Εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ Πνεύματος.
Πόσο μυστηριώδης εἶναι ἡ Ἐκκλησία μας; Βρίσκεται στὴ ρίζα καὶ τὸν πυρήνα τῶν πραγμάτων καὶ ὅμως τόσο ὀδυνηρά, καὶ τρομακτικὰ διαιρεμένη.
Στὴν διακονία τῆς κοινωνίας, στὴ Θ. Λειτουργία, μετὰ τὰ λόγια: « Τὰ ἅγια τοῖς ἁγίοις», ὁ ἱερέας κόβει σὲ τεμάχια τὸν ἅρτο ποὺ ἔχει ἤδη καθαγιαστεῖ, ποὺ εἶναι τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ λέγει: «Μελίζεται καὶ διαμερίζεται ὁ Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ μελιζόμενος καὶ μὴ διαιρούμενος, ὁ πάντοτε ἐσθιόμενος καὶ μηδέποτε δαπανώμενος, ἀλλά τοὺς μετέχοντας ἁγιάζων».
Αὐτὴ εἶναι ἡ εἰκόνα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μέσα στὴν ἱστορία; Ἄν ἀληθεύει ὅτι ὅλοι ἐκεῖνοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι ποὺ πιστεύουν στὸν Χριστὸ, ποὺ μέσω τοῦ ἱεροῦ Βαπτίσματος πέθαναν καὶ ἀναστήθηκαν μ’ Ἐκεῖνον, ἄν εἶναι ἀλήθεια ὅτι ὅλοι ἐκεῖνοι εἶναι ἑνωμένοι μ΄ Ἐκεῖνον, τότε εἶναι ἐπίσης ἀλήθεια ὅτι ὑπάρχει ἑνότητα· ἀλλὰ εἶναι ἐπίσης τόσο ὁλοφάνερα ἀληθινὸ ὅτι εἴμαστε διασπασμένοι σὲ ὅλα τὰ ἐπίπεδα.
Τολμᾶμε νὰ ποῦμε ὅτι εἴμαστε μεταξύ μας ἕνα, ἔτσι ποὺ τίποτα νὰ μὴν μπορεῖ νὰ διαρρήξει τοὺς δεσμοὺς ἀλληλεγγύης καὶ ἀγάπης; Μποροῦμε νὰ ποῦμε ὅτι οἱ Ἐκκλησίες ποὺ ὀνομάζονται Χριστιανικὲς εἶναι ἑνωμένες σὲ τέτοιο βαθμὸ, ὥστε νὰ μὴν ὑπάρχει ἀπόκλιση, ἀνταγωνισμὸς, ὑποψία, ἀμοιβαία ἀντιπάθεια· ὅλα αὐτὰ ποὺ εἶναι ἀδιανόητο νὰ συμβαίνουν σ’ ἕνα σῶμα ποὺ κυριαρχεῖται άπὸ ἕνα πνεῦμα, καὶ ποὺ καλεῖται νὰ εἶναι γιὰ τὸν κόσμο μιὰ ἀποκάλυψη τοῦ γεγονότος ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἦλθε στὸν κόσμο, σ’ ἕναν κόσμο κομματιασμένο, διαιρεμένο καὶ ἕνωσε τὰ πάντα, ὅπως τὸ κλειδὶ τῆς ἁρμονίας στὴ μουσική· εἶναι κατανοητό; Κι ὅμως ἔτσι εἶναι.
Μπορεῖ νὰ λέμε ὅτι κανένας ἄλλος δὲν μπορεῖ νὰ ἔχει ἐμπειρία τῆς ἑνότητας γιὰ τὴν ὁποία μιλᾶμε, ἐκτὸς ἀπὸ τοὺς ἁγίους. Ἀλλὰ αὐτὸ δὲν εἶναι ἀρκετὸ. Τὸ νὰ λέμε ὅτι μόνο οἱ ἅγιοι βιώνουν αὐτὴ τὴν ἐμπειρία, δὲν σημαίνει ὅτι ἔχουμε δικαίωμα νὰ μένουμε στὸ περιθώριο καὶ στὴν καθημερινότητα μας καὶ αὐτὸ ποὺ προσλαμβάνουμε μὲ τόσο ὀδυνηρὸ τρόπο εἶναι ἡ διάσπαση καὶ ὁ χωρισμός. Μποροῦμε νὰ ποῦμε ὅτι ἀγαπᾶμε ὁ ἕνας τὸν ἄλλον; Ὄχι βέβαια. Ἀγαπᾶμε λίγους, ἀγνοοῦμε τοὺς πολλοὺς, ἀπεχθανόμαστε ἤ μισοῦμε ἄλλους ἄνθρωπους. Εἴμαστε ἕνα; Ναί· σὲ στιγμὲς εὐλογημένες, ὅταν ὑπερισχύει ἡ προσευχὴ, ὅταν ὁ Θεὸς ἔχει τὸν πρῶτο ρόλο, ὅταν ξεχνᾶμε τὸν ἑαυτό μας καὶ βλέπουμε τὸν ἄλλον ,κατά κάποιον τρόπο, μέσα στὸ φῶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ · ἀλλὰ ὄχι ἀλλιῶς.
Τίθεται στὸν καθένα μας ἕνα ἐρώτημα. Ἔχω δικαίωμα νὰ προσέλθω στὸ Τραπέζι τοῦ Κυρίου; Ἴσως ἄν κηρύττω, στὸ βαθμὸ ποὺ γνωρίζω καὶ κατανοῶ, τὴν ἀκεραιότητα τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου πίστεως, ἀλλὰ δὲν ἀρκεῖ νὰ κηρύττουμε μὲ τὸ στόμα· μπορεῖ κάποιος νὰ ταυτιστεῖ μὲ αὐτὰ ποὺ λέει μὲ τέτοιο τρόπο, ὥστε ὅ,τι διδάσκει, ὅ,τι ὁμολογεῖ νὰ εἶναι ἡ ζωή του Μπορεῖ νὰ γίνουμε αἱρετικοὶ, ἀποστάτες τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μὲ τὸν τρόπο ποὺ ζοῦμε καὶ γι’ αὐτὸ ὁ Ἀπόστολος μᾶς λέει: «Προσέχετε! προσέχετε! Νὰ εἶστε προσεκτικοὶ πῶς ζεῖτε», μήπως ἐνῶ προσέρχεστε γιὰ νὰ μεταλάβετε, καταδικαστεῖτε, μήπως προσέρχεστε στὴ θ. Κοινωνία καὶ δὲν μπορεῖτε νὰ κοινωνήσετε μὲ τὸν Θεὸ στὸν ὁποῖο πηγαίνετε. Ὁ Ἀπόστολος Παῦλος χρησιμοποιεῖ πολὺ τρομακτικὰ λόγια γι’ αὐτὸ, ὅταν λέει ὅτι θὰ πρέπει νὰ ἔχουμε βαθιὰ συναίσθηση στὸ πῶς λαμβάνουμε τὸ Σῶμα καὶ τὸ Αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποὺ, ἐπειδὴ εἶναι φωτιὰ, ἴσως μᾶς κατακάψει.
Ἴσως τὸ πιὸ τραγικὸ σημεῖο εἶναι ὅτι δὲν συνειδητοποιοῦμε τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι τὸ Σῶμα καὶ τὸ Αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἶναι φωτιὰ, ὅτι προσλαμβάνοντας τα ἀνάξια, κατακαιγόμαστε, ξεραινόμαστε , καὶ σταδιακά γινόμαστε στάχτη. Ὑπάρχει ἀκόμα ἕνας ἄλλος λόγος τοῦ Ἁγίου Συμεών τοῦ Ν. Θεολόγου ποὺ προειδοποιεῖ· κάποιος ποὺ πλησιάζει τὴ Θ. Κοινωνία δίχως ζωντανὴ μέσα του τὴν ἐπίγνωση τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποὺ συναντᾶμε στὸ μυστήριο, δὲν λαμβάνει οὔτε τὸ Σῶμα, οὔτε τὸ Αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐπειδὴ τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιτρέπει νὰ λαμβάνει μόνο ψωμί καὶ κρασί. Δὲν εἶναι αὐτὸ τραγικό;
Ὅταν σκεφτόμαστε τὸν ἑαυτό μας, ἀναρωτιόμαστε, ποιὸς ἀπὸ ἐμᾶς μπορεῖ νὰ λάβει τὰ Τίμια Δῶρα; Ναὶ, πρέπει νὰ διδάσκουμε τὴν ὀρθὴ πίστη, πρέπει ν’ ἀνήκουμε στὴν Ἐκκλησία, ἀλλὰ δὲν ἀρκεῖ. Πρέπει ν’ἀνήκουμε μὲ τὴ ζωή μας· ἡ ζωή μας ὅλη πρέπει νὰ εἶναι σύμφωνη μὲ τὴ ζωή τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οἱ σκέψεις μας μὲ τὶς σκέψεις Του, οἱ καρδιὲς μας νὰ συντονίζονται μὲ τὴν καρδιά Του, ἡ θέληση μας νὰ εἶναι ἕνα μὲ τὴ δική Του· ὄχι τέλεια, ἐπειδὴ εἴμαστε ἀκόμα ἀνίκανοι γι’ αὐτὸ, ἀλλὰ τουλάχιστον στὴν λαχτάρα, στὴν θέληση, σὲ μιὰ παθιασμένη, αὐστηρὴ προσπάθεια νὰ ὑπερνικήσουμε κάθετι ξένο πρὸς αὐτό.
Ποιὸς δικαιοῦται νὰ προσέλθει; Σίγουρα κανένας ποὺ δὲν βρίσκεται ἐδῶ ἀπὸ τὴν ἀρχὴ τῆς λειτουργίας, ἐπειδὴ ἡ λειτουργία δὲν εἶναι κάτι ποὺ γίνεται ἀπὸ τὸν ἱερέα, εἶναι κάτι ποὺ πραγματοποιεῖται μέ τὴν κοινότητα τῶν πιστῶν, καὶ κάθε μέλος της δραστηριοποιεῖται γιὰ νὰ πραγματοποιηθεῖ· κι ἔτσι, ἄν δὲν σᾶς ἐνδιαφέρει νὰ βρίσκεστε ἐδῶ ἀπὸ τὴν ἀρχή τῆς λειτουργίας, νὰ μὴν τολμᾶτε νὰ προσέρχεστε στὴ Θ. Κοινωνία. Δὲν ὑπάρχει χῶρος γιὰ ἐσᾶς. Ἄν ἀνακαλύψουμε μῖσος, ἀπόρριψη κάποιου, ἄν ἀρνούμαστε ἐνδόμυχα νὰ εἰρηνεύσουμε στὴν καρδιά μας, τὴ θέληση, τὴ ζωή καὶ τὶς πράξεις μας, δὲν μποροῦμε νὰ τολμᾶμε νὰ ἔλθουμε γιὰ νὰ μεταλάβουμε. Ὁ Χριστὸς εἶπε: « Ἄν φέρετε τὸ δῶρο σας στὸ θυσιαστήριο καὶ νοιώσετε ὅτι ἔχετε κάτι μὲ κάποιον, ἀφῆστε τὸ δῶρο σας καὶ πηγαίνετε νὰ εἰρηνεύσετε μὲ τὸν ἀντίδικό σας», καὶ μόνο τότε νὰ ἔλθετε, ἐπειδὴ διαφορετικὰ θὰ καταδικαστοῦμε, γιατὶ ζητᾶμε νὰ ἑνωθοῦμε μὲ τὸν Χριστὸ, ἐνῶ ἀπορρίπτουμε κάποιον γιὰ τὸν ὁποῖο ἔγινε ἄνθρωπος, γιὰ τὸν ὁποῖο πέθανε ἐπάνω στὸ σταυρό.
Ἔτσι ἄς εἴμαστε πολὺ, πολὺ προσεχτικοί. Δὲν εἶναι ἡ ἀπληστία ποὺ θὰ πρέπει νὰ μᾶς φέρει στὴν Θ.Κοινωνία, δὲν εἶναι ἡ ἐπιθυμία νὰ λάβουμε κάτι μόνο γιὰ ἐμᾶς, εἶναι ἡ ἐπιθυμία νὰ ἑνωθοῦμε μὲ τὸν Χριστὸ, ἔτσι ποὺ νὰ ταιριάξουμε μ’ Ἐκεῖνον στὶς σκέψεις, στὴν καρδιά, στὰ ἔργα, σὲ ὅ,τι βρίσκεται μέσα μας, καὶ νὰ ζητήσουμε νὰ τὸ κάνει γιὰ ἐμᾶς μὲ τὴ δύναμη καὶ τὴ χάρη Του. Ἔτσι, ἄς τὸ σκεφτόμαστε αὐτὸ ξανὰ καὶ ξανά. Εἶναι δυνατὸν νὰ ἔρχεστε νὰ κοινωνᾶτε μόνο γιὰ νὰ παίρνετε καὶ ὄχι γιὰ νὰ μοιράζεστε μὲ τὸν Χριστὸ τὴ μοίρα Του; Μποροῦμε νὰ λέμε στὴν Κυριακὴ προσευχὴ, «συγχώρησε μας, ὅπως συγχωροῦμε», ἄν δὲν ὑπάρχει συγχώρεση στὴν καρδιά μας, καὶ σ’ αὐτὴ τὴ περίπτωση, πῶς μποροῦμε νὰ κοινωνοῦμε;
Ἄς προβληματιστοῦμε λίγο μήπως ἡ προειδοποίηση τοῦ Ἁγίου Συμεὼν καὶ ἡ πιὸ τρομακτικὴ προειδοποίηση τοῦ Ἀποστόλου Παύλου, ταιριάζουν μὲ τὴ ζωή μας. Ἀμήν.
Ἀπόδοση στὴν νεοελληνική: www.agiazoni.gr
Πρωτότυπο Κείμενο
Sermon on Church and Communion preached on Sunday
2nd February 1992
In the Name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. How mysterious the Church is; one at the core, one at the root and yet so painfully, monstrously divided.
In the communion service, in the Liturgy, after the words "The Holy Things to Them that are Holy" the priest breaks the Holy Bread, already consecrated, which is the Body of Christ and says "The Lamb of God is broken and distributed, which being ever broken, never is divided but halloweth them that partake thereof".
Is that an image of the Church in history? If it is true that all those who believe in Christ, all those who through baptism have died with Christ and risen with Him, if it is true that all those are at one with Him, then it is true also that there is unity; but it is also so patently true that we are divided on all levels.
Dare we say that we are so one with each other that nothing can break the bonds of solidarity and of love? Can we say that the Churches which call themselves Christ's own are so one that there is no divergence of faith, no competition, suspicion, mutual dislike, all things that are unthinkable in one body possessed of one spirit which is called to be to the world a revelation of the fact that God came into the world, into a world divided, a world broken and, like the key of harmony in music, brought everything into oneness, is it thinkable? And yet so it is.
We may say that no one but the saints can experience that oneness of which we speak. But this is not enough. To say that only the saints experience it does not mean that we have a right to remain outsiders to it, and in our every day life it is dividedness and separation that we perceive so painful. Can we say that we love one another? Certainly not. We love a few, we ignore the many, we dislike or hate a number of people. Are we at one? Yes, at blessed moments, when prayer takes over, when God takes over and we forget ourselves and one another in a way, to see one another only in Christ; but otherwise, no.
It makes each of us question: have I a right to come to the Table of the Lord? Yes, I may be proclaiming to the extent to which I know and understand it, the wholeness and integrity of the Orthodox Faith, but it is not enough to proclaim things with our lips; one must identify with them in such a way that what we proclaim, profess with our lips, must be our life. We can be heretics, we can be apostates of the Church and of Christ through the way in which we live; and this is why the Apostle says to us "Beware! beware! be attentive to the way in which you live" lest when you come to Communion you be condemned, lest you come to Communion and cannot commune with the God to whom you have come. Saint Paul has some very frightening words about it when he says that we should be aware of how we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, because it is fire, we may be consumed in it.
Perhaps the most tragic thing is that we are not aware either of the fact that the Body and Blood of Christ are fire, or of the fact that by receiving them unworthily we are consumed, we are dried and gradually reduced to cinders. But there is also another saying, of Saint Symeon the New Theologian, as a warning; anyone who comes to communion without a living awareness of Christ Whom he is meeting in a mystery, receives neither the Body nor the Blood of Christ, because in His mercy Christ allows him to receive nothing but bread and wine. Is not that tragic?
And when we think of ourselves and ask ourselves, who of us can receive the Holy Gifts? Yes, we must profess the Orthodox faith, we must belong to the Church, but this is not enough. We must belong to it through life; all our life must be in accordance with Christ's life, our thoughts with His thoughts, our hearts attune to His heart, our will at one with His will; not perfectly because we are still incapable of this, but at least in longing, in determination, in a passionate, stern effort to overcome in us anything which is alien to this.
Who is entitled to come? Certainly no one who is not here for the beginning of the service, because the liturgy is not something done by the priest, it is something that takes place within the community, and every member of the community is active in its fulfilment; and so, if you do not care to be here from the very beginning of it, do not dare to come to communion. There is no place in it for you. If we discover hatred, rejection of anyone, refuse inwardly to make our peace, within our heart, within our will, within our life and action, with anyone, we cannot dare come to corn-come (?) to communion. Christ has said "If you bring your gift to the sanctuary and feel you have ought (?) against someone, leave your gift, go and make your peace", and only then come, because otherwise it is condemnation that we will receive, claiming a right to be at one with Christ while we reject someone for whom He became man, for whom He died upon the cross.
So let us be very, very careful. It is not greed that should bring us to communion, it is not the desire to receive something for ourselves, it is a desire to unite ourselves with Christ so as to be in conformity with Him in thought, in heart, in mind, in action, in everything which is us, and ask Him to make it possible by His power and grace. So again, again let us think of it. Is it possible that you have come simply in order to receive and not in order to share with Christ His own destiny. Can we say in the Lord's prayer "forgive us as we forgive" if there is no forgiveness in us, and in that case how can we come to receive communion?
Let us reflect a little lest the warning of Saint Symeon the New Theologian and the more terrifying warning of Saint Paul come upon us. Amen.
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