In what was a historical day in our now “not so little” Church in the woods, we baptized and/or Chrismated 16 new warriors for Christ. 16 souls yesterday were transformed and began a new walk of life. 16 souls who proudly proclaimed that they had united themselves to Christ. 16 souls of which the devil has lost his eternal grasp…who have now sat themselves at the Savior’s feet in humble anticipation of Pascha.
Yesterday morning, as these newly illumined were standing in the Church, they participated in very specific exorcism prayers, in which the Church condemned the devil from having influence over them. They turned to the west and spat in his face before turning towards the East and facing our Lord. This was a blessing and a power that many alive during the time of Christ didn’t have. We hear often in the Gospels about demonic possessions that afflicted many of the children of Israel. The demoniac and the pigs is one story that often comes to mind, as well as the one we are faced with this morning in the Gospel.
Just after our Lord had descended from Mt. Tabor after His Transfiguration, He immediately was confronted by a father and his son. The father was desperate, having come to the disciples who did not go up to Mt. Tabor with Jesus, he begged them to heal his son who was severely demon possessed. The young man would throw himself into fires, foam at the mouth, gnash his teeth, and become rigid and paralyzed. Yet, try as they might, the Apostles were unable to heal this young man from his possession.
Enter our Lord, still probably shining with the Uncreated Light that He shone with on Mt. Tabor. He confronted the Father and asked him a peculiar question…one in which Jesus already knew the answer: “How long has this been happening to him?“
Jesus often asks questions he already knows the answer to, not for His own knowledge, but for the knowledge of those around him. In this specific situation, Jesus wanted to make a point as to how long this young man had been possessed before He healed Him…and it is that point that I want to speak on today. The father answered him: “From childhood.”
“From Childhood…”…As a little boy, this child was completely controlled by demons…And there are those who wonder why we baptize children…
Learning to follow in the ways of Christ is much harder for adults than it is for little children, because from a young age, we have the benefit of being molded and formed into the Christian life, rather than trying to unlearn and undo all of the bad habits that had been formed throughout decades.
I was reading a wonderful commentary on this Gospel from Archbishop Augoustinos of Florina, who said that children are like small and tender trees:
“When trees are young and thin, we can influence which direction we want them to follow. If they become twisted, we can straighten them out. We can tie them to a support and straighten them out. If we leave a tree alone, however, it will grow up twisted and remain that way forever.
Children are like that. They are tender little trees. We have to look out for them carefully if we want to see them one day as shining citizens.”
How true and beautiful that image is, especially when we look upon the young trees that our Church has received into its care today. The priest, the deacon, the faithful members of this Church, the Godparents, and most especially the parents of these young trees, are called to guide these young seeds in the ways of God. They will lean on us for support. They will watch our responses and actions. They will learn from the way that we interact with God…how often we pray…how we act in the Church…how we venerate icons…how we receive the Holy Eucharist…
I tell the new married couples, and couples who are preparing to have their first child, that children watch every move that their parents make. You could be wonderful Orthodox Christian parents, who go to Church every week, 9 out of 10 times, but it’s the one time that you miss for a cause “not worthy of a blessing” that the children remember.
It’s the one time that you don’t pray before a meal that the children see.
It’s the one time that you don’t forgive someone that they learn to seek vengance
It’s the one time you swear in front of them that they learn those words.
It’s the one time that you break the fast-during Great Lent that they hang on to.
St. John Chrysostom says to us: “Let everything take second place to our care for our children…our bringing them up to the discipline and instruction of the Lord. If from the beginning we teach them to love true wisdom, they will have great wealth and glory than riches can provide.”
Let this be our pledge dear brothers and sisters in Christ, not only with the children here presented, but to all of the 16 children of God who have begun their journey with us today.
To all of those brought into the One Holy Orthodox and Catholic Faith, and to all those receiving the Holy Eucharist for the first time today: “Welcome Home!”