Jul 17, 2023

Theodore of Studite

I still have my “Life is Messy” coffee mug. “Life is Messy” was the title of a series of sermons I preached on Joseph’s life some years ago. I heard more about this sermon series than any I can remember. I suspect it’s because people closely identified with the “messy” theme.
The life of Theodore of Studite (759-826) certainly qualifies as messy. This highly regarded Byzantine monk was exiled three times! When the Roman emperor Constantine VI divorced his wife to marry her personal assistant, Theodore called him on it, leading to his banishment from a Constantinople monastery–exile #1. He eventually returned, only to lock horns with a second emperor over reinstating the priest who had performed Constantine’s wedding: the emperor had Theodore arrested and deported to a remote island–exile #2. He came back, only to tangle with a third emperor over the use of icons in worship. Yep, you guessed it–exile #3. Theodore made the most of his predicaments. He led church reform in exile and restored monastic virtues of obedience, charity, and chastity to prominence.

You may resonate with this “Life is Messy” theme. While it aptly describes our confusing circumstances and tangled relationships, it does not tell the whole story. The tagline, “Life is Messy” has a biblical sequel, “Life is messy but God prevails.” God prevailed in Joseph’s life. God prevailed in Theodore’s life. And God prevails in our lives also. We join with Theodore in praying:

O Lord, you gave your apostles peace, shed down on us your holy calm,
gather together with your hand,
all those who are scattered,
and bring them like sheep into the fold of your holy church,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Strengthen and confirm me,
O Lord, by your cross,
on the rock of faith,
that my mind be not shaken
by the attacks of the enemy.
For you alone are holy.

You know, O Lord,
how many and great are my sins,
you know how often I sin,
from day to day,
from hour to hour,
in the things I do,
and the things I leave undone.
No more, O Lord,
no more, O Lord my God,
will I provoke you.
No more shall my desire be for anything but you,
for you alone are truly loveable.
And if again I offend in anything,
I humbly ask your mercy
to grant me strength
to live in a manner more pleasing to you.
Amen.

Rev. Dr. Peter James served 42 years as the senior of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA — 21 years in the 20th century and 21 years in the 21st century. He retired in 2021 and now serves as Pastor-in-Residence at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Even as a pastor, prayer came slowly to Pete. Read Pete’s story.