Ants: Lessons in theology that come from nature and the Fathers

Here at the parish house we are suffering from a problem with ants. The difficulty is that they are getting in somehow, but it is not clear just how they are getting in. It is perhaps the case that the vegetation around the house has become somewhat overgrown and their limbs are reaching out to touch the walls of the house, and the ants are running along the branches and up the walls, finding small crevices by which they can enter the dwelling itself. Thus, particularly in one area near the door to the deck, ants appear (sometimes more, sometimes less) on a daily basis. Nearly everything has been tried to get rid of them. On the inside, I have been using vinegar as a contact killer. Whenever I see a great many ants, I use the vinegar to kill the ants that can actually be seen. On the outside, on the other hand, I have had to use insecticides along the edge of the deck, down the deck stairs and in the area at the base of the deck. Nevertheless, the invasion continues, and I believe it will continue until the trimming is done.

We must surely admire the tenacity and resolution of these tiny creatures. They cross enormous distances in order to bring water and victuals back to their nests, surmounting daunting obstacles on the way. In a similar way, surely we should emulate their virtues in our journey towards communion with the Lord. After all, it is from God that we derive the water of salvation (in our Baptism) and the victuals that bring us to eternal life (the Divine Eucharist). We should allow no obstacle to remain between us and the Lord, no matter how daunting. Further, we should be willing to use created things as bridges to communion with the Lord. More often than not, we allow created things to be distractions instead of bridges, but we should use them as bridges. How do we do that? Easy. By using them with thanksgiving, just as the Apostle tells us, "Whatever you do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, praising God the Father through Him." Herein is the doctrine, so essential to our faith, of the sacramentality of the entire universe.  Yes, created nature is itself susceptible of becoming a sacrament, a means for grace to come to us.

For many centuries, wise men have admired the industry of ants. The Book of Proverbs extols it. Aesop praises it. The Fathers too (particularly St. Jerome and St. Ambrose) use bees and ants as images of the kind of work we should do to pursue our share in everlasting life. One of the things that is most poignant about ants is their spirit of cooperation. They are all part of a regimented and self-sacrificing society that is working together for a common purpose. Surely, there is a great deal that is praiseworthy in that. Yet, the main lesson in the Fathers use of these images is an appreciation of nature as a thing that reveals God. St. Ephraim the Syrian speaks very eloquently concerning nature as a divine revelation. It is he that tells us, for example, that every bird that spreads its wings proclaims the mystery of the Cross of Christ. We must learn to read this "scripture" just as we must learn to read the Scripture written with pen and ink. We must plumb its literal meaning through the sciences, certainly, but we must also explore its spiritual meaning that always and without fail brings us back to Christ.

БУДЬМО СВЯТИМИ: САМОЗРЕЧЕННЯ І ТЕРПЕЛИВІСТЬ У НАШОМУ ХРИСТИЯНСЬКОМУ ЖИТТІ LET US BE SAINTS: SELF-DENIAL AND PATIENCE IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE

Раби смерти і гріха проти рабів праведности-- Що означає бути рабом праведности? Найперше, мабуть ми потребуємо запитати, "Що є праведність?" Праведність є поведінкою згідно Божих стандартів так, як Господь наш Ісус Христос сказав Його учням- "Якщо ви любите мене, то мої заповіді берегтимете." Перед приходом Господа Ісуса, стандарти Бога були ви́раженими у заповідях Старого Завіту, але навіть тоді, есенція цього завіту була досконалою любов'ю до Бога і досконалою любов'ю до ближніх. Щоб мати досконалу любов, ми мусимо практикувати самозречення.  Просто, самозречення означає те, щоб шукати добра для інших перед тим, що ми шукаємо добра для себе. Можна прийняти святість, якщо ми завжди беремо це так, як правило нашої поведінки.

The slaves of death and sin-- versus the slaves of righteousness-- What does it mean to be a slave of righteousness? First, perhaps we need to ask ourselves, "What is righteousness?" Righteousness is behaviour according to the standards of God, just as our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples: "If you love me, keep my commandments." Before the coming of the Lord Jesus, the standards of God were expressed in the commandments of the Old Law, but even then, the essence of that law was perfect love of God and perfect love of neighbour. To have perfect love, we have to practice self-denial. Simply, self-denial means that we seek the good of others, before we seek our own good. We can achieve holiness, if we always take this for a rule of our behaviour.

Часами, щоб шукати добра для інших перед тим, що ми шукаємо добра для себе, це означає те, що нам треба жертвувати нашу вигідність, наш час і, у дуже серйозних нагодах, наше життя, бо ми віримо у вічне життя царства Божого, яке є нагородою тих, хто практикують самозречення у цьому світі. Сьогодні, ми святкуємо згадку всіх Святих Руси, всіх членів нашої Церкви, які подобалися Богові від днів Київської-Руси аж донині. Всі ці вірні члени нашої Церкви є прикладами самозречення, тому що самозречення є есенціальною частиною життя у вірі, бо у самозреченні ми пізнаємо присутність чеснот. Наприклад, ми пізнаємо опис чесноти терпеливости, бо чеснота терпеливости є готовністю, щоб терпіти страждання. Ймовірно, ми маємо багато страждань у житті. Проте, тільки якщо ми є охочими, щоб терпіти ці страждання, ми є терпеливими.

Sometimes, to seek the good of others before we seek our own good means that we need to sacrifice our comfort, our time, and, in very grave occasions, our life, since we believe in the everlasting life of the Kingdom of God, which is the reward of those who practice self-denial in this world. Today, we celebrate the memory of all the saints of Rus', all the members of our Church, who pleased God from the days of Kyivan-Rus' until now. All these faithful members our Church are examples of self-denial, because self-denial is an essential part of life in faith, since in self-denial we recognize the presence of the virtues. For example, we recognize the definition of the virtue of patience, since the virtue of patience is willingness to endure suffering. Perhaps, we have many sufferings in life. Nevertheless, only if we are willing to endure these sufferings, are we patient.

Церква показує нам всіх святих як приклади терпеливости, яка ісходить від любови. Коли ми читаємо життя святих, ми пізнаємо те, що досконала любов до Бога і ближніх потребує великої терпеливости, великої готовности, щоб страждати. Наприклад, між святими Руси, Церква нам дає приклад великого князя Михайла Чернігівського, який страждав ув'язненням і тоді смертю заради його людей. Церква також нам дає оповідання Блаженного Священомученика Миколи Конрада, який 26-ого червня в 1941-р., поїхав до недалекого села, щоб допомогти хворій жінці, що потребувала святої сповіді. В той час, армія радянського союзу відступила і середовище було дуже небезпечним. Його сім'я і парафіяни попросили Отця Миколу, щоб залишитися вдома, але є обов'язком священика, щоб утішити вмираючих, і отже, о. Микола поїхав з дяком Володимиром Приймою до хати хворої жінки. Коли він повертався до його дому, енкаведисти зустріли його у лісі. Вони катували священика і дяка і тоді вбили їх. Це дуже гарний приклад терпеливости. Отець Микола був охочим, щоб терпіти страждання заради любови.

The Church gives us all the saints as examples of patience, which is born of love. When we read the lives of the saints, we realize that perfect love of God and neighbour requires a great deal of patience, great willingness to suffer. For example, among the saints of Rus', the Church gives us the example of the great prince Michael of Chernihiv, who suffered imprisonment and then death for the sake of his people. The Church also gives us the story of the blessed priest-martyr Mykola Konrad, who on the 26th of June 1941, drove to a nearby village to help a sick woman, who needed to make her confession. At that time, the army of the Soviet Union was retreating and the environment was very dangerous. His family and parishioners begged Father Mykola to stay at home, but it is the duty of the priest to comfort the dying, and therefore, Father Mykola drove with his cantor Volodymyr Pryjma to the house of the sick woman. When he was returning to his home, officers of the NKVD met him in the forest. They tortured the priest and the cantor and killed them. This is a very beautiful example of patience. Father Mykola was willing to endure suffering for the sake of love.

Отже, що про нас? Чи ми шукаємо добра для інших перед тим, що ми шукаємо добра для себе? Якщо ні, ми є далекими від духа святих Руси-України. Між нами, сьогодні, схвалення "героям слава" є дуже популярним заради добрих причин, але ми повинні пам'ятати те, що дійсні герої є тими, що практикують самозречення задля любови до Бога і ближніх, і наші герої є тільки корисними для нас, якщо ми наслідуємо приклад їхнього самозречення. Слава Святим Руси-України, минулим, сучасним і майбутнім. Нехай багато людей у цьому храмі з'єднуються з ними, щоб радіти у присутності Бога навіки, і щоб надихати майбутні покоління з любов'ю до Бога і один одного.

Thus, what about us? Do we seek the good of others before we seek our own good? If no, we are far from the spirit of the saints of Rus'-Ukraine. Among us, today, the acclamation "Glory to the heroes" is very popular, and for good reasons, but we should remember that true heroes are those that practice self-denial for the sake of love of God and neighbour, and our heroes are only useful for us, if we follow the example of their self-denial. Glory to the saints of Rus'-Ukraine, past, present and future. May many people in this church be united with them to rejoice in the presence of God forever, and to inspire future generations with love of God and one another.