When the Homily is about Immunology

SALVIFIC

A dear friend of mine, Jason Evans had the following on his blog:

Marvin is a cool old cat! Very wise and discerning. At the workshop, his wife said something that really struck me. So much I had to write it down:
"Marvin and I got married at a very young age. My mother was mad at me when I told her we was goin' to get married. Mother said, 'Why are you gonna marry that boy?' And I told her [as she starts getting choked up and tears start to stream down her cheeks], "Because this man is gonna help me get to heaven!'"

I have never seen more passion and certainty in someone's face. They've been married for many decades now... I want to help Brooke get to heaven.

This is so intense, and if I might say, very Eastern. Wanting to help someone get to heaven who we assume has already said the "sinner's prayer" just doesn't fit well within the typical evangelical paradigm...does it? One amongst many great things I notice about the post-mod Christian movement is an honest rejection of the fast-food reductionist mentality in our protestant theology. Is salvation really as simple as uttering a few words?

"No" you say, "you have to really believe it!"

Whatever.

I mean, come on folks, this gets to the core of the matter: What does it mean to be saved? How are we saved? (One of the new books I ordered - hehehehe).

Anyway...the Orthodox often use a term I had never heard before: Salvific. Though I am not sure I could properly offer a webster-esque definition, I will say simply that it refers to that which moves us along our path of Salvation. Just the other day my wife and I were discussing how hard it can be to be a parent and she reminded me that God has given us our children as an integral part of our journey. Our relationship with the kids is meant to be Salvific for both the them and us. And indeed, as Jason said above: our marriages are also intended to be Salvific as well.

Let us commit ourselves and one another, and our whole lives to Christ our God.
-from the Divine Liturgy