Remembering is so important to Orthodox Christians. We are not only a people who remember our history; we venerate it. Afterall, history is what makes us uniquely human. Yes, dolphins and whales have some sort of memory, but not like humans.

Our memory is a seed of the immortality implanted in us. We can go back, see, recall, and even--in some sense--re-experience the moments of our past through scents, sights, and sounds. A song or a scent can summon up many memories, that though far away in the distant past, are now somehow once again near, and with us, to cherish and hold—mystical gifts no one can take away.

           Our abilities to remember, dream, and imagine are God's gifts to man--the crown of all He created--who shares in His Image and Likeness, and has been given sovereignty and stewardship of His creation. When we remember, dream, and imagine, we are not limited in time and space, and we experience that we are not confined to the here and now, but rather destined for an unlimited and eternal future, as heirs to God's Boundless  and Timeless Grace. In this way, we are given to experience a foretaste of the divine for which we were created and to which we are summoned.

           Remembrance is especially important to us. From memory, we learn how to behave, and, just as importantly, how not to behave. We sometimes learn best by mistakes, failures, and tragedies. Sometimes, life can be a harsh task master, and memory protects us. Memory is ingrained in our human nature; it is an imprint of the divine, and it sets us apart from the rest of creation. To the ancient Hellenes, history, the ability to write and pass on knowledge to future generations, set them apart from the barbarians.

History allows us to participate in the memories of others, granting us an immortality below on earth in the collective consciousness of humanity. History was the total of human knowledge and a vast library from which to draw lessons, wisdom, and inspiration, through the experiences of others in order to meet our challenges and rise above our current conditions and circumstances. By consulting the sages of the past, we have many guides, and thus, the present can be boldly engaged, and the future fashioned.

           For Christians, we recall the great and glorious deeds of God and what He has done for His People through the Patriarchs and the Prophets of Old. We recall, and are inspired by, the example of the Saints who struggled bravely, valiantly, and unselfishly for the sake of others and the True Faith.

We remember them, we honor them, and we venerate them; and we pray that we will take up their torch and carry the Light of Christ into the darkness of this fallen world and bring hope, enlightenment, inspiration, and empowerment, to those alienated, disenfranchised, hurting, and suffering. Standing upon the shoulders of these spiritual giants, we can see further over the horizon and appreciate the glorious possibilities.

           However, the age of the Saints is not to be relegated to the pages of history, confined in a dusty old tome upon a shelf in a library. The Golden Age is not buried in the past as some distant era over which to pine and lament. The era of the Saints and the Golden Age is now.

We are called to be God's Saints as modern-day Disciples of Christ who boldly engage the world as redemptive agents by the love that we have for one another and share with others. When we remember them, they live on, and they guide us like pedagogues, leading the child of the Master--only this time, they lead to the One, True Master, Who purchased us with the Blood of His Son for our eternal redemption. This makes us special, unique, and infinitely valuable.

           Thus, we are called to be separate and distinct from the world by our demeanor, conduct, and way of life, and yet, to be engaged boldly in the world. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. This is the literal meaning of the Greek word Agios (Άγιος) for Saint: "Not of the earth."

Hence, we are not to conform to the world; we are to reclaim the world for Christ. We are called to be beacons of shining light in the spiritual darkness to warn, protect, and save others from the unseen spiritual catastrophes of this world, just as the lighthouse warns, protects, and saves sailors from the hidden catastrophes that lurk beneath the ocean's surface. After all, we are children of the Light and one with the Saints of old before whose images we light a candle, observe the light that their images reflect, and entreat for their incessant intercessions.

           We take courage and strength from the Faith, perseverance, and victory of the Saints Triumphant--now above--who wear the brilliant imperishable Crown of Christ and now cheer us on who remain below in this arena of life, seeking to compete according to the rules in order to finish the race as they did before us.

They have passed on the baton to us, and like them, we must pass the baton on to others. In memory, in prayer, in the Church, we, as the struggling Church Militant, are one in spirit with the Church Triumphant that cheers us on to finish at all costs for others, as they did for us; for nothing less than the salvation of the world is as stake.

 

           This great history and legacy carry with it a most sacred and solemn responsibility and attendant obligation. Therefore, we remember them, and they live on through us, assuring their immortality below as they abide in the immortality above, for which we pray that we, too, will one day share. Thus, with the assurance of this common destiny in Christ, we can in peace, unity, and concord pray together personally and corporately to the Lord.

           Our Faith is our guarantee. It is our insurance policy. It is the best investment we can have, for our Faith is sure. Its return is infinite and its term eternal. God has promised. Christ has told us that he who believes in Him, though he may die, will have everlasting life.

This should cause us, therefore, to live freely, fully, and intrepidly. The Saints are praying with us to encourage us when we stumble, trip, or become tired. They did it. We can do it. Just as the fisherman casts his net trusting in the catch, and the farmer plants knowing the harvest is assured, we too believe and fight the good fight, knowing that the victory is assured in Him Who conquered all for us.

           Knowing that no matter what, in the end, we have victory in Christ, and this victory is an eternal victory, how can we not have peace as we pray to the One True Lord and God Who has sent us His Son to win the victory for us. He has conquered death for us. We do not have to fight that battle. All we must do is fight the good fight in His Name, sustained by the prayers of His Saints, both Triumphant above and Militant below.

           Thus, we pray in peace to God, not alone, but one among many who have come before, who are now, and who will be. In Christ, we are in Communion with the past, present, and future. We are never alone. Those who pray with us are legion, shoulder to shoulder in lock step with us, shield to shield, like an impenetrable and invincible phalanx that marches inexorably on to its destiny and renown for the Glory of Christ. 

In Christ, we are one with Him and with one another. In Christ, we are united, we are resolute, and we are victorious; and so again, with the assurance of His eternal Peace that He has secured, we pray, many as one, to the One Sovereign Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

           To Him alone is due all glory, honour, and worship, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

                                                                                                                      †Father Jim