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.
THE ORTHODOX SPIRITUAL JOURNEY TO THE HOLY NATIVITY
OF CHRIST OUR LORD AND GOD.
"O Theotokos Virgin who hast borne the Savior, thou hast overthrown
the ancient curse of Eve. For thou hast become the Mother of Him in
Whom the Father was well pleased, and hast carried at thy bosom God
the INCARNATE Logos/Word. We cannot fathom this mystery: but by
FAITH ALONE we glorify it, crying with thee saying: O Lord past all
interpretation, glory to Thee." [Sticheron, Tone four: Matins]
"When it was time for Thy Coming upon earth, the first taxation of
the world was held; and then Thou madest ready to enrol the names
of ALL WHO BELIEVED IN THY BIRTH. For this cause Caesar published
such a decree, since Thy timeless and Eternal Kingdom was newly
made manifest. Therefore, as we pay our earthly tribute money, at the
same time we offer Thee the wealth of our Orthodox faith, O God and
Savior of our souls." [Doxastikon. Tone Six at Matins]
Our holy mother the Church nurtures and guides us throughout our lives, however, she especially prepares each and every faithful to celebrate the major events and celebrations in the life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so that we may rejoice and reaffirm and renew our faith in Him. "The people…Being counted worthy of the Coming of God, And now they humbly pray for the regeneration that gives life…Magnify, O my soul, her that has delivered us from the curse." "O Theotokos, intercede for our salvation with Him Who took flesh from thee."
For the Orthodox Christian our Lord and His life on earth transcends time and place. Everything that occurred in His life on earth as not an event that took place many centuries ago but today, this very minute. Every Lord’s Day we celebrate and we relive His life on earth fr2om His birth to His Resurrection and Ascension. His life on earth does remain an occurence of the past. His holy and divine Gospel is not a reference book which we turn to for inspiration and knowledge. It is the voice of God speaking to us today just as powerfully as it was when He spoke in person to the multitudes thousands years ago. We rejoice His Birth intimately just as if we were present 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem.and
All Holy Days are treated in our Holy Orthodox Tradition not as just important memories but experientially, emotionally, spiritually, and realistically. We experience them both joyfully and sorrowfully. In other words we share, we feel, we experience what our Lord felt and experienced in His life on earth. We shed tears of pain at His Crucifixion and tears of joy at His Resurrection. How can we not, that is, if we believe that we are one with Christ. We live Christ through our faith, worship, and prayer. Jesus for the Orthodox Christians is both fully human and fully Divine, and that His life’s events are central to our faith. We believe that Christ’s INCARNATION, Teachings, death and Resurrection, and Ascension are pivotal to our faith.
Orthodox Christians pray daily, both in communal worship and in private devotions. We believe that Jesus Christ set the example for prayer, and that prayer is an important part of life. During the holy season, such as the 40 day fast period before the Holy Nativity, our prayer, worship, works of agape, forgiveness, and repentance intensifies. We believe that we are called to be transformed into the image of Christ our Lord. We also believe that this transformation is a daily process, where we "put on Christ" and "die to the old man."
"As Orthodox Christians we are reminded throughout but especially during holy seasons, such as the present one, that Orthodoxy is NOT a ritual, or belief, or a pattern of behavior, or anything else that a person may possess, thinking that he/she is thereby a Christian, and be spiritual dead; it is rather an elemental reality of power which transforms a person and gives him/her strength to live in the most difficult and tormenting conditions, and prepares him/her to depart in peace into eternal life."
Orthodox Christian spirituality is founded on agape. There can be no true spiritual life without agape. Divine Agape without limits and restrictions. Active agape, agape from the heart, compassionate, humble, kind, which manifests itself through good works and by helping others but especially to those who are in distress and suffering. A sensitive person that cares for others expresses his/her agape not only financially but by exhibiting their concern by praying for them, by giving them hope, by being a good samaritan. The Good Samaritan is CHRIST HIMSELF, the wounded man is humanity. Agape for neighbor proves our agape for God. Agape knows no bounds, race, background, or social status. If we were to look around us we would see countless men, women, and children that need mercy and healing. The act of helping our fellow man, our neighbor, is understood as a way to participate in Christ’s healing ministry, bringing spiritual restoration to those who are wounded physically, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically. "Pouring on oil and wine" [Luke 10:34]. On the Fourth Sunday of Holy and Great Lent at Matins we say, "Bind up the wounds of my soul, O Jesus, as the Samaritan once did, for the traveler who fell into the hands of thieves: heal my pain, I pray Thee, O Christ."
"Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples" [Luke 11:1]. "Lord, teach us to pray" expresses a universal spiritual need, and leads Jesus to teach the Lord’s Prayer to the disciples and us. There is no other prayer that is more divine and perfect than the Lord’s Prayer. What is necessary is that whether we offer the Lord’s Prayer or any other kind of prayer, that it is done with genuine faith, with humility, with love, with trust, and with conviction and confidence. The All Knowing God knows our hearts, our faith, our intent, our needs, and how sincere and truthful we are. He is not impressed with anyone’s performance, if that is all that it is. He does not want lip service. He is our Heavenly Father and we are His children, what He requires is faith, repentance, and obedience to His commandments.
Let us pray
+In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit. Amen
O God of our fathers,
We praise Thee, we hymn Thee, we bless Thee and we
thank Thee,
For Thou have set aside the darkness of night
And have shown us again the light of day.
We beseech Thine goodness
To be merciful over our sins
And, in Thy great compassion, to accept our prayer
For we turn for refuge to Thee
The Merciful and Almighty God.
Let the true Sun of Thy Righteousness
Shine in our hearts.
Enlighten our mind and uphold all of our senses,
To walk modestly, as in the day,
Upon the way of Thine commandments,
And thus to attain eternal life.
For Thou art the Source of life,
And Thou can make us worthy to enjoy unapproachable Light.
For Thou, Lord, are indeed Blessed unto the ages of ages.
Amen. [The Twelfth Prayer of Matins]
________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 