The world is filled with confusion, despair, and spiritual weakness. Christians must stand firm and strengthen one another in faith. Encouragement is not optional; it is a command. The Apostle Paul instructs: “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) This is an obligation, not a suggestion. A Christian who purposely isolates himself from his brethren can become vulnerable to deception. The Church is a fortress, and its members must support each other in the battle for salvation.
The home is the first battleground because it is where the soul is first formed, where virtues are cultivated or neglected, and where faith either takes root or withers. The world is constantly waging war against holiness, thus parents must not only protect their children but arm them with spiritual strength. This begins with an unshakable commitment to the faith—an environment where Christ is not an afterthought but the very centre of daily life. Parents must train their children not through mere words but by example. Children learn to love the faith by witnessing their parents live it. If parents are indifferent, the child will be too. Regular Bible reading and study must be more than a formality; it must be a true encounter with God’s word. The lives of the saints should be studied, not as distant stories but as blueprints for Christian living. The divine services must not be optional or burdensome but the heart of the family’s life, where they meet Christ in the sacraments and unite with the Holy Church.
A home without prayer is defenceless against the evils of the world. It is not a question of whether the world will influence a household but how prepared the household is to resist it. If the family does not pray together, then secular ideologies, distractions, and sin will flood the home unchallenged. The father, as head of the household, must be its spiritual leader, not through tyranny but through loving sacrifice. He must strengthen his wife in faith, encouraging her in prayer and virtue. Likewise, a wife must remind her husband of their shared path to salvation, ensuring that their marriage remains anchored in Christ. Marriage is not about comfort; it is about bearing the Cross together. The modern world presents marriage as a source of personal happiness, but in truth, it is a lifelong struggle towards holiness. Spouses must support one another in repentance, confessing their sins, forgiving each other, and striving toward greater love. St. John Chrysostom warns that a home divided by worldly distractions will not stand—if a family prioritises wealth, entertainment, or status over Christ, their foundation will crumble.
The family must live in repentance. Parents must teach their children to seek Christ in all things, to humble themselves, and to fight against sin. There is no neutral ground—either a family is drawing closer to God, or it is drifting away. Every home must become a domestic church, a place of constant spiritual warfare and unwavering faith, where each member strengthens the other in love and devotion to God.
The parish is not a place for idle chatter or empty gatherings. It is the house of God, where the faithful come to worship, repent, and be nourished by the Holy Mysteries. Every member of the Church bears a responsibility for his brethren. The Christian life is not an isolated journey but a shared struggle. Those who enter the parish must not be left to fend for themselves. Widows, often left vulnerable and alone, must be supported with love and material care, as St. James wrote: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27)
Converts must not be abandoned after baptism, left to navigate the spiritual life without guidance. They are newborns in the faith, needing instruction, encouragement, and steadfast companionship. Without this, many will falter, confused by the pressures of the world or discouraged by spiritual struggles. Likewise, the elderly, disabled and homebound must not be set aside as if they have nothing left to offer. The elderly carry the wisdom of years, their prayers sustaining the Church even when they can no longer labour as they once did. St. Paul commands: “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) Neglect is inexcusable. The Church is not a gathering of strangers but a single body. If one member suffers, all suffer. If one stumbles, the others must uphold him. Indifference is a betrayal of the Christian calling.
The fallen must be restored. Many souls leave the Church, convinced that their sins are too great to be forgiven. They are deceived. Christ Himself assures us: “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32) The Prodigal Son was not cast away, but received with open arms. The Christian has no right to abandon those who have strayed. He must seek them out, remind them of the mercy of God, and bring them back to the Holy Mysteries. St. Isaac the Syrian said: “Spread your cloak over those who fall into sin, each and every one, and shield them. And if you cannot take the fault on yourself and accept punishment in their place, do not destroy their character.” To turn away from the lost is to defy Christ Himself. The Church is not a fortress for the self-satisfied but a hospital for sinners, where no soul is beyond redemption.
Prayer is not secondary to encouragement; it is its foundation. Words alone do not change hearts. If a Christian speaks without first interceding, his words lack power. Encouragement without prayer is no more than human effort, unable to touch the soul. St. James tells us: “The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16) If we desire to strengthen our brethren, we must first bring them before God. The saints did not rely on mere words to support those who struggled. They prayed with tears, fasted with discipline, and endured suffering for the salvation of others. St. Silouan the Athonite wept for the whole world1, not because he was sentimental, but because he understood that love demands sacrifice. St. Paul did not simply exhort the faithful; he laboured in prayer for them, writing: “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone.” (1 Timothy 2:1) We cannot expect to strengthen others if we do not first offer them to Christ.
True encouragement is not sentimentality or mere comfort. It is an act of spiritual warfare. The devil seeks to isolate, discourage, and destroy souls. When we intercede for others, we stand against this attack, calling down grace upon those in need. To encourage someone without prayer is to send him into battle unarmed. We must carry the burdens of others before God, pleading for their healing, their strength, and their salvation. Without this, our words are empty, and our encouragement is of no real use.
As Christians, we must live as encouragers, not out of preference, but out of obligation. Encouragement is not reserved for moments of crisis; it is a constant duty, woven into the fabric of daily life. The spiritual battle never ceases, and neither should the work of strengthening one’s brethren. Just as the body needs daily nourishment, so too does the soul require continual support from fellow believers. A Christian who does not encourage his brethren neglects his role within the Church, failing in both love and responsibility.
In the Divine Liturgy, the faithful stand together before God, not as isolated individuals, but as one body, united in prayer and repentance. This unity must not end when the service concludes. The Church is not confined to the walls of a building; it extends into every aspect of life—home, business, work and school. If believers stand together before God in worship, they must also stand together in the struggles of daily life. To abandon a brother to his burdens, to ignore his sorrows or his temptations, is to betray the very essence of Christian fellowship.
The Apostle Paul commands: “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25) The Day of Judgment draws near, and the Christian cannot afford to be complacent. Every moment of delay is a lost opportunity to strengthen a wavering soul, to correct a brother in danger, or to call a sinner to repentance. The time given to each person is brief, and what is left must be spent in the service of salvation—one’s own and that of others.
Encouragement is not flattery, nor is it passive affirmation. It involves correction when necessary, guiding others back to the path of righteousness. It demands wisdom, courage, and love. A Christian who comforts his brethren without leading them towards holiness offers nothing of true value. Encouragement that does not bring a soul closer to Christ is empty. Anything less than the earnest effort to strengthen others in faith, virtue, and repentance is failure. To live otherwise is to neglect the weight of one’s calling.
My brethren, the Christian life is a constant struggle, not only for personal salvation but for the strengthening of others in the faith. No one can walk this path alone. The Church is not a collection of individuals but a single body, bound together by Christ. To encourage one another is not a choice; it is a command. To neglect a struggling brother is to fail in love. Encouragement must be rooted in truth, not empty words or worldly comfort. It must be founded on prayer, directed towards repentance, and aimed at salvation. The day of the Lord is approaching, and every moment must be used to build up the Church, restore the fallen, and carry one another towards the Kingdom of God.
May God bless you +
Fr. Charles
First Sunday of Lent
9 March 2025
