My beloved spiritual brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE DRIFTWOOD IN
THE SEA OF LIFE?

Life is mysterious and unpredictable, very much like the weather. There are many similarities between human life and the weather. A day can start calm, sunny, and mild, but without any warning at all, it can change to being cold, windy, stormy, raining, or even a blizzard. Life itself can be going well for a time with the promise of a great future, but unexpectedly one becomes ill, loses his job, is disabled by a car accident, is bankrupt, is divorced, loses his home, or is injured badly by an assailant. I have many such examples in mind. One such example is of a young married couple who was married just a year. A friend visited them for few days and, following his visit, he was driven to the train station to go home. As he was walking, out of nowhere, this criminal with a gun assaulted him and shot him in the head. He, by the grace of God, lived and eventually recovered but his life and that of his wife changed completely.

It is true that when things go well, we tend to believe that life will continue on this track and we are convinced that we are in control of our life. We believe that we have our sights and plans for the future and we are certain that all of our dreams will be fulfilled. At least, that is what we hope will happen. Realistically, most of us know that is not always true. We are NEVER IN CONTROL of events in life, either good or bad. The people who have lived long can attest to this fact. However, one must be prepared to face whatever comes his way with courage and be willing to fight back and remain determined to overcome the storms and the difficult days ahead. It does not mean that it is the end of life, it means that we cannot take anything for granted or that we should ever give up and surrender to the calamities of life.

We cannot become like driftwood and allow the waves of the sea, winds, and tide to toss us here and there. We are God’s children with a good mind, with intelligence, with reason, with talents, with the ability to evaluate our situation and to try something new or different. To learn from mistakes that were made by us and with faith and prayer to continue our struggle to survive and overcome life’s obstacles.

There are some people who look down upon driftwood, but others who see its unique beauty, and value. Driftwood is wood that has been washed unto a shore or beach of a sea, lake, or river by the action of winds, tides, or waves. Some consider it a nuisance, but even driftwood has its purpose and provides a service. It provides food and shelter for birds and fish and other aquatic species. I read somewhere that the Inuit tribe found many uses of driftwood, such as making bows and arrows from it and even boats such as kayaks and as kindling for their fires throughout the year. Artists see beauty in driftwood and portray it in their paintings or even use it as a base of a lamp or just as decorations in their homes. Driftwood, therefore, is not useless or valueless,

No one passes this earthly life free and clear of suffering, pain, struggles, challenges, disappointments, failures, mistakes, tragedies, and tears. That said, life is not just anguish and torments, either. There is a balance of good and bad experiences in life. We must be patient, prayerful, hopeful, and always with faith and trust in God Who loves us. This earthly life is indeed a place where everything that we are is tested, i.e., our faith in God, our courage, our patience, our willingness to fight for things that we believe in, our character, our willingness to protect our family, for our Christian faith, for principles, for our county, etc.

Whatever one of us is going through and how painful it may be, God is there to guide and protect him. We do not overcome anything in life without God’s invisible helping hand. Sometimes I hear of people whose faith is not very strong and are ready to throw in the towel. That is a serious mistake and wrong, because not only does one give up on himself, but also gives up on God. Our Lord never gives up on any one of us. To dare to think in this manner would be a grave sin and great offense to our Savior knowing how much He loves us.

Even if you see yourself like a driftwood, ‘drifting so to speak,’ to and fro, don’t be afraid, know that the Lord is near you. Remember, that you are unique, beautiful, useful, and that you are important to those who seek you, and that you can be an inspiration to those around you. The Evangelist Saint Luke 8:23-25, tells us a true story on how Jesus calms a storm. "And He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.’ And they launched out. But as they sailed He (Jesus) fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and they were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ Then He arose and REBUKED THE WIND AND THE RAGING WATER, AND THEY CEASED, AND THERE WAS A CALM. But He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’ And they were afraid, and marvelled, saying to one another, ‘Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him." In the most difficult moments of life, "FAITH" unites us with Christ and gives us His strength and comfort.

______________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in Our Lord’s Glorious Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved spiritual brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord Christ,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN IS A LIFE OF
SERVICE AND OBEDIENCE TO JESUS CHRIST

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the example par excellence of both service and obedience. He taught and said to His disciples, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU; BUT WHOEVER DESIRES TO BECOME GREAT AMONG YOU, LET HIM BE YOUR SERVANT, AND WHOEVER DESIRES TO BE FIRST AMONG YOU, LET HIM BE YOUR SLAVE– JUST AS THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY" (St. Matthew 20:25-28).

The genuine Christian believer is one who by living Christ daily follows faithfully His example of service and obedience. As Christians, we do not follow anyone else but our Savior. We must always have Him in our sights and learn from Him how we should live and act. The Christian is always willing to ponder the humility of Christ, a truth necessary for suffering Christians to understand and live out. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we also are to take hold of what God offers, accepting His grace, and working toward becoming spiritually mature in Christ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ "learned obedience" (Hebrews 5:9) in his human will, which continually and freely submitted to the Divine will. In the agony of injustice, He submits to the will of His Father. Are we willing to submit to His Divine will? Are we willing to suffer no matter if it is just or unjust? Are we willing to take up our cross and follow Him? There should not be any confusion or misunderstanding of who we are as Christians. Our life in Christ should not be reduced to a life of privileges and comfort, nor a kind of lazy, inert, and false kind of Christianity which is totally artificial and therefore an insult to Christ and the Church.

If one is a true believer in Jesus Christ, he must be willing to accept the full message of His Divine Gospel. A Christian cannot be selective of what he or she likes about the Christian faith. No Christians can set for themselves conditions whether they are going to follow the commandments of our Lord. The Christian understands himself to be a willing slave (δούλος) and submits to His Divine Authority. We are all transparent before the Almighty Lord and He Who knows the hearts of men knows if we truly believe in Him or not.

"Follow the Lamb wherever He goes" (Rev. 14:4). Follow Him with humility, obedience, and without any demands or expectations. It is said that when a slave in ancient times was bought at the slave market, the new master would cut off a lock of hair to indicate to the slave that he was totally his property from that point on and that he must obey him. A slave had no rights, no privileges, no benefits, no opinion, no independence, he lived only to serve his master. However, in Christianity, we are taught that, "For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, FOR YOU ARE ONE IN CHRIST JESUS" (Galatians 3:27-28). We share in one human nature with Christ and therefore people are not valued on their ethnicity, social standing, gender, for we are all are one in nature and so all are equal in dignity.

The understanding that practicing Christians have is that the ongoing growth into adoption, being "an heir of God," is a referance to theosis (deification). This means we are becoming by grace what God is by nature. To become sons of God by grace, one must believe in and know the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are encouraged to work out our own salvation, which means we must act, we must labor, and we must be willing to make sacrifices to have a strong commitment to Our Savior and to our Holy Church.

Investing time, talent, and treasure is the true stewardship of every believing person. It means that we must stop thinking only of ourselves and think of our neighbor, our fellow man, who is in desperate need of agape and compassion. Nothing should be postponed, but not knowing how long we are to going to live, we must act now. The believer should have a strong conscience. A conscience founded on faith is our best guide. "However, we speak wisdom AMONG THOSE WHO ARE MATURE, yet not the wisdom of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory" (1 Corinthians 2:6-7).

Strive for spiritual maturity and for a greater commitment to our Christian faith. Being a Christian does not mean to attend Church services from time to time or sitting in the church pew observing it. It means to abide by His commandments. It means to live a life based on Christian values and virtues. It means to be obedient to Him and to serve Him unconditionally. To reach spiritual maturity means to attain theosis (deification) and holiness.

__________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Life-Giving Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved spiritual brothers and sisters in Our Risen Savior Jesus Christ,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

"THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM IS THE
FEAR OF THE LORD…" (Psalm 110 [111):10)

During the Divine Liturgy the priest, the Holy Bible from the holy Altar Table which it lies upon and processes in front of the Royal Gates blesses the Entrance (Introit). After the Apolytikion of the day is chanted he raises the Holy Bible (‘Book of Gospels’) and intones Σοφία ορθοί (Wisdom; stand up. Then he chants: Come, let us worship and bow to Christ, O Son of God, Who did rise from the dead, save us who chant to Thee. Alleluia. Also, before the readings of the holy Epistle Lesson and Gospel Lesson, the Deacon or Priest we hear the word Wisdom or Wisdom; stand upright. Let us hear the Holy Gospel. As Orthodox Christians, we are consistently reminded of God’s Holy Wisdom. The summons, "WISDOM," calls once more the attention of the faithful to the Divine Gospel reading which is about to begin. By standing up we show the proper reverence to the sacred word of God. The word of God is powerful and effective of all sicknesses, spiritual and physical. Orthodox Christians must be in church and listen attentively to the Holy Scriptural Readings, as well as the sermon given by the priest immediately following.

Holy Wisdom or Divine Wisdom (Gk. Αγία Σοφία) is the Orthodox Christian belief that God’s Wisdom is absolute and perfect. We find the word WISDOM in both Testaments. Wisdom is referred to in the Gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew frequently in reference to Our Lord Christ. His Wisdom is recognized in the Jewish synagoge, "When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue so that they were astonished and said, ‘Where did this Man get THIS WISDOM and these mighty works?" (St. Matthew 13:54). Saint Paul refers to wisdom, clearly in 1 Corinthians 1:20-24: "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the Wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those WHO BELIEVE. ‘For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ CRUCIFIED a stumbling block to Jew and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called both Jews and Greeks, CHRIST THE POWER OF GOD AND THE WISDOM OF GOD,,,". I believe that we all know that the wisdom this world and the wisdom of God are NOT the same thing, God’s wisdom IS THE TRUE ONE, WITHOUT ANY ADDITIVESS TO CORRUPT IT. The world’s wisdom is foolish, even though the simplicity of God’s Wisdom makes those who have it appear foolish in the eyes of the world. Christians have received this Divine Wisdom and thus in this world appear to be fools. "God’s power is intricately interwoven with God’s Wisdom."

"Christ the power of God and the Wisdom of God." The identification of our Lord Jesus Christ with God’s Wisdom is ancient, and was stated emphaticsally by the early Holy Fathers of the Church, such as Saint Justin Martyr and others. The most profound identification of Divine Wisdom with Jesus Christ comes in Saint Paul First Letter to the Corinthians 1:17-2:13. Also, the holy Apostle Paul writes, "We speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery, even THE HIDDEN WISDOM, which God ordained before the world unto our glory" (1 Cor. 2:7).

In the Mystical Theology of the Holy Orthodox Church WISDOM is understood as the Divine Logos/Word Who became INCARNATE AS JESUS CHRIST. In our Orthodox Faith, humility is THE HIGHEST WISDOM AND TO BE SOUGHT MORE THAN ANY OTHER VIRTUE. IT IS HUMILITY THAT CULTIVATES NTO ONLLY THE Holy Wisdom (Αγία Σοφία), but humility (in contrast to knowledge) is the defining quality that grants the faithful salvation and admission into Kingdom. The Orthodox theologian Vladimir Lossky stated that Wisdom as an energy of God (just as love, faith, andd grace are also energies of God) is nto to be ascribed to be the true essence of God, to do so is to deny the apophatic and incomprehensibility of God’s essence.

We, the people, living in the 21st century, constantly boast of making extraordinary technologial, medical, and scientific achievements, we, who believe that we are the most civilizd and most intellectual people in the history of the world, we are, in my humble opinion, are the most foolish people
of all time. Why? because we lack wisdom, but not just any wisdom, we are devoid of God’s Wisdom. Without Holy Wisdom we are simly spinning our wheels. We are not making any real progress. We are standing still. Without Divine Wisdom the knowledge accumulated in the world became simply human conjecture. Human pride and arrogance does not permit anyone from acknowledging the uncreated power of God’s Wisdom. It is God’s Wisdom that sustains us and all the universe. It is God’s Wisdom that energizes His Creation and therefore the psalmist says, " O Lord how manifold are Thy works! IN WISDOM YOU HAVE THEM ALL" (Psalm 104:24). I sincerely hope that you read this magnificent psalm and see for yourselves God’s revealed wisdom.

Do to our lack of wisdom or because of man’s iignorance, or not believing in God’s Wisdom, proves why mankind has failed in its responsibility to be a good o steward of the earth. "Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (1 Cor. 1:20), setting worldly wisdom against a HIGHER WISDOM OF GOD: "But we speak the Widom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory" (1 Cor. 2:7). The holy Epistle of Saint James (Iakovos) James 3:13-18; 1:5) distinguishes between two kinds of wisdom. One is a FALSE WISDOM, whwihc is characterized as "EARTHLY, SENSUAL, DEVILISH" and is connected with strife and contention. The second is the ‘WISDOM THAT COMES FROM ABOVE’: "But the Wisdom from above is first PURE, THEN PEACEABLE, GENTLE, EASY TO BE INTREATED, FULL OF MERCY, LOVE, AND GOOD FRUITS, WITHOUT PARTIALITY, AND WITHOUT HYPOCRYSY" (St. James 3:17). The Book of Revelation lists Wisdom as a property of the Lamb (Christ): "Worthy is the Lamb (Christ) that was slain to receive power, and riches, and WISDOM, AND strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing."

There are many churches dedicated to Holy Wisdom (Αγία Σοφία) throughout the Eastern Orthodox world. Their archetype is the main Cathedral of Constantinople (now converted into a mosque by the Turks), built in the 6th century, simply known as the Hagia Sophia. The first church on the site, consecrated in 300 A.D. (during the reign of Constantius II), was simply known as the Μεγάλη Εκκλησία "Great Church". In Constantinople, under Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was rebuilt, consecrated in 538 A.D. and became a model for man other Byzantine churches. Churches dedicated to Holy Wisdom are to be distinguished from churches dedicated to the martyr Sophia of Rome and her three daughters Faith, Hope and Agape (Love).

_________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Thngs!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in Christ our Risen Lord,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved spiritual brothers and sisters in our Risen Savior,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

PURSUING INNER PEACE

The holy Apostle Paul speaking to the Philippians and to all followers of Our Risen Lord, that the "peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ" (Philippians 4:7).

Essential to the foundation of our spiritual life is inner peace. Inner peace or stillness is to be aware always of the presence of God deep in our hearts. We must never lose sight of the fact that His presence there is real and, therefore, when we offer our spiritual prayer to Him from our hearts we encounter God in the depths of our soul. The spiritual fruit of this experience is the profound inner peace that brings us the desired comfort and renewed hope.

The Orthodox Christian understands that prayer is one of the most important spiritual activities to acquire inner peace. It is also important that once we acquire inner peace through prayer and stillness, that we then learn how to keep it pure and to preserve it intact. Jesus reminds us: "Peace I leave to you; … not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (St. John 14:7). God’s peace is His gift to us including His grace.

In the Divine Liturgy, we petition our Lord constantly for peace: In peace let us pray to the Lord. For the peace from above, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord. For the peace of the whole world, the stability of the holy Churches of God, and for the union of all mankind, let us pray to the Lord. For the whole day, that it may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let ask of the Lord. An Angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask of the Lord. Christian ends to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful, and of good defense before the fearful Judgment Seat of Christ, let us ask of the Lord. And frequently the priest blesses the faithful by saying, Peace be to all and people respond by saying, And to your spirit… Saint Sophrony speaking of prayer, said, "prayer affords the experience of spiritual liberty of which most people are ignorant. The first sign of emancipation and disinclination to impose one’s will on others. The second is an inner release from the hold of others on oneself." Each time we pray, we are taking on the peace of God which gives us the necessary balance we need to attain communion with our Creator.

In our quest for inner peace, we must surrender our thoughts, emotions, worldly plans, social activities, personal issues and submit them to His Divine Presence. By surrendering our ego, and our pride that clouds our judgment, our hearts are then set free of all unnecessary interference with the dialogue which ensues with our Savior.

The preservation of the peace that comes from God is of the utmost importance. We need to be careful and cautious about what we expose ourselves to. The secular world and society in which we live have poisoned and polluted our lives with a new addiction and dependency. Without a doubt, we have all become dependent on social media to inform us of everything. In turn, it has used this opportunity to control our minds and our decisions. In addition through their negative and distorted reporting, they create stress, anxiety and therefore destroy our inner peace and tranquility. As part of our effort in maintaining our Lord’s peace, we must turn our attention to Him and seek His Divine wisdom.

Our Ever-Merciful God Who wants what is good and holy for us, offers His peace to all. It is up to each one of us to trust in God rather than the secular and unbelieving world. A world filled with constant noise and unbearable sounds to human ears. Sounds that hurt our senses, our ability to concentrate and think clearly, and certainly hurt and damage our inner and God-given peace. Our Lord always spoke softly and lovingly. Those who gathered to hear Him left with the sweet sound of His Divine voice echoing not only in their ears, but their hearts, and granted them a sense of profound peace and spiritual healing.

Sins can produce inner unrest and constant anxiety that only repentance and confession can remedy. The Sacrament of Repentance/Confession is a healing sacrament. It is through this Mystery that the Orthodox Christian finds not only God’s forgiveness but the restoration of inner peace and strength. As we know, and believe, our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Heavenly Physician, is the One Who brings healing to our souls and bodies. Those who remain unrepentant and resit God’s forgiveness and grace deprive themselves of spiritual health that leads to salvation.

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have
peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good
cheer, I have overcome the world" (St. John 16:33).

________________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +
With sincere agape in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved spiritual brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

ORTHODOXY HOLDS MOTHERHOOD TO BE SACRED

On May 9th this year we celebrate Mother’s Day. This day is dedicated to a precious and special human being, a woman, and who is a gift from God Himself to all of us. To honor one’s father and mother is a Divine Commandment: "Honor your father and mother that it may be well with you, and your days may be long upon the good land your God is giving you" (Exodus 20:12). To those who honor their father and mother, God promises a reward, namely, a long and spiritually prosperous life on earth.

God the Father chose for His Only-begotten Son to have a very special woman to be His earthly mother. "Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David" (St. Luke 1:30-32). Elizabeth when Mary visited her said, ‘But why is this granted to me, THAT THE MOTHER OF MY LORD SHOULD COME TO ME?" (St. Luke 1:43).

Our Lord Jesus Christ loved, respected, and was obedient to His earthly mother when He was a young boy. He never stopped carrying for His mother even when He was dying on the Cross He made sure that she was taken care of by His beloved disciple John. "When Jesus, therefore, saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by He said to the mother, ‘Woman, behold your son.’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold YOUR MOTHER.’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home" (St. John 19:26-27). Jesus spiritually establishes Mary’s role as mother of all faithful disciples–of the entire Church.

The Holy Scripture, both the Old and New Testaments, presents many righteous and holy women who gave birth to prominent and great men and girls who were chosen by God to serve Him as Prophets, Prophetesses, Martyrs, Confessors, Teachers, holy Fathers and Mothers of the Church. Motherhood within the Christian Church and family held a most sacred place. Motherhood was held in high esteem with our holy Faith for, by the grae=ce of God, gave birth to a new life. The woman’s womb is sacred. "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You" (St Luke 11:27). "Thus the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I FORMED YOU IN THE WOMB, I KNEW YOU, AND BEFORE YOU WERE BORN, I SANCTIFIED YOU, I ESTABLISHED YOU A PROPHET TO THE NATIONS" (Jeremiah 1:4-5). It is, therefore, clear that the woman’s womb is where life begins and is formed by God Himself. God honors mothers and protects them and their babies. No one but no one should dishonor a woman especially when she is blessed to be a mother. Also, the womb should not become a chamber of horrors, where a baby, a child, is dismembered and killed even before he or she is born into this world.

In our Holy Orthodox Church, there are special prayers and blessings before the woman is in labor, following the birth of her child or children, and after 40 days when she is brought and is sanctified. The following are some of the prayers:

On the birth of a child.

O Sovereign Master and Lord Almighty, Who heals every sickness and every weakness: do You Yourself heal this Your servant (Name) who this day has born a child, and raise her up from the bed on which she lies. For according to the words of the Prophet David, in sin were we conceived and all are defiled before You; protect her, and this child which she has borne, shelter her under the covering of Your wings from this day to her last…". "…Keep this woman safe under Your mighty hand. Grant to her a speedy recovery. Cleanse her of every sin; bring healing from suffering, and vouchsafe unto her health, and strength of both soul and body; and guarding her round about against every attack of invisible spirits…"

Churching after forty days.

O Lord God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who by Your word has made every rational and irrational creature, that brought all things out of nothingness into being: we pray to You and implore You, cleanse this Your servant (Name), whom by Your Will You have preserved, and who now comes into Your Holy Church, from every transgression, so that she may be accounted worthy to partake of Your Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) without condemnation…".

Prayer for a woman in difficult labor at childbirth.

O Lord God Almighty Creator of al things, and the Giver of all knowledge to mankind: Who fashioned the body of man from the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and grant unto him the blessing that he might increase and multiply through the BIRTH-GIVING OF WOMEN TO CHILDREN. We beseech Thee now, O Thou Who lovest mankind to bless Thy handmaid, (Name) who is with child, granting her help and comfort at this trying time, ease her labor, and bring her to safe delivery. Yes, O Lord, open Thou the Treasury of Thy mercies, and Thy compassion unto her, and let her give birth to a fruitful vine, that he (or she) may be a cause of joy to her all the days of here life…".

May Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God, and our Savior bless all the mothers on this Mother’s Day and throughout their lives. To our mothers who have asleep in the Lord, may Our Lord grant them everlasting life among the righeous and holy.

A Blessed Mother’s Day to all of you and may God grant you many years. May the Holy Mother of God pray for all of us, that we will be saved and that we will follow God wholeheartedly as she did. Amen.

______________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

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

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

THE LORD’S PRAYER

"… AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION…" (St. Luke 11:4)

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common
to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be
tempted BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE, but with the
temptation will also make THE WAY OF ESCAPE, that
you may able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

"… Now when THE TEMPTER CAME TO Him, he said, "If You are
the Son of God, command that these stones become bread…" (St. Matthew 4:3).

Temptation is a tool of the evil one, Satan himself. Only the devil tempts. God NEVER TEMPTS. We, sinful human beings, pray not only that we may be forgiven but that we have the faith and spiritual strength not to yield to temptation. The holy Apostle James explains who is the one and only tempter when he says, "Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; FOR GOD FOR GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED BY EVIL, NOR DOES HE HIMSELF TEMPT ANYONE. But each one is tempted WHEN IS DRAWN AWAY BY HIS OWN DESIRES AND ENTICED. Then when DESIRE (PASSION) HAS CONCEIVED, IT GIVES BIRTH TO SIN; AND SIN WHEN IT IS FULL-GROWN BRINGS FORTH DEATH. DO NOT BE DECEIVED, my beloved brethren" (St. James 1:13-16).

Temptation originates in our own sinful passions, which the devil energizes. Temptation begins with "desires" or lustful thoughts. When we, of our free will, cultivate or entertain those thoughts (logismoi) and approve them (when desire has conceived), we soon end up acting upon them (it gives birth to sin). We fall into temptation because we allow ourselves to do so. We are not forced by God or any other force. We must accept responsibility for our actions and not try to blame someone else.

Yes, there is indeed a tempter, the evil one, however, his power was destroyed by our Savior Jesus Christ and therefore the devil is powerless. He cannot force anyone to sin. In the Lord’s Prayer we say, "Thy Kiingdom come." "The sinner here entreats that the Kingdom of God NOT COME, because HE FEARS THE JUDGMENTS AND PUNISHMENTS THAT WILL ACCOMPANY IT. By contrast, the righteous man prays that the Kingdom of God will come quickly, SO THAT HE MIGHT BE DELIVERED FROM TEMPTATIONS AND FIND REST" (Saint Theophylact).

According to Severian of Gabala Saint Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians 10:13, "did not pray that we should not be tempted, for a man who has not been tempted is untried, but that WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BEAR OUR TEMPTATIONS AS WE OUGHT." There are many that do not bear it but are conquered by temptation. "What God gives us is not the certainty that we shall bear it but the possibilty that we may be made to bear it. God gives us patience and brings us speedy delivereance. In this way temptation becomes bearable. By the strength of our FREE WILL we are able to overcome temptations. Be strong and resist his enticements. It is impossible to avoid the evil attacks of the enemy but we must always be ready to react immediately and turn to the Lord. There is too much at stake in this warfare such as the destruction of the soul and the deprivation of the Divine grace. The soul must never waver no matter the kind of temptation.

We ought to know that Our Savior Jesus Christ is always there, if invited by us, to help us at times of temptations. The evil one is very crafty and an opportunist who will take advantage of our weaknesses, our passions, and use them against. The evil one has no need for food, for rest, for sleep, and therefore awaits for the right time to strike like the serpent that he is. It is prudent that we remain always vigilant and aware of the many dangers, the snares, and his machinations. He will use things such as pride, greed, lust, hatred, anger, gluttony, envy, sloth, akedia, self-righteousness. There a number of ways of participating in another’s sin for example by counsel, by command, by consent, provacation, praise or flattery, concealment, partaking, silence and by defense of sins committed. Despite all the attacks from the evil one so far there is no sin. Temptation turns into sin when one willingly consents to sin, when one submits to the ‘authority’ of the enemy.

It is imperative that all Orthodox Christians be aware that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare. As all combat it is dangerous, it is a hand-to-hand combat and we are up against a most formidable enemy. He is pure evil and therefore we cannot match his cunning, his arrogance, his sinister tactics. He hates humanity and seeks to destroy it. The way to triumph over him is to be a person of faith, of love, of virtue, of humility, of kindness, of honesty, of compassion, of obedience to God’s Commandments, to a life of unceasing prayer, of worship, of a strong sacramental life. Don’t be deceived by the enemy for he has an abundance of weapons in his arsenal to use and manipulate our minds and kill the soul. One of his weapons is phantasy or imagination that he uses against us with much success.

Evil thoughts or logismoi, are indecent and corrupt are not easily controled by man and therefore they return again and again. The person must never give up or give in. The enemy is persistent and determined to bring us down. If one has discernment and is vigilant will immediately show his resentment, his contempt toward them and through prayer will drive these evil thoughts away.

Never doubt God’s love for you and for all of mankind. Our Savior Jesus Christ proved His unconditional love for humanity by sacrificing His life on the Cross to save us. God is never that far away from us and He constantly guides us gently and lovingly toward His heavenly Kingdom. The psalmist advice to us in how we should approach the Lord is with "… a contrite spirit, a broken and humble heart.." (Psalm 50[51]. Pray to Our Creator to give you the gift of discernment and the strength to overcome all evil attacks and snares set by the enemy. reshufling them, engaging them, dispairing because of them, and contemplating them sensually. Such a remembrance of how we have sinned in the past is a DEMONIC TEMPTATION.

Saint Cleopas describes how the evil one, our enemy, attacks and tempts us. He says, "one is attacked FROM BEHIND when one continuously rembering the sin and evil deeds one has committed in the past, recalling them anew in our mind,

One is normally tempted FROM THE FRONT through fear at what the future holds: of what will happen to us or the world; of how long we will live, of whether we will have anything to eat or any other kind of serious and frightful event to come; and everything else that induces fear of the future in us.

One is tempted by the devil FROM THE LEFT through the call to commit obvious sins and to behave and act in way that are known to be sinful and evil, but which people do nonetheless. This temptation is a direct call to sin openly and consciously.

There are two ways which the devil tempts FROM THE RIGHT. The first is when one performs good deeds and actions, but with a bad or malicious intent and purpose. For example, if one does good or acts well out of VAINGLORY, TO RECEIVE PRAISE, TO OBTAIN A POSITION, TO ACQUIRE FAME. The second demonic temptation from the right comes through APPARITIONS AND VISIONS, when one receives visions of the devil in the form of God or an Angel of God. The Holy Fathers call trusting these specters from the devil, or accepting demonic phenomena, delusion or deception.

Further, the devil tempts one FROM BELOW when one is capable of performing good deeds or holy virtues but is too lazy to do so; or when one knows that one should make greater efforts and labors in ascetic (in virtues and good deeds), and is capable of doing so, but does does not do so out of laziness. One thereby spiritually rejects these virtues by doing much less than one could in fact do.

One is tempted FROM WITHIN by that which one has in one’s heart and by that which proceeds from the heart. The Lord Jesus Christ clearly stated that IT IS FROM WITHIN, FROM ONE’S HEART, THAT SINFUL AND IMPURE THOUGHTS, DESIRES, AND LUSTS PROCEED (cf. St. Matthew 15:19) and tempt one. Temptations come not only from the devil, but also HUMANLY, FROM THE EVIL INTENTIONS AND SKILLS, LUSTS, EVIL DESIRES, AND INNER LOVE OF SIN THAT PROCEEDS FROM AN UNCLEAN HEART.

Finally, the door to demonic temptation is opened FROM THE OUTSIDE, through external things and occasions, that is, through everything that enters from outside through one’s SENSES, WHICH ARE THE SOUL’S WINDOWS. These external things are not evil in and of themselves, but by means of them one’s feelings can be tempted and induced to evil and sin.

Against each of these temptations – from behind, from the front, from the left, from the right, from above, from below, from inside, and from the outside — one must FIGHT BY MEANS OF WATCHFULNESS, THAT IS ATTENTIVENESS, CAREFULNESS, AND WAKEFULNESS OF SOUL AND BODY; WAKEFULNESS AND VIGILANCE OF SPIRIT; SOBRIETY, AND DISCERNMENT, ATTENTION TO ONE’S THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS, OR, IN A WORD: JUDGMENT. ON THE OTHER HAND, BY MEANS OF CONSTANT PRAYER THAT INVOKES THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT IS, THROUGH UNCEASING PRAYER.

In other words, Saint Cleopas added, the Holy Fathers said that THE BATTLE AGAINST ALL TEMPTATIONS AND PASSIONS CONSISTS IN THE FOLLOWING: GUARDING ALL ONE’S MIND, SOUL, AND BODY FROM TEMPTATIONS — THIS IS THE ASCETIC STRUGGLE FROM OUR HUMAN POINT OF VIEW; FROM THE DIVINE SIDE, ONE MUST CONTINUOUSLY AND PRAYERFULLY CALL UPON THE HELP OF THE ALL-MERCIFUL LORD JESUS CHRIST — and this is that unceasing and primary prayer of the hesychasts called the Jesus Prayer: "LORD JESUS CHRIST, HAVE MERCY ON ME, A SINNER!"

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

_______________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!’

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Holy Resurrection
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ God,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

"And so it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living being,’
The last Adam became a LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT. However, the
spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
The first man was of the earth, MADE of dust, the second Man
is THE LORD FROM HEAVEN. As was the man of dust, so also
are those who are made of dust; and as the heavenly Man, so
also ARE THOSE WHO ARE HEAVENLY. And as we have borne
the image of the man of dust, WE SHALL ALSO BEAR THE
IMAGE OF THE heavenly Man" (1 Corinthians 15:45-49).

The sacred words of Saint John Chrysostom’s Paschal homily still echo in our ears: "Let all of you then ENTER INTO THE JOY OF THE LORD. The first and second ENJOY your reward. Your rich and poor, REJOICE together. You temperate and you heedless, honor THE DAY. The Table is richly laden. All of you, fare sumptuously on it. The calf is a fatted one; let no one go away hungry. All of you ENJOY the BANQUET OF FAITH. All of you ENJOY the RICHES OF HIS GOODNESS. Let no one grieve poverty; FOR THE UNIVERSAL KINGDOM HAS BEEN REVEALED.

Let no one grieve OVER SINS; FOR FORGIVENESS HAS DAWNED FROM THE TOMB. Let NO ONE FEAR DEATH; for the Death of Our Savior HAS SET US FREE. He has destroyed it by enduring it…".

Saint John Chrysostom reflects the true Christian spirit and joy at the Resurrection of the Lord Christ. Our joy of the Resurrection can never be diminished by anything, whether it be illness, problems, concerns of life, unforeseen challenges, money issues, business concerns, unsuccessful endeavors, family misunderstandings, etc. The joy of the Resurrection is too powerful and its impact is too great for any human issue to minimize it in any way or form.

Our earthly life will continue to antagonize us and to test our resilience and determination but we must never allow it to interfere with the joy of the Resurrection. As long as we embrace and accept the grace of God which comes through it, we, as Christians, will never fall into despair or experience the misery of darkness or of hopelessness. Jesus says, "Assuredly, I say to you, IF YOU HAVE FAITH AND DO NOT DOUBT, YOU WILL NOT ONLY DO WHAT WAS DONE TO THE FIG TREE, BUT ALSO IF YOU SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, BE REMOVED AND BE CAST INTO THE SEA, IT WILL BE DONE. AND WHATEVER THINGS YOU ASK IN PRAYER, BELIEVING, YOU WILL RECEIVE" (St. Matthew 21:21-22).

The joy of the Resurrection is Life. Life in the Kingdom of Heaven where joy is eternal. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). Rejoicing always is a fruit of perseverance in daily prayers. "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22).

There is strength in the joy of the Resurrection. The strength that a Christian believer needs to combat evil, to secure salvation, to overcome temptation, to grow in Christ, to be an instrument of peace, to give and receive love, to find spiritual and physical healing, to be ceaselessly aware of the primacy of God’s Kingdom.

The joy of the Resurrection is Divine and most powerful. The joy of the Resurrection has the power to transform us from earthly beings to heavenly spirits. It has the power needed by us to ascend from earth to heaven. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the only one that can bestow this gift of joy to those who believe in Him. Christ is our abundant joy which never fades away and is Life-Giving. Let us then, "enter into the joy of the Lord."

The world would be a place of Paradise if the "joy of the Lord" prevailed in it. It would be a place of Light and LIfe. It is the joy of the Lord that dispels all evil that threatens the very existence of man. All man’s cruelty, all anger, all hate, all despair, all poverty, all injustice, all wars, all division, all unhappiness, would be eradicated by the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord can only be found in the heart of the Christian believer. It is the heart of the believer that the God of agape wishes to make His abode.

Pray that the Lord’s joy will become yours. Our communion with God can only be a communion of love and joy. This is the communion that the Angels of God enjoy in heaven for all eternity. Eternal Life is one of joy in the presence of our Creator. Earthly "joy" is temporary, flitting, weak, conditional, and imperfect. Salvation is uninterrupted communion with God.

The closer we come to our Savior Jesus Christ, the closer to His joy. Man is fulfilled not by material goods, wealth, power, professional achievements, or occupational successes, etc. but by faith in Him Who created him from dust. Trusting in God’s wisdom will lead us to the path of salvation and His Heavenly Kingdom, where we find the fulfillment which we seek. "But now I come to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves" (St. John 17:13). The second-century Letter to Diognetus states: CHRISTIANS DWELL IN THE WORLD BUT DO NOT BELONG TO THE WORLD." Reborn in Christ, Christians have their citizenship in the Kingdom of God. Yet their vocation is in the world, where THEY ARE PERFECTED by God against the evil one.

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

__________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in Our Resurrected Lord and Savior,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved spiritual brothers and sisters in Our Risen Christ,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!
Χριστός Ανέστη! Αληθώς Ανέστη!

Glory to His third-day Resurrection.
Προσκυνούμε Αυτού τήν τριήμερον έγερσιν.

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling Death by
death, and bestowing life to those in the tombs.

Χριστός Ανέστη έκ νεκρών, θανάτω θάνατον πατήσας,
και τοίς έν τοίς μνήμασι, ζωήν χαρισάμενος.

"The Angel cried out to the one full of Grace ‘Rejoice Holy Virgin,
and again I say, Rejoice! Your Son has risen from the Tomb on the
third day.’

Shine, shine, the New Jerusalem! For the Glory of the Lord has
dawned upon You. Rejoice now and be glad, O Zion; and You,
O All-Pure Theotokos, delight in the Resurrection of Him, to
Whom You gave birth."

Most Orthodox Christians are always asking questions concerning the universal resurrection of the dead. Concerning the resurrection of the dead, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ offers the true answer. He says, "The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" ( St. John 5:28-29).

The holy Apostle Paul taught the people the certainty of the truth of the resurrection in his first epistle to the Corinthians 15:13-15, "If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen; and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, Whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not… But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept… For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all made alive."

According to our Holy Orthodox Church, the resurrection of the dead will be universal and simultaneous, both of the RIGHTEOUS and of SINNERS. ALL THE DEAD "SHALL COME FORTH: THEY THAT HAVE DONE GOOD UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF LIFE; AND THEY THAT HAVE DONE EVIL UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF DAMNATION" (St. John 5:29). "There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust" (Acts 24:15). Also, "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father"– are words by the Lord only of the righteous (St. Matthew 13:43). Saint Ephraim the Syrian stated in his sermon "On the Fear of God and the Last Judgment", "Some WILL RESEMBLE LIGHT, AND OTHERS DARKNESS."

From everything that the Almighty God has revealed to us, one must conclude that the resurrected bodies will be ESSENTIALLY the same ones that belonged to their souls in this earthly life. Saint Paul writes, "This corruptible must put on incorruption, and THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY" (1 Corinthians 15:53). They will be completely FREE FROM WEAKNESS AND FROM THE INFIRMITIES OF THE PRESENT LIFE. They will BE SPIRITUAL, HEAVENLY, NOT HAVING EARTHLY, BODILY NEEDS. Life after the resurrection will be like THE LIFE OF THE FLESHLESS SPIRITS, THE ANGELS, ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD (St. Luke 20:36). As for unrepentant sinners, their bodies also without any doubt will rise IN A NEW FORM, BUT WHILE CONCEIVING AN INCORRUPT AND SPIRITUAL NATURE, AT THE SAME TIME THEY WILL EXPRESS IN THEMSELVES THE CONDITION OF THEIR SOULS." (Dogmatic Theology)

It is true that there is much curiosity about the universal resurrection from our Orthodox faithful, but we are limited to what we know and, of course, there are many questions that cannot be answered. It is not appropriate to speculate and make up our own conceptions and imaginings. What is urgent and necessary is for the ordinary Christian to commit, as much as possible, of his or her life here on earth, to improve one’s spiritual life in Christ. To live Christ daily, to grow in the Spirit, to develop and practice his/her a life of virtue and the Christian precepts, to abide by the commandments of Christ, to be moral and have self-respect, to be as much compassionate and determined to help the needy, to be truthful and repent of his/her sins, to reconcile with his/her enemies. We must always remember that we are accountable to the Almighty God for all things i.e., our thoughts, feelings, and actions. We must all take extremely seriously that the Universal Judgment will be conducted by the Heavenly and Divine Judge Christ God who will judge all men living and dead, good and evil, even the fallen angels themselves (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). The result of the Judgment will be eternal reward, BLESSEDNESS for the righteous and TORMENT for the evil who are CONDEMNED. "He shall reward every man according to his works" (St. Matthew 16:27); "every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor" (1 Corinthians 3:8). "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and BOOKS WERE OPENED, which is, THE BOOK OF LIFE. AND THE DEAD WERE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS, BY THE THINGS WHICH WERE WRITTEN IN THE BOOKS" (Revelation 20:12). "THE BOOKS" contain a record of men’s own deeds; "THEIR OWN WORKS WILL JUDGE THEM" (Psalm 62:12; Jeremiah 17:10). Our Holy Orthodox Divine Liturgy thus petitions God for a "GOOD ACCOUNT BEFORE THE DREADFUL JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST."

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

______________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in Our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved spiritual brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

CHRIST IS RISEN!

TRULY HE IS RISEN!

GLORY TO HIS THIRD-DAY RESURRECTION.

WE WORSHIP HIS THRID-DAY RESURRECTION.

Christ is risen from dead, trampling Death by
death, and bestowing life to those in the tombs.

"It is the Day of the Resurrection! Let us shine forth in
splendor for the Festival, and embrace one another. Let
us say, "O brethren, even to those, who do not love us,
let us forgive all things in the Resurrection, and thus
let us cry aloud: "Christ is risen from the dead, by death
trampling on Death, and bestowing life to those in the
tombs."

"This day, which the Lord has made; we shall rejoice,
and be glad in it.

A Pascha of delight, a Pascha, the Lord’s Pascha; an
all-venerable Pascha has dawned for us; a Pascha in
which, let us embrace one another with joy, Oh Pascha,
ransom from sorrow! For from the Tomb today, as from
a bridal chamber. Christ has shone forth, and filled the
women with joy, saying "Proclaim it to the Apostles."

"The Angels in Heaven praise Your Resurrection, O
Christ, Savior. Make us also here on earth worthy, to
glorify You with pure hearts."

"Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus,
Who alone is without sin. We venerate Your Cross, O Christ, and we praise and
glorify Your Holy Resurrection. For You are our God, and we know no other,
except You, and we call on Your Name. Come, all you faithful, let us worship
Christ’s Holy Resurrection; for lo, through the Cross, joy has come to the whole
world. For, at all times, blessing the Lord, we praise His Resurrection. Having
endured the Cross for us, He destroyed Death by death."

Saint Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthian Christians explains succinctly the great significance of our Lord and Savior’s resurrection as follows:

"Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up–if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

"But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ ALL BE MADE ALIVE. But each one in his own order: Christ is the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming…

"But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?’ Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain–perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies, but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star IN GLORY. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, IT IS RAISED IN INCORRUPTION. It is sown A NATURAL BODY, IT IS RAISED A SPIRITUAL BODY. THERE IS A NATURAL BODY, AND THERE IS A SPIRITUAL BODY…Now, this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP, BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED– IN A MOMENT, IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, AT THE LAST TRUMPET. FOR THE TRUMPET WILL SOUND, AND THE DEAD WILL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED. FOR THIS, CORRUPTIBLE MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall it be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory.

"O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:12-55)

Overview: All bodily imperfections and infirmities will be healed in the resurrection. A more perfect body is to be constructed, one that is no longer flesh and blood but IMMORTAL and INDISTRUCTIBLE. The resurrection of the human body transcends the power of nature. According to Saint John Chrysostom, "after the resurrection the Spirit will dwell permanently in the righteous."

What is Christianity without THE RESURRECTION, both Christ’s and ours? His death does us no good without it. What use is forgiveness if we remain dead? On Holy Pascha morning Orthodox Christians all over the world chant, "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life." The spiritual body is understood as a body so subject to spirit that it may be suited to the celestial habitation. If you remain in what is of the earth, you will be turned away in the end. You must be changed yourself, you must converted, you must be made "heavenly." "The Lord Who was heavenly became earthly that He might make heavenly those were earthly. From IMMORTAL He became mortal by taking the form of a servant, not by changing the nature of the Lord, that He might make IMMORTAL THOSE WHO WERE MORTAL BY IMPARTING THE GRACE OF THE LORD, not by retaining the offense of the servant." Likewise, "At the sound of the trumpet our vision will be clear and our joy will be full. God has made the end of life here THE BEGINNING OF A TRUE LIFE FOR US. While THE IDENTICAL BODY IS RAISED, IT WILL BE TRANSFORMED BY THE PUTTING ON OF INCORRUPTION, AS IRON EXPOSED TO THE FIRE IS MADE INCADENSCENT. What has been mortal will be clad in immortality. The MASCULINE and the FEMININE SEXES WILL REMAIN JUST AS THEIR BODIES WERE CREATED. The resurrected persons will be blessed and happy. Death no longer exists in this resurrected condition where there is no enticements to sin, and WE ARE MADE YOUNG BY ETERNAL INCORRUPTIBILITY. We are no longer slaves to the law through fear, but friends through love."

The Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is "THE FOUNDATION AND THE CROWN OF OUR ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the first, more important great Truth, with the proclamation of which the holy Apostles began their preaching of the Gospel after the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Just as the death of Christ on the Cross Our Redemption was accomplished, so by His Resurrection "ETERNAL LIFE WAS GIVEN US." Therefore, the Resurrection of Our Lord is the object of the Church’s constant triumph, it’s unceasing rejoicing which reaches its summit in the Great Feast of the Holy Christian Pascha, "Today all creation is glad and rejoices, for Christ has risen!" (Canon of Pascha, Canticle 9).

The saving fruits of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ are:

a) the victory over hell and death; b) the blessedness of the saints in heaven
and the beginning of the existence of the Heavenly Church; c) the sending
down of the Holy Spirit and the creation of the Church of Christ on earth.

Saint John Chrysostom states: "Hell was taken over by the Lord Who descended into it. It was laid waste, it was mocked, it was put to death, it was overthrown, it was bound." With the destruction of the bolts of hell, that is, the inescapability of hell, the power of death also was annihilated. First of all, death for righteous men became only A TRANSITION FROM THE WORLD BELOW TO THE WORLD ABOVE, TO A BETTER LIFE, TO LIFE IN THE LIGHT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD; secondly, bodily death itself became ONLY A TEMPORARY PHENOMENON, FOR BY THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST THE WAY TO THE GENERAL RESURRECTION WAS OPENED TO US. The Resurrection of Christ IS THE PLEDGE OF OUR RESURRECTION: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE…". After this, death will be utterly annihilated. The "last enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:26). "Christ ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things" (Ephesians 4:10).

"When the women with Mary had come before dawn,
and they found that the stone had been rolled away from
the sepulchre, they heard from the Angel, ‘Why do you
seek among the dead, as a mortal man, the One Who exists
in Everlasting Light? See the grave clothes in the sepulchre.
Run and proclaim to the world that the Lord has risen and
put death to death; for He is the Son of God Who saves the
human race."

"Your tomb was shone forth to be more
beautiful than Paradise and by far more splendid
than any king’s royal chamber, for it hosted Life.
It is the Source of our resurrection, O Christ, for
You rose from it."

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

_____________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in Our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ God,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

"RECEIVE ME today, O Son of God, as a Partaker…" (Part II)

PRAYERS BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION By Saint
John of Damascus:

"O Lord and Master Jesus Christ, our God, Who alone hath power
to forgive the sins of men, do Thou, O Good One Who lovest
mankind, forgive all the sins that I have committed in knowledge
or in ignorance, and make me worthy to receive without
condemnation Thy Divine, glorious, immaculate and Life-Giving
Mysteries; not unto punishment or unto increase of sin; but
unto purification and sanctification and a promise of Thy Kingdom
and the Life to come; as protection and help to overthrow the
adversaries, and to blot out my many sins. For Thou art a God of
mercy and compassion and love toward mankind, and unto Thee
we ascribe glory together with the Father and the Holy Spirit:
now and ever, and unto ages of ages." Amen.

The following prayer is from Saint John Chrysostom.

" I BELIEVE, O LORD, and I confess that Thou are truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who didst come into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. And I believe that THIS IS TRULY THINE OWN IMMACULATE BODY AND
THAT THIS IS TRULY THINE OWN PRECIOUS BLOOD. Wherefore, I pray Thee,
have mercy upon me and forgive my transgressions both voluntary and
involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance and make me
worthy to partake without condemnation of Thine immaculate Mysteries, unto
remission of my sins and to Life Everlasting. Amen.

Of the Mystic Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant: for I will
not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies, neither will I give Thee a kiss as did
Judas; but like the thief will I confess Thee: ‘REMEMBER ME, O LORD, IN THY
KINGDOM.
Not unto judgment nor unto condemnation be my partaking of Thy Holy Mysteries.
O Lord, but UNTO HEALING OF SOUL AND BODY.

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The Divine Eucharist is the center of spiritual life for all Orthodox Christians. The purpose of the Divine Liturgy is to unite human beings with their Creator God and the union of human beings among themselves. According to Saint John Damascene, "It is called Communion because, through it, we commune the Divinity of Christ" together with His glorified humanity. Saint Nicholas Cavasilas describes the essence and purpose of the Divine Liturgy in his Commentary:

"The essential act in the celebration of the Holy Mysteries is the transformation of the
elements into the Divine Body and Blood; its aim is the sanctification of the faithful,
who through the Mysteries (Sacraments) receive the remission of their sins and the
inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven. As a preparation for, and the contribution to,
this act and for this purpose, we have prayers, psalms, and readings from the Holy
Scripture: in short, all the sacred acts and forms which are said and done before and
after THE CONSECRATION OF THE ELEMENTS."

This "Divine and Most Sacred of services" constitutes the highest expression of praise, glorification, love, and gratitude to God for His inexpressible love toward us. The people of God gather together in obedience to Christ’s COMMAND ("do this") to offer their "sacrifice of
praise" in thanksgiving (ευχαριστία), to actualize Christ’s saving acts, TO COMMUNE His Holy Mysteries, and to rejoice IN PARTAKING OF
THAT "Day" when they will partake of Him "more perfectly" in the "uncertain day" of His Kingdom.

Our Holy Orthodox Christian Church keeps in the word "Mysterion" or "Mystery", meaning "SECRET." She fears FAMILIARITY. She VEILS AND COVERS what others lay open and exhibit. The Church feels reluctant "to regulate the approach to the Holy Mysteries by precise disciplinary canons and to utter too detailed statements on the nature of such or such a mystery (e.g. on the Eucharistic presence). Our Holy Orthodox Church is determined for a mystery to remain a "mystery." Not to become a theorem or a ‘juridical institution’. Our Holy Orthodox Church "is not only "mysteric", but "pneumatic", and the Mysterion is conditioned by the Pneuma, the Spirit."

The Gifts of the Pneuma (the Spirit), which marked the beginning of the Church, are not things of the past. They have been given, they are given, to the Holy Church for all times. What are these "pneumatica" gifts? Some biblical texts describe the graces of the Holy Spirit as follows: "After this, it shall pass that I will pour out My Spirit upon ALL FLESH: your sons and daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions…" (Joel 3:1-2). These verses are fulfilled ultimately in the Mysteriaki Zoe (Sacramental Life) of the Church, and Pentecost.

"Eucharistic grace fulfills the grace of Baptism and the grace of Holy Chrism." In the Paschal mystery–the Holy of Holies–we find the three essential moments of the Divine Eucharistia: the Lord’s Supper, the Passion, and the Resurrection. "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:9). The breaking of the bread remains the center of the Holy Mysteries. Saint Basil the Great says that the Christian eats the flesh of Christ and drinks His blood when he shares in the Logos/Word, in His coming, in His teaching." According to Saint Basil the faithful of the 4th century used to communicate (receive Holy Communion) FOUR TIMES A WEEK: on Sunday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. On the days without a Eucharistic gathering (synaxis), the faithful could communicate themselves directly with reserved Sacrament which they kept in their houses. On the other hand, Saint John Chrysostom states that many people used to communicate ONLY ONCE A YEAR. He blames this neglect and recommends frequent Communion.

The Holy Orthodox Church emphasizes the fact that, in the celebration of the Divine Eucharist, OUR LORD HIMSELF IS THE REAL AND INVISIBLE PRIEST: "Thou Thyself both offerest and art offered, Thou Thyself both dost receive and art distributed, O Christ our God" says the text of the Divine Liturgy. We believe that in the Divine Eucharist both the Presence and the Sacrifice of our Lord ARE REAL, but pneumatic (spiritual) and mystical. The text of our liturgies makes it clear that the Eucharist is THE REMEMBERING NOT ONLY OF THE DEATH OF OUR LORD, BUT OF HIS BURIAL, RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION AS WELL.

It is important to note that no Orthodox Christian ceases to believe in the authentic and sacred teachings of our Holy Orthodox Church in regards to the Divine Eucharist. There is a real concern in recent years that there are unorthodox elements within our Church whose mission is to undermine the truth and confuse the faithful Orthodox Christians. There is no "open" communion in our Church to people of no faith, or to those belonging to non-Orthodox religions or cults. To do so would go against the holy canons of the Church and the theological understanding of the Divine Eucharist.
The Divine Eucharist cannot be marginalized or abused for reasons of accommodation or fraternization. It is our sacred duty to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to retain the purity, authenticity, and integrity of our Church. "As Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself to her, that He might sanctify her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself A GLORIOUS CHURCH NOT HAVING SPOT OR WRINKLE OR ANY SUCH THING, BUT THAT SHE SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH" (Ephesians 5:25-27). Our Savior Jesus Christ forbids giving sacred things to the unbelievers (heathen people). He said: "Do NOT GIVE WHAT IS HOLY TO THE DOGS; NOR CAST YOUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, LEST THEY TRAMPLE THEM UNDER THEIR FEET, AND TURN AND TARE IN YOU IN PIECES" (St. Matthew 7:6).