October 21, 2024 will mark 4 years since the transition into eternity of Father Dimitry Smirnov. Each sermon and talk of Fr. Dimitri was filled with incredible power, encouraging internal changes. Let us recall some great quotes of him.
A Christian is a person who remembers the purpose of his existence.
Our chief sin is not that we do bad things. It is that our lives are completely detached from God. We live by ourselves and have no relationship with Him […]. The circle of our existence is limited to our wives, children, apartments, work, laundry, bakery etc. Where is God in it? Some of us remember God coming to church once a week, opening a spiritual book […] or reading morning and evening prayers – five minutes in the morning, and ten in the evening. These actions represent our Christian life, while everything else is sin, whether we are collecting postage stamps, drinking vodka, or just walking in the woods. If we forget about God while walking in the woods, we are committing sin.
If you see someone in need, help him in any way you can: by a kind word, or money, by sitting at his bedside if he is sick, by babysitting his children, or forgiving his debt. If someone is angry with you, humble yourself before them for the sake of peace and love for them, even if they are wrong a thousand times. If every day, and every hour, we purposefully give all the people we meet all the love that we can, the Lord, seeing our diligence, will surely bless us, allowing grace to dwell in our hearts.
Spouses should race to serve one another.
It’s very easy to test one’s Christianity. How can you tell if someone is truly a Christian? Slap him on the right cheek or spit in his face. If he turns the other cheek, he is indeed a Christian. Now, let’s imagine someone did that to us—how would we respond? In that moment, we’d see that there is no true Christianity within us, only a facade of piety, all show and ritual. We follow the rules, but lack the genuine, deep-rooted faith that Christ calls us to have.
Typically, the Lord calls a person home at the highest point of their life. Many are left in shock, exclaiming, “How could such a good person be taken so soon?” But this is because when a person reaches the peak of their potential, the Lord gathers them to Himself, ensuring they do not falter or diminish their spiritual stature.
We live in a remarkable age, when we don’t need to go searching for anything—God Himself offers everything we need. He gives us just the right amount of trials, illnesses, and challenges. All we have to do is resist the urge to rush about in panic, but instead live through it with grace, remaining faithful to God. We must keep our spirits uplifted, avoid despair, embrace humility, endure with patience, and glorify God with every fibre of our being. So that whoever comes into our home or meets us at work can say, “Ah, this is a true Christian.”
This person never imposes on others, never speaks harshly, always has a gentle gaze, and doesn’t overdo makeup like some flashy picture. They are always dressed modestly, carry themselves with humility, work diligently, and keep their home in order. You can’t shake their inner peace, they have no enemies, and bear no ill will toward anyone.
In today’s world, saving your soul doesn’t require you to be a remarkable ascetic with a twenty-centimeter bump on your forehead from endless prostrations. What’s needed is simply to be a decent person.
God doesn’t expect us to perform great feats—just don’t whine and do what He has given you, right where He has placed you.
Don’t pity yourself; instead, serve God wholeheartedly right where you are. Avoid creating privileges for yourself, and steer clear of deceit and trickery. There’s no need to search for particularly powerful prayers, as such things don’t truly exist. Nor should you seek out visionaries or prophets. Focus on serving God and seeking Him in the very place you find yourself, because it is possible to do so anywhere, no matter where you are.
Christianity is not about urging others to do something, but about forcing oneself to do everything for others.
I had the privilege of knowing and working with Fr. Dimitry from 2000-2003 when I served as the US European Command Chaplain in Stuttgart, Germany. I was also honored to serve the Divine Liturgy with him at his church on one occasion. He had a brilliant intellect and passion for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. However, I remember him most as a very caring and compassionate Orthodox priest who wanted all to come to “a knowledge of the truth.” His sermons and interactions with the faithful truly exemplified this. I pray for his wife and daughter who also were most hospitable. May Fr. Dimitry’s memory be eternal as he now dwells with the blessed.
Thank you for sharing your memories about Father Dimitry! May God bless you!
Wonderful words……. Thank u.
Beautifully and powerfully written.
Thank you.