Saint John the Baptist Orthodox Christian Church
  • Home
  • Orthodox Christian Faith
    • What we believe
  • Parish
    • Our Patron Saint - Saint John
    • Our History >
      • Where we were and where we are...
      • "Remember your leaders..." (Hebrews 13:7)
      • What's in the name?
    • Administration
    • Saint John's Faith Formation: Christian Education
    • Chapel
    • Become a member!
    • Parish Library
    • Service request form
    • Donate
  • News
    • Sermons & Articles
    • Pictures & Videos
    • Weekly e-Bulletin
    • Quarterly Newsletter
    • Friends & Neighbors
    • Looking Ahead to Next Sunday (LANS) [archived]
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Useful Links
    • Choose Life!
    • Online Christian Bookstores >
      • St Vladimir's Seminary Press
      • St Tikhon's Seminary Press
      • Holy Trinity Bookstore, Jordanville
      • Eighth Day Books
      • Hermitage of the Holy Cross Monastery, WV
      • Nevsky's Books
      • Fr Daniel Sysoev Bookstore
      • Издательство Московской Патриархии
      • Магазин Сретенского Монастыря, Москва
      • Православный Книжный Магазин
    • Orthodox Intro
    • Orthodox Christian Radio

Sermon: July 19 - "bless, and do not curse"

7/19/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Sunday sermon on the Epistle to the Romans 12:6-14
​In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
​
“Bless those who persecute you, bless, and do not curse them.”

In the letter from Saint Paul to the Christian community in Rome, that we just heard from, the Apostle tells them to bless their persecutors. He repeats his exhortation to emphasize his point – bless, and do not curse them. This means three things: that Roman Christians were persecuted; that they cursed their persecutors; instead Paul wants them to bless them.

So, what is the deal with blessing and cursing? Today, we bless and curse as much as any other generation, but there is an argument to be made that we do not really know what we are doing when we bless or curse. We do not use them properly.

For example, when we call someone an S.O.B., what exactly are we saying about their mother? Or when we use a particular four-letter word, what do we wish upon a person? Or when we say, “God bless you,” when someone sneezes, is it a superstitious thing to say or is there an actual blessing in that phrase?

Words are not arbitrary, whether we like it or not, they have meaning, even power. For example, in Matthew 5, that’s part of a big block called “The Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘Do not kill.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with anyone, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult anyone, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ (meaning, call names) you will be liable to the hell of fire” (Matthew 5:21-22).

Words have power, we are judged by what comes out of us. So, let’s consider the meaning of blessing and cursing.

Let’s begin with cursing. First thing to note here, cursing does not just mean profanity. When we curse someone, we wish them ill, even death. Biblically speaking, cursing is never to be taken lightly.

Also Biblically speaking, God is the first one to curse someone – after the act of disobedience by Adam and Eve. God cursed the serpent, who deceived our first ancestors, and He cursed the ground because of Adam and Eve, and He cursed them by banishing them out of Eden (Genesis 3).

Most of the time when God curses someone, however, it’s not the final act of condemnation, but an initial act on the road to redemption. And this includes Adam and Eve. One day I will have to talk about how the banishment from Paradise was actually a blessing, or at least done for the benefit of Adam and Eve and all humanity, and not a punishment. But for now, let’s just keep in mind that God cursed them for their disobedience, and this curse is the first one ever.

Jesus also curses, but in this case a fig tree that was not producing fruit (Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:12-14). This curse is a warning to the faithful to not only look good and pious on the outside, but to be fruitful in our works also. Otherwise, we will wither away and die like the fruitless fig tree.

God’s power of curses is much stronger than ours, obviously, but we would be foolish to think that our curses have no power. The power of curse is such that it pollutes our own mind before it does anything whom we wish to curse.

But enough about cursing, let’s look at the meaning of blessing now. Just like with cursing, God is the first ever to bless. When God created the first human beings, it says in the first chapter of Genesis, He “blessed them, and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it’” (Genesis 1:28).

There is one common thing to both blessing and cursing – both use a spoken language, words. However, with blessing it’s not just any words. In Greek, Latin, and bunch of other languages, the word for “blessing” literally means “a good word.” More specifically, a good spoken word.

Biblically speaking, we also see that there are sometimes actions that go along with blessing. Such as Jesus placing His hands on the children when blessing them (Mark 10:16). Or where He lifts up His hands to bless His disciples before the Ascension (Luke 24:50). Some places in the Old Testament, such as the Psalms, speak about lifting up our hands when blessing the Lord.

So from this we see that blessing often involves physical actions, usually using hands by laying them on someone or lifting them up before someone.

Therefore, how do we bless? If we use good words to bless, then we intend a blessing. If God uses good words to bless, then He intends a blessing. The same goes for whatever gestures are made in giving a blessing. These good words are spoken with a specific purpose in mind, with a specific action being intended. We do not have to use some magical words and actions to bless. If the intent is to bless, then using good spoken words and good actions will produce a blessing.

Knowing now some of the mechanics of how to bless, one question still remains – why give a blessing? Why does God bless? Blessing can’t be just a greeting, not if anything in the Scriptures is taken seriously.

Blessings and curses, as was mentioned previously, have power. They have a real power to influence us and/or the people we bless or curse. Saint Paul talks about blessing and not cursing those who persecute us, meaning our enemies.

Now, these persecutors might all just be in our heads or they might be actual human beings. Whoever they are, if we use the words that intend to curse, we shape our relationship with ourselves and with these other people to be a very negative one. We are setting up ourselves for misery. Curses have power, and that power effects, first and foremost, us.

Blessings have power too; good spoken word can actually heal. However, when it comes to curses, it doesn’t take much effort to remember or even invent new ones. With blessings … it can be a bit harder. It’s easy to say, “God bless you,” but actually mean, “I hope you die.”

So, how do we bless in a Christian way? By speaking good words, even when we don’t feel like doing it, even if it’s counterintuitive to bless our persecutors.

I would like to offer two small examples of how to bless. We have a rich abundance of prayers in our Church. One such prayer is called “A Prayer for Pacification of Animosity.” It begins with these words, “We thank You, O Master…” We thank you. Is there anyone persecuting us? Give thanks. Makes no sense, right? Give thanks.

And the second example is personal, not because I have mastered blessing others, but because I have found something that works for me and would like to share it with you. Whenever I am persecuted by my own thoughts, which may or may not be influenced by actual people, instead of dwelling on dreams of arguments, and how I am to crush and defeat my opponents, and put them in their proper place (thoughts that, by the way, do nothing for my spiritual and physical well-being), instead, pray.

I cross myself (an action of blessing both myself and those I am about to pray for), and pray in these simple good words, “Remember, O Lord, so-and-so (name your persecutors by their name), and bless them with Your heavenly blessings, and forgive me for judging, despising, and hating them.” There are days when this prayer has to be said numerous times. But, whatever it takes, speak good words and bless those persecuting you.

I am not saying that I have stopped cursing others, but this prayer does help orient the mind on the right thing – the Lord.

Therefore, to our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, Who through His Apostle Paul teaches us to bless our persecutors, we give glory, honor, and worship, with His Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
​
Amen.
This sermon was inspired by another sermon by Father Andrew Stephen Damick, which can be found here.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016

    Categories

    All
    9/11
    Abortion
    Adam's Rib
    Addiction
    Advent
    Akathist
    AmazonSmile
    American Saints
    Anaphora
    Announcement
    Annual Report
    Annunciation
    Apostles Fast
    Archbp Dmitri Royster
    Ark Of Salvation
    Asceticism
    Baptism
    Baptismal Liturgy
    Beheading Of Saint John
    Be Still
    Bible
    Bible Study
    Bishop
    Calendar
    Canaanite Woman
    Children And Life
    Christian Burial
    Christianity
    Christ Is Risen!
    Christmas
    Christmas Sermon
    Clay In The Hands Of God
    Clean And Unclean
    Coming Home
    Compassion
    Conception Of The Theotokos
    Confession
    Conform To Christ
    Conversion Story
    Converts
    Coronavirus
    Courage
    Creation
    Creed
    Cross
    Death
    Deny Yourself
    Depression
    Division Vs Unity
    Donate
    Donations
    Dormition
    Dormition Fast
    Doubting Thomas
    Drug Of The 21st Century
    Elected By God
    Eve
    Faith
    Fasting
    Father Alexander Schmemann
    Father Andrew Stephen Damick
    Father Chad Hatfield
    Father Lawrence Farley
    Father's Day
    Father Sergei Kosich
    Father Stephen Freeman
    Father Thomas Hopko
    First Light
    Forgiveness
    Forgiveness Sunday
    Foundations
    Freedom In Christ
    Fullness Of Faith
    Funeral
    God's Invitation
    Gospel
    Grace Of Christ
    Great Flood
    Great Lent
    Grief
    Halloween
    Health & Happiness
    Help Wanted
    Hollywood
    Holy Friday
    Humility
    Icon Of Nativity
    Iconography
    Infant Baptism
    Interview
    Jesus Christ
    Journey
    Joy
    Keeping Kids Christian
    Kids And Faith
    Kids And Porn
    Kids Vs Technology
    Kiss Of Peace
    Kitchen Upgrades
    Knowing God
    Lamb Of God
    Lesson
    Life After Death
    Liturgical Commentary
    Liturgical Year
    Liturgy
    Living Together
    Lost Sheep
    Love
    Love Your Neighbor
    Maintenance
    Marked By God
    Marriage
    Mary
    Memory Eternal
    Mission Of A Parish
    Mission Of Orthodoxy
    Moral Compass
    Nativity Fast
    Nativity Of Christ
    Nativity Of Saint John The Baptist
    Nativity Of The Theotokos
    Newsletter
    New Testament
    New Year
    New Year Resolutions
    Normal?
    No War
    Nudity And Movies
    Orthodox Christianity
    Orthodox Church
    Orthodox Community
    Orthodox History In America
    Orthodox Saints
    Orthodox Wedding
    Orthodoxy & Catholicism
    Orthodoxy In America
    Orthodoxy Is Life
    Orthodoxy Is Not Religion
    Orthodoxy & Lutheranism
    Orthodoxy & Protestantism
    Paralytic
    Pascha
    Patience
    Patron Feast Day
    PayPal
    Pictures
    Pilgrimage
    Podcast
    Polemics
    Porn
    Porn And Brain
    Porn Is A Lie
    Porn Kills Love
    Power In Weakness
    Pray At Home
    Prayer
    Prayer Of St Ephraim
    Prayer Rule
    Prayers To The Theotokos
    Procession
    Pro-life
    Publican And Pharisee
    Reading Bible
    Relics
    Religion
    Repentance
    Resist Porn
    Royal Priesthood
    Sacraments
    Sacred Space
    Saint Alexander Hotovitzky
    Saint Alexis Toth
    Saint Herman Of Alaska
    Saint Innocent Of Moscow
    Saint James The Brother Of The Lord
    Saint John Chrysostom
    Saint John The Baptist
    Saint Juvenaly
    Saint Nicholas
    Saint Patrick Of Ireland
    Saint Peter The Aleut
    Saint Raphael Of Brooklyn
    Saints Peter And Fevronia
    Saint Theophan The Recluse
    Saint Thomas Sunday
    Saint Tikhon Of Moscow
    Salvation
    Sanctity Of Life
    Seal Of The Holy Spirit
    Search For Christ
    Self-care
    Sermon
    Seventh Day
    Sexual Revolution
    Sharing Faith
    Silence
    Sin
    Skillful Children
    Sower
    Sunday Of Orthodoxy
    Sunday Of The Blind Man
    Sun Of Righteousness
    Teaching The Faith
    Telling The Truth
    Temple Of God
    Temptation
    Thanksgiving
    Theophany
    Theotokos
    Thorn In Flesh
    Tolerance
    Tree Of Life
    Triumph Of Orthodoxy
    Unchangeable Christianity
    Unity
    Weakness
    Why Confess To A Priest
    Woman
    Words
    Youth Ministry
    Zacchaeus
    Антоний Сурожский
    Архим. Ианнуарий Ивлиев
    Вера и знание
    Воспитание
    Дети
    Иоанн Златоуст
    Исповедь
    Молитва
    Новый Год
    о. Александр Шмеман
    о. Ианнуарий Ивлиев
    Пасха
    Подготовка к исповеди
    Подготовка к Причастию
    Подготовка к Рождеству
    Пост
    Причастие
    Проповедь
    Проповедь
    Пятидесятница
    Рождественский Пост
    Рождество
    Современное поколение
    Троица
    Христос Воскресе!

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016

Picture

Jesus said to the crowds about John, “I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John the Baptist.” (Luke 7:28)


Address

29 Weaver Street
​Little Falls, NJ 07424

Email

StJohn.Singac@gmail.com

Telephone

(973) 256-0314

Join our mailing list

* indicates required
Picture
Picture
Picture

Search our website

  • Home
  • Orthodox Christian Faith
    • What we believe
  • Parish
    • Our Patron Saint - Saint John
    • Our History >
      • Where we were and where we are...
      • "Remember your leaders..." (Hebrews 13:7)
      • What's in the name?
    • Administration
    • Saint John's Faith Formation: Christian Education
    • Chapel
    • Become a member!
    • Parish Library
    • Service request form
    • Donate
  • News
    • Sermons & Articles
    • Pictures & Videos
    • Weekly e-Bulletin
    • Quarterly Newsletter
    • Friends & Neighbors
    • Looking Ahead to Next Sunday (LANS) [archived]
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Useful Links
    • Choose Life!
    • Online Christian Bookstores >
      • St Vladimir's Seminary Press
      • St Tikhon's Seminary Press
      • Holy Trinity Bookstore, Jordanville
      • Eighth Day Books
      • Hermitage of the Holy Cross Monastery, WV
      • Nevsky's Books
      • Fr Daniel Sysoev Bookstore
      • Издательство Московской Патриархии
      • Магазин Сретенского Монастыря, Москва
      • Православный Книжный Магазин
    • Orthodox Intro
    • Orthodox Christian Radio