On the fortieth day of Fr. Daniel Sisoev’s martyric death:
the transcript of his last Sunday sermon.
I congratulate you all on this Sunday, the
day of Resurrection! And now, in these days of autumn,
I wanted to make you aware of a temptation that comes
more and more often among people. This temptation is
the constant squabbling of people among themselves.
Unfortunately, there is a sense that lately the enemy
of the human race is exclusively occupying himself with
poisoning Christians especially among themselves, for
the most paltry reasons. People have indeed become so
unusually agitated and are continually in some
abnormal, inhuman state of soul.
Of course, on one side, psychology says that an increased
autumnal stress is occurring among people. But on the
other hand the most important thing is that people have
forgotten that they are—first of
all—Christians, children of the Father in Heaven,
that we are brothers and sisters amongst each other
because we all came from the same Baptismal font, are all
anointed by the same Holy Spirit through Holy Chrism, that
we all partake from the same Holy Chalice. And,
incidentally, the Lord says “Blessed are the
peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.”
He who reconciles people does a great virtuous work.
And the Apostle Paul says, If it be possible, as much
as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Nonetheless, Orthodox Christians constantly fall into this
trap, “What party do you belong to?”
“What is your relationship to a certain
trend?” “Whose are you?” Isn’t it
so?
The same was true for the church at Corinth. Whose are
you? Paul’s? Of Cephas? Christ’s? Of
Apollos? What does the Apostle say? Is Christ
divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized
in the name of Paul? Truly, it is not becoming for a
Christian to relate himself to any party. We all belong to
the party of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. You and I
are Christians. We are His portion. We are chosen by God
from all the nations of the Earth. We are the chosen of
God. We are a royal priesthood. People separated from the
darkness by God, brought to the miraculous light of Divine
love.
Why do we conduct ourselves as if we were living in the
despicable rebelliousness of this world? Why do we serve
the devil who divides and not Christ Who unites? Why do we
consider it within our rights to hate and be angry, to
continually gossip and create scandals? Why do we consider
it our right to be roused to indignation?
Such a thing is displeasing to the Lord. Such a thing is
truly from Satan, who wants to divide Christians and
destroy peace. Remember that the fate of the world and
those countries where we find ourselves (including Russia)
does not rest on the actions of atheists. What can you
take from them? Understand that such a person is in
darkness and under the influence of the devil.
Naturally, concerning those of another group, he hates and
is angry; you can’t even expect anything else from
them. But something more astonishing is that people,
instead of remembering that we are indebted to live in
peace, begin to bring that despicable rebelliousness of
the world into the Holy Church. This, obviously, proceeds
from the mouth of the devil. It is precisely he who
inspires us with his monstrous, evil idea to divide us
amongst ourselves.
We cannot live like those who are without. As the Lord has
said, How will they know that you are my disciples?
Because you have love for one another. But if, as the
apostle says, You hate one another, envy and offend,
take heed that ye be not consumed of one another.
Truly, right now the devil wants to divide Christians and
then to destroy everything that the Christians depend on.
It is because of Christians that God maintains the world.
Because of Christians, the Lord gives peace to nations.
Why are there wars? It happens when Christians forget
about their unity, when they relate themselves to this
world...
From the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unIrR38NHf8
29 / 12 / 2009
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On the fortieth day of Fr. Daniel Sisoev’s martyric death: 
