Sometimes Truth Isn't Popular

All of us, if we are going to be mature, have to face unpleasant truths to grow and become emotionally healthy. And sometimes we have to be "exhorted" to hear!

Christ is risen!

I have some acquaintances who are academic lay theologians, and they never cease to amaze me with their regular “insights” that “Well, we know this has been believed a long time, but did you know about these exceptions that really mean that what we’ve always believed is not quite right.” It’s almost comical how regular this desperate need to be “creative” and find the “grey,” especially in the moral teachings of the Faith. It’s almost like they are desperate to make a wrong right!

But, the word “exhort” or “exhortation” occurs 36 times in the New Testament and comes from two Latin words that mean “thoroughly encourage.” An “exhortation” is not a suggestion but a speech meant to move people to act immediately. It usually entails an unpopular truth that, nevertheless, has to be declared regardless of its popularity. Most of the time, an “exhortation” is meant to make us uncomfortable, so we will act! And that can only come from a humble, courageous, and willing person who loves the audience more than they love being popular. “The bus is headed toward you! Move! Now!” That’s an exhortation!

An exhortation comes to us when we are in danger or are endangering ourselves or others. Even though these uncomfortable truths disturb us, we need them, and they are for our salvation IF we are humble enough to embrace them.

Look at our lesson today in Acts 13:13-24:

IN THOSE DAYS, Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem; but they passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisidia. And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel, and you that fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for about forty years he bore with them in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming John had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.”

St. Paul here is invited, as was the custom of the day, to address the synagogue after the reading of the Scriptures. By the way, this is why a Normal Orthodox Divine Liturgy has the homily right after the Gospel Lesson. That is the traditional place for the homily, not at the end of the Liturgy as has become custom in many places today.

And what does Paul tell these Jews? He rehearses in their hearing the history of their people and ends with the unequivocal declaration that Jesus is the promised Messiah the Jews had been waiting for. He doesn’t couch it in politically correct terms. He doesn’t attempt to “soften the blow” of this news. And he doesn’t flinch. He exhorts these people to embrace this universe-changing declaration with the full expectation that they will now abandon any other notion or belief and embrace the Christian message of Christ. Period. Full stop. End of discussion. This wasn’t an invitation to debate or discuss. This was an exhortation to be faced, believed, and followed. Exhortations are normal for the Orthodox Christian Faith.

But how can Paul do this? He can because some truths aren’t open to debate. And when it comes to Jesus Christ, His very Person is Truth. As the Lord said in the Gospel, you will either fall on this rock and be broken, or this rock will fall on you, and you will be ground to powder (see Matthew 21:44)!

At the end of the 3rd century, St. Dorotheos was the bishop of Tyre in Phonecia (modern-day Lebanon). He was a faithful bishop who served his people and city well, converting many pagans to Christianity. He fled Tyre during the last persecution of the Christians by Emperor Diocletian in 303 AD. Once St. Constantine issued the Edict of Milan making Christianity legal, he returned to Tyre and assumed his ministry again. But when Julian the Apostate became emperor in 361 AD, he was determined to destroy the fast-growing Christian Faith in the Empire. St. Dorotheos, who was already very old, had to flee the city again when the emperor sent soldiers to arrest him. The saint was found in the city of Edessa by his pursuers and was horribly tortured at the age of 107. This faithful hero of the Church died of his torments, and we remember him today. St. Dorotheos was not afraid of dying; he was committed to continuing his effective ministry by exhorting the people to follow Christ.

Today, are you able to hear an exhortation, or does the very notion of the priest declaring truths strike you as scary, disgusting, or even inappropriate? Make no mistake, dearest. There are some times when the Truth is meant to be declared and believed, whether you like it or not. That’s how you become Orthodox on Purpose!

P.S. Having preached the Orthodox doctrines, O most sacred Martyr, you did bring yourself as a divine gift to your Creator; at the first, you had excelled in asceticism; at the last, you did contest firmly as a Martyr, and did lawfully receive the prize of your vict'ry from Christ our Saviour and God.