Sermon on the 5th Sunday after Pentecost. Renunciation of the devil through unification with Christ in the Church

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

Dear brothers and sisters!

«Dost thou renounce satan, and all his angels, and all his works, and all his service, and all his pride?»

This Sunday the Church tells us about Christ’s healing of the demoniacs. The inhabitants of the city were affraid to walk by these terrorist look alike’s. The demons living in them, whom God came to liberate from torment, were affraid of Christ. What must we do in order for the devil to fear us instead of us fearing him? How can we free ourselves from his power?

The story about the impotence of the demons, even over swine, is recalled during the ‘office of reception of catechumens’ (or Baptism). At the beginning of that service, in the second ‘exorcizm’ the priest addresses the devil and says: «acknowledge the vainness of thy might, which hath not power even over swine. Call to mind Him who, at thy request, commanded thee to enter into the herd of swine». Before being baptized, a person must reject sin and satan, who is the leader of evil. However, one must first find a protector who is stronger than the one who powered over him. In order for us to better understand, let us pretend that a commission of enquiry enters a prison where criminals are held, and asks them: «Are you well treated? Are you well fed? Are they mocking you?». No one will dare say: «Yes, we are misstreated, here we are in hell» , when they all know that when the commission leaves, they will again be left in the hands of those whom persecuted them and could make things worse. If a person, who does not have God’s protection, says: «I renounce all evil!», then this evil can make things worse for him!

This is why already before being ‘Christened’, a christian goes under the protection of Christ Himself, and becomes free. The Church forbids satan to even come close to him. In prayer, the priest asks God not only to chase away satan, but also to give power of victory over him: «O, Lord, root out of him every operation of the devil. Rebuke the unclean spirits and expel them, and purify the works of Thy hands; and exerting Thy trenchat might, speedily crush down satan under his feet; and give him victory over the same, and over his foul spirits». In order to defenitely chase away the devil from the depths of a person’s soul, the priest breaths upon his mouth, his brow and his breast saying: « Expel from him every evil and impure spirit which hideth and making its lair in his heart. The spirit of error, the spirit of guile, the spirit of idolatry and of every uncleannes which operateth through the prompting of the devil». Only after this ‘exorcizm’ can the person answer the question: «Dost thou renounce satan, and all his angels, and all his works, and all his service, and all his pride?». The person, protected by God can answer: «Yes, I renounce». He is not alone. Christ is helping him fight satan and they cannot be defeated. In conclusion of ‘the renounciation’ he is asked to ‘brethe and spit upon satan. This sybolizes the cleansing away of unclean spirit from oneself with the help of God’s grace, like the blowing away of dust from some item…