Broken Telephone of Faith

Scripture Readings: Is. 14:3-17; 2 Corinth. 10:18-11:10; Mark 10:1-12
Ընթերցուածքներ`Եսայ. ԺԴ 3-17; Բ Կորնց. Ժ 18 – ԺԱ 10; Մկ. Ժ 1-12

In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen!

How many of us growing up played the game telephone or broken telephone? Essentially, one person would whisper a statement into the ear of the person next to them and one by one, that statement was passed down until the last person would vocally proclaim what was said. The game was humorous because almost undoubtedly, the original message was changed where at times the message that reached the end had some variation, or a completely different statement was made. When playing the game, I remember there was always a person who deliberately would change a word, or emphasis making a huge impact on what was delivered at the end. Though this game is a great ice breaker or party game for a group, it does hold a truth to our lives. So often we form opinions about people, places, or institution by word of mouth. We ask each other’s thoughts on food, on travel, on brands of clothing or electronics, but also on people and even places. If we aren’t careful, the information we share can often be skewed or incomplete and sadly, there are those who maliciously change information, spread lies and misrepresent the truth. My dears, the Church is not immune to this reality.

Back in the first century, as St. Paul is sharing the Gospel of Christ, we read of how we warns, repeatedly in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia that we need to be careful of those who “teach” a different gospel. That there is One Lord Jesus Christ, One Gospel, One Holy Church, One Spirit and anything different is likened to the deception of Satan to Eve in the garden. Further then this, St. Paul reminds us, that as children of God, as the Church, we are the bride and we are betrothed to Christ and anything else we attach ourselves to is a misrepresentation, is a lie and causes hurt. It is for this reason that as Orthodox Christian’s we often speak about Apostolic Succession. For many, Apostolic Succession is often misunderstood as one priest, from one Bishop and ordinations that can be traced all the way back to the original Apostles of Christ. While yes, this is true as a historical and theological understanding yet, Apostolic Succession is much deeper than this. It is a recognition that not just authority is pasted down to a priest, but that the teaching and faith, the One Gospel of Christ has continued from Christ to the Apostles, until today. It is continuity and reassurance, that each priest that gives a sermon, each Bishop that leads, that teaches Holy Scripture is not making things up, maliciously changing the Word to meet their own agendas or playing “broken telephone.” Whether a priest, Bishop or anyone of us, if we misrepresent, change the Gospel, if we use the Scriptures to justify what we want, how we feel, from politics to family, from history to science, if we preach a different Spirit, we separate us and others from God; we create a divorce in each other from Christ our Bridegroom.

In the Gospel today the Pharisees are asking Jesus about divorce and Christ tells them, “from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” On the surface, Christ is teaching us that marriage is not merely a contract between a man and woman who love each other but a deeper union between husband and wife. This union symbolizes our union to God; that as Christian’s through the Holy Scriptures we recognize that what Christ Jesus is teaching us is that from the very beginning God joined us, all humanity to Him. Though through sin, that relationship was severed and made opaque, through Christ Jesus our communion is healed, and that what God has joined, no man, meaning nothing in this life, whether it is opinions, desires, material wealth, education, culture, language, etc. nothing must separate us.

However, in order not to be separated, we are called to remain in Communion, come and be a part of the Church, where one Lord Jesus Christ, one Gospel is shared. Or else, what we hear outside the Holy Church about our Church, the Bride of Christ, is often a “broken telephone” game – susceptible to lies, slander and misinformation. This is because of malicious intent to hurt the Church but also because we just don’t know. So often, when someone tells me they don’t believe in God, or don’t agree with Church teaching, what they don’t believe or agree with is not actually what the Church believes and teaches either. This my dears, is because of the “broken telephone” and why it is so important for us, Christian’s to not just come to Church regularly as a building, but to come with humility and repentance – a desire to learn and grow, to be a witness to others.

If we ask each other opinions about iphone or android, where to travel during our vacations, stocks and investments, people around us, books to read, etc. these are great ways to share information, share our likes and dislikes; share because if we had a bad experience, we want others to be cautious whereas if we have a positive experience, we want others to also share in that positivity. What about our Christian faith? What about the Gospel? What do people see and experience through us about our faith? If someone were to ask us about the Armenian Church, about St. Gregory, what would we share? We have great food; a priest with a nice voice; a 100-year history; etc. or would we share that we have a love for God as taught in the Gospel, we have joy in prayer, we have a family of believers and all are welcome even if they are different.

My dear brothers and sisters, regardless of the address or name on the Church, as Orthodox Christian’s, our Apostolic Succession is the Apostolic faith, the Holy Spirit, the One Gospel, One Communion with our One Lord Jesus Christ, which is what we are called to share, to witness to. That is why Tertullian tells us, “Therefore the churches, although they are so many and so great, comprise but the one primitive Church, [founded] by the apostles, from which they all [spring]. In this way, all are primitive, and all are apostolic, while they are all proved to be one in unity.” It is our faith in Christ Jesus that unites us, and it is that faith we must share with others through the life we live. Our faith is who we are and as long as we remain in the Church, in Communion, in prayer, humble before our Lord, than young or old, priest or laity, the message of our faith will not succumb to the game of “broken telephone”, but will reach the ears, minds and hearts of all those who seek the love and mercy of God. Our faith, by which we are in Communion with God here and must be lived through those doors, out there because it is through us, our lives and choices, by which we will be a witness, we share with others what God has taught us and calls us to. The life we live, now and throughout all times, is the message of the compassion, mercy and love of our Lord, for which this world hungers for; the message of the Gospel. May we live a life that witnesses truthfully to our One God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to whom is befitting glory and praise now and always, Amen!