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.
CONCERNING VIRGINITY
"There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The
unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord,
that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she
who is married cares about the things of the world–how
she may please her husband" [1 Corinthians 7:34].
"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son,
and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is
translated, ‘God with us’ " [Matthew 1:23].
"Celibacy for the sake of Christ has created another kind of Christian social unit: MONASTICISM. The Church places it above married life, and in actuality, in the history of the Church is has been a leading, guiding element, a support of the Church, bringing into realization to the greatest degree the moral law of the Gospel, and preserving the dogmas , the Divine services, and other foundations of the Church. However, not all can take upon themselves the VOW OF VIRGINITY AS A CHOSEN AND PERFECT FORM OF LIFE, the Church blesses also married life for the sake of those exalted, and at the same time difficult, aims which are placed before the Chrisian family, and this blessing is acknowledged as a Mystery (Sacrament)."
"Those who believe in Christ are "temples of God," "temples of the Holy Spirit" [1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19]. In the true Church there have always been and there always are people OF THE HIGHEST SPIRITUAL PURITY and with special gifts of Grace—MARTYRS, VIRGINS, ASCETICS, HOL MONKS AND NUNS, HIERARCHS, RIGHTEOUS ONES."
Saint John Maximovitch writes: "The seedless birth of Christ can and could be denied only by those who deny the Gospel, whereas the Church of Christ from of old confess Christ "Incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary." But the birth of God from the Ever-Virgin was a stumbling stone for those who wished to call themselves Christians but did not wish to humble themselves in mind and be zealous for PURITY OF LIFE. The pure life of Mary was a reproach for those who were impure also in their thoughts. So as to show themselves Christians, they did not dare to deny that Christ was born of a Virgin, but they began to affirm that Mary remained a virgin only "until she brought forth her first-born son, Jesus" (Matthew 1:25). But the word "until" does not dignify that Mary remained a virgin only until a certain time. The word "until" ["eos") and words similar to it OFTEN SIGNIFY ETERNITY.
A careful study of Holy Scripture reveals with complete clarity the insubstantiality of the objections against the Ever-Virginity of Mary and puts to shame those who teach differently.
Virginity, chastity, and purity does not apply only to women but also to men. There can be no true spirituality without the constant battle to retain one's purity of body and soul. Orthodox monastics and ascetics throughout history attest to the fact that it is very possible to overcome temptations and the passions through prayer, fasting and adhering to the commandments of Christ God. Sexual purity is only one of many challenges set for these spiritual warriors. For Orthodox Christians, however, the Ever-virginity of the Theotokos is nonnegotiable and its alternative UNTHINKABLE. Our Holy Orthodox Church witnessed the perpetual virginity of the Theotokos steadfastly for two thousand years and will never believe otherwise. The Ever-Virgin Mary the Theotokos is the Par- excellence example of authentic virginity for all of mankind.
According to the Holy Fathers of the Church, purity and virginity are important in our aiming to attain holiness. Sexual purity can lead to one's personal holiness which is a wondrous experience that can be felt. They also taught that virgins who strive to preserve their purity for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven must be worthy of it in every way. They believe that the Kingdom of Heaven is obtained through faith, not by beauty, strength or other factors. Saint Gregory of Nyssa taught that virginity is a precious gift that only those who are helped by God's grace can achieve. He also said that the word "uncorrupted" is often used to describe virginity, which shows the kind of purity it represents.
According to the Holy Apostle Paul "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit" [Galatians 5:17). We have witnessed, however, in the lives of our Saints, Desert Fathers, ascetics, hermits, hesychasts, monks, nuns that the battle against the appetites of the flesh can be controlled and quenched or mortified, through prayer and fasting. The satisfaction of evil lusts darkens the mind, hardens the heat, plunges the soul into despair, and makes a person hostage to passions.
Virginity serves as a blessing for virgins both male and female, delivering them from the need to be subordinate to the passions. The human mind must ascend from earthly and worldly cares to more virtuous and heavenly goals. Saint John Chrysostom says, "Virginity can plant a good root in us from which grows all the blessings: FREEDOM, COURAGE, ARDENT ZEAL, FIERY LOVE FOR HEAVENLY THINGS, AND CONTEMPT FOR ALL THINGS EARTHLY." It takes commitment, it takes sacrifice, it takes discipline, it takes faith, it takes love, it takes humility, it takes repentance, it takes prayer, and the grace of the Holy Spirit to obtain genuine virginity.
Hardly anyone speaks about virginity, purity, chastity, and holiness any longer, even among Christians. If there is no thought given to any of these things, then there can be no real piety, no true righteousness, no actual growth in Christ. Virginity or purity is not only sexual but also includes such things as thoughts, desires, actions, lifestyles and attitudes. Our Savior Christ points out "that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" [Matthew 5:28]. People forget that God sees the hidden desires and knows our thoughts which motivate our actions. The issue here is lust, not simply the God-given mutual attraction of men and women. He who feasts on lust within himself brings sin into his heart through his thoughts known as logismoi (evil thoughts). They become sins only when they are held onto and entertained. Other spiritual challenges are desires which become obsessions, such as greed, wanting more and more wealth and material possessions. The obsession of wanting to always look attractive and youthful is known as vanity. The drive to experience various questionable lifestyles that lead to unnatural acts.
Another obstacle to genuine spirituality is a heart full of hate for our fellow man and seeking his destruction. Also, seeking vengeance because of someone’s wrong actions against us. And let us not forget another major wrong, pride.
The target for all Christians is the Kingdom of God, Eternal Life. In order to enter His Divine Kingdom one must cleanse himself of all defilement and sin. It requires repentance. Jesus clearly says, "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand." True repentance is a complete, true and deep change. We must be determined and have the necessary patience to want it. Saint Theophan the Recluse taught that the older we are when we decide to take up the spiritual struggle, the more difficult it may initially be. That is because we are more deeply entrenched in the ways of the world and our wicked habits as we age. Weeds which are firmly rooted in the soil, these sinful passions will take tune and much effort to uproot.
Our Lord Jesus Christ explains who may enter the Kingdom in Matthew 22:1-14 and Luke 14:15-24. "The Kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding, and they were not willing to come… Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, INVITE TO THE WEDDING. So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw A MAN THERE WHO DID NOT HAVE ON A WEDDING GARMENT. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘BIND HIM HAND AND FOOT TAKE HIM AWAY, AND CAST HIM INTO OUTER DARKNESS; THERE WILL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.’ For MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN."
Our Loving and Merciful God calls all people to salvation in Christ–Jews and Gentile–carrying forth the plan of salvation to all humanity. However, the proper garment. Ancient tradition applies this Parable in Matthew to the process of initiation into the Church because the sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation bring us into marriage or union with Christ, the "Bridegroom", a union fully realized in the age to come. Our Master says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD." [John 3:3]. And again He says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, UNLESS ONE IS BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD" [John 3:5]. Being "born again," is but the beginning OF SPIRITUAL LIFE. The goal IS TO "SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD." Christians are "born" from the Son in His Human Nature within time by Holy Baptism. One cannot call himself/herself a Christian if he/she has not been "born again" through the Mystery of Baptism.
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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 