www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Prayer Severe Depression

The Mother of God prays and weeps not just a thousand years ago, but here and now, at every time and in every place until the end of time. Her veil protects not only those who were present then, but every human generation, the whole world, all of us sinners.

The Mother of God�s veil which blesses and saves shines brightly at all times even if our eyes are unworthy to see it. The Mother of God stands between heaven and earth. She intercedes for the world and offers our petitions before the altar of God�s throne.

She is love and compassion, mercy and care, intercessor and defender. She does not judge, but has compassion for everyone. Hers is not to be the righteous judge, or the judge of righteousness, but to intercede as a mother. And at her Son�s awesome tribunal she intercedes on our behalf with the Righteous Judge to ask forgiveness.

The world�s sins and sorrows wound the heart of the one who loves all, and she responds to malice and sin with love and tears; a sword pierces her heart even now. The Mother of God weeps for the world. What does this mystery mean? The world weeps for itself through her tears. Its suffering and sadness are hers, its tears are her tears. She is Mother! She is heart. She is the fertile soil that drinks in the water�

If only human eyes could perceive the Mother of God�s presence in the world, they would know what transfiguration is mysteriously taking place. If only they could see her tears, their cruel hearts would be shaken into warmth. For no heart is so frozen as to remain unmelted in the face of her loving care. To malice she responds with love. To sin, with tears. To abuse, with forgiveness, to reviling with blessing.

The world is not abandoned to its suffering, man is not alone in his grief. The Mother�s heart, too, is wounded and broken, the Mother of God weeps with us. One day we will know whose heart we wound with our sins and by whose tears they are washed away�

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!


Both you and I know that in our lives today, and on every day, the Lord continues to be present among us, to preach among us, to heal among us, as He lives within His Church. Therefore, we say that the life of Christ's church is a continuation of the gospel story, is a continuation of God's presence in the world.


When you and I approach the Eucharist, it is as though the Last Supper is reenacted. When we listen to the word of God, it's as though we were back in those days when the Lord first preached the Good News. And when we pray to Him, we are just like those people, the crippled, the blind, those hungering after truth and justice, who came to Him. And together with the apostles, we repeat: "Lord, to whom are we to go, for You have the words of life?"


Today, we listened to the words of the Apostle Paul, how each of us is built up into the Church. We are the stones of the building, but the foundation of the building is the Lord Himself. The apostle tells us that it is impossible to build on any other foundation. It is fruitless to build upon human hopes and aspirations. We build upon the divine, upon the God-man Christ. There is no other strength besides that of the incarnate Savior, who came into this world to save each of us, to lead each one of us, just as a shepherd leads his lost sheep.


Again, the gospel writer brings before us that night when the disciples were crossing the lake in a storm, and the Lord walked upon the water to meet them. Seeing the figure of Him walking toward them, the disciples cried out in fear. This was a miraculous event, so much so that the disciples could not settle down until the following morning. Yet this miracle also occurred for us, here and now.


Just imagine: this was the boat that carried the disciples and which the Lord had sent to cross the lake, while he went up the mountain to pray. It was though He had left them, as though he had thrown them to the winds of fate. Then the waves began to toss the boat, and they were on the verge of sinking. All around them was the darkness of night, gloom, water, death and the abyss. They were afraid and felt abandoned. Something of the way we feel when confronting difficulties, trials and temptation. It seems sometimes that God has abandoned us, that we are alone, that we have no one to rely upon, that our life is like some pitch black gloom and that there is no way out. At times like these we feel that we are surrounded by pitfalls, and that we shall finally fall into the depths and that there is no salvation for us. Yet at the same time the Lord is up on the mountain in prayer... Praying for the world, lifting up His Spirit to His Heavenly Father, and of course praying for those below. He prays on high while below, they are fighting with the waves.


It's just the same now. When life becomes difficult for us, we have the High Priest and Intercessor, the Lord Jesus Christ standing above us. It is essential to remember this; indeed, the apostles forgot, and were therefore afraid of the wind and waves. But He did not merely remain above in prayer, but descended and came to them. He had no boat, and so therefore stepped across the water and went to meet those in danger of death. It's just the same when the Lord comes into our lives during those critical moments. He is coming, but we still don't know Him; He is approaching, yet our hearts are still filled with fear.


Just imagine, how they must have caught sight of Him in the darkness: all around was the raging sea, the light of the moon was barely visible (it occurred during the spring), and suddenly someone appeared, walking upon the water as if on dry land. They cried out, thinking that their end was coming, thinking that this was already a vision of death, which was threatening them with destruction. They shrieked out again, and then amidst the crashing waves, they heard His words: "Get hold of yourselves, do not fear, it is I." They were thunderstruck and threw away their oars, and found themselves in the midst of the surging sea. He came up to meet them in this darkness, and then they took heart and Peter cried out: "Lord, if it is really You, then let me come to meet You."


Again, just as it occurs in life. Just when things become almost unbearable, the voice of Christ the Savior speaks to us: "Here, it is I, do not fear, do not tremble; know that this sea is subject to Me, this life is subject to Me, just believe and hold on to Me. Hold the course of your boat toward me. It is I, do not fear."


At that moment, Peter wanted to approach Him, to follow after Him. More than that, he wanted to imitate Him, and like the Lord, walk upon the water. And the Lord did not stop him...just the opposite, He said, "Come, Walk!" Just as God's word calls us to imitate Christ the Savior.


"Imitate me, as I imitate Christ," says the Apostle Paul. Immerse yourself into the life that is described in the gospels. Keep your gaze fixed upon Christ, as if He were crucified before you. If we will not learn from Him, then what was the point of His Divine Presence among us? "Follow me, as I follow the Lord." And Peter wanted to imitate Christ, he wanted to walk on the water and the Lord told him to come. "Come!" He said. If we truly want to live according to the gospel, then it is essential that we listen to the voice of Christ. Come! You also come along, but don't fear even though you know that the waves are crashing around, even though you realize that you might be alone in following Him. Peter was alone; the other disciples did not follow after him. They remained in the boat frightened and confused. Still, despite the Lord's presence, Peter was to risk his life. Just imagine, he was about to step out into the deep, which was thrashing all around; the spray of the waves, dark and threatening. He was about to fling himself out there as though jumping into the void. But he knew that the Lord was up ahead, and stepped out to meet Him.


This characterizes the risk of our faith. We must be always ready to take this risk, otherwise our hearts will never be truly directed at the Lord. Only moving forward, only moving forward to Him. Look here, Peter stepped out of the boat, and as long as he fixed his eyes upon the Lord and not upon the waves, he was able to walk upon the water. This was a miracle! With the ancient Egyptians who had no alphabet, and for each meaning there was a separate symbol-hieroglyphics. And the symbol used for the impossible, for the miraculous, was a small man walking upon the water. Throughout all of history, people have known that it is impossible to walk upon the water. Yet the Apostle Paul tells us: I am able to do all things thanks to the strength given to me by the Lord Jesus. The Lord Himself told us: "You shall accomplish even more than I." Why are we unable to perform miracles? Simply because of our lack of faith; our eyes are closed...


Each one of us, if we truly look back and consider our lives, then we shall constantly see the miracle of God's presence. This miracle is constant and commonplace, and occurs every time our broken and oppressed spirit rises from the depths--this is a greater miracle than a man walking upon water. And at our prayers we timidly hope, yet He will hear us if we earnestly cry out to Him. But in crying out, we must give our hearts to Him completely, and not like Peter, who went out to meet Him, but then took his eyes off the Lord. He began to consider the crashing waves, and then began to sink. It was at that very moment when he looked at the awful waves and not at Christ, that he lost the miraculous ability to walk upon the water, began to sink and cried out: "Lord, save me, I am sinking." Peter, of course, being a fisherman, knew how to swim. But at that moment, his heart fell and his strength left him, and in the dark he felt drawn to the deep. Nevertheless, one thought remained, that nearby was the Lord, and he cried out: "Save me, I am dying." Here he felt the strength of His outstretched arm, and heard the words: "You of little faith, why do you doubt?"


This incident occurred a long time ago, some two thousand years, yet millions of people continue to walk along this path of water, millions of people throughout the ages even up until now, and in every land, search for Him, who walks amidst the waves of life. He tells us who are confused and weak and sinful, "Take heart, it is I, do not fear. I am here, next to you. I am able to stretch my hand out to you." And always, in this gospel story we are given a sign, that Jesus Christ is the same both yesterday, today, and tomorrow! Amen.