth that has the best chance of waking us up from the stupor of our self-centeredness. This is so very potent, so disturbing BECAUSE of what is at stake - Eternal Life or eternal death. That stark choice deserves the power of plain talk to rescue people God loves. The plain talk of eternal truth SHOULD be sobering and clear!

No wonder the Church moves us to these passages when we approach the wisdom of the normal Orthodox disciplines of the Faith - Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. It is these wise seasons of the Church Year that invite us to the regular and necessary "spiritual spring cleaning." We, who live in a fallen world, desperately need to keep paying attention to our deepest reason for living! Too many times we are lulled to sleep by the desire to be liked or popular or relevant when the Truth is we endanger ourselves and others by accommodating a "tamed" Faith that only leaves us too weak to "hear" His Voice and then miss His direction. As we approach the “Great Lent" and purposefully prepare for the Feast of the Resurrection, don't try to "water down" the plain talk of the Faith to save you from the destruction of making the wrong choice.

As we remember the Three Great Hierarchs, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom, we would do well to remember the lesson behind the Church, putting all three great teachers of the Faith together for the celebration. You see, a bit before 1100 AD, during the reign of Emperor Alexis I, there arose such a dispute among the nobles of the Imperial City that something had to be done. The dispute was that some of the learned championed Basil as the greatest Teacher; others insisted it was Gregory; and still others insisted it was John. The dispute threatened the peace of the Empire! It got so bad that the different groups named themselves Basillians, or Gregorians, or Johannites. The evil tendency of we humans to divide and tribalize is legendary!

A holy monk named John Mavropous, who had been ordained the bishop of Euchaita, had a visitation of all three saints. They told him to write a comon service for all three saints and reminded him that there was no one greater than the other, but all served Christ. St. John obeyed, and that is why we have these three great theologians remembered all together today!

Today, I know it's hard to hear the plain truth, and there is always the temptation to misunderstand. But our Lord Jesus loves us and only desires our salvation and peace. His devotion to you today means He speaks plainly for your good. And when you love others like He loves others, your willingness to speak plainly to others is sweetened by that loving concern. So, don't be afraid of plain talk. Embrace it and risk being Orthodox on Purpose!

P.S. The three most great luminaries of the Three-Sun Divinity have illumined all of the world with the rays of doctrines divine and true; they are the sweetly-flowing rivers of wisdom, who with godly knowledge have watered all creation in clear and mighty streams: The great and sacred Basil, and the Theologian, wise Gregory, together with the renowned John, the famed Chrysostom of golden speech. Let us all who love their divinely-wise words come together, honouring them with hymns; for ceaselessly they offer entreaty for us to the Trinity.