“True Christianity does not consist in intellectually abstract deliberations and teachings; rather, it is incarnate in life itself. Christ descended to earth(1) not to instruct people in new forms of knowledge, but to call them to a new life.

I beseech the Lord God to help me and strengthen me to actively labor until death for the sake of the Truth.”
Homily by St John Maximovitch(2) of Shanghai and San Francisco(3)
On the occasion of his ordination as bishop of Shanghai May 27th 1934.

Reflection:

St John’s proclamation while approaching the great task of leading the faithful in Christ as bishop is no different than our approach to the great task of living a life in Christ.  

We often listen-to, read, and talk about who Christ is and what we believe. St John reminds us that Christ and His teachings should not remain an intellectual idea or simply 'moral teachings' but we should humbly choose to allow Christ to transform us so that we live a completely new way of life(4).

St John began his ministry with that prayer and he continued asking God for help and strength the rest of his life.  Combined with his self-sacrifice and life in Christ (plus many other things -read his life), God worked and continues to work miracles through this saint.

St John shows us that even the saints require humility to live as Orthodox Christians, and that we all need to ask for God’s help each day of our lives in order to love God and neighbor. It is this humility, knowing that as strong as we are, we still need Christ's help and strength to ‘complete the race’(5)

Let us take St John’s words to heart, asking God for His help and strength each day with that kind of humility.  Through Christ and by the intercessions of St John, may we be transformed in newness of life and assist in God’s new creation: living as the Church in the world.

References:
1) John 1
2) Read More about St John Here St John passed in 1966
3) His relics are in San Francisco at Holy Virgin Cathedral
4) Romans 2:10-16 Having been introduced to Christ and His Church, we are responsible before God for living the Faith. 

5) Hebrews 12:1-3

St John's Relics at the Holy Virgin Cathedral

When we visit to venerate, we write names of loved ones and a letter to St John because during his earthly life, he had letter correspondence with his spiritual children all over the world.  Often times the same day that they sent their letter to him, they received a letter from him responding to all they had written, guidance and answers to questions.  St John knew their hearts through the Holy Spirit.  So the tradition continues today, and we submit our letters in the reliquary below. 

St John's Mandea - Bishop's vestment - At the Old Cathedral in SF

We can have a prayer read over us as we kneel before it and are wrapped 
underneath it for a special blessing from the Saint.