My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

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

"This being so, I myself always, STRIVE
TO HAVE A CONSCIENCE without offense
toward God and men" (Acts 24:16).

"O Master Christ, our God, King of the ages and Creator of all…
grant that, WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE and until final breath,
I may worthily partake of Your Holy Gifts for the remission of
sins and for life eternal…" ( Prayer of Thanksgiving after Holy Communion
by Saint Basil the Great)

As a Christian, I await the resurrection of the dead and labor and strive to attain a clear conscience from any guilt and remorse before God and people.

Keeping our conscience alive and well is a way of keeping communication open with the Lord. It is He Who speaks to us and uses our conscience to guide us. That "little voice," our conscience, sets off the alarm when we foolishly choose to commit a wrongful act – an act contrary to the commandments of our Savior Christ. It is the instrument within us that gives us the ability to sense what is right and what is wrong.

We believe that it is the soul that gives life to our body. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. We also know that biological death is the separation of the immortal soul from the body. When our soul is spiritually healthy and in communion with God, our conscience is strong and so is the "little voice" within it. Our conscience plays an important role in our spiritual life. It is the first warning when we are tempted or attacked by the evil one. We must take that warning seriously and take the necessary measures to avoid compromising the integrity and sanctity of our soul and our relationship with our God.

When our conscience is vibrant and pure, we humbly turn to our Savior and say, "Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight…" (Psalm 50[51]. God’s will is communicated to us daily only if our hearts are free and open. The purer the soul, the stronger and more sensitive will our conscience be.

Conscience does not interfere with our decisions but offers the opportunity to us to discern between good and evil before we make our final decision one way or the other. It is important to listen to our conscience and avoid making grave personal mistakes. The voice of conscience is always gentle and kind. It is placed in us for our protection and vigilance.

We would be making a foolish mistake, either to ignore or to stifle, the voice of our conscience. There is an expression in our Orthodox tradition about the "peporomeni syneidesis," or conscience, which has become hardened or petrified, in other words, a conscience that is dead. What can cause this dreadful condition? Faithlessness, an unrepentant soul, a rebellious, hardened and uncompassionate heart, a heart filled with hatred and anger, and a disobedient soul.

Have you noticed that the word conscience is not spoken anymore by anyone? Are we to assume that human conscience is no longer in existence? But who decided that? And Why? Now more than ever before, we need a powerful and dynamic conscience, since that of our secular society teaches that "it is neither right nor wrong" any longer, but "what makes you happy." In the absence of conscience, immorality and corruption are in abundance throughout our world. There is nothing or anyone to examine or to question our actions. Everything, even unethical and immoral actions now are condoned and approved by those in civil authority.

The Ten Commandments have been taken down and the Judeo-Christian values and principles have been erased. Character building is no longer permitted, counseling on moral precepts are forbidden to be taught in schools, God’s name is no longer allowed to be mentioned, prayer is condemned, the Holy Scripture is ridiculed, and people of faith are ridiculed and persecuted. The world has lost its conscience! And a world without a conscience is a dark world that is spiritually dead.

Saint Paisios in his work, ‘Spiritual Struggle,’ speaks on the importance of conscience in the life of the Christian. He writes, "The Good God provided Adam and Eve with a conscience, the first Divine Law. This conscience was ingrained deeply into their hearts, and ever since then, every human being RECEIVES IT AS AN INHERITANCE FROM HIS PARENTS. If anyone does not act properly, this conscience will not work from within to censure and guide him to repentance. One must carry out the appropriate spiritual work by reflecting carefully on his conscience in order to always be able to hear its voice. If one does not study and reflect carefully upon his conscience, he won’t be able to benefit from spiritual studies or from counsels of holy Elders. He won’t even be able to observe God’s Commandments…

"…In order for one to be certain that he’s acting in accordance with his conscience, he has to observe himself carefully and reveal his inner self to his Spiritual Father. One can betray his conscience and just assume that he’s on the right track. One may create A FAULTY CONSCIENCE, and, even though he may have committed a crime, may consider himself a benefactor. He may even make his conscience overly sensitive and harm himself."

According to Saint Paisios, "…there are no people who are born with A HARDENED CONSCIENCE. God has not created such a conscience. But when someone covers up his faults, his conscience will in time become RUSTYand HARDENED and unable to break through and censure him for these faults. In other words, such a person becomes autonomous, self-ruling, making his own laws. IT’S SELF-DECEPTION…

"…When someone lulls to sleep his self-accusing thoughts, he represses his conscience. When one lulls to sleep or refuses to acknowledge the self-accusations from his conscience for a long period of time, he creates his own a la carte conscience; That is, A FAULTY CONSCIENCE. Such a person has no inner peace because a faulty conscience cannot bring about inner peace…

"… In order to create a faulty conscience, the sensitivity he has MUST NOT BE A GOOD ONE. One faulty thought will lead to another. Some people may say, "I am rather sensitive," but will go and treat other people harshly and scold them without reason…

"… There is no greater good for man than to have his conscience at peace… The conscience, what an awesome gift! There is no greater fire, no greater hell than the burning of the conscience. There is no greater, more torturous remorse than the remorse of the conscience…

"…The martyrdom of the conscience is for everyone, it’s not only for Monks and Nuns. Monks and Nuns also have the sweet martyrdom of their ascetic discipline. In reality, however, there is no martyrdom of the conscience for those WHO STRUGGLE PROPERLY. For the more a person suffers spiritually, the more he suffers either for his many faults or because he participates in the Passion of the Lord, the more he is rewarded with Divine consolation. Even if one has sorrow, grief, and troubles, he, at the same time, senses Divine consolation when his conscience is clear and at peace."

Peace be to all!

__________________

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
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.

“…and if children, then heirs–
heirs of God and joint heirs with
Christ, IF INDEED WE SUFFER WITH
Him, that we may be GLORIFIED TOGETHER” (Romans 8:17).

As a pilgrim on earth, it is inevitable that man will taste both joy and sorrow during his lifetime. It is a reality and is inescapable. Although every man is naturally drawn to things that bring joy to his life, he is repulsed by things that bring pain and sorrow. He will like to imagine an earthly existence free of all suffering and pain. Humanity fears pain and suffering and considers it its enemy. His greatest enemy, however, is still death.

Christianity views pain, suffering, and death in a different light. We, as Christians, believe that our temporary or transient life on earth is grace combined together with grief; “we suffer with Him.” “We suffer with Him, that we may be glorified together.” As Christian believers we have God’s glory. “Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY” (Romans 8:23). We live in a tension between our present and future experience of the Kingdom. We live between Our Lord’s First and His Second Coming.

According to our Savior and God Jesus Christ, our only concern in this present life ought to be the salvation of our souls. Saint Ignatius states: “Earthly life, this brief period, is given to man by the mercy of the Creator in order that man may use it for salvation, that is, FOR THE RESTORATION OF HIMSELF FROM DEATH TO LIFE” (“The Arena”). Therefore, we should view everything in this world as temporary and passing. In the funeral service, we chant: “What pleasure in life ever remains unmixed with grief? What glory endures immovable on earth? All things are feebler than shadows, all more elusive than dreams. In a single moment, all are supplanted by death…”.

It is well known that it is not the sin that condemns the sinner, but his unwillingness to repent of it. Repentance should be our goal. “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND” (St. Matthew 1:17). Our Lord’s first word is “REPENT,” because repentance is necessary in His Kingdom. Repentance (Metanoia) is man’s willingness to change his mind, his way of life, from a life of sin and corruption to a life of righteousness and holiness. It is man’s turning from himself to God and Creator. From a life of disobedience, to a life of obedience. Repentance, which always accompanies belief, IS A TOTAL ABOUT-FACE. It is a dramatic change of one’s spirit, mind, and heart; a total reorientation of the whole of one’s life and being. True repentance with tears finds healing and absolution of sins in the Mysterion of Repentance and Confession.

In order for us sinners to enter God’s Kingdom, we must first be purified. The garment that we will wear to enter must be “the garment of incorruption.” “For Thou, O Lord has said: ‘WASH YOU, MAKE YOU CLEAN, PUT AWAY THE EVIL FROM YOUR SOULS” (Sacrament of Baptism). “Manifest, O Lord, in this and grant that he who is baptized in it may be CHANGED so as to put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and TO PUT ON THE NEW, WHICH RENEWETH HIM ACCORDING TO THE IMAGE OF THE Creator…”

Suffering is a necessary way of purifying the body and soul. Some Christians, I have personally witnessed, have rediscovered God due to illness and suffering. I recall a parishioner of mine in Florida who had abandoned God and the Church and lived a very promiscuous sinful life, but who one day found out that he had advanced cancer. He was told by his physician that he had very little time to live. He came to me for confession and to sincerely ask God’s forgiveness for his immoral life. He not only resumed attending church divine services, but he rejoiced as the prodigal son did return back to his Father and true home. He thanked God for his illness, because it was through his cancer that he found Him again. It was his illness that lead him to His Savior. You see, that even, and especially during a person’s suffering, we realize God’s love and that He is always there for us sinners. Don’t forget that Jesus Himself knows exactly what it means to suffer, for He suffered on the Cross to save us.

Most Christians, when thinking of suffering, think only of the body suffering, but never the soul. Many forget that we have an immortal soul. A soul that through sin and evil, becomes deathly ill. A soul needs constant care and cleansing like the body. The soul needs to be nourished through spiritual food, the soul needs ascesis (a spiritual work-out) just as the body to stay fit. A soul needs God’s grace to find strength, healing, and love. A soul which is in pain needs TO SEE the Physician of our souls and bodies, Christ. A soul needs to be constantly in communion with its Creator. It is time for us to admit and acknowledge the existence of our soul and to provide everything that it needs to stay healthy and to be saved.

Next time you are physically sick, think of your soul that may be spiritually ill. Body and soul are connected. What makes us a whole person is a body and soul together. When we are judged by the Almighty God at the Second Coming, it is not just the body that will be judged, but rather the WHOLE PERSON, body and soul together. On that day, even though we have died, the body (spiritual) and soul will be reunited in order that they are judged together. The WHOLE person will give account for all that they have committed during their earthly life. Therefore, we must take good care of both our body and soul before that time comes.

________________________

“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

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

"BEACON OF ORTHODOX BELIEF… THE MESSENGER OF
GRACE…" (Hymn of Saint Gregory Palamas)

On the Second Sunday of Holy and Great Lent our Holy Orthodox Christian Church commemorates the great holy Father and Theologian Saint Gregory Palamas.

For the Hierarch. Mode pl. 4.

Beacon of Orthodox belief, the strong
support of the Church and her teacher inspired
by God, you are the ornament of monks, the
unassailable champion of theologians, O Gregory
the Wonder-worker and the boast of Thessaloniki,
the messenger of grace. Forever earnestly entreat
for the salvation of our souls.

Orthodox Christian spirituality has developed and evolved over twenty centuries and continues to evolve and grow. There are many factors and many elements that contributed to its dynamism, beginning with the divinely inspired Holy Scripture. The Logos/ Word of God present in the holy and divinely inspired Scripture remains the foundation of the whole of Orthodox spirituality. "Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is truth" (Saint John 17:17). In our churches, the Book of Gospels always lies in the middle of the holy altar Table. Every Orthodox priest approaching the holy Table kisses or venerates the Gospel first and then the Table. The Holy Scripture is the very substance of the dogmas and liturgies of our Holy Orthodox Church and, through them, engenders the piety of Orthodox Christian souls.

Our Holy Orthodox Church has definite teaching on ascetical and mystical concerns, and this teaching is a paradosis (tradition) handed down from the beginning of Christianity to today. It is this Holy Tradition, and not personal theories or any arbitrary spiritual writer.

The holy Fathers of the Church have cultivated and strengthened the life of Christ in the Holy Spirit. Orthodox Monasticism has been a beacon of Christian spirituality and has enlightened holy Fathers such as Saint Basil the Great, Saint Theodore the Studite, and the Desert Fathers. One of the great Desert Fathers, Saint Anthony the Great, at the age of 20, once listened to the reading of the Gospel that said, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give it to the poor.. and come and follow Me" (St. Matthew 19:21). Leaving the world, he gave an example which many followed. Our Lord Jesus Christ called them in order that they should follow Him and be led up in the Spirit to the wilderness" (St. Matthew 4:1).

Just as God spoke to the ears and hearts of the holy ascetics, he spoke to the Holy Father Gregory Palamas. From his youth, he was drawn to the Monastic life and was successful at convincing his brothers and sisters, along with his widowed mother, to take up the monastic life around the year 1318.

Saint Gregory was a monk at the monasteries of Vatopedi and Esphigmenou in the Holy Mountain. He was a preeminent theologian and a proponent of hesychastic theology. He was initially asked by his fellow monks on Mount Athos to defend them from the charges of Barlaam. Barlaam believed that philosophers had better knowledge of God than the Prophets and valued education and learning more than contemplation.

However, contrary to Barlaam, Saint Gregory asserted that the Venerable Prophets in fact had greater knowledge of God because they have actually seen or heard God Himself. Addressing the question of how it is possible for humans to have knowledge of a transcendent and unknowable God, he drew a distinction BETWEEN KNOWING GOD IN HIS ESSENCE (in Greek Ουσία() and knowing God in His ENERGIES (in Greek ενέργεια).

This was another triumph of Orthodoxy over heresy. The Holy Synods supported Saint Gregory’s theology as Orthodox and condemned Barlaam and Akindynos as heretics. Saint Gregory Palamas was elected to be the Archbishop of Thessaloniki and was consecrated in 1347. However, due to the political climate at the time, it made it impossible to take up his See until 1350.

Hesychastic practice involves acquiring an "INNER STILLNESS" and ignoring the human senses. The Hesychast interpreted Christ’s injunction in the Gospel of Saint Matthew to "go into your closet to pray," to mean they should move beyond the senses and withdraw inwards to pray. Hesychasm often includes repeating the Jesus Prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me [a sinner]."

It is of great spiritual value for the Orthodox Christian to enter and to dwell in stillness. Above all, he wishes to truly find himself, to collect himself within himself, being alone in stillness. It is in the stillness that God’s voice can be heard clearly. The Almighty reminds us: "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). In this psalm God describes THE INDWELLING OF GOD WITHIN HIS PEOPLE. The wise man looks to find God within himself, since he believes that we are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Our difficulty in praying to our Creator is that there is an absence of stillness, or hesychia. Our minds, our hearts, our senses are constantly in turmoil and filled with noise and clatter. We cannot find peace and quiet in order to concentrate on our prayers. We are distracted, disturbed, and irritated. This causes a person to leave the peaceful and tranquil thoughts and instead concentrate on his earthly, mundane, and worldly cares. In order to find stillness, one must free himself from the cacophony of the day-to-day sounds. If we are serious and committed to acquiring stillness, we must guard our thoughts carefully and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In the Office of Orthros the priest reads, "And teach us Your statutes, FOR WE KNOW NOT HOW TO PRAY FITTINGLY UNLESS YOU, LORD, THROUGH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT, LEAD US."

The humble believer keeps a reign of silence and awaits patiently for God to speak no matter how long it takes. A prayer is not a demand or an ultimatum. Neither are we there to bargain with Him. We need to understand that the Lord’s answer to our supplication can indeed be His silence. His answer to us can come in different forms or means. It is impossible for a human being to know what God thinks and why He acts the way He does. There are times that He will test us, our faith, our trust in Him, our humility, our sincerity, our love for Him, our determination, our persistence, and finally our endurance. Our heavnely Father knows us. He says, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I sanctified you" (Jeremiah 1:5).

Praise be To God our Father!

________________________

:Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sister in Christ God,

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

THE GLORIOUS AND SOLEMN FEAST DAY OF
THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE MOST HOLY MOTHER
OF GOD

Then Mary, filled with joy, "went into the hill country with haste,
into a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and
saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elizabeth
heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb" (St. Luke 1:39-41).

Saint George (+ after 880), Bishop of Nicomedia and eminent hymnographer, speaks of the prenatal infant John, saying, "The divine Forerunner having recognized Thee as the Mother of God, leapt beforehand in his mother’s womb and proclaimed beforehand Thy great things, O Pure Lady."

Saint Theophanes the Poet (+ 138) also makes mention of the unborn John’s reaction, chanting, "While yet within thy mother’s womb thou wast filled with the Most Holy Spirit and, leaping with gladness, thou hast joyfully announced the fruit of virginity and hast worshipped Him, O Venerable Prophet."

Holy Scripture cites cases of great ones who were sanctified, appointed, or ordained before they were born and known before they were shaped; as in the case of the Forefather Jacob (Genesis 25:23) or the Prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5).

Saint Ambrose ( +339-397) comments in his work entitled, "Of the Christian Faith," that the Forerunner John, of whom his holy mother testified that while he yet lay in her womb, perceived by the Holy Spirit the PRESENCE OF HIS LORD, and leaped for joy. John, who prophesied that moment, was he in existence or not? He surely was in existence, who worshipped the Master. Indeed, Elizabeth was the first to hear the voice of Mary, but John WAS THE FIRST TO FEEL HIS LORD’S GRACIOUS PRESENCE. Elizabeth heard in the natural manner, HE LEAPT FOR JOY BECAUSE OF THE MYSTERY. She sees Mary’s coming, HE THE COMING OF THE LORD."

The good tidings ("good news") of the Gospel are the good news of the INCARNATE Son of God Who became man, having come down from heaven to earth.

Faith in Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, is the firm foundation or ROCK OF THE Church, according to the Lord’s own words: "Upon this rock I will build My Church" (Saint Matthew 16:18).

With these good news the holy Apostle Mark begins his accounts: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Saint Mark 1:1).

"That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Saint Luke 1:35), the Archangel Gabriel addressed the Virgin Mary. At the Baptism of the Savior, these words were heard: "This is My Beloved Son." The same thing was repeated at the Lord’s Transfiguration (Metamorphosis) (Saint Matthew 3:17; 17:5).

The First Ecumenical Synod of Nicaea was convened for the confirmation of the Truth in the clear awareness of all Christians, as THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, and for this purpose it is THE SYMBOL OF FAITH (the CREED) of the Ecumenical Church.

Being PERFECT GOD, Jesus Christ the Savior is at the same time THE PERFECT MAN. As Man, Jesus Christ was born when for Mary, His mother, "the days were accomplished that she should be delivered" (Saint Luke 2:6). "And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him" (Saint Luke 2:40). As Mary’s son, He was "subject unto" her and her spouse (Saint Luke 2:51). As Man He was baptized of John in the Jordan. He went about the cities and villages with the preaching of salvation. Not once before His Resurrection did He encounter a need to prove His humanity to anyone. He experienced HUNGER and THIRST, the need for REST and SLEEP, and He SUFFERED PAINFUL FEELINGS and PHYSICAL SUFFERING.

Living the physical life natural to a man, the Lord also lived the life of the soul as a man. He strengthened his spiritual powers with FASTING AND PRAYER. He experienced the HUMAN FEELINGS of JOY, ANGER, and SORROW. He expressed them outwardly: "He was troubled in spirit" (Saint John 13:21). He SHOWED DISSATISFACTION and SHED TEARS at the death of His friend Lazaros. The Gospels reveal to us A POWERFUL SPIRITUAL BATTLE IN THE Garden of Gethsemane on the night before He was taken under guard: "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death" (Saint Matthew 26:38), thus did the Lord DESCRIBE THE DATE OF His soul to His Disciples.

Saint Cyril of Alexandria writes: "If the nature which He received had not had a human mind, then the one who entered into battle with the devil was God Himself; and it was therefore God Who gained the victory. But if God was victorious, the I, who did not participate in the victory at all, do not receive any benefit from it. Therefore, I cannot rejoice over it, for I would then be boasting of someone else’s trophies."

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem states: "If the becoming man was a phantom, then salvation is a dream."

"… And in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, begotten
of the Father before all Ages. Light of Light, True God of True God, begotten
not made, One in essence with the Father, through Whom all things were
made.

Who for us men and for our salvation came down from Heaven, and WAS INCARNATED
BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OF THE VIRGIN MARY, AND BECAME Man." (the Creed)

Our Holy Orthodox Church has always guarded the correct teaching of the TWO NATURES (DIVINE AND HUMAN) of our Lord Jesus Christ, seeing in this an indispensable condition of faith, without which SALVATION IS IMPOSSIBLE. Over the centuries there have been a number of heretics within and without the Church that attacked the most fundemental truths of our faith. Because of the heresies, the Church formed the Ecumenical Synods to form the dogmas of the Church and, therefore, protect and defend the Orthodox Christian faith from errors. However, the heresies which were overcome in the history of the early Church continue to exist and be taught today in Protestantism; Which refuses to recognize the dogmatic degrees of the Seven Ecumenical Synods of the Authentic Church of Jesus Christ.

What we Orthodox Christians believe should not be a mystery to anyone, for our belief is openly confessed and recited in the Creed at every Divine Liturgy. I find it perplexing when I hear that Orthodox Christians who grow up in the Church are not able to explain or defend what they believe. Sunday after Sunday WE ALL recite the Symbol of faith. How can this be? When some Orthodox Christians are confronted or challenged by either unbelievers or heretics, they literally freeze or become tongue-tied. It is imperative that we pay attention to the Creed, the confession of faith, and use it to educate ourselves and others of our beautiful and authentic faith.

Our unconditional love, honor, and reverence for our Theotokos is not a secret. We believe that God was joined to Man from the very instant of His conception in the womb of the Ever-Virgin Mary, and that He, being PERFECT MAN, is also PERFECT GOD. The Ever-Virgin Mary is TRULY the THEOTOKOS, THE MOTHER OF GOD.

"Gabriel flew down from heaven and came to
Nazareth; and to the Virgin Mary he appeared
and he cried out, ‘REJOICE, O Blessed woman,
for you will conceive a Son, more ancient than
Adam is. He has created the ages, and He
REDEEMS THOSE WHO CRY TO YOU, O PURE ONE,
‘REJOICE!’ (Orthros. Annunciation)

________________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

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

ON 25 MARCH
OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH
COMMEMORATES THE GREAT FEAST OF THE
ANNUNCIATION OF THE THEOTOKOS AND
EVER VIRGIN MARY

Apolytikion of the Feast. Mode 4.

TODAY is the summary of our salvation and
the revelation of the age-old mystery. For the Son
of God becomes the Son of the Virgin and Gabriel
announces the good news of grace. Therefore,
"Rejoice, Maiden full of grace! The Lord is with you."

Oikos

An Angel of supreme rank was sent down
from heaven to say to the Theotokos, Rejoice. And
perceiving You take bodily form at the sound of
his bodiless voice, O Lord, he was astounded and
he stood shouting to her such salutations:

REJOICE, through whom is the joy to shine
forth. REJOICE, through whom is the curse to
vanish.
REJOICE, restoration of Adam the fallen one.
REJOICE, liberation of Eve from tears.
REJOICE, height to which the thoughts of men
are hardly able to ascend. REJOICE, depth which for
the Angels’ eyes is very hard to apprehend.
REJOICE, for you are the Throne for the King.
REJOICE, for you hold the One Who holds
everything.
REJOICE, the star causing the Sun’s
manifestation. REJOICE, the womb of the Divine
Incarnation.
REJOICE, through Whom is creation re-created.
REJOICE, by Whom is the Creator procreated
REJOICE, O unwedded Bride.

Glory. Both now.
Mode 2.

The age-old mystery is revealed today and the
Son of God becomes the Son of man, so that by
partaking of what is lower He may impart to me
what is superior. Of old, Adam was deceived, and
he did not become God, though this was his desire.
But now, God becomes man, to make Adam god.
Let creation sing for joy, and let nature be exultant.
For the Archangel is standing with awe before the
Virgin and is delivering the salutation, "REJOICE,"
the reverse of the pain and sorrow, O our God,
Who in Your tender mercy became man, glory to
You!

Saint Gregory Palamas writes in his homily on the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Holy of Holies the following: "If a tree is known by its fruit (cf. Matthew 7:17; Luke 6:43-44), how could she who is the Mother of Goodnes and s itself, who gave birth to that Beauty which has no beginning, not be incomparably more excellent and beautiful than anything good on earth and in heaven? The power who made all things fair, the co-sempiternal, express Image of Goodness, the pre-eternal, supraessential and supremely good Word/Logos of the Father Most High, wished in His ineffable love and compassion, for mankind to put on our image, in order to recall our human nature, which had been dragged down into the inmost recesses of Hades, to RENEW IT AFTER IT HAD GROWN OLD, AND TO RAISE IT UP BEYOND THE HEAVENLY HEIGHTS TO HIS KINGDOM AND DIVINITY, He united His person with our humanity, and since it was necessary for Him to assume flesh that was both new and our own, in order TO RENEW US by means of what was ours, He also had to be carried in the womb and brought forth as we are, then nurtured after birth and brought up as was appropriate. Becoming like us in all respects for our sake, He found the Ever-Virgin, whom he extol and whose musterious Entry into the Holy of Holies to be a most suitable handmaid in every way able to bestow on Him an undefiled nature from her own. God determined before all ages that she should be for THE SALVATION AND RESTORATION OF OUR RACE, AND CHOSE HER FROM ALL MANKIND DOWN THROUGH THE AGES, NOT SIMPLY FROM AMONG ORDINARY FOLK, BUT FROM ALL THE ELECT OF EVERY AGE, WHO WERE ADMIRED AND RENOWNED FOR THEIR PIETY AND UNDERSTANDING AND WHO WER BOTH BENEFICIAL TO ALL AND WELL-PLEASING TO GOD IN THEIR WAYS, WORDS, AND DEEDS…

"…God was not just born among men, but born OF A HOLY AND PURE VIRGIN, MORE PRECISELY OF THE EXCEEDINGLY PURE AND MOST HOLY OF VIRGINS WHO WAS NOT ONLY ABOVE ANY PHYSICAL STAIN, BUT ALSO FAR BEYOND THE REACH OF ANY DEFILED, CARNAL THOUGHTS. Her conception of Christ resulted from the All-Holy Spirit coming upon her, not from fleshly desire, and was PRECEDED BY THE ANNUNCIATION AND HER FAITH IN THE INDWELLING OF GOD IN A MANNER WE CANNOT DESCRIBE, AS IT WAS OUTSIDE THE NORMAL COURSE OF EVENTS AND BEYOND WORDS, BUT NOT BY SUBMISSION TO, OR ANY EXPERIENCE OF PASSIONATE DESIRE. Having utterly banished such desire BY PRAYER AND SPIRITUAL JOY, SHE CONCEIVED AND GAVE BIRTH – "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy word" (St. Luke 1:38). In order that there would be A VIRGIN EQUAL TO THIS TASK, God PRE-ORDAINED this Ever-Virgin Maid whom we extol today AND CHOSE HER FROM AMONG His elect down through the ages…

"… In the Gospel it is written that a woman pronounced a blessing on His Mother and gave thanks, lifting up her voice and crying out to the Lord from the crowd, "BLESSED IS THE WOMB THAT BORE THEE, AND THE PAPS WHICH THOU HAST SUCKED" (St. Luke 11:27). As for us, we constantly have the words of eternal life in writing, and not just Christ’s sayings, but also His miracles and His sufferings, and the raising up of our human nature from the dead accomplished by these sufferings, they ascension of our human nature from earth to heaven and the everlasting life and irrevocable salvation pronounced to us as a result. So how cn we do other than extol and bless without ceasing the Mother of the Bestower OF SALVATION, THE GIVER OF LIFE, CELEBRATING HER CONCEPTION, HER BIRTH, AND HER COMING TO DWELL IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES." (Saint Gregory Palamas, Homilies)

Saint Paulinus, in a poem, describes The Event of the conception thus: "In this CONSECRATED VIRGIN, GOD BUILT Himself a pleasing temple with a hidden roof-aperture. Silently He glided down like the rain that falls at noiseless dew from a high cloud upoon a fleece [Judges 6:36-40]. None was ever privy to this secret visitation by which God took the form of man from His Virgin-Mother. How remarkable was the artifice of the Lord which sought the salvation of men! Without intercourse, a woman’s womb conceived new life. The bride did not submit to a mere husband. She was a mother and bore a child without the women’s role in intercourse. The compact made her a spouse, but she was no wife in body. She became the 19:12-13]Mothe of a Boy, though she was untainted by a husband."

Saint Ephraim the Syrian writes: "Therefore, He came down, in a manner He knows. He stirred and came in a way that pleased Him. He entered and dwelt in her without her perceiving. She received Him, suffering nothing. In Homily 41, Saint Ephraim writes, "As lightning illuminates what is hidden, so also Christ purifies what is hidden in the nature of things. He purified the Virgin also and then was born, so as to show that where Christ is, there is manifest purity in all its power. He purified the Virgin, having prepared her by the Holy Spirit, and then the womb, having become pure, conceived Him.."

Saint Gregory Palamas writes, that "the King of All … over-shadowed her, or rather, the enhypostatic Power of the Most High dwelt in her. He did not manifest His presence through darkness and fire, as in the case of Moses the God-seer, nor through tempest and cloud [Exodus 19:18; Deuteronomy 4:11-12], as with Prophet Eias [3 Kings 19:12-13]. This time without mediation or a veil, the power of the Most High overshadowed the sublimely chaste and virgin womb…".

This day the Ever-Virgin Mary has become forus the heaven that bears God, for in her the exalted Godhead has descended and dwelt. In her it was grown small, to make us great–but its Nature does not deminish. In her It has woven for us a garment that shall be for our salvation. (Source: The Life of the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos)

____________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +
With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Chris God,

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

ON THE ANNUNCIATION
OF OUR EXCEEDINGLY PURE LADY,
MOTHER OF GOD AND EVER-VIRGIN MARY

"And Mary said:

My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in
God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly
state of His maidservant;
For behold, HENCEFORTH ALL
GENERATIONS WILL CALL ME
BLESSED.." (St. Luke 1:46-48).

"…Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee
named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the
house of David. The VIRGIN’S NAME WAS MARY. And having come in, the angel
said her, "REJOICE, HIGHLY FAVORED ONE, THE LORD IS WITH YOU: BLESSED
ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN!" (St. Luke 1:26-28).

Saint Theophylact states, "The ‘SIXTH MONTH’ after St.John the Forerunner’s conception. "The Lord is with thee," said the Archangel Gabriel to Mary, was a Divine salutation, since God was mentioned together with the greeting. First, the Archangel calms the fear in her heart, so that she might hear the Divine decision when she was peaceful and untroubled. While she was troubled, she would not be able to hear and understand clearly the things that would take place. The Archangel said to her, "IN THY WOMB," to show that the Lord actually TOOK FLESH FROM THE VERY WOMB OF THE VIRGIN. It was right that He Who came FOR THE SALVATION OF OUR RACE was called JESUS. The name written in the Greek language, IESOUS, means SALVATION FROM GOD. Therefore, Jesus, being interpreted, IS SAVIOR, for the word "IESOUS" means salvation.

God, she says, has looked down upon me who am lowly; it is not I who looked up to Him. It is God Who had mercy on me, not I who sought Him out. And from henceforth, not only Elizabeth, but "ALL GENERATIONS" of believers, "SHALL BLESS ME." Wy shall they bless me? Because of my virtue? No, but rather because GOD "HATH DONE TO ME GREAT THINGS..". She calls God ‘MIGHTY,’ so that no one would disbelieve these words, thinking that God had not the power to do those things. She says that His Name is ‘HOLY’, showing that He Who is Most Pure was not stained in any way by having been conceived in the womb of a woman, but He REMAINS Holy. His mercy is not only upon me, but UPON ALL THOSE WHO FEAR Him. But those UNWORTHY ONES who do NOT fear Him DO NOT BENEFIT FROM His mercy.

The Feast-Day that we celebrate on March 25th clearly proves that this mystery is beyond the understanding, not only of men, but of angels and even Archangels, says Saint Gregory Palamas. The Archangel Gabriel the Good Tidings ("The Good News") to the Virgin that she would CONCEIVE (Luke 1:26-38). But when she sought to find out the way it would happen and asked him, "HOW SHALL THIS BE, SEEING I KNOW NOT A MAN?" (v.34), the Archangel was completely unable to explain how. He took refuge in God, saying, "THE HOLY SPIRIT SHALL COME UPON THEE, AND THE POWER OF THE HIGHEST SHALL OVERSHADOW THEE" (v.35). Why was this? Because the Child to be born was NOT to be called prophet or simply a man, like Adam, but the Son of the Highest, SAVIOR, DELIVERER OF THE HUMAN RACE AND ETERNAL KING.

However, God, Who made us, looked LOVINGLY DOWN ON US IN His mercy. He bowed the heavens and CAME DOWN. Having TAKEN OUR HUMAN NATURE UPON Him from the Holy Virgin, He RENEWED AND RESTORED IT; Or rather, He LED IT UP TO DIVINE AND HEAVENLY HEIGHTS. Wishing to achieve this, TO BRING FULFILMENT ON THIS DAY, His PRE-ETERNAL CONSEL, HE SENT THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL, as Saint Luke the Evangelist tells us, "TO NAZARETH, TO A VIRGIN ESPOUSED TO A MAN WHOSE NAME WAS JOSEPH, of the house of David, and THE VIRGIN’S NAME WAS MARY" (St. Luke 1:26-27).

"God," writes Saint Gregory Palamas, "sent the Archangel Gabriel to a virgin and MADE HER CONTINUE A VIRGIN ("EVER-VIRGIN"), His Mother by means of a salutation alone. If He had been conceived from seed, He would not have been A NEW MAN, NOR SINLESS, NOR THE SAVIOR OF SINNERS. The flesh’s impulse to reproduce is not subject to our minds, which God has appointed to govern us, and is entirely without sin. That is why David said, "I WAS SHAPED IN INIQUITY, AND IN SIN DID MY MOTHER CONCEIVED ME" (Psalm 50[51]:5). So if the CONCEPTION OF GOD HAD BEEN FROM SIN, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A NEW MAN, NOR THE AUTHOR OF NEW LIFE WHICH WILL NEVER GROW OLD. If He were from the old stock and INHERITED ITS SIN, HE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR WITHIN HIMSELF THE FULLNESS OF THE INCORRUPTIBLE Godhead or to make His flesh an inexhaustible source OF SANCTIFICATION, ABLE TO WASH AWAY EVEN THE DEFILEMENT OF OUR First Parents by its abundant power, and sufficient to sanctify ALL WHO CAME AFTER THEM. That is why neither an Angel nor a man came to save us, BUT THE LORD HIMSELF, WHO WAS CONCEIVED AND TOOK FLESH IN THE WOMB OF A VIRGIN, WHILE REMAINING UNCHANGED AS God."

"And the virgin’s name," it says, "was Mary" (v.27), which means ‘LADY.’ This shows the Virgin’s DIGNITY, how certain was her VIRGINITY AND SET APART WAS HER LIFE, EXACT IN EVERY RESPECT AND COMPLETELY BLAMELESS. She properly bore the name Virgin and possessed to the FULL ATTRIBUTES OF PURITY. SHE WAS A VIRGIN IN BOTH BODY AND SOUL AND KEPT ALL HER POWERS OF HER SOUL AND HER BODILY SENSES FAR ABOVE ANY DEFILEMENT… The Holy Scripture says of her, "THIS IS THE SEALED BOOK" (cf. Revelation 5:1-6:1); Daniel 12:4) and "THIS GATE SHALL BE SHUT, AND NO MAN SHALL ENTER IN BY IT" (Ezekiel 44:2). (Source: Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies)

(To be continued)

___________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

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

HATE IS THE SPIRITUAL POISON THAT
KILLS THE SOUL

One of the Old Testament Books is the Book of Leviticus whose author was Prophet Moses. The Major theme is how to worship God. The Book points out the difference between God’s love for His people and those of the Gentile paganistic world surrounding them. In Leviticus 19:17-19, we read, "You shall NOT HATE YOUR BROTHER IN YOUR MIND…You shall NOT take vengeance, nor bear any grudge…BUT YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF: I AM THE LORD."

The exhortation, "you shall love your neighbor as yourself," (19:18) here makes its appearance for the first time in the Holy Scripture and its only appearance in the Old Testament. It is a summary of what was required in the Mosaic Law. In the New Testament, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ states emphatically, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven: for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" (St. Matthew 5:44-48).

The antidote to the poison of hatred is only one, LOVE. Our Lord freed the human race from hate, sadness, and anger and now He offers the greatest possession of all, PERFECT LOVE (AGAPE). That is a gift that can only be possessed by the one, who, by the grace of God and the power of the Spirit, manifests God’s love for all.

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk writes the following on hate: "Hate arises either from envy, as with Cain who nursed a hatred for his brothers, Abel, whose happiness he envied, and he killed him (cf. Genesis ch. 4); or from an offense done to someone." The holy Apostle Paul exhorts us, "Let not the sun go down upon your anger" (Ephesians 4:26). Hatred is more harmful and injurious to the one who hates than to the hated person. In 1 Peter 2:1-2, we are advised: "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby." In addition, we are told, "Follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that does good is of God: but he that does evil has not seen God" (3 John 1:11-12).

Love is the virtue opposite of hate. "As bitter as hate is," writes Saint Tikhon, "so sweet is love and as harmful and pestilent as hate is, so useful is love… Hate works evil, Love does not do evil but does good. Hate is hateful and loathsome. Love is welcome and beloved by all… Where there is no love THERE IS NO FAITH, FOR FAITH DOES NOT EXIST WITHOUT LOVE. Where there is no faith, THERE IS NEITHER CHRIST NOR SALVATION. Christians, we confess God, Who IS LOVE."

The officiating priest at the Divine Liturgy says loudly: "Let us love one another that with one mind we may confess, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." A constant reminder to the Orthodox Christians is to love one another, because otherwise, they are not of one mind, of one faith, and therefore cannot confess their common faith in God the Holy Trinity.

The answer to mankind’s challenges is only one, LOVE. Saint Tikhon says the following: "If there were love, there would be no theft, robbery or other evils…if there were love, people would not touch the bed of their neighbor [commit adultery], if there were love, people would not be subject to slander, reproach, abuse, railing, dishonor, and other evils… if there were love, people would not deceive one another..If there were love people would not pass judgment on the other…if there were love, people would have no use for guards or locks because there would be no robbers and thieves… If there were love, people would not languish in prison for debts, foreclosure, and default…if there were love, people would not go around in rags and half-naked.. if there were love, people would not wander about without homes..if there were love there would be no poor or wretched.."

Indeed if there were love, there would be no wars, there would be no injustice, there would be no violence against the weak, if there would be love there would be no rich or poor, if there were love there would be no need to dominate the other, if there were love there would be no exploitation of the innocent, if there were love there would be respect for life (there would be no abortions), if there were love there would be no neglect and abuse of the elderly, if there were love there would be no hunger, if there were love there would be a world free of all evil; if there were love God would reign in the world. With God as the Loving Ruler of the world, the world would be Paradise and everlasting peace and joy would prevail.

Pray that love will triumph!

_______________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

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

HOLY AND GREAT LENT: A TIME TO EXAMINE
OUR FAITH

"Do you believe in the Son of God? He answered and said, "Who
is He, Lord that I may believe in Him?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You
have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.’ Then he
said he said, "LORD I BELIEVE!’ and he worshipped Him" (St. John
9:35-38).

Believing in God cannot be forced or coerced by anyone, but it must be a natural and sincere personal decision based on faith. Saint Gregory Palamas says, "How, I ask you, is it credible that someone believes in God if he does NOT aspire to what the Lord pronounces blessed, but to what He pronounces wretched? "Shew me," it says, "THY FAITH BY THEY WORKS" (St. James 2:18), "Who is a wise man? Let him shew out of good conduct his works" (St. James 3:13).

Any one of us can confess, ‘I believe,’ but how true are these words? Are we willing to show our faith in God by our good works and by our keeping of His Commandments? If we sincerely believe in God we will obediently conform to His will and reject all evil acts, thoughts, passions, and wicked pleasures. One who believes is willing to freely surrender himself to Christ God and say along with Saint Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ; IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME; AND THE LIFE WHICH I LVE IN THE FLESH I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME" (Galatians 2:20).

"I have been crucified with Christ," is interpreted to mean that my sinful desires and passions have been crucified. In other words, to subdue the flesh and control its appetites for evil acts. In Galatians 5:16-17, Saint Paul writes, "I say then: Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things you wish." By "flesh," here the holy Apostle does not mean the body, but evil actions, the depraved will of man i.e., adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, jealousies, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.." (Gal. 5:19-21).

The spiritual warfare is real and the war is on. Every Christian believer on earth is a member of the Church Militant, the Church which combats evil in the world. The Church Triumphant is the heavenly Church, which is victorious and rejoices in God’s bosom. As the military of the Church, we are engaged in a constant battle with the faith and determination to win and, by the grace of God, to destroy the evil powers that threaten us and the world that we live in. However, we believe that spiritual warfare does not take place only without, but also within. The dangers are true and our struggle against them is real. We also believe that we have spiritual help through the holy intercessions of the Theotokos, the holy Angels, the prayers of our Saints, and the prayers of God-fearing people who live according to God’s will.

According to Saint James (Iakovos), "faith without works is dead." Works without faith are empty and useless. It incumbent of us to pursue both faith and works of mercy (charity), along with living a pious and virtuous life. The life of the Orthodox Christian must strive for holiness, perfection, and a life that is constantly growing in Christ. This spiritual goal and ambition can only be accomplished if we humbly submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit our God. It is He who protects, guides, illumines, inspires, teaches, cleanses, forgives, heals, adopts, bestows wisdom, renews, and saves us.

"The person who has been deified (theosis) by grace will be in every respect as God is, for His very essence." To those who believe and are true disciples, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ says, "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (satan), and NOTHING BY ANY MEANS HURT YOU" (St. Luke 10:19). The evil one has no power over us, but Jesus has given us the power to defeat him and prevent him from hurting the innocent.

Rejoice! for God is with us. Christians are people who bring joy and hope to the people of the world. They are always confident and filled with courage and goodness. Christianity brought love and compassion for all throughout the world. Without Christ and His Gospel, the world would be a violent and evil place. There would be no kindness, no philanthropy, no justice, no peace, no future, no unity, no brotherhood, and no salvation. Christ has indeed saved the human race from evil and death. He is not only the Savior for His believers and followers, but of all mankind. Thanks be to God!

_____________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

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

SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY: CELEBRATING THE
TRIUMPH OF ORTHODOXY

On Sunday of Orthodoxy, our Holy Church commemorates the final ending of the Iconoclast heresy and the restoration of the holy icons to the churches by Empress Theodora, acting as regent for her young Michael III. This took place on the first Sunday of Holy and Great Lent, March 11th 843 A.D.

ICONOCLASM was one of the most powerful and prolonged heretical movements. The Iconoclast heresy began in the first half of the 7th century and continued to create havoc in the Church for more than 100 years. Directed AGAINST THE VENERATION OF ICONS, it touched also on other aspects of the faith and Church order (for example, the veneration of Saints and holy relics). The heresy was CONDEMNED at the Seventh Ecumenical Synod in 787 A.D., and the final Triumph of Orthodoxy occurred in 842 A.D. under Saint Methodius, Patriarch of Constantinople. At that time, there was established the feast of the "Triumph of Orthodoxy," which is observed by the Church even today on the First Sunday of Holy and Great Lent.

If Orthodoxy triumphed in the era of the Iconoclastic heresy, this was because SO MANY OF THE FAITHFUL WERE PREPARED TO UNDERGO EXILE, TORTURE, AND EVEN DEATH, FOR THE SAKE OF THE Truth. The Feast of Orthodoxy is above all A CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF THE MARTYRS AND CONFESSORS WHO STRUGGLED AND SUFFERED FOR THE FAITH.

How can contemporary Orthodox Christians not be inspired and seek to emulate all those who were tortured and shed their blood for the Orthodox Christian Faith? The Orthodox Christian must understand that it is not enough to claim to be Orthodox, but also to be willing to suffer for the Faith as the Saints, Martyrs, Confessors and countless other fellow Christians did back then.

The modern-day Orthodox Christian must make every effort to learn what he/she believes, and learn the Faith. Be ready to teach the faith to others, beginning with your relatives, friends, wives, husbands, and children. He/she need to know it well, so as to defend it and prevent anyone from adulterating it and/or attempting to dilute it or watering it down. The Holy Synods condemn anyone who attempts to either add anything to it or to omit, alter, or corrupt any of the dogmas. Anyone who attempts it is immediately excommunicated.

The evil one is determined to turn everything upside-down. We learn from past experiences and events, such as the Iconoclastic heretical movement and the other earlier heresies, that the devil is willing to create division among the faithful and create confusion in an attempt to distort the image of Christ. We see it happening to other Christians of other traditions and the tragic impact it had among them. Don’t say that it can never happen again to our Church, especially when we are celebrating today on this most sacred day, the Triumph of Orthodox Christianity over heresy. It took our fellow Orthodox Christians to fight the good fight, sacrifice, and be tortured for over 100 years to win and be victorious.

We see even on these very important commemorations that they are observed superficially. There is a lack of understanding of their purpose and meaning. The commemorations are reduced to a ‘ritual,’ and nothing more. As soon as we leave church services, we go back to our routine and life and simply move on to the next event. We remember the sacrifices of the Saints, Martyrs, Confessors, Hierarchs, etc., but is anyone touched or moved by it? Is anyone’s life changed by it? Finally, the pressing question today is, are icons today sacred? Are the holy relics of Saints still holy? Is the Divine Eucharist still the Precious Body and Blood of Christ? And, if they are, why is there is such fear to approach them and avoid offering them the due veneration? Why are some of our faithful afraid to receive any of the sacraments of the Church, including Holy Communion? Have we become the modern ICONOCLASTS?

EXCERPTS FROM SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY SERVICE

The priest reads the following excerpts from THE AFFIRMATION OF THE FAITH, of the Seventh Ecumenical Synod:

As the Prophets beheld; as the Apostles taught; as the Church received; as
the Teachers dogmatized; as the Universe has agreed; as Grace has shone forth;
as Truth has been proven; as FALSEHOOD HAS BEEN DISPROVEN; as Wisdom
has been presented, and CHRIST HAS REWARDED. This is what we believe;
this is what we declare; this is what we preach, Christ OUR TRUE GOD, AND WE
HONOR His Saints IN WORDS, IN THOUGHT, IN SACRIFICES, IN CHURCHES AND
IN ICONS. Christ, WE WORSHIP AS God and Master and His Saints WE HONOR
AS TRUE SERVANTS OF OUR SAME LORD, AND ACCORDINGLY, WE GRANT THEM
VENERATION:

This is the Faith of the Apostles!
This is the Faith of the Fathers!
This is the Faith of the Orthodox!
This is the Faith WHICH HAS ESTABLISHED THE UNIVERSE!

Therefore, with brotherly and filial love, we praise these preachers of piety, for the glory and honor of their own pious struggle for the Faith, and we say: "Eternal be the memory of the defenders of Orthodoxy; pious Sovereigns, holy Patriarchs, Hierarchs, Teachers, Martyrs, and Confessors.

Eternal be their memory (3)

Let their deeds and struggles of pious faith, even death, TUTOR AND STRENGTHEN YOU. Entreat God that WE IMITATE THEIR DEVOUT LIFE UNTIL OUR OWN END, beseeching Him that we may be made worthy of all our askings, by the grace and compassion of the Great and First Hierarch, Christ Our True God; by the intercessions of our Most Glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary, of the godly Angels, and of all the Saints. Amen.

Priest: Τίς θεός μέγας, ώς ο Θεός ημών; σύ εί ο Θεός, ο ποιών θαυμάσια μόνος. What god is great as our God? You are God, Who alone works wonders.

Glory. For the Feast
Mode 2.

We venerate Your immaculate icon, O good
Lord, and entreat You to forgive our offenses, O
Christ Our God. By Your own choice, You were
pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, to deliver
us, whom You created, from our slavery to the foe.
Therefore we cry to You with gratitude: You have
filled all things with joy, O Our Savior, by
coming to save the world.

Glory. Mode pl. 4

Open to me the gates of repentance, O Giver
of Life, for early in the morning my spirit hastens
to Your holy temple, bringing the temple of my
body all defiled. But as one compassionate, cleanse
me, I pray, by Your Loving-kindness and mercy.

Both now. Same Mode.

Guide me in the path of salvation, O
Theotokos, for I have befouled my soul with
shameful sins and I heedlessly squandered all of
my life’s resources. By your intercession deliver
me from every uncleanness.

__________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST1 HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

"Rejoice! O Pure One, higher than the Heavens, Rejoice!
You, who bore without effort the Foundation of the Earth.
Rejoice! O Seashell that dyed the Divine crimson robe for
the King of the Heavenly Powers" (Troparion – Akathist Hymn)

The "Akathist Hymn" ("unseated hymn") is a solemn hymn dedicated to a particular Saint, feast-day, or one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity. The name derives from the fact that during the chanting of the hymn, the faithful are standing throughout the divine service out of reverence. This specific Akathis Hymn is dedicated to the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and chanted during five Fridays of Holy and Great Lent. Orthodox Churches follow the Tradition of the Church and conduct the Akathist as a spiritual preparation for the Holy and Great Week and Paschal divine services.

The Akathist Hymn was written during the 17th century for the Holy Feast of the Evaggelismos (Annunciation) of the Mother of God. The authentic Greek version consists of 24 oikoi, each one beginning with the next letter of the alphabet. If was formerly recited in the year 626 A.D. in the church of the Theotokos of Vlachernae in Constantinople on the occasion of the deliverance of Constantinople from the Avars and the Persians who attacked the city and besieged it.

Patriarch of Constantinople Sergius led the terrified faithful in a great procession around the walls of the city, chanting and bearing holy icons of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Theotokos. Strengthened by their devotion and aided by a great tempest that sprang up and wrecked many of the enemy ships, the faithful sallied forth and put the barbarians to flight. The Orthodox Christian believers attributed this miracle to the Mother of God.

In thanksgiving the devout Orthodox Christians gathered in the Great Cathedral of Agia Sofia (dedicate to the Wisdom of God) and stood (akathistoi) the whole night, chanting hymns of thanksgiving and praise. This hymn is chanted on one of the first four Fridays during Holy and Great Lent. On the fifth Friday evening, the entire hymn is chanted.

The Akathist Hymn is known by the first three words of its proimion (preamble), Te Ypermacho Stratego (Τη υπερμάχω στρατηγώ), "To thee, invincible Champion") dedicated to the Theotokos and "The All-Holy Birth-giver of God").

With the dogma of the Son of God’s becoming man is closely bound up the naming of the Most Holy Virgin Mary as THEOTOKOS (Birth-giver of God). By this name the Orthodox Church confirms its faith that God the Logos/Word became Man truly and not merely in appearance; a faith that, in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, God was joined to Man from the very instant of His conception in the womb of the Ever-Virgin Mary, and that He, being perfect Man, is also perfect God.

At the same time, the name of Theotokos is the highest name that exalts or glorifies the Ever-Virgin Mary. The name "Theotokos" has a direct foundation in Holy Scripture. The Holy Apostle Paul writes: "When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of woman" (Galatians 4:4) Here is expressed the truth that a woman gave birth to the Son of God. Also, "God was manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16): the flesh was woven for God the Logos/Word by the Most Holy Virgin Mary.

According to Our Holy Orthodox Church, the Most Holy Virgin was born as subject to the sin of Adam together with all mankind, and with him she shared the need for redemption. ("Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs," par. 6). The pure and immaculate life of the Virgin Mary up to the Annunciation by the Archangel, her freedom from personal sins, was the fruit of the union of her spiritual labor upon herself and the abundance of Grace that was poured out upon her. "Thou hast found Grace with God," the Archangel said to her in his greeting: "thou has found," that is, attained, acquired, earned. The Most Holy Virgin Mary was prepared by the best part of mankind as a worthy vessel for the descent of God the Logos/Word to earth. The coming down of the Holy Spirit ("the Holy Spirit shall come upon thee") totally sanctified the womb of the Virgin Mary for the reception of the God the Logos/Word. (Orthodox Dogmatic Theology)

The Theotokos is humanity’s greatest Advocate before her Son and God Jesus Christ. She is man’s heavenly Mother who unceasingly intercedes for our forgiveness and salvation.

OUR PRAYER TO THE EVER-VIRGIN MARY, THE THEOTOKOS
(Chanted before her holy icon at the end of the Akathist Hymn)

O spotless, undefiled, incorruptible, chaste, and pure Virgin-Bride of God, who by Your wondrous conception united
God, who by Your wondrous conception united God the Logos with man, and joined ou fallen nature with the Heavens;
the only hope of the hopeless and the help of the persecuted, the ever-ready to rescue all that flee unto You and the
refuge of all Christians, spurn me not, the branded sinner, who by shameful thoughts, words and deeds, has made my
whole being useless, and through indolence has enslaved my judgment to the pleasures of this life. But as the Mother of
the Merciful God, mercifully show compassion unto me, the sinner and prodigal, and accept my supplication which is
offered from impure lips unto You.

With Your maternal approach entreat Your Son, Our Lord and Master to open for me the merciful depths of His Loving-
Kindness; and overlooking my countless transgressions, guide me to repentance and show me forth as a worthy
worker of His Commandments. As You are merciful, compassionate, and gentle, be at my side; and in this present life. be
my fervent protectress and helper, thwarting the assaults of the adversaries, and leading me to salvation; and in the hour
of passing take care of my wretched soul, and cast far away the dark faces of demons. And at the Dreadful Day of Judgment,
deliver me from eternal punishment, and prove me an heir of the Ineffable Glory of Your Son, and our God.

May this, glory be my share, O my Lady, Most Holy Theotokos through Your mediation and help, by the Grace and mercy
of Your Only-Begotten Son Our Lord and God, and Savior Jesus Christ; to Whom is the All-Glory, Honor, and Worship,
together with His Eternal Father and His All-Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit now and ever and unto Ages of Ages.
Amen.

_________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George