Sunday of all Saints of the British Isles
9th of July 1989
In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
We are keeping today the memory of all the Saints of these islands, of all the nations that have come, one after the other to dwell here, and who all have worshipped the living God, those who have become great before Him and whom He has revealed to us as guides, as heroes of the spirit, as people of perfect faithfulness to Him. Those Saints are the glory of this land; the world ‘glory’ means resplendence: this land shines with their presence, shines with the beauty, the purity of their souls, and the wholeness of their lives And how (?) is the reading of today's Gospel: Where your treasure is, your heart shall be – these are the first words which we heard; and the last words – Seek ye, therefore, the Kingdom of God and all its righteousness... Isn't that what they have done? Their heart has been in the right place; they have chose as supreme value in their life to worship the living God; but also, together with this Living God, they have chosen to become men in an act of supreme, sacrificial love in the name of this Living God Who came to die for mankind, for each of us (;) they have lived in the service of man. Because God Himself, came into the world in the (form) of a servant, one who devotes his life to the good of others. What an example for us! This is the Kingdom of God; this is its righteousness! The Kingdom of God begins at the moment when God become (?) King of our lives, when we enthrone Him in our hearts, in our minds; when we give Him freedom to rule our will and determine our actions. This is the moment when the Kingdom of God comes to each of us. And of course, rare are those into whose lives the Kingdom comes of a sudden; it grows gradually, like the dawn, the sun rising slowly above the horizon, bringing its light, and in the end shining in all its glory, in all its splendour. But when the Kingdom of God has come within us, it cannot be a Kingdom imprisoned within our experience, our love, to the extent to which there is love in us, our prayer to the extent to which there is prayer in us; like this light that knows no bounds it must shine in our lives. This is why we must seek for the Kingdom of God within us, but also be careful to let this Kingdom shine out, conquer all darkness around us, make others partakers of the light, of the warmth, of the beauty, of the joy, of the wonder, of the awe, of the miracle that God has revealed Himself to us, and has allowed us to know Him, to worship Him, to serve Him – and indeed: to become members of His Body, that is to be His incarnate presence on earth, to become temples of the Holy Spirit; earthen vessels, indeed, but vessels through which others may receive m o r e that we can contain; so that in the end, gradually, victoriously, we should become partakers of the divine nature, become in Christ, by the power of God the sons and daughters of the Most High.
This is what the Saints of this land, as well as the Saints of Russia whom we remembered last week, as well as all the Saints of the world, whom we sung two weeks ago, after Pentecost – that is what they have done; they (have) had their hearts in the right place, they opened it to God, they chose for their treasure fullness instead of the limitations of the earth, they became vast enough for God to dwell in them, and transparent enough for God to shine all (a)round. That is why they are the glory of this land, that is why they are its resplendence, that is why they are a light for us that can light for each of us his way – not only to God, but in the twilight, in the meandering tragedies of this word (?) to be like them, so that others may receive light, may receive joy, may receive life!
How wonderful to be called to become partakers of this vast crowd of men, of women, of children! A few names of them are known, so many are not – and the earth shines with their glory! Amen!