A Sermon on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son (7)

I believe in Lord Jesus Christ—

coming with glory to judge

both the living and the dead.(Article 7 of the Creed)

Thus speaks every Christian. But if every Christian, then certainly I and each one of you. So, brethren and sisters, do you truly believe that Jesus Christ, the righteous Judge of all mankind, will come to judge all people, living and dead, all of whom will come to life either for eternal blessedness or for eternal condemnation? Are you prepared to meet the universal Judge and to give an account at Christ’s fearful judgment in every deed and word? Do you have good deeds with you? Why ask further? From the life and conduct of Christians it is clear that they have forgotten the righteous Judge, the fearful judgment, and eternal life, and with each day rush headlong toward eternal ruin, which they do not even imagine. They hasten to receive their comfort on earth so that they might lose it forever in heaven. Their care is how to kill this precious time, how to pass it pleasantly; but the care of spending it profitably for the soul, of preparing for “the end of their deeds,” (Prov 24:27) no one is concerned about.

He who desires eternal joys tastes little of earthly ones, says St. Gennady, Patriarch of Constantinople, but for us earthly joys are almost continuous. Many of us live as though we will never die and never have to give account of our lives. What does this mean? Does it perhaps come from the thought that we need only repent on our deathbed and receive complete forgiveness? Certainly, God does not reject even those who come to Him at the eleventh hour—that is, those who turn to Him with all their heart. But if your heart was far from God for the greater part of your life, do you think it will be easy to move it toward God, to awaken feelings of repentance within it before death? O brethren! Then it will resist you to your ruin. I have often seen how difficult it is to hear a word about repentance and how many who did not think about their correction and did not know how to repent in their lifetime lose themselves at confession before their death. No, brethren! A Christian death is a reward for true Christians. Repent as much as you can throughout your life, and a peaceful death with sincere repentance will meet you.

Therefore, prepare for judgment, for the fearful judgment, for the righteous judgment, for the sole and final judgment, after which will come either eternal bliss or unending torment. Do not be amazed that I speak so decisively: truth is royal; it has the right to speak thus. Moreover, there is the greatest necessity to speak decidedly about preparation for judgment. When evident eternal ruin threatens souls from carelessness and negligence, then it is necessary to speak decisively; then more than at any other time it is necessary to speak the truth. When people see that a man is threatened with evident danger of perishing in flame or drowning in water, do they not then act with all decisiveness? Yes, because if those wishing to save him perishing from death were to act indecisively, he could perish right away. So we too must save many through decisiveness and fear of the coming judgment, snatching them from fire: for we are very near the eternal fire, and many perhaps are but one step away from it. Brother! think—perhaps “your soul will be required of you this night:” (Lk 12:20) and you will be in hell, in torment, in that flame. Therefore prepare for judgment, prepare from this very day; “do” good deeds “while it is day: the night” of death “is coming, when no one can work.” (Jn 9:4) We have labored enough in vanity. It is time to look at our poor soul with eyes of inquiry. Attend the Church; sigh over your sins; await with Her the fear-filled great day of judgment. The Church is always mindful of judgment: morning and noon and evening; every day, early and late, it reminds its children of this great day that determines the fate of all mankind, while the minds of its children are occupied with things that for a few moments pleasantly spin their heads, gladden their passionate hearts, eager for earthly joys. The Lord, Truth, Life, thunders with His voice about the judgment that must surely come, commands “to watch and pray in all seasons with the spirit” (Mk 13:33; Lk 21:36) so that we may be worthy to escape the terrible fate of the condemned; the Apostles assure us that “the Judge is at the door” (Jac 5:9) and we, as if we do not wish to hear about this. Some think and even say: what a terrible judgment! The Lord is merciful; He will have pity; after all, we sin more from weakness than from malice, not from hardening. But do not think that only “the merciful will be shown mercy,” (Mt 5:7) that “judgment will be without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy?” (Jac 2:13) Where are your works of mercy when it is clear that you care only for yourselves?

Brethren! God forbid anyone to appear where the rich man appeared, who feasted sumptuously every day. If we should appear there: then it will be too late to ask from there for a drop of water to cool the tip of one’s tongue; it will be too late to send from there to one’s relatives so that they may not come to that place also (Lk 16:19-31)