The Foolishness of the Cross

GOSPEL MESSAGE & RECORDING

Knowledge is the information that we acquire to use something or to do something. It's practical and functional. Wisdom is the ability to use that knowledge at the right time in the right way. 

Today in the Pauline reading, the Apostle Paul says that "Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool so that he may become wise." (1 Cor. 3: 18) Based on the passage's context, "wise" is a mix of knowledge and wisdom. There is no distinction. And neither is it necessary. St. Paul is speaking in general terms. The major thrust of his argument does not lie in fleshing out what it means to be wise; but, rather, what it means to be foolish.

In our modern context, no one wants to be a fool. It's what we strive NOT to be. St. Paul is not saying that we need to be fools in the present-day context but rather to embrace the foolishness of the Cross. What is the foolishness of the Cross? St. Paul addresses this in 1 Cor. 1:18, "For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God." The Cross was a form of torture, and it was specifically designed as a way to kill someone in the most demeaning way. In other words, Christ died in the worst way possible during his time. To say and believe that Jesus Christ, who died on a Cross, rejected by many, spit on, abandoned by his closest companions, was the Son of God, the Messiah, was, and is even now, a foolish thing to believe. Sure, we now have many names for Jesus Christ -- savior, messiah, redeemer, Lord, etc., but on that Cross, none of our words that we used today could define him. He was displayed as rejected and dejected. In our modern terms, we would say he was a total loser. Of course, we know that he brings us into salvation and a relationship with God through this rejection and dejection. But at that moment in human history, as he hung on that Cross, he was total foolishness to the world, but through that foolishness, we become saved and are being saved. And so, therefore, we are becoming or instead are becoming fools for Christ. This is what the Apostle means when he says, "you must first become a fool." I want to explain this further by elucidating two points.

Orthodox Christianity is an experience:

In my church experience, many of the laities, including many clergies, are focused on becoming wise. Knowledge, wisdom, and book learning are necessary. There is always a debate if seminary should be a requirement for priests. The correct answer is yes. The apostles were with Jesus for three years, receiving the best seminary education. Of course, other circumstances may exclude a man from that requirement. That's not a discussion that we will have now. My point is that I am not advocating for a dumber or less educated Christian experience. However, I am advocating for us to come to the reality that our faith is not some lofty philosophical or even theological exposition. That said, I emphatically want to state that Orthodox Christianity is an experience with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is all about developing a personal relationship with Jesus. To be a true Orthodox Christ means we have to experience Christ in our lives, not only read about Him. If such is the case, then that means we have to go to the Cross. Again, we find ourselves encountering the foolishness of the Cross. There is no glamour in this experience but true repentance and love that is only found in Christ, which brings me to my second point.

Accepting the Foolishness of the Cross brings true repentance:

Many of us have pride. Meaning we have good jobs, nice homes, our kids are doing well, etc. This instills in us a sense of accomplishment. Religiously speaking, we may feel that we have done a great thing for the parish. We might be coming to the parish. We might be involved. In a way, we feel accomplished. But this is far from what the Bible and the Church teach us. That is that we can earn our salvation. Nothing that we have done gives us points in heaven. The only thing that can save us is our relationship with Jesus Christ through the experience and life of the Sacraments of the Orthodox Church. This can only be realized if and when we become "fools" and lose any sort of pride and submit completely to the Lord. The foolishness of the Cross throws our accomplishments and degrees out the door. We then become zero so that the hero, Jesus Christ, can come into our lives. It is then that He becomes our boasting, not in ourselves, but Christ alone.