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Sermon by Jonathan Jackson from General Hospital about The Love of the Beautiful
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00:00so the subject is love of the beautiful it is a it's a profound and difficult
00:23subject to talk about and many of you are familiar with Dostoevsky's famous saying
00:31beauty will save the world I want to start off by reading the poetry of the
00:37Akathist hymn glory to God for all things says in the wondrous blending of sounds it
00:44is your call we hear in the harmony of many voices in the sublime beauty of
00:49music in the glory of the works of great composers you lead us to the threshold
00:55of paradise to come and to the choirs of angels all true beauty has the power to
01:02draw the soul toward you and to make it sing in ecstasy alleluia the breath of
01:08your Holy Spirit inspires artists poets and scientists the power of your supreme
01:14knowledge makes them prophets and interpreters of your laws their works
01:20speak unwittingly of you how great are you in your creation how great are you in
01:25man so this leads us to ask what is beauty if all true beauty has the power to lead
01:34us into the presence of God and what is what does this mean as Christians we
01:41believe that beauty is to be found in the Holy Trinity it is not an abstract
01:46reality it is a person God is beautiful and why do we believe this how do we know
01:55that God is beautiful well in the Orthodox Church we say he is the lover of
02:00mankind we know that God is beautiful because God is love as st. John says in his
02:07epistle this is how God showed his love among us he sent his one only son into
02:14the world that we might live through him this is love not that we loved God but
02:19that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins in the
02:25divine liturgy we say one is holy one is Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the
02:30father all men but we can also say one is beautiful one is Lord Jesus Christ so
02:38beauty is only that which reflects the beautiful one the church brings the
02:45spiritual crisis of humanity into the framework of what is beautiful and what
02:51ultimately lacks true beauty the whole vision of salvation is a return to beauty
02:58what is Eden in the imagination of mankind if not a remembrance of beauty the fall of man in
03:06the Orthodox tradition is less about a legal fall where a law-abiding citizen commits a
03:12crime and God the judge deals out punishment it's more about the loss of beauty the image of God in
03:20man was distorted it was not obliterated but it became obscured through sin one of my
03:29favorite hymns is a nativity song and it's appropriate on the first day of the fast to be
03:37reminded of this we sing it on many nights as I'm tucking my daughter who's here with me I tuck her into bed and
03:46oftentimes sing this song and it ends by saying Christ is born to raise the image that fell of old
03:54Christ came to restore the beautiful image of God within mankind so salvation is a restoration of this
04:05beauty in the gospel of Matthew Christ describes the kingdom of heaven in a very fascinating way he says
04:13the kingdom of heaven is like a traitor searching for beautiful jewels who on finding one pearl of
04:19great value went out and sold everything and bought it to many people humanity is the traitor in this
04:30parable searching for beautiful jewels each one of us we are searching for the kingdom of God and when
04:36we find Jesus Christ the pearl of great price we sell everything we have to be in communion with him
04:44this is a powerful way of reading this but I also think that this parable can be seen from a different
04:51angle Jesus Christ is also searching he's searching to find a treasure hidden in a field he came down from
05:02heaven searching for us he died for you as if you were the only person who ever lived he was willing to
05:10sell everything to give everything for you he saw something of such value in you that he paid the
05:16ultimate price for your love it's a beautiful thought to think that both God and man are searching for each
05:23other it's a cosmic romance taking place Christ is searching to find beautiful jewels on the earth he's
05:30looking for his saints and we are searching for Christ the beautiful one a savior to restore the image that fell of
05:38old and all throughout the scriptures we have these incredible images the song of songs says behold you are
05:45beautiful my love behold you are beautiful your eyes are doves in the psalms we read for your royal husband
05:52delights in your beauty honor him for he is your lord the new jerusalem is described as a radiant bride
06:00in revelation it says i saw the holy city the new jerusalem coming down out of heaven from god like a bride
06:07made beautiful for her husband and these kind of illustrations are throughout the scriptures these are
06:13incredible pictures and poems of of beauty and yet it's so easy for us to approach the christian life
06:24from a dry moralistic place
06:27that just simply looks at what i'm supposed to do and what i'm not supposed to do but this is so far from
06:35the orthodox vision of life in christ the christian does not reject fornication because it's wrong in some
06:43abstract sense he turns away from it because it's not truly beautiful
06:48he doesn't pray to be healed from anger and jealousy
06:52because he's afraid of being punished he prays to be healed because he has glimpsed christ the beautiful
06:59one and he loves him more than anything else in the world it's not fear in the human sense that drives
07:06him it is love
07:07it has to be love
07:10otherwise it's a religion that has a form of godliness
07:14but has no power
07:16in my experience traditional christianity
07:22is so beautiful
07:23it is true religion
07:26which possesses communion with the holy spirit
07:29the holy spirit communicates beauty
07:32to creation
07:33he breathes it into the fabric of the world
07:37i'd like to read something from
07:40galatians 5
07:42and
07:44it's just
07:46an exercise
07:47to help us
07:50relate to these words
07:51sometimes we hear things so often
07:53that it stops
07:55having the same kind of meaning for us
07:57and in this exercise
07:59we're going to put the word beauty
08:02in place of the spirit
08:03and ugliness in place of the flesh
08:06saint paul says
08:08but i say walk by beauty
08:11and do not gratify the desires of the ugly
08:13for the desires of the ugly are against the beautiful
08:17and the desires of the beautiful are against the ugly
08:20for these are opposed to each other to prevent you from doing what you would
08:23but if you are led by the beautiful you are not under the law
08:27now the works of the ugly are plain
08:29fornication
08:30impurity
08:31licentiousness
08:32idolatry
08:33sorcery
08:34enmity
08:34strife
08:35jealousy
08:35anger
08:36selfishness
08:37dissension
08:38party spirit
08:39envy
08:39drunkenness
08:40carousing and the like
08:41i warn you as i warned you before
08:43that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of god
08:46as i walked in here i noticed the fruits of the spirit on the wall
08:50and i was reminded that each one of those
08:53is a description
08:55of what it is
08:57to embrace the beautiful
08:58so in the gospels we see christ again and again redefining for humanity
09:05what beauty is
09:06for instance the beatitudes completely turn the whole
09:09fabric of the world
09:10inside out
09:12so i'm just going to read them real quick and i want you to
09:16contemplate with me
09:18as if christ were saying to us this is how you become truly beautiful
09:23blessed are the poor in spirit
09:26for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
09:29blessed are they who mourn
09:32for they shall be comforted
09:34blessed are the meek
09:37for they shall inherit the earth
09:39blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness
09:43for they shall be satisfied
09:45blessed are the merciful
09:46for they shall obtain mercy
09:49blessed are the pure in heart
09:51for they shall see god
09:53blessed are the peacemakers
09:55for they shall be called children of god
09:57blessed are they who are persecuted
10:00for the sake of righteousness
10:01for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
10:03the beauty of these words change the world
10:05so i want to briefly talk about three
10:11beautiful things
10:13that come to mind
10:15in reading the beatitudes
10:17and there's a story
10:18in the gospel of luke
10:21that illustrates these things
10:24it's the beauty of repentance
10:26forgiveness
10:27and the oil of joy
10:29there are many ways that we experience the love of god
10:35but one of the most profound ways
10:38christ revealed to us
10:39through a notoriously sinful woman
10:41one of the pharisees asked him to eat with him
10:45and he went into the pharisee's house
10:47and reclined at the table
10:48and behold a woman of the city
10:50who was a sinner
10:51when she learned that he was reclining at table
10:56in the pharisee's house
10:57brought an alabaster flask of ointment
10:59and standing behind him at his feet weeping
11:01she began to wet his feet with her tears
11:05and wiped them with her hair
11:08and kissed his feet
11:10and anointed them with the ointment
11:12now when the pharisee
11:13who had invited him saw this
11:15said to himself
11:16if this man were a prophet
11:17he would have known
11:18who and what sort of woman this is
11:20who is touching him
11:21for she is a sinner
11:22and jesus answering him said
11:24simon i have something to say to you
11:26and he answered
11:28say it teacher
11:28a certain money lender had two debtors
11:32one owed five hundred denarii
11:34and the other fifty
11:35when they could not pay
11:37he cancelled the debt of both
11:39now which of them will love him more
11:42and simon answered
11:43the one i suppose
11:45whom he cancelled the larger debt
11:47and he said to him
11:49you have judged rightly
11:50then turning toward the woman
11:52he said to simon
11:53do you see this woman
11:54i entered your house
11:57you gave me no water for my feet
11:59but she has wet my feet with her tears
12:00and wiped them with her hair
12:02you gave me no kiss
12:04but from the time i came in
12:05she has not ceased to kiss my feet
12:07you did not anoint my head with oil
12:10but she has anointed my feet with ointment
12:12therefore i tell you
12:13her sins
12:14which are many are forgiven
12:16for she loved much
12:18but he who is forgiven little
12:20loves little
12:21that's one of the most powerful
12:25observations that i've ever heard
12:28and it stuck with me
12:29for for years and years
12:31when christ said
12:32look at how she loves
12:33she must have been forgiven much
12:35this woman is overflowing with love
12:40because she has experienced
12:41the beauty of forgiveness
12:43so how do we experience this forgiveness
12:47that enables us to abide in god's love
12:50it's through a word
12:52which our culture
12:53looks upon with disdain
12:56repentance
12:57it's an ugly word
13:00in our culture
13:01conjures up many undesirable thoughts
13:04and emotions
13:04i recently
13:05was having a conversation
13:07with someone
13:07who was
13:08inquiring about
13:11you know christianity
13:12and um
13:13in the middle of the conversation
13:15i
13:16quoted saint isaac the syrian
13:18he said
13:19this life has
13:20has been given to us
13:21for repentance
13:22do not waste it in vain pursuits
13:24and her response was
13:26yeah but that sounds so boring
13:27it was a great moment
13:32you know
13:32where the language of christianity
13:34just completely clashed
13:35with the language of our culture
13:36and i
13:36i had to
13:38elaborate
13:39and express
13:41what repentance really was
13:43that repentance is
13:44returning to
13:45what is beautiful
13:47repentance is
13:48um
13:49turning away
13:51from what is fake
13:53and destructive
13:54and embracing
13:55what is healing
13:56and beautiful
13:57a repentant soul
13:58is a beautiful soul
14:00one that god
14:01will not deny
14:02a broken
14:03and contrite heart
14:04god will not despise
14:07he actually
14:08saves our tears
14:09in a bottle
14:10as it says
14:11in the psalms
14:12that's how precious
14:13our tears are
14:14to him
14:14so repentance
14:17is not this
14:19self-hatred
14:21narcissistic
14:23focus
14:23on how
14:24awful we are
14:25repentance
14:28is a lifelong
14:28love of the beautiful
14:30so when we repent
14:35we receive forgiveness
14:36and this enables us
14:38to love the world
14:38and to love ourselves
14:40the world is attracted
14:41to those
14:43who have experienced
14:45forgiveness
14:45and who give forgiveness
14:47to others
14:48as we know
14:50it's a state of being
14:51and not just an action
14:52across a scripture
14:57that jumped out at me
14:58and christ said
14:59whenever you stand
15:00praying
15:01forgive
15:02if you have anything
15:06against anyone
15:07so that your father
15:07also
15:08who is in heaven
15:09may forgive you
15:09your trespasses
15:10and saint paul says
15:14pray without ceasing
15:15you put those two
15:16things together
15:16and you pretty much
15:17have to be in an
15:19actual state
15:20of forgiveness
15:21it's this
15:21constant reality
15:24the scriptures
15:30tell us
15:31that the lamb
15:31of god
15:32was slain
15:32before the
15:33foundation
15:33of the world
15:34which is a
15:36powerful thing
15:36so that means
15:38when god said
15:39let there be light
15:40he was also saying
15:41let the lamb
15:41of god
15:42be slain
15:42for the salvation
15:44of the world
15:45that means
15:45that the entire
15:46creation
15:47within its very
15:48fabric
15:48is mercy
15:49is forgiveness
15:50the beautiful
15:54of the earth
15:55the beautiful
15:56ones
15:56have an attitude
15:58of forgiveness
15:59an instinct
16:00towards forgiveness
16:01a habit
16:03of forgiveness
16:03an attraction
16:04towards forgiveness
16:05we see this
16:06in the lives
16:06of the saints
16:07praying for those
16:09who were
16:09in the process
16:11of killing them
16:12tears streaming
16:15down their face
16:15not because
16:17they were losing
16:17their lives
16:18but because
16:18they were praying
16:19for those
16:19who were
16:20persecuting them
16:23it's just a part
16:27of their
16:28spiritual ecosystem
16:29so to speak
16:30and they don't
16:31judge others
16:31again not because
16:34it's just wrong
16:35in the abstract
16:35but judging others
16:36is just kind of
16:37it's an ugly thing
16:38so if we want
16:40to become beautiful
16:41we must think
16:43better of people
16:43I know that's
16:46the case for me
16:47our witness
16:48to the world
16:49to the condition
16:52of our heart
16:53and the thoughts
16:54we put out
16:54into the atmosphere
16:55if the world
16:56smells self-righteousness
16:58they turn away
17:00from the stench
17:01and why shouldn't they
17:02it's an ugly thing
17:03to behold
17:03it's our job
17:06to permeate the world
17:07with the fragrance
17:08of humility
17:08and mercy
17:09we are
17:10the fragrance
17:11of Christ to God
17:12among those
17:13who are being saved
17:14and among those
17:15who are perishing
17:15as St. Paul says
17:16he said
17:21for the rest
17:21my brothers
17:22whatever things
17:23are true
17:23whatever things
17:24have honor
17:25whatever things
17:26are upright
17:27whatever things
17:27are holy
17:28whatever things
17:29are beautiful
17:29whatever things
17:31are of value
17:31if there is
17:32any virtue
17:33there is any
17:34praise
17:35give thought
17:36to these things
17:37this is our
17:38witness to the world
17:39such is the power
17:41of virtue
17:41even those
17:43who don't desire
17:44it for themselves
17:45admire it
17:46when they see it
17:46in others
17:47the third
17:51incredible thing
17:51in this story
17:52that we witness
17:53in the gospel
17:53is that this
17:58this woman
18:00who is so filled
18:01with love
18:01actually anoints
18:02the anointed one
18:03how is that
18:05even possible
18:06she brings
18:13to Christ
18:13her deepest
18:14repentance
18:14which is an
18:15act of love
18:16she brings
18:17her tears
18:18she falls
18:19at his feet
18:19she brings
18:22to him
18:22what is precious
18:23to her
18:23it's a mixture
18:26of her tears
18:26and the beautiful
18:27fragrance
18:28of her new
18:29life
18:30the Psalms
18:32say that
18:33the Messiah
18:34he's anointed
18:36with the oil
18:36of joy
18:37he's a man
18:40of sorrows
18:41who is anointed
18:42with the oil
18:42of joy
18:43so to be a
18:45Christian
18:46to be named
18:46after Christ
18:47is to share
18:49in his anointing
18:49to share
18:50in the oil
18:51of joy
18:51Father Alexander
18:56Schmemann
18:56said that
18:57Christians lost
18:58the world
18:58when they lost
18:59their joy
18:59is there
19:05anything more
19:05contagious
19:06than real
19:07joy
19:08why do you
19:10suppose
19:10kids
19:11flock to
19:12Christ
19:12was it
19:14because he
19:14was so
19:15cold
19:15and austere
19:16or was it
19:19because he
19:19was radiating
19:20with life
19:21and goodness
19:22and joy
19:22children love
19:24to be joyful
19:25and Christ
19:26said the
19:26kingdom belongs
19:27to them
19:27the beauty
19:29of a joyful
19:30person
19:30transcends
19:31age
19:32a recent
19:36study showed
19:37that one
19:37of the poorest
19:38countries
19:38in the world
19:39is the most
19:43content
19:43they did
19:45a survey
19:46about contentment
19:50and it was
19:52one of the most
19:53the poorest
19:54countries
19:54in the world
19:55way more
19:56content
19:56than those
19:57of us
19:57that have
19:58so much
19:58and it's
20:02not a coincidence
20:03because
20:04they've been
20:05anointed
20:05with the oil
20:06of joy
20:06Christ
20:08suffered more
20:09than anyone
20:09in history
20:10by taking
20:11on the sins
20:11of the world
20:12and yet
20:12he was
20:13anointed
20:14with the oil
20:14of joy
20:15and he said
20:15I've spoken
20:16these things
20:16that my joy
20:17would be in you
20:18and that your joy
20:19would be complete
20:20and overflowing
20:21life is difficult
20:22for everyone
20:24the joy
20:25of Christ
20:26is so needed
20:27in our world
20:27people are yearning
20:29to be anointed
20:30with the oil
20:30of joy
20:31they're hungry
20:31for it
20:32and I
20:34think that the
20:35enemy hates
20:36our joy
20:38he doesn't like
20:39our feast days
20:40he doesn't like
20:41it when we rejoice
20:42in the Lord
20:44so to sum up
20:48this story
20:48what we glimpsed
20:49is the beauty
20:50of this woman's
20:51repentance
20:51the splendor
20:53of her love
20:54because she
20:56had been forgiven
20:56so much
20:57and the poetry
21:00of a weeping
21:00woman overflowing
21:02with the oil
21:02of joy
21:03as she anoints
21:04the Christ
21:04so those
21:07are three
21:07things
21:08to contemplate
21:11about what
21:12true beauty
21:12is
21:13repentance
21:13is a beautiful
21:14thing
21:14forgiveness
21:16and not judging
21:17others
21:18is a beautiful
21:18thing
21:19and the oil
21:21of joy
21:21is meant
21:22to bring life
21:23to the world
21:24there is
21:27a potential
21:29darkness
21:30in the realm
21:31of beauty
21:32or I should say
21:34there's a potential
21:36darkness
21:37in how we relate
21:38to the beautiful
21:39there's nothing
21:43impure
21:44within beauty
21:44itself
21:45but we are
21:46inflicted
21:48with
21:49with a sickness
21:51that we all
21:52battle
21:52and it changes
21:54what we are
21:55attracted to
21:56we're meant
21:59to be attracted
22:00to the beauty
22:00of God
22:01the beauty
22:01of the eternal
22:02but the fall
22:04of man
22:04changed
22:05how we relate
22:06to what is beautiful
22:07Eve saw
22:08the fruit
22:09on the tree
22:11of knowledge
22:11of good and evil
22:12and it was
22:13pleasing
22:14to the eye
22:14it was beautiful
22:16she was attracted
22:17to it
22:17even though
22:20God had warned
22:21them that it
22:22would bring death
22:22Lucifer was the
22:25morning star
22:26the light bearer
22:27he was beautiful
22:28more radiant
22:31than all of the angels
22:32and he was the one
22:34who fell
22:35from heaven
22:35this is a lesson
22:38for us
22:39as well
22:39because although
22:40we have
22:41the beautiful
22:41image of God
22:42within us
22:42just like him
22:44we've corrupted
22:44that image
22:45we've corrupted
22:46our relationship
22:47with the beautiful
22:48in the scripture
22:50speaking of this
22:51this fall
22:53the fall
22:57of Lucifer
22:57it says
22:58your heart
22:58became proud
22:59on account
22:59of your beauty
23:00and you corrupted
23:01your wisdom
23:02because of your splendor
23:03so I threw you
23:04to the earth
23:05I made a spectacle
23:06of you before kings
23:07the image of God
23:11within us
23:11has been damaged
23:13the beautiful image
23:14has been distorted
23:15and now
23:15we are oppressed
23:16we struggle
23:19we fight
23:20we run
23:22towards the things
23:23that injure us
23:25but most of the time
23:26we don't run directly
23:27towards these things
23:28the demons rarely say
23:30I want to give you death
23:31I want to destroy you
23:33rather
23:34they say
23:34I want to give you
23:35something beautiful
23:36I want to liberate you
23:38I want to give you
23:40something that will
23:40make you feel alive
23:41free
23:42powerful
23:43confident
23:44the demons
23:47attract us
23:48with beauty
23:49because they know
23:50we were made for it
23:51in order to destroy us
23:54see the world
24:00has its list
24:00of beatitudes
24:01as well
24:02and it's very different
24:04from what Christ
24:05says is beautiful
24:06so as we read
24:08a few minutes before
24:09we heard a beautiful
24:12vision from Christ
24:13the Son of God
24:14expressing to humanity
24:19what it means
24:19to be truly beautiful
24:20but every day
24:23we live
24:23in a world
24:25that says
24:25something else
24:26we live in a world
24:27that says
24:28blessed are those
24:29who are rich
24:30in self-confidence
24:31for they can accomplish
24:33anything in this world
24:34blessed are those
24:36who are free
24:37from all sorrow
24:38and pain
24:38for they will enjoy
24:39their lives
24:40with ease
24:40and comfort
24:41blessed are the proud
24:43and stubborn
24:44for they will make
24:46their own way
24:47in life
24:48and succeed
24:49greatly
24:49blessed are those
24:51who hunger
24:51and thirst
24:52after wealth
24:52and fame
24:53for all will envy
24:55them
24:55blessed are the
24:56cutthroats
24:57for no one
24:58will be able
24:58to stand
24:59in their way
24:59blessed are the deviant
25:01and the cunning
25:02for they will climb
25:04the ladder of success
25:05and rule over many
25:06our culture says
25:10blessed are the individualists
25:12for they shall be called
25:13the sons of prosperity
25:14blessed are those
25:16whom none
25:17dare persecute
25:18for they shall be
25:19the rulers of the earth
25:21Christ says
25:27take up your cross
25:28and follow me
25:29very very different vision
25:34he calls us
25:36to willingly accept
25:37crucifixion
25:38to turn away
25:39from the temporal pleasures
25:40that impede
25:41our divine assent
25:42to turn away
25:43from the things
25:43that only appear
25:44to be beautiful
25:45but in truth
25:46are hollow
25:46and don't possess
25:47the nature of God
25:48and so
25:49a war is waged
25:51between the beauty
25:52of heaven
25:52and the illusions
25:53of sin
25:54and death
25:55again
25:56Saint Paul tells us
25:57do not follow
25:58the customs
25:58of the present age
25:59but be transformed
26:00by the entire renewal
26:02of your minds
26:03so that you may experience
26:05what God's will is
26:07that will which is good
26:09and perfect
26:10and beautiful
26:11the will of God
26:13is good
26:14and beautiful
26:15and perfect
26:16and amazingly
26:19I am still
26:22very slow
26:22to embrace
26:24the beauty of heaven
26:25the beauty of God's will
26:27the mother of God
26:30is our great example
26:32she said
26:33let it be done to me
26:34according to thy will
26:35God was searching
26:37for a beautiful jewel
26:38to inhabit
26:39to make his dwelling
26:41and save the world
26:42and Mary was this jewel
26:44she was beautiful enough
26:46to become the ark
26:47of the new covenant
26:48usually at least
26:52I know this is the case
26:53for me
26:53usually
26:56we come to God
26:58not necessarily
26:59because our hearts
27:00are pure
27:01or that we're drawn
27:03to his beauty
27:03but
27:03because we've already
27:05been defeated
27:05life beats us down
27:08to the point
27:08where we
27:09fall to our knees
27:10and we finally cry out
27:11who knows
27:18when those moments
27:20are
27:20what it takes
27:21but mysteriously
27:22those moments
27:22do happen
27:23where we fall
27:25on our knees
27:26and we cry out
27:27for true beauty
27:29and this is what we see
27:30when we enter
27:31the church
27:32I remember
27:34the first time
27:37I ever walked
27:37into an orthodox church
27:40nobody was there
27:43and this very nice lady
27:46welcomed me in
27:49and told me
27:50to just go on inside
27:51and
27:52the first experience
27:55that I had
27:56was just being alone
27:58and being surrounded
27:58by the icons
27:59and the beauty
28:00of the church
28:01it was really
28:02as simple
28:04and as profound
28:05as that
28:05and I knew
28:06in that moment
28:07that this is the real thing
28:08another moment
28:14was
28:15one of the first times
28:18I was at the divine liturgy
28:19and during the cherubic hymn
28:24the whole environment
28:28seemed to change
28:30and everyone was doing
28:33the sign of the cross
28:34and saying
28:35Lord have mercy
28:36and in that moment
28:38I felt like I entered
28:39into what was truly beautiful
28:41everything else
28:43I just remember
28:46whispering in my heart
28:47I don't really care
28:48about anything else
28:48I don't
28:49I don't care about my career
28:50I don't care about any of this stuff
28:51I just want to be here
28:53I just want to be here
28:54praying
28:55with these people
28:58because I'd never seen
29:01that kind of humility
29:03I'd never seen
29:04that kind of corporate humility
29:05before
29:05it wasn't a self-hatred
29:08it wasn't this
29:09legalistic
29:12form of humility
29:16or repentance
29:17it was just beautiful
29:18it was an incredible
29:19incredible beauty
29:22and that's what we experience
29:27when we come into the church
29:28we see the image of God
29:31the lover of mankind
29:31we see the beauty
29:33and purity
29:34of the virgin mother
29:35we see the faith
29:37of the saints
29:38the wonder of the angels
29:39we see Christ
29:41as a child
29:42we stand in awe
29:43of his humility
29:44we see the Panta Crater
29:48first time I did
29:50I swore
29:51holy
29:52it's true
29:55I was alone
29:57I said sorry
30:01right after
30:02but
30:03I was in awe
30:05we're filled
30:09with the fear
30:10of God
30:11and also
30:12the beauty
30:15of his mercy
30:15beauty is all
30:18around us
30:19we're surrounded
30:19by so many windows
30:20into heaven
30:21we're brought to tears
30:23by being in the presence
30:26of the Holy One
30:27drawn into communion
30:28with the Holy Trinity
30:29this should
30:30and does
30:32set us on fire
30:33with repentance
30:34and cleanse us
30:35from ever judging others
30:37it should lift our hearts
30:38into the presence
30:39of the mysterious God
30:41who loves us more
30:41than we could ever imagine
30:43this is the beauty
30:45that will save the world
30:46it's not the beauty
30:48of the billboard
30:49it's not the beauty
30:50of
30:50the glitz
30:53and the glamour
30:53and what the world
30:54considers beautiful
30:55there is true beauty
30:56that is what Dostoevsky
31:01was speaking of
31:02when his character
31:05in The Idiot
31:06talked about
31:06beauty
31:07saving the world
31:08it's so important
31:14to embrace this
31:16because if we turn away
31:18from the pleasures
31:18of the world
31:19and don't embrace
31:21the true beauty
31:22of God
31:23the beauty
31:23of life
31:24in Christ
31:24then our witness
31:26is really nothing
31:27to the world
31:28it does no good
31:30to be a religion
31:31of rejection
31:31saying no to everything
31:33Christianity
31:34is a religion
31:35of saying yes
31:36to what is truly beautiful
31:38so let us
31:41by the grace of God
31:42become beautiful
31:43let us become
31:45resplendent
31:45with mercy
31:46adorned with compassion
31:48and peace
31:49let us rejoice
31:50in the goodness
31:51of our Father
31:52and reflect
31:52his perfect love
31:54and may we become
31:56holy
31:57as our Father
31:57in Heaven
31:58is holy
31:58clothing ourselves
32:04in humility
32:05and meekness
32:06in genuine love
32:07and prayer
32:07for one another
32:08my hope
32:11and my prayer
32:11is that the world
32:12would be attracted
32:14to the beauty
32:16of those
32:18who follow Christ
32:19may the grace
32:22of the Holy Spirit
32:23continue to sanctify
32:24those who love
32:25the beauty
32:25of thy house
32:26and I pray
32:29that we would echo
32:30what Saint Porphyrios
32:31said
32:31love Christ
32:33put nothing
32:34before his love
32:35he is joy
32:36he is life
32:37he is light
32:39Christ is everything
32:40he is the ultimate
32:41desire
32:41he is everything
32:43everything beautiful
32:45is in Christ
32:46thank you
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