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
DIVINE GRACE ACCORDING TO THE
ORTHODOX CHURCH.
It is also important to consult the texts of the Divine Services. A brief look at some frequently used prayers will help to illustrate the concept of the Holy Spirit’s Diakonia (Ministry). The first example introduces the TRISAGION ( Gk. Thrice holy) and is recited at almost every Orthodox service:
O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth,
Who art everywhere present and fillest all things,
the Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come
and abide in us, cleanse us from every impurity,
and save our souls, O Good One!
Trisagion Prayers
Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal!
Haver mercy on us.
Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal!
Have mercy on us.
Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal!
Have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to
Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages
of ages. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us!
Lord, cleanse us from our sins!
Master, pardon our transgressions!
Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities,
for Thy name’s sake.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord
have mercy.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the
Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of
ages. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father …
When the Orthodox Christian offers the prayer to the Holy Spirit, "O Heavenly King…" one can see an affirmation of the Holy Spirit’s General Ministry towards all of creation in which He fills all things with the energies of God in His role as the Divine Agent of Him by Whom "all things consist" [Colossians 1:17). The second example is the prayer which concludes the First Hour. Based on Saint John 1:9, it is a good example of the Orthodox understanding of the Economy of God towards His creation:
O Christ the True Light, Who enlightenest and
sanctifiest every man that cometh into the world:
Let the light of Thy countenance be signed upon us
that in it we may see the Unapproachable Light.
Guide our footsteps aright n keeping Thy
commandments,
Through the intercessions of Thy pure Mother and
of all the Saints. Amen.
Concerning, the verse in Saint John's Gospel which inspired this prayer, Saint John Chrysostom comments:
"If He "lighteth every man that cometh into the world," how is it that so many continue unenlightened? For not all have known the Majesty of Christ. How then doth He "light every man"? He lighteth all as far as in Him lies. But if some, willfully closing the eyes of their mind, would not receive the rays of that Light, their darkness arises not from the nature of the Light, but from their own wickedness, who willfully deprive themselves of the gift. "FOR THE GRACE IS SHED FORTH UPON ALL, turning itself back neither from Jew, nor Greek, nor Barbarian, nor Scythian, nor free, nor bond, nor male, nor female, nor old, nor young, but admitting all alike, and inviting with an equal regard. And those who are not willing to enjoy this gift, ought in justice to impute their blindness to themselves; for if when the gate is opened to all, and there is none to hinder, any being willfully evil remain without, they perish through none other, but only through their own wickedness."
In short, everyone born into this world IS A RECIPIENT OF THE GENRAL MINISTRY OF GOD IN HIS REDEMPTIVE ECONOMY. Moreover, in this prayer one can se God's involvement both in the BEGINNING of man's salvation — the general "enlightenment" of man (which is, as will soonn be shown, distinct from the ILLUIMINATION given only in Holy Baptism), such that his reason-endowed soul is rendered accountable to God (cf. Romans 1:19-20) — and in the FULLNESS of man's salvation: UNION WITH GOD IN THE UNAPPROACHABLE LIGHT (THEOSIS). [Resources: The Non-Orthodox]
_____________
"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 