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Coffee With Sister Vassa
THE VIRTUE OF SAYING “NO“
“He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the humble…” (Lk 1:52, The Song of the Theotokos)
This day, October 28, is celebrated in Greece both as the church-feast of the Protection of the Theotokos and as “Ohi Day” (meaning, the Day of “No”), in remembrance of the moment when the then prime minister of Greece, Ioannis Metaxas, and the Greek people said “No” to collaborating with the fascist and Nazi forces of Italy and Germany in World War II. After Metaxas refused an ultimatum to let the Axis forces enter Greece’s border on October 28, 1940, the Greek people came out on the streets, shouting “Ohi!” or “No!,” in support of Metaxas’s refusal of the fascist ultimatum. This marked the beginning of Greece’s heroic resistance to Hitler and Mussolini in WWII.
While the feast of the Protection of the Theotokos is celebrated in not-Greek Orthodox Churches on October 1/14, it was transferred in the Greek church-calendar to October 28th (Ohi Day) in 1952, to commemorate the great help and protection of the Theotokos, especially to the Greek resistance to fascism during WWII, at which time many of her miracles were reported.
Though my Russian Orthodox Church does not celebrate the feast of the Protection today, I think it’s encouraging for all of us within the Orthodox communion of churches that we have a local Church, the Church of Greece, that celebrates this feast in connection with saying “No!” to fascism. We usually associate the Theotokos with her “Let it be,” or her saying “Yes,” to the Archangel’s news. But her “Yes,” like any choice we make for a certain decision, meant saying “No” to other options. God Himself also makes such choices, saying either Yes or No to this or that person or people, as the Theotokos notes in the above-quoted verse of her Song: “He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the humble…”
Today let me remember the importance of saying “No,” when I need to, both in personal matters and political ones. The Mother of God chose to say “Yes” to her vocation, as did the Wise Men, who followed the star to Bethlehem. This involved saying “No” to political and religious authorities of the time, Herod and the chief priests he consulted, and led to lots of personal and political trouble, including the flight of the Theotokos and her Child to Egypt and the slaughter of the infants in Bethlehem. And this was just the beginning of the trouble caused by the One Who “put down the mighty from their thrones,” and also “exalted the humble,” who said No to the mighty on the thrones.
Let us be encouraged today, and not forget the heroic No’s of faithful Christians throughout history, even as we might be confronted with bullies or tyrants in our personal or political or church-lives. Lord, by the prayers of the Theotokos, help us say “No” to the bullies, so that we may follow You in the freedom of Your Spirit. Happy Ohi Day!
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How encouraging to read Sister Vassa's reflection this morning about saying "NO" to fascism! A proud moment from the past for the Greek people who resisted the authoritarian abuse of such infamous failed tyrants like Mussolini and Hitler. And her added encouragement to stand up to "bullies and tyrants in our personal or political or church-lives" is a powerful message. But saying "NO" is only the first step, which must be followed by the next step of saying "Yes" to the Gospel that reveals the real power of love and compassion, as expressed by our Lord Jesus Christ.
