Sermon on Saint Nicholas of Myra in Lycia – Father Gavril Galev
The path of the beatitudes
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Today we celebrate the memory of the great Wonderworker of the Holy Orthodox Church, Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia. Saint Nicholas is one of the greatest saints and the greatest people born in the history of mankind.
When we talk about our holy father Nicholas, we should also ask ourselves a few questions related to his life that are useful to us. How did he achieve that dignity and is it only possible and given unto him or to all of us? And why does not everyone reach the state of holiness?
The main answer is in choosing the way of living.
The beatitudes we read today in the Gospel, which is read and is dedicated to the Venerable, show the path from the image to the likeness of God:
‘Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.'”(Luke 6: 17-23).
God has shown us the right way, and promised us what we get in return, the choice is ours. Saint Nicholas chose that path and reached the set goal, and God fulfilled his promise.
Although he was rich, he humbled and impoverished himself and did not keep his wealth, which he had, or spent it on himself, but distributed it to those who were in need. Now, after the death of his parents, St. Nicholas inherited a great fortune and kept nothing for himself. He distributed the entire wealth to the poor. Although, out of humility, he hid his virtuous deeds, God, by giving him His grace, glorified Saint Nicholas and he became very famous with the deeds of his kindness.
However, he not only became materially impoverished, but above all he became impoverished in spirit, that is, he became humble in heart and mind. Not proud and vain, using the authority and dignity of the glory he had, but that dignity and glory he surrendered to God.
He was himself a simple soul, humble, meek, accessible to all, helping people, God multiplied the gift of the Holy Spirit by making him an inhabitant of paradise here and now.
Being hungry and thirsty for the justice of God, for the Kingdom of God, Saint Nicholas, even from a young age, devoted himself to a monastic, ascetic life. The life of service to the Church, that is, to God and to the people. Also his power as Bishop, (at that time Bishops were the first people in the community and had the power to decide for individuals and for the community, to punish and to dismiss), was not wielded for all to see, more precisely, he did not abuse it as the leaders do nowadays, but he dedicated it to protecting and advocating for the people. There is a well-known example when, due to his insistence, on two occasions he saved three people from an undeserved death sentence.
Despite his goodness and righteousness, he was persecuted and suffered greatly for the sake of Christ. But he did not give up on his Christian struggle to love his enemies. Saint Nicholas was a truly good pastor of his flock. During the persecution of Christians under Diocletian and Maximian when he was imprisoned, he taught people the law of God in prison.
At the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, because of his great zeal for the truth’ Saint Nikola struck the heretic Arius. For this act he was removed from the Council and dismissed from the hierarchical ministry. However, God defends those who represent Him, so the Lord Christ Himself and the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to some of the most important hierarchs of the Council, announcing that they were justifying Saint Nicholas and said to them to restore him to his former hierarchical dignity.
St. Nicholas never complained, but constantly toiled and worked in the “field” of God. There are countless miracles, which under his care, even after his death, still happen to this day. He never rested and that is why God has honoured him with such great glory, honour and dignity, and even after so many centuries of his life on earth, he is more and more celebrated and glorified.
Being merciful, truthful and righteous, as an angel of God among men, even during his life people considered him a Saint and called him for help in times of troubles and tribulations. And Saint Nicholas would appear in a dream, and in reality to those who called him, he helped them equally and with ease, whether they would be near or far. This is what the work of love looks like.
As the custodian of divine truth, this marvellous Saint of God was a valiant protector of justice among men. With his life, Saint Nicholas becomes a measure of faith and an image of holiness, by which he shows us the way to reach holiness, i.e. he shows us the path from the image to the likeness of God. And that is a life dedicated to the fulfilment of the Gospel, to the fulfilment of God’s commandments and love above all. To love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and mind, and your neighbour as yourself. Saint Nicholas, loved his neighbour even more than himself. He simply sacrificed and devoted all his time to God and the people.
In regard to the question of whether someone is chosen, or the opportunity is given to everyone to become a saint, we will answer in the name of love and freedom. God is love and freedom. For God all are equal and He loves all equally and He has given everyone freedom. He does not choose or divide people, but He knows them from their mother’s wombs, , however, people by virtue of the freedom bestowed upon them can choose God. They can distance themselves from, or get closer to, God. God has given potential to everyone equally, He has given His image to everyone, and He has set aim for everyone to became likeness of Him. He made it possible for us, especially for us Orthodox Christians, through the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, to give us the gift of the fullness of the Holy Spirit, to follow and fulfil God’s commandments in full, thus enabling us to become likeness of Him, that is, to become saints.
However, if love and virtue on the one hand made Nicholas a Saint, on the other hand self-love, selfishness, anger, hatred, laziness, serving the world and passions, makes us unholy. But not everything is lost and it is never too late. Every day is a new day, and every day is a new opportunity to turn from leisure, from stagnation, from captivity, from darkness, to freedom and light.
We need to feel the emptiness in ourselves and the time wasted and to weep. Let us confess our sins and mistakes in order to liberate ourselves from them. There is no other way of absolution (pardon) and liberation than through repentance and confession. Those mistakes and sins are actually our brake, our shackles on the way of God, and therefore it is prudent to fight for our liberation.
Therefore, let us look at this great saint and follow the path of ascent on the ladder of beatitudes. Let us cleanse the image and attain the likeness of God, so that we, together with Saint Nicholas, may rejoice in the glory of God which God has promised us, Amen.
Fr. Gavril Galev
Abbot of the monastery “St. Clement of Ohrid”,
Kinglake, Melbourne, Australia
19.12.2021
