20 июля 2010 г.
Holy Generosity: An article by Tamara Nazarova on the feast of St.
John of Shanghai in Brooklyn
"Divine
events occur only
when we share in the sorrow of another!
Nothing so attracts God’s mercy as
Holy Generosity, that is,
sacrifice."
- Paisios the Elder
On
July third, the feast day of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco,
Bishop Jerome of Manhattan visited the Church of Our Lady "The
Inexhaustible Chalice" in Brighton. Rector Priest Vadim Arefiev,
greeting Vladyka, said these amazing words: "Today I believe that
Our Lady Herself has gathered us here for the sake of Her saint, who
with his sacrificial love served all those in need. Ignoring their
race and nationality he sought out the impoverished, raising his hands
in prayer for all. History has it that he reposed in prayer before the
Kursk Root Icon, which with your blessing is also here with us today.
We all ask you, dear Vladyka, to raise up your hierarchal prayers to
the Lord for our homeless brethren, for the work of erecting a new
church, which is moving forward with great difficulty, as does any of
God’s work in this world."
With
the blessing of His Grace, the Kursk Root Icon, the sacred Diasporan
icon, arrived in the early morning, before the Divine Liturgy, and the
fortunate worshipers had an opportunity to sing an akathist with the
rector as they awaited their guests.
This
is far from Bishop Jerome’s first visit to "The Inexhaustible
Chalice." Soon after the purchase of a house for the church,
Vladyka visited the parish and celebrated the Divine Liturgy. Then,
having just acquainted himself with the parish, with the Mercy House,
the workshops, he, accompanied by the rector and Protodeacon Dimitri
Temidis, went to the Brighton Beach Boardwalk, where some of Fr.
Vadim’s homeless acquaintances live (who still prefer a migratory
life, but nonetheless have grown accustomed to the arrival of soup and
God’s Word. The bishop was in no way taken aback by this way of
life. Rather, his sincere interest easily shocked those around him…
He freely conversed with everyone and even received kind words from a
personable Brighton lady, who, although she turned out not to be
Orthodox at all, nonetheless exclaimed with childlike simplicity:
"How nice it is to see our
clergy on the streets of Brighton!"
His
Grace was overjoyed: "So… you are Orthodox?!"
"No,
I am a Jewess!"
For
some time, Vladyka would remember this dialogue and laugh, noting how
pleasant it was to feel that, even for such as this sister in Adam,
all Orthodox clerics are "our own clergy."
In
Brighton everything is a little different… Here you will
simultaneously find children of Abraham both sincere and wicked!.. It
is a microcosm – Galilee and Samaria and a handful of repentant
Ninevites…
Every time Vladyka visits "The Inexhaustible Chalice," one
can feel how fervent the prayer is! The indescribable simplicity of a
wanderer shines in his face, both ascetic and distinguished. In his
resplendent episcopal vestments he is simple, as though in rags… his
every word is filled with prayer.
In
his pastoral sermon, Bishop Jerome paid special mind to the place of
every Christian in this temporal life and in the life of the Age to
Come, prepared by the Lord. His Grace drew parallels between the
fisherman Apostle Peter, who planned but to catch fish in his nets,
but was chosen of the Lord to "catch the whole world," and
Vladyka John (Maximovitch), who, zealously loving Russia, never
planned to leave her, but was chosen of the Lord to be taken in a
whirlwind of human sorrows to the other end of the world, in order
that he might save the flock there and feed those in need. "We do
not know the places designed for us by the Lord," said Vladyka.
"But we will endeavor to use every chance to serve the Lord,
co-suffering with those in need and in distress, and the Grace of God
will not leave us!" That is holy generosity!
Accompanying
Bishop Jerome were Archimandrite Ioann (Magramm) and Deacon Ivan
Voloshchuk of the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign, Protodeacon Dimitri
Temidis of Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY, and Igumen
Nestor, visiting for two months from St. Petersburg.
After
the Divine Liturgy I approached Igumen Nestor who came to help with services in the Synodal
Cathedral in Manhattan from the Patriarchal metochion in the town of
Pushkin, a suburb of St. Petersburg. I
asked him: "What do you experience when you pray here?"
"A friendly parish and a kind, thriving community. This is the work of Fr. Vadim." "But how can that be? Here, where we have but a house, no cupolas, no Russian
grandeur?" I asked. The bright eyes of the igumen lit up
with a special light: "Your icons are well written… The issue
is not in cupolas, but in spirit!"
I wanted to sit and talk further with this Russian guest! I could feel
a most interesting personality hidden behind a veil of peaceful calm,
but Archimandrite Ioann from Synod was rushing by, and I dared to
bother him with my same question. "Each time, I am happy to be
here! It is probably my third time serving. I feel a special piety here, like nowhere else. Batushka
Father Vadim sets the tone…"
The
midday heat poured from the heavens onto southern Brooklyn. The
spiritual feast continued at the luncheon, prepared by the brethren of
the Mercy House right in the church courtyard under an overhang,
through which a breeze was blowing. Fr. Vadim spoke both of needs and
accomplishments… God’s Grace overshadowed this large, complicated
family… And for some reason I recalled another part of Bishop
Jerome’s sermon about the Apostle Paul, and how he sorrowed for the
Jewish people, which had not accepted Christ. St. Paul wanted to
preach to his own people, but God ordered that he preach to the
pagans. Ten steps away the world of Brighton bustles; just as it was
four thousand years ago, the marketplace of men seethes… But the
Lord prepares a place for everyone…
But does everyone know it? Here the Apostles’ Day approaches; what
have we nourished in our souls over this fast? What place shall we
merit from the Lord upon our death? Where is our place in this life
now? I think that we will not err if we, vesting our hearts in the
rags of simplicity, strive to share the sorrow of our fellow man,
attracting God’s mercy, nourishing holy generosity in our hearts...
The
holy fathers St. John of Shanghai and St. John Kronstadt, and
today’s prospering, God-sent pastors will be an example for us to
follow…
And
divine events will, without
fail, transform our vain existence.
Tamara Nazarova,
parishioner of the Church of Our Lady "The Inexhaustible
Chalice,"
assistant-sister of the Mercy House of St. John of Kronstadt in
Brighton.
Media
Office of the Eastern American Diocese
