Palm Sunday – Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
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The time has finally come for the words of Christ about His suffering to be fulfilled, and He is coming to Jerusalem. And finally we realise that His Kingdom is not of this world: “My kingdom is not of this world; if My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would defend Me …” (John 18:36). The human mind is astounded by these words, and the heart weeps. Who are these servants?
The possibility of the existence of the first created world disappears with the Crucifixion of Christ. This world rejected the God-Man and condemned itself to destruction. The history of the world is repeated with monotony: Christ is betrayed again and again, by some people. By others He is crucified again and again, and in the faithful He is betrayed and crucified again and again. Thus it will be, until the definitive end of this world and the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven in its place.
Traitors are always the vain-glorious clergy and quasi-believers; crucifiers and murderers are usually some who have worldly power; and the God-Man Christ is (represented by/in) His faithful followers (the Church), the ones who grow properly in the stages of the spiritual development. There is nothing new under the sun.
Why is all this as it is? And why, for example, do the same people who glorify the God-Man Christ as He enters into Jerusalem, only to ask Pilate to crucify Him instead of the robber Barabbas after a short period of time? Because people, out of self-love, want to partake in His glory – especially when they think that glory is of this world, but they do not want to partake in His suffering. And without the Cross (Crucifixion), there is no Resurrection.
This behaviour is due to the captivity of the heart by the passions, due to identifying with the worldly forms of human association (state, nation) – instead of the pastoral approach to them, due to the enjoyment of, as well as the dependence on, this world and its transient beauties.
The reason is, most clearly stated as, our desire for an “earthly kingdom” instead of the Kingdom of Heaven. Do we not notice within us that subtle aspiration, starting from ourselves and our closest family, to the widest community, to create some kind of “earthly kingdom” to satisfy our passions – in accordance with our ideals.
Consequently, the reason is also that we base our security, that is, the satisfaction of our life needs, on something that is outside of God, and not on Him. For example, when we base our security primarily and essentially on the state, the nation, a political party, the family or on some other kind of human or, worldly manifestation – most often a political or business grouping.
Do we not notice that the harder we try, the farther and farther away this “earthly kingdom” is from us? And do we not notice that we will have to decide once and for all which kingdom we will serve – the earthly or the Heavenly Kingdom and its reality? Because we cannot serve two masters – we cannot serve both God and the devil.
The Church of Christ and Its faithful servants do not preach and prepare us for the “kingdom of the earth” but for the Kingdom of Heaven – the Kingdom of the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Into this Kingdom of Heaven, which is, above all, within us, we enter in two ways:
By a voluntary struggle to purify the heart from the passions – when by the Baptismal grace of God we are shown the place of the heart where our mind should ascetically, and then gracefully be united with its essence and through it with God;
Or through patience – with gratitude for the involuntary suffering that God’s providence allows in our lives for our salvation.
Those who, through voluntary struggles or martyrdom, will enter through their purified hearts into the Kingdom of Heaven – within themselves, are passing from death into life – even now, and they will not be called to judgement. Those are also the servants who will defend Christ, bearing witness of Him with authority.
Holy Mother of God, save us!
Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
(24.04.2021 16:01)
