10th Sunday after Pentecost; Forefeast of the Procession of the Lifegiving Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

"This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

The Word of God is a door that opens before us a vision into the spiritual reality that is present in all things. And as we look through this door, we are confronted as always by two deeply opposing worlds. Today we heard the Gospel account of Christ's healing of the possessed child.

"And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 'Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.' Then Jesus answered and said, 'O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.' And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour."

Possession is rare. The fathers tell us that it comes from a life that is heavily and voluntarily immersed. It chooses to immerse itself in the influence of darkness. But this influence, even if it does not lead to possession, leaves a powerful imprint on the soul. A second-century father commenting on today's reading points out to us that the words of the Savior, "perverse generation," show us that it is through a perverse and self-indulgent life that our minds become captive to darkness. And we are unable to live in the light of God.

Tomorrow is the Procession of the Wood of the Life-Giving Cross and the beginning of the Dormition Fast. And the Church once again invites us to look at what it is that we are consuming, what we choose to show our eyes, what we expose our senses to, and where it leads our thoughts. And to consider whether or not what we consume or do not consume frees and opens us up into a deeper knowledge of God in prayer or whether it hardens our hearts and enslaves our thoughts, becoming unable and uninterested in anything beyond what flashes before our eyes, leading us into deadness of our spirit, holding our thoughts into slavery, harming our physical well-being, and damaging our relationships.

"Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires," as we heard from the Apostle Paul in today's Epistle. In our tradition, we are always reminded of the straight and narrow way of the cross. And we are always given examples of martyrs and great ascetics who are renowned for their life of renunciation for the sake of the Gospel.

"The world is death," says St. Simeon the New Theologian. "For what does it have to offer that is not temporary?" We must understand this. And yet it is easy for those of us in the world to hear all of these things and feel burdened and downcast, to feel as if life itself, with all of its joy and richness, is somehow forbidden. But this could not be further from the truth. The human authors who write about these things lived a life in the spirit of God, and were filled with life, joy, and unceasing wonder. Everyone bears a cross, but it is never given for us to be crushed under. If we live our life in Christ faithfully and correctly, there will never be any place for despair.

Today, just before Divine Liturgy, the child of God, Benjamin, was churched. His patron saint will be after the New Martyr, Bishop Benjamin of Petrograd, whom we commemorate today. In the saint's final letter before his execution, he wrote, "My sufferings have reached their apogee, but consolation has also increased. I am joyful and at peace, as always. Christ is our life, light, and there is peace with Him everywhere."

Saint Luke of Crimea explains to us that the burden of the cross is inseparable from the grace that God gives us. The peace and sweetness that comes from walking the narrow path is the rejuvenation of our souls. It pours life into us, and it opens us up to the presence of God.

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

The Gospel of the Healing of the Possessed Child immediately follows after the account of the Lord's Transfiguration, where the apostles behold the uncreated and glorious beauty of the quiet light of eternal life that banishes all darkness and brings peace, joy, hope, and salvation. This is what all of us were created to partake of.

As we begin this fast and contemplate the cross, let us consider the words of Saint Luke of Crimea: "Christ calls you, all of you, all those who believe in Him to follow Him, taking up His burden, His yoke. Do not be afraid, but go boldly. Do not mind how the devil may try to prevent you from following this path, but lift up your eyes to the mountain and see the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who walks this path with you and lightens your burden."

Amen.