On John 17 Fr Damian Kuolt

Glory to Jesus Christ. Dear brothers and sisters,

it can be hard to hear such profound words as

we listen to through the Epistle and Gospel and

kind of track with it and get the picture. And

especially we need to remember that these are

the scriptures appointed for our commemorating

the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council,

all Holy Fathers, hierarchs. So I want to, because

of this, because it can be a little difficult,

I want to repeat some major touch points in the

scripture that is appointed for today. A couple

from, first from the epistle to the Hebrews.

Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken

the word of God to you, whose faith follows.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and

forever. Do not be carried about with various

and strange doctrines. If there were two verses

that orient us towards the Holy Fathers throughout

the ages, the councils who decided and defined

the faith for us, and especially in our living

out our lives here in a parish, in a diocese,

especially how much it applies to our dear and

beloved hierarchs. They've spoken the word of

truth to us. And their faith is manifest in front

of us as hierarchs so that we can stay on track

and not be carried away with various and strange

doctrines which the world loves to layer onto

us. Self -help, self -care, improvement, self

-improvement. all kinds of philosophies that

are meant to alleviate things about our lives.

But we instead hold true to the gospel and to

the words of the fathers, the decisions of the

councils. And also in the gospel, there's phrases

that I think are, that I'd like to pop out for

you from that wonderful prayer, the great prayer

of our Lord. In John 17, now they have known

that all things which you have given me are from

you. That's Christ speaking. And they have believed

that you sent me. Holy Father, keep through your

name those that you have given me, that they

might be one as we are. While I was with them

in the world, I kept them in your name. Those

whom you gave me, I have kept. And these things

I speak in the world, that they might have my

joy fulfilled in themselves. And thus we hear,

as the apostles heard the prayer, that was for

them, and for all who followed him right down

to the current age. Now I want to focus on something

that is said earlier in the prayer. Something

that we can take to heart personally. Back in

verse 2 of that same chapter. That he should

give eternal life to as many as you have given

him. And this is eternal life. Are you ready?

That they may. know you, the only true God. And

Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. It's so easy

to breeze over that phrase, that they may know

you, the only true God. But eternal life and

salvation, salvation as we seek to experience,

is to know God. He says it. And this is like

to know you, the only true God. There was a young

man once who earnestly prayed in his loneliness

and search for meaning. He prayed something like

this, as I've heard it be told. God, I want to

know you. I don't want to know about you. Now,

why would someone not want to know about God?

He wanted to know God. He didn't want to know

about him. St. Maximus the Confessor addresses

this. He says to know God is to participate in

him. Knowledge of God is not intellectual, but

existential. It rings in your whole being when

you have this insight, these intuitions, these

hopes. These feelings, these even fears that

are based in divinity. Maximus says it is life

itself to know God. It is life itself. And he

draws a sharp comparison between knowing about

God. Now that involves, you know, discursive

intellect. You know, you reason and you study

theology and you get concepts. And you can learn

about historically how he treated his people.

You get to know about him that way. Not that

you don't do that, but the important thing is

knowing God. And this requires the purification

of the noose, as Maximus says, which becomes

a dwelling place for the divine presence. Eternal

life and knowing God is not a reward after death.

But it's the present reality of your communion

with him, with the divine. Wow, so how do we

do that? How do we come to know God in this way

of oneness and communion? Well, you have it in

front of you because it begins by behaving like

a Christian. In all things. I mean all things.

I was on the telephone just yesterday with someone

who had been working, doing some work for me.

And oh, does he love working for the guy who's

next to the church. The retired priest. He loves

the idea of being here and doing that. And he's

so pleasant and proper around me. And we were

on the telephone call while he was driving. And

all of a sudden, it was like, I'll talk to you

later. Great. See you later. And he didn't hang

up his phone, and I didn't hang up mine. The

very next thing I hear is a list of expletives

about the traffic and the person and just a barrage

of this bad, bad mood and behavior towards someone

else on the road. Now, doesn't that give you

a picture of something I think we're all guilty

of? We try to be in really good behavior when

we come here. And it's, good morning, Father.

Oh, God bless you. Oh, good morning, Matushka.

Oh, it's good to see you today. How are you?

We have to get way beyond that in the way we

live the Christian life and everything we do.

In Romans 12, St. Paul says, Do not be conformed

to this world, but be transformed by the renewing

of your mind, that you may prove what is that

good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

And in this case, mind is transformed from the

Greek word nous, which is what St. Maximus talked

about. The place of existential perception and

being. And St. Paul goes on, 9. Let love be without

hypocrisy, abhor what is evil, cling to what

is good, be kindly affectionate to one another

with brotherly love, in honor, giving preference

to one another, not lagging in diligence, fervent

in spirit, or serving the Lord, rejoicing in

hope, in patience, in tribulation, continuing

steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs

of the saints. given to hospitality. It all starts,

your coming to know God, all starts with Christian

behavior and all things, and allowing yourself

not to be conformed to the way the world would

have you behave, but by the renewing of your

mind, which is in Christ Jesus. Read the rest

of Romans 12 in your home. You know, St. Paul

gets a lot of bad... Bad press from people who

don't like the fact he lays down the rules of

what is or isn't going to kill you versus give

you life. You don't let a kid go play in the

highway. Duh. It's not time to be, well, what

do you want to do, Johnny? Do you want to play

out there or don't you think it would be better

to come on in off the highway? Paul doesn't do

that much. He doesn't coddle to us. That he gives

us one choice. Conform yourself to Christ. Do

everything it means to do that. That's your choice

if you want life eternal. Salvation always and

continuously and forever is purification by continuously

focusing on Christ. Seeking him in prayer, worship,

and doing it out of love. And of course, recognizing

in humility who you are, and allowing the synergy

of your will and your desire to do what's right,

no matter how many times you trip, repenting

and doing it again, enabling His grace to work

within you. Our guarantee that this is it is

pretty real. It's the fact that He gave His only

begotten Son for us, whom He loves, that we should

not perish, but have everlasting life. Our hope

is in him who so loved the world this way. So,

try to remember this. Try to go out, not just

here, not just at Agape Meal, but when you hit

the highway, the timer's running. Let's see how

you do. Glory to Jesus Christ.