You Can't Buy This

What does it reveal about us that we think we can possess God, or that we can manipulate God into giving us stuff? It reveals we really don't know God at all!

Christ is risen!

They say that you can’t buy happiness. Well, that’s a bit subjective because some folks are very happy for a short time when they spend money. There is even a genuine psychological disorder that deals with folks who are addicted to spending money. So, I guess it all depends on how you define “happiness.”

Of course, there is nothing more infantile than reducing a good life to how “happy” you are. In an age where perpetual adolescence is king, our pursuit of happiness is a telling symptom of our own narcissism.

The point of the old saying is to teach that true happiness, contentment, or a “good” life doesn’t and can’t depend on one's personal wealth or lack of wealth. I’ve known very rich people who were also very miserable, and I’ve known very poor people who were very happy as well. So, something else has to be going on here. And that “something else” is actually a window into a person’s heart!

Are you willing to look in there?

Look at our lesson today in Acts 8:18-25:

IN THOSE DAYS, when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me also this power, that any one on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “Your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

Simon was a magician in Samaria who convinced the people that he was channeling God's power. When Philip came and preached the Orthodox Christian Message to the area and performed miracles that weren’t mere magic tricks, even Simon himself accepted baptism and believed.

But now the Church has sent St. Peter and St. John to chrismate these Samaritan believers so that they would receive the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands of the bishops of the Church. By the way, this is a powerful testimony to the authority and continuity of the Apostolic message of succession through the Apostles to our own bishops today! So, Peter and John chrismate the new believers after their baptism, and they receive the Holy Spirit. Simon witnessed this display of authority and power and really wants to be able to do this, too, so he offers money to Peter and John to “buy” this authority to “give” the Holy Spirit. Big mistake, but a really important window into the spiritual needs of our dear Simon. This is where the word “simony” comes from.

Simon makes three mistakes in his assumptions. First, he assumes Peter and John possess this power and authority. But the power to give the Holy Spirit belongs to Christ through His Church and isn’t so much a possession as a witness of continuity in communion and apostolic succession. This power and authority flow from an unbroken relationship with Jesus, not some superpower the apostles turn on and off as if it belonged to them.

Second, he assumes he can “buy” this authority and power. Not so; this power and authority is a gift to the Church, not merely to one person or even persons, but is a gift from God to His Body, the Church. Besides, there isn’t enough money in the world to “buy” a gift! Finally, he assumes this will make him famous again! And here’s a deep look into Simon’s soul. Simon’s popularity with the people has been overshadowed by the Apostles with their faith and not his magic tricks. Simon’s desire to have this power reveals he still needs God’s grace to mature him towards humility and not any notion of prestige or position.

We humans often prefer the easy “magic” of superstition to the hard discipleship of willingly applying the disciplines of the Faith to our everyday choices and priorities. But that always ends in a weak faith and a faith too weak to pass on to the next generation. Our children must see us practicing the Faith, not passing on a mere form of Orthodoxy.

St. Vasilikos was martyred for his Faith in Christ sometime around the end of the 3rd Century AD. He was the bishop of Comana and a nephew of St. Theodore (remembered on February 17). He was also friends with Sts. Etropius and Cleonicus who were killed for their faith before St.Vasilikos was arrested for being a Christian. When he was arrested for being a Christian, he asked the Lord to grant him faithfulness to the end so that he would remain faithful even unto death. The Lord appeared to him and said he must first go and bid farewell to his family. So St. Vasilikos left the prison and went and obeyed the Lord in telling his family and spiritual children good bye. When it was discovered that Vasilikos had left the prison, soldiers were dispatched to return him to jail. They found him with his family and marched him back to the place where he was beheaded and his body thrown into the sea. He died under the persecution of Roman Emperor Diocletian.

Today, when you see the real thing in someone else’s life, what does that reveal about your own heart? Does it create envy or shame or even a longing to have what they have? Don’t despair. Your stumble will be avoided if you soberly take the time to process your reaction, offer it to God in confession, and be willing to learn about your own spiritual needs. The power of a Normal Orthodox life is found in the humility to always depend on God’s grace rather than your own strength.

P.S. Your Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for You received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from You, our immortal God. For since he possessed Your strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since You are merciful.