Holy Fathers Fr. Nicholas Carr

Glory to Jesus Christ. This past Thursday, we

celebrated the feast of St. Vladimir, the Prince

of Kiev, equal to the Apostles. And under his

direction, all of Russia changed from one worldview,

paganism, to a different worldview. Orthodox

Christianity. This was a major change, a joyous

change for the Russian people, and it impacted

their lives greatly for how we view the world

impacts how we live and what we do in our daily

lives. Each of us needs to ask this question

of ourselves. What is my worldview. Is it an

orthodox worldview, or is it something different?

This Sunday, we also honor the fathers of the

first six ecumenical councils. Why? Why would

we honor them? Because these six councils, guided

by the Holy Spirit, helped the church to maintain

What is that Orthodox Christian worldview? They

did not change it at these councils. They preserved

it from certain heresies of their day, as every

time has its own heresy. For where does the Orthodox

Christian worldview originate? Well, it comes

from God. It comes from Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

the creator of all things, and it is the ultimate

source of truth. It comes from God, and it is

given to us. It is revealed to us. It reveals

to us the nature of our humanity and the purpose

of our creation. The fathers of the first six

ecumenical councils saw the heretical teachings

of their day. and exposed their falsehoods and

maintained that truth which has been given to

us from the beginning of the church and from

before that. Today, the culture around us and

the prevailing worldview of this age has grown

farther and farther away from the teachings of

the church. and of our Orthodox worldview. In

fact, in some ways, the modern American worldview

directly clashes and contradicts the teachings

of the Church and the Orthodox Christian worldview.

It is no wonder that many of us have felt this

tension of how our Christian faith is pulling

us to think and believe and act in one way, and

the world is pulling us to think and act in a

different way. This is no small matter. The choices

that we make significantly impact our own lives

and the lives of those around us, those that

we love. Faith must direct those choices. Faith

in God, faith in the church, faith in the ecumenical

councils, faith in God's love, his grace, his

mercy, his forgiveness, his call to us to salvation,

faith in God's plan for our sanctification and

his plan for us in eternity, the redemption of

our souls. Well, today's gospel reading shows

us clearly where such faith leads. The Roman

centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant, and

Jesus said he would go to him and heal him. But

the centurion answered, Lord, I am not worthy

that you should come under my roof, but only

speak a word and my servant will be healed. And

so it happened. And Jesus said of this, Assuredly,

I say to you, I have not found such great faith,

not even in Israel. May we have that same strong

faith given to us through the church. What God

has revealed to us as true through the ages,

may we have that faith in that as well. Many

of us stumble. and sometimes we fall because

of our own pride, and we think we know better

than God knows. We think we can make a better

choice based on what people in the world around

us are saying than what God has given us as commandments.

And then we are surprised when things don't work

out correctly. Perhaps they don't work out correctly

because we had the wrong worldview. Even in this

failure, though, even when we fail to walk in

God's truth and love and forgiveness, his mercy

and his grace are there. All he needs and wants

of us is to come humbly before him and repent

of the thoughts. The words and the deeds that

we have committed are of our lack of faith and

to begin walking in faith. We need to repent.

We need to return to the Lord in humility and

commit ourselves to love Christ by keeping his

commandments. Saint Tikhon of Zedonk says this,

cleanses the heart of the believer from everything

that pertains to the world, that is, from attachment

to honor, glory, wealth, and pleasure, and from

every sinful habit. Won't you choose to walk

in faith? Won't you choose to live the Orthodox

worldview? in your life to make choices based

on the truths given us from God. This is a solid

foundation established through the ages, given

to us. Or, you have another choice, the ever

-changing wave and whirlpool of worldly ways

which are ever, ever different and changing depending

on what age you live in. Trust in the Lord with

all of your heart. Lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will

direct your paths. May the Lord bless you as

you walk in faith. Glory to Jesus Christ.