SHIPWRECK IN THE HARBOR

Word of the Cross on Wednesday 

Archpriest Alexander Shargunov

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Today we sredopostnaya Wednesday, the Holy Church brings worship Precious Cross of Christ.

And what about the Cross of Christ, the word of God? We have heard, as always at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the book of Genesis, the prophecy of Isaiah and Proverbs. As if there is a word of the cross, but the word of God - always cross, as evidenced by the apostle. Cross in the real sense, as we now see. Anything that gives us life - two opposing secret "mystery of iniquity" and "the mystery of godliness," the mystery of sin and the mystery of the cross. The mystery of the cross is to give himself to God and people. A secret sin - in self-centeredness. Some people ask, where did evil. Why is someone who is lighter all, O Lucifer, became darker all? Each of us can see in myself this root cause of sin. Hence grow all other sins, and no one is free from this corruption. Only the love of God, the Cross of Christ, His sacrificial returns can heal us of this closure on itself, of self-destruction, seeking to establish itself in the human soul and history.

Today, the book of Genesis tells us about Noah , how after being saved from the flood, only with his family throughout the human race, he arranges a feast. Holiday with him, he drinks wine. But he was drinking from an excess of joy, too loose, not knowing restraint and becomes drunk. It was his sin, a great sin. The worst part was that it happened so soon after the escape, which gave him the Lord. God had abandoned him when he was too closed up on itself, to his delight, and forgot about God. And God granted him his freedom. And we left it in the Scriptures, to show that even the best of men, after the first fall is finished, cannot avoid sin. They can be vigilant in their spiritual life, determined to be faithful to God, and when they come to test him, courageously overcome them. But because of arrogance, because of forgetfulness of God's grace, when they were but myself do not see anything, suddenly fall into sin. They fall into sin, when the hour of trial has passed. They are, as they say, suffer shipwreck in the harbour. That is what happened to Noah. He survived the deluge, all perished, and he remained faithful to the God of the living. And now the subject drop.

We are now going through Lent. It's like a swimming among the flood of sin, which is before our eyes. There are some of us who are attentive to the mystery of life - they open the depths of good and evil. Fasting and prayer, they are reinforced in faithfulness to God. But here ends the post, swimming will come to an end. Holy Church today warns us - as we would like it to be the Old Testament righteous, who passed all the tests, and when he reached a safe place, was defeated. We must be especially careful when comforting grace.

And another lesson teaches us today Lord. When we have the well-being, the excess of all, it can be a challenge for us, no less dangerous than the grief and distress. Many people miserably fail, when they seem to be doing fine. Because the Lord sends the grief and distress, to bring us to life, so that we know that have not reached the goals that we are still on the road. And if we had not ever forget, if we were always his face turned to the Lord, to where our path is, the Lord would probably not send us these afflictions.

Noah was the result of sin and shame, shame. Lord shows what sin - it is always a shame. The man disgraced. Exposed to shame, like Adam when he ate the forbidden fruit. Shame can be eternal, when the Lord at last his trial opens secrets of each.

We also shown here, what a great evil drunkenness. It reveals the weakness of man and makes him vulnerable to the enemy. We live in a world where wholesale drinking and our people becomes an inveterate drunkard. This drink brings out all the dark, unworthy, unclean, that is in man. Drunken guards open the gates of the fortress, which they put to guard. The people of our enemy open all the gates of the fortress of our country. What good shout those there enemies and the enemies there. We are all the gates opened for them.

In the world - drinking sin. On the first day of Lent, the Church in hymns reminds us of this. Intoxicated man sin, sin seems sweet, and the sea on his knee. And he is drowning, dying in the abyss, which dishonours it does despised. All of our people and does dishonour contemptible in the eyes of other nations. When drunk comes to, horrifying him the thought that he had done, how he could do such a thing. And sometimes it's hard drinking sin soundly, and sober not occur.

What is the first prayer of the Church says, after the consecration of the Holy Sacrament? The first words of the priest after the commission of the greatest that can be on earth, it shall be "in the sobriety of the soul." Sobriety, we need, first of all because we are all intoxicated by sin. And drunk, unhealthy tried about everything that happens to us.

We showed today impudence and wickedness of Ham. Now is the time of Ham, and the time is now to speak up. We have before us a man who, when he saw the nakedness of his father, he went and happily talked about what had happened to his two brothers. He was delighted. Why is he happy? Yes, probably, he does sometimes get drunk. How often those who go crooked ways, rejoice when someone falls into the same sin that they did. This diabolical joy this devil rejoices.

Ham is calling other people - his brothers, to his own father put before them a laughing stock. The worst thing in his sin, the sin that he turns into laughter, then, something to laugh. This is the limit of falling. The fact that we are now going on. After all the media around the clock goes it rudeness - exposes a disgrace to all the people and exposed to ridicule.

And we see the pious, in the fear of God, the care of his father's other sons of Noah - Shem, and Japheth, who jumped on his clothes, covering his shame. We are called to learn that the main virtues associated with the mystery of the Cross, - throw on clothes to shame others, love to cover flaws and sins of their neighbours. Who can cover the sins of other people love, but Christ? Why he came into the world, which took all the consequences of our shamelessness, our sinfulness? To His Cross, the love of the Cross to cover all our sins.

When Noah comes to himself, he is terrified of what happened. With heartfelt repentance he says to God, and the spirit of prophecy goes back to Noah, because the Lord does not leave his. Lord knows the weakness of man, and when we turn in repentance to Him, lamenting his sin, God covers our sin to love. Like the dying Jacob, Noah said to his sons, that they will, and says a curse on Ham's son, in Canaan. We know about the land of Canaan, how were the people that live on it - the people, full of wild superstitions which have opened the way to Satanism. So one sin of Ham determines the fate of a people and as a result - all of humanity.

Noah utters a curse on his son Khamova . He says that he will be a slave to slave of Shem and Japheth. It is as if our nation is said that it will be a slave of slaves, if you live, as shown today - in this drunkenness of sin in this impenitence, this shamelessness and shame. Curse of November is going to end the story. God often punishes transgression, bringing iniquity of parents to their children. The sin of Ham, his son will be punished.

Children naturally inherit a bad tendency to imitate their fathers and their wicked lives. Terrible when they do nothing to get rid of the legacy of the curse, especially after Christ came to all people, without exception, offered the gift of forgiveness of sins.

In the world there is mercy, and all superior, but there is truth, and justice. Grace opens only when a person comes to the realization that without justice, without the truth, he cannot live. Because it is true that dishonour comes to those who dishonour others. Especially for those who dishonours their parents. Today, this sin of rudeness wants to involve everyone - even children, from infancy. What a shame waiting for a new generation! And do not get better, no matter what we have made, until we see the essence of where it goes, and that the Lord offers us.

Noah blessed Shem and Japheth, rather, as I said, he blesses God for Sima, calling God "the God of Shem." In these words, that God is the God of Shem, are all blessings. And Shem generously rewarded for the good he has done, for honouring his father for what he covered the sin of another. So that God is honoured this man. Here, again, revealed to us the mystery of the Cross. God gives glory to God for the good work that is created hereby. And when we see the good works of some people, we must first of all to glorify God. Secret of a good cause is great. " Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.- says the Lord (Matthew 5, 16). As well goes back to God, it is never forgotten, as well as evil does not go unpunished, while it is the unrepentant. Therefore honour and mercy for man to do good, that is, to be a minister of God Himself.

Noah sees that God is blessing Shem and his family will testify to the world that He is the God of Shem. This indicates to us that the Lord builds His church in the offspring of Shem. If it was not Sima, there would be God's chosen people, the Jews would not have Christ, and there would be no salvation. For one it is a good thing God gives blessings old Sims, and over time this will be the only people God's chosen people, God's people. Those people, who will open the way to the mystery of the Cross of humanity, and which will be the mystery of the Cross. But would it be capable of this people will join the mystery of salvation?

Noah blessed Japheth: "God shall enlarge Japheth, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem." The holy fathers say that, above all, we are talking about the descendants of Japheth, who will be so numerous and victorious that possess the tents of Shem. This prophecy is primarily - in historical terms. It was fulfilled when the Jews, the descendants of Shem, were first conquered by the Greeks and later the Romans - those who were descendants of Japheth. Here is what do the words "and may he dwell in the tents of Shem." And while we are talking about the conversion of the Gentiles, and for bringing them into the church. God will win the heart of Japheth, and he was defeated by God, to live in the tents of Shem, that is, Jews and Gentiles will connect the gospel of Christ's cross. Two hands outstretched on the cross, God embraces the whole human race with His love. Both Jews and Gentiles - He connects all these blessed tents.

Here remind us that only God can bring to the Church those who are separated from it. That the human soul cannot be brought into the church by force. The whole history testifies to this. For all going to convince us of this simple truth. The minds and hearts of men must be defeated by God. As God is the winner? His love, his cross. And how can open this cross? Through us - we have to be, above all, the losers love of Christ, the truth of God. And to make your life on the cross, so that through it other people can see the cross of Christ and turn to the Lord. That's what this prophecy.

And further says that God then extended the life of Noah. His long life on earth was a reward for his piety, and it was a great blessing around the world. His life was the prototype of Christ, who will save the world from destruction, not only physical, but also eternal. The prototype of His Cross.

We also see that God puts a limit of Noah. Much vouchsafed his Lord, he saw two of the world before and after the flood. The only one who (with his family), I saw two of the world here on earth. But still his life came to an end. Being righteous after death, he moved to the new world, is infinitely better than those two worlds, he had seen on this earth. In a sign that revealed to us the salvation of Christ and His Cross. A new world for all people, for all who turn to God through repentance.

We also heard this prophecy of Isaiah - also on the Cross. It is, above all, the calamities that God sends people for their sins. Come great evil upon the earth. And the Lord saves His people, those who keep him faithful. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord refers to this people: "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors, take refuge for a moment, until the indignation" (Isaiah 26, 20). Go, he says, as in Noah's Ark, like the one that closed the door. When in danger, you should sometimes retreat to escape to the time as a righteous Elijah hid from the flow of the wicked. There are such a storm, say the Fathers, such spiritual tests such grief that you need to lie down, cover your head with a blanket and lie down until after these storms over your head. We must escape from these storms, enter into his chambers to test your heart, how it holds well, the truth of Christ to pray, strengthened by God, and to humble ourselves before the reality that we are surrounded by.

The Lord says that the troubles will not be for long. For a small, very short time, which can be. When they pass, it will seem like a thing of naught. At the moment, says the Lord, take refuge. Everything that happens to us seems a moment when we will present life.

St. Athanasius the Great, when he was expelled from Alexandria by Julian the Apostate, and his friends were in despair, encouraged them: "This is a small cloud, which will soon be driven away," - he said. Meanwhile, his whole life was filled with countless sorrows. But all these sorrows, he believed, as a cloud, - fade in an instant.

Lord through the prophet assures us that all the enemies will be amazed at the evil that they have done to the people of God. A little more and we will see it - everyone who remains faithful to the Lord. For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the innocent blood of the saints and martyrs shed upon the earth, cry out. Prophet sings mercy and judgment - "mercy and judgment will sing to you, O Lord" - that is, the mystery of the Cross, which opens and mercy and justice to every person and the whole human race. When the Lord comes, He will hit, as we heard in Church Slavonic, "of Dragon." Three sounds today is the word "of Dragon." This monster - wicked arrogant tyrant who is a fear for many that is so furious that no one opposes it. These were at one time, tells us the Scriptures, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar and Antiochus. That's the monster in question.

After Christ by his cross, hit this dragon mortally wounded beast, knowing that he was a little out of time, he tries to kill the greatest number of people. We know the names of all these most of dragon, who had been in the history of the New Testament - from Nero and on, until recently in our history, to Hitler and Lenin, and today continue to appear more and more of dragons.

The prophet Isaiah compares these persecutors with the dragon for their strength, for their anger and rage. And the serpent compares that slips and gets even in thought, in my heart, the inner soul of man. Great lords of this world, if they are against the Church in God's sight are the dragons and snakes. They are too large for people to deal with them themselves, so God takes it all in His hands, He goes with his court. He has already won the victory of the Cross over the devil, a dragon, above the ancient serpent, and even more so on his servants. And when the fullness of time, says the prophet Isaiah, He hit someone who has, as it seems, all the power in the earth.

Even the prophet Isaiah speaks of the great mercy of the Lord to His Church. It is in God's eyes - fertile vineyard, which must be precious fruits to the glory of God. That is, all those who took the grace of the cross of Christ, the grace of God's love, are these precious fruits. And the Lord stands out over the Church. He is the keeper of Israel: "Behold not sleep that keepeth Israel" - tells us the word of God. Now many iniquities of the Church of Christ. Many would like to destroy it, but the Lord will give to crush his church of sorrow and persecution, of seeming prosperity, which is no less temptation and trial. Lord - our refuge, our strength. Christ crucified - the power of God, says the apostle Paul. Power of God, the cross of Christ, by the power with which God created the world, man, it holds the world as revealed through His cross, the devil will be crushed.

This blessed path that proclaims the prophet Isaiah tells us today in his Proverbs and Solomon. He says that the way this is called faith. Faith - is the path that God has laid out for man on earth. If people do not go this route, it is dissolute, and nobody knows where he was. This is the royal road, the path of the King of kings, is the way in which the Saviour Himself was, and the way in which we went to all the saints. Before Christ, the prophets walked this way; all the old and new martyrs passed this way, countless herds of sheep verbal passed this way and left their mark. The prophet Isaiah said that God promises us His life, not only at the end of the way, but this life He gives us in the way. Way of fasting and our way of life - the cross, he gives us salvation by the love of God, which the Lord has revealed to His Cross. Let it be our worship of the Cross of Christ is truly the whole life and our death. Amen.