There is a famous life-saving story from the life of St. Ephraim about a woman who was selling herself on the streets of a major city to the men who were passing by.  In the middle of the day, she happened to see St. Ephraim passing by in the midst of the city.  Seeing a challenge in front of her, she went up to the ascetic and began to tempt him…and in turn, the holy monk negotiated a price and pretended to acquiesce to her advances. 

“I require one thing” he said.  “Let us sin together at noon in the central square of the city.”

The woman was appalled and protested: “No, we can’t do that!”

“Why?” St. Ephraim asked.

“Because people will see us.”

“But, woman, wherever we go, even if we shut ourselves in the darkest cave, God sees us.  We’re ashamed to be seen by people, yet we are not ashamed to be seen by God?” To this, the sinful woman’s life was transformed, as she repented and was saved by the words of this Holy Ascetic. 

It is not only our mission to understand the power of the Cross, but also to help and guide others who are in search of light in the midst of the world’s darkness.  As our Lord commands us, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.”  This past week, we symbolically placed that Light at the top of the Church.  Now it is our mission to spread it to the world.

“Where there is humility, there is no sign of hatred, no species of quarrelsomeness, no whiff of disobedience…As soon as a cluster of holy humility begins to flower within us, we come, after hard work, to hate all earthly praise and glory.  We rid ourselves of rage and fury, and the more this queen of virtues spreads within our souls through spiritual growth, the more we begin to regard all good deeds as no consequence.”

This is our task this month dear ones:  The destruction of pride in our own lives, so that we can more fully receive the coming of the Holy Spirit.  A God filled life is one that is powerful…and personal.  A life with the Holy Spirit within us is one that turns us from being animals…constantly following after our own passions and desires…into True Human Beings that live not in the world, but above the world with God Himself. 

“…being apart of a Church that is not of “the world” is also why so many people have found their way into the Holy Orthodox Church!  The teachings don’t change!  The Gospel doesn’t change with the ebbs, flows, and popular opinions of society.  We say so beautifully at the beginning of Lent that “This is the faith of the apostles!  This is the Faith of the Fathers!  This is the Faith which has established the universe!”  It is this faith that keeps itself separate from “the world” which our Lord spoke about.”