THE ASCENDING LORD IS THE KING OF GLORY Part IV

My beloved brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

THE ASCENDING LORD IS THE KING OF GLORY [Part IV]

What took place in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ should also take place IN THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIANS. Moreover, the imitation of Christ IS NOT JUST OUTWARD CONFORMITY to some precepts and external commandments, but PARTICIPATION IN CHRIST. WE MUST LIVE CHRIST’S PASSION, CROSS AND RESURRECTION IN OUR OWN LIFE.

This also applies to His Divine Ascension. The Holy Apostle Paul is clearly speaking about participation in Christ’s Ascension, when he says: "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever" [1 Thessalonians 4:16-17].

Saint Diadochos of Photiki says that what happened to Christ at His Ascension will also happen to the Saints. Christ assumed the human body and deified it (theosis), and so man too can be deified (theosis) THROUGH THE RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE. "For he who belongs to the Incarnate God through the body can also belong to those deified by the riches of his grace, be made gods by the generous God." That is to say that people can become gods, through the riches of the generous God.

We must go up to where Christ is and enjoy His Ascension, using action and vision of God. The action IS PURIFICATION OF THE HEART BY KEEPING THE GOSPEL COMMANDMENTS, AND THE VISION IS ILLUMINATION OF THE NOUS AND ITS ASCENT TO SPIRITUAL VISIONS OF GOD.

Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite says that just as the Prophet Elijah threw down his sheepskin and thus ascended "as if to heaven," so also WE, CARRYING OUT ACTION, SHOULD THROW OFF THE LOVE OF PLEASURE, VANITY, AND LOVE OF MONEY AND IN GENERAL ALL ATTACHMENT TO THINGS OF WORLDLY LIFE.

The experience OF THE VISION OF GOD IS ILLUMINATION OF THE NOUS, ILLUMINATION OF THE HEART AND SEEING GOD. Saint Gregory Palamas, analyzing the Holy Apostle Paul’s thought, says that WE SHOULD LOOK TOWARDS THE BEGETTER ABOVE. For now we do not simply come from the first man, the earthly one, but from the SECOND MAN, THE LORD OF HEAVEN. GOD IS HEAVENLY, AND WE MUST BECOME HEAVENLY. And just as we bore the image of the earthly, SO WE MUST ALSO BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY. When we discard our relationship with the garments of skin, we must stand on the holy ground, EACH ONE DEMONSTRATING HIS OWN HOLY GROUND WITH VIRTUE AND AN UNFALTERING INCLINATION TOWARDS GOD. OUR HEARTS SHOULD TURN UPWARDS, BEHOLDING THE GREAT SPECTACLE OF OUR NATURE MADE COETERNAL WITH THE FIRE OF DIVINITY.

Therefore it is possible through ACTION and VISION to experience Christ’s Divine Ascension in ONE’S PERSONAL LIFE, TO ASCEND WITH CHRIST AND APPLY THE SAYING OF Saint Gregory the Theologian: "AND IF HE ASCENDS UP INTO HEAVEN, ASCEND WITH HIM."

Since WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH IN WHICH THE WHOLE WORK OF THE DIVINE DISPENSATION IS EXPERIENCED, WE HAVE OBLIGATIONS. As citizens of the incorporeal WE MUST BE FAR REMOVED FROM DESIRES OF THE FLESH. As members OF HOLY HUMANITY and TEMPLES OF GOD WE MUST LIVE IN HOLINESS. Since God has granted us the ROYAL HOUSE, the Church, instead of hell, we must MAKE OUR PEACE WITH GOD (Proklos, Archbishops of Constantinople).

It is necessary TO PRACTICE PURITY OF THE BODY AND SOUL. A person must keep the eye of his soul AS A WATCHFUL GUARD SO THAT WHEN THE ROBBER DEVIL COMES TO POLLUTE HM WITH BODILY SINS, HE WILL BE READY TO SAY: "I AM NOT GOING TO TURN TRAITOR TO THE LORD’S POSSESSION" (Saint Epiphanius). That is to say, I WILL NOT BETRAY THE PROPERTY WHICH BELONGS TO THE LORD CHRIST.

After Christ’s Disciples had passed through all the trials, the purification, the experience of the Cross, then they remained in the Upper Room and in this way received the Holy Spirit. And we, when we worship Christ, MUST RETURN TO JERUSALEM, WHICH MEANS PEACE. WE MUST MAKE PEACE WITH OURSELF AND OTHERS. And not only should we return to Jerusalem, but we should wait in the upper room, which is our nous, where WE SHOULD BE IN CONSTANT PRAYER AND TAKE CARE TO PURIFY OURSELVES FROM PASSIONS AND BASE THOUGHTS. In this way we shall attain the VISITATION OF THE Comforter and worship in truth the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Saint Gregory Palamas).

Our Lord Christ’s Ascension is celebrated in hymns and spiritual chants, but at the same in action and vision of God , which means with PURITY AND ILLUMINATION OF THE NOUS. Within this struggle and illumination the person rejoices at the great meaning and very deep content of the feast. Then he can rejoice exceedingly over this feast of the Lord.

Christ’s Divine Ascension is the jewel of all the feasts of the Lord, THE COMPLETION OF ALL THAT CHRIST DID FOR US, THROUGH THE WORK OF THE DIVINE DISPENSATION. This consummate feat INVITES US TO SPIRITUAL PERFECTION AND FULLNESS, TO PARTICIPATE IN CHRIST’S ASCENSION AND THE EXPERIENCE OUR OWN ASCENSION. [Resources:  The Twelve Feasts of the Lord]

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Glorious, Divine and Redeeming Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George