Ordination in Brisbane
On the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord an ordination was performed in our Brisbane church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Fr. Deacon Balin Lawrence was ordained to the priesthood. Father Balin will serve in the church of Our Lady of Vladimir, in which there has been no permanent priest for 7 years. From now on the parishioners will have an opportunity to attend regular church services on Sundays and feast days. Glory be to God! Let us wish the newly-ordained Fr. Balin God’s help in his ministry to the Holy Church.
Bishop Andrei delivered this sermon to the newly ordained priest.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, once seeing a multitude of people following Him like sheep without a shepherd, said to his disciples: “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38). And then, after spending the whole night in prayer to God the Father, He chose His 12 apostles and invested them with grace.
And we, brothers and sisters, following this Lord’s command, prayed that He would send out a labourer into His field, and give a priest for this church. And the Lord heard our prayer. Today Fr. Balin has received the grace of priesthood, and we are confident that the grace will grow and work in him so that his spiritual progress will be evident to all. (1 Tim. 4:15)
As for you, Father, strive to kindle in yourself the grace of God, as holy Apostle Paul says to his disciple Timothy: “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Tim. 1:6). Just as the fire can die out if left unattended, and vice versa, it can be fanned into a high flame, so God’s grace remains fruitless if those who receive it do not make an effort.
We must fully trust in God’s grace and believe that the grace of the priesthood is working in us. We must attribute all our achievements not to ourselves, but to God’s grace. However, there is still something that we have to bring from ourselves. What is this? – Our labour, our zeal and willingness to sacrifice ourselves, for which God will reward His diligent servants.
After the consecration of the Holy Gifts, the Bishop gives the newly ordained priest a part of the Divine Lamb and says to him these amazing and dreadful words: “Receive thou this pledge, and preserve it whole and unharmed until thy last breath, because thou shalt be held to an accounting thereof in the Second and Awesome Coming of our Great Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
These words show that the gift of the Holy Spirit, the grace of priesthood that you have received, is not your property. The grace of priesthood has been given to you by God as a pledge, and He will require you to give an account of your priesthood.
You have to perform your ministry in a world where Satan reigns openly, no longer hiding, as in the old days. In the “world that lies in the power of the evil one”, you will have to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, i.e., celebrate the Divine Liturgy. The Liturgy is the Kingdom of God on earth, and therefore it begins with the priest’s exclamation: “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Every good deed must be accompanied by temptation. This is the law of spiritual life. And this is especially true in regard to the priestly ministry. The higher the ministry, the more difficult the invisible warfare. But we should not be afraid of temptations. The Lord will not leave us to be tempted beyond our strength. Temptations make the soul more experienced and stronger. How can a priest help his spiritual children who are being tempted, if he himself has not been subjected to temptation and has not triumphed over it?
On the reverse of the priest’s pectoral cross are engraved the following words: “be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity”.
These words are taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to his disciple Timothy, and in full this verse sounds like this: “Let no one look down on your youth, but be an example for the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).
The Apostle Paul appointed Timothy as bishop in Ephesus, an important city. But Timothy was still young, so the Apostle was concerned that the believers in Ephesus would not treat him with due respect because of his youth. And he gave Timothy this instruction: “Let no one look down on your youth, but be an example for the believers…”. That is, the Apostle instructs him in this way: if everyone sees you as a living image of virtue, they will involuntarily respect you, despite your young age. I think this apostolic exhortation applies to our new priest as well.
But don’t be surprised, Father, if, diligently fulfilling your ministry, you hear unjust accusations and slander against yourself. According to the same Apostle, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12) – such is the spiritual law. But if your life is exemplary, then even those who slander you will secretly respect you.
At the present time in the Church there is some kind of constant war of all against all. One example: here in Brisbane there are four church groups that do not differ from each other in their teaching, but not only have no communion, but are openly hostile to each other: they call each other non-canonical, lure away parishioners and clergy. We will not imitate them – this will be our response to their irrational hostility.
Finally, brothers and sisters, do not forget to pray for your priest, so that the Lord strengthen him, just as he will pray for you. Amen
