My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
"REJOICE, REDEMPTION OF THE TEARS OF EVE!" [Akathist]
Rejoice, thou through whom joy will flash forth!
Rejoice, thou though whom the curse will cease!
Rejoice, revival of fallen Adam!
Rejoice, redemption of the tears of Eve!
Rejoice, height hard to climb for human thoughts!
Rejoice, depth hard to contemplate even for the
eyes of Angels!
Rejoice, thou who art the King’s Throne!
Rejoice, thou who bearest Him Who bears all!
Rejoice, star that causest the Sun to appear!
Rejoice, womb of the Divine Incarnation!
Rejoice, thou through whom creation becomes new!
Rejoice, thou through whom the Creator becomes a babe!
Rejoice, unwedded Bride! [Akathist]
In accordance with the teaching of Holy Scripture, in Adam all mankind tasted the forbidden fruit. Only the God-Man Christ begins with Himself the NEW MANKIND, freed by Him from the sin of Adam. Therefore, He is called the "FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN" [Romans 8:29], that is: The First in the new human race; He is the "NEW ADAM."
In Orthodox thought Adam and Eve were created with a VOCATION TO BECOME ONE WITH GOD gradually increasing in their capacity to share in His Divine life-theosis (deification) (Fr. John Romanides). "They needed to mature, to grow to awareness by willing detachment and faith, a loving trust in a personal God". Theophilus of Antioch (2nd century) posts that Adama and Eve were created neither immortal nor mortal. They were created with THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME EITHER THROUGH OBEDIENCE OR DISOBEDIENCE." The freedom to obey or disobey belonged to our first parents. "For God made man FREE and SOVEREIGN" (Romanides). To embrace their God-given vocation would bring life, to reject it would bring death, but not at God’s hands. Theophilus continues, "…should he keep the commandment of God he would be rewarded with immortality…if, however, he should turn to things of death by disobeying God, he would be the cause of death to himself" (Romanides).
Adam and Eve failed to obey the commandment not to eat from the forbidden tree thus REJECTING GOD AND THEIR VOCATION TO MANIFEST THE FULLNESS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE (Yannaras). Death and corruption began to reign over the creation. "Sin reigned through death." In this view death and corruption DO NOT ORIGINATE WITH GOD; he neither created nor intended them. God cannot be the Author of evil. Death is the natural result OF TURNING FROM GOD.
Adam and Eve were overcome with the same temptation that afflicts ALL HUMANITY TO BE AUTONOMOUS, TO GO THEIR OWN WAY, TO REALIZE THE FULLNESS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE WITHOUT GOD. According to the Orthodox Holy Fathers sin is not a violation of an impersonal law or code of behavior, but A REJECTION OF THE LIFE OFFERED BY GOD (Yannaras). This is the MARK, to which the word AMARTIA refers. Fallen human life is above all else the failure to realize the God-given, potential of human existence, which is, Saint Peter writes, to "BECOME PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE" [2 Peter 1:4). Saint Basil the Great writes, "HUMANITY IS AN ANIMAL WHO HAS RECEIVED THE VOCATION TO BECOME GOD".
In Orthodox thought God did not threaten Adam and Eve with punishment, nor was He angered or offended by their sin; He was moved to compassion. The expulsion from the Garden and from the Tree of Life was an act of love and not vengeance so that humanity would not "become immortal in sin" (Romanides), Thus began the preparation for the Incarnation of the Son of God and hte solution that alone could rectify the situation: the destruction of hte enemies of humanity and God, death (1 Corinthians 15:26, 56), sin, corruption and the devil.
"then the serpent said to the woman, "You shall not die by death. For God knows in the day you eat from it you eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.' So when the woman saw the tree was good for food, was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree beautiful to contemplate, she took its fruit and ate. She also gave it to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of the two were opened, and they knew they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
Then they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden that afternoon, and Adam and his wife HID THEMSELVES within the tree in the middle of the garden FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD GOD…Have you eaten from the one tree rom which I commanded you not to eat? Then Adam said, 'The woman You gave me, gave me of the tree, and I ate.' So the Lord God said to the woman, 'What is this you have done?' The woman said, 'The serpent DECEIVED ME, AND I ATE.' [Genesis 3:4-13).
Adam and Eve now had a fallen will and tried to hide from God. Fallen man now has a fallen will, thus he has a tendency to run away from God. But the grace of Christ heals the will of those who return to Him THROUGH REPENTANCE, SO THEY MIGHT FREELY PURSUE GOD AND DO HIS WILL. In the Person of Christ we see the NEW Adam and in the person of the Theotokos, we see the New Eve. Where Adam and Eve, our ancestors, were disobedient to God, in Christ and the Ever Virgin Mary, the Theotokos we see obedience to God the Father. Saint Paul wirtes, "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and BECAME OBEDIENT TO THE POINT OF DEATH, EVEN THE DEATH OF THE CROSS" [Philippians 2:8]. In His humanity, He showed the fullness of humanity by His OBEDIENCE TO THE DEATH WHICH HAS ENSLAVED HUMANITY. But His death BRINGS LIFE TO ALL WHO ARE JOINED TO HIM.
Because of her character and especially because of her role in God’s PLAN OF SALVATION, Christians appropriately honor the Ever Virgin Mary as the first among the Saints. The Archangel Gabriel initiated this honor in his address to her: "REJOICE, HIGHLY FAVORED ONE, THE LORD IS WITH YOU, BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN" {Luke 1:28). This salutation clearly indicates that God Himself had CHOSEN TO HONOR MARY. Her favored status was confirmed when she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was then six months pregnant with John the Baptist. Elizabeth greeted Mary withe these words: "BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN, AND BLESSED IS THE FRUIT OF YOUR WOMB! BUT WHY IS THIS GRANTED TO ME, THAT THE MOTHER OF MY LORD SHOULD COME TO ME?" (Luke 1:42). And Mary herself, in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, predicted the honor that would be paid her throughout history: "FOR BEHOLD, HENCEFORTH ALL GENERATIONS WILL CALL ME BLESSED" (Luke 1:48).
in the Person of Mary we witness her total obedience to God when she says to the Archangel, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! LET IT BE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD. And the Angel departed from her" [Luke 1:38). Mary’s faithful response makes her the HIGHEST MODEL OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD. The Incarnation of the Son of God is not only the work of the Trinity, but also the work of the will and the faith of the Virgin. Therefore, the Virgin Mary IS HONORED NOT ONLY BECAUSE GOD CHOSE HER, OR BECAUSE SHER BORE THE SON OF GOD IN THE FLESH, BUT ALSO BECAUSE SHE HERSELF CHOSE TO BELIEVE AND OBEY GOD FIRMLY.
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During the period from the 1st to the 14th of August instead of
chanting the previous Theotokion, we chante the following
Exapostilaria:
O You Apostles from far off,
Being gathered together
in the village of Gethsemane,
Lay my body in burial,
And You, my Son, and my God,
Receive now my spirit from me.
You are the sweetest of Angels,
The gladness of the afflicted ones,
A protection of all Christians,
O Virgin Mother of our Lord;
Grant me now help and save me
From the eternal torments.
I have you as Mediator
before God Who loves mankind;
May He not question my action
Before the hosts of the Angels,
I ask of you, O Virgin,
Hasten now quickly to my aid.
You are a tower adorned with gold,
A city surrounded by twelve walls,
A shining throne touched by the sun,
A royal seat for the King,
O unexplainable wonder
How do you nurse the Master?
(To be continued)
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 