My beloved brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord, God, and Savior JESUS CHRIST,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN! ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! ΑΛΗΘΩΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ!!
CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY AND SECULAR SPIRITUALISM
Orthodox understanding of Spirituality
"Spirituality in the Orthodox Church means the everyday activity of life in communion with God. The term spirituality refers not merely to the activity of man’s spirit alone, his mind, heart and soul, but it refers as well TO THE WHOLE MAN’S LIFE AS INSPIRED AND GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD. Every thought must be spiritual, every word, every deed, every activity of the body, every action of the person. This means that all that a person thinks, says and does must be inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit so that the will of God the Father might be accomplished as revealed and taught by Jesus Christ the Son of God."
"…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" [1 Corinthians 10:31].
"In Orthodox spirituality, the faithful fight to detach themselves from the old man and be clothed in the "new" man, the New Adam, Christ: "You have put away the old man with all his doings, and have put on the new man, which has become new in knowledge after the image of his maker" [Col. 3:9-10]. It is a struggle of "crucifying" the inferior, inward person "those who are Christ’s have put to death on the cross the flesh with its passions and its evil desires" [Gal. 5:24]. This spirituality is not a moralistic and moralizing perception, a convention and external compliance, but a true change and "good alteration", with an eschatological character, thus making it ontological. "This was the very purpose of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to CHANGE AND ALTER AND RENEW NATURE, AND TO CREATE AFRESH THIS SOUL THAT WAS OVERTURNED BY PASSIONS THROUGH THE TRANSGRESSION, MINGLING IT WITH His own Spirit, the Spirit of Godhead. New mind, and new soul, and new eyes, new ears, a new spiritual tongue, and in short new men altogether – this was what He came to make of those who believe Him" [Saint Macarius the Egyptian].
Church is the place of true spirituality, where the Divine PRESENCE exists. With its educational power, the faithful are given the opportunity to tasted the luscious fruit granted by the Holy Spirit, the succulent fruit of spiritual salvation, thus gaining entrance to the Kingdom of God: "But the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS AGAPE, JOY, PEACE, A QUIET MIND, KIND ACTS (ACTS OF LOVE), WELL-DOING, FAITH, GENTLE BEHAVIOR, CONTROL OVER DESIRES (PASSIONS): AGAINST SUCH THERE IS NO LAW" [Galatians 5:22-23]. This is exactly what our Saints accomplished, they reached THEOSIS (DEIFICATION) BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THROUGH LABOR AND ABIDANCE OF His Law. They are "THE MEN OF GOD WHO ARE COMPLETE" [2 Timothy 3:17). The following Church hymn summarizes Orthodox spirituality in its entirety: "Yesterday, O Christ, I was buried with Thee, and today I arise with Thy arising. Yesterday I was crucified with thee. Glorify me, O Savior, with Thee in Thy Kingdom" [Paschal Canon, Troparion of the 3rd ode].
Authentic Christian spirituality does NOT exist as a separate entity; rather, it illuminates the whole of our lives and permeates everything that we do. That is genuine spirituality. That is what true Christianity is all about. Christianity is not a religion but a Divine Revelation. True spirituality exists only within the Holy Orthodox Church where the Holy Spirit grants His grace to the faithful children of God through the divine Mysteries (Sacraments) and true worship. Salvation includes being "washed" in Holy Baptism, "sanctified" through the giving of the Holy Spirit in the holy oil of Chrismation, and "Justified" through our faith. "Such were some of you" shows that in Christ we can be set free from the very worst of sins." One cannot speak or claim to be spiritual who is a heretic, a blasphemer, who does not reject evil, disobedient to Christ’s commandments, who does not live in righteousness, or has contempt of Christ’s Divine Gospel and who is not baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The holy Apostle Paul writes to Timothy, "For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the GOOD DOCTRINE which you have carefully followed. But reject profane and old wives fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but GODLINESS IS PROFITABLE FOR ALL THINGS, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of acceptance. For in this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because WE TRUST IN THE LIVING GOD, WHO IS THE SAVIOR OF ALL MEN, ESPECIALLY OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE. These things I command and teach" [1 Timothy 4-11].
Saint Paul in 1 Timothy 4:2 speaks of a "conscience seared with a hot iron" which describes the reality that repeated willful sin blunts our sensitivity to GOOD and EVIL. This is a grim warning to all Christians to REJECT EVIL in all forms and thereby maintain a humble and honest heart toward God. A true spiritual person is able to control his/her passions not because the material world is evil, but because WE ARE CORRUPT AND TEND TO SIN. Willful disobedience, an unthankful disposition, and uncontrolled desires are evil. The follower of Christ is one who walks in the light "But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes" [1 Timothy 2:9-11].
We are constantly harassed by charlatans who claim to be spiritual and who have a direct connection to God. However, the holy Apostle Peter warns us and says, "But there were also FALSE PROPHETS among the people, even as there will be FALSE TEACHERS among you, who will secretly in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord Who bought them, and bring on themselves SWIFT DESTRUCTION. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By their covetousness they will EXPLOIT YOU WITH DECEPTIVE WORDS; FOR A LONG TIME THEIR JUDGMENT HAS NOT BEEN IDLE, AND THEIR DESTRUCTION DOES NOT SLUMBER" [2 Peter 2:1-3]. The holy Apostle Peter reveals his concern of "false teachers" who are unholy and teach heresy. They are arrogant, flamboyant, convincing to innocent people and who are greedy and deny accountability in their lives. Divorced from Apostolic Doctrine concerning Jesus Christ, they hold their own "private interpretations, " misconstruing doctrines about the Second Coming and the ultimate Authority of Christ over us. Being DECEIVERS, they teach as though they possess true apostolicity.
The heart of Orthodox spirituality has its roots in Monasticism. The Monastic movement gained strength in the 4th century. Although it was more of a continuation of his ascetic life, teachings, and of everything he exemplified. Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner is often referred to as the first monk. His ascetic life with its prophetic insistence on repentance (metanoia) and the presence of God’s Kingdom, served as a wonderful model for the first monks, and desert Fathers. A life in which every energy is concentrated on being obedient to the Living God was considered an Angelic vocation. Our Church refers to the Monastic life as the Angelic life. A holy life, a life of unceasing prayer, of fasting, of repentance, and complete obedience to Christ’s commandments, and a life of worship. Orthodox spirituality, which encompasses A WHOLE WAY OF LIFE, STEMS FROM A DESIRE TO RESTORE THE COMMUNION WITH OUR ALMIGHTY GOD THAT WE LOST AFTER THE FALL,
There are those among us that cannot discern between what is true Christian spirituality and spiritualism. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines SPIRITUALISM as "a belief that spirits of the dead communicate with the living through a medium."
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere in Our Risen Lord, God and Savior JESUS CHRIST,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 