Thou hast taken to Thyself, O Lord, the firm and divine-voiced preachers, the chief Apostles, for the enjoyment of Thy blessings and for repose; for Thou didst accept their labors and death as above all sacrifice, O Thou Who alone knowest the secrets of our hearts.
Kontakion for the Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul
On July 12 (June 29 on the Church calendar), we will celebrate the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Though the “summer doldrums” have set in, and there may not be a lot of activity going on around the Church, God has set this commemoration before us as a sign that we must never pause in our spiritual struggles, but always imitate the Holy Apostles who gave us the testimony of the Resurrection and the true teaching of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Every time we read the Creed, we say that we believe in ‘one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church’. What does it mean that the Church is apostolic? There are several aspects to this:
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The Orthodox Church is apostolic because it is founded on the Holy Apostles’ testimony to the resurrection of Christ. The Christian faith is not a ‘philosophy’ or ‘system’ or ‘ideology’ or ‘culture’, but the direct, explicit revelation by God of Who He is, made known by concrete events in space and time, and witnessed by specific individuals who saw these events. The most important of these individuals, after the Mother of God herself, are the first disciples who saw and talked with Jesus after He rose from the dead.
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The Orthodox Church is apostolic because She alone teaches the fullness of the faith which the Apostles taught, with no subtractions or additions. Before Christ ascended into heaven, He commanded the Apostles to baptize all nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ‘teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.’ The true life in Christ is not a minimalist ‘system’ for ‘getting saved,’ but a complete way of life in accordance with the entire written Gospel and every oral tradition taught by Christ to the Apostles and passed down through Holy Tradition to our own time.
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The Orthodox Church is apostolic because Her bishops can trace their succession to the first generation of Christian bishops ordained by the hands of the Apostles. However, not any bishop who merely has historical succession is a true bishop, but only one who preserves in purity the confession of the Apostolic faith.
By constantly re-affirming our confession of faith, we daily join ourselves to the Holy Apostles in the communion of the saints; we proclaim that their Faith is ours, too, and that we pray that we, like them, will be willing to suffer and, if need be, die for this Faith. May this year’s observance of their holy feast bring us the grace to follow their example.
For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men (I Peter 2:15)
If atheism and stupidity and bitterness proceed from ignorance, that ignorance is like a fury that is most easily bridled by the influence of good deeds. If you argue with an atheist on his own diabolical terms, you simply strengthen the demon of atheism. If you converse with a stupid man in a spirit of derision, the darkness of stupidity will be made the greater. If you think to challenge a bitter man by anger, you will merely add more fuel to the fire of bitterness. But a meek and well-intentioned act is like throwing water on the flames.
Always remember the Holy Apostles and their behavior towards men. If an atheist challenges you, then it is not the man that challenges you but the devil, for man is by nature devout and tends God-wards. If a stupid man scoffs at you, then it is not the man that scoffs but the devil, for man is by nature intelligent. If a bitter man persecutes you, it is not the man that is doing this but the devil, for man is by nature good and well-disposed. It is the devil that challenges us to lengthy debates and fruitless discussions, but he flees from the power of good deeds. Do good in the name of Christ, and the devil will flee. You will be working with men, men who are devout and intelligent and good. Everything, therefore, that you do, be sure that you do it in the name of Christ.
From the Prologue by Bishop Nikolai (Velimirovic)
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