2014-September Sacred Lessons

T H E B E G I N N I N G O F T H E L I T U R G I C A L Y E A R T H E I N D I C T I O N 1 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 1.
Gr e e k Or t h o d o x Pa t r i a r c h a t e o f Al e x a n d r i a & Al l Af r i c a
AL L GL OR Y , HONOU R A N D WOR S HI P T O T HE FA T HE R , A N D T O T HE
SON , A ND T O T HE HOL Y SP I R I T , NOW A N D FOR E V E R , A ND U NT O
T HE AGE S OF AGE S . AME N
RE ME MB E R I NG A L S O OU R MOS T HOL Y , MOS T P U R E , MOS T BL E S S E D
A ND GL OR I OU S L A DY , MA R Y , T HE OT OKOS Y E T E V E R VI R GI N,
T OGE T HE R WI T H A L L T HE SA I N T S . AN D L E T U S COMMI T OU R S E L V E S
A ND ONE A NOT HE R A N D OU R WHOL E L I F E T O CHR I S T OU R GOD.
AME N.
1 S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 4
Be g i n n i n g o f L i t u r g i c a l Ye a r ( 7 5 2 3 )
Th e I n d i c t i o n
AL S O T HE FE AS T OF ST AMMOUN T HE DE ACON & T HE 40
AS CE T I C VI R GI N MART Y RS OF HE RACL E A, T HR ACE ST
JOS HUA SON OF NUN ST CAL L I S T A, ST EVODOS & ST
HE RMOGE NE S , SI B L I NG MART Y RS OF NI COME DI A ST
SY ME ON T HE ST UDI T E & ST MART HA OF CI L I CI A ST
ME L E T I OS T HE NE W OF CAP P ADOCI A - ST EVANT HI A ST AI T HAL AS , DE ACON, OF PE RS I A
F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F T H E I N D I C T I O N T O N E 2
O pasis Dimiourgos tis Ktiseos, O kerous ke hronous en ti
idia exousia themenos, Evlogison ton Stefanon, tou
eniaftou tis Hristotitos Sou, Kyrie, filatton en Irini tous
Vasilis ke tin Polin Sou, Presvies tis Theotokou, Mone
Filanthrope.
O Creator of all the Universe, who have placed times
and seasons under Thine own Authority; Bless, O
Lord, the Crown of this year of Thy Kindness,
keeping in Peace Thy Kings and Thy City; by the
Intercessions of the Theotokos, O Only True Friend
of mankind.
F E S T A L O F T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S
Here Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek Sou gar
anetilen O Ilios tis Dikeosinis, Hristos O Theos imon,
Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou ke si Presvita Dikee,
dexamenos en agkales ton elevtherotin ton psihon
imon, harizomenon imin ke tin Anastasin
Hail, O Theotokos Virgin Full of Grace: for from Thee
has shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our
God, giving Light to those in darkness. Be glad also,
Thou Righteous Elder, for Thou hast received in
Thine arms the Deliverer of our souls, Who bestows
upon us Resurrection.
F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F S T S Y M E O N T H E S T Y L I T E - T O N E 1
Ipomonis Stilos gegonas, zilosas tou propatoras Osie, ton
Iob en tis pathesi ton Iosif en tis pirasmis ke tin ton
Asomaton Politian iparhon en somatic. Symeon Patir
imon Osie, Presveve Hristo to Theo, sothine tas Psihas
imon.
Thou became a Pillar of Patience, and the Ancient
Fathers Thou equalled and rivalled; Thou rivalled Job
in Sufferings, Joseph in Temptations, and the
Lifestyle of the Incorporeals while in the flesh.
Therefore, O our Righteous Father, Symeon, Intercede
with Christ God to Save our souls!
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N O F T H E I N D I C T O S - T ONE 4
O ton Eonon Piitis ke Despotis - Thee ton olon iperousie
ontos, tin eniafsion Evlogison periodon, Sozon to Elei
Sou, to apiro Iktirmon, pantas tous latrevontas, Si to
mono Despoti, ke ekvoontas Fovo Litrota: EVFORON
PASI TO ETOS HORIGISON.
O Eternal Creator and Master - O God of all,
transcending all that exists: we earnestly entreat, that
in Thine Infinite Mercy, Thou will Bless the year, and
Save all who worship Thee Who art our Only Master,
and we cry out in Fear: O Redeemer: GRANT US A
HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS YEAR.
P r o k e i me n o n P s a l m 1 4 6 & 1 3 4 - T O N E 4
Gr eat i s our God, and Gr eat i s Hi s St r engt h.
Pr ai s e t he L or d, f or He i s Good.
T h e F i r s t E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o S t T i m o t h y 2 : 1 7
F A I T H F U L N E S S I N P R A Y E R
To Timothy a True Son in the Faith: I exhort first of all that Supplications, Prayers, Intercessions, and giving of thanks be
made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and Peaceful Life in all Goodness And
Reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the Sight of God our Saviour, Who desires all men to be Saved and to
come to the Knowledge of the Truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man-Christ
Jesus, Who gave Himself a Ransom for all, to be Testified in due time, for which I was appointed a Preacher and an
Apostle I am speaking the Truth in Christ and not lying a Teacher of the Gentiles in Faith and Truth.
Intercessory Prayers are to be offered for everyone without
exception. However, SPECIAL PRAYERS SHOULD BE OFFERED
FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY OVER US.
Thus - as Orthodox Christians - WE REPEATEDLY PRAY FOR
ALL CIVIL AUTHORITIES... during our Fervent Prayers of
the Holy Services.
The religions of the ancient Greek or Hellenised world were
pluralistic and elite.
In contrast, St Paul taught that THERE IS ONE SAVIOUR, ONE GOD
AND ONE MEDIATOR ONE ALMIGHTY GOD WHO OFFERS
SALVATION EQUALLY TO ALL HUMANITY BECAUSE HE CREATED US
HUMAN BEI NGS TO SHARE IN HIS DIVINE GOODNESS.
GOD BECAME MAN IN ORDER TO GRANT US SALVATION.
HE EMPTI ED HIMSELF OF HIS I NFINI TE, UNCONTAI NABLE,
UNRESTRICTED DIVI NI TY AND MAJESTY IN ORDER TO TAKE ON OUR
WEAK AND VULNERABLE AND LIMITED HUMAN FLESH AND NATURE
i.e. THE CREATOR BECAME A CREATURE, IN ORDER TO TEACH AND
GUIDE US PERSONALLY AND THEN TO OFFER HIMSELF AS THE FINAL
AND ULTIMATE BLOOD SACRIFICE FOR THE SAKE OF OUR ETERNAL
LIFE AND SALVATION.
Some who are opposed to the established Holy Church of Christ
have used this particular verse to erroneously claim that all
we need is our Lord Jesus - not His Holy Church, Her Clergy
nor Her Divine Mysteries (Sacraments.)
However: THE SON OF GOD BECAME OUR ONE AND ONLY DIVINE
MEDIATOR BY BECOMING MAN THROUGH THE INCARNATI ON OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT AND THE EVER BLESSED VIRGIN THEOTOKOS I.E.
THROUGH GOD AND MANKIND.
GOD TOOK HIS HUMAN NATURE not from Himself alone but FROM
also from a human being THE ALL HOLY EVER VIRGIN
THEOTOKOS.
2. T H E B E G I N N I N G O F T H E L I T U R G I C A L Y E A R T H E I N D I C T I O N 1 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
Likewise, AS OUR DIVINE MEDIATOR, Christ said: I will build My
Church. and HE ESTABLISHED HER LEADERS WHO GUIDE US
AND HER WORSHIP SO THAT WE, WHO ARE SPIRI TUALLY
INEXPERIENCED, MAY BE ABLE TO APPROACH GOD CORRECTLY,
OBEDIENTLY AND WITH THE GREATEST RESPECT.
As the Blessed Theotokos gave us Christ in His Humanity, so HIS
HOLY CHURCH INTRODUCES US TO HIM, WHO ALONE IS OUR DIVINE
MEDIATOR.
In the context of ancient slavery a Ransom was paid :
Not so much to purchase a slave, but TO FREE HIM OR HER
FROM BONDAGE
So that he may EXPERIENCE LIBERTY FREEDOM FROM THE
BONDAGE OF SLAVERY [SPIRITUAL & PHYSICAL]
In other words: WE ARE FREED FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN BY THE
DIVINE SALVATI ON OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
ST PAUL EMPHASISED THE TRUTH OF GOD, which he taught and
which he practised, HAVING RECEIVED HIS TRUTH DIRECTLY
FROM GOD HIMSELF.
ST PAUL HAD BEEN CALLED BY CHRIST HIMSELF AND THEREFORE HE WAS
INDEED AN APOSTLE OF CHRIST.
He had been ENLIGHTENED AND INSPIRED BY GOD HIMSELF. DIVINE
KNOWLEDGE AND ILLUMINATION WAS BESTOWED BY CHRIST UPON ST
PAUL AT HIS CONVERSI ON along the road to Damascus.
AS A TRUE APOSTLE OF CHRIST, HE PERFORMED ALL HIS MISSI ONARY
DUTIES WITH ABSOLUTE TRUTH IN HUMBLE OBEDIENCE TO GOD
and not according to his own ideas or imagination!
ST PAUL TAUGHT NOT ONLY THE JEWS BUT ALSO THE GENTI LES the Holy
Gospel of Christ our Lord and therefore he was also known as
THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES the non-Jews and pagans.
DIVINE INSPIRATION DRI VES FAITHFUL SERVANTS OF GOD TO SEEK HIS
TRUTH AND TO PRACTISE HIS WAYS EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES,
INSPIRING AND TEACHING OTHERS BY THEIR GOOD EXAMPLES.
T h e H o l y G o s p e l o f S t L u k e 4 : 1 6 2 2
U N B E L I E F I N N A Z A R E T H
At that time, Jesus went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the Synagogue
on the Sabbath Day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. And when He had
opened the Book, He found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has sent Me
to Heal the broken-hearted, to Proclaim Liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at Liberty
those who are oppressed, to Proclaim the acceptable Year of the Lord.
Then He closed the Book and gave it back to the Attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the Synagogue
were fixed upon Him. Then He began by saying to them: Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.
Thus all bore witness to Him, and marvelled at the Gracious Words that proceeded out of His Mouth. And they said: Is
this not Josephs Son?
Our Lord had returned to Nazareth where He had spent most of
His Life and where almost everyone would have known Him
and His earthly Family.
It was the usual practice for our Lord to go into the Synagogue to
read the Holy Scriptures especially on the Sabbath. The Book
of Isaiah (the Holy Prophet of God) was the Sacred Lesson for
the day and whether our Lord Himself chose the passage to
read aloud or whether it was prescribed, the fact is WHAT HE
READ IN THE ANCIENT TEXT WAS ALREADY FULFILLED BY HIM BY THAT
DAY AS HE SO CLEARLY INFORMED THEM:
ST ISAI AH SPOKE OF THE ANOINTI NG OF CHRI ST BY THE HOLY SPI RI T
and the Holy Spirit had indeed Descended upon Him at His
Baptism.
ALL THE LONG AWAITED BLESSINGS OF THE JEWISH NATION WERE
FULFILLED BY CHRIST OUR LORD.
] GOD THE FATHER HAD SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON to live
among His creatures.
] ALL HUMANITY HAS BEEN TAUGHT DI RECTLY BY CHRIST GOD
HIMSELF!
] DIVINE SALVATION IS GRANTED TO ALL HUMANITY FOR ALL TIME
BECAUSE OF THE GREATEST SACRIFICE OF CHRIST.
] CHRIST HEALS THE SI CK AND SUFFERI NG BOTH SPIRITUAL AND
PHYSICAL ILLNESSES.
] CHRIST PROCLAIMS THE DIVINE LIBERTY OFFERED TO HUMANI TY THAT
SETS US FREE FROM THE BONDAGE OF SI N AND DEATH.
] CHRIST REVEALS HIS TRUTH CONCERNING THE PURPOSE OF THIS
EXISTENCE AS A PREPARATION FOR WHAT IS TO FOLLOW:
ETERNAL LIFE OR ETERNAL DEATH.
The people marvelled at Christs Words, but THEY REFUSED TO
BELIEVE - NOR WOULD THEY ACCEPT THE DIVINE TRUTH OF GOD -
THAT JESUS CHRIST, A FELLOW VILLAGER, COULD TRULY BE THE
LONG-AWAITED MESSIAH.
Th e Be g i n n i n g o f t h e C h u r c h Ye a r , o r t h e Be g i n n i n g o f t h e I n d i c t i o n
The First Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 325] decreed that the
Church Year should begin on 1 September.
The month of September was, for the Hebrews, the
beginning of the civil year, the month of gathering the
harvest and of the offering of Thanks to God. (EXODUS
23:16),
It was on this Feast that our Lord Jesus entered the
Synagogue in Nazareth, opened the Book of the Prophet
Isaiah and read the words: The Spirit of the Lord God is
upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to
preach Good Tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me
to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim Liberty to
the captives, and the opening of the prison to them
that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable Year of the
Lord, and the Day of Vengeance of our God; to
comfort all who mourn... (LUKE 4:16-21 & ISAIAH 61:1-2).
The month of September is also important in the history of
Christianity, because Emperor Constantine the Great
was victorious over Maxentios, the enemy of the
Christian Faith, in September.
Following this Victory, St Constantine granted Freedom of
Confession to the Christian Faith throughout the
Roman Empire.
For a long time, the civil year in the Christian world
followed the Church Year, with its beginning on 1
September.
The civil year was later changed, and its beginning
transferred to 1 January.
S t S y m e o n t h e S t y l i t e
St Symeon the Stylite, the first of the Pillar-Dwellers, an
Illuminated Elder, with the Radiance of an Immortal,
bound himself to the Pillar as a willing sacrifice, being
fully alive to Heaven, and dead to the Earth.
Fasting and Prayer and All-night Vigils - by this hard Path
he sought Salvation.
Early one morning, his mother came by: O Son, come
down and let your mother see you!''
Thus she spoke, but Symeon was silent.
His mother repeated her plea again and again
St Symeon at last replied to his mother: I am in the
Service of the Heavenly King. This Life is a Struggle
and a Preparation. There is no time for empty
conversation here.
But go, Mother, and choose the Pure Path.
Take care of your soul and Live according to Christ!
After the present Struggle is the next world.
If Christ finds us worthy, you will see your son there,
Mother, and your son will delight in his mother's
face.''
Th e I n d i c t i o n
Indiction is a term given to identify an era or epoch of
years of the calendar that was first used in the late
third century to date agricultural and land tax cycles
in Roman Egypt.
By the late fifth century the Indiction became widely
used throughout the Mediterranean.
Its use is still reflected in the Christian Church
Calendars.
The Indiction in the Orthodox Church is on 1 September,
which is also the Liturgical New Year.
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Indiction
.
1 3
T H
A F T E R P E N T E C O S T B E F O R E E X A L T A T I O N F O R E F E A S T , N A T I V I T Y , T H E O T O K O S - 7 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
3
AL L GL OR Y , HONOU R A ND WOR S HI P T O T HE FA T HE R , A ND T O T HE SON, A ND T O
T HE HOL Y SP I R I T , NOW A N D FOR E V E R , A ND U N T O T HE AGE S OF AGE S . AME N
RE ME MB E R I NG A L S O OU R MOS T HOL Y , MOS T P U R E , MOS T B L E S S E D A ND
GL OR I OU S L A DY , MA R Y , T HE OT OK OS Y E T E V E R VI R GI N, T OGE T HE R WI T H A L L T HE
SA I NT S . AN D L E T U S COMMI T OU R S E L V E S A ND ONE A NOT HE R A ND OU R WHOL E
L I F E T O CHR I S T OU R GOD . AME N.
7 S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 4
1 3
t h
S u n d a y A f t e r P e n t e c o s t
To n e 4
S u n d a y Be f o r e t h e E x a l t a t i o n o f t h e Ho l y C r o s s
Th e He a v e n l y Ki n g d o m
AL S O T HE FE AS T OF ST SOZ ON OF CI L I CI A ST JOHN,
WONDE RWOR KE R OF NOVGOROD ST SE RAP I ON OF SP AS O- EL E AZAR
MONAS T E RY , PS K OV ST MAK ARI OS OF KA NE V & PE RE Y AS L AVL ST EV ODI OS & ST ONE S I P HOR OS OF T HE 70 AP OS T L E S OF
CHR I S T ST EUP S Y CHI OS OF CAE S ARE A, CAP P ADOCI A ST L U K E OF PRUS A , AB BOT OF T HE MONAS T E RY OF T HE SA VI OUR ,
BAT HE OS RY A KOS ST CL OUD, AB BOT & F OUNDE R OF NOGE NT - SUR- SE I NE , NE A R PAR I S ST MA KA RI OS OF OP T I NA
MONAS T E RY
R E S U R R E C T I O N A P O L Y T I K I O N T O N E 4
To fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou Angelou
Mathouse e tou Kyriou Mathitrie ke tin Progonikin
apofasin aporipsase, tis Apostolis kafhomene elegon.
Eskilefte O Thanatos, igerthi Hristos O Theos,
doroumenos to kosmo to Mega Eleos.
When the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt from
the Angels the Glad Tidings of the Resurrection that
had cast away the Condemnation of their Forefather,
they spoke exultingly to the Apostles: Death is no
more! Christ-God is Risen, granting to the world
Great Mercy.
F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N - T H E F O R E F E A S T - N A T I V I T Y O F T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S T O N E 4
Ek tis Rizis Iesse, ke ex osfios tou David, i thopes
Mariam, tiktete simeron imin. Dio ke heri i simpasa
ke kenourgite. Sigheri te omou, O Ouranos ke i gi.
Enesate aftin e Patrie ton Ethnon. Ioakim evfrenete,
ke Ana Panigirizi kravgazousa. I stira tikti, tin
Theotokon, ke trofon tis Zois imon.
From Jesses Root, as Branch and Fruit of Davids loins,
the Child of God, Mary, unto us is born today, and all
Creation is recreated and Deified. Rejoice in unison, O
Heaven and earth! Sing praises to Her, O all Gentile
clans! Joachim is exultant, and Anna celebrates, crying
out: The barren woman bears the Theotokos the
Nourisher of our Life!
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N F O R E F E A S T N A T I V I T Y O F O U R E V E R B L E S S E D L A D Y T H E O T O K O S T O N E 3
I Parthenos simeron ke Theotokos Maria, i pastas i
Alithos tou Ouraniou Nimfiou, tiktete apo tis stiras
Theovoulitos, ohima tou Theou Logou evtrepisthine.
Is touto gar ke prooristhi i Thia Pili ke Mitir tis Ontos
Zois.
The Virgin Theotokos, Mary, today, by the Will of God, is
born of a barren woman, being prepared as the
Chariot of God the Word. She was Foreordained for
this, since She is the Divine Gate and the True Mother
of Life.
Re s u r r e c t i o n Go s p e l 2 - Ma r k 1 6 : 1 8
T H E H O L Y M Y R R H B E A R E R S W I T N E S S T H E E M P T Y T O M B O F O U R R I S E N L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T
P r o k e i me n o n
Save T hy Peopl e, O L or d, and Bl es s T hi ne I nher i t ance!
I wi l l appeal t o T hee, O L or d our God!
Th e E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e Ga l a t i a n s 6 : 1 1 1 8
T H E R U L E O F C H R I S T I A N F A I T H
Brethren: See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! As many as desire to make a good showing
in the flesh would compel you to be circumcised, only so that they may not suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ.
For not even those who are circumcised keep the Law, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast
in your flesh.
But God forbid that I should boast, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world has been crucified to
me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision not uncircumcision avails anything, by a New Creation.
And as many walk according to this Rule, Peace and Mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
From now on, let no one trouble me, for I bear on my body the Marks of the Lord Jesus.
Brethren: the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
ST PAUL MADE I T CLEAR THAT HE HAD PERSONALLY WRITTEN THIS
EPI STLE TO THE GALATI ANS, IN ORDER TO RECTIFY THE
CONTROVERSY RAISED BY ST PETER AND THOSE WHO ADHERED TO
THE OLD COVENANT LAWS ESPECIALLY CONCERNI NG
CI RCUMCISI ON.
According to the New Covenant with God, which is a Bloodless
Covenant, OUR NEW CIRCUMCI SI ON or the offering of a
small part of us to show our Love and Commitment to
Almighty God IS OUR TONSURI NG DURI NG HOLY BAPTISM, when
four small segments of our hair are cut in the Sign of the
Cross.
St Paul often had to contend with HEBREW LEGALI SERS WHO
OFFENDED GOD I N ORDER TO PLEASE HUMAN BEINGS or to
make sense to them.
Those who insisted that the Gentile Christians had to be
circumcised in order to become the Chosen People of God,
OFTEN HAD OTHER MOTIVES FOR DOI NG SO, especially SO T HAT
THEY COULD EI THER BRAG ABOUT HOW THEY CONVERTED THE
GENTILES TO JUDAISM OR IN ORDER TO AVOI D THE LATER
PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS.
FOLLOWING THE DIVINE EXAMPLE OF GOD, OUR HOLY CHURCH HAS
NEVER FORCED CONVERSION ON ANYONE AT ALL.
WE MUST COMMI T OURSELVES BODY AND SOUL TO ALMI GHTY GOD
THROUGH OUR OWN VOLUNTARY FREE WI LL AND NOT TO PLEASE
OTHERS OR BECAUSE WE ARE BEI NG FORCED BY CI RCUMSTANCES
TO DO SO OR FOR ANY OTHER MISGUIDED REASONS!
It has become popular to convert to Orthodox Christianity for
the sake of family or a loved one, or in order to receive an
inheritance, etc.
THI S I S VERY WRONG AND EXTREMELY SPI RI TUALLY DANGEROUS
BECAUSE ONCE WE HAVE COMMITTED OURSELVES TO THE TRUE
FAITH, WE SHOULD NEVER APOSTASISE, THUS EXCOMMUNICATI NG
13
T H
SUNDAY AF T E R PE NT E COS T B E F OR E E XAL T AT I ON OF T HE HOL Y CR OS S FOR E F E AS T NAT I V I T Y OF T H E OT OK OS - 7 SE P T E MB E R 2014
4
OURSELVES FROM THE DIVI NE GRACE OF GOD - which can be
CORRECTED THROUGH SINCERE REPENTANCE AND COMMITMENT
TO GOD AND CONFIRMED BY TRULY LIVI NG I N CHRI ST
THROUGH REGULAR FAI THFUL WORSHIP AND PARTICIPATION I N
THE HOLY MYSTERI ES AS REQUI RED OF US.
HOWEVER, BY CONVERTI NG TO ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT
ANY INTENTION OF LI VING IN CHRI ST AS ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS
- WI THOUT ANY I NTENTI ON OF WORSHIPPING OR PARTAKING OF
THE HOLY MYSTERI ES OF THE HOLY CHURCH, EXCEPT WHEN I T
SUI TED US -WILL CAUSE US ETERNAL CONDEMNATION AT OUR
FINAL JUDGEMENT, BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE NO EXCUSE OF
IGNORANCE.
Consequently, NOT ONLY DOES SUCH A PERSON CONDEMN HIM/
HERSELF, BUT ALSO THE PRI EST, THE GODPARENTS OR SPONSORS
AND ALL THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALLOWING THE I LL I NTENDED
CONVERSI ON TO OCCUR!
AS FAITHFUL DISCI PLES OF CHRI ST, WE RELENTLESSLY STRIVE TO
ATTAI N THE HOLY VIRTUES, THE MOST IMPORTANT OF WHICH ARE
THE TWO I NSEPARABLE VIRTUES OF HUMI LI TY AND OBEDI ENCE.
Thus, we must BE EVER WATCHFUL and WE MUST SUPPRESS OUR
INFLATED EGOS THAT TEMPT US INTO SI N, and WE MUST ENSURE
THAT WE NEVER BOAST ABOUT ANYTHING we manage to do, FOR
EVERYTHING GOOD AND WORTHY I S ONLY POSSI BLE BY THE
GRACE OF GOD, and not merely by means of our own
endeavours.
] We must FOLLOW ST PAULS GOOD EXAMPLE by only BOASTI NG
IN THE CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRI ST meaning
that WE MAY ONLY PRAI SE AND GLORIFY GOD AND ALL HIS
GOOD THI NGS BY WEARI NG, DISPLAYI NG OR USING THE
HOLY CROSS OF CHRI ST I N DAILY LIFE AND WORSHIP.
] THROUGHOUT HISTORY CHRI STIANS HAVE PREACHED THE POWER
OF THE LIFE-GI VI NG HOLY CROSS OF CHRI ST, which means
many things to us.
SO WE WEAR OUR CROSS AGAI NST OUR HEART to signify THE
SACRED PATH WE HAVE CHOSEN TO TAKE TOWARDS ETERNI TY,
and by means of it WE PROCLAI M OUR DISCI PLESHIP TO
CHRI ST OUR GOD WHOM WE STRUGGLE TO FAITHFULLY
FOLLOW AND IMITATE I N ALL ASPECTS OF OUR DAILY LIFE.
We do not wear the Cross as mere ornamentation but as A
JOYFUL DECLARATION OF OUR FAITH AND OUR GOOD
INTENTI ONS.
As Orthodox Christians, we DO NOT WEAR SUPERSTI TIOUS
PAGAN, ANTICHRIST TALISMANS SUCH AS THE EVI L EYE
TOGETHER WITH THE CROSS because THIS REVEALS A LACK
OF TRUE FAITH IN ALMI GHTY GOD AND IS A DENIAL OF
CHRI ST OUR LORD AND SAVI OUR, and His All Powerful
Providence and Great Mercy A REJECTION AND DENI AL
OF HIS CEASELESS AND MOST POWERFUL PROTECTION
against the evil one and all his sinister schemes.
The Cross is our Badge of Honour, which we must strive to
live up to and be worthy of wearing with honour and
respect for everything it means.
THE CROSS I S displayed in our homes and our places of
worship because it proclaims OUR DIVI NE PROTECTION BY
ALMI GHTY GOD AND ALL HIS HEAVENLY HOSTS, SAINTS AND
RIGHTEOUS who watch over us and protect us from evil.
WE NEED NOTHING MORE THAT CHRI STS LIFE-GIVI NG, HOLY
CROSS TO GUIDE, PROTECT AND LIVE IN HOPE BY.
Faithful Christians do not use any so-called good luck
talismans but trust implicitly in the Lord our God.
THE HOLY CROSS OF CHRI ST I S SYMBOLIC OF THE RESURRECTI ON
AND HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE in Gods Heavenly Kingdom of
Love, Peace and Joy
THE CROSS I S USED THROUGHOUT OUR HOLY SERVI CES by us
making the Sign of the Cross numerous times AS A
DECLARATI ON OF OUR FAITH AND WORSHIP OF OUR TRIUNE
AND ALMI GHTY GOD: i worship Thee, O Lord, with all my
mind, with all my heart, with all my strength and with all
my soul! in Procession at the Great Entrance of the
Holy Gifts and at other times, and when the Celebrant
Priest Blesses the Congregation.
Furthermore, THE POWER OF THE SIGN OF THE CROSS I S EVI DENT
when we use it against Spiritual or physical threats, in times of
fear, in Supplication, in Gratitude, or to Glorify, Worship and
Proclaim the Lord our God.
] THE NEW CREATI ON IS OUR LI FE IN CHRI ST JESUS AS COMMITTED
AND DEDICATED DISCI PLES who are ceaselessly striving for
Spiritual Perfection Theosis which is the regaining of
our lost Divine Likeness, and the attaining of Eternal Life in
the Divine Presence of our Most Loving and Benevolent
God.
] THE NEW COVENANT CHURCH OF CHRI ST I S THE NEW ISRAEL
AND WE ARE THE NEW CHOSEN PEOPLE OF GOD.
Finally, ST PAUL pointed out that he WAS NO HYPOCRITE OR
COWARD FOR HE HAD PERSEVERED through much of what he
teaches us - and in addition, HE BORE in and on his body the
evidence to prove it BOTH SPI RI TUAL SCARS AND PHYSI CAL
SCARS OF HIS CEASELESS STRUGGLE to spread and nurture and
live by the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Th e Ho l y Go s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 3 : 1 3 1 7
O u r L o r d J e s u s C h r i s t r e v e a l s t h e H e a v e n l y L i f e i n t h e E t e r n a l K i n g d o m o f G o d
At that time, our Lord Jesus said: ... No one has ascended to Heaven but He Who came down from Heaven that is: the
son of Man Who is in Heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be
lifted up, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have Eternal Life.
For God so Loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have Everlasting Life, for God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world,
through Him, might be Saved.According to St John Chrysostom, earthly things refer to Divine Grace and Holy Baptism
granted to mankind by God.
THESE WONDERFUL DIVI NE BLESSI NGS ARE REGARDED AS EARTHLY -
not because they are unspiritual, but BECAUSE THEY OCCUR
WHILE WE ARE STILL I N THIS TEMPORARY, PREPARATORY EARTHLY
EXI STENCE AND BECAUSE THEY ARE GRANTED TO GODS
INTELLECTUAL, EARTHLY CREATURES MANKI ND.
THE HEAVENLY THI NGS, on the contrary, I NVOLVE THE
UNGRASPABLE MYSTERI ES OF THE ETERNAL GENERATI ON OF GOD
THE SON FROM GOD THE FATHER, WHI CH RELATE TO CHRI STS
ETERNAL EXISTENCE BEFORE TIME AND MATTER WAS CREATED
AND ACCORDI NG TO GODS DI VINE PLAN OF SALVATION FOR
THE ENTI RE WORLD.
We must FIRST UNDERSTAND THE MANNER WHEREBY ALMI GHTY GOD
WORKS AMONGST US human beings BEFORE WE CAN EVEN
BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE UNFATHOMABLE DIVI NE THI NGS THAT
PERTAI N TO GOD HIMSELF.
During the Israelites 40 year Sojourn in the wilderness before being
allowed to enter the Promised Land, Moses had lifted up an
image of a serpent coiled around a long stick in order to
cure the Israelites from the deadly bites of poisonous snakes.
(This has become the emblem of Medical Healing.)
NUMB E RS 21: 4 9 ...the people became discouraged on
the way and spoke against God and Moses... so the Lord
sent venomous serpents amongst the people.,. then the
people went to Moses and said: We sinned, for we spoke
against the Lord and against Thee; therefore pray to the Lord
to take away the serpents from us. So Moses prayed for the
people and the Lord said to Moses: Make a serpent for
yourself and put it on a signal pole; and it shall be: if a
serpent should bite anyone, when the one bitten looks at it,
he shall live. So Moses made a copper serpent and put it
on a signal pole; and it happened that when a serpent bit
someone, and he looked at the copper serpent, he lived.
THI S MIRACLE-WORKI NG IMAGE PREFIGURED OUR LORD JESUS
CHRI ST BEI NG LIFTED UP ON THE CROSS OF HIS PASSI ON.
During Great Lent, on Holy and Great Thursday and Friday, AS
FAITHFUL CHRI STI ANS BEHOLD OUR CRUCIFIED CHRI ST IN UTTER
FAITH, THE LI MI TED POWER OF SIN AND DEATH I S OVERTHROWN
IN US AND WE ARE RENEWED AND REJUVENATED!
Just as the image of a serpent was the ancient Sacred Weapon
that destroyed the deadly poison of the serpents, so THE LIFE-
GIVI NG INSTRUMENT OF CHRISTS DEATH BECOMES THE
WONDROUS WEAPON THAT OVERTHROWS DEATH ITSELF.
To Show the reason why the Son of God had to be crucified
lifted up OUR LORD JESUS CHRI ST DECLARED GODS GREAT
LOVE not only for the Israel of the Old Covenant, but also FOR
THE WORLD THAT WOULD SOON BECOME THE NEW ISRAEL OF THE
NEW COVENANT WITH GOD.
... GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN
SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES I N HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT
HAVE EVERLASTI NG LIFE...
THESE WORDS OF DIVI NE REVELATI ON EXPRESS THE ENTIRE MESSAGE
OF ST JOHNS HOLY GOSPEL, AND INDEED, THE ENTI RE
SALVATI ON HISTORY OF MANKIND!
1 3
T H
A F T E R P E N T E C O S T B E F O R E E X A L T A T I O N F O R E F E A S T , N A T I V I T Y , T H E O T O K O S - 7 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
5
ALTHOUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST CAME TO SAVE AND NOT TO
CONDEMN US, WE HAVE BEEN GRANTED FREE WILL BY GOD so
that we can choose to either joyfully accept or to tragically
reject His Divine Gift of Eternal Life, which will respectively
Eternally Bless us or Condemn us due to our wilful rejection of
God and all His Goodness.
13
t h
Sunday Af t er Pent ecos t Bef or e Exal t at ion of the Hol y Cr os s
GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD... HE SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON ... NOT TO CONDEMN BUT TO SAVE!
It is so simple a Message yet it is so difficult for us to fully
grasp!
In our weakness of mind, it is difficult for us to understand
how God can Love everyone equally! No matter whether
they are His enemies, unrepentant sinners or the
Righteous ...
We cannot bear to admit that God Loves even those whom
we cannot perceive of loving our enemies and those
whom we despise !
The God Whom we imagine into existence fits our (weak and
limited) notions of right and wrong... justice and
injustice... good and bad so much that He turns into a
projection of our own (human) minds in other words:
we turn Him into a man-made, false idol!
As one Orthodox writer put it (and I paraphrase): IT IS
BETTER TO SAY THAT GOD DOES NOT EXIST THAT TO
PROJECT ONTO HIM OUR (puny and ridiculous) NEEDS,
DESIRES AND FANTASIES.
...God so Loved the world...
ALMIGHTY GOD UNCONDITIONALLY LOVES THE ENTIRE
WORLD (or universe) AND EVERYTHING THAT IS IN IT. (He
Loves His entire Creation: every rock, every tree, every blade of
grass, every creature great or small every Intellectual Being of
Heaven and of Earth everything He has created in this awesome
universe!)
...He considers every sparrow that falls from its nest...
HE KNOWS EXACTLY the number of hairs on each
persons head (He knows everything about everything He has
created with His Divine Love.)
In order for us to understand to fully comprehend the
enormity of this statement, we have to let go of our
propensity to separate the world that surrounds us into
categories of ... this is good... that is bad... or ... those
are good but these are bad...
Evidently God does not do so at all, because HE OPENED
HIS ARMS WIDE ON THE CROSS OF OUR SALVATION,
AND HE EMBRACES HIS ENTIRE CREATION and every
human being without discrimination only with His
Life-giving Love.
Holy Scripture and our Holy Church Fathers say with one
Voice: ... to the Pure all things are Pure...
God, above all, is certainly Divinely and Absolutely Pure.
We can also say: ... all things are worthy of Love because
they exist...! (Everything created by God is Good!)
Strange as it may seem, we are not even supposed to hate
the evil one and his demons. (Nor are we to hate our fellow
sinners for although it is permissible to hate and reject all
grievous sins, we must pray for the Repentance and Deliverance
of each other of everyone!)
St Isaac of Syria might even scandalise some of us with his
unequivocal statement that ... the heart of a True
Christian weeps even for the demons... but this is
only evidence that GODS WAYS ARE DEFINITELY NOT
OUR WAYS.
God neither beholds nor regards anything as we see or
regard them nor does He Judge as ignorantly and
unwisely as we judge.
Because we are Called by God to (unconditionally) Love our
Spiritual Adversaries, then how can we even for a brief
moment think that we are not Called to Love our
human adversaries as well.
ANY MICROSCOPIC SEED OF HATRED THAT EXISTS IN OUR
HEART WILL EVENTUALLY POISON OUR ENTIRE BEING!
Therefore IT IS IMPERATIVE TO ROOT OUT IMMEDIATELY
ANYTHING THAT IS NOT DIVINE, PURE LOVE. (We must
immediately seek and eradicate anything that is wicked, harmful
and destructive, which is unbefitting a Struggling Disciple of
Christ through ceaseless Prayer, Spiritual Watchfulness and
Repentance-Confession.)
The fact is that when we do not Love each other, we are
Spiritually Disobedient and Rebellious, which means
that we are daring to oppose Almighty God, Who is Love
thereby alienating ourselves from His Divine
Goodness!
Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, commands us: Love your
enemies! ... do good to those who hate you and to
those who spitefully abuse you...!
He also urges us to freely, generously ... give expecting
nothing in return!
And our Beloved Lord Jesus cautions us and explains
clearly to us that IF WE DO NOT LOVE OUR BRETHREN
OUR FELLOW STRUGGLING SINNERS - WHOM WE CAN SEE,
WE CANNOT LOVE GOD WHOM WE CANNOT SEE!
Furthermore, He exhorts us to ALWAYS, IMMEDIATELY
FORGIVE OTHERS JUST AS WE HOPE AND PRAY FOR GOD
TO FORGIVE US OUR TRANSGRESSIONS.
And we must forgive ... seventy times seven... times a
day to the same person if necessary!
OUR LORDS COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE FILL THE PAGES OF
THE HOLY GOSPEL OF THE NEW COVENANT and yet this
simple, most Spiritually Powerful of all Divine Messages
is so revolutionary that WE HUMAN BEINGS IN OUR
ARROGANCE AND IN OUR SELFISHNESS CANNOT SEE
HOW WE PERSISTENTLY RESIST OR REJECT IT: Love one
another as I have Loved you!
Our Lord Jesus has repeatedly told us that THERE ARE TWO
PATHS WE CAN TAKE IT IS OUR FREE CHOICE TO MAKE:
THE ONE LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE filled with Blissful
Love, Joy and Peace all Divine Blessings of God, while
THE OTHER LEADS TO ETERNAL EXILE, DEATH AND
ALIENATION FROM GOD AND ALL HIS GOODNESS.
EACH OF THESE PATHS ARE CLEARLY MARKED BY THE
SPIRITUAL FRUIT IT PRODUCES.
St John Cassian explained - initially quoting St Pauls Epistle
to the Romans: ... for it is not eating and drinking
that make the Kingdom of God, but the Saving Justice,
the Peace and the Joy brought by the Holy Spirit...
If, then the Eternal, Blessed Kingdom of God is within us,
and it consists of Righteousness, Peace and Joy, then
whoever lives in these Virtues is without doubt
already in the Kingdom of God.
On the contrary, whoever lives in wickedness, violence,
injustice, discord, Spiritual Darkness and Death, is
obviously subject to the enslaving kingdom of the evil
one of Hades, Hell and Spiritual Death.
It is by means of these particular signs that the two very
different kingdoms are discerned.
To those who find some delight in condemning sinners to
Hell, St Silouan declared: Love (Agape) could not bear
that!
Such animosity is part of the rotten fruit of the Path that
leads to Spiritual Destruction and certainly not to the
Pious Proclamation of the Righteous.
The rotten fruit of the broad Path that leads to our
destruction (both spiritual and physical harm) encloses us in
the dark confines of a constricted heart the rigid
world of selfishness, calumny and judgement.
On this wicked Path there is only increasing misery, the
suffocation of our human spirit, the replacing of our
heart of flesh with a heart of stone.
THE PLEASURE WE MAY EXPERIENCE FROM OUR SELF-
INDULGENT SINS IS ALWAYS SHORT-LIVED FOR THIS IS
AN INSATIABLE ADDICTION.
Love (Agape) is the only True Cure, but that is the one Great
Virtue and Divine Gift that the ego-addict cannot bear
(nor achieve without a life-changing Repentance that is finally
achieved by ceaseless Prayers to God for His Great Mercy and
much Spiritual Struggle.)
THE LOVELESS EGO-ADDICT DESIRES TO BE HONOURED
ABOVE ALL OTHERS, TO HAVE CONTROL AND POWER
OVER EVERYONE ELSE BUT HE HAS NO DESIRE TO BE
LOVED FOR THAT WOULD REQUIRE HIM TO LOVE IN
RETURN!
Tragically, there is only one destination along this fatal
Path and that is a self-inflicted, infinitely lonely
personal hell.
THE HOLY VIRTUES THAT CHARACTERISE THE KINGDOM OF
GOD ARE SPACIOUS, OPEN AND FILLED WITH DIVINE
LIGHT.
SAINTS ARE RECOGNISED BY SUCH GOOD SPIRITUAL
QUALITIES AND BEING IN THEIR PRESENCE PRODUCES A
SIMILAR EFFECT IN US.
13
T H
SUNDAY AF T E R PE NT E COS T B E F OR E E XAL T AT I ON OF T HE HOL Y CR OS S FOR E F E AS T NAT I V I T Y OF T H E OT OK OS - 7 SE P T E MB E R 2014
6
Although we might not be able to see the Holy Light with
our physical sight, the LOVE, JOY AND PEACE ARE
CERTAINLY FELT BY US, FOR THEY I LLUMINE, WAKEN
AND WARM OUR HEART AND TO BE SO BLESSED BY
BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF THOSE WHO WALK THE
NARROW PATH THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE, BRINGS
US UNMISTAKABLE JOY, LIGHT, SPIRITUAL WARMTH,
PEACE AND TRUE FREEDOM OF SPIRIT.
THEIR EFFORTS their Spiritual Labours and Struggles for
their own Salvation reverberates throughout all
Creation and BRING DIVINE I LLUMINATION TO ALL OF
US, FOR WE ARE INTERCONNECTED.
One of our Holy Church Fathers told his Disciples: ... I
have Struggled for twenty years for one thing to see
all human beings as one...
And it also applies to the entire Creation of God for, as
even the Physicists tell us: ... we cannot pull a straw
without moving a star!
BOTH THESE KINGDOMS CAN TAKE ROOT AND GROW IN OUR
HEART DURING THIS SHORT LIFE-SPAN in this
temporary world - and WHATEVER WE CHOOSE TO
THINK, OR TO SAY, OR TO DO, AT EVERY MOMENT AND
AT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, IT DETERMINES OUR
JOURNEY AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR ULTIMATE
DESTINATION.
We must CHOOSE TO WALK THE NARROW PATH, being EVER
WATCHFUL AND ALERT, CONSTANTLY GUARDING OUR
WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS from ... injustice,
discord and Death-dealing gloom.. - CHOOSING
INSTEAD THE PATH OF PEACE, JOY, LIGHT AND TRUE
FREEDOM, for, as our Holy Fathers have warned us: If
we cannot see God in this life, then we will not be able
to see Him in the next!
THE ONE UNMISTAKABLE FRUIT OF A LIFE LIVED FOR GOD
IS THE ABILITY TO LOVE WITHOUT LIMIT.
LOVE (AGAPE) IS THE WAY OF THE TRUE, LIFE-GIVING
CROSS OF CHRIST AND THE ONE THING NEEDED ABOVE
ALL OTHERS that we must constantly nurture in
ourselves.
SERMON BY FATHER ANTHONY HUGHES OF THE ST MARY ORTHODOX CHURCH,
CAMBRI DGE, MASSACHUSETTS
HTTP://WWW.STMARYORTHODOXCHURCH.ORG/ORTHODOXY/SERMONS/2009/FOR-
GOD-SO-LOVED-THE-WORLD
S t Di o n y s i o s t h e A r e o p a g i t e
...does someone say that souls are evil? If it be that they
meet with evil things providentially, and with a view to
their preservation, this is not an evil, but a good, and
from the Good, Who makes even the evil good.
But, if we say that souls become evil, in what respect do
they become evil, except in the failure of their good
habits and energies; and, by reason of their own lack of
strength, missing their aim and tripping?
For we also say that the air around us becomes dark by
failure and absence of light, and yet the Light itself is
always light - that which Enlightens even the Darkness.
The Evil, then, is neither in demons nor in us, as an existent
evil, but as a failure and dearth of the Perfection of our
own proper goods.
Our self-love and pride manifest themselves especially in
impatience and irritability when some of us cannot bear
the slightest unpleasantness intentionally, or even
unintentionally, caused us by others; or obstacles
lawfully or unlawfully, intentionally or unintentionally,
opposed to us by others, or caused by the objects
surrounding us.
Our self-love and pride would like everything to be as we
wish - that we should be surrounded by every honour
and comfort of this temporal life.
We would like all others, and even - how far is pride carried!
- all nature itself, to speedily and silently obey a sign
from us.
Meanwhile, alas! We ourselves are very slow to Faith and to
every Good Work we are very slow to please the One
Good Master of all!
Brethren: we must be absolutely humble, meek, and long-
suffering always remembering that we are clay, dust,
nothingness always remembering that we are impure
and that everything good that we have is from God!
We must never forget that our life, our breath and
everything we possess are God's Gifts.
We must never forget that for our sins of disobedience and
intemperance we ought now to Redeem our future
Blessedness in Paradise by Long-suffering, which is
indispensable in this world of imperfections and
innumerable transgressions of fallen souls who -
together with us - are the numerous members of the
one sin-sullied human race!
A b b o t T r y p h o n Wh o i s Wi t h o u t S i n ? "
"We have all sinned and fall short of the Glory of God ...
(ROMANS 3:23)
We Orthodox Christians often miss the mark in
understanding and ministering to this world.
We fail to fulfil the Words of Christ Who commands us to
... Love one another as God has Loved... us - and we
conveniently forget that we are charged by our Lord to
bring Healing and wholeness to those who are
Struggling in this fallen world.
In our righteous indignation, we show contempt to the
ways of the world, forgetting that we were ourselves
Called out of this world by Christ.
We forget, in our contempt for the sins of others, that it
was this very Christ Who asked those in the crowd who
were without sin to cast the first stone!
The recent attack on a homosexual rights demonstration in
the country of Georgia, is an example, to my mind, of
the ultimate failure in reaching out with the Saving
Message of the Holy Gospel.
Orthodox Priests led a mob attack on the demonstrators for
gay civil rights, which ultimately led to physical
violence, and the breaking of the windows of buses that
had delivered the demonstrators to the city centre.
How Orthodox Clergy who are supposed to represent the
Holy Church founded by the Divine Prince of Peace, our
Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ - could stoop to such a
violent attack, is beyond my comprehension.
All of us have failed to fulfil the Divine Commandments of
Almighty God, and we all deserve to be squashed like
worms!
However, as St Jeremiah stated: Through the Lords
Mercies we are not consumed, because His
Compassions do not fail. They are new every
morning! Great is Thy Faithfulness. (LAMENTATIONS OF
JEREMIAH 3:22 & 23LXX)
God never washes His Hands of us.
We may disappoint Him every day, but His Mercy is infinite
and great, and He responds with His Saving Grace and
Mercy.
The Holy Church of Christ - as the Hospital of the soul - is
the very Institution founded by our Lord Jesus that
brings wholeness and Healing to everyone.
It is the destructive lie of Satan that certain types of
sinners are deserving of nothing but our contempt and
violence.
However, it is Christ Himself Who has Called every one of
us to have Love and Compassion for our fellow sinners
and it is Christ Himself Who offers us wretched
sinners - through His Holy Church - the Saving,
Transformational Healing that can turn our wicked
heart around, and can turn even us sinners into Saints!
When Priests of Christ's Holy Church turn from the Gospel
of wholeness and Healing - the Holy Gospel of Love and
Forgiveness - and act in such a contemptuous manner
towards that vital, Salvific and Life-giving Holy Gospel
Message of Love and Forgiveness, those who are caught
up in a sinful life will feel nothing but hopelessness,
rejection and terrible despair - and the Divine Message
of unconditional Love of Gods Eternal Church will have
been hidden from and denied to them!
Those who have no sin ... let them cast the first stone...!!
(In addition, the Sanctity of the Holy Priesthood is defiled and
blasphemed by such hateful actions!!)
T HE NAT I V I T Y OF T H E EV E R BL E S S E D, AL L PUR E & EV E R VI R GI N MAR Y OUR L ADY T H E OT OK OS 8 SE P T E MB E R 2014
7
AL L GL OR Y , HONOU R A N D WOR S HI P T O T HE FA T HE R , A ND T O T HE SON, A ND T O T HE HOL Y
SP I R I T , NOW A N D FOR E V E R , A ND U N T O T HE AGE S OF AGE S . AME N
RE ME MB E R I NG A L S O OUR MOS T HOL Y , MOS T P U R E , MOS T BL E S S E D A ND GL OR I OU S L A DY ,
MA R Y , T HE OT OK OS Y E T E V E R VI R GI N, T OGE T HE R WI T H A L L T HE SA I NT S . AND L E T U S COMMI T
OU R S E L V E S A ND ONE A NOT HE R A N D OU R WHOL E L I F E T O CHR I S T OU R GOD . AME N .
8 S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 4
N a t i v i t y o f t h e E v e r Bl e s s e d , A l l Ho l y & P u r e ,
E v e r Vi r g i n Ma r y Ou r L a d y Th e o t o k o s
A P O L Y T I K I O N O F T H E N A T I V I T Y O F T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S : T O N E 4 :
I Gennisis Sou Theotoke hara eminise pasi ti ikoumeni,
ek Sou gar en etilen O ilios tis Dikeosinis, Hristos O
Theos imon; ke lisas tin kataran, edoke tin
Evlogian; ke katargisas ton Thanato, edorisatos
imin, Zoin tin Eonion.
Thy Nativity, O Theotokos, has brought Joy to all earthly
habitations; because from Thee has shone forth the Sun
of Righteousness, Christ Jesus our Lord. And having
loosened the Curse from us, He granted the Blessing;
and He abolished the power of Death, and bestowed
upon us, Life Eternal.
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N O F T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S
Ioakim ke Anna onidismou ateknias, ke Adam ke Eva, ek
tis fthoras tou thanatou, ileftherothisan Ahrante, en ti
Agia gennisi Sou; aftin eortazi ke O laos Sou, enohis
ton ptesmaton, litrothis en to krazin Si; I stira tkti tin
Theotokon, ke trofon tis Zois imon.
Joachim & Anna were delivered from the reproach of
childlessness, and Adam & Eve from the corruption
of death, in thy Holy Nativity, O All Pure One. This
do thy people celebrate, being Redeemed from the
guilt of transgressions, when they cry unto thee: the
Barren gives birth to the Birth-giver of God and the
Nourisher of our Life!
F I R S T A N T I P H O N O F T H E N A T I V I T Y O F T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S T O N E 2
S T I H O S Mnisthiti Kyrie tou David ke pasis tis praotitos
aftou...
>Tes Presvies tis Theotokou, Soter, soson imas.
S T I H O S 2 Idou ikousamen aftin en Efratha evromen
aftin en tis pediis tou drimou.
S T I H O S 3 Dedoxasmena elalithi peri Sou i Polis tou
Theou
S T I H O S 4 O Theos en Meso Aftis ke ou salefthisete
> Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke
is tous Eonas ton eonon.
Amin
V E R S E Lord, remember David and all his meekness...
>Through the Intercessions of the Theotokos, O
Saviour, Save us.
V E R S E Behold, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it
in the fields of the wood
Saviour, Save us.
V E R S E 3 Glorious Things are spoken of Thee, O City of
God
Saviour, Save us.
V E R S E 4 God in the midst of Her; She shall not be
moved: God shall help Her and that right early
Saviour, Save us.
> Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the
Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the Ages of
ages.
Amen
Saviour, Save us.
S E C O N D A N T I P H O N - N A T I V I T Y O F T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S T O N E 2
S T I H O S 1 Omose Kyrios to David Alithian ke ou mi
athetisi aftin.
Soson imas Iie Theou, O EN AGIIS THAVMASTOS
psallontas Si: Allilouia!
S T I H O S 2 Ek Karpou tis Kilias Sou thisome epi tou
Thronou Sou.
S T I H O S 3 Eki exanatelo Keras to David, itimasa lihnon
to Hristo Mou.
S T I H O S 4 Oti exelexato Kyrios tin Zion, iretisato aftin is
kati ian eafto.
V E R S E 1 The Lord swore in Truth to David; and He
will not turn from it.
O Son of God, WHO ART EXTOLLED BY THY
SAINTS, Save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia
V E R S E 2 O the Fruit of Thy Body will I set upon Thy
Throne
V E R S E 3 There will I make the Horn of David Bud: I
have Ordained a Lamp for Mine Anointed
V E R S E 4 For the Lord has chosen Zion: He has desired
it for His Habitation.
T HE NAT I V I T Y OF T H E EV E R BL E S S E D, AL L PUR E & EV E R VI R GI N MAR Y OUR L ADY T H E OT OK OS 8 SE P T E MB E R 2014
8
> Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke
is tous Eonas ton eonon.
Amin
> Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the
Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the Ages of
ages.
Amen
F e s t a l Ma t i n s Go s p e l L u k e 1 : 3 9 4 9 & 5 6
T H E V I S I T A T I O N O F T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S T O S T E L I Z A B E T H , T H E M O T H E R O F S T J O H N T H E B A P T I S T
At that time, Mary arose and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias
and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leapt in her womb;
and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said: Blessed art Thou among women, and Blessed is the Fruit of Thy Womb! But
why is it granted to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of Thy greeting
sounded in my ears, the babe leapt in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believes, for there will be a fulfilment of those
things that were told her from the Lord.
And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He has regarded the lowly
state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me Blessed. For He Who is Mighty has done
great things for me, and Holy is His Name!
And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
The babe who leapt joyously inside the womb of St Elizabeth at
the greeting of the Ever Blessed Theotokos and in the Presence
of Christ Who had been Incarnated by the Holy Spirit and the
Virgin Mary only a day or two beforehand, would become
known throughout all ages as St John the Baptist and
Forerunner to Christ our Lord and Saviour.
At the time he was in his sixth month of gestation and therefore he
was six months older than Jesus Christ Who was His nephew
according to the flesh.
Our Beloved Theotokos receives Veneration and Honour from both
Angels and humanity because as Archangel Gabriel
addressed Her as Blessed, so did Her Aunt, St Elizabeth (the
sister of St Anna.)
The All Pure Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary is the ultimate model of
womanhood.
No one has before or since ever received the same Glory and
Honour that was bestowed upon Her, either in Holy Scripture or
in Church History.
St Elizabeth confessed the Virgin Mary as being ...the Mother of
my Lord.
It was no ordinary, mere human being that the Ever Blessed
Theotokos carried in Her Womb. It was the Eternal Word and
Only Begotten Son of God the Father, the Creator of the
Universe, Lord and Saviour of our souls! He was the long
awaited Messiah!
The unique title Theotokos, which means the Mother/Bearer of
God, was bestowed upon Her by the Church and was
derived from the Truth of this Confession because the Divine
Infant growing in Her Womb was indeed the Incarnate God
and as a result, the world was no longer enslaved by the evil
one and sin.
The verses 46 56 ...my soul Magnifieth the Lord... are called
The Magnificat due to the first word of this Hymn in Latin.
It is a remarkable Hymn of Praise to Almighty God, which was sung
from a pure heart that was filled to bursting with Love of God
by the young Theotokos who was probably only 15 years old
at the time.
The Hymn originated from St Hannah of the Old Testament, who in
her mature years, first voiced this Inspired Prayer, which
expectant Jewish mothers have recited for centuries. [1 SAMUEL
2: 1 10]
These verses reveal that Christian Believers for all time will honour
or venerate the Ever Blessed Theotokos because, as She said:
... All generations will call me Blessed. (It was a most
humble realisation of Divine Truth not an egotistic
declaration.)
Furthermore, it is simply impossible to believe and obey Holy
Scripture but not Bless, Venerate or Honour the Mother of God
- the Mother of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ Who is God
Incarnate Almighty God Who has assumed the Body of a
mortal being, having taken His Flesh from that of the All Pure,
Ever Virgin Mary!
She is deeply respected and held as a shining Example of
Absolute Obedience to God and for this alone, we must
endeavour to imitate Her.
Th e E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e P h i l i p p i a n s 2 : 5 1 1
S T R I V E F O R H U M I L I T Y A N D O B E D I E N C E
Brethren: let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the Form of God, did not consider it
robbery to be Equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in
the likeness of mankind, He humbled Himself and became Obedient to the point of death even the death of the
cross.
Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name that is above every name that at the Name of
Jesus every knee should bow of those in Heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth and that
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.
This section of St Pauls Epistle to the Philippians consisted of a
Hymn that was already in use in the early Holy Church of
Christ, which St Paul quoted in order to remind us and call us
to contemplate the Absolute Humility of Christ our Lord a
Divine Truth that is necessary for all suffering Christians to
understand and which we must apply to ourselves - to our
daily words, thoughts and deeds as Faithful Disciples of Christ.
These words have been incorporated into many of our Orthodox
Christian Hymns.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is He Who ...being in the Form of God... is
also in the ...form of a Bondservant... - a reference to the
two complete, unmingled, unconfused Natures of Christ
completely Divine and completely human Natures.
In His human Nature, Christ voluntarily accepted the terrible,
unjust punishment of public humiliation, scourging (that would
have killed anyone else!), crucifixion and death at the exact
hour that He Himself chose!
Only in His human Nature could Christ be killed and enter Hades
with all the other human souls who had already died before
Him throughout the preceding years right back to the time
of Adam and Eve.
Having suffered such indescribable torture and execution, Christ
our Lord is Exalted by God the Father and - being Supremely
Worthy - is given the Divine Name Lord Jesus, which is so
Sacred that all Creation bows down before Him in honour,
worship and devotion.
The Divine Title Lord clearly shows us that our Lord Jesus Christ
the Incarnate Son of God shares His Eternal Divinity with
God the Father.
The Form (Morphe) of God a concept parallel with the
Image (Eikon) of God refers to God the Sons sharing in
the full Divine Nature He is Eternally Divine like God the
Father and God the Holy Spirit.
Robbery (harpagmon) literally means loot" ill gotten gains or
plunder - referring to something that is illegally, shamefully or
dishonourably stolen.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has Eternal Divine Equality with Almighty God
not by false or illegal seizure but by His own Eternal Divine
Nature.
Our Lords Absolute Humility is revealed by His voluntary Emptying
Himself of all His Divine Majesty and Power not by laying
aside His Divine Nature, but by freely taking on our weak,
powerless human nature.
To all human beings, God the Son Incarnate our Lord Jesus
Christ - looks exactly like us, for being Truly Incarnate, He is
completely human by Nature.
Due to His Incarnation, God the Son can be seen by us human
beings and is depicted in Holy Icons in His visible,
human Form, which He Himself has left us imprinted on
T HE NAT I V I T Y OF T H E EV E R BL E S S E D, AL L PUR E & EV E R VI R GI N MAR Y OUR L ADY T H E OT OK OS 8 SE P T E MB E R 2014 9.
His Facecloth the Mandylion - and the Shroud. (Not
Made By Hands.)
However, God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit, Who have
never manifested in material form - except at the Oaks of
Mamre when They Visited St Abraham - are co-equally
Eternal with Christ.
Being Eternally Spiritual and thus invisible, They cannot be
depicted except as three identical Angelic Beings or as
coloured shapes surrounding Christ in His various Holy
Icons such as that of His Transfiguration and His
Resurrection.
It is incorrect to depict God the Father as an Old Man or the
Holy Spirit as a White Dove! This is a Western, heretical
concept and should be avoided by Faithful Disciples of
Christ for as our Lord clearly informed us those who have
seen Him, have also seen God the Father i.e. all Three
Persons of the Holy Trinity are identical in Appearance. mp
Our Lord Jesus took on our weak human nature because He was
willing to share our human condition except for the ability to
sin!
In His human Nature, Christ our Lord shows the Fullness of Humility
by His Obedience even to Death that had enslaved all
humanity.
To suffer the humiliation and degradation of crucifixion a most
hideous and severe form of slow execution that was reserved
for the worst type of criminals according to Roman Law was
repulsive and horrific to the Romans as well as the Hebrews
and all the other Nations.
The Hebrews considered hanging and crucifixion as the worst
type of curse possible on Earth.
However, the Death of our Saviour on the Cross, brought Eternal
Life to all who are freely and faithfully United to God through
Holy Baptism, Chrismation and Life in Christ.
Therefore: because of Christs Sacrifice for our Eternal Salvation,
we must take hold of what God offers us and thereby accept
His Divine Grace by constantly Striving towards becoming
Spiritually Mature in Christ.
In other words: we must Struggle every moment of the day to
improve ourselves and to regain our lost Divine Likeness
by humbly and eagerly obeying all Gods Commandments
and Christs Teachings applying them to every aspect of
our Life. mp
Th e Ho l y Go s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 1 0 : 3 8 4 2 & 1 1 : 2 7 2 8
O N E T H I N G I S R E Q U I R E D O F U S T H E D I F F E R E N C E B E T W E E N S T M A R Y A N D S T M A R T H A O F B E T H A N Y
At that time, as they went, Jesus entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her
house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus Feet and heard His Word.
But Martha was distracted with much serving, so she approached Him and said: Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister has
left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.
And Jesus answered and said to her: Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But One Thing
is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
S P I R I T U A L P O W E R & S P I R I T U A L W A R F A R E
...And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him:
Blessed is the Womb that bore Thee, and the breasts that nursed Thee! But He said: More than that: Blessed are
those who hear the Word of God and keep it!
St Martha and St Mary of Bethany were the sisters of St Lazaros
whom our Lord Jesus Christ had raised from the dead.
St Martha was preoccupied and worried about all her household
duties while providing hospitality to our Lord Jesus and his
entourage of Disciples and Apostles.
Her temporary, worldly cares concerned her more than anything
else at the time so, resenting her sister who sat at the Feet of
our Lord to hear His Teachings, she appealed to Him to make
her get up and help her.
However - instead of supporting her immediate needs - our Lord
Jesus pointed out that while she was so concerned about all
her current duties, her sister had preferred to spend the
precious time listening to Christs Teachings.
] The One Thing ... needed was for her to pay attention to His
Divine Teaching to really listen to what He said. It was a
serious priority that certainly did not exclude serving Him.
Later, when a woman called out to our Lord Jesus from the crowd,
our Lord pointed out to her that Gods Blessings fall upon all
those who hear the Word of God and Obey Him.
] Family or social connections have nothing to do with our
Obedience to God and the Ever Blessed Theotokos was
especially complimented by Her Son because She not only
paid careful attention to the Word of God but She also
Faithfully Obeyed all His Commandments and lived Her
entire life accordingly.
] It is that profound Virtue of humble and attentive Obedience to
God of the Ever Blessed Theotokos alone even more than
having borne the Incarnate God that makes Her our most
Shining Example of True Sainthood and Theosis Spiritual
Perfection.
S t J o h n o f Kr o n s t a d t On S o r r o w & J o y A Ho mi l y o n t h e F e a s t o f t h e N a t i v i t y o f t h e
Mo s t Ho l y Mo t h e r o f Go d
Thy Nativity, O Theotokos Virgin, has brought Joy to all the inhabited Earth: for from Thee has sprung forth the Son of
Righteousness Christ our God.
We solemnly celebrate, dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
the Nativity of the Most Holy Virgin Mary from Her barren
parents, the Pious St Joachim and St Anna.
The Holy Church established this Feast during the first
centuries of the Christian Faith.
The Event that we celebrate today the Birth of the God-
Chosen Maiden brought Joy to all the world, for the
God-Man, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who shone
forth from Her, destroyed Gods Curse that weighed so
heavily upon the transgressing and accursed human race,
and brought Gods Blessing upon it for having trampled
down inherent Death, He granted us Eternal Life.
Thus the Holy Church of Christ explains the cause of our
present Joyous Celebration:
The parents of the Ever Virgin Mary had sorrowed long over
their barrenness; they prayed fervently to the Lord that
He loosen their infertility, which was regarded by the
people as a Divine Punishment for secret sins.
In their ceaseless and generous Almsgiving they hoped to
incline the Great Mercy of the All Merciful.
And they humbly and patiently endured the unkind and
unjust reproach of their countrymen.
The many years of their personal sorrow and suffering, their
profound Humility, ceaseless Prayers and Good Works
gradually purified their spirits, and their hearts burnt
with ever greater Love and dedication to God, which
prepared them, by Divine Providence, to finally conceive
and give Blessed, Joyous Birth to their Beloved Daughter,
who out of all the people, was Chosen by God to be the
Ever Blessed Mother of the Incarnate Word and Son of
God.
Our Lord leads His Chosen People to Glory by a Narrow and
Sorrowful Path for even She the Mother of God
according to the Flesh received the Prophecy of St
Symeon that a Sword would pierce Her soul, and that She
would experience tremendous sorrows in Her soul during
Her Sons Suffering Life so ... that the thoughts of many
hearts may be revealed... (Luke 2 : 34 35)
The Path of all Gods Chosen is thus sorrowful and narrow,
for the world and the evil prince of this fallen world the
enemy of God and His People extremely oppresses the
People of God.
The Lord Himself allows them to go by the Narrow Way,
inasmuch as He enables them to strive for God and put
all their Hope in Him.
But let us turn our gaze from the Sorrow to the Joy.
What Joy does the Nativity of the Ever Blessed Theotokos
bring us?
Let us explain in more detail the Church Hymn that explains
the meaning of todays Joyful Feast.
Through the Birth of the Ever Virgin Mary, through Her Only
Begotten Son and God, cursed and outcast mankind
makes Peace with God Who is immeasurably offended by
10. T H E N A T I V I T Y O F O U R E V E R B L E S S E D , A L L H O L Y L A D Y T H E O T O K O S & E V E R V I R G I N M A R Y 8 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
our sins, for Christ became the Mediator of this Peace.
(Romans 5 : 10 11)
Mankind is freed from the Curse and Eternal Death and we
are made worthy of the Divine Blessings of our Heavenly
Father.
We are United and co-mingled with the Divine Nature and we
are raised to our First Inheritance by this Co-mingling,
according to the Church Hymn.
Once we were outcasts, but we have not been made worthy of
Holy Sonship to our Heavenly Father, and we have
received the Promise of the Glorious Resurrection and
Eternal Life in Heaven, together with His Holy Angels.
This has all been and is being wrought by the Son of God
Incarnate from the Most Pure Virgin from the Holy Spirit,
and by the Intercessions of His Most Pure and Holy
Mother.
How honoured and magnified are we through our Ever
Blessed, All Holy Lady Theotokos, for we have been made
worthy of Renewal and Sonship by God and She Herself
was made worthy by Her immeasurable Humility,
Obedience and exceedingly great Purity and Holiness to
be the Mother of the God-Man!
She is ever our Most Powerful Intercessor before Her Son and
God!
She is our unashamed Hope and She turns away from us the
dark cloud of Gods Righteous Wrath, and opens to us the
Ancient Paradise by Her Powerful Intercessions.
She upholds the Thrones of Kings, and preserves them
unshakable unto the Ages of ages.
Our Lady Theotokos has Saved Russia and other Nations
thousands of times and continues to Save us.
She has made Russia strong, glorified her, established her
and continues doing so.
She is the Surety of sinners for our Salvation and to Her do all
Faithful Christians direct innumerable Prayers, Petitions
and Praises, as well as Doxologies and Thanksgiving.
Our Beloved Lady Theotokos has worked ceaselessly and
continues to work Miracles without number in the Holy
Church of Christ until the end of this world.
So dearest Brethren: let us brightly celebrate the great Feast
of the Nativity of our Most Pure Lady, Theotokos and Ever
Virgin Mary, by adorning ourselves with all Holy Virtues.
Amen
ST JOHN OF KRONS T ADT
T RANSL AT E D F ROM RUSS I AN B Y
PRAVOS L AVI E . RU/ ORT HOCHRI ST I AN. COM
( 21/ 09/ 2012)
HT T P: / / WWW. P RAVOSL AVI E . RU/ ENGL I SH/ 392 53. HT M
Th e L a mb
(An excerpt from Chronicles of the Renewed Crucifixion of Kosovo Diary Entries and Other Records March 1999 December 2000 by
Metropolitan Amphilochius (Radovitch). *This book has recently been translated into English and can be purchased at New Gracanica
Bookstore)
We visited once again the burned Temple of the Mother of
God.
When we entered the Temple, the embers of the burned
Sacred Books and Icons were still smouldering.
The Holy Chalice wrapped in a towel was shining in the
embers, miraculously protected from the fire.
Suddenly we heard a strange noise coming from behind the
Altar Railing, on which you could still discern the
figures of Christ and the Theotokos, blackened by the
fire, with drops of condensed resin on their faces.
Maybe the Albanian who burned the temple hid himself in
the Altar area. I thought this to myself, expecting a
shot from that direction at any moment.
When I finally cautiously peeked through the southern
door, I saw a terrified lamb that trembled like an aspen
leaf in the wind in the soot of burned utensils under the
Altar Table!
Those days everything was in flames in the deserted village.
Only the shots echoed, and the eerie shadows of the
Albanian troikas dressed in black moved around,
destroying everything that was Serbian.
And the lamb?
It ran away early in the morning by the burning houses and
corrals, flying to the Altar to save itself.
As I watched it trembling under the Altar, it seemed to me I
was watching the Christ Himself, the Lamb slain for the
Life of the world offered for centuries right on this very
Altar as a Bloodless Sacrifice.
http://frmilovan.wordpress.com/
P r o t o p r e s b y t e r J o h n Ro m a n i d e s O n H a p p i n e s s S e e k i n g S i c k n e s s
Joy, not happiness. Happiness is a delusion of this world, a sickness of mans soul. To anticipate happiness in the next life
is to expect to be in the condition we call Hell, not Heaven.
The Church as a Spiritual Hospital has first and foremost to Heal us of the happiness seeking sickness of mankind, which
holds us in bondage to a delusion and prevents us from coming to a Knowledge of Truth.
E v e n H o n e y B e e s R e s p e c t t h e I c o n s
In a recent news brief, it was reported that a beekeeper,
just outside of Athens, Greece, had placed an Icon of
the Crucifixion in a beehive.
When he returned he found that the bees had covered the
area around the Icon with wax comb, but left the Icon
Face Itself open.
The following year he did it again, with Icons of Christ, the
Theotokos, and the Saints.
The same thing happened again the image on the Icon
was never covered.
Finally he placed an Icon with the three crosses on
Golgotha.
Later he found that the bees had left open the Image of the
Crucified Lord and the Good Thief, but had overlaid the
Bad Thief with a heavy carpet of wax.
Gods ways are truly mysterious!
http://frmilovan.wordpress.com
H o m i l y b y S t N i c h o l a s V e l i m i r o v i c O n S u f f e r i n g a L i f e - t h r e a t e n i n g Di s e a s e
"Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Remain Faithful until death, and I will give you the Crown of Life."
(REVELATION 2:10).
By His Suffering our Lord eased our suffering - He endured
the greatest of pain and emerged as the Victor. That is
why He can encourage us in our lesser sufferings.
He suffered and endured in Righteousness while we suffer
and endure in expiating our own sins. This is why He
can doubly remind us to endure to the end as He, the
Sinless One, endured.
Not one of us has helped nor alleviated His pains and
endurance, yet He stands alongside each one of us when
we suffer and alleviates our pains and misfortunes.
That is why He has the right to tell each us who suffers for
His Name's sake: "Do not be afraid! Do not be afraid of
anything that you are going to suffer," for He alone
has endured all suffering and is familiar with them.
He was not afraid of any type of suffering and He received
them upon Himself and, in the end, overcame them all -
not by dismissing them or fleeing from them but
receiving them all upon Himself voluntarily and
enduring them all to the end.
And so we also should accept voluntary suffering, for He
sees and knows how much and for how long we can
endure.
If our suffering continues to death itself and even if it is the
cause of our death, we must not be afraid: "I will give
you the Crown of Life."
He will crown us with Immortal Life wherein He reigns
Eternally with the Father and the Life-Giving Spirit.
God did not send us to Earth to live comfortably - rather to
prepare for Eternal Life, so it would be a great tragedy if
our Creator were unable to grant us a better, longer,
and brighter Life than that which is on Earth - which
reeks of decay and death and is shorter than the life of
a Raven.
O my Brethren: let us listen to the Words of our Lord and
all our sufferings will be alleviated. If the blows of the
world seem as hard as stones, they will become as the
foam of the sea when we obey our Lord.
O Victorious Lord, teach us more about Thy Long-
suffering; and when we become exhausted, extend Thy
Hand and sustain us.
S Y N A X I S - R I G H T E O U S P R O G E N I T O R S & P A R E N T S O F O U R L A D Y T H E O T O K O S 9 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 11.
AL L GL OR Y , HONOU R A ND WOR S HI P T O T HE FA T HE R , A ND T O T HE S ON, A ND T O T HE HOL Y SP I R I T , NOW
A ND F OR E V E R , A ND U N T O T HE AGE S OF AGE S . AME N
RE ME MB E R I NG A L S O OU R MOS T HOL Y , MOS T P U R E , MOS T BL E S S E D AND GL OR I OU S L A DY , MA R Y ,
T HE OT OK OS Y E T E V E R VI R GI N, T OGE T HE R WI T H A L L T HE SA I NT S . AND L E T U S COMMI T OUR S E L V E S A ND
ONE A NOT HE R A ND OU R WHOL E L I F E T O CHR I S T OU R GOD. AME N.
9 S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 4
A f t e r f e a s t o f t h e N a t i v i t y
S y n a x i s o f S t J o a c h i m & S t A n n a
Ri g h t e o u s P r o g e n i t o r s &P a r e n t s o f o u r E v e r Bl e s s e d L a d y
Th e o t o k o s
AL S O T HE FE AS T OF ST SE VE R I ANOS OF SE BAS T E T HE HOL Y CHURCH FAT HE RS OF T HE 3
R D
ECUME NI CA L COU NCI L I N 431 - ST JOS E P H OF VOL OK OL AMS K, VOL OT S K ST
T HE ODOS I OS OF CHE RNI GOV, UNCOVE R I NG ST T HE OP HA NE S T HE CONF E S S OR & F AS T E R
OF MOUNT DI AB E NOS ST CHAR I T ON & ST ST AT ON ST NI CE T AS T HE HI DDE N OF
CONS T ANT I NOP L E ST CI ARAN ( K I E RAN) OF CL OMACNOI S , I RE L AND
F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N - S Y N A X I S O F S T J O A C H I M & S T A N N A : T O N E 2
Ton Dikeon Theopatoron Sou Kyrie, tin Mnimin
Eortazontes, di afton Se disopoumen. Soson tas
psihas imon.
As we celebrate the Memory of Thy Righteous Ancestors, O
Lord, through them we beseech Thee to Save our soul.
A P O L Y T I K I O N O F T H E N A T I V I T Y O F T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S : T O N E 4 :
I Gennisis Sou Theotoke hara eminise pasi ti ikoumeni,
ek Sou gar en etilen O ilios tis Dikeosinis, Hristos O
Theos imon; ke lisas tin kataran, Edoke tin
Evlogian; ke katargisas ton Thanato, edorisatos
imin, Zoin tin Eonion.
Thy Nativity, O Theotokos, has brought Joy to all earthly
habitations; because from Thee has shone forth the Sun
of Righteousness, Christ Jesus our Lord. And having
loosened the Curse from us, He granted the Blessing;
and He abolished the power of Death, and bestowed
upon us, Life Eternal.
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N - S Y N A X I S S T J O A C H I M & S T A N N A - T O N E 2
Eufrenete nin, i Anna tis stiroseos, lithisa desmon, ke trefi
tin panahranton, sigkalousa apantas animnise ton
dorisamenon, ek nidios aftis tiis vrotis, tin Monin Mitera
ke Apirandron.
Now Anna is glad, for from the bonds of barrenness
has she been released; and nourishing the All Pure
One, she summons all together that they might
Praise Him Who from her womb has bestowed upon
mankind the Only Pure Mother who has known no
man.
Go d i s W o n d e r f u l i n H i s S a i n t s !
Bl e s s G o d i n t h e C o n g r e g a t i o n s !
Th e E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e Ga l a t i a n s 4 : 2 2 - 2 7
C O N C E R N I N G S L A V E R Y & S O N S H I P
Brethren: Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondservant, the other by a free woman. And he who was of the
bondwoman was born according to the flesh, while he who was born of the free woman was born through a Promise,
which things are symbolic, for these are the two Covenants the one from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to bondage,
being Hagar, for Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with
her children but the Jerusalem Above is Free, which is the Mother of us all.
For it is written: Rejoice, O Barren! You who do not bear! Break forth and cry you who are not in labour! For the
desolate has many more children than she who has a husband!
By saying that Abraham s two sons and related events are
symbolic (allegoreo) St Paul did not imply that they are not
historical facts and events.
Rather, he asserted that Old Covenant history is announcing
something far greater than merely itself.
Hagar and Mount Sinai symbolise the earthly Jerusalem and the
Hebrews (Jews) who remain under the Old Covenant Law.
Sarah, on the contrary, being a free woman, symbolises the
Heavenly Jerusalem the Eternal, Holy Church of Christ and
the Christians the Struggling Disciples of Christ (Church
Militant) and all the Saints and Holy Martyrs (the Church
Triumphant) who follow Christ and Gods New Covenant.
The desolate are those who are in the New Covenant Church
especially the Gentiles (pagans or non-Jews).
She who has no husband is Israel.
Furthermore, Sarah was a type of Theotokos similar to the Ever
Blessed Mother of God Incarnate for her son, Isaac, was
also born through the Divine Promise of Almighty God as a
significant part of His Eternal, Divine Plan.
St John Chrysostom explained that Isaac ... was the issue of
bodies that were dead, and of a womb that was dead. His
conception was not by the flesh, nor his birth by the seed, for
the womb was dead both through age and barrenness. But
the Word of God fashioned him... He who was not
according to the flesh was more honourable than he who
was born after the flesh. Therefore let it not disturb you that
you were not born after the flesh. For, from the very reason
that you are not so born, are you most of all Abrahams
kindred.
St John Chrysostom thus explained to all Christians that we
members of St Abrahams Holy Family through our Holy
Baptism our Divine Adoption as co-Heirs with Christ of Gods
Eternal Kingdom.
This particular passage is also read on 23 September, the Feast
of the Conception of St John the Baptist as well as 9
December, the Feast of the Conception of the Ever Blessed
Virgin Mary our Lady Theotokos.
12. S Y N A X I S - R I G H T E O U S P R O G E N I T O R S & P A R E N T S O F O U R L A D Y T H E O T O K O S 9 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
Th e Ho l y Go s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t Ma r k 4 : 2 4 - 3 4
T H E P A R A B L E S O F T H E S C A T T E R E D S E E D & T H E T I N Y M U S T A R D S E E D
At that time our Lord Jesus said to them: Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be
measured to you; and to ou who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever
does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
And He said: The Kingdom of God is as if a Man should scatter Seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise
by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, He Himself does not know how. For the Earth yields crops by itself
first the blade, then the head; after that, the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately He puts
in the sickle, because the Harvest has come.
Then He said: To what shall we liken the Kingdom of God? Or with what Parable shall we picture it? It is like a
mustard seed, which when it is sown in the ground is smaller than all the seeds on Earth. But when it is sown, it
grows and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest in its
shade.
And with many such Parables He spoke the Word to them as they were able to hear It. But without a Parable He did not
speak to them.
And when they were alone, He explained all Things to His Disciples.
Our Lord Jesus Christ Calls us all to pay very careful attention to
His Teachings and Commandments and to fulfil everything
according to His Divine Will.
He does not want us to merely hear His Divine Truth but to apply
them to ourselves and our personal lifestyle.
He has given us His Divine Truth and Promise: ... more will be
given... to those who faithfully respond to our Lord Jesus
Christ with an eager, open heart so that we can grow in
Understanding, Wisdom and Knowledge of God.
St Mark the Ascetic exhorted us: Do the Good you know, and
what you do not know, will be revealed to you.
We will be Judged according to our own level of judgement
because we are guilty of the very things whereby we judge
others!! ( ROMANS 2:1)
We ourselves have failed in Repentance and in fleeing from sin.
Therefore, to dare to pass judgement on others is to
blasphemously assume Gods Divine Authority for He alone
is our One, True Judge.
The Parable of the Scattered Seed is recorded only in the Holy
Gospel according to St Mark.
The Kingdom of God refers to the whole, infinite span of Gods
Dispensation or Plan of Salvation.
The Man is Christ our Lord and Saviour, and the Seed is His
Holy Gospel His Divine Truth.
Sleep is a reference to our Lords Death by crucifixion (in His
human Nature) which is followed by His Glorious Resurrection
on the Third Day.
The fact that the Man does not know how the seed develops
and grows shows us that Christ never manipulates our
response to His Holy Gospel His Divine Truth but that each
of us is free to receive It and to allow It to be nurtured within
our heart and soul or to reject It and suffer the Eternal
Consequences.
The Harvest is the Reappearance in all His Glory of Christ our
Lord and Saviour at His Second Coming, when all mankind
will be Judged according to our reception and
implementation of the Divine Gospel all Teachings and
Commandments of Almighty God.
The miniscule Mustard Seed represents the Disciples of Christ
who, according to St Theophylact, were initially only a small
group but who ... soon encompassed the whole Earth.
The tiny Mustard Seed applies to our Faith in God, which
enters our very soul, where, if nurtured and nourished
carefully, will grow into the magnificent Virtues that enable
us to become God-like beings who can perceive and
receive His Angels, Saints and other special Divine Blessings.
This lifespan is entirely for the Holy Purpose of regaining our
original created state, having been made in the Image
and Likeness of God.
After the Fall due to Adams Disobedience, God has provided us
with every means possible to regain our lost Holy State,
which proves His infinite Love for all mankind and His desire
to regain all His Lost Sheep.
Synaxi s of St J oachi m & St Anna Af t er f eas t - Nat ivi t y of our Ever Bl es sed Lady Theot okos
The four Evangelists began to record their Holy Gospels at
various times, but Christians in the earliest centuries
knew of another starting point for the Good Tidings of
our Eternal Salvation and that unwritten account
began with an ordinary family a man and his wife.
St Joachim and St Anna (Hannah, meaning Grace or
Favour) were not an extraordinary couple like the aged,
widower St Joseph the Betrothed and his very young, All
Pure, Ever Blessed niece and ward, St Mary a
Consecrated Temple Virgin (Nun) for whom he was
elected as Venerable Guardian and Protector by Divine
Will and the Temple Priests.
Nor was their Marriage due to Divine Will like that of St
Isaac and St Rebecca, and neither did they find each
other through a Providential Meeting like Boaz and
Ruth.
St Joachim and St Anna were as ordinary a family as most
of ours warm, affectionate, loving and nurturing.
However, their Marriage was considered imperfect for they
suffered the pain of childlessness over many long years.
Furthermore, due to their Hebrew culture and the time and
place, their personal problem was more than their own
private heartache for it was considered by others as a
social stigma, which was seen by some as a Sign of
Divine Disfavour and even Condemnation!
Throughout the years, they prayed ceaselessly, performed
many acts of mercy and compassion, and gave
generously to the needy and to the destitute, as well, of
course, to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
One day St Joachims offerings were rejected by an
inconsiderate, uncompassionate and insensitive Priest
who callously and publically commented: How can a
childless man be deemed worthy to come before God?
Profoundly confused and deeply ashamed, St Joachim
departed from the Temple and the city, taking his
flocks of sheep and setting off into the wilderness in
abject grief and undeserved guilt, where he prayed
fervently and poured out his heartache, remorse and
sorrow before the Lord our God.
Meanwhile, his faithful and loving wife, St Anna, feared the
worst for her absent husband, and being unaware of
what had happened, she went into deep mourning as a
childless widow as someone who was utterly alone
and completely bereft. Her heart was shattered with
pain and her heart-rending Prayers reached Heaven: O
God of our Fathers: Bless me!
This little family was just like us, for whom among us is
untouched by hurt, by loss, by weakness, by strife, by
shame, by guilt, by disappointment, by rejection...?
Which family is not affected by some condition or another
that breaks our heart and challenges our hope and the
strength of our Faith?
These two Saints were simply faithful people who ached for
Gods Divine Presence and a sense of His Divine
Purpose in their humble Life.
Is it any wonder that the Holy Church began the Good News
with these two faithful, unassuming people?
God often makes wonderful things happen through such
meek and gentle people, despite any limitations or
frailty of our broken human nature.
When our Prayers come together with Gods Grace, Miracles
certainly occur and the infant Mary was just such a
Divine and Most Blessed Miracle.
The Work of St Joachim and St Anna in Gods Plan of
Salvation did not end with Her birth. They were not
called merely as progenitors but even more, they were
called to be parents.
Parents are not simply those who sire or bear children but
those who PREPARE children to become worthy adults,
by wise words, good Teachings and by good example.
Our Lady Theotokos had parents who are our role models
of Love, self-sacrifice, perseverance and ceaseless
Prayer, for Christs Faithful Disciples are not mass
produced - Saints are handmade - one at a time!!
T H E U N I V E R S A L E X A L T A T I O N O F T H E H O L Y C R O S S O F C H R I S T O U R L O R D - 1 4 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 13
AL L GL OR Y , HONOU R A ND WOR S HI P T O T HE FA T HE R , A ND T O T HE SON, A ND T O T HE HOL Y SP I R I T , NOW A ND FOR E V E R , A ND U NT O T HE AGE S OF
AGE S . AME N
RE ME MB E R I NG A L S O OU R MOS T HOL Y , MOS T P U R E , MOS T BL E S S E D A ND
GL OR I OU S L A DY , MA R Y , T HE OT OKOS Y E T E V E R VI R GI N, T OGE T HE R WI T H A L L T HE
SA I NT S . AND L E T U S COMMI T OUR S E L V E S A ND ONE A NOT HE R A ND OU R WHOL E
L I F E T O CHR I S T OU R GOD . AME N.
1 4 S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 4
1 4
t h
Th e U n i v e r s a l E x a l t a t i o n o f t h e Ho l y , L i f e -
g i v i n g C r o s s o f C h r i s t o u r S a v i o u r
AL S O T HE FE AS T OF T HE COMME MORAT I ON OF T HE HOL Y CHURCH
FAT HE RS OF T HE 6
T H
ECU ME NI CAL COUNCI L I N 680 - ST JOHN
CHRY S OS T OM OF CONS T ANT I NOP L E ( WHI CH I S T RA NS F E RRE D T O 13
NOVE MB E R) ST MA KA RI OS & ST JOS E P H, HOL Y MONK MA RT Y RS OF
DI ONY S I OU MONAS T E RY , MOUNT AT HOS ST ANT HI MOS OF I B E RI A &
GE ORGI A
F E S T A L I S O D I K O N :
Ipsoute Kyrion ton Theon imon ke Proskinite to Ipopodio
ton Podon Aftou, oti Agios esti.
Soson imas, Ie Theou, O SARKI STAVROTHIS, psalontas Si:
Allilouia!
Exalt ye the Lord our God, and Worship at His Footstool;
for He is Holy!
Save us, O Son of God, WHO WAS CRUCIFIED IN THE FLESH,
who sin to Thee: Alleluia!
F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F T H E E X A L T A T I O N O F T H E H O L Y C R O S S
Soson Kyrie ton Laon Sou, ke Evlogison tin Klironomian
Sou, Nikas tis efsevesi kata varvaron doroumenos, ke
to Son Filatton, dia tou Stavrou Sou Politefma. [3]
O Lord, Save Thy People, and Bless Thine Inheritance,
granting Victory over enemies unto our Rulers and
through Thy Cross preserving Thine Estate [3]
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N O F T H E E X A L T A T I O N O F T H E H O L Y C R O S S
O Ipsothis en to Stavro ekousios, ti eponimo Sou keni
politia, tous iktirmous Sou Dorise, Hriste O Theos.
Evfranon en ti Dinami Sou, tous Pistous Vasilis imon,
Nikas horigon aftis, kata ton polemion. Tin
sinmmahian ehien tin Sin, Oplon Irinis, Aittiton
Tropeon.
Thou Who were lifted on the Cross voluntarily, on Thy
new Commonwealth that bears Thy Name, do bestow
Thy Mercies, O Christ our God; gladden in Thy
Mighty Strength, our Faithful Rulers, granting to them
Victories, against all the enemies, and may Thy Help
in battle be for them, a Weapon of Peace, and Banner
Invincible!
I N S T E A D O F T H E T R I S A G I O N H Y M N T O N E 2
Ton Stavron Sou Proskinoumen, Despota, ke tin Agian
Sou Anastasin Doxazomen.
> Doxa Patri ke Io ke Agio Pnevmati, ke nin ke ai ke is
tous eonas ton eonon.
Amin
Ke tin Agian Sou Anastasin Doxazomen
Dinamis!
Ton Stavron Sou Proskinoumen, Despota, ke tin Agian
Sou Anastasin Doxazomen.
Thy Cross, O Master, we Reverence, and we Glorify Thy
Holy Resurrection.
> Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages.
Amen
And Thy Holy Resurrection we glorify
P RI E S T Dynamis (Power)!
Thy Cross, O Master, we Reverence, and we Glorify Thy
Holy Resurrection.
F E S T A L C O M M U N I O N H Y M N O F T H E H O L Y C R O S S
Esimiothi ef imas to Fos tou Prosopou Sou, Kyrie:
Allelouia!
The Light of Thy Countenance has been impressed on
us, O Lord: Alleluia!
F e s t a l Ma t i n s Go s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 1 2 : 2 8 3 6
T H E J U D G E M E N T O F T H I S W O R L D - T H E H O L Y C R O S S O F C H R I S T
At that time our Lord Jesus said: Father, Glorify Thy Name. Then a Voice came from Heaven, saying: I have both
Glorified it and will Glorify it again.
Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said: An Angel has spoken to Him.
Jesus answered and said: This Voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is the Judgement of this
world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And when I Am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all peoples
to Myself. This He said, signifying by what Death He would die.
The people answered Him:, We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever; and how can Thou say: The Son
of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?
Then Jesus said to them: A little while longer the Light is with you. Walk while you have the Light, lest darkness
overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.
While you have the Light, believe in the Light, that you may become sons of Light.
These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
THE FATHERS NAME I S AN EXTENSION OF HIS PERSON AND THE
SON WORKED FOR THE GLORY OF THE FATHER.
Therefore HIS DEATH WAS OFFERED UP TO COMPLETE THAT
PURPOSE AND TO SHOW THE FATHERS LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE.
The Divine Voice assured us that THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRI ST
WAS NOT HUMI LI ATI ON BUT GLORI FICATION THROUGH THE
FULFILMENT OF GODS PLAN FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THE
WORLD.
Lifted up is a reference to the lifting up of Christ upon the
Cross, HIS CRUCIFIXI ON, WHI CH I S HIS GLORIFICATION AND
WHICH LEADS TO THE SALVATI ON OF THE HUMAN RACE.
14. T H E U N I V E R S A L E X A L T A T I O N O F T H E H O L Y C R O S S O F C H R I S T O U R L O R D - 1 4 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
At the same time this Event, was A JUDGEMENT ON THE
UNBELI EVING WORLD OF DARKNESS AND THE ABOLI TI ON OF
THE POWER OF THE RULER OF THIS WORLD WHO I S SATAN.
WE LIVE IN A STATE OF TENSION BETWEEN THE VI CTORY WON AND
THAT WHI CH IS YET TO BE WON. [1 JOHN 2:13, 1 JOHN 5:4-5]
In a Vespers Hymn for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy
Cross, we sing: Lifted High upon the Cross, O Master, with
Thyself Thou hast raised up Adam and the whole of fallen
nature. Therefore, Exalting Thine Undefiled Cross, O Thou
Who Lovest mankind, we ask Thee for Thy Strength from
Above, crying: O God Most High, in Thy Mercy Save those
who honour the Sacred Life-Giving and Divine Exaltation of
Thy Cross.
The theme of JESUS CHRI ST AS THE LI GHT receives renewed
emphasis.
The crowd wanted to know the Identity of the Son of Man, but
JESUS CHRI ST CHALLENGED THEM TO COME TO THE LI GHT
WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME TO BECOME CHI LDREN OF LIGHT.
[NICENE CREED]
IN UNION WITH JESUS CHRI ST, WE PARTAKE OF HIS LIGHT,
BECOMI NG CHI LDREN OF LIGHT.
F e s t a l P r o k e i me n o n E x a l t a t i o n o f t h e Ho l y C r o s s
> Exalt the Lord our God, and Worship at His Footstool, for He is Holy!
The Lord reigns let the people rage...
Th e F i r s t E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e C o r i n t h i a n s 1 : 1 8 - 2 4
T H E M E S S A G E O F T H E C R O S S I S T H E P O W E R O F G O D
Brethren: the Message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being Saved it is the
Power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of
the prudent.
Where are the wise? Where are the Scribes? Where are the disputers of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of
this world? For since, in the Wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the
Foolishness of the Message preached to Save those who believe. For Jews request a Sign, and Greeks seek after
wisdom; but we preach Christ Crucified: to the Jews a Stumbling Block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those
who are Called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God.
The Message of the Cross .. [is]... foolishness to unbelievers
because as St John Chrysostom answers:
IT I S A MARK OF THOSE WHO PERISH NOT TO RECOGNISE THE THI NGS
THAT LEAD TO SALVATI ON.
WE WHO BEAR WITNESS TO CHRIST MUST NOT BE DISCOURAGED WHEN
THOSE OUTSIDE OF HIM MOCK, for so did once even St Paul
himself.
BEING SAVED - present tense - refers to THE PROCESS BY WHI CH
THE HOLY CROSS TRANSFORMS US WITH THE POWER OF GOD.
TO THOSE WHO REQUEST A SIGN the Church offers one: THE
HOLY LIFE-GIVI NG CROSS OF OUR LORD & SAVI OUR, JESUS
CHRI ST!
THE HOLY CROSS IS TO BE ADORED, FOR WHEREVER THE SI GN OF THE
CROSS MAY BE, THERE JESUS CHRI ST WILL BE.
SINCE CHRIST IS THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD THE
FATHER - THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE FATHERS GLORY, THE
SUBSTANTI AL AND PERFECT IMAGE OF THE I NVI SIBLE GOD -
WHERE HE IS, THERE IS THE UNCREATED AND SAVI NG GRACE OF
GOD. [ HEBREWS 1:3]
THE HOLY, LIFE-GIVI NG CROSS OF OUR LORD AND SAVI OUR, JESUS
CHRI ST, RESTORES MANKI ND TO IMMORTALI TY AND STIRS UP
DESI RE FOR THE THI NGS OF GOD.
T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 1 9 : 6 - 1 1 ; 1 3 - 2 0 ; 2 5 - 2 8 , 3 0 - 3 5
W E R E M E M B E R T H E C R U C I F I X I O N O F O U R L O R D A N D S A V I O U R , J E S U S C H R I S T
At that time, when the Chief Priests and Officers saw Him, they cried out, saying: Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Pilate said to
them: You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him. And the Jews answered him: We have a Law, and
according to our Law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.
Therefore, when Pilate heard those words, he was all the more afraid, and went again into the Praetorium, and asked Jesus:
From where art Thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to Him: Art Thou not speaking to me?! Dost
Thou not know that I have power to crucify Thee, and power to release Thee?
And Jesus answered: Thou could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given thee from Above. Therefore
the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.
...When Pilate therefore heard those words, he took Jesus out and sat down in the Judgement Seat in a place that is called
The Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. It was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the Sixth Hour, so
he said to the Jews: Behold your King! But they cried out: Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him! Pilate asked
them: Shall I crucify your King? And the Chief Priests answered: We have no King but Caesar! So he delivered Him to
them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led Him away.
And He, bearing His Cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where
they crucified Him, and two others with Him - one on either side, and Jesus in the centre.
Pilate wrote a title and put it on the Cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then many of the
Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek and
Latin.
...Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus His Mother, and His mothers sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary
Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His Mother, and the Disciple whom He Loved standing by, He said to His Mother,
Woman, behold Thy son! and from that hour that Disciple took Her to his own home.
...Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, and so that the bodies should not remain on the crosses on the Sabbath
(for the Sabbath was a High Day), the Jews asked Pilate for their legs to be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they
came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His Side
with a spear, and immediately Blood and Water came out.
And he who has seen has testified, and his Testimony is True; and he knows that he is telling the Truth, so that you may
believe.
THE JEWI SH LEADERS CONVICTED JESUS CHRI ST ON A [FALSE]
CHARGE OF BLASPHEMY: He made Himself the Son of God.
What they missed, of course, was the Gospel: JESUS CHRI ST NOT
ONLY CLAI MS TO BE, BUT I NDEED I S THE SON OF GOD!
ALMI GHTY GOD [THE HOLY TRINI TY] CONTROLS ALL POWER. With
all Romes force, and with all the relentless persistence of the
Jewish authorities, THEIR POWER WAS PERMI TTED ONLY BY GOD.
THE ONE WHO DELI VERED JESUS CHRIST TO PONTIUS PILATE WAS,
according to many interpreters, THE HIGH PRI EST CAIAPHAS;
HOWEVER, THE PHRASE MAY EVEN REFER TO JUDAS ISCARI OT.
THE JEWI SH LEADERS APPLI ED HARD POLI TICAL PRESSURE ON PONTIUS
PILATE TO GAI N THEI R OWN SI NI STER ENDS.
Confronted with the choice between Jesus Christ and Caesar
PONTI US PILATE CHOSE HIS EMPEROR, TIBERIUS CAESAR who
reigned during the years 14 - 37.
PREPARATION DAY IS THE DAY BEFORE PASSOVER.
The Synoptic Gospels [of St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke & St John]
date THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRI ST ON FRI DAY, THE FIRST
DAY OF THE PASSOVER.
IRONI CALLY THE JEWI SH LEADERSHIP REJECTED THE KI NG OF THE
JEWS AND ACCEPTED TIBERIUS CAESAR, A FOREIGN KING who
ruled Palestine as a result of conquest.
IN THEIR BLIND HATRED FOR JESUS CHRI ST, THEY DENI ED THE
ESSENTI AL ELEMENT OF THEI R NATIONS HOPES.
T H E U N I V E R S A L E X A L T A T I O N O F T H E H O L Y C R O S S O F C H R I S T O U R L O R D - 1 4 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 15
CRUCIFIXION WAS THE METHOD OF EXECUTION used by the Romans
in capital punishment I NVOLVING REBELLI OUS SLAVES AND THE
WORST POSSIBLE CRIMINALS.
BY ADDRESSING THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS WOMAN OUR
LORD JESUS CHRI ST USED A TERM OF DI GNI TY AND AFFECTION.
] Note THREE IMPORTANT TRUTHS concerning His Mother. in
saying to the Disciple whom [He] Loved - St John the
Evangelist - behold Thy Mother:
1. CHRI ST SYMBOLICALLY ESTABLISHED THE THEOTOKOS ROLE AS
THE MOTHER OF ALL FAITHFUL DISCI PLES - OF THE ENTI RE
CHRI STI AN CHURCH.
2. IF THE THEOTOKOS HAD HAD OTHER CHI LDREN, JESUS CHRI ST
WOULD NOT HAVE PLACED HER UNDER THE PROTECTI ON AND
CARE OF ST JOHN.
3. THE CHURCHS TEACHI NG CONCERNING THE THEOTOKOS
ETERNAL VIRGI NI TY I S RATIFI ED BY CHRI ST S ACTI ON.
Th e My s t e r y o f t h e Ho l y C r o s s o n l y f r o m Wi t h i n o u r Hu ma n N a t u r e
> In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit...
On this Feast of the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and
Life-giving Holy Cross we hear words of the Apostle, St
Paul, from his First Epistle to the Corinthians, which
help us to understand the meaning of Christianity: ...
for Christ sent me not to Baptise, but to preach the
Gospel not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of
Christ should be made of no effect. For the Preaching
of the Cross is foolishness to those who perish; yet to us
who are being Saved, it is the Power of God. (1 CORINTHIANS
1: 17 18 & 23)
St Paul testified to the Truth that HUMAN WISDOM CANNOT
PERCEIVE THE GREAT MYSTERY OF OUR SAVIOURS SACRIFICE
ON THE CROSS.
If we try to perceive the Feat of Saviour, His Life and
Suffering, from the perspective of the predominant
ideals and values in human society, everything will
seem to be sheer insanity indeed.
That is why Greeks who based their lives on Philosophy,
Science and human wisdom considered a Sermon about
Christ to be insanity.
THE HEBREWS did not rely on Science or Philosophy because
they had belief in the Only Living God, but they LINKED
THEIR SALVATION first of all TO THEIR DELIVERANCE FROM
THE ROMAN OPPRESSORS.
The Hebrew Nation had suffered from the pressure of
heathen civilization for a very long time and THEY
BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS NO SALVATION POSSIBLE UNTIL
THE MESSIAH WOULD COME AND OUST THE ROMANS.
Therefore, a Sermon concerning the Christ was a
temptation but it did not match their hopes, ideals or
way of life.
Indeed, looking at the Mission of Christ our Saviour at His
Life, His Sermon, His Suffering and His Death from the
perspective of todays lifestyle everything stands very
far away from our own modern ideals.
We may think that we understand the meaning of the
Christs Great Feat because we already know the history
and events that occurred after the Crucifixion of our
Saviour. But if we were people who lived in New
Covenant times, would we understand?
What could bring Salvation to those who did not have any
money or power, who were not masters of their world,
who possessed neither heathen wisdom nor
Philosophy?
What could bring Salvation to those who walked among our
Lords Followers the illiterate Fishermen from the
Lake of Gennesaret?
Probably, we would consider the Sermon of our Saviour in
the same manner as those of antiquity did, because THIS
DIVINE SERMON DOES NOT MATCH ANYONES ORDINARY
MUNDANE - LIFE-STYLE.
Therefore, the Words of our Lords Divine Sermon would
certainly be considered as either insanity or
temptation.
ST PAUL, who appreciated the vast difference between
human values and ideals and the Divine Sermon of
Christ, said that he WAS CALLED TO PREACH NOT WITH
WORDS OF HUMAN WISDOM, BECAUSE ANY HUMAN WISDOM IS
TOTALLY INCAPABLE OF EVALUATING THE GREAT FEAT OF
CHRIST.
SALVATION THROUGH THE CRUCIFIXION of the Eternal and Only
Begotten Son of God, Who suffered such abuse and
sorrow for the sake of all mankind, EXCEEDS THE BOUNDS
OR LIMITATIONS OF HUMAN LOGIC.
What is the meaning that this Great Feat accomplished by
our Saviour could reveal?
Why is His Divine Image so attractive?
Why have PEOPLE BEEN TURNING TO HIM FOR OVER 2000 YEARS
PRECISELY WHEN THEY BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT THEIR
ETERNAL SALVATION, despite all the difficulties that may
confront them in their Struggle to follow His Truth and
Life His Holy System of Spiritual Values and moral
sentiments?
Well, because EVERYTHING THAT OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS
CHRIST, HAS DONE, GOD HIMSELF HAS DONE FOR US: ... for
My Thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your
ways My Ways... saith the Lord. (ISAIAH 55 : 8)
WE CANNOT GRASP THE PROFUNDITY AND THE POWER OF OUR
LORDS THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS.
If we open our heart to these Divine Thoughts and Actions,
we suddenly begin to understand Who Christ is for each
of us.
BY OPENING OUR HEART, WE WILL GET TO KNOW CHRIST WITHOUT
ANY DEFINITION BECAUSE NO DEFINITION CAN DESCRIBE
DIVINE PROVIDENCE.
This Experience of Understanding the Divine Word and
getting to know Christ awakens strong Faith, and we
begin to understand that THE ONLY KEY TO EXPLAINING
THE MYSTERY OF THE CROSS AND OUR SAVIOURS SUFFERING
IS LOVE. (Divine Agape Unconditional, Infinite Love)
To make sacrifices is not a duty for God Who does not
owe anything to His creatures.
GOD DOES NOT SAVE US AUTOMATICALLY by some type of
magic power HE SAVES US BY LOVE.
Because of Love (Agape), God sent His Only Begotten Son to
become Man and to bear the brunt of our human
sufferings.
We understand this Reason for the Cross by trying to find
an analogy in our life.
When are we able to sacrifice ourselves for others? Only
when we Love the other person!
When are people ready to sacrifice themselves for their
country? Only when they love it.
Neither discipline nor duty can explain the willingness of
anyone to offer his/her life for another, but IF THERE IS
LOVE IN THE HEART AND IN THE MIND, THEN SUCH PEOPLE ARE
ABLE TO SACRIFICE THEMSELVES FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS.
For that exact same Reason, our Lord Jesus Christ said:
Greater Love has no Man than this that He lay
down His Life for His Friends. (JOHN 1:13)
Therefore, we could understand the Great Mystery of the
Cross of Christ not through Philosophy, and not
through human wisdom nor through political
expectations, as it was with the Hebrews, Romans or
Greeks, but only from within our human nature
through our own heart.
Why is it so? BECAUSE GOD CREATED US IN HIS OWN IMAGE. HE
PUT THE DIVINE MORAL LAW WITHIN US, and when He
speaks to us, WE UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WE WERE CREATED
IN HIS DIVINE IMAGE.
WHEN WE STOP UNDERSTANDING GOD AND LIVING BY HIS DIVINE
LAW, WHICH HE HAS IMPLANTED IN OUR HEART, WE WILL
COME TO AN END.
Yet the Fight continues between those who will never
understand our Saviour and His Divine Providence, and
those who carry the belief in their heart that our Lord
Jesus Christ, as St Paul said, would Save the world
through the foolishness of His Preaching.
It is easy to be a person who believes because it
corresponds with our human nature. TO OPPOSE GOD
MEANS WE OPPOSE OUR OWN NATURE, WE OPPOSE INHERENT
MORAL FEELINGS, WE OPPOSE THE IMAGE OF GOD THAT IS IN
EVERY HUMAN BEING.
This means that A LIFE THAT COMPLIES WITH GODS LAW IS A
HOLY LIFE THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH OUR HUMAN NATURE.
However, to believe is at the same time difficult, because SO
MANY PEOPLE LIVE ACCORDING TO OTHER MAN-MADE LAWS OF
EXISTENCE. THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT AIMS AND
THEY PROFESS OTHER TYPES OF VALUES.
The danger of modern life lies in the fact that these worldly
aims and values, which are not by Divine Providence,
are proposed as the ideal for all mankind.
SIN DAMAGES OUR MIND AND DISTORTS OUR GUIDELINES and St
Paul proves such a contradiction by stating that for
16. T H E U N I V E R S A L E X A L T A T I O N O F T H E H O L Y C R O S S O F C H R I S T O U R L O R D - 1 4 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
some people the Preaching of the Holy Cross are merely
temptation while others consider it as foolishness.
Nevertheless, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE SAVED AND ARE BEING
SAVED, THE TEACHINGS OF THE HOLY CROSS IS THE
ALMIGHTY POWER OF GOD. And if it would be (accepted as)
the Power of God for (by) all mankind, then everyone
would be Saved.
In spite of all our weaknesses, falls and depravities,
EVERYONE CAN BECOME CHRIST-LIKE - and we would all
worship Him and His Great Sacrifice we would all
venerate and appreciate His Mystical, Precious, Life-
giving and Holy Cross that is our Glorious Symbol of
Eternal Salvation!
Amen.
DELI VERED BY HI S HOLI NESS, KYRI LL, PATRI ARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSI A,
ON THE UNI VERSAL EXALTATI ON OF THE PRECI OUS & LI FE-GI VI NG CROSS
27 SEPTEMBER 2010 TRANSLATED FROM RUSSI AN BY SVETLANA TIBBS &
EDI TED BY SOPHI A URUSOVA
HTTP://WWW.PRAVMI R.COM/MAN-COULD-UNDERSTAND-THE-MYSTERY-OF-THE-
CROSS-ONLY-FROM-I NSI DE-OF-HI S-HUMAN-NATURE/
De a c o n C h a r l e s J o i n e r - S p i r i t u a l L i f e o f a C o u p l e
A common issue in couples relationship concerns their
Spiritual Life.
One can be very Spiritual, following the Way of Life
prescribed for Orthodox Christian, and the other not
making any attempt to follow the Practises of the Holy
Church of Christ.
I F NOT DEALT WITH CAREFULLY, THIS CAN BECOME A
SOURCE OF GREAT CONFLICT.
The advice that is most commonly given is - first of all to
HAVE LOVE - AND DO NOT J UDGE.
WITH LOVE, WE PRAY FOR THE ONE WHO IS NOT NOW
INTERESTED IN SPIRITUAL MATTERS.
Elder Paisios, when asked about this by a woman who was
concerned about her husband, said: Entrust him to
Christ and pray that his heart be softened.
Eventually little by little Christ will descend in his heart,
and he will start speculating. As soon as his heart is
somewhat softened, then you can ask him, for example,
to drive you to Church.
You should not say to him Come to Church with me, but
rather: Can you please take me as far as the church?
If he takes you all the way the church, then he might say to
himself: I have come this far; why dont I go inside and
light a candle?
In this way little by little he may make progress.
With Prayer and Kindness coupled with Patience you can
lead your spouse to open his or her heart to a more
Spiritual Way of Life.
If you do not approach this with Love and tenderness, then
his/her heart will be hardened and your relationship
will be potentially damaged.
By seeking to discover the little, gentle nudges that you can
provide, you can lead your spouse in the right direction.
But you have to BE WISE AND SENSITIVE so that your nudges
do not become nagging or confrontational.
Your Spiritual Father can also be of help. He can help you
to DEVELOP YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL LIFE so that your
goodness will be transferred to your spouse.
Elder Paisios pointed out that WOMEN TEND TO BE PIOUS BY
NATURE, BUT ONCE A MAN BECOMES INTERESTED IN HIS
SPIRITUALITY, NOT EVEN HIS WIFE CAN KEEP UP WITH HIM.
Then the wife must be careful not to become envious of his
Spiritual Progress, and if she begins to complain about
all his Spiritual Endeavours and calls him a Monk or
Priest in protest, then he needs to tread very carefully.
THE AIM IS FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH TOGETHER BUT YOU MAY
NOT ALWAYS BE ON THE SAME STEP.
If a such difficulty arises, Elder Paisios said: ... to keep the
family from falling apart, I advise husbands that when
the right moment arises, they must tell their wife: If I go
to Church and pray a little and do some prostrations, or
if I read a Spiritual Book, I am not doing this out of an
abundance of Devotion, but only as a means of self-
restraint, to keep me from being led astray by our
wretched society and getting involved with bad
company.
If such a husband handles the situation carefully, then his
wife will be happy and may even go on to outdo her
husband spiritually.
But, if he is careless and insensitive, he will crush her...
For many years in my own life it was my wife who was
interested in Spiritual Matters and who insisted on
going to Church regularly. I would find excuses not to
go.
But, thank God, she was patient and prayed for me.
Eventually, Christ got hold of me and I could not get
enough! I read everything. I went to Church regularly
and I prayed daily. I sought Counsel from a Spiritual
Father frequently.
Then I became worried that my wife was not showing the
same interest as I now felt.
Somehow God gave me the insight to understand that WE
MUST WALK THIS PATH TOGETHER and that WE WOULD NOT
ALWAYS BE ON THE SAME STEP ALONG THIS LONG PATH.
So, instead of going my own way, I sought ways to involve
her in my efforts and was careful not to judge, but to
appreciate how she led me to what now gave me great
Inner Joy.
THROUGH GODS GUIDANCE WE HAVE CONTINUED TO WALK THE
PATH TOGETHER. We pray together. We attend Services
together. We share whatever we are reading. We have
found that an active Spiritual Life nurtures our Love for
each other.
We still have our arguments or disagreements, but they
never last for long.
THE CHALLENGE FOR ALL COUPLES IS TO SEEK A SHARED SPIRITUAL
PATH realising that this may take many years to
achieve - but with sincerity, patience and Love, your
beloved spouse will be accompanied and encouraged by
you and vice versa - and you may eventually surpass
each others expectations!
Your Spiritual Journey then becomes a beautiful dance
where each leads the other at different times.
This is the way we are able to grow old together in joyful
harmony and Love.
DEACON CHARLES JOINER ORTHODOX WAY OF LIFE
HTTP://ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE.BLOGSPOT.COM/2013_09_01_ARCHIVE.HTML
Th e Vi r t u e o f P a t i e n c e
...be Patient, Brethren, until the Coming of our Lord. See
how the Farmer waits for the precious fruit of the
Earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the
early latter rain... (JAMES 5:7)
God has put dreams and desires in every persons heart.
But most times, there is a season of waiting involved.
Maybe we are waiting for a relationship to improve; waiting
to get married; waiting for a promotion, or waiting to
overcome an illness.
Much of life is spent waiting.
However, there is a right way to wait and a wrong way to
wait.
Too often, when things do not happen according to our
own timetable, we become depressed, discouraged,
anxious, unhappy and fretful - because we do not wait
with the right attitude.
Note how St James exhorts us to ... BE PATIENT...
The fact is that we all have to wait for many things
throughout this temporary life before Eternity.
Thus St James told us to consider how patiently the Farmer
waits with patience, eagerness and expectation.
We are not supposed to sit around dejectedly, being
discouraged, impatient and unhappy. We are supposed
to be filled with positivity with hope and anticipation!
No matter what we are praying for, we must always expect
things to change in our favour (i.e. according to Divine Will,
for God always responds to our sincere Prayers and will do
whatever is best for our Spiritual Welfare. mp)
Consequently, if we are indeed patient and faithful, we
open the door of our heart to God, and He will grant us
... precious Fruit... in every area of our life.
(The Virtue of Patience tests the Strength and Devotion of our Faith
in God, so it is a good thing to have to wait for something
special, which we will appreciate all the more and give thanks to
God for His Great Mercy and Love. The more we pray, the closer
we become to God and the more we improve our Relationship
with Him. mp)
HTTP://THEINNERKINGDOM.WORDPRESS.COM/2013/08/20/BE-PATIENT/#MORE-1738
1 5
T H
A P A F T E R E X A L T A T I O N A P O D O S I S O F E X A L T A T I O N 2 1 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 17.
AL L GL OR Y , HONOU R A N D WOR S HI P T O T HE FA T HE R , A ND T O T HE SON ,
A ND T O T HE HOL Y SP I R I T , NOW A ND FOR E V E R , A ND U N T O T HE AGE S OF
AGE S . AME N
RE ME MB E R I NG A L S O OUR MOS T HOL Y , MOS T P U R E , MOS T B L E S S E D A ND
GL OR I OU S L A DY , MA R Y , T HE OT OK OS Y E T E V E R VI R GI N, T OGE T HE R WI T H
A L L T HE SA I NT S . AN D L E T U S COMMI T OU R S E L V E S A ND ONE A NOT HE R A ND
OU R WHOL E L I F E T O CHR I S T OU R GOD. AME N.
2 1 S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 4
1 6
t h
To n e ( 6 ) P l a g a l 2
A p o d o s i s o f t h e E x a l t a t i o n o f t h e Ho l y C r o s s
S u n d a y A f t e r t h e E x a l t a t i o n :
Ta k i n g u p o u r C r o s s
AL S O T HE FE AS T OF ST QUADRAT OS OF T HE 70 AP OS T L E S ST JONAH, HOL Y PROP HE T OF GOD ST DE ME T RI OS OF ROS T OV ,
UNCOVE R I NG ST DANI E L T HE AB BOT OF S HU ZGORS K MONAS T E RY , NOV GOR OD ST JOS E P H OF ZA ONI K I E V MONAS T E RY ,
VOL OGDA ST HY P AT I OS & ST ANDRE W, HI E ROMART Y RS OF EP HE S OS ST I S A AC & ST ME L E T I OS OF CY P R US ST EUS E B I OS
OF PHOE NI CI A ST PR I S KOS OF P HRY GI A 26 MONK MART Y RS OF Z OGR AP HOU MONAS T E RY , MOUNT AT HOS ST COS MA S
T HE BUL GARI AN OF Z OGR AP HOU MONAS T E RY , MOUNT AT HOS ST JOHN T HE AR CHI MANDR I T E OF T S K HI NVAL I , GE ORGI A
F E S T A L I S O D I K O N :
Ipsoute Kyrion ton Theon imon ke Proskinite to Ipopodio
ton Podon Aftou, oti Agios esti.
Soson imas, Ie Theou, O SARKI STAVROTHIS, psalontas Si:
Allilouia!
Exalt the Lord our God, and Worship at His Footstool;
for He is Holy!
Save us, O Son of God, WHO WAS CRUCIFIED IN THE FLESH,
who sing to Thee: Alleluia!
R E S U R R E C T I O N A P O L Y T I K I O N T O N E ( 6 ) P L A G A L 2
Angelike Dinamis epi to Mnima Sou ke i filassontes
apenekrothisan. Ke istato Maria en to tafo, zitousa to
ahranton Sou Soma. Eskilevsas ton Adin, mi pirasthis
ip aftou. Ipintisas ti Partheno, Doroumenos tin Zoin.
O Anastas ek to nekron, Kyrie, Doxa Si.
The Angelic Powers were in Thy Tomb, and the guards
became as dead men, and Mary stood by the Tomb
seeking Thy Most Pure Body. Thou led captive
Hades, yet were not tempted thereby: Thou Who art
the Bestower of Life came to meet the Woman.
Glory to Thee, O Lord, Who Rose again from the
dead!
F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F T H E E X A L T A T I O N O F T H E H O L Y C R O S S
Soson Kyrie ton Laon Sou, ke Evlogison tin Klironomian
Sou, Nikas tis efsevesi kata varvaron doroumenos, ke
to Son Filatton, dia tou Stavrou Sou Politefma. [3]
O Lord, Save Thy People, and Bless Thine Inheritance,
granting Victory over enemies unto our Rulers and
through Thy Cross preserving Thine Estate [3]
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N O F T H E E X A L T A T I O N O F T H E H O L Y C R O S S
O Ipsothis en to Stavro ekousios, ti eponimo Sou keni
politia, tous iktirmous Sou Dorise, Hriste O Theos.
Evfranon en ti Dinami Sou, tous Pistous Vasilis imon,
Nikas horigon aftis, kata ton polemion. Tin
sinmmahian ehien tin Sin, Oplon Irinis, Aittiton
Tropeon.
Thou Who were lifted on the Cross voluntarily, on Thy
new Commonwealth that bears Thy Name, do bestow
Thy Mercies, O Christ our God; gladden in Thy
Mighty Strength, our Faithful Rulers, granting to them
Victories, against all the enemies, and may Thy Help
in battle be for them, a Weapon of Peace, and Banner
Invincible!
Re s u r r e c t i o n Go s p e l 4 - L u k e 2 4 : 1 1 2
T H E H O L Y M Y R R H B E A R E R S B E H O L D T H E E M P T Y T O M B O F O U R R E S U R R E C T E D L O R D
S i n g P r a i s e s t o o u r G o d ! S i n g P r a i s e s !
O C l a p y o u r h a n d s , a l l y o u N a t i o n s !
T H E S O U R C E O F F A I T H I S O U R L O R D A N D S A V I O U R , J E S U S C H R I S T
Brethren, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be Justified by the Faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law; for by the
works of the Law no flesh shall be Justified.
But if, while we seek to be Justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found to be sinners, is therefore Christ the Minister of
sin? God forbid! For if I build again the things that I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor, for I through the Law
died to the Law, that I might Live in God.
I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live! Yet, not I, but Christ Lives in me! And the Life that I now live in the flesh I
live by the Faith of the Son of God, Who Loves me, and gave Himself for me.
St Paul gives the content of the True Gospel by contrasting it
with the false doctrines of the Judaizers.
The Source of Justification is Faith, not the works of the Old
Covenant Law.
Works of the Law deal with mankind in our fallen state in our
corrupted state (i.e. a state of Spiritual Death)
Faith crucifies our corrupt condition and deals with the New
Man in Christ (i.e. we abandon our old, fallen, corrupt
nature and take on a Regenerated, New and Sanctified
nature in Christ at our Baptism and Chrismation.)
Works of the Old Covenant Law begin with mankinds actions,
while Faith begins with Gods Divine Actions.
Every Work of Faith is the combined Action of God and us, for
it is an essential Synergy a Holy Cooperation between us
and God between Divine Will and human will.
18 1 5
T H
A P A F T E R E X A L T A T I O N A P O D O S I S O F E X A L T A T I O N 2 1 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
This Faith and these Actions have their Source and Fulfilment in
God in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
We experience these amazing Faith and Actions through our
Union with the Holy Trinity God the Father, God the Son
and God the Holy Spirit in Whose Names and by Whose
Power and Authority we are Baptised and Chrismated.
God the Holy Spirit grants us His Power and Energy for the
ongoing Life of Righteousness in Christ the wonderful Life
of Blessing, Great Mercy and infinite Love.
The ancient Patriarch Abraham is our Holy Father of Faith and
of the Blessings of God the Holy Spirit.
However, the Judaizers, who have based their Righteousness
on the works of the Law, have received Condemnation
not the Blessings of the Holy Spirit!
The status conferred by Righteousness is Holy Sonship, for we
become adopted Children of God through our Union with
God Incarnate.
The Source of Sonship is God not humanity.
Sonship is a Divine Promise not achieved by human deeds
and it is attainable only by our Faith not by our works
not by any effort we may make.
God introduced the Works of the Law in order to protect
humanity against the evil wiles of the devil and his demons
who ceaselessly our Spiritual Death and destruction.
The Old Covenant Laws were to protect us until the time of
Divine Sonship when our Union with the Eternal, Only
Begotten Son of God became possible.
The Purpose of Holy Sonship is for us to become Godlike and
to enter Heaven.
Faith in Christ is parallel to the works of the Law and can be
translated as the Faith of Jesus Christ, which is the Holy
Gospel.
As the Source of works is the Law, so the Source of Faith is
Christ His Beliefs, His Trust, His Obedience that Justifies us ,
not our Faith as such.
Christs Faith is seen in His entire Life on Earth, not in merely a
few of His crucial Works.
We are Justified by Christ and in Christ, for our Justification is
not simply legal but actual effected by our real,
personal Union with Christ in His Glorified human Nature.
The fact that we can still be sinners clearly shows that this Holy
Union never takes away our free will and it also explains
how some chose to defect to Judaism.
St Paul destroyed the works of the Law in the sense that they
proved to be ineffectual for our Eternal Salvation.
The real transgressors are those who try to reinstate the Old
Covenant Law.
We die through the Law not bypassing or dishonouring it, but
by recognising that it is Holy; that we deserve its
Consequence, which is Death.
We voluntarily die to the Law through our Death with Christ, for
being crucified with Him through our Holy Baptism, we
come alive to the Divine, Eternal Law of the Holy Spirit,
which perfects the intention of the Old Covenant Law.
There is no contradiction between the Old Covenant Law and
the New Covenant Gospel, for the Law is ... Holy and Just
and Good... (ROMANS 7:12)
However, the Law is weak and obsolete for it is Fulfilled in the
Holy Gospel in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Himself!
(ROMANS 8 : 3 & HEBREWS 8 : 13)
Th e Ho l y Go s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t Ma r k 8 : 3 4 9 : 1
O U R L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T S F I R S T P R O P H E C Y O F H I S P A S S I O N
At that time, when our Lord Jesus had called the people to Himself, with His Disciples also, He said to them: Whoever
desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save
his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, and the Gospels, will Save it.
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange
for his soul?
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will
be ashamed when He comes in the Glory of His Father with the Holy Angels.
And He said to them: Truly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste Death until they see the
Kingdom of God present with Power!
The Cross, which was a most dreaded instrument of the cruellest
Roman punishment and execution, now symbolises the
suffering of all Christians in imitation of Christ, as we nail our
sinful lifestyle to His Cross and after entering Death together
with Him, we are triumphantly Resurrected with Him as
Regenerated and Spiritually Renewed beings.
We practise self-denial and personal sacrifice for the sake of our
Love of God, His Holy Gospel and for our fellow Struggling
sinners who accompany us on the long, Narrow Path towards
Eternity.
Accepting this Suffering is not a punishment, nor is it an end in
itself, but a means of overcoming the fallen world for the
sake of the Kingdom of God and in order to crucify the
demands of our sinful flesh with its passions and self-indulgent
desires..
The central paradox of Christian Living is that in grasping for
temporal things, we lose the Eternal Treasures.
However, in sacrificing everything of this temporary world, we gain
priceless Eternal Riches and Blessings that are far beyond
anything we could possible imagine!! (1 CORINTHIANS 2 : 9 )
What would any of us give in exchange for our immortal soul?
This question emphasises the utter foolishness of trying to
accumulate worldly possessions and power for none of it can
Redeem our fallen soul nor benefit us in the Life to come.
... some... will not taste Death until they see the Kingdom of
God present with Power! is a reference to the three Holy
Apostles of Christ who would witness His Transfiguration on
Mount Tabor.
It also refers to future generations who will experience the Glorious
Presence of Gods Eternal Kingdom.
15
t h
Sunday Af t er Pent ecost Af t er Exal t at ion Apodosi s of Exal t at i on Taking up our Cr oss
It is amazing that Scripture can challenge us in just a few
brief words.
Our Lord Jesus Christ challenged all those who were
listening to Him in a way that He had never done
before.
He told them that if they were going to be His True
Followers they had to be prepared to lose their life.
They had to give everything up, if they were to be
authentic Disciples of Christ, for it was a different
Way of Life a full time job.
I often think about the Apostles and how our Lord Called
them by simply telling them to follow Him, after
which others, like St Andrew, told others.
And they immediately abandoned what they were doing
and followed Him.
We never hear in Scripture that St Peter had to take a day
off from His Apostles Duties so that he could go to
mend his nets, or to go fishing.
For the most part, they accompanied our Saviour
wherever He went.
Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us today that if we are going
to follow Him we must deny ourselves and take up
our Cross, and follow Him, which is perhaps a
difficult thing to understand.
The Cross upon which Christ was crucified was a very
large, heavy piece of wood.
We have all seen depictions of this in movies and
paintings and Icons.
In fact if we look at the Icon for the Feast of the
Exaltation of the Cross we can see how large it was.
In order for our Lord to carry that Cross He had to use
both Hands, His Shoulder, and all of His Strength to
do so and at one point, even He needed help to carry
it because He was physically exhausted and
weakened by His terrible scourging.
Our Lord Jesus carried a physical cross-bar made of
wood a hideous instrument of pain, torture, fear,
and ultimately death.
Christ carried the cross-bar section of the Cross as part of His
public humiliation and punishment. His Cross was a unique
combination of cedar, pine and cypress, which had been
planted together centuries before by the Holy Trinity at the
Oaks of Mamre, and cut down for King Solomons Temple in
Jerusalem, but was discarded until the Crucifixion of Christ.
mp
However, that Precious Cross, which was Divinely
Consecrated by the Blood of our Saviour, also
1 5
T H
A P A F T E R E X A L T A T I O N A P O D O S I S O F E X A L T A T I O N 2 1 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 19.
brought Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Transformation,
Love, and Life to all humanity.
The Hymns of Vespers on the Feast of the Exaltation or
Elevation of the Holy, Life-giving Cross speak of how
the Sanctified Wood of the Cross ...Healed the sin
that was caused by the wood of the Tree.
In other words: the Life-giving Holy Cross of Christ
Healed Adams sin of disobedience (our ancestral sin)
and re-opened Paradise to all Creation.
What had been closed by the sin of one man the first
Adam - had been opened by the Love of the second
Adam the God-Man, Jesus Christ.
But what is this Cross that our Lord tells us we must
take up in order to follow Him?
Do we have to go out to find a tree, cut it down, make a
Cross and carry it around?
No! Certainly not! Our Lord Jesus was referring to our
Spiritual Life our Life IN Christ - and what we need
to do in order to find our way to Eternal Paradise,
which He has re-opened for us to rest in His Divine
Peace and Love.
The Cross is different and unique for each one of us.
Maybe our Cross is a physical ailment. Perhaps it is the
difficulties of aging or having to endure a variety of
difficult, unavoidable circumstances or
relationships.
Whatever our personal Cross may be it certainly does
change as we develop and mature in our Spiritual
Life for we learn to carry our Cross as patiently and
as best as we can.
Sometimes just like Christ we need help from God
and our neighbours to carry the weight of our Cross.
At times we may need to put our Cross down to rest a
while and to regain our strength or to ask others to
share the burden with us so we can recover our
strength before continuing to the end of this
Journey.
Whatever we need to do, we must do without failure or
complaint, or expectation, if we desire to be Faithful
Companions and Disciples of Christ.
Part of carrying our Cross is also bearing the suffering
that goes with it.
This suffering is not a punishment or a atonement for
anything, but rather it is a Way to overcome this
fallen world and the selfish demands of the flesh.
Furthermore, our Saviour commands us to deny
ourselves before we take up our Cross and follow
Him.
He told the Rich Young Man (who was obsessed with his
worldly possessions, wealth and social status) to sell all he
had and then to follow Him, but as he would not
humble and impoverish himself, nor obey Christ, he
went away deeply disappointed by not getting it all!
On another occasion, our Lord told someone else who
wanted to become His Disciple but who first wanted
to go and bury his father who has just died, to let
the dead bury the dead and follow Him.
This meant that those who were Spiritually Dead could bury the
father who had died, while the person who sought Life in
Christ Spiritual Life - was to deny himself by leaving his
fathers funeral to others and to obey Christ by immediately
following Him. mp
Our Lord Jesus Christ Called each of His Apostles away
from their families and their work so that they could
follow Him without worldly cares and distractions.
He does this because he knows we cannot carry the
Cross if our hands are full.
And our Saviour also put the vital, thought provoking
question to us concerning what benefit would there
be for any of us if we gain the whole (temporary,
perishable) world but lose our immortal soul?
Some of us work in order to live, and some of us we live
in order to work.
For some of us, our identity comes from what we do, not
from who we are.
In this day and age, when everyone is struggling to make
ends meet, it is necessary to worry about earthly
circumstances.
However, if we become obsessed by material possessions
and wealth, and due to our greed we build bigger
barns to store our earthly treasures, we lose sight of
what is really important - and that is beyond all
else - our immortal soul!
Spiritual Life Life in Christ - is a challenge for us all.
It is very difficult, in this world, to have Faith, which is
all too often mocked, avoided and scorned.
If we have Traditional Theological Beliefs, knowing that
sin definitely exists and that we are all struggling
sinners who need the Grace of God, we are looked
upon as old fashioned and out of touch with
reality!
Some self-appointed churches are more like
entertainment venues than Spiritual Hospitals for the
sick and wounded.
The Holy Church of Christ is where we go for Spiritual
Healing, Teaching and Guidance, and where we are
encouraged to become good, Loving and Faithful
Disciples of Christ who eagerly and willingly obey
our Lord God as much as we are personally capable
of doing.
On the contrary, people have become so afraid of
offending others that the Perfect, Divine Truth of
Christ is changed and watered down to such a degree
that it has become meaningless resulting in
confusion and misguidance that disappoints and
fails those who seek Divine Truth and Eternal
Wisdom.
We have adopted the Im okay - youre okay way of
thinking, which is far from True Christianity very
different to the True Teachings and Commandments
of Christ our Lord and Saviour!
I was recently asked whether Holy Bread should be
brought to Church if it was not perfectly baked.
My answer was Yes! Absolutely! Bring that Bread to
Church to be used as the Offering!
None of us is perfect. We might like to think we are, but
we are not. We all have flaws - sins - that make us
imperfect - but that is acceptable because, only
through the Power and Grace of God, can we be made
Perfect.
It is through our life-long Journey of Spiritual Life that
Perfection is possible, but it cannot be done at all,
without the Holy Spirit.
So we must offer the Altar Bread - even with any flaws or
imperfections. Maybe the Seal did not come out
right, maybe it puffed up too much, maybe it split or
is not as golden brown as we would like.
But regardless of how it looks or tastes, during the
Divine Liturgy, the Holy Spirit comes upon it and
makes that Bread Perfect! That Bread is Transformed
into something that we could never make!
The Holy Spirit takes that imperfect work of imperfect
human beings and perfects it, and it becomes the
Bread of Heaven. It becomes the Unblemished Lamb
that takes away the sin of the world!
That Bread is each one of us, and we can be made Perfect
through that Life Giving Power of the Holy Spirit.
Our imperfections are the Cross that we have to carry.
Our weaknesses, our hopes, our fears - all of that is
taken upon our shoulders just as our Lord Jesus
Christ did when He carried His Cross for all of us.
We bring our Bread Offering here and we put it on the
Holy Altar, and the Holy Spirit makes it Perfect.
By the Grace and Love of the Holy Trinity we are granted
the Strength needed to carry all our burdens, and by
carrying them all we become Spiritually Perfect.
In a while, I will carry the bread and the wine out before
you. (The Great Entrance)
I will chant Prayers for many different people - both
living and dead.
When I prepare the bread and the wine before Liturgy,
there are Prayers for the sick and the dying as well as
for all of you by name.
In a Spiritual Way, when I turn and carry the Chalice and
the Paten (Diskos) and put them on the Altar, all of
you are there - for I am placing all of you and all of
your needs on that Altar as well as the offerings of
bread and wine.
We pray that the Holy Spirit will descend upon these
humble gifts and make them Holy.
By the Descent and Consecration of the Holy Spirit the bread and
wine become Transubstantiated into the Mystical, Life-giving,
Healing Body and Blood of Christ. mp
We pray at the end of the Divine Liturgy in Thanksgiving
that we have been made worthy, once again, to have
20 1 5
T H
A P A F T E R E X A L T A T I O N A P O D O S I S O F E X A L T A T I O N 2 1 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
the privilege of being present here and to partake of
these Gifts either physically or spiritually.
It is through that very same Holy Spirit - God the Holy
Spirit Who Sanctifies these Holy Gifts, which, in
turn Sanctifies each of us - making both our body
and our immortal soul Holy.
Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his Cross, and follow Me...
Amen
T AK E UP Y OUR CR OS S S E R MON B Y HI E R OMONK PE T E R
MI CHA E L PR E B L E ST MI CHA E L OR T HODOX CHUR CH
HT T P : / / WWW. F R P E T E R P R E B L E . COM/ 2012/ 09/ S E R MON- T AK E - UP -
Y OUR- CR OS S - 2 . HT ML
Ke y t o S p i r i t u a l L i f e : P u r p o s e a n d Vi g i l a n c e
Having spent many years wandering aimlessly in my
Spiritual Life, I now know that it is important to have a
clear Purpose and to become Spiritually Vigilant.
Developing a Relationship with God cannot be a casual
task.
Yes, God is everywhere and available to everyone any time,
but it is our lack of mental discipline that limits us.
Our mind is very active and distracted by all the things of
this world. It continually works to satisfy our physical
needs and emotional passions.
Without a clear focus on why we are here on Earth, this all
makes sense, but we will eventually realise that we
sadly lack a meaningful Relationship with the Lord our
God.
Our own needs our ego centred focus takes control of
us and blocks out the Divine Grace that is ours for the
asking.
St Dorotheos said: ... if someone wants to obtain Virtue,
he must be neither indifferent nor lofty, since, as
someone who wants to learn to be a carpenter pays
attention to no other art, it is the same for those who
want to acquire some Spiritual Work.
Like a trade or any other skill, we must practise self-
discipline and work earnestly on our Relationship with
God.
To develop a Spiritual Life, we must strive daily.
Our Spiritual Life our Life in Christ is not merely a
sometimes Sunday activity.
Our Spiritual Life must be the focus of our life, which
motivates us to work at it every moment of the day
(even while occupied with our other essential commitments and
responsibilities.)
Many people try to avoid the whole idea of sin. They
believe that they are good people and they say: I have
not killed nor stolen from anyone!
We all like to believe that we are virtuous. However, our
own statements and actions identify us as being self-
centred and Spiritually Arrogant.
First, we have to wake up to the reality that we are all sinful
and we must stop denying that this is our poorest
Spiritual Condition.
To develop the Virtues and to live according to the full
meaning of the Divine Teachings and Commandments,
we must realise that we have some serious work to do.
When we are not working earnestly on living the Virtues
with the Help of Divine Grace, our soul becomes
distracted and controlled by our fleshy passions.
This is the way the evil one works against us. He relies on
our negligence and inattention to God and our own
sinful behaviour.
St Basil the Great said: ... those who do not allow their
thoughts to incline towards excess or deprivation but
directs them to the midpoint that of Virtue are
upright in heart...
The Virtues are a middle way and difficult to master
without our full attention, and concerted efforts.
St Dorotheos explained: ... for example: Courage is
between Humility and boldness; Humility is between
pride and obsequiousness. (flattery)
Likewise, Reverence is a means between shame and
imprudence, and so on with the other Virtues.
If there is a person who became worthy f these Virtues,
he is Honest before God and, in spite of the fact that
he appears to be eating, drinking and sleeping like all
the others, he is Honest through the Virtues he has
obtained.
However, if someone is not Vigilant and does not take
care of himself, he will easily digress from this Path
either to the right or to the left that is to say:
towards excess of laxness, and thus he gives birth to
the sickness of evil!
Our Task is to get serious, admit that we are not perfect,
embrace the Love of God Who will help us, and examine
the true nature of our life.
The imperfections that we see in others we have in
ourselves.
How serious are we about our Spiritual Life? How central is
God in our daily life? Is our Relationship with Him our
top priority? Do we assume that we are Virtuous in our
activities? Have we failed to examine the full nature of
our Way of life-style?
How attentive are we to how God asks us to live?
St Dorotheos said: There are three situations of mankind:
There is the person who allows the passions to
operate, and the person who does not allow them to
act manifestly, and the person who roots out the
passions.
The first is the person who adjusts his life according to
the passions who fully satisfies them.
The person who does not live the passions manifestly is
one who does not leave them free to act, but neither
does he cut them out, yet he disputes with them and
lives with the passions inside him.
The person who roots out the passions is one who
struggles against them and who always acts opposed
to them.
So which kind of person are we? Are we those who love the
passions or who allows our habits to control our
actions?
Perhaps we have some regrets about our actions but
rationalise that we are no worse than others and in
fact, may be even a little better than others!
Or are we those who fight our passions, attempting to find
that balance, to focus on our Relationship with God and
avoidance of non-virtuous actions.
Do we take it to the stage of Struggling to uproot our
temptations so that they never control our behaviour?
To be in a Relationship with God, and to do His Will, to Live
according to the Virtues, requires ceaseless self-
discipline.
We have to closely, honestly, examine ourselves each day
and determine if we have made even a tiny bit of
Spiritual Progress or not.
Even if we do not uproot our passions we can act to
restrain them.
We must make sure we feel this tension and are Struggling
with the passions that are always hidden and active
deep within our being.
This is the nature of our Spiritual Life - this is a Life that is
Live in Union with God a Life in Christ.
The nature of our Spiritual Life is all about how much we
truly desire to be United with God and strive to be His
True Disciple.
Life in Christ certainly requires Purpose and Vigilance!
DEACON CHARLES JOINER, ST GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL, GREENVILLE, SOUTH
CAROLINA - HTTP://ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE.BLOGSPOT.COM/
S t G r e g o r y P a l a m a s O n F a s t i n g a n d S e l f - c o n t r o l
Sensual pleasure causes ungodliness as well as sin, but
Fasting and Self-control result in the Fear of God as well
as Virtue.
Fasting must be accompanied by Self-control.
Why? Because eating our fill, even of humble foods, is a
hindrance to the Purifying Mourning, Godly Sorrow and
Contrition in our soul, which bring about unswerving
Repentance leading to Salvation.
For without a contrite heart we cannot really lay hold of
Repentance.
It is the restriction of self-indulgence, sleep and the senses
according to Gods Will that crushes our heart and
makes us mourn for our sins.
C O N C E P T I O N O F S T J O H N T H E B A P T I S T & F O R E R U N N E R T O C H R I S T O U R S A V O U R 2 3 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 21.
AGE S . AME N
RE ME MB E R I NG A L S O OU R MOS T HOL Y , MOS T P U R E , MOS T BL E S S E D A ND
GL OR I OU S L A DY , MA R Y , T HE OT OKOS Y E T E V E R VI R GI N, T OGE T HE R WI T H A L L
T HE SA I NT S . AND L E T U S COMMI T OU R S E L V E S A ND ONE A NOT HE R A ND OU R
WHOL E L I F E T O CHR I S T OU R GOD . AME N .
2 3 S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 4
C o n c e p t i o n o f S t J o h n t h e Ba p t i s t
& F o r e r u n n e r
AL S O T HE FE AS T OF ST RA I DOS ( I R AI S / RHA I S ) OF AL E XANDRI A - ST
XANT HI P P E & ST POL Y XE NE OF SP AI N ST NI CHOL AS , NE W
MART Y R ST J OHN T HE NE W MA RT Y R OF KONI T S I S ST ANDRE W,
ST JOHN, ST PE T E R & ST ANT ONI NOS OF SY RA CUS E & AF RI CA -
F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F T H E C O N C E P T I O N O F S T J O H N T H E B A P T I S T - T O N E 4
I proin ou tiktousa, stira efranthiti. Idou gar sinelaves
Iliou lihnon safos, fotizin ton mellonta, pasan tin
ikoumenin, avlepsia nosousan. Horeve Zaharia,
ekvoon parrisia: Profitis tou Ipsistou, estin O Mellon
tiktesthe!
Rejoice, O Barren One, who had not given birth; for
behold Thou hast conceived clearly the one who is the
Dawn of the Sun Who was about to Illuminate the
whole Universe, blighted with blindness. Shout with
Joy, O Zacharias, crying in favour: Verily, the one to be
born is a Prophet of the High!
K O N T A K I O N - T H E O T O K O S
Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton
Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon Deiseon
fonas, alla profthason os Agathi, is tin voithian imon,
ton Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian,
ke spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton
Timonton Se.
O Protector of the Christians unashamed, Mediator to
the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading
voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the
aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: hasten Thine
Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O
Theotokos who always protects those who honour
Thee!
The Righteous shall be glad in the Lord.
Hear my voice, O God!
L I K E I S A A C , J O H N W A S A C H I L D O F P R O M I S E , B O R N T O B A R R E N P A R E N T S I N T H E I R O L D A G E
Brethren, it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of
the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through Promise, which things are symbolic.
For these are the two Covenants: the one from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar - for this Hagar is
Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children - but the
Jerusalem Above is free, which is the Mother of us all. For it is written: Rejoice, O barren - You who do not bear! Break
forth and shout - You who are not in labour! For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.
Now we, Brethren, as Isaac was, are Children of Promise. But, as he was born according to the flesh then persecuted him
who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what does Scripture say? Cast out the
bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be Heir with the son of the freewoman.
So then, Brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the Free.
By saying that Abrahams two sons and related Events are
symbolic St Paul was not implying that they are not historical
facts. He asserted or confirmed that OLD COVENANT HISTORY
IS ANNOUNCI NG SOMETHING FAR GREATER THAN ITSELF.
Hagar and Mount Sinai symbolise earthly Jerusalem and the
Hebrew who was under the Law of God THE OLD COVENANT
BETWEEN GOD AND MANKIND, THE DIVINE PURPOSE OF WHICH WAS
TO PREPARE HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE ISRAEL FOR THE COMI NG OF
THE MESSIAH the Incarnation of the Son of God, Who is our
Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Being enslaved to others and bearing an illegitimate child, Hagar
also represented those who were outside the Holy Covenant
with God the Gentiles and/or pagans who were enslaved
by sin either wilfully or involuntarily.
Sarah, a free woman who was (legally) married according to the
Old Covenant and in the Sight of God, symbolised the
Heavenly Jerusalem - the Holy Church of Christ and the New
Covenant with God which is a natural continuation of our
human Spiritual Progress towards Eternity.
BY CONTINUOUSLY REPENTING OUR SINS AND LEARNING TO AVOID
TEMPTATIONS, WE FAITHFULLY FOLLOW AND IMI TATE OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST WHO HAS TAUGHT US DIVINE TRUTH, WHICH ENABLES US TO
SLOWLY REGAIN OUR LIKENESS TO GOD AND THUS BECOME WORTHY
CITIZENS I N HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM OF LOVE.
The desolate are those in the Church, especially the Gentiles -
the Christians many of whom had formerly stumbled about
in Spiritual Darkness until their conversion to the Divine Truth
and Enlightenment of Christs Holy Gospel.
She who has a husband refers to (old) Israel - the Hebrew
nation.
Sarah was a type of Mary, the Ever Blessed Theotokos, because
Sarahs son Isaac was born through a Promise - Gods
Promise - the announcement of which was delivered to her
by an Angel of God most probably ARCHANGEL GABRIEL
WHO ALWAYS ANNOUNCES GODS GOOD NEWS TO US THROUGHOUT
THE AGES.
St John Chrysostom wrote that Isaac ...was the issue of bodies
that were dead, and of a womb that was dead. His
conception was not by the flesh, nor his birth by the seed, for
the womb was dead both through age and barrenness. But
THE WORD OF GOD FASHIONED HIM ... HE WHO WAS NOT
ACCORDING TO THE FLESH WAS MORE HONOURABLE THAN HE THAT
WAS BORN AFTER THE FLESH. Therefore let it not disturb you that
you were not born after the flesh. For from the very reason
that you are not so born, you are most of all Abrahams
Kindred.
THROUGH OUR HOLY BAPTISM AND CHRISMATION, WE HAVE BECOME THE
ADOPTED HEIRS TO GODS HEAVENLY KINGDOM WE ARE THE NEW
ISRAEL THE NEW PEOPLE OF GOD.
A bondwoman was a slave who may have been captured as a
spoil of battle when the victorious armies took possession of
22. C O N C E P T I O N O F S T J O H N T H E B A P T I S T & F O R E R U N N E R T O C H R I S T O U R S A V O U R 2 3 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
whatever they wanted from those they had killed or
defeated.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE WERE ENSLAVED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF AN
UNPAYABLE DEBT OWED TO SOMEONE ELSE.
NOT ONLY THE DEBTOR BUT THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY WOULD BE ENSLAVED BY
THOSE TO WHOM THE DEBT WAS OWED AND THEY COULD BE SOLD TO
OTHERS OR WORK FOR THE CREDI TOR UNTIL THE DEBT HAD BEEN
PAID.
SLAVES HAD NO RIGHTS and could be bought or sold, taken or left
behind. They were regarded as being less important than
the livestock and were barely more significant than mere
household utensils.
Women, generally, existed according to the will and desires of
men, who seldom treated them with equal respect, mercy or
kindness.
Even the role of the so-called freewomen was to serve the male
population, to bear and nurture children for the next
generation, while taking care of all the household duties and
the much valued livestock.
Women were expected to anticipate and to fulfil all requirements
of the male population, without disturbing or interfering with
their enjoyment of life.
Women would never dare to speak directly to any man unless
they were addressed first. Then, with the permission of a
male relative, perhaps they would be allowed to respond,
but usually everything would be addressed through a male
relative.
It was most dangerous in so many aspects for any woman to be
seen conversing with a man in public, unless she was in the
strict custody of a male relative.
JESUS CHRIST LIBERATED WOMEN, INSTRUCTI NG MEN TO LOVE THEIR
WIVES AND SONS TO RESPECT THEIR MOTHERS.
He spoke to women publicly and openly, allowing them to sit
and listen to what He had to say.
When He taught us to LOVE THY NEI GHBOUR AS THYSELF He meant
that each of us was to TREAT EVERYONE ELSE WITH THE EXACT
SAME UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND RESPECT THAT HE GRANTED TO ALL
OF US - REGARDLESS OF NATIONALITY, GENDER OR FAITH!
JESUS CHRIST MADE EVERY WOMAN A TRULY FREEWOMAN THROUGH
HIS DIVINE TEACHINGS, LOVE, GRACE, GIFTS, ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
AND HEAVENLY PROMISE.
ST PAUL CONTINUOUSLY REMINDED ALL FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS OF OUR
TRUE FREEDOM I N CHRIST JESUS THE TRUE FREEDOM OF
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE/AGAPE.
Th e Ho l y Go s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 1 : 5 - 2 5
S T J O H N S A P P R O A C H I N G B I R T H I S A N N O U N C E D T O H I S F A T H E R , Z A C H A R I A S
At that time, there was in the days of Herod, the King of Judea, a certain Priest named Zacharias, of the Division of Abijah.
His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both Righteous before God,
walking blameless in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was
barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
So it was, that while he was serving as Priest before God in the Order of his Division, according to the custom of the
Priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the Temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the
people was praying outside at the Hour of incense.
Then an Angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the Altar of Incense. And when Zacharias saw
him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
But the Angel said to him: Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your Prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a
son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have Joy and Gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will
be great in the Sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit,
even from his mothers womb.
And he will turn many of the Children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of
Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the Wisdom of the Just, to make ready a
People prepared for the Lord.
And Zacharias said to the Angel: How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.
And the Angel answered and said to him: I am Gabriel, who stands in the Presence of God, and was sent to speak to you
and bring you these Glad Tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take
place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their own time.
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he lingered so long in the Temple. But when he came out, he
could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a Vision in the Temple, for he beckoned to them and
remained speechless.
So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months saying, Thus has the Lord dealt with
me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.
ST LUKE WAS THE ONLY EVANGELIST WHO PROVIDED I NFORMATION
ABOUT THE BI RTH AND INFANCY OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST,
FORERUNNER TO JESUS CHRIST.
St Zacharias and St Elizabeth were a Righteous couple of a
Priestly Lineage, living always to fulfil Gods Will.
St Elizabeth, like other women of the Old Covenant, such as
Sarah, Rebecca, Hannah and others, was barren and
beyond the age or possibility of child-bearing. And since
she had been unable to produce any living children, she
was socially disgraced because in those times infertility was
unacceptable - it was a reproach among people.
Each Priest who served at the Holy Temple was assigned to a
specific division of the Temple. There were 24 Divisions in all
and each Priest served a week at a time by rotation. The
responsibilities of the Priests in each Division were decided
by lot.
ST ZACHARIAS HAD OFTEN PRAYED FOR A SON AND NOW, FINALLY, IN
HIS LATE YEARS OF LIFE, HIS PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED AS ALWAYS,
ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD ALONE AND FOR HIS DIVINE
PURPOSE, which we seldom understand until much later or
quite often, never understand!
The Archangel Gabriel, the Bearer of Good News, promised, on
behalf of God, that St Zacharias and St Elizabeth would
have a son who must be named John, which means the
Grace of God.
ARCHANGEL GABRIEL DESCRIBED THE CHARACTER AND ROLE OF ST
JOHN THE BAPTIST
v HE WOULD LI VE AN ASCETI C LIFE AS A PROPHET
v HE WOULD PREPARE THE JEWISH NATION FOR THE COMI NG OF
THE MESSIAH.
ST ELIJAH WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST PROPHETS OF ISRAEL and HE WAS
EXPECTED TO REAPPEAR FROM HEAVEN IN ORDER TO ANOINT THE
MESSIAH.
ST ZACHARIAS I NDICATED A LACK OF FAITH IN GOD BY QUESTIONING
what Archangel Gabriel announced.
When Abram had heard Gods Promise of a son announced by
the Angel, he believed in the Lord - without any hesitation
or doubt, with total trust and Faith in the Lord.
However, ST ZACHARIAS WAS DISCIPLINED FOR HIS UNBELIEF by losing
his ability to speak until eight days after the birth of his son,
John.
THIS PUNISHMENT OF ST ZACHARIAS ALSO A SIGN AND CONFIRMATION
OF THE TRUTH of Archangel Gabriels Announcement of the
Forerunner to Christ our Saviour and the last but greatest of
all the Old Covenant Prophets of God.
F a t h e r Ma t t h e w t h e P o o r
Take heed how you hear the Gospel.
It seems that the Lord wants to say that we hear with our
heart rather than our ears, and that the Inner Life
affects the Word of God, either killing it, or making it
live and thrive.
So whoever wants to hear the Word well, understand it,
and hold it fast in an honest and good heart should
prepare his heart inwardly so that the Word may
safely take root there, finding in his heart Faithfulness
to God and Truthfulness in word and promise.
It is absolutely impossible that anyone should understand
what he hears of the Word of God, if he is not
completely honest before God and has not determined
to surrender his life, his responsibilities, his interests,
his money, his future, and his own honour and lay
them at Gods Feet.
S T T H E K L A T H E G R E A T & H O L Y P R O T O M A R T Y R O F I C O N I U M & E Q U A L T O T H E A P O S T L E S - 2 4 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 23.
AL L GL OR Y , HON OU R A ND WOR S HI P T O T HE FA T HE R , A ND T O T HE SON, A ND T O T HE HOL Y SP I R I T , NOW A ND
FOR E V E R , A ND U NT O T HE AGE S OF AGE S . AME N
RE ME MB E R I NG A L S O OU R MOS T HOL Y , MOS T P U R E , MOS T B L E S S E D A ND GL OR I OU S L A DY , MA R Y , T HE OT OKOS
Y E T E V E R VI R GI N, T OGE T HE R WI T H A L L T HE SA I N T S . AND L E T U S COMMI T OU R S E L V E S A ND ONE A NOT HE R A N D
OU R WHOL E L I F E T O CHR I S T OU R GOD. AME N.
2 4 S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 4
S t Th e k l a t h e Gr e a t & Ho l y P r o t o ma r t y r o f I c o n i u m
E q u a l t o t h e A p o s t l e s
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST SILOUAN OF MOUNT AT HOS - T HE SYNAXIS OF ALL SAINTS OF ALASKA - ST PETER THE
ALEUT - ST JUVENAL, PROTOMARTYR OF AMERICA ST SILOUAN OF MOUNT ATHOS - ST NICANDER THE
HERMIT OF PSKOV - ST GALAKTEON T HE MONK-MARTYR OF VOLOGDA - ST COPRES OF PALESTINE - ST
ABRAMIOS T HE ABBOT OF MIROZH, PSKOV - ST VLADISLAV KING & MARTYR OF SERBIA - ST DOROTHY OF
KASIN - ST SIMON, ST DAVID & ST STEPHEN OF SERBIA - ST ABRAHAM, BUILDER & ABBOT OF OUR SAVIOURS
TRANSFIGURATI ON MONASTERY IN PSKOV
F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N - S T T H E K L A T H E G R E A T P R O T O M A R T Y R O F I C O N I U M T O N E 4
I Amnos Sou, Iisou, krazi megali ti foni: Se Nimfie mou
potho, ke Se Zitousa Athlo, ke sistavroume, ke
sinthaptome to Vaptismo Sou. Ke Pasho dia Se, os
Vasilefso sin Si. Ke thnisko iper Sou, ina ke ziso en Si.
All os Thisian Amomon, prosdehou tin meta pothou
tithisan Si. Aftis Presvies, os eleimon, Soson tas psihas
imon.
Thy Lamb, O Lord Jesus, cries to Thee with a great
voice: O my Bridegroom, Thee I Love; and seeking
Thee, I now Contest, and with Thy Baptism am
crucified and buried. I suffer for Thy sake, that I may
reign with Thee; for Thy sake I die, that I may live in
Thee: accept me offered out of longing to Thee as a
Spotless Sacrifice. Lord, Save our souls through her
Intercessions, since Thou art great in Mercy.
K O N T A K I O N O F S T T H E K L A T H E G R E A T P R O T O M A R T Y R O F I C O N I U M
Tis Parthenias to kalli exelampsas, tou Martiou Stefano
kekosmise, Apostolin Pistevi Parthene os Endoxos. Ke
tou piros men tin floga, is droson metevales, tou
tavrou de tonthimon, prosehi Sou imerosas, os
Protoathlos.
O Glorious Virgin, Thou were entrusted with an
Apostolate, while shining brightly with Virginal
Beauty and adorned with Crowns of Martyrdom. And,
O Thekla, Thou also subdued the bull's fury and
changed the fire to Dew by Thine Entreaties, O First
Contestant among all womankind.
K O N T A K I O N O F T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S
Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon
fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon,
ton Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke
spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton
Timonton Se.
O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation
to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading
Help of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed
up Thine Intercession, and press on Thy
Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all
those who honour Thee!
God is Wonderful in His Saints.
Bless God in the Congregations
T h e S e c o n d E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o S t T i m o t h y 3 : 1 0 1 5
O U R L O Y A L T Y T O H O L Y T R A D I T I O N & D I V I N E T R U T H I S O U R D E F E N C E A G A I N S T A P O S T A S Y
Timothy my son: you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, Purpose of Life, Faith, Longsuffering, Love,
Perseverance, persecutions and afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra what persecutions
I endured! And out of them all, the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to Live Godly in Christ Jesus will
suffer persecution. And evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
However, you must continue in the Things which you have learnt and been assured of, knowing from whom you have
learnt them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for
Salvation through Faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE ERA OF THE LAST DAYS SINCE THE INCARNATION
OF THE SON OF GOD since the Birth of our Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ.
The Holy Church of Christ has always been aware of the
persecutions and perils of this final age of mankind but OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST, HIS HOLY APOSTLES AND OUR HOLY FATHERS
HAVE TAUGHT US NOT TO DISTRESS OURSELVES OR WASTE THIS
VALUABLE PRESENT TIME NOW! TODAY! THIS MOMENT! - by being
preoccupied with the future that only God the Father knows
about and can control.
Life throughout the ages has suffered varying degrees of
catastrophe and devastation, and OUR LORD JESUS DID WARN
US THAT BEFORE HIS REAPPEARANCE ON EARTH FOR HIS FINAL
JUDGEMENT, EVERYTHING WOULD BE THE WORST IT HAS EVER BEEN
FOR ALL CREATION.
GREAT SPIRITUAL DECAY AND IMMORALITY HAS ALREADY TAKEN ROOT
even from within His Holy Church and similar to the
prominent men of Cains city, THE OFFENDERS OF GOD
DELIBERATELY REJECT GODS LAW AND SOCIAL MORALS BECAUSE OF
THEIR UNCONTROLLED GREED AND SELF-INDULGENCE, and LACK OF
LOVE, LACK OF MERCY AND LACK OF COMPASSI ON for anyone
else!
READ MATTHEW 24; MARK 13; 2 THESSALONIANS 2; 2 PETER 2; ROMANS
1:28-32; MATTHEW 7:15-27; 1 CORINTHIANS 5:1-5; 1 TI TUS 4: 1
11 & GENESIS 4:16-24
Knowing exactly what we are to endure and how difficult and
destructive life on earth was to become, OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST WARNED US TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SPIRI TUAL WELFARE
NOW!
c IF WE ALL BEGIN TO HUMBLE OURSELVES SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
FULLY AND EAGERLY OBEY ALL FACETS OF GODS COMMANDMENTS,
AS A UNIVERSAL CHRISTI AN COMMUNITY WE WILL BE STRENGTHENED
AND UNI TED IN HIS DIVINE LOVE.
EQUIPPED AND PROTECTED BY ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS ENTIRE HEAVENLY
HOST, WE WILL BE READY AND ABLE TO CONFRONT ANY ENEMI ES OF
HIS HOLY KINGDOM ON EARTH.
c AS TRUE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, WE ARE CALLED TO PRESERVE, TO
SHARE AND TO PROTECT HIS DIVINE TRUTH AT ALL TIMES, AND WHEN
NECESSARY, WE ARE CALLED TO OFFER OUR LIVES PHYSICALLY AND
SPIRITUALLY IN ORDER TO DO SO.
24. S T T H E K L A - G R E A T & H O L Y P R O T O M A R T Y R O F I C O N I U M & E Q U A L T O T H E A P O S T L E S - 2 4 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
The Life in Christ of St Paul exhibited what our Lord Jesus Christ
taught us: IN THIS FALLEN WORLD, GODLINESS ELI CI TS
PERSECUTION FROM THE GODLESS AND GOD-HATERS.
J O H N 1 5 : 2 0 : Our Lord Jesus Christ said: Remember the
Word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than
his Master. If they persecuted Me, they will also
persecute you. If they kept My Word, they will keep
yours also.
The rebellion of the fallen world against God reveals several
aspects:
while UNI ON WITH CHRIST BRING US LOVE, TRUTH AND PEACE, IT
ALSO BRING US PERSECUTI ON, because the fallen world of
Godless people the enemies of God hate His Divine
Love and Truth (AND EVEN OUR HUMAN CONCEPT OF LOVE AND TRUTH!)
THE FALLEN WORLD HATES CHRIST; THEREFORE IT WILL ALSO HATE ALL
THOSE WHO TRY TO IMITATE HIM WHO TRY TO BECOME
CHRISTLIKE THOSE WHO STRIVE FOR LIFE IN CHRIST THE
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST THE FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS.
THE FALLEN WORLD HATES OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BECAUSE IT
NEITHER KNOWS NOR DESI RES TO KNOW GOD THE FATHER. (THE
REJECTION OF GOD AND ALL HIS GOODNESS IS A DIRECT INFLUENCE OF AND SUBJECTION TO
SATAN!)
THE FALLEN WORLDS HATRED FOR CHRIST JESUS I S IRRATI ONAL AND
UNREASONABLE BECAUSE OUR SAVI OUR HAS BROUGHT US
PERFECT, TRUE LOVE AND HIS GREAT MERCY by Teaching,
Guiding and Enlightening us revealing through His
Example ALL THE UNCONDITIONAL BLESSI NGS AND BENEFITS OF
GODS DIVINE LOVE AND THE WONDERFUL CONSEQUENCES OF
SUCH PERFECTION AND GOODNESS. (HATRED IS ALWAYS IRRATIONAL
AND UNREASONABLE - AND CONSEQUENTLY DEADLY AND DESTRUCTIVE! IT IS
EVERYTHING THAT IS GODLESS AND SATANIC!)
SO OUR ABSOLUTELY PERFECT AND LOVI NG LORD JESUS CHRIST IS HATED
AND REJECTED WI THOUT REASON OR CAUSE!
Having exhorted and encouraged St Timothy with the example of
his own steadfastness his own faithfulness, dedication and
commitment to Christ and His Holy Gospel - St Paul then
reminded St Timothy of HIS TRAINI NG as St Pauls disciple,
which CONSISTED OF A COMBINATION OF BOTH ORAL AND WRITTEN
TEACHINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS. (DOCTRINE)
ONLY A PART OF THAT HOLY TRADITION CONSISTED OF HOLY
SCRIPTURE, which was, of course, the Old Testament since
the New Testament had not yet been compiled.
MOST OF OUR SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT AND INSTRUCTION COMES
FROM OUR GOD-INSPIRED VERBAL TRADI TION, which has
been so METICULOUSLY AND TRUTHFULLY PRESERVED and then
MOST VIGILANTLY PASSED DOWN TO US UNCHANGED from the
time of Christ and His Holy Apostles!
READ MATTHEW 28:16-20; 1 CORINTHIANS 11:2; 2 THESSALONIANS 2: 15 &
3:6
Th e Ho l y Go s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 1 0 : 3 8 4 2 & 1 1 : 2 7 - 2 8
H E A R T H E W O R D O F G O D A N D O B E Y !
At that time, Jesus entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
And she had a Sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His Word.
But Martha being distracted with much serving, went to Him and said:, "Lord, dost Thou not care that my Sister has left me
to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
Answering, Jesus said to her: "Martha, Martha, Thou art worried and troubled about many things; but one thing is needed,
and Mary has chosen that Good Part, which shall not be taken away from her.
...And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him:
"Blessed is the Womb that bore Thee, and the breasts that nursed Thee!"
But He said, "More than that, Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!"
THIS PARTICULAR PASSAGE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT IS USUALLY READ ON
SEVERAL HOLY FEASTS OF OUR EVER BLESSED LADY THEOTOKOS, AS WELL
AS DURING THE HOLY SERVICE OF THE SMALL PARAKLESIS.
St Mary and St Martha of Bethany were the two devoted and
faithful sisters of St Lazaros, (whom Christ resurrected after
being dead for four days.)
They all remained Faithful Disciples of Christ and, after the
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, they suffered much at
the hands of the Hebrews who had rejected our Lord as the
Messiah and who sought the destruction of all His Faithful
Disciples and Apostles.
They were eventually put in a boat without sails or oars and set
adrift in the expectation of drowning at sea. However they
arrived, by the Grace of God, at Cypress where they
continued to spread the Holy Gospel.
On this particular day, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DID NOT REBUKE ST
MARTHA FOR SERVING HIM AND HIS DISCIPLES, BUT RATHER FOR
COMPLAINING ABOUT HER DUTIES AND HER SISTER AND ESPECIALLY FOR
BEING DISTRACTED, WORRIED AND TROUBLED BY INSIGNIFICANT MATTERS
RATHER THAN PAYING ATTENTION TO EVERYTHING OF WHICH HE SPOKE OR
TAUGHT DURING HIS VISIT TO THEIR HOME.
THERE IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR EVERYTHING BUT EVERYTHING TO DO WITH GOD SHOULD BE A PRIORITY OF
LIFE.
As Faithful Disciples of Christ, WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE HIM AND OTHERS
IN WHATEVER MANNER REQUIRED FOR THAT IS HOW WE FACILITATE THE
SPREAD OF HIS HOLY GOSPEL. (ACTS 6:1 4)
Later on OUR LORD JESUS CORRECTED THE WOMAN who had so
impulsively called out from the crowd for Blessing His Mother
for having brought Him into this world.
CHRIST DID NOT DENOUNCE HER OR HER WORDS OF PRAISE NEITHER DID HE
INSULT HIS MOST PURE, HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT MOTHER.
Instead HE EMPHASISED THAT THERE WAS MORE TO BLESSED PARENTING -
and THAT WAS TO LISTEN PROPERLY AND CAREFULLY TO THE WORD OF
GOD AND FULFIL EVERYTHING GOD TEACHES US TO DO.
In other words: IT IS FAR MORE BLESSED TO TRULY LIVE IN CHRIST BY
STUDYING ALL HIS TEACHINGS, HOLY COMMANDMENTS AND THE MANNER
WITH WHICH HE ALWAYS DEALT WITH PEOPLE AND THEN APPLY THEM TO
DAILY LIFE NEVER WEAKENING, NEGLECTING OR IGNORING OUR
PERPETUAL SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE.
] As God Himself has clearly pointed out: THOSE WHO LISTEN
INTENTLY AND PAY FULL ATTENTION TO THE DIVINE TEACHINGS AND
COMMANDMENTS AND OBEY THEM ALL, ARE TRULY BLESSED AND
LOVED BY GOD.
St Mary of Bethany and His own Ever Blessed Mother as well as
many other Holy Saints throughout the ages - were our good
examples of such humble Obedience to God.
We must NEVER ALLOW WORLDLY COMMITMENTS AND INSIGNIFICANT
INTERESTS TO DISTRACT US FROM OUR SACRED DUTIES TO GOD - OUR
MOST IMPORTANT COMMITMENT IS THE FULFILMENT OF ALL SACRED
DUTIES.
The Greek word menounge is translated as more than that,
and is also translated as yes, indeed, according to St Pauls
Epistle to the Romans. (ROMANS 10:18)
Thus that particular word CORRECTS BY AMPLIFLYING NOT BY
NEGATING.
S t Th e k l a , was born to wealthy parents in Iconium.
After having heard St Paul speak on Chastity, she decided
she must follow Christ and refuse to marry. Her mother
and her fianc were opposed to this decision, and their
accusations to the Governor landed St Paul in prison
but St Thekla secretly visited him to be taught by him,
having bribed the guards with her gold jewellery.
St Paul was banished from the city, and St Thekla resisted
all the tears, threats, and arguments of her mother and
the Governor. She was unwavering in her determination
to follow Jesus Christ the Bridegroom.
Her enraged mother had persuaded the Judge to sentence
her to be burnt to death, and encouraged and
strengthened by her Love for Christ, St Thekla made the
Sign of the Cross over the flames, and became
surrounded by Light and was untouched by the flames.
Suddenly rain, and hail extinguished the fire, and terrifying
lightning and thunder drove away the superstitious
pagan executioners and most of the witnesses.
St Thekla sought out St Paul and his companions who were
hiding in a cave outside the city, and together they
continued to spread the Holy Gospel in Antioch and the
surrounding regions. They all performed many Miracles
by the Grace of God, and suffered much humiliation
and torture, but ceaselessly gave all Glory to God.
Having retired to a desolate region of Isaurian Seleucia with
the Blessing of St Paul, St Thekla continued to preach
God's Word and Heal His Children.
At the age of 90, envious pagan sorcerers tried to defile her
but a large rock split open when she called on Christ to
Save her, and then covered her, as she offered up her
soul to the Lord.
St Thekla the Protomartyr of Iconium is the Patron Saint of
Ascetics who is invoked during the Tonsuring of women
into Holy Monasticism.
HT T P : / / ORT HODOX WI KI . ORG/ T HE KL A _T HE _P ROT OMART Y R
S T J O H N T H E B E L O V E D A P O S T L E , D I V I N E T H E O L O G I A N & E V A N G E L I S T - 2 6 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 25.
AL L GL OR Y , HONOU R A ND WOR S HI P T O T HE FA T HE R , A ND T O T HE SON, A ND T O T HE
HOL Y SP I R I T , NOW A ND FOR E V E R , A ND U N T O T HE AGE S OF AGE S . AME N
RE ME MB E R I NG A L S O OU R MOS T HOL Y , MOS T P U R E , MOS T BL E S S E D A ND GL OR I OU S
L A DY , MA R Y , T HE OT OKOS Y E T E V E R VI R GI N, T OGE T HE R WI T H A L L T HE SA I NT S . AND
L E T U S COMMI T OU R S E L V E S A ND ONE A NOT HE R A ND OU R WHOL E L I F E T O CHR I S T OU R
GOD. AME N.
2 6 S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 4
S t J o h n t h e Di v i n e Th e o l o g i a n , E v a n g e l i s t &
Be l o v e d A p o s t l e
AL S O T HE FE AS T ST GI DE ON T HE RI GHT E OUS ST ANDRE W T HE FI RS T
CAL L E D AP OS T L E & T HE CONS E CRAT I ON OF T HE CHU RCH I N PAT RAS , B U I L T
I N HI S HONOUR ST EP HRA I M, WONDE RWOR KE R OF PE RE KOP MONAS T E RY ,
NOVGOROD T HE I VE RON I CON OF OUR AL L PU RE , EVE R BL E S S E D L ADY
T HE OT OKOS I N GE OR GI A
A P O L Y T I K I O N O F T H E R E S U R R E C T I O N T O N E ( 6 ) P L A G A L 2
Apostole Hristo to Theo igapimene, epitahinon, Rise
laon anapologiton. Dehete Se prospiptonta, O
epipesonta to stithi katadexamenos. On iketeve,
Theologe, ke epimonon nefos Ethnon diaskedase,
etoumenos imin Irinin, ke to Mega Eleos.
O Apostle, speaker of Divinity, the Beloved of Christ
God, hasten and deliver thy people powerless in
argument; for He on Whose Bosom thou leant
accepts thee as an Intercessor. Beseech Him, asking
for our Safety and His Great Mercy.
Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon
fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon,
ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke
timonton se.
Help of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed
up Thine Intercession, and press on Thy
Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all
those who honour Thee!
Ma t i n s H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 2 1 : 1 & 1 5 2 5
O U R R E S U R R E C T E D L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T R E S T O R E S S T P E T E R & C O M M I S S I O N S H I S A P O S T L E S
After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the Disciples at the Sea of Tiberias...
The third time our Lord Jesus showed Himself to His Disciples after He was Risen from the dead, when they had eaten
breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter: Simon, son of Jonah, do you Love Me more than these? He said to Him: Yes,
Lord, Thou know that I love Thee. He said to him: Feed My Lambs.
He said to him again a second time: Simon, son of Jonah, do you Love Me? He said to Him:, Yes Lord; Thou know that I
Love Thee. He said to him: Tend My sheep.
He said to him the third time: Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because He asked him a third
time: Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, Thou know all things; Thou know that I love Thee. Jesus said to
him:, Feed My sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you: when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you
wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you
do not wish to go.
This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God.
And when He had spoken this, He said to him: Follow Me!
Then Peter, turning around, saw the Disciple whom Jesus Loved following, (who also had leaned against His Breast at the
Supper and had asked: Lord, who is the one who betrays Thee?) Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus: Lord, what about this
man? Jesus said to him: If I Will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!
Then this saying went out among the Brethren that this Disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would
not die, but: If I Will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?
This is the Disciple who testifies to these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his Testimony is True. And
there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world
itself could not contain the books that would be written.
Amen
Hi s Voi ce has gone out i nt o al l t he Ear t h.
The Heavens decl ar e t he Gl or y of God
Th e F i r s t E p i s t l e o f S t J o h n 4 : 1 2 - 1 9
G O D A B I D E S I N U S
Beloved: No one has seen God at any time. If we Love one another, God abides in us, and His Love has been Perfected in
us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen
and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Saviour of the world.
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the
Love that God has for us.
God is Love, and he who abides in Love abides in God, and God in him.
Love has been Perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgement; because as He is, so are we
in this world.
There is no fear in Love, for Perfect Love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. So he who fears has not been
made Perfect in Love.
We Love God because He first Loved us.
St John emphasises the fact that No one has seen God...
for WE CANNOT SEE ALMIGHTY GOD IN ALL HIS MAJESTY AND GLORY
- EVEN IF WE WERE OF THE SPIRITUAL WORLD - although THOSE
WHO HAVE RISEN TO GREAT SPIRITUAL HEIGHTS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE
GREAT JOY AND WONDER OF HIS DIVINE UNCREATED LIGHT.
THE ONLY WAY WE CAN SEE GOD, IS IN THE HUMAN NATURE OF OUR LORD
JESUS CHRIST Who is the Incarnate Son and Word of God
26. S T J O H N T H E B E L O V E D A P O S T L E , D I V I N E T H E O L O G I A N & E V A N G E L I S T - 2 6 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
one of the three Persons of the Eternal, Co-Equal Holy
Trinity.
When He was asked about God the Father, He told His
Apostles that ANYONE WHO SEES HIM, SEES THE FATHER AS WELL.
Thus, THE HOLY ICON OF THE HOLY TRINITY the Hospitality of
Abraham DEPICTS THE HOLY TRINITY AS THREE IDENTICAL ANGELS
Who visited the ancient Patriarch at the Oaks of Mamre.
(GENESIS 18)
THE EXPRESSION God is Love IS NOT A DEFINITION OF WHO GOD IS,
BUT RATHER A DESCRIPTION OF HIS RELATIONSHIP TO US AS OUR
HEAVENLY FATHER Who Loves us far beyond our
understanding.
As our Lord Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son Who
sacrificially gave Himself (AS THE SUPREME AND MOST PERFECT OFFERER AND
OFFERING) so that we might Live (Eternally) through Him, WE
MUST JOYFULLY AND WILLINGLY GIVE OURSELVES TO GOD AND TO ONE
ANOTHER IN THAT SAME PERFECT, DIVINE LOVE AGAPE.
St John reveals to us how we CAN KNOW WHETHER GOD LIVES IN US:
If we LOVE ONE ANOTHER UNCONDITIONALLY
If we RECEIVE HIS HOLY SPIRIT
If we CONFESS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST IS THE
SON OF GOD
If we ABIDE IN THE LOVE OF GOD LIVE IN CHRIST by striving
every moment to IMITATE HIM WITH OUR WORDS,
THOUGHTS AND DEEDS.
Gods Great Mercy and Grace His infinite, unconditional
Divine Love for us - is proved by the fact that HE CREATED US
DUE TO AND WITH HIS DIVINE LOVE.
And HE CREATED US WITH FREE WILL AND AS INTELLECTUAL BEINGS
because He does force us to be with Him if we do not will
it ourselves!
LOVE CAN NEVER BE FORCED since it is the greatest of free Gifts
that God has bestowed on us, which we can grant to
others!
EVEN BEFORE THE CREATION, GOD HAD A PLAN OF GREAT MERCY AND
DIVINE GRACE FOR US.
HAVING EXILED EXCOMMUNICATED OURSELVES FROM GOD THROUGH
SIN, His Love for us was so great that HE SENT HIS BELOVED
ONLY BEGOTTEN SON as the propitiation for our sins AS OUR
DIVINE RECONCILIATION AND REDEEMER.
THROUGH THE ULTIMATE AND FINAL BLOOD SACRIFICE OF CHRIST, Who
was both the Offerer and the Offering, ALL MANKIND WAS
SAVED from the enslavement of sin and Death caused by
the evil one.
HOWEVER, DUE TO OUR FREE WILL, WE STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SIN BUT WE
ALSO HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO REPENT AND RETURN TO DIVINE
GRACE UNTIL WE DRAW OUR VERY LAST BREATH IN THIS LIFE.
The Lord our God is truly Merciful and Gracious because HE
GRANTS US MANY OPPORTUNITIES AND THE MEANS FOR OUR SPIRITUAL
RENEWAL THROUGH REPENTANCE-CONFESSION AND THE HOLY
MYSTERIES OF HIS HOLY CHURCH.
ALMIGHTY GOD IS A LOVING GOD WHO WATCHES OVER US, GUIDES AND
PROTECTS US FROM EVIL AND HARM.
In return, HIS FAITHFUL FLOCK HUMBLY AND OBEDIENTLY SERVE HIM AND
WORSHIP HIM BECAUSE WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR HIS ABUNDANT
BLESSINGS.
DUE OUR DEVOTION TO GOD, WE WORSHIP AND ADORE HIM WITH DEEPEST
AND MOST SINCERE RESPECT, HONOUR AND GLORY, FEARING ONLY
OUR PERSONAL FAILURE TO FULFIL OUR SACRED DUTIES TO GOD AND
OUR FELLOW MANKIND.
GOD DOES NOT DOMINATE US BY FEAR OR TERROR like those who are
evil and who seek our enslavement and destruction.
Th e Ho l y Go s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 1 9 : 2 5 2 7 & 2 1 : 2 4 - 2 5
O U R L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T E N T R U S T S T H E P R O T E C T I O N A N D C A R E O F H I S A L L H O L Y M O T H E R T O S T J O H N
At that time, there stood by the Cross of Jesus His Mother, and His Mothers sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary
Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His Mother, and the Disciple whom He Loved, standing there, He said to His
Mother: Woman: behold Thy son! And He said to the Disciple: Behold Thy Mother!
And from that very hour that Disciple took Her to his own home...
... This is the Disciple who testifies to these Things, and wrote these Things; and we know that his Testimony is True.
And there were also many other Things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one I suppose that even the
world itself could not contain the Books that would be written. Amen.
ST JOHN NOTED SEVERAL VERY IMPORTANT TRUTHS CONCERNING THE ALL PURE
AND HOLY MOTHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. By addressing Her
as Woman our Lord used a term that was regarded as one
of dignity, respect and affection. Contrary to certain modern
usages, this is A SACRED TITLE IN HOLY SCRIPTURE: it is a manner of
addressing Someone who is profoundly respected and
distinguished from others.
When our Lord Jesus Christ said to St John, His Beloved Disciple:
Behold Thy Mother! HE SYMBOLICALLY ESTABLISHED THE EVER
BLESSED THEOTOKOS SACRED ROLE AS ALL PURE, ALL HOLY MOTHER OF
ALL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST THROUGHOUT ALL AGES.
Furthermore, if there had been other siblings, Christ would never
have insulted them but entrusting Her Protection and Care to
His cousin, St John. Thus THE APOSTOLIC TEACHING THAT OUR LADY
THEOTOKOS IS EVER VIRGIN IS DEFINITELY CONFIRMED BY CHRISTS
WORDS.
In addition, according to St John Chrysostom, our Lord Jesus
Christ demonstrated throughout His earthly Life that ONE OF
OUR MOST IMPORTANT SACRED DUTIES WAS ... EVEN TO OUR LAST BREATH
TO SHOW EVERY CARE FOR OUR PARENTS.
There are several significant aspects we must remember concerning
life in those ancient times:
Every female had to be under the protection of a close male
relative who ensured her care and safety. Otherwise all her
property and possessions were taken from her and she would
be cast out into the street, where she would have to do
whatever she could to survive.
Christ had great compassion for orphans and widows and clearly
instructed His Disciples to always take care of them
especially those who have no one to help or comfort them.
Family members such as cousins, aunts and uncles and even
step-children - were referred to as brothers and sisters -
or sons and daughters.
Being legally Betrothed to her aged, Righteous uncle, our Lady
Theotokos cousins became Her children. However, they were
not expected to take care of Her after the death of Her
Firstborn only Son.
Firstborn Son did not infer that there were other children
born to the Ever Virgin, All Pure Mary, who had taken a life-
long Sacred Vow of Celibacy, which was never broken! mp
ST JOHN THE DIVINE - the Beloved Theologian, Evangelist and
Apostle of Christ, was the only Holy Apostle to live a long and
full life. Although he did suffer a degree of Martyrdom, he
FINALLY REPOSED IN PEACE AT THE AGE OF BETWEEN 101 103.
FROM HIS EARLY YOUTH ST JOHN HAD MADE A SOLEMN VOW OF CHASTITY IN
ORDER TO FULLY SERVE THE LORD - which he achieved by the
Grace and Love of God.
ALTHOUGH THEOTOKOS WAS UNDER HIS PERSONAL PROTECTION, HIS FAMILY
HAPPILY TOOK GREAT CARE OF HER.
St John clearly explained that His Holy Gospel (as well as the
others) only recorded a few significant Words and Deeds of
our Lord Jesus Christ Who did far more wondrous Things that
were witnessed by him and the other Holy Apostles, as well as
thousands of people during His Lifetime and especially during
His short, three year Public Ministry.
St J o h n t h e Be l o ve d & Di vi ne Apo s t l e was one of the
original Twelve Apostles, who wrote his Holy Gospel as well as
three Canonical Epistles and the Book of Revelation.
He is Commemorated on 8 May, together with the other Apostles
on 30 June and on 26 September, when he reposed. His
symbol is the Eagle.
St John was the son of St Salome (daughter of St Joseph the
Betrothed & his late wife, Salome, sister of St Anna) & St
Zebedee the Fisherman, and his brother was St James (the
Lesser), another Apostle of Christ.
He was referred to as ... the Disciple whom Jesus Loved.. rather
than being identified by name. He was the youngest of the
Twelve Apostles and especially close to our Lord with Whom
he had grown up and their close relationship is depicted in
the Icon of the Mystical Supper, with St John leaning against
Christ.
Together with his brother, St James, and St Peter, he witnessed the
Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor.
He was later exiled to the island of Patmos by Emperor Domitian
(circa 90 95) where he received and wrote the Book of the
Revelation/Apocalypse.
When over 100 years old, St John took seven Disciples outside
Ephesos, where they were told to dig a grave in the shape of
a cross. St John lay down in the grave and told them to cover
him with earth.
A day later they returned to find an empty grave.
Every year on 8 May a mysterious dust arises from this gravesite,
which heals a variety of diseases.
ht t p: / / or t hodox wi k i . o r g/ Apos t l e_J ohn
1 6
T H
A P 1
S T
S U N D A Y O F S T L U K E T H E M I R A C U L O U S C A T C H 2 8 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 27.
AGE S . AME N
RE ME MB E R I NG A L S O OU R MOS T HOL Y , MOS T P U R E , MOS T BL E S S E D A ND GL OR I OU S L A DY , MA R Y , T HE OT OK OS Y E T E V E R VI R GI N, T OGE T HE R WI T H
A L L T HE SA I N T S . AND L E T US COMMI T OU R S E L V E S A ND ONE
A NOT HE R A N D OU R WHOL E L I F E T O CHR I S T OU R GOD. AME N .
2 8 S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 4
1 6
t h
To n e ( 7 ) V a r y s / Gr a v e
1 s t S u n d a y o f S t L u k e
Th e Mi r a c u l o u s C a t c h
AL S O T HE F EAS T OF ST CHARI T ON T HE CONF ES S OR OF
I CONI UM, PAL ES T I NE ST BAR UCH T HE HOL Y PR OP HE T OF
GOD & DI S CI P L E , COMP ANI ON, FR I E ND & SCR I B E OF ST
JE RE MI A H T HE HOL Y PROP HE T OF GOD SY NA XI S OF T HE
VE NE RAB L E HOL Y MONAS T I C FAT HE RS OF T HE K I E V NE AR
CAVE S OF ST ANT HONY
R E S U R R E C T I O N A P O L Y T I K I O N T O N E ( 7 ) V A R Y S / G R A V E
Katelisas to Stavro Sou ton Thanaton. Ineoxas to listi ton
Paradison. Ton Miroforon ton thrinon metevales ke
tis sis Apostolis kirittin epetaxas, oti Anestis, Hriste O
Theos, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos.
By Thy Cross Thou destroyed Death; Thou opened
Paradise to the Thief; Thou changed the funeral wail
of the Myrrh-bearing Women, and Commanded them
to announce to Thine Apostles that Thou had Risen
from the dead, O Christ our God, Who bestows upon
the world Great Mercy!
F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N S T C H A R I T O N T H E C O N F E S S O R
Tes ton dakrion Sou roes, tis erimou to agonon
egeorgisas; ke tis ek vathous stenagmis, is ekaton tous
ponous ekarpoforisas; ke gegonas fostir, tis ikoumenis,
lambon tis Thavmasi, O Chariton, Patir imon Osie:
Presveve Hristo to Theo, Sothine tas psihas imon.
With the rivers of Thy tears, Thou changed the barren
desert into fertile land; and with the sighs from Thy
depths, Thou made Thy Labours produce a
hundredfold; and Thou became a Bright Star, shining
on the Earth with Thy Miracles. O Chariton, our
Righteous Father, Intercede with Christ our God, for
our souls to be Saved.
Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon Deiseon
fonas, alla profthason os Agathi, is tin voithian imon,
ton Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, ke
timonton Se.
Aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up
Thine Intercession, and press on Thy Supplication, O
Theotokos who forever protects all those who
honour Thee!
Re s u r r e c t i o n Go s p e l 5 L u k e 2 4 : 1 2 3 5
O U R R E S U R R E C T E D L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T A P P E A R S A L O N G T H E R O A D T O E M M A U S
T h e L o r d w i l l g r a n t S t r e n g t h t o H i s P e o p l e
B r i n g u n t o t h e L o r d , y o u s o n s o f G o d , b r i n g u n t o t h e L o r d G l o r y a n d H o n o u r !
Th e 2
n d
E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e C o r i n t h i a n 6 : 1 - 1 0
T H E M A R K S O F H O L Y A P O S T L E S H I P
Brethren: as workers together with God, we beseech you also that you do not receive the Grace of God in vain. For He says:
In an accepted time I have heard you, and in the Day of Salvation I have helped you.
Behold: now is the accepted time! Behold: now is the Day of Salvation!
We give no offence in anything, that our Ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as Ministers
of God, in much Patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumlts, in labours, in
sleeplessness, in Fastings; by Purity, by Knowledge, by Longsuffering, by Kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere Love,
by the Word of Truth, by the Power of God, by the Armour of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by
honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as
dying, and behold: we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making
many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Th e Ho l y Go s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 5 : 1 - 1 1
T H E M I R A C U L O U S D R A U G H T
At that time, the multitude pressed about (our Lord Jesus Christ) - to hear the Word of God as He stood by the Lake of
Gennesaret. And He saw two boats standing by the Lake but the Fishermen had gone from them and were washing
their nets.
Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simons, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down
and taught the multitudes from the boat.
When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon: Launch into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. And Simon
answered and said to Him: Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Thy Word I will let
down the net.
And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signalled to their
partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus Knees, saying: Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord!
28. 1 6
T H
A P 1
S T
S U N D A Y O F S T L U K E T H E M I R A C U L O U S C A T C H 2 8 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish, which they had taken. And so also were James and
John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.
And Jesus said to Simon: Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.
And when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
The Lake of Gennesaret is also known as the Sea of Galilee. It is
about 13 miles long and 7 miles wide.
Sitting was the traditional position for a Teacher (Rabbi) who held
a position of honour and respect amongst His Disciples.
The Name of our Lord Jesus (Joshua) means O Lord, Save!
This refers to His Role as our Divine Saviour.
The Holy Title Christ means Anointed One and we
understand the Christ as referring to the long-awaited
Messiah Who is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Although God the Son was the only One of the Three Persons of
the Holy Trinity to become Incarnate to become Man He
fulfils the Divine Will of God the Father by the Power and
Energy of God the Holy Spirit.
(The Will of the Father, through His Son, by the Power of the Holy
Spirit Saves, Renews, Regenerates and Restores humanity
perpetually working towards the Restoration and Perfection of
our created state in the Image and Likeness of God. mp)
The Holy Trinity always works in Perfect Unison and is never
separate from each Personality and Their Divine Attributes.
The Holy Trinity is One Godhead Who is inseparable, indivisible
and Eternal.
Our Lord Jesus became Man being born into the Hebrew Nation,
from the Lineage of the ancient Patriarch Abraham, who is
the Ancestral Father of all Jews, and of King David who was
Israels Greatest Prototype of our Royal Messiah.
Christs Ancestry according to His Flesh His human Nature from
Theotokos - includes both the Righteous and the wicked.
Thus He identifies completely with our human condition, which He
voluntarily took on Himself with the exception of our natural
ability and inclination to sin.
St Ambrose regarded the Spiritual Meaning of our Lords
instruction: Launch into the deep... as a Divine Invitation
to give our life over to surrender or entrust ourselves - to the
deep Mystery of the Knowledge of the Son of God.
Our Lord, in His All Knowing Wisdom, draws humanity to Himself
by means of the things that are familiar to us: the Magi were
drawn to Him by means of the Mysterious Star; Tax Collectors
were drawn to Him by a Tax Collector, and various types of
sinners were drawn to Him, all repenting their sins after having
witnessed others in similar circumstances, reacting to the
Compassionate Love and Great Mercy of our Saviour.
Christ drew these humble Fishermen to Him by means of this
Miraculous Catch.
1 C O R I N T H I A N S 9 : ... God is Faithful by Whom you were
Called into the Fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
St (Simon) Peters exclamation: Depart from me for I am a sinful
man, O Lord! is a cry that was compelled by being
confronted by such Divine Power. It was not a rejection of
our Lord Jesus.
Rather, being suddenly cast into the Divine Light of Christ, pious
people like St Peter become keenly aware of their own
unworthiness.
It is almost a cry of Spiritual Pain from the humble, impulsive
Fisherman who would soon become one of the greatest Holy
Apostles of Christ.
The Miraculous Catch is an Image of the future Apostles who
would bring millions of immortal souls to the Knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
This Miraculous Catch fulfils the ancient Prophecy of St Jeremiah:
Behold: I will send many Fishermen, and they will fish
them. After this, I will send many hunters, and they will
hunt them upon every mountain, upon every hill, and out
of the holes of the rocks. ( J ER EMI AH 16: 16 )
In the Festal Hymn of Pentecost we sing to Christ: Through the
Fishermen, Thou drew the world to Thee.
1 6
t h
S u n d a y A f t e r P e n t e c o s t T h e Mi r a c u l o u s C a t c h
Our Lord Jesus Christ fled Glory for Himself and always
directed it towards God the Father, yet the multitudes
grew, seeking to witness this Great, Holy Teacher.
When the crowd pressed so tightly against Him, He got
onto a boat, so that from there He could teach those
who had gathered on the shore, and everyone would be
in front of Him and would be able to hear clearly what
He said, rather than some approaching Him from all
directions at once, being a distraction and making it
difficult for everyone to hear.
And when He had finished teaching the people, He did not
leave the owner of the boat without payment, but gave
him a two-fold Benefit: He bestowed on him an
abundance of fish, and He made him His Disciple.
Marvel at how wisely the Lord arranges our Salvation,
drawing to Himself each one by means of the things
that are our own and with which we are familiar.
As He had attracted the Magi with a Star, so now He drew
the Fishermen to Him by means of that Miraculous
Catch of Fish.
Behold the Gentleness of Christ - how He did not command,
but requested St Peter to put the boat out a little
distance from the shore.
Behold also the Obedience of St Peter - how he welcomed
into his boat a Man Whom he did not know, and yet he
obeyed Him.
When our Lord told him to launch out into the deep water,
St Peter did not become exasperated and ignore or
refuse Him, nor did he reply: "I have toiled the whole
night and gained nothing, and now I should obey Thee
and do it all again?"
St Peter said nothing like this, but instead he said: ... at
Thy Word I will let down the net.
Such was the warmth of his Trust in Christ even before he
had Faith.
And he caught so great a number of fish that he was not
able to haul them in, so he beckoned to his companions
in the other boat.
He caught their attention with a signal, because his
astonishment at the catch was so overwhelming that he
could not even speak.
Out of great reverence for our Lord Jesus and a profound
sense of his sinfulness - St Peter begged Him to depart
because he was not worthy to be with Christ.
We may also understand these things in a Spiritual Sense:
The boat symbolises the Hebrew Synagogue.
St Peter represents the Teachers of the Old Covenant Law,
who also toiled throughout the darkness of night before
Christ came.
The time before Christ's sojourning on Earth was indeed
like a long, dark night, during which they achieved
nothing.
But when Christ came, and it became as bright and clear as
day, the Teachers of the Law were replaced by Gods
Holy Apostles who, at His Word - at His Command - let
down the Net of the Holy Gospel in which they caught
so great a number of souls that the Apostles could not
haul them in by themselves.
And so they beckoned to their partners and companions,
and together they were able to pull in the nets.
These symbolise all our Holy Church Fathers (and Mothers)
of every generation who correctly teach and interpret
the Words and Teachings of Christ and His Holy
Apostles - all those who ceaselessly and Faithfully
Labour together with our Lord and His Holy Apostles to
net all the souls of mankind throughout all generations
until the Final Day.
Consider also our Lords Instructions: ... let down the
net...
The net is His Holy Gospel.
Just like the Fisherman's net, which is mundane and
familiar, the Holy Gospel is composed of humble,
everyday words that reach down and address the
simplicity of the people.
This is why the net is ...let down...
The letting down of the net in the deep water, also
symbolises the depth of meaning of the Holy Gospel.
Furthermore, the words of St Jeremiah, the Holy Prophet of
God, have also been fulfilled: Behold, I will send many
Fishermen... saith the Lord, ...and they shall fish for
them; and afterward I will send many hunters, and
they shall hunt for them... (JEREMIAH 16:16)
1 6
T H
A P 1
S T
S U N D A Y O F S T L U K E T H E M I R A C U L O U S C A T C H 2 8 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 29.
The Fishermen symbolise the Holy Apostles, and the
Hunters are the Leaders and Teachers of the Holy
Church of Christ in each generation.
T HE E XP L A NAT I ON OF T HE GOS P E L OF ST L UK E B Y BL E S S E D
T HE OP HY L A CT , AR CHB I S HOP OF OCHR I D & BU L GA R I A
HT T P : / / WWW. CHR Y S OS T OMP R E S S . OR G/ C_ 18T H _P E NT E COS T . HT ML
G u a r d i n g t h e Mi n d - Wa t c h f u l n e s s - G e t t i n g a t t h e Ro o t
Engaging in Spiritual Disciplines such as Fasting, we
develop the will to exercise Self-control over our
passions.
But the real Cure is to eradicate the rootto get rid of the
passionate thoughts.
Fater Dimitru Staniloae tells us that passionate thoughts
are put into our consciousness by Satan.
He attacks where we are weak by amplifying patterns that
have been etched in our brain by previous behaviours.
We also have good thoughts that come from our spirit.
But they too can be transformed into passionate thoughts.
Our passionate thoughts come from connections with our
biological being and its (fleshly/carnal) desires.
The challenge is to connect the good thoughts, which come
from God, to oppose those that arouse and feed our
passions.
Our aim is to achieve a state of dispassion.
Dispassion is the dominance of our good thoughts, which
are calm and peaceful, over the selfish demands and
desires of the flesh.
Dispassion is when we are able to overcome and control
our automatic responses to our self-indulgent desires
or passions.
St Mark the Ascetic said: ...We must bring any good
thought that arises within us - just as soon as it appears
to Christ as a sacrifice...
In this way it is protected and not likely to be polluted with
thoughts that amplify (or indulge) our passions.
Think of this as our Good Shepherd tending His Flock of
Sheep.
Our Holy Father, Evagarios, said: ...The thoughts of this
world, the Lord has given to a man like Sheep - to a
Good Shepherd... So the Anchorite must keep this
Flock day and night so that no Lamb be seized by wild
beasts, or by thieves... Thus if the thought about our
Brother is spun around in us and enveloped in hate,
we should know that a beast has seized it!
So, we must let our simple thoughts be directed to Christ,
bringing them to Him as a sacrifice.
In this way we create a Shield to protect us.
Father Dimitru said: ... the guarding of the thoughts is a
Shield, which the mind itself produces.
Of course the mind can't be stopped from working
continually.
Therefore we must supervise it continually.
The Purpose of this Watchfulness is twofold:
When the thought is received we should see that either it
develops into a devout thought and creates an
association with pious thoughts, or that with the
appearance of other thoughts as the beginning of still
more, we should see from the first moment that they
are directed to the safe channel.
This is a Narrow Way, a Way sustained by a continual
effort, which at the beginning is very difficult, but
which, in time, also becomes easier.
This is an advanced Spiritual Step, which requires
Preparation and a Life dedicated to Christ with
continual Repentance. (Orthodox Spirituality)
DE A CON CHA R L E S J OI NE R S T GE OR GE GR E E K OR T HODOX
CA T HE DR A L , GR E E NV I L L E , SOU T H CA R OL I NA
HT T P : / / OR T HODOX WA Y OF L I F E . B L OGS P OT . COM/ 2010/ 06/ GU A R DI NG-
MI ND- WA T CHF U L NE S S - GE T T I NG- A T . HT ML
Th r e e Ba s i c P r e r e q u i s i t e s f o r a S p i r i t u a l L i f e
T H E S A L V I F I C W O R K O F C H R I S T : The Incarnation of
the Son of God is the fundamental prerequisite for the
True Life of mankind to be United with God.
Since we are created n the Image of Christ Who is the
unchanging Image of God the Father, the First-born of
All Creation, the Union of the two Natures of Christ is
the basic element of His Existence.
For us human beings to become True Men, we must become
like Christ.
The Incarnation negates the barrier of nature that separates
us from God, while the Resurrection of Christ negates
sin and death.
T H E S A C R A M E N T A L L I F E : The Body of the Incarnate
and Risen Christ is the Church the Body of Christ.
The Recreation and Spiritual Rebirth of mankind takes
place in the Holy Church through Her Holy Mysteries
especially Baptism, Chrismation and Eucharist.
In the Holy Mystery of Baptism, our Reconstruction takes
place and new Spiritual Functions are activated within
us through Holy Chrismation.
The Holy Eucharist is the completion of the Holy Mysteries.
Holy Eucharist is the Source of our Spiritual Life for it
Spiritually Nourishes us.
It is thus understood that our Spiritual Life is not personal
nor private but Ecclesiastical.
H U M A N C O O P E R A T I O N : The Holy Mysteries of the
Church do not magically change us into Spiritual
Beings.
We with our free cooperation, need to utilise the Divine
Gifts that are granted to us by God.
Salvation is the Fruit of Divine and human Synergy, which is
why the Holy Mysteries do not operate without our
effort.
This Path requires Spiritual Asceticism and continuous
Repentance.
Spiritual Life is Christocentric Life in Christ because our
Communion with Christ grants us Substance and Life.
With this, we understand the necessity for a Spiritual Life
today.
Christ our Saviour did not come to teach or to correct
certain things in this world but to become Himself the
Life of the world our Life.
I Am Life.
He did not come for the world to live better, but to actually
Save the world.
Without God, our world would have no life at all, which is
why the Holy Church of Christ is not an ethical system
of life.
On the contrary, the Holy Church of Christ transfuses the
Only True Life, Who is our Lord Jesus Christ, into our
immortal soul.
P R OT OP R E S B Y T E R GER A S I MA NGE L OS ST A NI T S A S T R A NS L A T E D F R OM
GR E E K B Y J OHN SA NI DOP OU L OS
HT T P : / / WWW. J OHNS A NI DOP OU L OS . COM/ 2014/ 05/ T HR E E - B A S I C-
P R E R E QU I S I T E S - F OR - S P I R I T U A L . HT ML
Tu r n i n g t h e Wo r l d U p s i d e Do wn : F i v e I d e a s f o r Or t h o d o x C h r i s t i a n C o l l e g e S t u d e n t s
What kind of Church are we keeping college students
connected to? Is it an Ethnic Church that frequently
worships in a language most do not understand? Is it
the social Church of Meetings, Committees,
Conventions and Festivals? Or is it the Church founded
by Jesus Christ and lived by the Apostles -a Church
that changes lives and, since Apostolic times, has
turned the world upside down? (ACTS 17:5-7)
Church leaders have underestimated college students for
many years, often avoiding the great questions that
society asks in an effort to make the Church more
comfortable and less in conflict with the culture.
An example of this is the issue of Marriage. Over the past
year there have been debates on the meaning of
Marriage... However, despite the rich Moral Tradition
of the Church, Campus Ministries have remained silent
and expressed discomfort in addressing such issues
often avoiding the moral debates that are taking place.
The end result confuses more than it helps students live
their Faith.
Questions and our ability to answer them matter. As
Orthodox Christians, we do a great disservice to
students when we avoid the questions society is asking.
We do an even greater disservice when we do not share
with them the answers to these questions that the
Orthodox Church provides for fear of being shunned by
popular culture. Young people do not want an Orthodox
Church that is convenient or comfortable. They do not
want a Church where moral questions are nuanced away
as just difficult issues.
This is not the Courage of the Apostles and our Holy
Church Fathers and Mothers who changed the world.
30. 1 6
T H
A P 1
S T
S U N D A Y O F S T L U K E T H E M I R A C U L O U S C A T C H 2 8 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
The Orthodox Church has been the greatest Agent of
human development in history. No institution has done
more for humanity than the Church. Young people want
to experience this Legacy and this means presenting
them Orthodox Christianity in all its demanding
Fullness. It means challenging students with a robust
Orthodoxy that invites them to live the Moral Heroism
and Doctrinal Witness of the Saints.
Orthodox Christianity calls upon us all to row upstream
against the world. Given this Reality, here are five ideas
every college student should consider as they explore
their Orthodox Christian Faith on campus. These ideas
can help each student better live a Faith that turns the
world upside down:
L E A D E R S H I P B E G I N S A T L I T U R G Y : Orthodox Christian
Leadership is best described as Humility Before
Honour (PROVERBS 14:3).
Orthodox leaders are not to be found solely in Meetings,
Conventions or Committees. They are -first and
foremost to be found at Liturgy. If you want to be an
Orthodox Christian Leader you have to be a Liturgical
Leader who sacrifices his time to consistently live and
learn from the Liturgical Life of the Church. Liturgy is
the first and best School of Leadership in the Orthodox
Church. Keeping connected to the Church means
keeping connected to the Liturgy of the Church.
MO R A L I T Y MA T T E R S : One of the great mistakes of
modern times has been the idea that there is no such
thing as a clear Orthodox Christian Morality. This could
not be further from the Truth. Morality is an essential
part of Orthodoxy and what distinguishes Christians
from the world.
St. Gregory of Nyssa said: If we truly think of Christ as
our Source of Holiness, we shall refrain from
anything wicked or impure in thought or act and thus
show ourselves to be worthy bearers of His Name. For
the Quality of Holiness is shown not by what we say
but by what we do in life.
Being Orthodox means being moral and embracing what the
Church has taught for centuries on such issues as sex,
abortion, capital punishment and Marriage. It also
means discovering that behind each NO! the Church
gives us there is a greater and more beautiful
YES!. Keeping connected to the Church means
keeping connected to the moral teachings of the
Church.
D I F F I C U L T Q U E S T I O N S L E A D T O G R E A T
A N S W E R S : Every great question we encounter in life is
a Gift from God to deepen our Knowledge of and
Relationship with Him. The greatness of Orthodox
Christianity is seen when the Church responds to the
great questions of society with Wisdom, common sense
and Compassion. Keeping connected to the Church
means keeping connected to the Teaching of the
Church and we cannot learn from the Church if we
cannot question Her. By challenging the Church with
loving questions we discover the depth and beauty of
Orthodox Christian Doctrine that is often
misunderstood. No question is irrelevant to the Church
because every question can help us discover Christ
again and again.
O R T H O D O X C H R I S T I A N I T Y I S P R O - L I F E : To identify
oneself as an Orthodox Christian is to stand with a pro-
life Tradition that is over 2000 years old.
Human personhood and human rights begin at conception.
The earliest Orthodox Christians understood this and
distinguished themselves from those around them by
protecting the weakest among us including the
unborn, the elderly and the disabled.
Frederica Matthewes-Green said: Our Orthodox Christian
Heritage is absolutely opposed to abortion and child-
killing from its very beginnings. This stand against
abortion and exposure of infants is, in fact, one of the
things that attracted people to the Christian Faith.
Keeping connected to the Church means keeping
connected to the great human rights struggle of our
time that is the Pro-Life Movement.
R E L I G I O U S F R E E D O M I S N E E D E D MO R E T H A N
E V E R : It is a vital issue that must be embraced for the
Church to survive, and it is more than just being able to
go to Church on Sunday. It is the right to live, to
express and share our Spiritual Beliefs. It means being
able to seek Divine Truth while respecting the rights of
others to do so as well. Being an Orthodox Christian is
not a private opinion that gets switched on and off
when convenient. It is not something that is reserved
for Sundays but hidden throughout the week in the
workplace or the classroom.
Eric Metaxas said: Faith is either something that informs
one at all times or it isnt anything at all, really. When
the government tells its citizens that they can
worship in a certain building on a certain day, but
once they leave that building they must bow to the
secular orthodoxy of the state, you have a cynical lie
at work.
Keeping connected to the Church means being connected
to our Faith every day and understanding that
Orthodoxy has a voice in how and wherever we live.
College campuses today are very much like the world the
first Disciples experienced - with competing ideas,
moral confusion and an abundance of choices. This is
what the first Christians experienced and yet it was a
world they changed by embracing Jesus Christ without
reservation. If Twelve Apostles can alter the course of
the Roman Empire then certainly each Orthodox
Christian College Student has the ability to change the
campus on which they live.
Perhaps the best advice for Orthodox College students
comes from the second century Letter to Diognetus
which is in many ways the best guide for Orthodox
Christian Campus Ministry and for every Orthodox
college student:
...Christians cannot be distinguished from the rest of the
human race by country or language or customs. They
do not live in cities of their own; they do not use a
peculiar form of speech; they do not follow an
eccentric manner of life. . . They live in their own
countries, but only as aliens. They have a share in
everything as citizens, and endure everything as
foreigners. Every foreign land is their fatherland, and
yet for them every fatherland is a foreign land.
They marry, like everyone else, and they beget children,
but they do not cast out their offspring. They share
their board with each other, but not their Marriage
Bed.
It is true that they are in the flesh, but they do not live
according to the flesh. They busy themselves on
Earth, but their Citizenship is in Heaven. They obey
the established Laws, but in their own lives they go far
beyond what the Laws require.
They Love all men, and by all men are persecuted. They
are unknown, and still they are condemned; they are
put to death, and yet they are brought to Life. They
are poor, and yet they make many rich; they are
completely destitute, and yet they enjoy complete
Abundance. They are dishonoured, and in their very
dishonour are Glorified; they are defamed, and are
Vindicated. They are reviled, and yet they Bless; when
they are affronted, they still pay due respect. When
they do good, they are punished as evildoers;
undergoing punishment, they Rejoice because they
are brought to Life. . . .
To put it simply: What the soul is in the body, Christians
are to the world.
The second century world of Diognetus is not far from
todays college campus. Orthodox Christian college
students deserve Compassion, Understanding and
support as they live their Faith. They deserve to meet
the Church in all its Fullness so that they may Struggle,
question and grow.
This Struggle is nothing new and is the Essence of staying
connected to the Church.
The challenge for each of us is whether or not we will rise
to the responsibility of accompanying them on what is
our most important Journey - a Journey that can help
students to become the Light of the world and like the
Apostles before them turn the world upside-down.
BY ANDR E W F. E S T OCI N
HTTP://EASTERNCHRISTIANINSIGHTS.BLOGSPOT.COM/2013_09_01_ARCHIVE.HTML
http://www.aoiusa.org/blog/turning-the-world-upside-down-five-
ideas-for-orthodox-christian-college-students/

2014-September Sacred Lessons

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

2014-September Sacred Lessons

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

T H E B E G I N N I N G O F T H E L I T U R G I C A L Y E A R T H E I N D I C T I O N 1 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 1.

You might also like