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.

On July 26th Our Holy Orthodox Church Commemorates the Holy Righteous
Martyr Paraskeve (Paraskeva) and the Holy Hieromartyr Hermolaus,
Hermippus, and Hermocrates.

Dismissal Hymn of the Martyrs. Fourth Tone

Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee received
as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our
Immortal God. For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast
down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons’ strengthless
presumption. O Christ God, by their prayers, save our souls,
since Thou art Merciful.

Dismissal Hymn of the Righteous Martyr Paraskeve (Paraskeva). First Tone

Showing a diligence befitting thy calling, O namesake of preparedness, thou
hast gained, as thy dwelling, a faith worthy of thy name, O prizewinning
Paraskeve. Hence, thou pourest forth healing and intercedest for our souls.

+



The Hieromartyr Hermolaus was a priest in Nicomedia in the time of the pagan Emperor Maximian, and was with the 20,000 Martyrs condemned by the Emperor to be burned alive in their church. Saint Hermolaus somehow escaped death on that occasion, together with two other priests, Hermippus and Hermocrates. Hermolaus baptized Saint Panteleimon, with whom he was brought to trial, tortured and finally beheaded. Hermippus and Hermocrates suffered with them, and they were all crowned with wreaths of victory and glory in the Kingdom of Christ. THey suffered with honor in about 304 A.D.

Our Holy Righteous Martyr Paraskeve (Paraskeva) was born in Rome of Christian parents, she was brought up from her earliest youth in the Christian faith and gave herself wholeheartedly to the fulfilling of God’s commandments in her life. Since she was born on Friday (in Greek, Paraskeve), she was given this name, which means "preparation" or "preparedness", where "Friday" is called "the day of preparation" [John 19:31]. She brought others to the Way [Christianity] by means of her true and deep faith and devout life. When her parents died, Saint Paraskeve gave all her goods away to the poor and entered the Monastic life, As a nun, she preached thes truth of Christ with ever more burning zeal, not hiding from anyone, even though the Christian faith was at that time subject to bloody persecution by the pagan Roman authorities. Wicked Jews denounced Paraskeve for preaching a forbidden faith, and she was brought to trial before the pagan Emperor Antoninus. All the Emperor’s flattery was unavailing in shaking the faith of this servant of God. She was then put to torture by fire, and a white-hot helmet was placed on her head, but God saved her miraculously and she escaped and left Rome. She again began to go from city to city, there to bring the pagan people to the true Faith. In two more cities she was brought before Princes and judges, and tortured for her Lord, and quickly recovered from her wounds. The pagans, as ever, called her miracles magic, and ascribed her recovery to the power and mercy of their pagan gods. Saint Paraskeve once said to the Prince who was torturing her: ‘it is not your gods, O Prince, who heal me, but my Christ, the True God.’ She was finally beheaded by Prince Tarasius. Thus gloriously ended the fruitful life of this holy woman. Her holy relics were later tasken to Constantinople. She suffered for Christ in the 2nd Century.

__________
"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.

On the 25th of July, Our Holy Orthodox Church Commemorates
the Holy Dormition of Saint Anna, the mother of the Most Holy
Theotokos.

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Fourth Tone

O GODLY-MINDED Anna, thou didst give birth unto God’s pure
Mother who conceived Him Who is our Life. Wherefore, thou
hast now passed with joy to thy heavenly rest, wherein is the
abode of them that rejoice in glory; and thou asked forgiveness
of sins for them that honor thee with love, O ever-blessed one.

Kontakion Hymn. Second Tone

We celebrated now the memory of Christ’s ancestors, while asking
their help with faith, that we may all be saved from all manner of
tribulation as we fervently cry aloud: Be Thou with us, O Lord our
God, Whose pleasure it was to glorify them both.
+

According to Holy Tradition, Anna, the ancestor of God, lived for sixty-nine years, and her spouse Ioachim, for eighty; according to one account, Iochim died two years before Saint Anna. The Theotokos had been orphaned by both her parents already when she was eleven years of age, when she was living in the Temple. Saint Anna is invoked for conceiving children, and for help in difficult childbirth. Saint Anna’s main feast is on September 9th where her life is written. Saint Anna was of the Tribe of Levi, and was the daughter of Matthan the priest.

Joachim was of the Tribe of Judah, and a descendant of King David. Saint Anna the daughter of Matthan the priest, of the Tribe of Levi as was Aaron the High Priest. This Matthan had three daughters: Mary, Zoia and Anna. Mary was married in Bethlehem and bore Salome; Zoia was also married in Bethlehem and bore Elizabeth, the mother of Saint John Forerunner; and Anna was married in Nazareth to Ioachim, and in old age gave birth to Mary, the Most Holy Mother of God. Ioachim and Anna had been married for fifty years, and were barren. They lived devoutly and quietly, using only a third of their income for themselves and giving a third to the poor and a third to the Temple, and they were well provided for. Once, when they were already old and were in Jerusalem to offer sacrifice to God, the High Priest, Issachar, upbraided Ioachim: ‘You are not worthy to offer sacrifice with those childless hands.’ Others who had children jostled Ioachim, thrusting him back as unworthy. This caused great grief to the two aged souls, and they went home with very heavy hearts. Then the two of them gave themselves to prayer to God that He would work in them the Wonder (Miracle)that He had worked in Abraham and Sarah, and give them a child to comfort their old age. God sent them His Angel, who gave them tidings of the birth of ‘a daughter most blessed, by whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed, and through whom will come the salvation of the world.’ Anna conceived at once, and in the ninth month gave birth to the Holy Virgin Mary. {Source: The Prologue from Ochrid]

_________
"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.

"WORKS" IN SAINT PAUL’S WRITING

Saint Paul uses the term "works" extensively in his epistles (letters), and we encounter his use of the word especially in Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians. By the term, he means human activities which he generally classifies in two categories:

(1) DEAD WORKS: These are (a) works which are evil, such as murder, adultery, idol worship, and robbery. These the Holy Scripture also call "works of the flesh" [Galatians 5:19] and obviously condemn. But, in addition, dead works are (b) works–EVEN GOOD WORKS–DONE FOR THE WRONG REASONS. These are the works which are good in themselves, such as FASTING, GIVING MONEY (ALMS), AND FEEDING THE POOR, BURE DON TO CALL ATTENTION TO ONESELF OR TO GAIN STANDING IN THE COMMUNITY. SELFISH MOTIVATION turns good works to dead works. (The solution to this problem is not to cease fasting, giving or helping but TO TURN FROM THE SIN OF SELF-GLORIFICATION.)

(2) LIVING WORKS: These are deeds which are both good in themselves and done for a good purpose: TO GLORIFY GOD. Good works the Holy Scripture commend. The Holy Apostle Paul teaches they are AN OUTGROWTH OF OUR SALVATION WHEN HE WRITES, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" [Ephesians 2:10]. They CONTRIBUTE TO OUR FAITH, as the Holy Apostle James teaches, "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only [or alone] (James 2:24). When we do LIVING WORKS, WE SEEK TO BRING GLORY TO GOD, NOT TO OURSELVES, THROUGH WHAT WE DO, AND WE RELY UPON THE STRENGTH AND THE GRACE OF GOD.

Some have erroneously understood Saint Paul, particularly in Romans 4, to be condemning works. A careful reading of Romans, however, reveals that Saint Paul is NOT putting down works in general, but DEAD WORKS. Saint Maximus the Confessor, writing in the 7th century, states clearly the view of the Church concerning dead works:

"Many human activities, good in themselves, are not good because of the
motive for which they are done. For example, FASTING, VIGILS, PRAYER, PSALMODY
(THE SINGING OF HYMNS), ACTS OF CHARITY, AND HOSPITALITY are by nature good.
But when performed FOR THE SAKE OF SELF-ESTEEM, (VAINGLORY, SELF-
GLORIFICATION) THEY ARE NOT GOOD. In everything we do, God searches out our
purpose to see whether we do it for Him or for some other motive… right purpose.
For God’s judgment LOOKS NOT AT THE ACTION, BUT AT THE PURPOSE BEHIND
THEM."

Thus, the Orthodox Christian actively cultivates a habit of doing good works FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, AND AS A WAY OF LIFE. The writing of the Holy Apostle Paul are clear. If we are joined to Christ and cleansed from the dishonor of the past, we become "A VESSEL FOR HONOR, SANCTIFIED AND USEFUL FOR THE MASTER, PREPARED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK" [2 Timothy 2:21]. God sets us apart to Himself so we will be productive and useful to Him.

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, " Saint Paul tells the Corinthians, "BE STEADFAST IMMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, KNOWING THAT OUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD" [1 Corinthians 15:58]. (Source: The Orthodox Study Bible)

Personal comment. The evil one who constantly seeks to trick us will use our weaknesses to tempt us and commit sin. One of the many weaknesses that we as human beings possess is vainglory. In the Greek language it is called KENODOXIA [κενοδοξία] (empty glory). Saint John Climacus writes: "Vainglory is a change of nature, a perversion of character, a taking note of criticism. As for its quality, it is a waste of work and sweat, a betrayal of treasure, an offspring of unbelief, a harbinger of pride, shipwreck in port, the ant on the threshing floor, small and yet with designs on all the fruit of one’s labor. The aint waits until the wheat is in, vainglory until the riches of excellence are gathered, the one a thief, the other a wastrel."

The evil one and adversary knows how frail man’s ego is and takes advantage of it every time. He is able to convince us through thoughts (logismoi) that our actions are noble and that what we do is done out of piety and good will. That we have a gift and we are using this gift to serve others but in reality it is to enhance our self esteem. We want others to praise us and to glorify us. We are blinded by our pride and deceived to see that we are used by the evil one to succumb to sin. People in general are always hungry for praise, flattery, and honor. As Christian, however, we need to remember that what we do or contribute should always be for the glory of God and not ourselves. If we are praised by someone to say to him or her, don’t praise me, praise God.

Nothing that we possess is ours but a gift of God. We all have abilities, talents, intellect, and charisms but they were all given to us from our Creator to help others in the Name of God. The Holy Apostle James writes, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights" [James 1:7]. As "Father of Lights", God reigns over both the visible and invisible creation. He is Creator of all and the Giver of spiritual gifts. Then everything that we have that is good is a gift from Him. Thus, we ought to be thankful always for His blessings and the abundance of His gifts to us.

The Christian must never be boastful or proudful but to instead be humble and give glory to God Who endowed him or her with so many good talents so as to serve humanity by bringing joy, peace, and comfort to it. This is how a believer invests the talents that God has given him or her. "For to everyone who has, will more be given, and he will have in abundance; but from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away." What the Lord simply promises, if you use your gifts with diligence and practice, there will be a reward, and a return on your investment. Our talents will be multiplied like a small gift of loaves and fishes which can feed a multitude of people. We hear at the Divine Liturgy "Thine own of Thine own we offer to Thee, in all (time) and for all" (kindness to us.)

The fact of the matter is that we have nothing of our own to offer to God: "Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of Lights" Everything we have we have received from God: "What have you that you did not receive?" (1 Corinthians 4:7). This is why we say in the Divine Liturgy, "we offer to Thee, Thine own from Thine own." Therefore, it would be incorrect to say that the bread and wine we offer to God are "our gifts." The very air that we breath comes from Him. Let us, therefore, offer true thanksgiving to our God and Creator.

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

With sincere agape in His Divine and Holy 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 Lord said:

“Oh how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck
from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eyes?
“Hypocrite! First REMOVE THE PLANK FROM YOUR OWN EYE,
AND THEN YOU WILL SEE CLEARLY TO REMOVE THE SPECK
YOUR BROTHER’S EYE” [Saint Matthew 7:4-5].

In the Orthodox Church, Saint Matthew 7:5 is part of the Sermon on the Mount, a series of three chapters in the Holy Gospel of Matthew. In this verse, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ uses a metaphor of a person with a plank in their eye criticizing someone for a speck in their eye, and argues that the plank must be removed before the speck can be. This verse is a warning from Him against hypocrisy, and encourages people to recognize their own sins before trying to judge others. The Greek word dokon (plank), which Jesus uses to refer to the “log” or “plank” in the eye, literally means “beam or wood”. This helps to emphasize the difference between the seriousness of the fault being judged and the seriousness of the fault of the person doing the judging. Jesus has told His listeners in direct terms NOT TO JUDGE each other, else they will also be judged (Matthew 7:1).

An honest person, especially a follower of Christ, ought first begin with himself or herself, take notice of his/her own sins, reprove himself/herself for them, and REFORM (REPENT); and then it will be soon enough to observe other people. Our Merciful Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is very clear when He says, “Judge NOT, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again…” The true and devout Orthodox Christian is fully aware of the Final Judgment which will take place at the Second Coming of the Lord. This judgment will consider the activities of the Christian, especially in relation to his neighbor. “Judge not,” is both a warning for the Christian, not to exercise judgment against his neighbor and also an indication that by not judging others, he may NOT BE SEVERELY JUDGED BY GOD. The authentic Christian is urged NOT to compromise with the moral principles of the Gospel; he as a Christian is appointed a guardian of the Christian moral code to function in the everyday life of his society.

Dear friends, the practicing Christian has no right to condemn his fellow man, or on the contrary, he should show KINDNESS, AND SYMPATHY. But he does have the right to judge the wrong (sinful) activity in itself. He does not have the right to judge the thief, but has the right to pronounce stealing a crime against society and a sin toward God’s Will. By judging the wrong activity as such , the Christian includes himself, because he is responsible for the poor education of the people which afflicts the members of society at large. The Christian is advised to “cast out the beam from thine own eye.” which means to provide means for greater understanding and sound guidance for all people, young and old, so that all people respect the Law and follow the Divine message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The prohibition, “Judge not.” We ought to judge ourselves, and judge our own actions, but we must not judge our fellow man. Who gave you the authority to do so? Who are you? WE must not sit in the judgment seat, to make our word a law to everybody. We must not speak to our brother, our neighbor. We must not despise him or treat him with contempt. We must know our own sins better than those of others. The “hypocrite” sees the errors of others, ignoring his own, because he loves himself above all else. To judge others indicates pride and conceit which is detrimental to one’s salvation. The Saints of our Holy Orthodox Church considered themselves as the greatest sinner on earth. They would never place themselves on a pedestal to judge others.

The truly humble and devout Christian is full of love for his fellow man who he believes is God’s child and therefore a brother or sister in Christ. It is important that we possess the gift of discernment and emulate our Lord’s example of compassion, mercy, and above all His unconditional love for all including the sinner. The Holy Apostle Paul asks us, “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For WE SHALL ALL STAND BEFORE THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST” [Romans 14:10]. Belittling criticism of others is another way pride is revealed in our speech. It is a lack of faith united with evil works, an offense both to the person criticized and to God. God’ Will, if you have forgotten, is that we love others with humility and mercy, even if they are in the wrong. Saint James the Holy Apostle writes: “For every envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there” [James 3:16). What we say reveals what we are. If we can control what we say, we can control what we do.

It is imperative that as fellow Christians we are constantly engaged in spiritual warfare and therefore we are fellow combatants. Our enemy is one, Satan. Saint Paul says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do NOT war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” [2 Corinthians 10:3-4). The battlefield of spiritual “warfare” includes (1) entrenched spiritual fortresses (strongholds),, (2) human reason (“arguments” (3) human and Angelic powers (every high thing that exalts itself”) (4) ideas (thoughts) and (5) the will (obedience). Our “weapons” include the Holy Cross, prayer, and the Word of God. Both our thoughts and our actions together are to be submissive to Christ. The Church is GOD’S FORTRESS, marching against the “strongholds” of “disobedience”.

The Christian must remain always vigilant for the enemy never sleeps. With Christian discernment we are able to know if our thoughts are of God or of the evil one. By knowing the truth we are able to avoid the many demonic snares set before us. It is not prudent for the Orthodox Christian to let his/her guard down at any time. It is through prayer that we are able to keep our communion with God strong and open. With God’s guidance the Christian is able to appreciate His numerous heavenly gifts which lead him/her to His eternal Kingdom and life. A faith which obeys Christ is the very content and meaning of life. Everything about us must be subordinated to Christ and His Kingdom.

Saint Paul exhorts us, “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11-12). The beginning of repentance is to flee from sin and to abstain from passions. No one should ever submit or allow the passions to rule over us or to control us. If you are spiritually ill and need healing, turn to our Holy Church. “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters (elders) of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:14-15). The presbyter (priest) prays for the ill person, anointing him with holy oil (holy unction) and saying the following prayer:

“O Lord Almighty, Healer of our souls and bodies, who puts down and
raises up, who chastises and heals also, visit now in Your mercy our brother
or sister N___________,, who is ill. Stretch forth Your arm that is full of healing
and health, and raise (him or her) up from this bed and cure this illness. Put
away the spirit of disease and every malady and pain and fever. And if (he, she)
has committed sins and transgressions, grant remission and forgiveness,
because You love mankind.

As Orthodox Christians we pray, neither commanding God to heal, nor doubting His ability to heal, but pleading for His promised mercy upon all who are ill

________
“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.

On the 20th of July, Our Holy Orthodox Church Commemorates the Feast-Day
of the Holy and Glorious Prophet the Thesbite (Elijah the Tishbite).

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Fourth Tone

THE incarnate Angel, and the Prophets’ summit and boast, the
second forerunner of the coming of Christ our God, Elias, the
glorious, from above sent down his grace upon Elisseus; he doth
cast out sickness and doth also cleanse lepers; and unto all that
honor him, he poureth forth streams of cures.

Kontakion Hymn. Second Tone

O RENOWNED Elias, Prophet and seer of the might works of God,
who by thy word dist check the rain clouds: Intercede in our behalf
with the only Friend of man.

ELIAS of great fame was from Thisbe or Thesbe, a town of Galaad (Gilead), beyond the Jordan. He was of Priestly lineage, a man of a solitary and ascetical character, clothed in a mantle of sheep skin, and girded about his loins with a leather belt. His name is interpreted as "Yah is my God." His zeal for the glory of God was compared to fire, and his speech for teaching and rebuke was likened unto a burning lamp. From this too he received the name Zealot. Therefore, se aflame with such zeal, he sternly reproved the impiety and lawlessness of Ahab and his wife Jezebel. He shut up heaven by means of prayer, and it did not rain for three years and six months. Ravens brought him food for his need when, at God’s command, he was hiding by the torrent of Horrath. He multiplied the little flour and oil of hte poor widow of Sarephtha of Sidon, who had given him hospitality in her home, and when her son died, he raised him up. He brought down fire from Heaven upon Mount Carmel, and it burned up the sacrifice offered to God before all the people of Israel, so that they might know the truth. At the torrent of Kisson, he slew 450 false prophets and priests who worshipped idols and led the people astray. He received food wondrously at the hand of an Angel, and being strengthened by this food he walked for forty days and forty nights. He beheld God on Mount Horeb, as far as this is possible for human nature. He foretold the destruction of the house of Ahab, and the death of his son Ohozias; and as for the two captains of fifty that were sent by the king, he burned them for their punishment, bringing fire down from Heaven. He divided the flow of the Jordan, and he and his disciple Elisseus passed through as it were on dry land; and finally while speaking with him, Elias was suddenly snatched away by a fiery chariot in the year 895 B.C. and he ascended as though into heaven, whither God most certainly translated him alive, as He did Enoch (Genesis 5:24; IV Kings 2:11). But from thence also, after seven years, by means of an epistle he reproached Joram, the son of Josaphat, as it is written, "And there came a message in writing to him from Elias the Prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the way," and so forth (2 Chronicles 21:12). According to the opinion of hte majority of the interpreters, this came to pass either through his disciple Elisseus, or through another Prophet when Elias appeared to them, evsen as he appeared on Mount Tabor to the disciples of Christ.

At that time the Jewish Kingdom was divided into two unequal parts: the Kingdom of Judah consisted non of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with its capital at Jerusalem, while the Kingdom of Israel consisted of the other Ten Tribes, with its capital at Samaria. The former Kingdom was ruled by the descendants of Solomon, and the latter by the descendants of Jeroboam, a servant of Solomon’s. The Prophet Elias came into the greatest conflict with the Israelite king, Ahab, and his evil wife Jezebel, for they worshipped idols and turned people from the service of the One, Living God. On top of this, Jezebel, being a Syrian, persuaded her husband to build a temple of this false god, Baal, and appointed many priests to the service of this false god. Elias performed many miracles by the power of God, he closed the heavens, that no rain should fall for three years and six months; called down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice to his God, while the priests of Baal were unable to do this; brought rain from the heavens at his prayers; miraculously multiplied corn and oil in the widow’s house at Zarephath, and restored her dead son to life; prophesied to Ahaz that the dogs would lick his blood, and to Jezebel that the dogs would devour her — which came to pass; and performed many other miracles and foretold many events. At the end of the world, Elias will appear again, TO BREAK THE POWER OF ANTICHRIST (Revelation 11).

Author’s note: In the Greek Lives of the Saints, the following miracle of the holy Prophet Elias is recorded: a certain Paisius, Eghoumenos (Abbot) of the Monastery of Saint Elias in Jerusalem, went to Constantinople and from Constantinople to Belgrade at the time of Patriarch Paisius was staying there. At that time, there was an Orthodox Christian living in Belgrade, married to a Latins (Roman Catholic) wife. On Saint Elias’s day, the wife planned to make bread, but her husband said to her ” ‘You must not work.’ His wife replied that the feast had been two days earlier (according to the Roman Catholic Calendar). And so a dispute arose between them. The stubborn woman kneaded the dough, but then a marvel! The dough became stone in her hands! At that, the neighbours gathered round and each of them took a piece of the stone. Paisius took a piece of it, as a witness to God’s miracle, and took it with him to Jerusalem. He laid this piece of stone in front of the holy icon of the holy Prophet Elias in his Monatery. (Source: The Great Horologion and The Prologue from Ochrid)

THE HOLY AND GLORIOUS PROPHETS

There are 16 Books in the Holy Bible called by the names of the Prophets although not necessarily written by their hands. A Prophet is one who SPEAKS BY THE DIRECT INSPIRATION OF GOD, ONLY SECONDARILY DOES THE WORD MEAN ONE WHO FORETELLS THE FUTURE. Four of the Prophetic books are those of the so-called Major Prophets: ISAIAH, JEREMIAH, EZEKIEL AND DANIEL. Most scholars believe that the Book of Isaiah is the work of more than one author.

In the Orthodox Church, Prophets are MESSENGERS of God who spoke before the birth of Christ to announce His will and to point to the COMING OF THE MESSIAH. The Hebrew word for "prophet" means "GOD’S MOUTHPIECE." The Orthodox Church believes that Prophets speak by direct inspiration from God and that their primary role is to convey God’s will to the world.

The Orthodox Church considers Jesus to be the FINAL PROPHET, and believes that He is more than just a Prophet. The Church also believes that the Prophets of the Old Testament, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, pointed to the Coming of Christ, Who said He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.

______________
"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

Also, the Orthodox Church considers Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner to be a Prophet, and his portrait is often painted on icon-screens in churches. The Church also calls the Holy Prophet Malachi, who lived 400 years before Christ, "the head of the Prophets" because he was the last Prophet of the Old Testament.

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.

On the 19th of July our Holy Orthodox Church Commemorates
the feast day of Our Righteous Mother Macrina, the Sister of
Saint Basil the Great.

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Plagal of Fourth Tone

IN thee the image was preserved with exactness, O Mother; for taking
up thy cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by they deeds thou didst
teach us to overlook the flesh, for it passeth away, but to attend to the
soul since it is immortal. Wherefore, O righteous Macrina, thy spirit
rejoiceth with the Angels.

Kontakion Hymn. Fourth Tone

SINCE the light of righteousness shone brightly in thee, thou wast
an example of the life of piety for all, teaching the virtues to them
that cry: Rejoice, Macrina, thou boast of virginity.

The eldest sister of Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory of Nyssa, she was as a girl betrothed to a young nobleman and, when her betrothed died, Macrina vowed never to enter into marriage, saying: ‘It is not right for a girl, having once been betrothed, to turn to another; according to natural law, there must be one marriage, as there are one birth and one death.’ She justified this by her belief in the resurrection of the dead, regarding her betrothed not as dead, but as alive in God. It is a sin and a shame, she said, ‘if the spouse does not keep faith when the partner goes to distant climes.’ Then, with her mother Emilia, she became a nun in a monastery of virgins, where she lived in asceticism with the other nuns. They lived by the work of their hands, devoting the greater part of their time to pondering on God, to prayer and to a ceaseless lifting-up their minds to Him. After a time, her mother died, and then her brother Basil. In the ninth month after Saint Basil’s death, Saint Gregory came to visit his sister and found her on her deathbed. At the time of her death, Macrina made the prayer to God: "Thou, O Lord, givest rest to our bodies in the sleep of death for a little time, then Thou wilt waken them again with the Last Trump. Forgive me, and grant that, when my soul is parted from my body, it many be presented before Thee stainless and without sin, and that it may be as incense before Thee." She then made the sign of the Cross on her brow, eyes, face and heart, and breathed her last. She entered into rest in the Lord in 379 A.D.

FOR CONSIDERATION

A woman’s greatest beauty IS MODESTY, as immodesty in a woman is the most unnatural and repulsive vice in the world. A wonderful example of womanely modesty is given by Saint Macrina. In her youth she received a serious wound in her breast. Although her mother urged her to show this wound to a doctor and seek medicine, Macrina would not do so. She was utterly consecrated to God, and could not even entertain the thought of baring her body before others, even before her own mother. One night, Macrina was praying quietly to God. Tears spilled from her eyes onto the dust in front of her. With firm trust in God, she mixed the dust and tears together and anointed the wound with them, and the next day she was completely healed. When her mother Emilia, with great concern, went to see her daughter, Macrina did not want to tell her that the Lord had healed her (from humility, hiding the miracle that she herself had worked through prayer), but begged her mother, saying: ‘I shall be healed, Mother dear, if you lay your hand on my bosom and make the sign of the Cross over the place where it hurts.’ Her mother stretched out her hand and made the sign of the Cross over the place, but did not find the wound — only the scar of the healed wound. Thus, Saint Macrina laid her body through modesty and her miracles through humility.

Personal note:

For Orthodox Christians there is no shortage of spiritual teachers and examples of true holiness. Our Holy Tradition is filled with the Lives of the Saints who are the genuine witnesses of our Holy Church. The Saints number into thousands upon thousands over the centuries and although in God’s bosom, their lives continue to inspire us, to edify us, and to teach us how to live Christ while on earth. But who were the Saints of the Church? There were every day Christians, men, women, children who were willing to die, to be imprisoned, to be tortured, and killed for the sake of Christ. They were humble people with profound faith and lived modestly and who never considered themselves as anything else but as servants of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Holy Apostles Paul in his letter to the Hebrews says, "…who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions…Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wondered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted tormented–of whom THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth…Therefore, we also since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnare us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" [Hebrews 11:33-12:1].
Why would any Christian ignore these Christian martyrs and not be compelled to emulate them and become authentic followers of Christ rather than to impersonate them? To become a Christian impostor?

One does not have to be a genius to understand what it means to be a faithful Christian. There are those so-called ‘Christians’ who are baffled and confused even after many years of learning what is expected of them and yet they still need convincing and prodding. Their problem is that they are using their brain instead of their heart, and instead of faith, they are using their limited human intellect or reason. They most of all need to turn to the Lord Himself and seek His help, to the Holy Scripture, to prayer, and to the Lives of the Saints who serve as our greatest example of what it means to be a true follower of our Mater and Redeemer Jesus Christ. That is if they are sincere.

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.

THEOSIS [DEIFICATION]

THEOSIS [DEIFICATION] is the ancient theological word to describe the process by which a Christian becomes more like God. The Holy Apostle Peter speaks of this process when he writes, "As His Divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness…YOU MAY BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE" [2 Peter 1:3-4].

What does it mean to partake of the Divine Nature, and how do we experience it? To give an answer, first address what THEOSIS [DEIFICATION] IS NOT, then describe what it is.

WHAT THEOSIS (DEIFICATION) IS NOT. When the Church calls us to pursue godliness, to be more like God, this does not mean that human beings then become divine. We do not become like God in His Nature. That would not only be heresy, it would be impossible. For we are human, always have been human, and always will be human. We cannot take o n the nature of God.

Saint John of Damascus, writing in the 8th century, makes a remarkable observation. The word "God" in the Holy Scripture refers not the Divine Nature or essence, for that is unknowable. "God" refers to the Divine energies–THE POWER AND GRACE OF GOD WHICH WE CAN PERCEIVE IN THIS WORLD. The Greek word for God, THEOS, comes from a verb meaning "RUN," "SEE," OR "BURN." These are energy words, so to speak, not essence words.

Saint John 10:34, Jesus, quoting Psalm 82:6, repeats the passage, "You are gods," The fact that He was speaking to a group of hypocritical religious leaders who were accusing Him of blasphemy makes the meaning doubly clear: Jesus is not using "god" to refer to Divine Nature. We are gods in that we bear His image, NOT His Nature.

WHAT THEOSIS (DEIFICATION) IS. Theosis (deification) means WE ARE TO BECOME MORE LIKE GOD THROUGH HIS GRACE OR DIVINE ENERGIES. In creation, humans were made IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD (Genesis 1:26) according to human nature. In other words, HUMANITY BY NATURE IS AN ICON OR IMAGE OF DEITY: The Divine image IS IN ALL HUMANITY. Through sin, however, this image and likeness of God WAS MARRED, AND WE FELL.

When the Son of God assumed our humanity in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, the process of our being RENEWED IN GOD’S IMAGE AND LIKENESS WAS BEGUN. Thus, THOSE WHO ARE JOINED TO CHRIST THROUGH FAITH IN HOLY BAPTISM BEGIN A RE-CREATION PROCESS, BEING RENEWED IN GOD’S IMAGE AND LIKENESS. We BECOME, as Saint Peter writes, "PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE" (2 Peter 1:4).

Because of the INCARNATION of the Son of God, because THE FULLNESS OF GOD has inhabited flesh, being joined to Christ MEANS THAT IT IS AGAIN POSSIBLE TO EXPERIENCE THEOSIS (DEIFICATION), THE FULFILLMENT OF OUR HUMAN DESTINY. THAT IS, THROUGH UNION WITH CHRIST, WE BECOME BY GRACE WHAT GOD IS BY NATURE–WE "BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD" [John 1:12]. His DEITY INTERPENETRATES OUR HUMANITY.

Historically, THEOSIS (DEIFICATION) has often been illustrated by the "SWORD AND FIRE" example. A steel sword is thrust into a hot fire until the sword takes on a red glow. The ENERGY of the fire interpenetrates the sword. The sword never becomes fire, but it picks up the properties of fire.

By application, the DIVINE ENERGIES INTERPENETRATE THE HUMAN NATURE OF CHRIST. Being joined to Christ, OUR HUMANITY IS INTERPENETRATED WITH THE ENERGIES OF GOD THROUGH CHRIST’S GLORIFIED FLESH. Nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ, WE PARTAKE OF THE GRACE OF GOD–HIS STRENGTH, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, HIS LOVE–AND ARE ENABLED TO SERVE HIM AND GLORIFY HIM. THUS WE, BEING HUMAN, ARE BEING DEIFIED. [Source: Orthodox Study Bible, pg. 561)

______________
"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 COMMEMORATION OF THE HOLY GREAT MARTYR MARINA

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Fourth Tone

O LORD Jesus, unto Thee Thy lamb doth cry with a great voice:
O my Bridegroom, Thee I love; and seeking Thee, I now contest,
and with Thy baptism am crucified and buried. I suffer for Thy
sake, that I may reign with Thee; for Thy sake I die, that I may live
in Thee: accept me offered out of longing to Thee as a spotless
sacrifice. Lord, save our souls through her intercessions, since
Thou art great in mercy.

Kontakion Hymn. Third Tone

WITH most fair virginity wast thou made comely, O virgin; and
with bright and spotless crowns wast thou crowned also, O Martyr;
reddened with martyric blood, thou, O famed Marina, wast vouchsafed
to shine forth brightly with wondrous healings, while receiving from
the right hand of thy Creator thy triumph’s sacred rewards.

Born in Pisidian Antioch [268-270 A.D.] of pagan parents. Her father was a pagan priest. Marina only heard of the Lord Jesus Christ at the age of twelve, of His Incarnation of the most pure Virgin, His many miracles. His death by crucifixion and His Glorious Resurrection. Her little heart was inflamed with love for the Lord, and she vowed never to marry and, further, desired in her soul to suffer for Christ and be baptized with the blood of martyrdom. her father hated her for her faith,and would not regard her as his daughter. The imperial governor, Olymbrius, hearing of Marina and learning that she was a Christian, at first desired her for his wife. When Marina refused, he ordered her to sacrifice to idols. To this, Marina replied: "I shall not worship nor offer sacrifice to dead idols, lacking breath of life, who have no awareness of themselves and are not even aware of our honouring or dishonouring them. I will not give them that honor that belongs to my Creator alone." Then Olymbrius put her to harsh torture, and threw her into prison all wounded and bleeding. Marina prayed to God in the prison, and, after she had prayed, there appeared to her first the devil in the form of a terrible serpent, which twined itself about her head. When she made the sign of the Cross, the serpent split asunder and disappeared. Then she was bathed in heavenly Light; the walls and roof of the prison disappeared and a Cross was revealed, resplendent and lofty. On the top of the Cross was perched a white dove, from which there came a voice: ‘REJOICE, MARINA, THOU DOVE OF CHRIST, DAUGHTER OF THE SON THAT IS ON HIGH, FOR THE DAY OF THY JOY IS DRAWING NEAR!’, and Marina was healed by the power of God of all her wounds. The demented judge tortured her the next day by fire and water, but Saint Marina endured it all as if not in her own body. She was finally sentenced to death by beheading. At the moment of her death, the Lord Jesus appeared to her, accompanied by Angels. She was beheaded in the time of the Emperor Diocletian, but remains alive in soul and in power in heaven and on earth. One of her hands is preserved in the Monastery of Vatopedi on the Holy Mountain in Greece. Even in Albania, in the Langa mountains overlooking Lake Ochrid, there is a Monastery of Saint Marina with some of her Wonderworking relics. Numerous miracles have been wrought in this Monastery and still are, witnessed not only by Christians but also by Muslims. The Turks have such a veneration for this holy place that they have never laid hands on either the place or the Monastery’s possessions. At one time, a Turk was caretaker of the Monastery.

FOR CONSIDERATION

Until Christ becomes to the soul all that has any lasting and unchanging worth; until then a man cannot come to suffer for Christ. How was Saint Marina, a fifteen-year-old, able to follow this path? Because Christ was EVERYTHING TO HER. How was Sant Julita able to rejoice, seeing her three-year-old son Cerycus dead for the Christian faith? Again, because Christ WAS EVERYTHING. Here is how Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk speaks, in detail and in the form of a conversation between Christ and man, of how Christ IS EVERYTHING TO MAN: ‘Do you desire good for yourself? All good is in Me. Do you desire beauty? What is lovelier than I? Do you desire a noble birth? What birth is more noble than that of the Son of God and the Virgin? Do you desire rank? Who is of higher rank than the King of Heaven? Do you desire glory? Who is more glorious than I? Riches? All riches are in Me. Wisdom? I am the Wisdom of God. Friendship? Who is a greater friend than I — I Who laid down My life for all? Help? Who can help but I? Who can be happy without Me? Do you seek consolation in distress? Who will console you but I? Do you seek peace? I am the peace of the soul. Do you seek life? In me is the Fountain of Life. Do you seek light? I am the Light of the world.’

HOMILY

–on the necessity of re-iteration.

"Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you
always in remembrance of these things, though
ye know them, and be established in the
present truth" [2 Peter 1:12].

A ploughman ploughs a field. Does he not repeat the same action again and again? How else would the field be tilled, if he did not repeat his action from dawn to dusk, deepening furrow after furrow?

A traveller goes along a road. Does he not, every moment, renew the same action, the same effort? How would his journey pass and his destination be reached?

A carpenter cuts planks in his workshop. Does he not repeat the same action for every plank? How else would he prepare the required number of planks?

My brethren, is not everything that we do on a practical level a series of repetitions? Let not the preacher of truth grow weary and say: ‘I have told them, and will not repeat it!’ Let not the hearer of truth grow proud and say: ‘I have heard that once, and don’t need to hear it again.’

O teacher of the truth, do not be afraid of repeating again and again; of teaching by repetition and reminding by repetition. Without repetition, the field is not ploughed nor the road travelled, nor the plank prepared. That is your task: TO PLOUGH, TO LEAD, TO PREPARE.

O hearer of the Truth, do not grow proud and say that you have heard the truth once. TRUTH IS FOOD FOR THE SOUL. You have eaten bread today, yesterday and the day before, month by month and year by year. And you will go on eating it, to strengthen your body. FEED YOUR SOUL AS WELL. FEED IT WITH TRUTH, WITH THE SAME TRUTH YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND TOMORROW AND FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, THAT YOUR SOUL MAY BECOME WHOLE AND FILLED WITH LIGHT.

O Lord Jesus, FEED US EVERY DAY AND EVERY HOUR WITH THY TRUTH — WITH THYSELF, O JESUS, THOU SWEET FOOD! TO THEE BE GLORY AND PRAISE FOR EVER. AMEN. [Source: Prologue from Ochrid]

_____________
"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.

CHRISTIANITY’S GIFT TO A WORLD OF TURMOIL IS PEACE

"Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without
which no one will see the Lord" [Hebrews 12:14].

"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill
toward men" [Luke 2:14].

Humanity’s history is inundated with conflict, wars, constant destruction and death. As "Anointed One." the Messiah Christ came to bring "peace" and "good will" toward people, for He is the Incarnate agape (love) of God, reconciling humanity to God and people to each other. Prophet Isaiah tells us, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder. His name will be called the Angel of Great Counsel, for I shall bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health by Him. Great shall be His government AND OF HIS PEACE THERE IS NO END" [Isaiah 9:5-6].

For thousands of years before and after Christ, humanity was embroiled in relentless wars that killed countless lives and devastated lands. If one were to examine the reasons closely he would see that much of it is due to man’s pride, greed, power, control, and to his obsession to dominate the world. Tyrants and dictators who were not content to possess wealth and power over the people of their own country but were filled with arrogance and the sick desire of conquering and enslaving other countries around them. Their ego led them to believe that they were much more superior than the rest of the world and of course they used their military might to crush and subordinate all others. Their sinister dream was to create an empire and one world power and to become an emperor. But it did not stop there. They, eventually, demanded and commanded their subjects to worship them as gods.

The Holy Apostles of Christ spread the Holy Gospel throughout the world will only "the weapon of peace," the preaching of the Cross. It is in the Cross of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ that mankind will find true peace. Saint Paul exhorts all, "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts" [Colossians 3:15]. True and lasting peace can only come from above, from our Heavenly Father. We, as Orthodox Christians, believe that our Savior brought this everlasting peace to the world, however, it is up to us to accept it, to embrace it, and to abide by it. Our Lord’s Divine message of peace has not faded away nor will it ever. Instead of continuing on the path of destruction and even the annihilation of humanity we must entreat our Lord God to first forgive our rebelliousness and disobedience, and then to grant us His Divine and Eternal peace.

Nothing good can be accomplished in the world in the absence of peace. We need only to review our earthly history to see the misery, pain, suffering and death that regional and world wars have imposed upon the human race for centuries. Why would humans commit the same mistakes over and over again? Why would they not learn from those mistakes? Is it perhaps that mankind has lost sight of God? Is it because humanity has become faithless and unbelieving? or is it because man in his pride and wickedness feels that he should be god? Truthfully, I am convinced that power corrupts people. The historian and moralist, who was otherwise known simply as Lord Acton, expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

As Christians our sights are always set on our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. Everything we need we find in Him and through Him. The Holy Apostle Pau says, "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection" [Colossians 3:12-14]. Our Almighty and Merciful God is "the God of patience" [Romans 15:5] and therefore we too must be patient with one another. We all know that it is not easy to change our wicked ways but by the grace of God the Holy Spirit we can achieve that which may seem to us as humanly impossible.

"GRACE AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED
TO YOU IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
AND OF JESUS OUR LORD" [2 Peter 1:2].

_____________
"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 Christian Theology (Part II)

Along with Orthodoxia (right faith), there is Orthopraxia (right living), one cannot be separated from the other. The genuine theologians of the Church not only wrote great works on the Orthodox faith but also lived it every day. They were immersed in the faith and lived Christ, His Holy Gospel and commandments. They were endowed with the grace of the Holy Spirit Who guided, nurtured, and inspired them. A true Orthodox theologian is not who only deals with theory and scholarship but a Christ-like figure who says as the Holy Apostle Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” [Philippians 1:21]. It is not at all about the acquired theoretical knowledge accumulated in one’s mind from a prestigious university but one who lives in obedience, humility and the holiness of life. The authentic theologian is one “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.” The faith is to be experienced daily and not to proudly profess it so as to impress others with our knowledge. The Holy Fathers of the Church were great theologians with profound and vast knowledge of the faith, superb teachers and preachers, persecuted and exiled, and endured suffering and hardship for the sake of Christ.

It is foolish for a Christian today to attempt to reinvent or reconstruct Christianity to his/her own image. The one and only authentic Christian Church is the Church which He Himself founded and is the Head of the Orthodox Church. It is this Church alone which has remained loyal to Him and to His Gospel. Countless Orthodox Christians were imprisoned, suffered, tortured, exiled, and died for the sake of Christ and the truth over the centuries, rather than betray Him. For the first thousand years of Christian history, the entire Church, save for the heretics, embraced and defended the New Testament Apostolic faith. There was no consequential division. This one faith, preserved through all trials, attacks, and tests, this Apostolic Doctrine was called “the Orthodox faith.”

“Doctrinal purity was tenaciously maintained, but also true Christianity is far more than adherence to a set of correct beliefs alone. The life of the Church is centrally expressed in her worship and adoration of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself told the woman at the well, “the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him” [John 4:23].

At the Mystical Supper, Jesus Himself instituted the Eucharist, the communion service, when He took bread and wine, gave a blessing, and said to His Disciples, “THIS IS BY BODY WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU; DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME” AND “THIS CUP IS THE NEW COVENANT IN MY BLOOD, WHICH IS SHED FOR YOU” [Luke 22:19, 21). The Church participated in communion at least each Lord’s Day (Acts 20:7, 11). From such first and second century sources as the Didach, the letters of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, and the writings of Saint Justin Martyr, we are assured the Eucharist is the very center of Christian worship from the Apostolic era on.

In Orthodoxy today, as in years gone by, the basics of Christian Doctrine, worship, and government, ARE NEVER UP FOR ALTERATION. One cannot be an Orthodox Priest, for example and reject the Divinity of Christ, His virgin birth, Resurrection, Ascension into Heaven, and Second Coming. The Church simply has NOT left the course in nearly two thousand years. It is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. It is THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH.

What then, is the Orthodox Church? It is the First Christian Church in history, the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ, described in the pages of the New Testament. Her history can be traced IN UNBROKEN CONTINUITY ALL THE WAY BACK TO CHRIST AND HIS TWELVE APOSTLES. For the non-Orthodox Christians who wish to learn the essence of Orthodoxy they need simply turn to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed or the Symbol of Faith, formulated by the Seven Ecumenical Councils under the guidance and grace of the Holy Spirit.

__________
“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