Homily 632 – 1GL
Holy Transfiguration, Ames, Iowa
March 9, 2025
Epistle:  (329-ctr) – Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-12:2 and (331) Hebrews 12:1-10
Gospel:  (5) John 1:43-51 and (80) Matthew 20:1-16

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God.

Today is the intersection of a lot of themes.  The common name for this First Sunday of Great Lent is the Triumph of Orthodoxy – the “official” name is the Restoration of the Icons.  And today, March 9, we bring the 40 martyrs of Sebaste into the commemorations as well.

For those who maybe haven’t heard of the 40 martyrs, please look up their story, particularly the soldier who abandoned his post and joined the martyrs.  It is his story that ties closely with the Gospel reading appointed for this feast – the story of laborers added throughout the day, even at the last moment, and the reward was the same.

Importantly, at least for me in our day and age, the 40 martyrs were all soldiers, serving in the Roman Army.  They were Christians.  And they were condemned by the authorities they served – for no reason, other than their belief in Christ.

The Gospel appointed for the First Sunday of Great Lent is the story from John about the calling of the first disciples of Jesus.  It is particularly focused on Nathaniel, who was invited by Philip.

These two gospels speak of faith, and they speak of reward.  In the Epistle readings, though, we find that the rewards may not be what we desire.  At least not in our fallen flesh.  St. Paul tells us in the first reading from Hebrews that faith, for the holy ones in the Old Testament, meant that they were rejected by the world.

He says that they Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance.  Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, by chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn apart, they were tempted and they were slain with the sword. They went around in sheep and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, and ill-treated. They wandered in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth. All of them received a testimony through their faith but they did not receive the promise because God had made provision for us to have something better, and they were not to reach perfection apart from us.

In that brief statement St. Paul confirms for us that our reward for our labor isn’t to be found in this world.  It is only found in one thing – perfection.

Not just any perfection, either.  Perfection that results from union with, oneness with, God Himself.  We will share that perfection with Noah and Abraham and Moses and David and Isaiah and Jeremiah and Solomon – and Ruth, and Esther, and Sarah, and Miriam, and Rahab, and Abigail, and Hannah.

All of these – and the untold throng that we don’t know about – are not to share in an inheritance without us.

Entering into the first week of Great Lent, adjusting our lives to comply once again with the rules that somebody else set up for us to live by, we find our faith tested.  We can’t be doing this for today, because there is no reward in fasting, or praying more, or prostrating ourselves.

Our reward is life itself.  Our obligation to do these things is not in expectation of something different but because Our Creator gave us existence – gave us life.  And continues to give us life, even as we continue to fight with Him for control of our life, our environment, our future.

When I was growing up, I had certain tasks to do in the family.  I didn’t get a reward for doing them.  It was just part of being in the family.  Perhaps we don’t do that anymore – I’ve not had kids at home for a while now.  But the Kingdom of God is no different.  We have some things that we do because we are part of the family.

But God does promise us that we will be unified with Him.  The whole of the Scripture is the proclamation of God’s love for us, even in the midst of our disappointments and rebellions.  When we learn how to keep our ego out of the way, when we learn to do with less stuff to distract us, we will find that our lives do get better.

Maybe not a reward, but we do find that our time on earth is more enjoyable.  Our relationships are more meaningful.  We begin to experience life as we were created to experience it.

Without worry and anxiety over everything.  As a child, loved by the family.  Loved by one another.

And the ultimate reward – we get to be embraced by our Creator, for eternity.

There is a realization for us, though.  St. Paul reminds us that those whom God loves, He also chastises.  You know if a parent chastises a child for an unreasonable think, we consider it abusive, and it is.  The object of our rules, as parents, is not for our own entertainment or pleasure.

The object of our rules should be to help our children grow up into healthy, mature adults.  Adults who can love God and serve God perhaps differently than we do, but nevertheless, serve Him and love Him in their own way.  The chastisement of parents isn’t arbitrary.  The obedience that parents as of children isn’t for amusement.

It serves a serious purpose.  So kids – try extra hard during lent to do what mom and dad may ask of you.  If you maybe don’t want to or don’t understand why, then do it first, and ask your mom or dad later about why that is important.

Same for adults with the things God asks.  Do them first, then seek to understand them or question them.

We do this in order to show that our questioning doesn’t come from a place of anger or resistance, but a place of love.  We do these things so that we demonstrate our love, and we aren’t questioning their reasons.  It is still OK then to ask questions – why this or why that?  What purpose does this serve?

That kind of faith is what God desires – not the faith that moves mountains.  Rather God wants the faith that does the most difficult of miracles – to change ourselves.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God.  Glory to Jesus Christ.