St. John quotes about churches

St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco 

On June 19 / July 2, 2010, the Orthodox Church commemorates St. John, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, the Wonderworker 

EXCERPT FROM A SERMON 

BY ST. JOHN OF SHANGHAI AND SAN FRANCISCO 

“Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house...” 

Church is a sanctified place, Holy, where the Grace of God is eternally present.

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Building a church is an offering to God, choosing a parcel of ground for Church services, donating to God one’s own riches, but most importantly offering Him one’s own love and diligence.  Churches were erected in different circumstances; during joyous or sad events, becoming like a beacon, from all the people on the face of their beloved land. 

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Churches are needed not for God, Whose throne is the sky and below Him the earth, but for us.  Our donations and offerings to Churches are likewise beneficial to us, but the Lord accepts not so much the material gift, as our zeal.  Christ approved the poor widow’s two mites and said that she hath cast more into the treasury than anyone, though the rich cast in much of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living (Mark 12:43-44).  Our offerings made in name of God are accepted by God Himself.  Spiritually, our offerings become Heavenly treasures, where no one can take them away, but if anyone dares to take church property, then he steals from God Himself and will be punished by God Himself.

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Thus acted devout Russian people, giving their few pennies to grey-haired wanderers who collected donations for churches.

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At every church service the builders of churches are commemorated.

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Building churches here on earth, we are erecting for ourselves eternal abodes in Heaven.  Decades will pass, our bodies will decompose and maybe even nothing will be left of our bones; but our souls will live for- ever.  Blessed is he who prepared an abode for his soul in Heavenly Mansions.  Even if the erected churches are destroyed, the name of their benefactors will be recorded in God’s eternal books where the resounding prayers will be indelibly imprinted. 

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house, and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glo- rified, saith the LORD. ...I am with you saith the LORD. (Haggai 1:7-8, 13)