Reflection on Trusting God's Angels by Monk Raphael

Obstacles of one kind or another always confront us. The good news is that our most merciful Lord is always near, helping us in our struggles. I was born ten weeks premature with cerebral palsy. From a very young age, I struggled intensely with my disability; anger, frustration, impatience, and discouragement overwhelmed me. Then, my beloved mother would comfort me gently with the teaching of the Gospel. Again and again, Mom said, “David, remember what Jesus taught about the lilies of the field.”

With the help of God, throughout the many struggles of my life, I hold these wise words of my mother close within the depth of my heart. Therefore, my favorite passage from The Light and Joy of Saint Gavrilia is the section titled “Consider the Lilies of the Field (Matthew 6:28).” The opening sentences are powerful and beautifully inspiring:

“What defined Eldress Gavrilia was her constant surrender to the hands of God and His angels. She worried about nothing, saying, ‘Why should I worry? The angels will send what’s needed.’”

As a disabled Orthodox Christian, falling—both spiritually and physically—is part of my daily life. Given that I know falling down and getting up, you may well understand my appreciation of the following passage from Saint Isaac the Syrian’s Ninth Homily:

“By this it is evident that whenever a man falls, he should not forget the love of his Father. And if it should happen that he fall into many and diverse transgressions, he should not be negligent concerning the good, nor should he stop on his onward course, but even though he be vanquished, rise up again to struggle against his adversaries and each day begin to lay a foundation for his ruined dwelling.”

Pondering my journey of faith, I believe that each time I fall, it is my guardian angel who comes to my aid, helping me up, to begin anew to take up my cross and follow our Lord Jesus Christ, step by step along the path of salvation.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to Timothy: “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5). By the great mercy of our Lord, in a somewhat similar way, both my grandmother Amanda and my mother Lucille were women who had a deep and abiding faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

My grandparents’ farm was some distance from the nearest small town. Therefore, during my mother’s final year of high school, she lived with the young minister and his wife, Rev. Daniel and Vera Matheson. Mom and the Mathesons formed a strong friendship which lasted throughout their lives. When I was growing up, Mom would say to me, “David, I wish that you could hear Dan Matheson preach. He is a great preacher.”

Now, jump ahead to the spring of 1989. By that time, I had responded to a call to ministry. Like Daniel Matheson before me, I was an Ordained Minister of the United Church of Canada. On a spring day in 1989, the Mathesons happened to be on a road trip from Ottawa to Vancouver. They stopped at our home in Calgary to have a visit over a cup of tea.

After decades of Protestant ministry, at 71 years of age, Daniel Matheson was ordained an Orthodox priest. Mom and I knew nothing about the Orthodox Church. So, we had many questions for Fr. Daniel and Psa. Vera Matheson. We learned about Holy Orthodoxy not from strangers but from beloved clergy who knew generations of our family. Glory to God! Mom and I were impacted greatly by the beauty of the Orthodox Church.

Later, we read many books to learn more about Orthodoxy. At the same time, the beloved Father Michal Lupu cultivated the seed of faith which was planted in our hearts, helping us to grow in faith and understanding. Eventually, I left my Protestant ministry to become an Orthodox Christian. When I received Holy Chrismation, Father Daniel Matheson stood as my Godfather. Then, my sister Michelle was Chrismated the following year.

Our mother yearned to become Orthodox, too. But she told us that she had to wait for her beloved husband to join her on this journey of faith. Mom waited patiently, year after year. Her health became a struggle. Mom would often come with us to church for the Divine Liturgy. One Sunday, as the faithful approached the chalice to receive Holy Communion, Mom turned to my sister, asking Michelle, “What do I need to do to become like everyone else?”

Our beloved mother was Chrismated an Orthodox Christian on Palm Sunday, 2005. Indeed, this was a very joyous day!

Once again, the wise words of Saint Gavrilia ring true. As mentioned above, she said, “Why should I worry? The angels will send what’s needed.” She is a wonderful example of profound faith, abiding trust in God, and abundantly overflowing love.