Being Conceived

 When does life begin?  It is a question that plagues our society.  There are those who have an agenda to permit removal of an embryo before it is “viable.” Others claim that life begins when a heartbeat is first noted.  There are still others who would contend (the Church being one) that life begins at the moment of conception.

Why this topic today?  Because if the “birthday” of St. Herman’s was on January 23rd 2005 (the day upon which we held our first service as a Diocesan Parish), then our “conception” was on this day, the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women, which occurred in that year on May 11, 2003. 

A conception. The word conjures images of life that require nurturing, loving, protection by a loving parent and family.  Truth be told, it seems to be an appropriate image for us.  On that day now nearly twenty-three years ago, there was the love of a Metropolitan who chose to permit this life to enter the realm of being conceived.  There was a core group of faithful from our mother parish who saw the benefit in supporting this new life.  And there was a gathering of faithful, the “cells” of the new Body being formed in this place, in this time.

With new life comes new responsibility.  There were plans to be made. There were needs to secure a place to worship, to gather enough financial resources to enable the group to begin operating.  Services had to be planned.  Letters and advertisements had to be placed.  Tell the world—this new life is taking root.  Being loved and nurtured from the beginning, we prayed that with the Lord’s blessing it would grow into something wonderful, beautiful.  And by the Grace of God, it would come to serve the needs of those who would find it and come to it in faith and love, to share in its life.

Now, these many years later, we look back on that Sunday and we find a sense of astonishment.  How did this all come to be?  How is it possible that we even exist?

Life itself is so very fragile.  It is not promised.  It is a gift that, once given, must be cherished.  And within that gift, there comes a responsibility to conform that life into the image for which God created it, the image for which it was permitted to be conceived.

What image does our Lord want for us?  If we answer honestly, we must say that we, as faithful disciples, haven’t seen that vision yet. 

In a previous visit for St. Thomas Sunday, His Eminence, in his homily after Liturgy, encouraged all who were present to “believe and embrace the hope”.  We hope for answers to our prayers, that our Lord will give to us that which is beneficial for our salvation.  We “want” things for our own purposes, often without considering if our “wants” conform to God’s plan for us.  We want growth.  We know this would be good.  His Eminence’s urging is for us to expect that God will answer this good request.  We want a firm faith.  We know this also to be good.  We must expect that God will honor such prayers, those directed toward seeking His holy will for all of us.

We want so very many things.  But only one thing is needful, and that is to love the Lord, and to love our neighbor.  When we live in this way, we expect that He has and will give us all that is truly needful!

Christ is Risen!

Indeed, He is Risen!!!