During his sermon on Sunday at the Chapel of the National Cathedral, Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Paisie of Sinaia defined the path to perfection in Christ. His Grace joined the community at the chapel to mark the sixth anniversary of the consecration of the National Cathedral’s altar.
Reflecting on the Sunday Gospel about the dialogue between Jesus Christ and a rich young ruler, Bishop Paisie explained that observing the commandments is merely the first step toward perfection.
The commandments, he noted, “should not be understood as a minimal limit that must not be exceeded but rather as an open path to perfection, whose core is love for God and for others.”
“The young ruler in the Gospel, despite having kept all the commandments, shows himself incapable of taking the next step alone. To do so requires mature human freedom, symbolized by Jesus’ words: If you want. It also requires divine help through grace, which will come if he responds to the call: Come, follow Me!“
“The path to perfection requires maturity in self-giving, to which human freedom is called.”
Bishop Paisie explained that Christ shows the young ruler that the commandments are the primary condition for eternal life, while renouncing all possessions and following the Lord is a proposal respecting freedom and emphasizing the fundamental relationship between freedom and Divine Law.
“The Holy Fathers say that to the extent we serve God, we are free, while to the extent we serve the law of sin, we remain enslaved,” His Grace said, adding that “the call to perfect love is not reserved for a select group.”
“Jesus’ command to sell what you have and give to the poor, along with the promise that you will have treasure in heaven, is addressed to everyone because it maximizes the commandment of love for one’s neighbour. Similarly, the invitation to Come, follow Me (Luke 18:22) is a new and concrete form of the commandment to love God.”
“The path to perfection lies in following Christ after renouncing everything that might hold us back from this calling.”
His Grace noted that the invitation is primarily addressed to those entrusted with a special mission by Christ, beginning with the 12 Apostles. Therefore, it is said that the rich young man in today’s Gospel was actually called to apostleship.
Bishop Paisie added that the dialogue between Jesus and the rich young ruler continues throughout history and remains relevant today.
“The question, Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? arises in every person’s heart, whether they admit it or not, and Christ the Lord, and He alone, is the One who can provide the true answer.”
Six Years Since the Consecration of the National Cathedral Altar
The conclusion of the service marked the sixth anniversary of the consecration of the altar of the National Cathedral.
Archimandrite Dionisie Constantin, a patriarchal counsellor within the Workshops of the Biblical and Orthodox Missionary Institute, reflected on the events of November 25, 2018, as well as those leading up to it, starting with Patriarch Miron Cristea’s initiative. On May 11, 1929, Patriarch Miron blessed the site designated for the National Cathedral at the base of the Metropolitan Hill.
Father Dionisie encouraged continued efforts to support the remaining construction work.
Bishop Paisie also reminded those present that the great consecration of the National Cathedral will take place in the autumn of 2025, the Centennial Year of the Romanian Patriarchate.
As part of the anniversary, the faithful attending the Chapel of the National Cathedral had the opportunity to venerate a relic of St. Catherine, part of the Patriarchal Residence’s collection.
Photo: Basilica.ro / Ioana Cacso
