The After Life

All creation will come into the presence of God in the afterlife

The Ancient Church taught that all creation will come into the presence of God in the afterlife. Some will bask in eternal joy because of the infinite love that is Almighty God. Yet those who will cower in fear will be in the same presence of God, because of the “great gulf” that will separate them from the believers. This will not be because they’ve been sent to “hell”, but because they will experience God’s energies as torment and darkness. For those who’ve chosen to respond to God’s love, a state of constant communion with the Holy Spirit begins in this life, and extends into the afterlife, which is for all eternity. It is not about getting to “heaven”, but about communing for all eternity with God.

The images of Orthodox icons as “windows” into the eternal realm, depict the saints dwelling in a place filled with the golden, uncreated divine light of God. It is this God Who rescues all of humanity, as represented in the resurrectional icons, depicting Christ pulling Adam and Eve from the tomb, and all of creation with them, from the beginning of time to the end of time.

When we are in harmony with God, we bask in His presence in this life, and in all eternity . But if we desire our own will and are in disharmony with God, we will suffer for eternity after God reclaims the world at the end of this age, and fills all with His presence. Then there will be nowhere to escape God, for both demons and evildoers will spend eternity with God, just as will believers. Hell, for such people, will not be a place, but a condition they’ve allowed themselves to be in, not because this God wishes to harm them, but because His love is unconditional, and expends to the utter far reaches of His creation.

The torment some will experience will be the result of coming into the presence of God’s pure love, while being in an impure condition. It will be not unlike the white skinned person who has rarely seen the sunlight, spending a day on a sun drenched beach, and heading home with a really bad sunburn. Had he worked up a tan, with little doses of sunshine over a period of weeks, all would be well, and he’d return at the end of a day looking healthy and fit. The same sunshine that burns one person will bring warmth and pleasure to another.

Spending our earthly journey perusing communion with God, prepares us for eternity in the presence of God’s burning fire. The Divine Services are like dress rehearsals for the Eternal Banquet that is taking place before the Throne of God. If we are not immersed in the liturgical celebrations that are taking place in the temples here on earth, we will not be prepared to spend eternity in the heavenly temple. If we have not participated in the Eucharistic banquet here on earth, we will be ill prepared to participate in the Heavenly Banquet, which will last for all eternity.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Saturday August 6, 2016 / July 24, 2016
7th Week after Pentecost. Tone five.

Martyr Christina of Tyre (300).
Holy Martyrs and Passion-bearers Boris and Gleb of Russia, in holy baptism Romanus and David (1015).
New Hieromartyr Alpheus deacon (1937).
Sts. Nicholas (1942) and John (1951) confessors, priests.
Venerable Polycarp, archimandrite of the Kiev Caves (1182).
New Martyr Athanasius of Nicaea (1670) (Greek).
New Martyr Theophilus of Zakynthos (1635) (Greek).
Venerable Bogolep, child schemamonk of Black Ravine near Astrakhan (1667).
Martyr Hermogenes.
Venerable Pachomius, abbot, on the Lake (1479), friend of Venerable Dionysius of Glushets (Vologda).
St. Bernulphus, bishop of Utrecht (1054) (Neth.).
St. Declan, bishop of Ardmore (Ireland) (5th c.) (Celtic & British).
St. Hilarion of Tvali (11th c.) (Georgia).
Martyrs Capitio and Hymenaeus (Greek)

Scripture Readings

Romans 12:1-3

Living Sacrifices to God

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Matthew 10:37-11:1

37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

A Cup of Cold Water

40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus

11 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.