“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12)
“The baseball season’s opening game falls on Good Friday. Is it alright to go there and have a hot dog? May we have a dispensation?” If I’m asked, I must say that I have no answer. In fact, it’s not the place of a priest, bishop or patriarch of the Orthodox Church to respond with a yes or no. The proper response is: “What do you think?”
We are a peculiar faith people, not understood by the population at large and unfortunately at times not by our own children of God. Many assume that we are basically like Roman Catholics without a Pope, or like Protestants with icons, hierarchical structure, tradition and sacraments. In fact we are neither—in many ways they are more like each other than like us. They share a common history even if it’s adversarial, which leaves us out. One famous lay theologian said that they are alike in fixing ultimate authority outside the Church of Jesus Christ led and inspired by the Holy Spirit. For the Roman Catholic Church the Pope speaks himself to the Church for the Church and in the Name of Jesus Christ. Following Martin Luther Protestants in general have accepted a “paper pope;” obviously the Bible as interpreted freely by each individual Christian.
Returning to the question of dispensation: Who has the right to give an exemption from fasting in the sacred season of the Great Lent? Who is powerful enough spiritually to say to another Christian, “It’s alright, don’t let it bother you. Enjoy the game and your hot dog; it really doesn’t matter that the Church at this moment is praying for the sins of a world that nailed our Savior to the Cross. There are others who will repent, grieve, and contemplate His suffering for you. Don’t let it trouble you. Let me know if our team wins. I permit you to be enjoying yourself while the entire Christian world pleads to God for mercy and thanks Christ for suffering for our salvation.”
Ours is another way of expressing and comprehending the responsibility for responding to the love that the Holy Trinity pours out on us as we work through our salvation. And there’s nobody to demand that you and I do so. Jesus said, “If you want to be perfect” [here’s what you do]. (Matthew 19:21) Freedom is such an exciting and yet frightening gift. We pray for one another, we plead with angels, saints and all believers at all times, not to persuade God nor one another, but that the Holy Spirit will be effective in the mysterious way He has of helping our decisions without doing the deciding for us, to inspire us to do the right thing.
We pray also for enlightenment. We ask the Lord to widen the vision of ones we love and ourselves, so that we take into account all the implications of the decisions we make throughout this journey through life. Yes, we are free to choose right from wrong and good from evil, yet with this condition. All are responsible for all. What’s one ball game or one hot dog in the cosmic context? If I ask myself what’s the big deal? Such a tiny peccadillo—what’s it have to do with anybody other than me? Whom am I hurting? Myself first of all, for falling from the standard of perfection I know to be my responsibility. Others who are affected by my own spiritual journey are damaged in some way by my sinfulness. Yes, my fault is their business, just as it is my concern to help them with their salvation. Those who look to me for solace, inspiration, friendship and leadership on the road to God’s kingdom are either encouraged or deflated by what they discern in my own struggle with Satan and his influence on my soul. Even love has enormous consequences.