My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

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

Let us pray to the Lord. Kyrie eleison.

Shine in our hearts, O Merciful Master, the pure Light of Thy Divine
knowledge and open the eyes of our mind that we may understand
the teachings of Thy Gospel, implant in us also the fear of Thy
Blessed Commandments, that we, trampling down all carnal desires,
may enter upon a spiritual manner of living both thinking and doing
all those things that please Thee. For Thou art the Source of Light
for our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and not Thee we ascribe
glory, together with Thy Eternal Father, and Thine All-Holy, Good, and
Life-Giving Spirit, now and forever, and from the ages of all ages,
Amen.

THE VENERABLE PROPHETS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

"Blessed Christians," says Saint Kosmas Aitolos (+ 1779), a large number of churches neither preserve nor strengthen our faith, as much as they should, because those who believe in God are not enlightened by both the Old and New Testaments. Our Faith was not established by ignorant Saints, but by wise and educated Saints who interpreted the Holy Scripture ACCURATELY AND WHO ENLIGHTENED US SUFFICIENTLY BY INSPIRED TEACHINGS. Today, however, because of the dreadful state in which we find ourselves due to our sins, such wise and virtuous men who can preserve unaffected our Orthodox brethren, are absent or at least extremely rare.

Blessed Saint Paul gives the following advice, "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written FOUR OUR INSTRUCTION, that we through patience and the consolation of the Scriptures may continually have hope" (Romans 15:14). This he practiced above all men, being brought up in the Law of hs fathers; for he who exhorted others would himself first follow the advice he gave. Hence we find him continually appealing to the testimony of the Venerable Prophets, and searching into their writings. Saint Paul then applies to reading, for it is no slight advantage that is to be reaped from the Scriptures."

The Greek word προφήτης, derived from πρόφημι, means foretell, that is, to tell beforehand. In Hebrew, the word "prophet" meant not necessarily one who foretold the future, but ONE COMMISSIONED BY GOD TO SPEAK TO MAN…"

"…Who is it that prophecies? According to Saint Basil the Great (330-378 A.D.), "The prophetic gift shines clear in souls pure and cleansed from all defilement. In a foul mirror you cannot see what the reflection is, neither can a soul preoccupied with cares of this life, and darkened with the passions of the lust of the flesh, receive the rays of the Holy Spirit. Every dream is not a prophecy, even as it is written: "The speakers have uttered grievous things, and the diviners have seen false visions, and they have spoken false dreams" (Zachariah 10:2). Saint Anthony the Great (+251-356 A.D.) maintains that in general, VISIONS AND REVELATIONS WERE GIVEN TO THE SAINTS ONLY IN MOUNTAINS AND IN THE WILDERNESS."

The prophets spoke as they saw and heard. "But the prophetic ear was not the ear ‘of man’." says Saint John Chrysostom, "for not as men did they hear, but as Prophets. Thus says, "He hath added unto me an ear to hear" (Isaiah 50:4), meaning by ‘ADDITION,’ that which was from the Spirit. From where it was plain that before hearing it had not entered into the hear of man, as it is written: "FROM OF OLD WE HAVE NOT HEARD, NEITHER HAVE OUR EYES SEEN" (Isaiah 64:4). For after the gift of the Spirit, the heart of the Prophets was not the heat of man, BUT A SPIRITUAL HEART; as also Saint Paul says, "WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST" (I Corinthians 2:16), as if he would say, ‘Before we had the blessing of the Spirit and learned the things which no man can speak, none of us nor the Prophets conceived them in his mind.’ How should we since not even Angels know them?" Now PROPHECY IS ESPECIALLY THE WORK OF GOD." Saint John Chrysostom informs us, "which devils cannot even imitate, though they strive exceedingly. For in the case of miracles there may be delusion; but exactly to foretell the future belongs to that pure Nature; or if devils ever have done son, it was by deceiving the simpler sort, whence their oracles are always easily detected."

Holy Scriptures have taught us that in many modes God may be seen and known. Saint Irenaeos tells us that "it was not by means of visions alone which were seen, and words which were proclaimed, but also in actual works, that He (the Logos/Word of God) was beheld by the Prophets, in order that through them He might PREFIGURE AND SHOW FORTH FUTURE EVENTS BEFOREHAND."

Saint Athanasios (+296-373 A.D.) writes: "For when of old time Prophets and Scribes studied the Scriptures, they perceived that what they read DID NOT REFER TO THEMSELVES, BUT TO OTHERS."

Saint Gregory the Great tells us that "the whole of Scripture WAS INDEED WRITTEN FOR US, BUT NOT ALL OF IT IS UNDERSTOOD BY US. So many truths were written there simply, to nourish children, but some in obscure sayings that may occupy the strong, since things understood with effort are the more welcome. But some things in it are closed, so that when we do not understand them, recognizing the weakness of our blindness, WE MAY ADVANCE TO HUMILITY RATHER THAN TO INTELLIGENCE. For there certain sayings which so refer to heavenly matters that they are manifest only to those heavenly citizens who continue steadfastly in their own country, nor are they yet revealed to us sojourners."

The Coming of Christ

At the Annunciation of Virgin Mary, we chant: "Today is the crown of ou salvation and the manifestation of the mystery that is from all eternity. The Son of God becomes Son of the Virgin." The Prophets FORETOLD THAT He was to become a child, taking flesh from the Virgin, being joined to men and seen by those on earth, even as Baruch proclaimed (Bar. 3:35-37).

The Virgin Theotokos

At the Nativity of the Theotokos, Saint Joseph the hymnographer (816-886 A.D.) chants that the Prophets honored the Virgin whom they PREFIGURED, for many of their prophecies were fulfilled at Christ’s birth."

The Prophets and the Apostles

The Prophets proclaimed THE WAY OF SALVATION, and in their sufferings conformed to the Passion which they foretold. They served as mediators of the Ne Testament (Covenant) of Christ. The grace of the Holy Spirit shone in the Apostles. For the Hebrew Nation the Prophets were to FORETELL THE MESSIAH’S COMING AND TO LEAD THEM TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. The holy Apostles proclaimed Christ’s mighty deeds and enlightened the nations by holy Baptism. According to Saint Justin, "Righteousness is NOT placed in Jewish rites, but IN THE CONVERSION OF THE HEART GIVEN IN BAPTISM BY CHRIST." On the day of Pentecost, the Comforter (The Holy Spirit) descended IN ALL FULLNESS upon the holy Apostles and the faithful with them.

The PROPHETICAL GIFTS OF THE JEWS WERE THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE CHRISTIANS, according to Saint Justin the Martyr. He says to Trypho the Jew, "The prophetical gifts remain with us, even to the present time. And hence you ought to understand that the gifts formerly among your nation have been transferred to us."

The Sufferings and Rewards of the Prophets

The Diinenly-inspired Prophets preached in word and deed, and they received as their reward LIFE WITHOUT END. They refused to worship the creation instead OF THE Creator. They RENOUNCED THE WHOLE WORLD FOR THE SAKE OF GOD’S WORD AND HIS LAW. They ENDURED MANY TRIALS AND AFFLICTIONS, AND SOME WERE MARTYRED.

The Septuagint

The use of the Septuagint (Old Testament translation of the 70 Hebrew scholars), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, is the preferred text throughout this work. It is the Old Testament version which the Greek-speakng world read from the 3rd century before Christ, through the Apostolic era, and up to the presented ay in the Orthodox Church.

Saint John Chrysostom remarks: "In the first place we will say this about the Septuagint because were justly entitled to confidence above all the others. For the others made their translations AFTER Christ’s coming, continuing to be Jews, and may justly be suspected as having spoken rather in enmity, and as darkening the prophecies on purpose; but the Seventy, as having entered upon this worked a hundred years or more BEFORE THE COMING OF Christ, stand clear from all such suspicion, and on account of the date, and of their number, and of their agreement, would have a better right TO BE TRUSTED. [Source: The Lives of the Holy Prophets)

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Thigs!"

– Saint John Chrysostom

+ + +

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

+ Father George

My brothers and sisters in Christ God,

Christ is in our midst! He was, is, and ever shall be.

THE LIFE OF THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN IS
A LIFE OF PRAYER

"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING IN EVERYTHING GIVE
THANKS; FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN
CHRIST JESUS FOR YOU" (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).

The Holy Fathers of the Church teach us that UNCEASING PRAYER is a proper goal, for spiritual growth comes through such discipline. Orthodox Christians for centuries have used the "Jesus Prayer or the "Prayer of the heart" as a way to pray unceasingly from the heart: "O LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVER MERCY ON ME A SINNER."

Orthodox Christianity is rich in spiritual ascesis and tradition. It is up to the individual Christian believer to discover the great spiritual wealth of our Holy Church and not simply to claim it but to implement it in his or her daily life. How else can anyone claim to be a follower of Christ? How can anyone claim to have a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior and not be willing to be in communion with Him? To have any type of relationship with anyone, one needs to communicate and speak to one another.

Our Holy Orthodox Christian Church has an abundance of resources which she offers to her faithful to assist and encourage in their quest to enrich one’s spiritual life. One such source is the God-inspired Holy Scripture, both the Old and New Testaments. Another spiritual source is the sacred writings of the Holy Fathers and Mothers of the Church. Also, is the study of the virtuous lives of the holy and righteous men, women, and children of God.

A good beginning to a life of prayer is the study and use of the Psalms in the Old Testament. The psalm serves as an introduction to the entire Psalter with its depictions of the "two ways": the way of the RIGHTEOUS and the way of the "UNGODLY." "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous. But the ay of the ungodly shall perish" (Psalm 1: 6-7).

Psalm 150

PRAISE the Lord!

Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty
firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts
Praise Him according to His
excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of
the trumpets;
Praise Him with the lute and
harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and
dance;
Praise Him with stringed
instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing
cymbals!

Let everything that has breath
PRAISE THE Lord!

MORNING PRAYER TO THE HOLY TRINITY

Arising from sleep, I thank You, O Most Holy Trinity, that, for the sake of
Your great kindness and longsuffering, You have not had indignation against
me, for I am slothful and sinful. Neither have You destroyed me in my trans-
gressions. But You have shown Your customary love toward mankind, and
have raised me up as I lay in heedlessness, that I might sing my morning
hymn and glorify your sovereignty. Do now enlighten the eyes of my
understanding, open my ears to receive Your words, and teach me Your
Commandments. Help me to do Your will, to sing to You, to confess You
from my heart, AND TO PRAISE Your All-Holy Name: of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever; and unto ages of ages. Amen.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Remember, O Lord Jesus Christ, Our God, Your mercies and loving-kindnesses,
which have been from everlasting, and for the sake of which You did become man
and deign to endure crucifixion and death for the salvation of all who rightly believe
in You. You rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and sit a the right hand
of God the Father, and regard the humble prayers of all who call upon You with
their whole heart. Incline Your ear and hear the humble entreaty of me. Your
unprofitable servant, who offers it for an odor of spiritual fragrance for all Your people.
And first of all, remember Your Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church which You
purchased with Your Precious Blood.

PRAYER FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY

O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace, help me in all things to rely upon Your
Holy Will. In every hour of the day reveal Your will to me. Bless my dealings with all who
surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul
and with a firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words, guide my
thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by You.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me
the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will,
teach me to pray. And, Yourself, pray in me. Amen.

PRAYER JUST BEFORE GOING TO SLEEP

Into Your hands, O Lord Jesus Christ, I commend my spirit and body;
bless me, save me, and grant me eternal life. Amen.

BENEDICTION

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God,
have mercy on us and saves us. Amen. [Orthodox Study Bible)

Saint John Chrysostom writes the following: "As Christians, we are obligated to honor and appreciate the Saints of God for two reasons. The first reason is because all the Saints had placed the hop of their spiritual salvation upon the sacred prayers. The second reason is because the prayers which they offered to God with joy and fear have been preserved in their writings. Thus their spiritual treasures, having been transmitted to us, may draw all subsequent believers toward the zeal of these Saints. The way of life of the teachers must be transmitted to their pupils. Thus the pupils of the Saints, that is, the Christians must prove ourselves to be IMITATORS OF THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS. This we may do by always being preoccupied with prayers and the worship of God, considering thus as life and health and wealth and the end of all good things our prayer toward God with a pure heart and an incorruptible soul. For as the sun illumines the body so also does THE PRAYER ILLUMINES THE SOUL. If then the blind person is deprived because he cannot see the sun, how much more is the Christian diminished and harmed who does not pray constantly, and who, consequently, does not gather into his or her soul, through prayer, the Light of Christ." [ A Prayer Book. An Anthology of Orthodox Prayers)

+

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

Christ is in our midst! He was, is, and ever shall be.

ON GOOD AND EVIL AND RIGHT AND WRONG (Part II)

"According to the testimony of the word of God, the ORIGIN OF SIN COMES FROM THE DEVIL. "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning" (1 John 3:8). The word "devil" (διάβολος) means "slanderer"…Possessing, like all rational creatures, the freedom which was given him for becoming perfect IN THE GOOD, he "abode not in the truth" and FEEL AWAY FROM GOD. Saint John Damascene writes: "Every rational being IS FREE. The Angelic nature, then, insofar as it is rational and intelligent, is free; while insofar as it is created, it is changeable and has the power to persevere and progress IN GOOD OR TO TURN TO EVIL."

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said of him: "He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it" (John 8:44).

"What was the cause of the fall in the Angelic world? From this same Divine Revelation we can conclude that the reason was ‘"PRIDE: THE BEGINNING OF SIN IS PRIDE," says the son of Sirach (Sir. 10:13)."

Why was man’s fall into sin possible? "The Creator imparted to man THREE GREAT GIFTS AT HIS CREATION: FREEDOM, REASON, AND LOVE. These gifts are indispensable FOR THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND the BLESSEDNESS OF MAN But where there is freedom there is the possibility of wavering in one’s choice; thus, TEMPTATION IS POSSIBLE. The temptation FOR REASON is TO GROW PROUD IN MIND; instead of acknowledging the wisdom and goodness of God, to seek the knowledge of good and evil outside of God; to desire oneself to be a "god." The Temptation for the feeling OF LOVE is: in place of love for God and one’s neighbor, TO LOVE ONESELF AND EVERYTHING THAT SATISFIES THE LOWER DESIRES ADN GIVES TEMPORARY ENJOYMENT. This possibility of temptation and fall stood before mankind, and the first man did not stand firm against it.".

The loss of the Kingdom of God as the most severe consequence of the fall. However, the final and most important consequence of sin was not an illness and physical death, but THE LOSS OF PARADISE. This loss of Paradise is the same thing as the loss of the Kingdom of God… The Lord did not abandon men, did not turn utterly away, but from the moment of the fall into sin led them toward future salvation.

"Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16).
The unutterable, unknowable, invisible, unattainable God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, became man in the form of the God-Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, and dwelt among men on earth…"

"The good tidings (news) of the Gospel are the good tidings 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" (Matthew 16:18).

We, the faithful followers and disciples of Jesus Christ should seek and pray for the gift of discernment. It is imperative that we are alert and vigilant so as not be deceived as the gentiles and unbelievers in the world. The adversary, the devil, brings "defective reasoning and confusion of thought". The evil one pursues us continually and seeks our destruction and spiritual death.

We live at a time when society condones all vice, immorality, and spiritual darkness. Secular and corrupt society teaches that there is no right and wrong. There is no God, that there is no Creator, that there is a Savior and Redeemer, there is no sin, there is no eternal life, there is no heaven or hell, there is no accounting for one’s evil and immoral actions, there is no Savior of the world, that life is not sacred, that there is no such as deception and lies, that the body is not temple of the Holy Spirit, that there are not Divine Commandments given by the Most High to mankind, that there is no Judgment Day or Second Coming of the Lord and there is no righteousness or holiness, that there are no virtues and values.

Our loyalty is only to God the Life-giving Holy Trinity, our Creator. As a follower of Christ, the believer is obedient and abides by His Commandments, not of fear but our of faith and love. Our relationship with our Savior is a personal one. Our path is the path of Christ and in Christ that leads to eternal salvation and to His everlasting Kingdom.

I assure you, dear friends, that we are always in His presence. There is no place where God is not. There is no separation from Him unless we desire the separation from Him which will lead to eternal death and damnation. Our Lord will never abandon either His creation or us. How can anyone of sound mind and heart ever question His unconditional love for us when we see Him on the Cross suffering and dying to save us from sin and death. Through His Resurrection has restored mankind and opened the gates of Heaven.

Christianity is NOT one of the many thousands of man-made religions but instead, it is the direct revelation of God. The Almighty God offers humanity Life Eternal, unlike Satan who offers death and eternal life of torment. Our choice where we wish to spend eternity is ours here and now. Remember the Divine words of the Lord Jesus Christ Who said: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the AUTHORITY TO TRAMPLE ON SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS, AND OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY (THE DEVIL), AND NOTHING SHALL BY ANY MEANS HURT YOU" (Luke 10:18-19). The power of Satan has been destroyed by our Savior Jesus Christ and therefore the devil has no power over man. We are NOT to fear the devil and his demons for he cannot control, possess, and enslave us.

The evil one may tempt us but he cannot impose his will upon us. We, Orthodox Christians, who are baptized into Him need NOT BE DEFEATED WHEN TEMPTATIONS COME ALONG BECAUSE, LIKE JESUS, WE ARE AIDED BY THE Spirit. "Then Jesus said to him (satan), ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Matthew 4:10). The New Adam (Jesus Christ) CONQUERS ALL TEMPTATIONS, THAT He might give OUR NATURE POWER TO CONQUER THE Adversary (Satan).

When tempted make the sign of the Cross and say: "GET BEHIND ME, SATAN!" (Matthew 16:23).

(References: The Orthodox Study Bible, Orthodox Dogmatic Theology)

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostom

+ + +

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.

"And I shall trust in Him, and I shall be saved by
Him,
For God IS WITH US," (Great Compline)

People of sincere faith in God, aware of the danger and evil all around us, feel the great need to pray to Him, and seek His guidance, healing, forgiveness, and protection. According to one of the great Holy Fathers of the Church, Saint John Chrysostom, "Prayer is the beginning of every good thing, and the mediator of salvation and eternal life." The Holy Father continues: "For what more saintly things can happen to those who converse with God? What more righteous? Prayer and supplication fills them with so much wisdom, so much virtue, and understanding, and goodness, and prudence and gracious manners!"

However, the Christian believer should approach the Lord our God with faith, a contrite heart, and a humble spirit. The prayer attitude that I have in mind is that of the prodigal son in the Gospel of Saint Luke 15:18-19: "I will arise and go to my father and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."

It is also also a good thing and spiritually profitable to turn to Psalm 51 [50], a prayer of repentance. It begins, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness…" The prayer should always be, a prayer that comes from a penitent, a prayer that acknowledges God’s Greatness and our unworthiness i.e, the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican Luke 18: 9-14. Our Lord Jesus Christ reveals to us how we should pray: "…And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER" (V. 13).

And of course the greatest of all prayers, the Lord’s Prayer: "Our Father…" (Luke 11:2-4).

Prayer must be taken seriously and must be offered with profound faith, reverence, love, and trust. Prayer must always come from deep in the heart and not the lips. It must be said with nonfiction and guided by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that teaches us how to pray. No one but no one should ever underestimate the power of genuine prayer.

LET US PRAY TO THE LORD. KYRIE ELEISON (LORD HAVE MERCY)

Psalm 141

Lord, I have cried ut to You, hear me,
Hear me, O Lord.

Lord, I have cried out to You, hear me,
Attend to the voice of my supplication.

Whenever I cry out to You, hear me, O Lord.

Let my prayer rise up as incense before You;
And may the lifting of my hands be an evening sacrifice;

Hear me in my prayer, O Lord,

+

O Christ our God,
At all times and at every hour In heaven and on earth,
You are worshipped and glorified;
You are long-suffering most merciful, most compassionate,
You love the righteous and have mercy upon the sinners;
You call every one to salvation
through the promise of future blessings;
Receive O Lord, our prayers at this hour
And direct our life toward Your commandments.
Sanctify our souls, make our bodies chaste;
Correct our thoughts; purify our intentions;
And deliver us from every grief and pain that comes from evil.
Encompass us by Your holy Angels,
So that guarded by them
We may attain to the unity of the faith
And to the knowledge of Your unapproachable glory,
For You are Blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Holy Orthodox Church possesses many beautiful and inspiring prayers such as the above. Saint John Chrysostom says, "Prayer is cause for salvation, meditation for the immortality of the soul, an unbreakable rampart of the Church, an unshakable guardian, fearful to the demons but salutary to the pious."
Finally my brothers and sisters in Christ, we exhort you…warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. Rejoice always, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS; FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS FOR YOU" (Thessalonians 5:14-18).

Christian believers should never dwell only on the challenges, problems, obstacles, sorrows, challenges, and failures in life. The true and authentic Christian is one who feels the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in his life, the numerous blessings from Him, his/her every decision in life is founded on hope in the Lord knowing that nothing can happen without His will. Our place is to be ceaselessly aware of the primacy of God’s Kingdom and to have full control over our spiritual faculties.

Our Savior and Creator reminds all of us: "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" (John 16:33). Therefore never but never give up, and never lose hope. Remember also that NO ONE IS CONTROL OF ANYTHING IN LIFE. The Almighty God is in control of His creation, including you and me.

+

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint Johh Chrysostom

+ + +

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 GOOD AND EVIL AND RIGHT AND WRONG

In Genesis I, of the Old Testament, it is constantly affirmed "and God saw that it was good" and by doing so it underscores the fundamental goodness of matter and the whole created order. As we understand it "that the created order not only is good but also can be a means for communion with God, by virtue of being created by the All-Good God."

We, as Orthodox Christians, believe that everything the Almighty God and Creator created, including man, is "very good" because God IS GOOD. Nothing He created is therefore evil in itself. So, therefore, human nature is good in itself. But sin ( Gk. hamartia) IS A FREE CHOICE of man’s will, and it is contrary to God’s nature and human nature.

"And the Lord God commanded Adam, saying, "You may eat food from every tree in the garden, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you may not eat, of in whatever day you eat from it, you shall die by death" (Genesis 2:16, 17). In that Adam and Eve did not physically die the day they ate from the tree, the words "you shall die’ indicate A SPIRITUAL DEATH through separation from God.

In our Holy Tradition, the sin of disobedience of Adam and Eve to God’s command is referred to as the Ancestral sin. Adam freely disobeyed the commandment of God and fell from God’s Divine path to perfection, and severing himself from His Maker, the Source of Life. Due to their disobedience and to the Creator Adam and Eve were exiled from Paradise and became subject to mortality along with all mankind.

"Mankind’s strong propensity to commit sin reveals that in the Fall, the image of God in man (Genesis 1:26, 27) is also fallen. However, the ancient Holy Fathers emphasize that the divine image in man has NOT been totally corrupted or obliterated. Human nature remains inherently good after the Fall; mankind is NOT totally depraved. People are still capable of doing good, although bondage to death and the influences of the devil CAN DULL their perception OF WHAT IS GOOD and lead them INTO ALL KINDS OF EVIL."

According to our Holy Faith, through His Death and Resurrection, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ CONQUERED the devil and death, freeing mankind from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15) and making possible a more complete communion between God and man than ever possible before.

Lucifer or Satan (Evil One)

"How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, who rose up in the morning! He who sends for all the nations is crushed to the earth. For you said in your mind, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will place my throne above the stars of heaven. I will place my throne above the stars of heaven, I will sit on a lofty mountain, on the lofty mountain toward north, I will ascend above the clouds; I will belike the Most High. But now you shall descend to Hades, to the found1,p. 253).ations of the earth" (Isaiah 12:15).

Please note the five times that Lucifer says "I WILL" in this passage. He fully intends to overthrow the One True God. There can be no doubt in the minds of people of the existence of evil in the world.

"The origin of evil. But from where did moral evil appear? God created the world PURE, PERFECT, FREE FROM EVIL. Evil entered the world as consequence of the fall, which occurred, according to the word of God, originally in the world of fleshless spirits, and then in the human race, and was reflected in the whole of living nature."

Saint Diadochus of Photiki writes: "Evil does not exist by nature, nor is any man naturally evil, for God MADE NOTHING THAT WAS NOT GOOD. When in the desire of his heart someone conceives and gives form to what in reality has no existence, then what he desires begins to exist. We should not therefore turn our attention away from the inclination to evil and concentrate iton the REMEMBERANCE OF GOD; FOR GOOD, which exists by nature, is more powerful than our inclination to evil. The one has existence while the OTHER DOES NOT, EXCEPT WHEN WE GIVE IT EXISTENCE THROUGH OUR ACTIONS" (Philokalia, vol 1, p. 253).

(To be continued)

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostom

+ + +

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

THE CROSS OF CHRIST
THE PATH, THE POWER, AND THE
BANNER OF THE CHURCH

The dogmatic teaching of the Church has the most intimate connection with the whole moral order of Christian life; it gives it a true direction. Any kind of departure from the dogmatic Truths leads TO AN INCORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF THE MORAL DUTY OF THE Christian. Faith DEMANDS A LIFE THAT CORRESPONDS TO FAITH.

The Savior has defined the MORAL DUTY of man briefly in the two Commandments of the Law: the Commandment TO LOVE GOD with one’s whole heart, soul, and mind, and understanding; and the Commandment TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS ONESELF. But at the same time, the Savior taught that THE AUTHENTIC FULFILLMENT of these Commandments is impossible without some degree of SELF-RENUNCIATION, SELF-SACRIFICE: IT DEMANDS STRUGGLE (ASCETICISM).

And where does the believer find strength for this struggle? He receives it THROUGH COMMUNION WITH Christ, through LOVE FOR CHRIST which inspires him to FOLLOW AFTER HIM. This struggle (ascesis) of following Him Christ called His "yoke" : "Take My yoke upon you… For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:29-30). He called it also A CROSS. Long before the day of His Crucifixion, the Lord taught: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself; and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME" (Matthew 16:24). "He that taketh NOT his cross, and followeth after Me, IS NOT WORTHY OF Me" (Matthew 10:38).

The Orthodox Christian path of the Christian is "THE PATH OF THE CROSS AND OF STRUGGLE." In other words, IT IS THE PATH OF PATIENCE OF THE BEARING OF SORROW, PERSECUTION FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST, AND DANGERS FROM THE ENEMIES OF CHRIST, OF DESPISING THE GOODS OF THE WORLD FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST, OF BATTLING AGAINST ONE’S PASSIONS AND LUSTS.

Such a path of following Christ was taken by His Holy Apostles. "I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST," writes the Holy Apostle Paul (Galatians 2:20). "God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Galatians 6:14). Following THE PATH OF CHRIST, the Holy Apostles finished the struggle of their life with a martyr’s death.

All believers are called to struggle according to their strength: "They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the passion and lusts" (Galatians 5:24). The moral life CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT INWARD BATTLE, WITHOUT SELF-RESTRAINT. The Holy Apostle Paul writes: "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things" (Philippians 3:18-19).

The whole history of the Christian Church has been built on struggles at first the sufferings of the martyrs in the earliest Christian age; then the self-sacrificing labors of the pillars of the Church, the hierarchs; and then the personal ascetic struggles, spiritual attainments in the battle with the flesh, on the part of the desert dwellers and other strugglers— "earthly Angels and heavenly men," the righteous ones who have lived in the world WITHOUT BEING DEFILED BY THE WORLD. And thus up to now, Christianity IS ADORNED WITH CONFESSORS AND MARTYRS FOR FAITH IN CHRIST. And the Holy Church supports in believers this duty of SELF-RESTRAINT AND SPIRITUAL CLEANSING BY MEANS OF INSTRUCTIONS AND EXAMPLES OF THE SAINTS, by the rules of the Church typicon, by vigils, fasts, and appeals to REPENTANCE.

Such is the lot not only of each separate Christian but of the Church herself as a whole to be persecuted for the Cross of Christ, as was shown in the visions to the Holy Apostle John the Theologian in the Apocalypse (Revelation). The Church in many periods of her history has ENDURED TOTALLY OPEN SORROWS AND PERSECUTIONS AND THE MARTYR’S DEATH OF HER BEST SERVANTS–WHAT ONE CONTEMPORARY PRIEST AND Church writers has called the "HARVEST OF GOD" — while in other periods, even in periods of outward prosperity, she has endured sorrows FROM INWARD ENEMIES, FROM THE UNWORTHY MANNER OF LIFE OF HER MEMBERS, AND IN PARTICULAR OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO SERVE HER.

Thus is defined, the dogma of the Cross. THE CROSS IS THE PATH OF THE CHRISTIAN AND THE CHURCH. (Source: Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky)

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostom

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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!

Our contemporary world is gripped by uncertainty and fear. A fear that has never been felt before to such a degree. A fear which is debilitating and renders us weak and unable to live normal lives. How do we overcome this overwhelming great fear?

As children of God, we can only understand it in light of our Christian faith. In the book of Revelation, we read: "Do not fear any of those things "which you are about to suffer… Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10). Also, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–OUR FAITH. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:3-5).

We, contemporary Christians, feel the intensity of this prevailing fear due to our weak faith and commitment to our Savior Jesus Christ. When men and women are to go off to war and confront the enemy, they first undergo rigorous training. No untrained person would be able to fight off the enemy and to survive the battle. It is wise and necessary before we attempt to confront evil, or even fear, to be spiritually prepared not only to confront it but to be victorious.

Spiritual warfare is even more dangerous than conventional war. Saint Paul offers us the means to enter it the proper way: "Finally," he says, "my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Put ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL. For we do NOT wrestle against flesh and blood, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, AGAINST SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES" (Ephesians 6:10-12). Saint Paul continues his advice on how to protect us ourselves from evil: "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with TRUTH, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking THE SHIELD OF FATIH with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, AND THE SWORD OF THE Spirit, which IS THE WORD OF GOD" (Ephesians 6:13-17).

We feel this overwhelming fear today due to the pandemic and the fear of death because we have distanced ourselves from our Creator. There are many of us who have severed ties to the Almighty God. Many have replaced Him with new gods, the gods of avarice and pleasure. We have lost our way by turning away from the Divine Teachings and Commandments of God. We have lost our Christian identity willingly and replaced it with a worldly and secular identity. We condone and tolerate everything which is contrary to our faith. We have forgotten the admonition of our Lord Who says to us, "NO SERVANT (Christians believer) can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON" (Luke 16:13).

If we are to fear anything, we should fear losing our soul. Our Savior Jesus Christ asks us the question, "For what profit is it for a man if he gains the whole world, and LOSES HIS SOUL? Or what will a man give IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL? " (Matthew 16:26). "Furthermore SUBMIT TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:7-8).

Fear can be a negative power or a positive one. Fear is negative when we submit to it and allow it to control us. Fear can be a positive force in our lives when it warns us of coming danger and threat. We must maintain control over our emotions and passions and instead surrender our lives over to Christ God. We should never doubt His unconditional love for us which He has proven through the Life-Giving Cross, His sacrifice to save all of mankind from evil and death.

Trust in our Lord and never fear!

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostom

+ + +

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

+ Father George

“The inward life of the Church is the mystical cooperation of Christ as the Head, with the Church as His Body, in the Holy Spirit, by means of all mutually strengthening ties: ‘ This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church’, instructs the holy Apostle Paul (Eph. 5:32). Also in 1 Corinthians 4:1, the Apostles called themselves “stewards of the mysteries of God.”

The name of “mystery” has become well known in the Church as referring to seven rites or sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation, Communion (the Eucharist), Repentance, Priesthood, Matrimony, and Unction. “The Mysteries are ‘means which unfailingly act by Grace upon those who come to them,” as is said in the “Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs” (par. 15).

In the Holy Tradition of the Church, the believer’s mysteriaki zoe or sacramental life should mean a sanctified life or the new life in Christ God. It is, of course, understood the holy mysteries are the means of grace, and only the means. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Christian believer is constantly guided and inspired to live a righteous life, a life of holiness, a life of virtue, and a life of spiritual renewal.

We, as Orthodox Christians, believe that the Holy Spirit forms Christ within us and He is manifested in us. We also understand that the Holy Spirit does not serve as Christ’s substitute, but He prepares us for Him. We read in the Gospel of Saint John 16:13-14: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you”.

Let us now turn to the well familiar prayer to the Holy Spirit with love and humility:

O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Thou are everywhere
and fill all things. Treasury of blessings and Giver of life come and
abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls,
O Good One! Amen.

A blessing offered to all of you:

The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the
love of God and Father, and the communion of
the Holy Spirit be with you all. (Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom)

“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!

– Saint John Chrysostom

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

+ Father George

HIS LIFE IS MINE

By Archimandrite Sophrony

Through Dark to Light

“A man is born into the world” (John 16:21). Before Christ, no one ever greeted with such rapture the appearance of MAN as He Who had created man. The Creator of the universe rejoiced more man than ALL THE REST OF THE COSMOS. Man, competed and perfected, is wondrous, even as God is wondrous. He is IMMORTAL and SUPRA-COSMIC. He is more than A MICROCOSM-he is MICROTHEOS. For the Eternal Logos/Word of the Father to be made flesh “IN THE LIKENESS OF MAN” (Philippians 2:7) means that, with the gift of love, MAN, IN TURN, MAY BECOME LIKE GOD, even to identity.

Between God and man, there is and must be commensurability in spite of all that is non-commensurable. To dismiss this idea of commensurability would make it totally impossible to interpret any form of cognition as truth–that is, as corresponding to the reality of Primordial Being. If man by the nature of his spirit is not “LIKE UNTO GOD”, then neither could God COULD HAVE BEEN MADE MAN. In the lofty bliss of His All-Perfect Being God, infinite goodness, desired to bestow this bliss ‘OUTSIDE’ Himself, and so He created a world of reasonable beings. He did NOT create them for a part only of His bliss–any elements of limitation would indicate UNLIKENESS and rule out Eternal unity with Godon the highest plane…

“…The tragedy of creation came with the fall and continues in our perpetual instability. Prone to evil, we detest and fight evil; in our longing FOR THE ABSOLUTE GOOD, FOR GOD, WE PUSH Him away ad resist Him.

Christ, having linked God and man INSEPARABLY IN Himself, is the one and only solution of the apparently insoluble conflict. He is like in truth “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42). He is the measure OF ALL THINGS, Divine and human. He is the sole way to the Father. He is the sun which ILLUMINATES THE UNIVERSE. Only in His Light can the way be seen…

“…By darkness, by all that defiles, WE MEAN PRIDE. PRIDE IS AT THE ROOT OF EVERY SIN. Christ began His preaching on earth by A CALL TO REPENTANCE– TO A RADICAL ALTERATION IN OUR APPROACH TO LIFE. Our normal perspective changes to its opposite: HUMILITY RAISES, PRIDE CASTS DOWN. God manifests Himself to us IN ABSOLUTE HUMILITY. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF REPENTANCE WHICH HAS NO END ON EARTH, FOR AN END WOULD INDICATE PERFECT DEIFICATION (THEOSIS)–EQUALITY WITH Christ-God.

It is a fact that sorrowful prayer becomes all-enveloping. There is nothing left in mind or heart: DEATH ENGULFS ALL CREATION, OURSELVES FIRST AND FOREMOST. And lo, there appears that which “EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER HAS ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN” (cf. Corinthians 2:9)–a ray of the UNCREATED Sun to pierce DEEP INTO OUR DARKNESS.

The Divine Light, hidden, mysterious by nature, imparts NEW LIFE TO THE SOUL. Immaterial by nature, yet sometimes to be seen, it gently draws to itself the spirit of man; and the earth and its alarms are forgotten. MEEK, it is more powerful than aught else. It comforts the soul; the heart melts; the mind is stilled. IT IS LIFE SUFFUSED WITH LOVE (AGAPE). Doubt and fear ARE DRIVEN OUT. DEATH FLEES BEFORE ITS FACE.

O Holy Spirit, mysterious Light;
O Light inscrutable, Light beyond all name:
Come and abide in us.
Deliver us from the darkness of ignorance;
and fill us with the stream of Thy knowledge.

This Light is the Light of Divinity. Ineffably tender, one is unaware of its approach. It may come in the night watch. Or at bright noon-day. As even light, entire, it is the breath of love. It brings peace. It brings an experience of RESURRECTION. The spirit of man enters the realm WHERE DEATH IS NO MORE. Time is at a standstill. The world, hitherto DEVOURED BY DEATH, COMES TO LIFE.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Light everlasting;
Who from the Father didst shine forth before all worlds;
Who didst open the eyes of the man that was born blind:
Do Thou open the eyes of our hearts;
and grant us to behold Thee, Our Creator, and Our God.

ON JANUARY 1st
OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH
COMMEMORATES SAINT BASIL THE GREAT,
ARCHBISHOP OF CAESAREA IN CAPPADOCIA

By Amphilochius, Bishop of Amaseia

Basil, preeminent among hierarchs, wisest of saintly teachers, and a wondrous favorite of God, was born in Cappadocia toward the end of the Great Constantine’s reign.  His father was also named Basil, and his mother, Emmelia.  He learned to read at the age of seven, and progressed so rapidly in his studies that five years later he was already engaged in philosophical inquiry.  Eventually, he forsook his homeland and moved to Athens, the fount of Hellenic (Greek) wisdom, where he took lessons with the renowned teacher Evvulus, at the same time visiting the schools of Hymerius and Proeresius.  Basil soon equaled, then surpassed his teachers, who were amazed at his diligence and intelligence, and still more at his modesty and purity.  In Athens, Basil became friends with Gregory the Theologian, later Bishop of Nazianzus.  Between Basil and Gregory a warm and unbreakable bond of love was formed, for both were meek, chaste, and upright…

   “…The wondrous Basil devoted much effort to attain an understanding of Divine mysteries, to the point of neglecting to eat…One night, while he was meditating on the Only Wise Creator and True God, a Divine ray penetrated his heart, kindling in him a fiery longing to comprehend the Scriptures on the most profound level.  Leaving Athens and his friend Gregory, Basil went to Egypt.  During this time he significantly deepened his understanding of the True faith…

   “…Basil and Evvulus returned to the Holy City and remained there for one year.  Afterward, they went to Antioch, where Archbishop Meletius ordained Basil to the Diaconate.  In Antioch Basil occupied himself with studying the Scriptures.  Before he departed for Cappadocia, his homeland, still accompanied by Evvulus.  As they were nearing Caesarea, Leontius, Archbishop of that city, had a dream in which he was told of their approach and that Basil would eventually inherit his See.  The next morning, Leontius summoned his archdeacon and several esteemed clergymen, commanding them to go to the eastern gates of the city and bring him the two strangers they found there.  Leontius was amazed when Basil and Evvulus were presented to him because they were the same men he saw in the dream.  Thereupon, he ordered the table set and summoned his clergy and the most eminent citizens.  When everyone had assembled, he explained to them his dream.  With one voice the clergy exclaimed, “God ahs indicated your successor to you because of your virtuous life! Do with him as you think best.  The Lord has clearly chosen him, and he is WORTHY OF ALL RESPECT.”

   “… In Caesarea Basil became a monk, and imitated the manner of life he had observed while visiting the ascetics of Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Mesopotamia.  He was ordained Presbyter (Priest) by Hermogenes, who became Archbishop after Leontius died, and was appointed instructor of all the monks living in the Diocese.  When Hermogenes departed the world, the people wished to have the holy Basil as their Prelate, remembering how he had been forechosen and considering him worthy of the episcopacy, but the Saint, who disliked being held in high esteem, hid from them.  Basil decided to retire not the wilderness of Pontus…

   “…Basil was able to convince his good friend Gregory the Theologian to join him at  the Pontus retreat.  Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Saints compiled A RULE (MONASTIC) FOR COENOBITES.  The blessed Emmelia, Basil’s mother who resided in a village across the river Iris, provided their food.  She was already a widow and was devoting her remaining years to pleasing God.

   The time came when both Basil and Gregory had to leave the wilderness and serve the Church, which was then troubled by HERETICS.

   “…Before long, Archbishop Eusebius surrendered his spirit into God’s hands while resting in Basil’s arms.  The Great Basil was elevated to the Archiepiscopal throne and CONSECRATED BY NUMEROUS BISHOPS, among whom was Gregory of Nazianzus, father of Gregory the Theologian… Basil governed the Church of Christ well and ordained his brother Peter to the Priesthood.  Peter assisted the Saint considerably and eventually, Basil appointed him Bishop of Sevastea.  At that time their mother, the blessed Emmelia, departed to the Lord.  She was more than ninety years old.  Her children were known for their outstanding virtue, especially Basil and Peter, another son, Gregory Bishop of Nyssa, and her eldest daughter Makrina.  (Source:  The Great Collection of The Lives of the Saints)

(To be continued)

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“Glory Be To GOD For All Things!” +Saint John Chrysostomos

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

+Father George