Meat Fare Sunday, Ocala February 26, 20006 Page 1 "And He shall come again in Glory, to judge the living and the dead" As we know, this is one of the articles of our Creed, which we recited some minutes ago. I wonder though, when we repeat the phrases of our Creed, do we give them the proper place in our life?

We know that death is the most definite of all the facts of life. It is all around us. We have experienced it in our life, with the loss of a loved one. We read about death in the newspapers. But, as definite as death is, paradoxically we somehow see it in others.

If Christians would bring to mind, that the Lord will summon them at some given point in their life, and especially when they least expect it, I think, that their living, would surely be better aligned with the Lord's commandments.

To be sure, when we attend a funeral, we are humbled, and make various remarks, regarding the vanity of the material things. Just a rapid glance at today's society, can convince us, that so many have lost their moral compass. As a result, they founder, and are at risk of being rapidly swept up by the swift currents of the worldly and the material.

With no moral compass, a person can be enveloped in his or her selfish living. Today, it appears that people, more and more seem to be living in the "me" generation. People have been steam rolled, and in their selfish living, can only think in terms of, "what's in it for me."

Selfishness, brings nothing but unhappiness and misery. Man was not created to be so. With selfishness, true fulfillment is totally lacking, because happiness is not brought on by the externals.

Man tends to forget, that we were created by God, in His Image and Likeness, with the sole purpose of "Theosis," that is, to become God-like! God has proven that He loved, and loves the world, but the world has not proven that it loves God. What is the measure of God's love ?

In St. John;'s Gospel 3:126 we read: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, so that all, who would believe in Him, would not perish, but have everlasting life!"

When the Son did come into this world to bring us back to Heaven, His three-year teachings could be summed up in three words: "Love one another."

Just before we recite the Creed in our Liturgy, the Priest blesses the Faithful and admonishes them to: "Love one another!" In today's Gospel lesson we heard, that when we give substance to this motto: "Love one another," it guarantees for us, a place in God's Kingdom, to live forever in the realm of His Glory. However, the absence of loving one another, will surely guarantee eternal condemnation.

The Lord came to this earth in the most humble of ways. His second coming though, will be with all the possible Glory, amidst the legions of His Angels. He shall come to judge the living and the dead, as expressed in our Creed.

The Lord will sit on His Throne of Glory, and as rapidly as our eyes wink, he will separate the just from those, who are condemned, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

This separation is worthy of note, because, the sheep border on the white; they have a gentle nature, and they give milk and wool, while the goats are usually dark or black, and because of their undomesticated ways, they are often ungentle and destructive. One of the Church Fathers appropriately said, that "the goats do not walk in straight paths, but they deviate and walk in precipitous ways."

This separation of human souls on Judgment Day will be based on our love for our fellow human beings. It will not be based on knowledge, nor education, nor science, nor wealth, nor temporal

power, and the like.

The separation will be based on love; love for our fellow beings. That is why, to the group He will place on His right, the Lord will say: "Come, you blessed of my Father, and inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; because, I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came unto me!"

These souls on the Lord's right will surely question, as to when did they ever see Him to comfort Him in various ways, whereupon the Lord will answer: "I say unto you, -- as you did any of these to one of the least of my brethren, you did it unto Me."

Conversely, the Lord addressing those to His left, He will state the opposite. That is, their lack of concern for their fellow beings, which will condemn them to eternal damnation, because of their life of selfishness, arrogance and self-centeredness, with never a care, for any of their brothers and sisters.

Blessed are those, whose hearts are filled with love; and cursed will be those, who lived selfishly, only for themselves. God is good and loves humankind. Therefore, man, as God's supreme creation, created in His own Image, should be good, and should love humankind.It is truly difficult to understand, why so many Christians make no effort to effect this love in their life! That is, to go beyond one's self, and to reach out to others.        To be really concerned for others, as one concerns himself, or herself, with self!

What a beautiful world we would be inhabiting, if Christian love was universally applied! Regretfully, selfishness is at the helm, and people continue to tread the murky waters of misery, which selfishness most assuredly brings.

How uplifting it is to read the 6th Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and visualize the first Christians, after every Liturgy, sitting and breaking bread together, as true brothers and sisters. The rich and the poor alike, without any discrimination. Rather, it was the rich, who shared with the poor, that all may be satisfied.

This is the spirit of God's love. These tables in common, were called Agapes, meaning, the "Tables of Love!" Our Agape Coffee hour every Sunday, brings to life this custom from the earliest Apostolic years.

Of course, it was easier then, because there were sporadic clusters of Christians due to the persecutions. But, I can't help thinking of the fact, that we throw enough food in our garbage cans to feed the starving world.

But, another thought comes to my mind, and that is the fact, that it is within our reach, to place the food of kindness and love, in the hearts of our fellow humans. Of course, it is natural, that when we think of the needs of people, we automatically bring to mind, food, clothing and shelter. But, we forget the Lord's words: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word, that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

Beloved Friends: Judgment Day is not a Day of fear for the conscientious Christian. It should serve as a constant reminder, that our life must be lived in the ways prescribed by the Lord. We all know, that after a visit to out Doctor, we receive a prescription. We are anxious for our health, and we see to it, that we do not miss a single dose. We have hopes, that the pills will restore our health, and well­being once again.

But the Lord, as our unique Doctor, also gives us a lasting and edifying prescription. A prescription, which is for true and fulfilling living, through His love.

It is a prescription, which if followed, gives us every guarantee, for real happiness and fulfillment.

When we choose to follow the Lord's prescription, we automatically achieve a loftier level. Just listen to what St. Paul states in the 8th Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans: "We have not received the spirit of slavery, to fall back into fear; -- but we have received the spirit of son ship. When we cry out: "Father'" it is the Holy Spirit bearing witness, with our spirit, that we are children of God; and if we are children, then we are heirs; heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ, provided, that we suffer with Him, in order that we may also be glorified with Him."

Just think of it --- Joint heirs with Christ. Just try to think and digest the loftiest height, on which God has placed us, and look at the world around us, to see, how people have chosen to debase themselves.

Today's Gospel Lesson is a prelude to next Sunday's Gospel reading, after which, the Great Lenten Period begins. It is within our reach to make each year a better year for us. But, we must make the effort to effect this. Let's strive to make this Lenten Period the best ever -- and it is not only the fasting of foods, which is the purpose o€ Lent. The fasting of foods is merely a means to an end; that is, for the need to be strong enough to-discipline ourselves, and also to remind us, that there are sacrifices, which we are called to make in life.

Let us then, put forth every effort, to sharply attune ourselves with the eternal teachings of the Bible, which have the power to transform us, into the person we want to be, and thereby, bring us the desired happiness and fulfillment. Amen.

+ Fr. George Papadeas