1936

David the King (Click for song)

"My sins run out behind and I am unaware. Yet, I go to judge another." -St. Moses

These were the words of St. Moses after his fellow monks pleaded with him to go with them to decide the penance for a brother who had committed grave sin. Upon hearing this, the other monks forgave the brother and left him alone about his sin.

So, there has been quite a bit of chatter circulating about gay marriage. Let me start off by saying that I stand alongside the tradition of the Orthodox Church, that marriage is a sacrament (a mystery) that was creating to only exist between a man and a woman. Unlike most people who simply say they disagree with it for "religious reasons," I do have a sole reason why I believe this to be so. The Orthodox theologian Alexander Shmemann says that all of life is Eucharist, that in the bread and wine becoming body and blood, all of creation becomes one with Christ.

So everything has this purpose, "theosis," which means "union with God." This is the aim for all that we do, "theosis." You as well as I know that Christians do not always marry with this sole purpose in mind. And it is really to our detriment that it is not considered, or merely as an add-on (we both like movies, have the same sense of humor. And oh yes, we should both be "good" Christians).

But how is marriage theosis? Consider the writing of Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church."

When two people marry within the church, they mystically become an icon (an image) of Christ and the church. This is what your marriage is as a Christian.

"But what of those outside the church? Do you not consider homosexuality a sin?" Consider also Paul's words in 1 Corinthians: "For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?"

And once inside the church what do we hear? Consider the voice of the Holy Spirit which spoke to St. Anthony and said, "Anthony, keep your eyes on yourself."

And of Sts. John and Barsanuphius: "To consider oneself nothing means not to compare oneself with anyone."

And of St. Moses: "The monk must die to his neighbor and never judge him at all, in any way whatever."

And again of St. Moses: "The monk must die to everything before leaving the body, in order not to harm anyone."

I quote these saints to show that in ourselves we have much work to be done. What is my business with the world? Have I even the necessary discernment to say anything in love?


Concerning lastly the words of the Elder monk Erenei, "We cannot sin without affecting our neighbor. We cannot be redeemed without affecting our neighbor."

I must long for my redemption, my theosis as the means of saving my brother. It is not my vote for something but my life that will save or damn my brother.

Forgive me, a sinner.