MAKING SALVATION ONE’S OWN

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.

MAKING SALVATION ONE’S OWN
By Metropolitan of Nafpaktos, Hierotheos

There are no privileged categories that can travel towards theosis (deification). The cure and theosis (deification) of man IS ACHIEVED, ON THE ONE HAND, BY THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE, AND ON THE OTHER HAND, BY THE ASCETIC LIFE WHICH WE LIVE IN THE CHURCH.

I would like to emphasize this fact particularly. All the Holy Fathers teach THAT MAN’S SALVATION IS A COMBINATION OF SACRAMENTS AND ASCETICISM. We cannot understand the Mysteries (Sacraments) WITHOUT ASCETICISM IN CHRIST, AND WE CANNOT LIVE A REAL ASCETIC LIFE WITHOUT THE MYSTERIES (SACRAMENTS) OF THE CHURCH. Moreover, THE WHOLE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IS AN EXPERIENCE OF A GREAT MYSTERY. ASCETICISM IS IN REALITY EXPERIENCE OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST WHICH IS ATTAINED BY PARTAKING IN THE PURIFYING, ILLUMINATING, AND DEIFYING ENERGY OF GOD. Insofar, as anyone experiences the purifying, illuminating and deifying energy of God, he is experiencing rightly, the SACRAMENTAL (MYSTERIAKY) LIFE.

I say this because in our time a great deal is being said about the sacramental life, THE EUCHARISTIOLOGICAL LIFE is being much emphasized. This is very good. But, unfortunately, the ascetic tradition of the Church is being overlooked. Saint Gregory Palamas, as well as all the other Holy Fathers was a catholic theologian, and therefore he made a parallel struggle against the Massalians who overemphasized the hesychastic life at the expense of the sacraments, and against Barlaam, who overemphasized the sacramental life at the expense of the hesychastic life. This is essential to be emphasized.

THE BEGINNING OF OUR EXPERIENCE OF SALVATION IS ACHIEVED BY HOLY BAPTISM, WHICH IS ALSO CALLED AN INTRODUCTORY SACRAMENT, BECAUSE IT INTRODUCES US TO THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH, WHICH IS LIFE IN CHRIST AT THE SAME TIME. Butin the early Church Baptism was PRECEDED BY PURIFICATION. THE EXORCISMS ALSO HAVE THIS MEANING…

So it seems that the Catechumens go through the stage of purification and the Catechists were the exorcists who had the special blessing of the Church to do this work. Through catechesis the catechumens passed the stage of purification, when by Holy Baptism and by Chrismation THEY EXPERIENCED THE ILLUMINATING ENERGY OF GOD, DISCOVERED THEIR NOUS, THEIR NOETIC ENERGY MOVED NATURALLY AND SUPRANATURALLY, AND FOR THIS REASON BAPTISM IS CALLED ILLUMINATION.

If we study the New Testament carefully, especially the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, we shall be convinced that really it is speaking about PURIFICATION, ILLUMINATION AND THEOSIS (DEIFICATION). Some passages refer to the stage of purification,some to the stage of illumination and others to the stage of theosis (deification)…

At all events it is a fact that all people have the possibility OF ATTAINING THEOSIS (DEIFICATION), PROVIDED THAT ALL ARE CATECHIZED MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH AND THEN BAPTIZED AND ANOINTED AND HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF Holy Communion. Hence, in the Church THERE IS ONE COMMON WAY OF LIFE, relatively speaking, of course.

With BAPTISM and CHRISMATION A NEW LIFE BEGINS. But this life must be continued and increased. Ths NEW LIFE is expressed and energized by THREE BASIC FACTORS: BY APPLYING THE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST, BY DIVINE COMMUNION AND BY PRAYER.

The COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST are mentioned by all the points on man’s journey towards theosis (deification). We have been accustomed to regarding the commandments as legalistic orders, to which we must adapt our life. Without excluding even one such means of adapting, we emphasize that God’s COMMANDMENTS ARE MEDICINES TO HELP US TO BE CURED IN OUR SOULS. Saint Dionysios the Areopagite says THAT OUR UNION WITH GOD IS ACHIEVED "ONLY BY AGAPE (LOVE) AND HOLY WORK." And of course Christ’s commandments refer to may topics, such as to the Divine Liturgy. The celebration of the Divine Liturgy IS AN APPLICATION OF CHRIST’S COMMANDMENT: "THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME…".

Still, the divine Communion LEADS A PERSON TO THEOSIS (DEIFICATION). Of course, we must add that divine Communion DEIFIES MAN WHEN HE IS IN THIS STATE. Otherwise, it ILLUMINATES HIM, PURIFIES HIM, WHILE IF HE HAS NOT REPENTED AND HAS NOT ENTERED THE STAGE OF PURIFICATION, IT BURNS HIM UP, CONDEMNS HIM. This is why Saint Nikolas Kavasilas, interpreting the Apostle Paul’s "if anyone does not want to work, let him not eat", says that this is true NOT ONLY FOR MATERIAL BREAD, BUT ALSO FOR THE SPIRITUAL BREAD. HE WHO DOES NOT WISH TO WORK AND TO PRACTICE ASCETICISM SPIRITUALLY SHOULD NOT APPROACH THE HOLY TABLE AND RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION.

But also prayer, especially that which is called NOETIC PRAYER, is that which expresses the new life which man attains through Baptism and helps him to increase it, because according to the teaching of the Holy Fathers, there is no limit and boundary to perfection and virtue. The passage of the Apostle Paul "be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual gongs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:18-19) refers to the NOETIC PRAYER which goes on in the heart with hymns and psalms and spiritual songs, by the energy of the Holy Spirit. The connection of prayer with the Holy Spirit and with the heart indicates the existence of noetic prayer which goes on UNCEASINGLY, and therefore we have the commandment to pray without ceasing. {Resources: The mind of the Orthodox Church)

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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