My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

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

INNER UNITY OF THE TRIODION

THE MEANING OF THE GREAT FAST [Lent]

Fifth Sunday. This corresponds closely to the preceding Sunday: just as the Fourth Sunday of Holy and Great Lent is dedicated to Saint Climacus, THE MODEL OF ASCETICS, so the Fifth Sunday celebrates SAINT MARY OF EGYPT, the MODEL OF PENITENTS. Like that of Saint John Climacus, her feast has been transferred from the fixed calendar, where she is commemorated on 1st April. Her life, recounted by Saint Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem — it is read on Thursday in the Fifth Week — sets before us A TRUE VERBAL ICON OF THE ESSENCE OF REPENTANCE. In her youth Saint Mary lived in a dissolute and sinful way at Alexandria. Drawn by curiosity, she journeyed with some pilgrims to Jerusalem, arriving in time for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. But when she tried to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with the others, an invisible force thrust her back at the threshold. This happened three or four times. Brought to sudden contrition by this strange experience, she prayed all night with tears to the Mother of God, and next morning she found to her joy that she could enter the church without difficulty. After venerating the Holy Cross, she left Jerusalem on that same day, made her way over the Jordan River, and settled as a solitary in a remote region of the desert. Here for 47 years she remained, hidden from the world, until she was eventually found by the ascetic Saint Zosimas, who was able to give her Holy Communion shortly before her death.

On this day the first Canon at Orthros (Matins) is based on the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31): like the Parable of the Good Samaritan on the previous Sunday, this is applied symbolically TO THE REPENTANT CHRISTIAN.

The Sixth Week of Holy and Great Lent. During the divine service of this week, and to a still greater extent during HOLY AND GREAT WEEK, the Triodion assumes the character of A HISTORICAL NARRATIVE. Day by day we accompany our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: we are with Him as He draws near to Jerusalem, as He reaches Bethany to raise Lazarus, as He enters the Holy City on Palm Sunday, as He approaches HIS PASSION. The daily Offices are marked by a sense of advancing movement and dramatic realism. Each day we call to mind, as exactly as possible, the thinigs that must have occurred on the corresponding day during the last year of our Lord Christ’s Earthly Ministry (Diakonia).

All this is NOT to be seen merely as the bare commemoration of occurrences in the distant past. On the contrary, through the liturgical celebration we RELIVE THESE EVENTS, PARTICIPATING IN THEM AS CONTEMPORARIES. We are raised from the level of secular time, as measured by the clock or calendar, TO THE LEVEL OF ‘LITURGICAL’ OR’ SACRED’ TIME; WE ARE TRANSFERRED TO THE POINT WHERE THE VERTICAL DIMENSION OF ETERNITY BREAKS INTO LINEAR TIME. This transposition of past into present, OF REMEMBRANCE INTO REALITY, is expressed in the liturgical texts above all through the word TODAY. So we chant on the Saturday of Lazarus, "TODAY Bethany proclaims beforehand the RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.’ ‘TODAY Christ comes to the house of the Pharisee’, we state on Holy and Great Wednesday, ‘and the sinful woman draws near and falls down at His feet… ‘TODAY Judas makes a covenant with the chief priests.’ ‘TODAY the Master of Creation stands before Pilate’, we say on Holy and Great Friday: ‘…TODAY He Who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross.’ So also at Pascha Midnight we affirm: ‘YESTERDAY I was buried with Thee, O Christ, and TODAY I rise with Thine arising. YESTERDAY I was crucified with Thee…’ We shall not understand the meaning of these last two weeks in the Tridion unless wew listen to this word TODAY that resounds at each service. It is not a mere metaphor or an instance of poetic licence, but EMBODIES A SPECIFIC SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. ALL that was witnessed by the crowds in Holy and Great Week, ALL the words addressed to the Holy Disciples and Apostles, ALL THE SUFFERING UNDERGONE BY OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST — THE ARE ALL TO BE EXPERIENCED HERE AND NOW BY US. [Resources: The Lenten Triodion]

__________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +



With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

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

HOLY AND GREAT LENT: THE AKATHISTOS HYMN TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
[THEOTOKOS]

A Prayer of Saint Basil the Great
[Great Compline]

LORD, O Lord, that hast delivered us from every arrow that flieth by day, do Thou
deliver us also from every thing that walketh in darkness. Accept the lifting up of
our hands as an evening sacrifice. And vouchsafe us blamelessly to pass through
the course of the night, being untempted of evils; and deliver us from every
troubling and fear which cometh to us of the devil. Grant compunction to our souls;
and to our thoughts, mindfulness of the inquisition at Thy terrible and just judgment.
Nail down our flesh with the fear of Thee, and mortify our members which are upon
the earth, that through the quiet of sleep we may rejoice in the vision of Thy judgments.
And remove from us every shameful imagining and hurtful desire. And raise us up
at the hour of prayer, established in faith, and advancing in Thy commandments, by
the grace and the goodness of Thine Only-begotten Son, with Whom Thou art blessed,
with Tine All-Holy and Good and Life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages
of ages. Amen.

THE AKATHISTOS HYMN

One of the greatest marvels of Greek religious poetry, with a richness of imagery that is the despair of any translator, the Akathistos Hymn has twenty-four main stanzas, alternatively long and short: each long stanza bear the title ‘ikos’ and ends with the refrain ‘Hail, Bride without bridegroom,’ while each short stanza is termed ‘kontakion’ and ends with the refrain ‘Alleluia.’ The title ‘AKATHISTOS’ means literally ‘NOT SITTING,’ the hymn being so called because is made up of praises addressed to the Holy Ever-Virgin, each beginning with the salutation of the Archangel Gabriel, ‘HAIL’ or ‘REJOICE’ (Luke 1:38). The Hymn passes in review the main events connected with Christ’s Incarnation, starting with the Annunciation (first ikos) and ending with the Flight into Egypt (sixth ikos) and the Presentation in the Temple (seventh kontakion).

The Akathistos Hymn, so it seems, was originally composed at an epoch when the Annunciation was still celebrated together with Christmas and had not yet become a separate festival. Perhaps at one time it was sung on 26 December, the Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos. It was probably during the reign of the Emperor Justinian (527-65) that the Annunciation first began to be celebrated on 25 March; and either when this happened or else soon after–and in any case not later than 718 – the Akathistos Hymn was also appointed to be sung on 25 March. More recently, perhaps during the period of the TOURKOKRATIA (TURKISH OCCUPATION) after the Fall of Queen City of Constantinople (1453), the Hymn was transferred from the fixed to the movable calendar, and instead of being sung on 25 March it was appointed for Saturday of the Fifth Week. The custom of singing a portion of the HYMN AT COMPLINE ON THE FIRST FOUR FRIDAYS OF HOLY AND GREAT LENT IS MORE RECENT STILL:while found among the Greeks, such a practice IS NOT PART OF THE SLAV USE.

The link between the Akathistos Hymn and the Feast of the Annunciation still continues to be much in evidence: for example, most of the texts at Friday Vespers before the Vigil of the Akathistos are taken directly from the Office for 25 March. The Annunciation almost always falls within the period of the Great Fast, and that is why this special Office of praise to the Mother of God has found a place in the Lenten Triodion.

At the beginning of the Akathistos Hymn, there is sung a Kontakion greatly loved by the Orthodox people, ‘To thee, our leader in battle and defender…’, celebrating the deliverance of the city 0f Constantinople from its enemies through the aid of the Mother of God. It seems that this Kontakion was not originally part of the Akathistos Hymn, for in the Hymn itself there is nowhere any allusion to such a deliverance. Most probably the Kontakion was written from the attack of the Persians and Avars in 626 A.D.; in that case, the Akathistos Hymn is almost certainly more ancient than the Kontakion. Understood in the broader sense, the Kontakion expresses, in the conscience of the Orthodox faithful, their sense of continuing DEPENDENCE ON THE PROTECTING INTERCESSION OF THE HOLY AND EVER VIRGIN MARY AT ALL MOMENTS OF CRISIS AND PERIL. (Resources: The Lenten Triodion]

A BLESSED FORTY-DAY FAST TO ALL OF YOU!

_______________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father Georrge

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our OnlyTrue Lord, God, and Savior,

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

HOLY AND GREAT LENT: LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED

One of the distinctive features of Holy and Great Lent weekdays is the LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED, celebrated according to present practice on each Wednesday and Friday, but at one time on every weekday of Lent. Strictly speaking, the term ‘Liturgy’ is a misnomer, for THERE IS NO EUCHARISTIC CONSECRATION at this divine service; it is simply THE OFFICE OF VESPERS, followed by the distribution of Holy Communion FROM ELEMENTS CONSECRATED ON THE PREVIOUS SUNDAY. The full celebration of the Holy Eucharist, being always a festive and triumphant event, is felt to be inconsistent with the austerity of the weekday Lenten Fast; and so already in the 4th century it was laid down that there should be no complete celebration of the Divine Liturgy during Lent except on Saturday and Sunday. But so as to enable the faithful to receive Holy Communion frequently, and in some places even daily — the order to communicate frequently, and in some places even daily — the order of the Presanctified Liturgy was devised.

Many moments in the Presanctified Liturgy recall the period when Lent WAS A TIME OF FINAL TRAINING BEFORE THE RECEPTION OF BAPTISM, THE MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) OF LIGHT OR ‘ILLUMINATION.’ Thus between the two Old Testament lessons, the priest, holding the censer and a lighted candle, blesses the congregation, saying: ‘THE LIGHT OF CHRIST SHINES UPON ALL’; and, following the Litany for the Catechumens and their dismissal, there is during the second half of Lent an additional Litany ‘FOR THOSE WHO ARE READY FOR ILLUMINATION.’ Each time we take part in the Liturgy of the Presanctified, we should ask ourselves: IN A WORLD THAT IS INCREASINGLY ALIENATED FROM CHRIST, WHAT HAVE I DONE SINCE LAST LENT TO SPREAD THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL? AND WHERE ARE THE CATECHUMENS IN OUR ORTHODOX CHURCHES TODAY?

On Wednesdays and Fridays in Holy and Great Lent, as indeed throughout the year, the normal hymns to the Mother of God (Theotokos) known as ‘THEOTOKIA’ are replaced by ‘STAVROTHEOTOKIA,’ that is, hymns referring both to the Cross and to the Theotokia, and describing the Mother’s grief as she stands beside the Cross of her Son. Through these hymns, we are made conscious of the Blessed Virgin’s participation in our observance of Holy and Great Lent.

THE FIRST WEEK OF HOLY AND GREAT LENT: Monday and Friday. At Compline service on the FIRST FOUR DAYS OF LENT, the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete is read, divided into FOUR SECTIONS; on Thursday in the FIFTH WEEKs it will be read again, this time in continuous form. With its constant refrain, ‘HAVE MERCY UPON ME, O GOD, HAVE MERCY UPON ME,’ the Great Canon forms A PROLONGED CONFESSION OF SIN, AN UNREMITTING CALL TO REPENTANCE. At the same time, it IS A MEDITATION ON THE WHOLE BODY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE, EMBRACING ALL THE SINNERS AND ALL THE RIGHTEOUS FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE COMING OF CHRIST. Here, more than anywhere else in the Triodion, we experience Holy Lent AS A REAFFIRMATION OF OUR ‘BIBLICAL ROOTS.’ Throughout the Great Canon the two levels, the historical and the personal, are skillfully interwoven. ‘THE EVENTS OF THE SACRED HISTORY ARE REVEALED AS EVENTS OF MY LIFE; GOD’S ACTS IN THE PAST AS ACTS AIMED AT ME AND MY SALVATION, THE TRAGEDY OF SIN AND BETRAYAL AS MY PERSONAL TRAGEDY.’ The appeal of the Great Canon is very wide: [Resources:  The Lenten Triodion]

________________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

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

HOLY AND GREAT LENT: THE PRAYER OF SAINT EPHRAIM

The Prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian is a central, daily Lenten petition in the Orthodox Christian Church that entreats the Almighty and Merciful God to remove unholy spiritual habits-especially SLOTH, DESPAIR, LUST FOR POWER, AND IDLE TALK–and replace them with virtues like CHASTITY, HUMILITY, PATIENCE AND AGAPE. It is recited with PROSTRATIONS (METANOIES) to strengthen and encourage repentance and self-awareness. The Prayer is brief, sober, yet remarkably complete, this prayer takes us to the very heart of what Holy Lent means.

THE PRAYER OF SAINT EPHRAIM

"O Lord and Master of my life,
take from me the spirit of sloth,
despair, lust of power, and idle
talk. (Prostration)

But give me the spirit of chastity,
humility, patience, and love to
Thy servant. (Prostration)

Yes, O Lord and King grant me to
see my own transgressions, and
not to judge my brother, for blessed
art Thou, unto ages of ages. Amen."

Our Holy Orthodox Church very wisely provides the faithful with another spiritual tool to understand the purpose and meaning of Holy Lent. It helps us to focus on transformation. It is a concise summary of our Lenten journey, concentrating on transforming our soul from apathy to active love.

Addressing key sins such as sloth (Laziness) or the lack of desire to do good or pray. To avoid falling into despair or despondency which happens to those who lose hope because of a weak faith. The other temptation is the lack of commitment to control the urge to control or impose one’s will. Furthermore, we must avoid completely idle talk/gossip which is a very harmful discussion, a sign of vanity and conceit.

Instead, with the help and guidance from our Holy Church we place all of our attention in cultivating virtues. It asks for CHASTITY (inner integrity/purity, HUMILITY (true self-assessment, PATIENCE (self-control, and AGAPE (LOVE).

The Orthodox Christian’s Final Petition is specifically for the grace to concentrate on one’s OWN SINS rather than judging and criticizing others.

This solemn and inspiring Prayer is used in the divine services of Holy and Great Lent (excluding Saturday and Sundays).

For those who are unfamiliar with how to execute the prostrations during the Prayer of Saint Ephraim is as follows: The prostrations are three major prostrations (kneeling to the ground and bowing, touching your forehead to the ground).

With sincere agape in His Divine Diakonia,
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

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

OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR
JESUS CHRIST.

In our Holy Orthodox Faith, commitment to our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ is defined as a total, lifelong, and voluntary surrender of one’s entire being (intellect, will, and heart) to Him, aiming for transformation, or theosis (deification or union with God). It is not merely intellectual belief, but a practical, lived reality within the Holy Church through Mysteries (Sacraments) worship, and agape of neighbor.

Our life in Christ is a daily, conscious effort to live according to God’s will, often described as a "LIFE OF MARTYRDOM" (witnessing) in our daily decisions and actions. Central to this commitment for all Orthodox Chrstians is constant, active participation in the Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion), prayer, repentance/repentance. This spiritual ascesis or struggle involves the process of sanctification–purifying oneself (catharsis), from passions, struggling against sin, and detaching from worldly, selfish pursuits to become more like our Lord Christ.

Saint John Climacus speaking on the importance of repentance says, "Repentance is the renewal of baptism and is a contract with God for a fresh start in life. Repentance goes shopping for humility and is ever distrustful of bodily comfort. Repentance is the daughter of hope and the refusal to despair. The penitent stands guilty–but undisgraced. Repentance IS RECONCILIATION WITH THE LORD BY THE PERFORMANCE OF GOOD DEEDS, WHICH ARE THE OPPOSITE OF THE SINS. It is the purification of conscience and the voluntary endurance of affliction…".

The Christian cannot contemplate having a spiritual life without being willing to be obedient to the Almighty God and His Commandments. Saint John Climacus says that "obedience IS A TOTAL RENUNCIATION OF OUR OWN LIFE, and it shows up clearly in the way we act. Or, again, obedience IS THE MORTIFICATION OF THE MEMBERS WHILE THE MIND REMAINS ALIVE. Obedience is unquestioned movement, death freely accepted, a simple life, danger faced without worry, an unprepared defense before God, fearlessness before death, a safe voyage, a sleeper’s journey. Obedience is the burial place of the will and the resurrection of lowliness…Indeed, to obey is, with all deliberateness, to put aside the capacity to make one’s own judgment."

The greatest example of commitment to our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ is of our Holy Martyrs who suffered tortures and died praising our All-Merciful God. Commitment is not about offering words of support and affection. There are those who constantly pledge faithfulness and claim their willingness to serve the Lord, however, they fall short of any real commitment. It is sad and unfortunate that there are some Christians who perform as actors in a theatrical play and attempt to convince all those around them of their great faith and devotion but it is all a delusion. Those Christians who truly are committed never boast or attempt to attract any attention unto themselves but are very humble and meek.

All believers ought to make every effort to practice their faith sincerely and without compromising it in any way. Commitment to Christ is inseparable from commitment to His Body, the Orthodox Church, where He is known and worshipped. The Orthodox Christian believes that faith is made complete through agape, requiring service (diakonia) to others as an expression of agape for our Savior God. It is understood that true commitment is a free, personal, and voluntary act of the heart (the center of the human person) rather than a compelled action.

Living in a very unstable and filled with wickedness and turmoil world, Christian parents should prepare their children for the dangers they will encounter and how to protect themselves. It is imperative that Christian children have strong Christian faith, values and morality. To teach them how important and necessary it is to pray with conviction and truthfulness seeking God’s guidance and protection. The Holy Fathers of the Church have said that the study of the psalms (Old Testament) are truly inspiring and help to learn how to pray; one such psalm is the 50[51] Psalm which is used in our divine services constantly. It begins, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin… This psalm is called "A Prayer of Repentance" and was written by the Prophet and king David.

The life of moral perfection, according to our Holy Scripture and the Fathers of the Church is a call to a life in Christ, that is, a Christ-like life. Consequently, the spirituality of the Orthodox Christian is portrayed as a life in Christ, a life of commitment to the Lord, and a complete submission or obedience to His will. One lives only to do everything for our Lord Christ’s sake, as Christ wants it and as Christ would do it.

The Christian commitment to Christ must be made by an inner, free act and is not compelled by any external force, not even by God. "Man is free and able to enter into relations with both kingdoms – the kingdoms of Light and that of darkness." These kingdoms, the spiritual and the satanic, are hidden, not in the mind, but much deeper in the soul — "under the mind, beneath the surface of the thoughts," as Saint Makarios (4th century) asserts.

Orthodox spirituality is described throughout the centuries as life in Christ, striving for moral and spiritual perfection. The mystical union in Orthodox spirituality is not the "devout life" that some sects claim but THE COMMUNION OF THE PERSON WITH GOD.

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A BLESSED AND MOST INSPIRING AND UPLIFTING HOLY LENT!

________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things."
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

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

Orthodox "Unceasing Prayer": "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
have mercy on me, a sinner" or "Jesus Prayer."

In our Holy Orthodox Tradition we have profound spiritual wealth in every aspect of our Christian faith. A specifically Christian prayer presupposes two foundational beliefs: (a) belief in God Who is of personal nature but surpasses or transcends the worldly order which He created and Who has been revealed in the Holy Bible as the Creator of All things and the Ruler over His creation; (b) acceptance of an intimate relation between God and man, brought to the knowledge of man by the redemptive work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Incarnate.

The Orthodox Christian Jesus Prayer is a cornerstone of Orthodox spirituality, rooted in 4th-5th century Desert Monasticism (e.g. Saint John Chrysostomos) and popularized by the Philokalia. It is used to achieve "UNCEASING PRAYER" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), focusing the mind on our Lord and Savior on Jesus Christ, fostering humility, and fighting temptation. It is often said using a Prayer Rope (Komboskini). The prayer combines the Publican’s prayer ("God be merciful to me a sinner," Luke 18:13 and the cry of the blind man ("Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me," (Mark 10:47). It emerged in the 4th-5th century in early Monasticism as a short formula for mental prayer. Its development is tied to the Monastic Tradition of the Sinai, Egypt, and Mt. Athos. Also, in the 14th century Hesychasm, became central to Hesychasm, a tradition of INNER STILLNESS AND CONTEMPLATION, defended by one of the great Holy Fathers of the Church Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, Greece. The purpose and goal is to bring the mind of the believer into the heart, allowing the prayer to become a constant state of being rather than just an action. The Jesus Prayer affirms the two central tenets of the Holy Gospel the DIVINE and HUMAN NATURE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD.

The Jesus Prayer is repeated constantly–during work, travel or at designated times. A Prayer Rope (Komboskini) is used to concentrate on the prayer. The Prayer Rope may have 33, 50, 100,300 knots which is often used to maintain count. It can be said sitting, standing, or with prostrations, often accompanied by the sign of the cross. There are variations i.e., "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner" (Full form). "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me." "Lord, have mercy." "Jesus, mercy." The purpose again is to UNITE THE BELIEVER WITH THE ALMIGHTY GOD CALLED (THEOSIS OR DEIFICATION).

Abba (Father) Macarius of Egypt said there is no need to waste time with words. It is enough to hold out you hands and say, "Lord, according to Your desire and Your wisdom, have mercy." If pressed to the struggle, say, "Lord, save me!" or say "Lord." He knows what is best for us, and will have mercy upon us.

The Orthodox Christian is never very far from the Holy Scripture which reveres and believes that it is truly the word of God. How can any Christian not make the Holy Scripture a daily spiritual nourishment and be inspired by the word of God. Can anyone be a Christian and never to feel the need to read the Holy Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. There is an inspiring prayer that the Orthodox priest says before he reads the Gospel lesson of the day during the Divine Liturgy which is: "Shine in our hearts, O Merciful Master, the pure light 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 unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Eternal Father, and Thine All-Holy, Good, and Life-Creating Spirit, now and forever, and from all ages to all ages. Amen."

Along with prayer, fasting, repentance, forgiveness and worship, the Orthodox faithful practice philanthropy. If one truly practices his Christian faith daily he or she cannot exclude helping the poor. The Greek word Philanthropia (from the Greek Φιλανθρωπία), the Greek φιλείν, to love; and ανθρωπος, man. In the Orthodox Church the term ‘philanthropia’ bears a Doctrinal connotation as well as moral implications. In the New Testament, ‘philanthropia’ was used by Saint Paul (Titus 3:4) to describe God’s agape for man as manifested by the Incarnation of His Only-Begotten Son.

The Doctrine of ‘PHILANTHROPOS GOD’ is frequently used in ethical admonitions; as God love man, so man MUST LOVE HIS FELLOW MAN. The moral connotation of ‘philanthropia’ has been concretely translated in the Church’s overall concern for charity expressed by way of philanthropic institutions such as orphanage, homes for the aged, reformatory institutions, and other foundations of social welfare. Our Lord Jesus Chrsit makes it mandatory when He says, "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will also answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as YOU DID NOT DO IT TO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, YOU DID NOT DO IT TO ME.’ And these will go into EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT, BUT THE RIGHTEOUS INTO ETERNAL LIFE" (Matthew 25:41-46). Jesus identifies Himself with the POOR AND THE OUTCAST and invites to brotherhood ALL WHO ARE KINDLED WITH LOVE FOR OTHERS (1 John 4:20). These ARE CROWNED WITH GRACE.

Therefore when the Orthodox Christian is traversing through Holy and Great Lent while focusing and concentrating on fasting and prayer we cannot ignore the plight of our fellow man who is struggling daily. We live in a materialistic world where greed and the desire for amusement and fun (pleasure) is beyond the pale. Today’s two main idols of humanity are MONEY and PLEASURE (GREED AND HEDONISM (PLEASURE). No one can speak or think of having a spiritual life if he or she is absorbed by either one of these grave sins. The Lenten period affords us the opportunity to overcome and free ourselves from these major temptations and passions. We cannot be hypocrites and pretend to be Christians as long as we are enslaved by these wicked desires. Abstaining from certain foods will NOT save a person but doing God’s will and abiding by His Commandments.

"LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME, A SINNER"

___________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

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

A CALL TO FORGIVE

JESUS SAID TO THEM:

"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything
against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven
may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not
forgive, NEITHER WILL YOU FATHER IN HEAVEN
FORGIVE YOUR TRESPASSES" (Mark 11:25-26).

"Then Jesus said, ‘Father FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY
KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO" (Luke 23:34).

"Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often
shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?
Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say
to you, up to seven times, but UP TO SEVENTY
TIMES SEVEN" (Matthew 18:21-22).

THE LORD JESUS SAID:

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men
their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses" (Matthew 6:14-21).

God the Son teaches His Disciples and us the great significance of forgiving others. Our Lord and Savior insists on mutual forgiveness between people as a precondition of God’s forgiveness. Those who do not forgive ARE NOT FORGIVEN. This is repeated by Christ in the Parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:23-35), which concludes with virtually the same words. The opinion that even unforgiving Christians are forgiven by God is contradicted by Christ Himself. The moral action of the faithful, when they forgive others "their trespasses," is bound with the love of God: not to forgive others is willfully to alienate ourselves from the forgiveness of God.

A call to forgive follows the promise of nearly unlimited possibilities of faith in prayer. What can deter faith that is able to move mountains? Failure to forgive–the greatest hindrance to knowing God. Not only does unforgiveness cripple our prayers, but even the "Father in heaven" does not "forgive" the unforgiving. As the fig tree is rejected for bearing no fruit, so are unforgiving people rejected (John 15:1-6).

Orthodox Christians throughout the world begin today 23rd of February the spiritually intense season of Holy and Great Lent. In Orthodox Christian spirituality, PRAYER, FASTING, REPENTANCE, AND FORGIVENESS ACT AS AN INTEGRATED, HOLISTIC SYSTEM FOR SPIRITUAL HEALING,, PURIFICATION, AND UNION WITH GOD. Fasting (voluntary abstinence) and prayer (connection with God) work together to humble the soul, enabling deep repentance (metanoia-a change of mind/heart) and receiving God’s mercy. These disciplines prepare the heart to truly forgive others, which is essential to receive God’s forgiveness.

REPENTANCE (The Core) s not a one time event but a continuous, active process of turning away from sin and toward God, facilitated by self-examination.
FASTING (The Tool) is not merely dietary, but a spiritual, physical discipline that breaks addiction to passions and gluttony, making repentance acceptable to God. It is "training" or "ascesis" for spiritual life.
PRAYER (The Connection) is the fuel for this transformation, strengthening the will through grace to align with God’s will.
FORGIVENESS (The Requirement) is both seeking it and granting it–it is the ultimate test of repentance and a requirement for accessing Divine grace.

According to Saint Kosmas Aitolos, curing the soul requires a combined approach: (1) forgiving enemies (2)thorough confession, (3) self-blame(not accusing others), and (4) resolving to sin no more. Our Church year, particularly, Holy and Great Lent, demonstrates this unity: parishioners engage in fasting and intensified prayer, accompanied by sincere confession to cultivate a "contrite heart" and mutual forgiveness especially on Forgiveness Sunday (Cheeze-Fare Sunday). The ultimate purpose, of course, of this combined effort is to cleanse the heart of sinful, "vengeful thoughts" and to fill it with Divine Light and Agape, rather than just merely following rules.

Holy and Great Lent is a time of renewal and a time of healing. When we sin by disobeying the commandments of God, we injure our soul just as if we committed a crime. As a matter of fact sin is referred to as Egglema (Gr. εγκλημα) or a self-inflicted injury. Just like any injury, the person needs to see a physician, medicine and time to heal the wound. To neglect this opportunity would be detrimental to one’s life and salvation. This most significant spiritual period must be used wisely and with a clear purpose and objective. Couple with self-reflection and prayer, fasting can prove a powerful ally to a believer in his/her struggle to raise himself/herself above gluttony, vanity, anger, and other carnal and material urges and passions. However, fasting is not of the nature of banking credits in heaven, as some seem to believe. There are some that pay more attention to material fasting instead of abstinence from loose living. Saint John Chrysostomos, in an eruption against fasting taken by some to be the embodiment of Christian living, said the famous, "more attention should be paid to things that come out of one’s mouth rather than the things that go in it." Still, fasting may prove invaluable to those who take it seriously and not merely as an expression of outer piety which they feel they should observe.

Let us not surrender to mankind’s adversary, the devil. The vigilant Christian understands that we are constantly engaged in spiritual warfare. Our enemy, the evil one, is much more cunning and deceiving then we are led to believe. Just as he seduced Eve, he can tempt and seduce anyone of us. In the New Testament, the devil is allowed to tempt the Lord, presenting himself as the master of the world (Matthew 4:8-9). He was after the Disciples, especially Saint Peter, but Christ prayed for them, for their faith to remain steadfast. He was considered to be "the prince of the world," but has no power over Christ (John 14:30). Saint Paul and the other Apostles follow this teaching about the devil. Saint Peter recommends sobriety and vigilance as the chief means of resisting him ( I Peter 5:8-9). It is up to the believer to remain steadfast in faith, live according to the sacred commandments of our Lord Christ, and use all the spiritual tools given to us by our Church to fight and by the grace of God to triumph over him.

Kali Sarakosti! A blessed forty-day Holy Lent to All!

_______
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

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

INNER UNITY OF THE TRIODION

The Second Sunday. Since 1368 this Sunday has been dedicated to the memory of Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki (1296-1359). This commemoration forms a continuation of the feast celebrated on the previous Sunday: Saint Gregory’s victory over Barlaam, Akindynos and the other heretics of his time is seen as a renewed Triumph of Orthodoxy. In the earlier period there was on this day a commemoration of the Great Martyr Polycarpos of Smyrna. (+ A.D. 155), whose feast was transferred from the fixed calendar (23 February). This commemoration, like that of Saint Theodore, underlined the connection between Lenten asceticism and the martyr’s vocation. The Second Sunday also takes up the theme of the Prodigal Son AS A MODEL OF REPENTANCE, with the first of the two Canons at Orthors (Matins) being devoted to his Parable.

The Third Sunday (the Sunda of the 14th Cross). On this day the service of Orthros (Matins) concludes with the solemn veneration of the PRECIOUS AND LIFE-GIVING CROSS; the ceremonies are closely parallel to those at the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14th September) and the Procession of the Holy Cross (1st August). The veneration of the Holy Cross on this Third Sunday in Holy and Great Lent PREPARES US FOR THE COMMEMORATION OF THE CRUCIFIXION which is soon to follow in HOLY AND GREAT WEEK, and at the same time IT REMINDS US THAT THE WHOLE OF LENT IS A PERIOD WHEN WE ARE CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST: as the Synaxarion at Orthros (Matins) says, ‘THROUGH THE FORTY-DAY FAST, WE TOO ARE IN A WAY CRUCIFIED, DYING TO THE PASSIONS.’ The dominant note on this Sunday, as on the two Sundays preceding, IS ONE OF JOY AND TRIUMPH. In the Canon at Orthros (Matins), the irmoi are the same as at Pascha (Easter) midnight, ‘This is the day of Resurrection…’. and the troparia (hymns) are in part a paraphrase of the Paschal Canon by Saint John of Damascus. No separation is made between Christ’s death and His Resurrection, but the Cross IS REGARDED AS AN EMBLEM OF VICTORY AND CALVARY IS SEEN IN THE LIGHT OF THE EMPTY TOMB.

The Fourth Sunday> On this day is commemorated Saint John Climacus, Egoumenos (Abbot) of Sinai (6th to 7th century), who is assigned a special Sunday in Holy and Great Lent because, by virtue of his writings and his own life, he forms a pattern OF THE TRUE CHRISTIAN ASCETIC. Saint John is the author of THE LADDER OF PARADISE, one of the spiritual texts appointed to be read in church during Lent. His memorial, like that of Saint Theodore, has been transferred to the movable from the fixed calendar, where he is remembered on 39th of March. The first Canon at Orthros (Matins) on this Sunday is based on the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35): THE REPENTED CHRISTIAN IS LIKENED TO THE MAN WHO FELL AMONG THIEVES. (Resources: The Lenten Triodion)

__________

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

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

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

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT TIME IS

"who has saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to His own
purpose and grace which was given to us IN CHRIST
JESUS BEFORE TIME BEGAN" (2 Timothy 1:9).

In Orthodox theology, God CREATED TIME WITH THE COSMOS to allow finite, human beings to grow in love, mature, and feely choose communion with the Eternal God. Time acts as an interval of this development, with God existing outside of it (Eternity) while simultaneously working within it to redeem creation through Christ. His eminence Kallistos Ware, of blessed memory, in his work, "The Inner Kingdom" asks questions and offers insights and writes: "Our experience of time…is deeply ambivalent," says. "How are we to regard time: an enemy or friend, as our prison or our path to freedom? Which aspect do we find predominant in its double-edged impact upon us: anguish or healing, terror or hope, decay or growth, separation or relationship?"

"In other words, in time simply "eating away" at the successive and finite number of moments that comprise our lives, sweeping us along toward death and and oblivion, or is there purpose and a transcendent "destination" in this movement? Anguish or hope do seem to be very honest responses to such polarizing possibilities. And as Metropolitan Kallistos Ware suggests, we should use the "time" to think hard on just which direction we are inclined toward with these two poles.

His eminence Ware fills us with a sense of hope as he affirms our faith that Christ is the "Alpha and Omega" of time, as well as the midpoint. In addition to this fundamental assertion, he has a wonderful section in this essay under the heading "Time as the Freedom of Love." Furthermore, he writes "It is in the context of freedom and love that the meaning of time can best be appreciated. Time is part of the "distancing" or "contraction" on God’s side which makes it possible for us humans freely to love. It is, as it were, the interspace which enables us to move towards God unconstrained and by our voluntary choice. "Behold I stand at the door and knock," says Christ; "if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20)…Time is the interval between God’s appeal and our answer. We humans need this interval of time so as feely to love God and one another: without the interval of time we cannot engage in the dialogue of love… Time is thus an all-important dimension of our created personhood, the setting that makes it possible forus to choose love. It is time that allows us to respond to God by our own free content that enables our love to mature, that permits us to grow in love."

In the fallen world that we occupy, time has become inextricably linked to mortality and death, but it still remains a gift, as do all aspects of God’s creative will, now redeemed by the advent of Christ. Often, we hear– and may even use– the dreadful phrase "to kill time," either out of boredom or in waiting for something "important" to happen. Yet our Christian vocation is to "sanctify time" as our movement toward the Kingdom which has no end. Every moment counts, because every moment is a gift from God." [Orthodox Church of America]

God is Eternal (non-temporal), existing before the creation of the cosmos. Time is a created, and therefore, non-divine, aspect of the universe with Saint Basil the Great noting that time was created first to give the cosmos a beginning. Tie is designed for the maturation of human love, allowing humans to respond to God through free will. It is the space in which humanity can "meet" the Divine and through communion, move toward deification (theosis). Time acts as the "interval" between God’s call and humanity’s response. It is a "Mysterion or Sacrament of the present moment" that allows for the sanctification of life. Time is seen as a "contraction" that allows for human freedom. It is not merely a linear progression but a space for Divine-human interaction, with the ultimate goal being the union of all things in Christ, fulfilling the "FULLNESS OF TIME." Time has a beginning and an end, and it will be replaced by ETERNITY in the "New heaven and a New earth."

In Orthodox theology views Adam and Eve in Paradise as living in a state of direct communion with God, existing in a "TIMELESS" or "ETERNAL" present rather than managing linear time. The Fall introduced mortality, turning time into a measure of distance from God and a journey back toward Him through theosis (deification). Life was characterized by union with God, where the distinction between time and eternity ws blurred. Adam and Eve were meant to grow in that union, with time serving as a , yet unfulfilled, journey towards greater communion, not a fleeting resource. The Fall brought mortality, and TIME BECAME "BROKEN" OR "FALLEN." IT BECAME A MARKER OF SEPARATION, DECAY, AND THE NEED FOR REDEMPTION. Life became linear and mortal. According to tradition (e.g. The Life of Adam and Eve), they experienced mourning and the need for physical labor, with time now measured by toil, hunger, and anticipation of death, yet still within God’s care. Orthodox theology interprets the story of Adam and Eve through Christ, the "New Adam" who redeems the brokenness of time. Christ’s Resurrection enables humanity to move from the "old" time of morality to the "new time of Eternity, where the Kingdom of God is already present yet still to come.

Some Orthodox thinkers, such as David Bentley Hart and Sergei Bulgakov, view the Fall as occurring outside of, or at the very boundary of, empirical time, making the consequences of the Fall fundamentally shape all human history. In summary, Adam and Eve’s journey is seen as a move from an, initially, harmonious existence, into a fallen state, with time serving, primarily, as a, temporary, context for, ultimate, salvation.

As it has been said, time is inextricably linked to mortality and death. According to Orthodox theology, God allows death not as a punishment, but AS A MERCIFUL, THERAPEUTIC ACT TO PREVENT HUMAN EVIL AND SIN FRO BECOMING ETERNAL. By breaking the union of body and soul, death stops the corruption caused by sin, preventing humanity from becoming fixed in a demonic, immortal state of evil. Because humans are not biologically designed to exist in a state of eternal sin, God introduced death to prevent the "sickness" of sin from becoming permanent. Death provides a necessary, finite boundary that forces a reassessment of life, allowing the opportunity for repentance (metanoia) and ultimate transformation, rather than allowing sin to propagate. Death acts like a "fire" that consumes the decaying body to prevent the spread of spiritual corruption, allowing the person to be "recast" or refined for resurrection. Through Christ’s own death and Resurrection, this ultimate punishment was transformed into A PASSAGE TO ETERNITY, TURNING AN END INTO A NEW BEGINNING. Essentially, death IS THE MECHANISM BY WHICH GOD ENSURES THAT EVIL, WHICH IS UNNATURAL TO HUMANITY, HAS A LIMIT, ALLOWING FOR A NEW CREATION THROUGH THE RESURRECTION.

________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

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

THE CONSEQUENCES OF “INTERFAITH” MARRIAGES AND ITS
IMPACT ON THE ORTHODOX FAMILY AND CHILDREN.

“But for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,
because He is holy” (Joshua 24:15).

“Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them:
‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to
desolation, and every city our house divided
against itself WILL NOT STAND” (Matthew 12:25).

“Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry,
bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity
to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Timothy 5:14).

“And when she and her household were baptized, she
begged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to
the Lord, come to my house and stay.’ So she
persuaded us” (Acts 16:15).

“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet
seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the
saving OF HIS HOUSEHOLD, by which he condemned
the work the world and became heir of the righteousness
which is according to faith” (Hebrews 11:7).

“Yes, I baptized the household of Stephanas” (1 Cor. 1:16).

“So they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you
will be saved, you and YOUR HOUSEHOLD. Then they spoke
the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
And he took them the same hour of the night and washed
their stripes, And immediately he and ALL HIS FAMILY
WERE BAPTIZED” (Acts 16:31).

All Orthodox Christians believe that the Orthodox home is e’ kat’ oikon ekklesia which defines the family as a “domestic church,” an extension of the local parish where faith is lived daily. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said: “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ‘and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25). The Christian home is indeed built on the rock, Who is Christ our God. In the Orthodox Christian home it is Christ who is Master, and He is the center of the household and everything revolves around Him.

According to our Orthodox tradition upon breaking ground of a new home the local priest is asked to bless the foundations: “O God Almighty, Who hast made the heavens with wisdom, and hast established the earth upon firm foundations, the Creator and Author of mankind: Look upon thy servant (name), who whom it hath seemed good too set up a house for his dwelling in the dominion of Thy power, and to rear it by building. Establish Thou the same upon a firm rock, and found it according to Thy word in the Gospel, so that neither wind nor flood nor any other thing shall be able to harm it…” The practice of blessing the house and family continues by having the priest blessing it every year following the holy feast of the Epiphany. It is also the Orthodox tradition to have an icon corner with a vigil light which serves as a place for daily prayer, Scripture reading and where you keep holy water, flowers from the epitaphio, palm crosses, incense burner and incense, candles etc. It is also known as the “beautiful corner.” This is dedicated, Eastward-facing space for holy icons of Jesus Christ, the Theotokos, patron Saints, alongside prayer ropes (Komboschiny).

Orthodox Christian households are encouraged to live out their faith through fasting, reading the Holy Scripture, and using holy water and oil, making the home a place of sanctification. The home church is not an autonomous entity by an extension of the Sacramental life of the parish. The term “domestic church” stems from the early Church, where believers gathered in private homes for the Divine Liturgy before dedicated church buildings were common. The “domestic church” is considered a microcosm of the entire Church, closely tied to the larger community. The home church is fundamentally about transforming daily life into “sacrifice of praise,” bringing the liturgy into the home and making God real and His presence felt. There are also holy icons or crosses over each bed of the family members and throughout the house. The head of the house, the father, blesses his household by burning incense on Sunday mornings and the major holy days of the year.

However, ever since interfaith marriages were permitted in the Orthodox Church many of the above traditions have disappeared except with few exceptions. In the interfaith marriage the non-Orthodox spouse is allowed to keep their own religion, whether Roman Catholic or Protestant or to enter into the Church. The policy of the Church is not to proselytize or compel the non-Orthodox Christian to convert to Orthodoxy. It is, however, agreed by both of the spouses, when blessed with children, to baptize, and raise them, in the Orthodox Faith. It is a fact that when the father and the mother do not share a common Christian faith the couple immediately face serious issues such as where do we worship on Sunday morning? Do we go to the local Orthodox church, the Roman Catholic or the nearest Protestant church? Or, does the husband attend his church and the wife hers? And when they are blessed with children and they are baptized in the Orthodox Church do they attend the Orthodox church with the Orthodox father/mother, and the non-Orthodox spouse/parent goes to his/her church alone? The family is of course divided and most unhappy with the arrangement.

Therefore, interfaith marriage and the home environment is totally in crisis. Because of the different religious adherence of the spouses, the children grow up in a religious void. One would expect that the Orthodox father or mother would assume that responsibility but sadly that is not the reality. The Orthodox home has lost its identity and Christian purpose or goal. Another major issue is that the non-Orthodox parent years later has a change of mind and wants the children to attend her church. The solution that some have come up with is for the children to attend one Sunday at their father’s church and the following Sunday to attend their mother’s church. The result is that the children are confused and do not know where they belong.

There is no question that interfaith marriage significantly impacts Orthodox homes by creating a diverse, often challenging environment for nurturing faith. While it can promote tolerance and broaden cultural perspectives, it frequently leads to lower church attendance, potential conflict over religious practices, and, in some cases, the decline in children maintaining their Orthodox identity. Many of these issues lead to marital conflict and resentment. The ideal solution to this most urgent matter is that the entire family would share a common faith and worship under the same roof.

The impact of interfaith marriage is complex and a significant challenge to the traditional structure of the Orthodox family. The true reality is that because of interfaith marriage the Orthodox household is compromised, undermined, and diluted. We have seen many of our young men and women that have absolutely no connection with the Orthodox Church, the very Church which they were baptized in, and the reason is because they are religiously uninformed and unaware of the treasure they inherited and possess. They were not taught the faith and therefore, have never practiced their faith. How can anyone practice something that they do not know or understand? The problem is severe and very complicated to resolve immediately and without the anticipated repercussions.

The Church leadership needs to address this most important concern and, hopefully, to find, by the grace of God, a way to preserve our Holy Orthodox Tradition and protect the traditional Orthodox household. If not, we may witness in the near future the deterioration and crippling of our Church in the diaspora. [Resources: Orthodox Study Bible)

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

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George