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Published
by the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America, June 2004
Archpastoral Reflections - June/July 2004
Our Apostolic Identity
At this time of the year when we commemorate and
honor the Holy Apostles chosen by our Lord Jesus
Christ to continue His ministry and establish His
Church, it is important for us to reflect upon the
Apostolic nature of the Church, and more
specifically upon our Apostolic identity as
Christians. We know and affirm that we belong to
“One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church,” for
the Apostles were sent by Christ to be His
witnesses and gather communities of believers "in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and the
ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Certainly we know
that our relationship with the Apostles is rooted
in the existence, perpetuation, and practices of
the Church. However, we must also understand that
this relationship includes our acceptance and
continuation of their work, their message, their
Apostolic identity.
This identity and its attribution to all people of
faith is presented to us in Scripture by Christ
himself. As our Lord was about to face His
Passion, He withdrew to a quiet place to pray to
the Father. As recorded in the seventeenth chapter
of the Gospel of John, our Lord prayed fervently
for His disciples and for all those who would
believe in Him through their testimony. His prayer
revealed His love for His followers and for us,
those who would receive the Gospel through the
witness of others. The Lord’s prayer before His
Passion also offers to us a beautiful exposition
of what it means to be an Apostle.
First, Christ affirms the faithfulness of those
given to Him to assist Him in His sacred ministry.
He states, "They were yours, You gave them to me,
and they have kept Your word" (John 17:6). While
at times the Apostles did not understand the
divine plan and will of God in accomplishing
salvation, they remained faithful to the Lord,
following Him during His earthly ministry,
listening to His words, experiencing the power of
God healing, forgiving, transforming, and saving.
And yes, even though they scattered in fear at the
time of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, our Lord
brought them together again, their faith was
renewed and strengthened, and they remained
committed to the work of His kingdom.
Second, Christ affirmed the Apostles’ recognition
of who He is. "They have known surely that I came
forth from You; and they have believed that You
sent Me" (17:8). Indeed, the Apostles had
recognized who Christ was, as Master, Teacher,
Messiah, Son of the Living God; and in doing so
they had given up their occupations and
possessions to follow Him. Through their
abandonment of the things of the world and their
willingness to serve God, Christ himself said, "I
am glorified in them" (17:10).
Third, Christ prayed "that they may have My joy
fulfilled in themselves" (17:13). This was a joy
that filled their hearts when the power of God was
revealed through the ministry of Christ. It was a
joy that was experienced as their souls were
nourished and their minds opened by the wisdom of
the Son of God. It was an enduring joy that was
rooted deep within them at the sight of the Risen
Lord, giving them the power and strength to face
persecution and even death for the sake of the
Gospel.
Fourth, in His prayer Christ asked the Father to
"Sanctify them in Your truth" (17:17). After three
years of service with Jesus, partaking of His
teaching and counsel daily, the minds and hearts
of the Apostles were filled with truth; and this
truth transformed their lives, sanctifying them in
the holiness of God. Being filled with the truth,
they preached the truth, they offered a witness of
the truth before governors and kings, they died
for the truth, and the truth freed them from sin
into eternal life and communion with God.
Finally, as Christ was sent into the world by the
Father, so He too sent His Apostles into the world
(17:18). They were given a divine commission, to
go and preach the Gospel and baptize in all of the
nations of the earth. Their authority rested in
God alone, thus they were sent not only by the one
who had accomplished our salvation, but who was
the Creator of the Universe, and the one who would
consummate time and history in His divine plan.
They were sent with the power and presence of
Christ to bring His message of grace to all
people.
We deeply honor the Holy Apostles, especially on
the occasion of their feast. However, we must
honor them not only in words and hymns, but with
our lives. As Christians we follow in a direct
lineage of faith from these original disciples of
Jesus Christ, and we have inherited an Apostolic
identity by which we continue the work of our Lord
and His Church. As the Apostles were faithful to
Christ, we are called to be faithful to Him in all
areas of our lives, submitting to His Lordship and
holy will. Just as they recognized Him as Master,
Teacher, and the Son of God, our lives should be a
living testimony to the presence and person of
Christ. As they received true and enduring joy
through the ministry and words of Christ, so too
are we offered this joy so that our hearts and
minds may be strengthened in the faith and made
whole. As they were sanctified by the truth, this
same truth is available to each of us so that our
lives may be made holy and our words and deeds may
lead others to salvation. And as He sent His
Apostles into the world to be witnesses of the
faith, so too are we sent by Him to offer the
Gospel to all people, in our neighborhoods,
cities, nations, and to the ends of the earth.
This is our Apostolic identity. Our association
with the Holy Apostles is not merely one of words,
but it is an identity that embodies all that we
are called by Christ to be in this world and in
the kingdom to come. Let us strive to emulate the
Holy Apostles so that Christ may be glorified in
us through our life and our witness.
+DEMETRIOS
Archbishop of America
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