Archpastoral Message at the Beginning of the Ecclesiastical Year
Archpastoral Message of His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN at the Beginning of the Ecclesiastical Year September 1, 2008
To the Venerable Hierarchs, Reverend Clergy, Monastics and Faithful
of the Orthodox Church in America
“The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is
at hand”
(Mark 1:15).
In the New Testament, we learn of two different understandings of time. The first understanding is referred to in Greek as “chronos”, from which we derive the words “chronological,” “chronology,” etc. This term signifies days, minutes, hours, and other measurements of time.
The other term used in the Scriptures to denote time is “kairos.” The word “kairos” refers to the “appointed time” for something to occur. The spirit of “kairos” time is reflected in these famous words from the book of Ecclesiastes: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). God is not affected by chonological time as human beings are, but He knows and guides the “kairos,” the appointed time, for all things in His creation.
Kairos time stands beyond any chronological unit. At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, the deacon states, “It is time to begin the service to the Lord.” The Greek original of this phrase makes it clear that the deacon is saying that the “kairos” has come for the celebration of the Liturgy. Regardless of the specific time in the morning at which that particular Divine Liturgy begins, it is the appointed time to hymn and bless God, to give thanks to Him and worship Him.
In the morning prayer of St. Philaret of Moscow we pray, “In unforeseen events let me not forget that all are sent by Thee.” This principle applies not only to what comes our way, but also to when it comes our way. God does not give those who believe in Him everything they want, but He will never deprive them of what they need. God gives us what we need, when He knows that we need it. A “kairos” moment can last for seconds, minutes, or generations.
In another prayer of St. Philaret, we pray, “Thou seest my needs, which I do not even know. See and deal with me according to Thy mercy. Purge and heal me, humble me and raise me….” From these words we learn that God’s mercy can be worked through both joys and sorrows, through triumph and tribulation, according to that which God knows we need.
Knowing that God always holds us in the palm of His hand, we can trust that every moment – both the good and the difficult – is a “kairos” moment. Our challenge is to prayerfully reflect on that given moment to discern how God is providing for our needs through it. God will not force His grace upon us; we must receive it willingly.
The troubles that we have faced in recent years in the Orthodox Church in America have been very difficult and painful for our entire Church. Remembering the words of St. Philaret cited above, we can find comfort and strength in the knowledge that even these difficulties can be moments of grace—kairos time—that can be to our growth as a Church and to the salvation of our souls.
In this new Ecclesiastical Year, we will soon find ourselves at a critical “appointed moment” for our Church when we gather in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the 15th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America, November 10 to 13. I believe that the time of this Council, and these final months leading up to it, have been given to us by our Lord, that we might engage in an honest and sober look at ourselves as a Church. Contributing to this effort are the Town Hall Meetings scheduled in preparation for the All-American Council, and the work of the Special Investigating Committee, whose report we will soon hear. Such self-examination is not easy, but if engaged in prayerfully, it can be a source of grace.
As we prepare for the All-American Council, and when we gather in Pittsburgh two short months from now, may we all be willing to look honestly, first at ourselves and our own spiritual state, and then at our Church and its life at this time. May we learn from the difficulties we have faced, discerning the movements of Divine Mercy within them. May we see ourselves moving forward, strengthened by God’s grace and by the time of prayer, deliberations, and fellowship that we will share. And may this entire new Ecclesiastical Year be the appointed time, the kairos, for a deeper commitment to our Lord and a clearer sense of the path upon which He calls us to walk as individual believers and together as the Orthodox Church in America.
Invoking God’s blessing and assuring you of my prayers, I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
+HERMAN
Archbishop of Washington and New York
Metropolitan of All America and Canada