Homily

Yesterday we had an online sobor, a meeting of representatives of the parishes of the eparch to talk about what Bishop Benedict calls the four pillars of parish life: Liturgia (Liturgy and prayer), diakonia (service), martyria (witness) and koinonia (fellowship or community.) I was asked to talk about this last topic and give some ideas about the importance of community in parish life. While I was thinking about what to say I had a small realization. I became much more aware of just how much St. Paul was writing to his parishes about how they should behave towards one another. We see this in today’s epistle when writes:

“Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming [upon the disobedient]. By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way. But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator.”

Normally I would just see these admonitions as Paul telling people how to live better as Christians—and he is doing that. But here, as in so many places in his letters, he is not just telling them how to live as Christians in general, but how to live as Christians with one another in the parish. Although Paul would hold that lying is always bad, he does not say “stop lying” but rather, “stop lying to one another.” And so, as in many, many of his letters he is telling them how to live better in koinonia, in community. If we can’t do it here with one another, we won’t be doing it out there in society. He believes the strength of the community life of the parish is most important. And it is!

Why are we still here after these many years, and especially after the last 9 months when our ability to worship together at one Liturgy, when we have had to abstain from the coffee social after services, when we have had to keep apart in many ways from our usual parish life? The first reason why is God’s grace. The second reason why is your desire for koinonia, which has built a strong foundation for our parish life together. It gives us stability for our worship, and for our learning in faith, for the opportunity to grow into the image and likeness of Christ even as we live as members of His body, the church and in particular this church.

There are many people who have little understanding of the importance of community life in the parish. They tend to treat the church as a kind of department store where you go to get things. You go there to get Communion, a baptism, a wedding, a confession, a funeral. They will shop for the best bargain wherever they can find it.

The idea that the people who share the church space with you are important to your life in Christ doesn’t have much meaning for them. But that’s not you—and thanks be to God. When I became more aware of how much St. Paul is actually writing not just about Christian life, but about Christian life specifically in the parish it made me reflect on how strongly you have all accepted and embraced this koinonia at Nativity parish. So much so that despite many obstacles we are still here, and still united even with those parishioners who are not able to come and join us because the bonds of our common life in Christ are not easily broken unless we cast them aside.

You have prayed and worshipped, you have volunteered and labored, you have practiced charity towards one another, you have overlooked the weaknesses and faults of your fellow parishioners many times and you have forgiven those who offended you. You have prayed for one another, you have loved and cared for one another. Our community life in Christ is strong, and we need to continue to work to make it even stronger.

We are, slowly but surely, slipping into evil and darkness in our secular society. Just looking back over the last 10 years to see the shocking changes our society has embraced should be enough to show the deep darkness we are heading towards. Just using one example, as a nation, we no longer even know what marriage is. Marriage and family life, the basic building blocks of any society, and we no longer know what it is. That’s just one area. The emphasis on the all-important self-identity is becoming a powerful poison in America. No need to worry about the needs or desires or opinions of other people. Do what you want to do and don’t let anyone get in your way. But if they do get in your way, find a way to make they pay for it. Community is for suckers.

But here we are. As individuals, but individuals who belong to a community, and as a community that belongs to Christ. It is here that we will find the power and strength we need to resist the forces of darkness that are lining up against us. It is here in community where we pray together, work together, care for one another, feel kinship with and belonging to one another. It is here that we will find the tools and the help we need to live good and holy lives, and to raise our families in the peace of Christ. It is the parish community that kept the Church of Christ alive during times of horrible persecution 2,000 years ago, over and over again. It was the secret parish communities in Ukraine that kept our church together during communist times. It is this parish that will work to keep our faith strong so that we can stand against the darkness of modern times and hold up the light of Christ for our neighbors to see.

Parish life is not perfect, of course. Not everyone is as kind as you, as forgiving as you, as patient as you, as generous as you, as holy as you. And yet, here you are, and God bless you for it. Koinonia, community, fellowship—extremely important to parish life, especially in a small parish. We do well. Let’s continue to try and do even better.

I want to finish with what St. Paul writes just after today’s epistle:

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.

“And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”