Ministry of the Word
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” John 6:63
“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.” John 15:3
Very often, if not always, a preacher will start a sermon. Or a lecturer, speaking in a Christian context, a lecture with the words "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Do we realize, however, the responsibility the preacher or speaker takes and she responsibility those who hear take upon hearing or speaking these words? To speak in the name of Christ means to speak from within the truth that Christ is. It is not to speak from within some theoretical truth or particular point of view, even if doctrinal. Rather, it is to speak from a profound relationship with the Lord Christ, who is the truth, so that our words will convey not only their semantic meaning but become life to those who receive them. To speak in the name of the Spirit means to speak beyond one's own inspiration, speaking words that are God's own words committed to us; these words must be fire, setting hearts and minds aglow. And to speak in the name of the Father means to speak from within that unfathomable depth of serenity and silence that alone can bring forth' a word adequate to the mystery of God and the serene silence of the divinity.
Yet this heavy responsibility also implies an equal responsibility to listen in the same way. We must learn, as we listen, to be deeply silent, completely open. We must listen with all our being in order that it should not be words only that we hear, but true communion with God. We should, therefore, reach through-and perhaps, at times, in spite of and beyond certainty-the words that are spoken, words of truth that are beyond words, words of fire that are beyond emotion. And so, during this encounter, let us try to listen to one another, to be open to each other, and beyond the imperfection of words and images to reach out in faith, in worship and veneration to the Lord of truth in the Spirit of truth.- Metropolitan Anthony Bloom
We need to understand the significant difference between a religious teacher and a spiritual servant. The first relays information; the second builds souls. The first extracts knowledge from books and places it before the student on paper. The second feeds the ones he serves from his own fullness: he shares the inner riches of his faith, his love, his self-sacrifice, and his humility. He provides genuine experiences and a living example to those he serves, for it is himself that he gives, and it is his own life that he offers. The first transmits words and concepts that he has heard externally. The second brings forth words and concepts from within, an outpouring that rises from his depths, like lava erupting from the depths of the earth. The first prepares a lesson to convince his listeners; the second labors to give birth to children in Christ.- Fr Matthew the Poor
I knew a priest who had three sons who were like Angels. And I asked him, 'Father, how did you manage to instruct them so that they are like Angels?' - one even received ordination and the other two are chanters in his parish. 'How did you manage to make them become so devout and so beautiful in their manner, in their ethos?' And he answered me, 'Father, I never taught them anything.
But from their infancy, I used to go and kneel by their bed for half an hour in the night and pray for them. And I told God all the things I wanted to tell them, and He put them in their hearts.'
I think the same principle may apply for our parishioners. Let's tell God all the things that we want the parishioners to hear, and if we approach them with that prayer in our heart, surely their heart will be touched and informed, as St Paul says (Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29). We can first tell God what we want to tell them; we pray and leave the matter to Him.- Elder Zacharias of Essex, Remember Thy First Love pg 38