Dan Everiss
<oregdan@hotmail.com> |  Tue, May 3, 2016 at 9:27 PM |
|
|
A comment on the
famous author, Fr. George Florovsky, whose life and teachings some
traditionalist Orthodox find...certain... faults with, as he had
some early involvement in the founding of the World Council of Churches,
and also he headed the old St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York, before
the Schmemann/Meyendorf/Verhovskoy, Parisian-Evlogian
renovationist-oriented contingent took it over, [ in its earlier more
traditionalist beginnings], by an astute well-read Orthodox brother in our ROCA, whose opinions I trust:...and
from what I have read of Fr. George Florovsky and his beliefs, he went
through various stages and changes,- in the end, becoming more and more
solidly Orthodox in his outlooks- Many have a high regard for him and
for...most of...his scholarly writings.Rd. Daniel(this paraphrased, by myself, comment): Unfortunately,
I don’t know all that much about Florovsky, personally. I was aware of
his early involvment in ecumenism. But I understand that his views about
ecumenism changed over time. Bishop xxx, [a graduate himself of St.
Vladimir's many years ago, who later has moved into traditionalist
Orthodoxy], wrote to me recently in this regard: "I got to know him a
bit over the years, and only during my last visit to him in New Jersey
in 1978 (a year before he died) did he express vehement and angry feelings against ecumenism.”
I
read this Florovsky's sermon on the Prophecy of Ezekiel that I sent to
you, and I didn’t find anything objectionable in it. To the contrary, I
found it informative, even edifying. I sent it to you because I thought
that you might find it beneficial as well.
As a general
comment, I think that it is occasionally possible to find worthwhile
things in various contemporary or of recent times, Orthodox writer’s
who are not always, on all issues, trustworthy. For example, I have
never particularly liked the writings of Alexander Schmemann; but I have
found his book, Great Lent, to be excellent, and I unhesitatingly recommend it.
(My Orthodox friend-)
THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
"O YE DRY BONES" —Ezekiel 37
A
glorious vision was granted to the Prophet. By the hand of the Lord the
prophet Ezekiel was taken to the valley of death, a valley of despair
and desolation. There was nothing alive there. There was nothing but dry
bones, and very dry they were indeed. This was all that had been left
of those who were once living. Life was gone. And a question was put to
the Prophet: "Can these dry bones live again? Can life come back once
more?" The human answer to this question would have been obviously, no.
Life never comes back. What is once dead, is dead forever. Life cannot
come out of dust and ashes. "For we must needs die, and are as water
spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again" (2 Sam. 14:14).
Death is an ultimate ending, a complete frustration of human hopes and
prospects. Death comes from sin, from the original Fall. It was not
divinely instituted. Human death did not belong to the Divine order of
creation. It was not normal or natural for man to die. It was an
abnormal estrangement from God, who is man’s Maker and Master—even
physical death; i.e. the separation of soul and body. Man’s mortality is
the stigma or "the wages" of sin (Rom. 6:23).
Many
Christians today have lost this Biblical conception of death and
mortality and regard death rather as a release, a release of an immortal
soul out of the bondage of the body. As widely spread as this
conception of death may actually be, it is utterly alien to the
Scriptures. In fact, it is a Greek, a gentile conception. Death is not a
release, it is a catastrophe. "Death is a mystery indeed: for the soul
is by violence severed from the body, is separated from the natural
connection and composition, by the Divine will. O marvel. Why have we
been given over unto corruption, and why have we been wedded unto
death?" (St. John of Damascus in the "Burial office"). A dead man is no
man any more. For man is not a bodiless spirit. Body and soul belong
together, and their separation is a decomposition of the human being. A
discarnate soul is but a ghost. A soulless body is but a corpse. "For in
death there is no remembrance of Thee, in the grave who shall give Thee
thanks" (Ps. 6:5). Or again: "Wilt Thou shew wonders to the dead? shall
the dead arise and praise Thee? shall Thy lovingkindness
be declared in the grave? Or Thy faithfulness in destruction? shall Thy
wonders be known in the dark? and Thy righteousness in the land of
forgetfulness" (Ps. 88:10-12). And the Psalmist was perfectly sure: "and
they are cut off from Thy hand" (v. 5). Death is hopeless. And thus the
only reasonable answer could be given, from the human point of view, to
the quest about the dry bones: No, the dry bones will never live again.
But the Divine reply was very different from that. And it was not just an answer in words, but a
mighty
deed of God. And even the Word of God is creative: "for He spake, and
it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" (Ps. 33:9). And now God
speaks again and acts. He sends His Spirit and renews the face of the
earth (Ps. 104:30). The Spirit of God is the Giver of Life. And the
Prophet could witness a marvelous restoration. By the power of God the
dry bones were brought again together, and linked, and shaped, and
covered over again with a living flesh, and the breath of life came back
into the bodies. And they stood up again, in full strength, "an
exceedingly great congregation." Life came back, death was overcome.
The
explanation of this vision goes along with the vision itself. Those
bones were the house of Israel, the chosen People of God. She was dead,
by her sins and apostasy, and has fallen into the ditch which she made
herself, was defeated and rejected, lost her glory, and freedom, and
strength. Israel, the People of Divine Love and adoption, the obstinate,
rebellious and stiffnecked
people, and yet still the Chosen People . . . And God brings her out of
the valley of the shadow of death back to the green pastures, out of
the snare of death, of many waters, of an horrible pit, out of the miry
clay.
The
prophecy has been accomplished. The promised deliverance came one day.
The promised Deliverer, or Redeemer, the Messiah, came in the due time,
and His name was Jesus: "for He shall save His people from their sins"
(Matt. 1:21). He was "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of
Thy people Israel."
And
then something incredible and paradoxical happened. He was not
recognized or "received" by His people, was rejected and reviled, was
condemned and put to death, as a false prophet, even as a liar or
"deceiver." For the fleshly conception of the deliverance held by the
people was very different from that which was in God’s own design.
Instead of a mighty earthly Prince expected by the Jews, Jesus of
Nazareth came, "meek and lowly in heart." The King of Heaven, the King
of Kings Himself, came down, the King of Glory, yet under the form of a
Servant. And not to dominate, but to serve all those "that labor and are
heavy laden," and to give them rest. Instead of a charter of political
freedom and independence, He brought to His people, and to all men
indeed, a charter of Salvation, the Gospel of Eternal Life. Instead of
political liberation He brought freedom from sin and death, the
forgiveness of sins and Life Everlasting. He came unto His own and was
not "received." He was put to death, to shameful death, and "was
numbered with the transgressors." Life put to death, Life Divine
sentenced to death by men-this is the mystery of the Crucifixion.
Once
more God has acted. "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel
and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have
crucified and slain; Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of
death: because it was not possible that He should be holden
of it" (Acts 2:23-24, the words of St. Peter). Once more Life came out
of the grave. Christ is risen, He came forth out of His grave, as a
Bridegroom out of his chamber. And with Him the whole human race, all
men indeed, was raised. He is the first fruits of them that slept, and
all are to follow Him in their own order (I Cor. 15:20, 23). "That as
sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through
righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 5:21).
The
prophecy of Ezekiel is read in the Orthodox Church at Matins on Great
Saturday, at that glorious office at which believers are invited to keep
a watch at the grave of the Lord, at that Sacred and Holy Grave out of
which Life sprung abundantly for all creation. In the beautiful hymns
and anthems, appointed for the day, the "encomia"—one of the most
precious creations of devotional poetry—this tremendous mystery is
depicted and adored: Life laid down in the grave, Life shining forth out
of the grave. "For lo, He who dwelleth on high is numbered among the
dead and is lodged in the narrow grave" (The Canon, Ode 8, Irmos). The
faithful are called to contemplate and to adore this mystery of the
Life-bearing and Life-bringing tomb.
And yet, the old prophecy is still a prophecy, or rather both a prophecy and a witness. Life came forth from the grave, but the fulness
of life is still to come. The human race, even the redeemed, even the
Church itself, are still in the valley of the shadow of death.
The
house of the New Israel of God is again very much like dry bones. There
is so little true life in all of us. The historical path of man is
still tragic and insecure. All of us have been, in recent years, driven
back into the valley of death. Every one, who had to walk on the ruins of once flourishing
cities, realizes the terrible power of death and destruction. Man is
still spreading death and desolation. One may expect even worse things
to come. For the root of death is sin. No wonder that there is, in many
and diverse quarters, a growing understanding of the seriousness of sin.
The old saying of St. Augustine finds anew
echoes in the human soul: Nondum considerasti quanti ponderis sit
peccatum, "you never understand of what weight is sin." The power of
death is broken indeed. Christ is risen indeed. "The Prince of Life, who
died, reigns immortal." The spirit of God, the Comforter, the Giver of
Life, has been sent upon the earth to seal the victory of Christ, and
abides in the Church, since Pentecost. The gift of life, of the true
life, has been given to men, and is being given to them constantly, and
abundantly, and increasingly. It is given, but not always readily
"received." For in order to be truly quickened one has to overcome one’s
fleshly desires, "to put aside all worldly cares," pride and prejudice,
hatred and selfishness, and self-complacency, and even to renounce
one’s self. Otherwise one would quench the Spirit. God knocks
perpetually at the gate of human hearts, but it is man himself who can
unlock them.
God
never breaks in by violence. He respects, in the phrase of St. Irenaeus
of Lyons, "the ancient law of human freedom," once chartered by
Himself. Surely, without Him, Without Christ, man can do nothing. Yet,
there is one thing that can be done only by man—it is to respond to the
Divine call and to "receive" Christ. And this so many fail to do.
We
are living in a grim and nervous age. The sense of historical security
has been lost long ago. It seems that our traditional civilization may
collapse altogether and fall to pieces. The sense of direction is also
confused. There is no way out of this predicament and impasse unless a
radical change takes place. Unless... In the Christian language it
reads—unless we repent, unless we ask for a gift of repentance... Life
is given abundantly to all men, and yet we are still dead. "Repent, and
turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be
your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby you have
transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye
die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that
dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye"
(Ezekiel 18:30-32).
There
are two ways. "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and
death and evil... I call heaven and earth to record this day against you
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:
therefore choose life (Deuter. 30:15, 19).
Let
us choose life... First, we have to dedicate all our life to God, and
to "receive" or accept Him as our only Lord and Master, and this not
only in the spirit of formal obedience, but in the spirit of love. For
He is more than our Lord, He is our Father. To love Him means also to
serve Him, to make His purpose our own, to share His designs and aims.
"Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what
his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I
heard of my Father I have made known unto you" (John 15:15).
Our
Lord left to us His own work to carry on and to accomplish. We have to
enter into the very spirit of His redeeming work. And we are given power
to do this. We are given power to be the sons of God. Even the Prodigal
son was not allowed to lose his privilege of birth and to be counted
among the hirelings. And even more, we are members of Christ, in the
Church, which is His Body. His life is indwelt unto us by the Holy
Spirit.
Thus,
secondly, we have to draw closer together and search in all our life
for that unity which was in the mind of our Blessed Lord on His last
day, before the Passion and the Cross: that all may be one—in faith and
love, one-in Him.
The
world is utterly divided still. There is too much strife and division
even among those who claim to be of Christ. The peace among nations and
above all the unity among Christians, this is the common bound duty,
this is the most urgent task of the day. And surely the ultimate destiny
of man is decided not on the battlefields, nor by the deliberations of
the clever men. The destiny of man is decided in human hearts. Will they
be locked up even at the knocking of the Heavenly Father? Or will man
succeed in unlocking them in response to the call of Divine Love?
Even
in our gloomy days there are signs of hope. There is not only "darkness
at noon," but also lights in the night. There is a growing search for
unity. But true unity is only found in the Truth, in the fulness of Truth. "Make schisms to cease in the Church. Quench the ragings of the nations.
Speedily
destroy, by the might of the Holy Spirit, all uprisings of heresies"
(The Liturgy of St. Basil). Life is given abundantly.
We
have to watch—not to miss the day of our visitation, as the Israel of
old had missed hers. "How often would I have gathered thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye
would not" (Matt. 23:37). Let us choose life, in the knowledge of the
Father and His only Son, our Lord, in the power of the Holy Spirit. And
then the glory of the Cross and Resurrection will be revealed in our own
lives. And the glorious prophecy of old will once more come true.
"Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up
out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel... Then shall
you know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the
Lord" (Ezekiel, 37:12, 14).
From:
Chapter I of Collected Works of Georges Florovsky, Vol. III: Creation
and Redemption (Nordland Publishing Company: Belmont, Mass., 1976), pp.
11-18.
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Guest comments MAYBE can be made by email.
joannahigginbotham@runbox.com
Anonymous comments will not be published. Daniel will not see unpublished comments. If you have a message for him, you need to contact him directly.
oregdan@hotmail.com