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.

WORSHIPPING THE CREATED INSTEAD OF GOD
THE CREATOR.

"…who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and
worshiped and served the creature rather than the
Creator, Who is Blessed forever…" ( Romans 1:25).

Mankind by nature worships, if not the One Uncreated God, then something created. Amartia (Sin) is the result of our failure to know God because we refuse to "GLORIFY" Him and to be "THANKFUL." Refusing to worship God, men first turned inward to their own spiritual center wtrithout regard for God, cutting themselves from light and true wisdom. They lifted up, created things as objects of worship. In our Holy Orthodox Faith, this refers to idolatry and placing anything other than God–like wealth, pride, nature, or even powerful people–in God’s place. Holy Apostle Paul describes humanity’s turning away from Almighty God, leading them to idolize things like animals, nature, and worldly things instead of the Divine blessings and commandments.

Saint John Chrysostom stresses that mankind’s turning away from the Creator to worship creation (the "lie") leads to a most significant spiritual degradation where people exchange natural, God-given desires for unnatural ones, becoming enslaved to a debased and corrupt mind, making them inexcusable for their rejection of the God the Creator. He focuses on how this exchange of truth for falsehood corrupts life, making doctrines and actions diabolical.

Worshiping nature and creatures rather than God the Creator is a fundamental error, a spiritual blindness, and idolatry that replaces God’s glory for finite things, leading to moral decay and a severed relationship with God, as the human race is designed for communion with the transcended Creator, not the created world itself. We are expected to respect and protect God’s handiwork, but not a substitute for Him, seeing the universe as a reflection of the Creator’s eternal power, which humanity today foolishly ignores.

"We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker (Creator) of Heaven and Earth, and of all things visible and invisible." These opening words of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, the central Doctrinal statement of Christianity, affirm the One True God is the Source of everything that exists–both physical and spiritual, both animate and inanimate. The Holy Fathers of the Church also consistently affirm that each species of the animate creation into existence instantaneously, after the command of God, with its seed within itself. Saint Basil the Great wrote, "We must still remain faithful to the principle of true origin and recognize that all that exists is sustained by the Creator’s power."

The repeated affirmation "and God saw that it was good" Genesis I underscores the intrinsic, fundamental GOODNESS of matter and the whole created order, even after the Fall. This understanding is the basis for a sacramental worldview–that the created order not only is good, but also can be a means FOR COMMUNION WITH GOD, BY VIRTUE OF BEING CREATED BY THE ALL-GOOD GOD. Moreover, the astounding beauty, intrinsic order, and sublime harmony of all aspects of Creation, as well as the tremendously vast expanse of the universe, are intended to draw mankind TO AN AWARENESS OF AND APPRECIATION FOR OUR GOD AND CREATOR, AND TO THE WORSHIP OF HIM–AND HIM ALONE.

King David affirms this very fact when he writes: "The heavens DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD; The firmament shows the creation of His hands. Day to day utters speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voices are not heard. Their proclamation went to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." (Psalm 18:1-5). And Saint Paul writes: "For since the creation of the world His invisible ATTRIBUTES ARE CLEARLY SEEN, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20). All mankind knows "natural revelation," that is God’s energy (power) and His transcendence (Godhead), revealed through the order of the universe and in humanity. But all thwart the truth. In their hardness of heart, the ungodly despise the goodness of God revealed in creation.

There are those of course that refer to themselves as "naturalists." But what is a naturalist? "A naturalist is a person who studies the natural world through careful, first hand observation, focusing on organisms and their environments. Also, one who promotes appreciation and conservation, using senses and scientific principles to interpret natural phenomena. This includes ecologists, park rangers, environmental educators, wildlife biologists and cruarators." There is a difference between believing in stewardship and caring for nature and of worshiping nature. The Orthodox Christian view supports its caring for all creation (Genesis 1:28) as responsible stewards, but this care is rooted in obedience to God, NOT nature worship. In Genesis 1:28 we hear God saying to Adam and Eve: "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it , and have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of heaven, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Our planet earth is our "oikos" or "house" and it can refer to one’s immediate family and all the people in their relational sphere, such as friends, neighbors, and co-workers. In the context of environmental movements, "oikos" is used to refer to the Earth as the shared home of all living beings (our "common home." The theme "Renewing the Oikos of God" emphasizes the responsibility of humanity to care for creation as part of God’s Household.

However, there are those who seek to live in peaceful and tranquil nature rather than a noisy and air-polluted city life. There also are others who homestead in forests and other secluded places and make their life in nature permanent. It takes courage, knowledge, preparation and commitment for anyone to choose this type of life. There are those who truly are inspired by God’s very beautiful nature and glorify Him for the blessing of His divine gift of creation to us. Others, however, who do not believe in God see only the beauty of nature itself as though it appeared by accident or coincidence and do not feel the need to offer thanksgiving to the Creator of that beauty. How foolish and tragic is that? They say that they want to become one with nature rather than to be one with the Lord our God. I have heard them refer to domesticated and undomesticated animals as brothers but who are not; and ignore their true brothers and sisters, their fellow human beings who too need love and compassion.

Unfortunately there are those who have no respect at all for God’s earth. Instead they exploit all of nature for profit. Corporations that pollute and poison lakes, seas, rivers and even the oceans of the world. Sea mammals, fish, birds, land animals of all kinds and sizes are being killed at an astounding number. Many species are already extinct. Then you have the enormous problem or disaster of deforestation. Deforestation is a critical global issue where pristine forests are cleared for agriculture, logging, and development, severely threatening humanity itself and our unique planet. By destroying the forests throughout the world the people and governments are responsible for destroying habitats, causing soil erosion and even impacting food security. Because of their greed, corrupt people destroy something essential to human existence, the trees. The trees offer much more than beauty, shade, fruit, or shelter for birds and various other animals. The Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), a major greenhouse gas. Deforestation releases this stored carbon and eliminates future absorption. Trees release oxygen necessary to all life, human and animal. Forests are home to over half the world’s terrestrial species.

Mankind needs to come to its senses and to immediately turn to the All-Wise and All-Merciful God and Creator for guidance before it reaches its own demise. Psalm 13:1 [14] states "The fool says in his heart, There is no God." This foolishness stems from a moral depravity and spiritual illness and corruption which eventually leads to a rejection of God’s plan of man’s salvation.

Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ exhorts us, "Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand," a core message found in the Gospels of Saint Matthew 4:17; and Saint Mark 1:15, that calls for a fundamental change in thinking and behavior (turning from sin) because God’s commandment, revealed by Christ is necessary in order to be saved and enter His heavenly Kingdom. There can be no reconciliation with God unless one is willing to repent of his/her sins. Our Lord Christ’s first word, like that of Saint John the Baptist, is "repent," because repentance is necessary to enter and continue in His new way of life. Repentance is man’s turning from himself to God. "The Kingdom of heaven" is synonymous with "the Kingdom of God; it is present in Christ our Savior.

Repentance, which always accompanies belief, is a total about-face. It is a radical change of one’s spirit, mind and heart, a complete reorientation of the whole of one’s life and being. It is the necessary first step on "the way of the Lord" and is followed by the confession of sins, the decisive act of baptism, and an actual change in one’s life-style.

_________
"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 CHURCH IS A CLINIC FOR SPIRITUAL AND RENEWAL AND HEALING

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, AND HEALING ALL KINDS
OF SICKNESS AND ALL KINDS OF DISEASES AMONG THE PEOPLE”
(Matthew 4:23).

“BLESS the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless
His Holy Name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES,
Who redeems your life from destruction…”
(Psalm 103:3-4)

“There he found a certain man named Aeneas
who had been bedridden eight years and was
paralyzed. And Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas,
Jesus the Christ HEALS YOU. Arise and make
your bed.’ Then he arose immediately”
(Acts 9:33-34).

In our Holy Orthodox Church we believe that as there was power with our Lord Jesus Christ to heal during His earthly Ministry, so there is power in His Church to continue His HEALING DIAKONIA (MINISTRY). “Then having summoned His twelve disciples, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every kind of disease and infirmity. These twelve, Jesus sent forth having instructed them thus: ‘Do not go in the direction of the Gentiles, nor enter the towns of Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach the message, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:1-8). The holy mission of the Church is precisely that, to preach the gospel, to cure the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse the lepers, and to cast out devils. Jesus’ instruction to his holy disciples continues to be implemented through His Church and will continue until the end of time.

The holy Apostle Paul reminds constantly: “Now you are the body of Christ, member for member. And God indeed has placed some in the Church, firstly apostles, second prophets, thirdly teachers, after that powers, then gifts of healing, services of help, powers of administration, and the speaking of various tongues” (1 Corinthians 27-28). Indeed, the healing power of Christ is active within the Church and all faithful have access to this healing power. Orthodoxy teaches that the Church is A SPIRITUAL HOSPITAL and our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ is the Great Physician of our souls and bodies. It is a concept rooted in Holy Scripture (like Jesus calling Himself a Doctor for the sick, not the healthy). Saint John Chrysostom who writes, “The Church is a hospital, and not a courtroom, for souls. She does not condemn on behalf of sins, but grants remission of sins… The Lord is calling you to the Church for a rich banquet. He transfers you from struggles to rest, and from tortures to relief. He relieves you from the burden of sins. He heals worries with thanksgiving, and sadness with joy. No one is truly free or joyful besides he who lives for Christ. Such a person overcomes all evil and does not fear anything!”

The Holy Orthodox Church uses the God given and sacred Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church to bring healing, forgiveness of sins, restorations, renewal, regeneration, wholeness, to all the faithful. The Church provides the opportunity for the spiritually infirmed (sinners) to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and healing. The Church is mainly for those needing to see and be touched by the Great Physician to overcome their spiritual illness and physical condition. Healing is not simply curing or treating, but involves a restoration of personal well being.

The Orthodox Christian understands when entering the Church he/she does not enter an ordinary building but a consecrated ground, a holy place. He or she is there not to observe an ancient ritual but to truly be in the presence of the Lord. This is verified when they hear the priest say: “Look down, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, from Thy Holy dwelling place, and from the Throne of Glory of Thy Kingdom, and come to sanctify us, Thou Who sittest on high with the Father, and ART HERE INVISIBLY PRESENT WITH US. And do Thou deign by Thy Mighty hand to give us of Thy Immaculate Body and of Thy Precious Blood, and through us to all the people.” [Divine Liturgy).

What does the Orthodox Christian receive at the Divine Liturgy? The gifts which the Orthodox faithful receive are mentioned in an inaudible prayer offered by the officiating priest: “To Thee, O Merciful Master, we confide our whole life and hope, and Thee we beseech and pray and supplicate: render us worthy to receive Thy Heavenly and fearful Mysteries of this holy and spiritual Table with a pure conscience, FOR REMISSION OF SINS, FOR FORGIVENESS OF TRANSGRESSIONS, FOR COMMUNION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, FOR THE INHERITANCE OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, FOR BOLDNESS TO APPROACH THEE, neither unto judgment nor condemnation.” (St. John Chrysostom) Do you see now why it is absolutely necessary for the faithful to attend the Divine Liturgy whether on Sunday or weekday.

At the blessing of the Holy Oil (Unction) the priest offers the following prayer: “We thank Thee, O Lord our God, Who art good and lovest mankind, the Physician of our souls and bodies, Who painlessly hast borne our infirmities, by Whose stripes we have all been healed; Thou Good Shepherd, Who didst come to seek the wandering sheep; Who givest consolation to the faint hearted, and life unto those who are broken of heart; Who didst heal the flow of the woman who has an issue of blood twelve years; Who didst free the daughter of the Canaanite woman from the cruel demons; Who forgavest the debt unto the two debtors and didst grant remission of sins unto the woman that was a sinner; Who didst vouchsafe healing unto the Paralytic, with the remission of his sins; Who didst justify the Publican by Thy word, and didst accept the Thief at his last confession; Who takes away the sins of the world, and wast nailed to the Cross: We beseech Thee, and entreat Thee; in Thy goodness; loose, remit, forgive, O God, the sins of Thy servants and their iniquities whether voluntary or involuntary, whether of knowledge or ignorance…” (6th Prayer).

For all Orthodox Christians who have prepared to partake of the greatest of all gifts is the Holy Eucharist/ Holy Communion they hear the words: “Take, eat; this is My Body, which is broken for you, for the remission of sins.” Likewise after the Supper, He took the cup, saying: “Drink of it all of you, this is My Blood of the New Covenant, Which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins.” The priest continuing the Prayer in a low voice, INVOKES THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COME UPON HIM AND UPON THE PRECIOUS GIFTS: “Again we offer unto Thee this reasonable and bloodless worship, and beseech Thee and pray Thee and supplicate Thee: send down Thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these Gifts here presented: And make this bread, the Precious Body of Thy Christ. Amen. (Blessing the Chalice): And that which is in this Chalice, the Precious Blood of Thy Christ. Amen. (Blessing both of them): Changing them BY THY HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN, AMEN, AMEN.”
The priest kneels and continues in a low voice the Prayer, in which it is mentioned now THE PURPOSE OF THE PERFORMANCE OF HOLY EUCHARIST: “That to those who partake thereof, They may be UNTO CLEANSING OF SOUL, UNTO THE REMISSION OF SINS, UNTO THE COMMUNION OF THY HOLY SPIRIT, UNTO THE FULFILLMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, UNTO BOLDNESS TOWARD THEE, AND NOT UNTO JUDGMENT OR UNTO CONDEMNATION…”

For Orthodox Christians Holy Communion is not “symbolic” but the very Body and Blood of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ through which we become one with Him and with one another.

As it is indicated that by the grace of the Holy Spirit the faithful are forgiven, healed, restored, and saved. We enter the Church sinful, injured spiritually and physically by our shameful actions, tormented by our conscience, and we exit the Church liberated, forgiven, healed, and restored. Truly our Holy Church is a spiritual clinic for our spiritual renewal and the salvation of our soul and body.

_________
“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 ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MEANING OF EPIPHANY

Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite says that in order to reshape a vessel, the potter needs two elements: WATER FOR MOULDING A VESSEL, THE EARTH, AND FIRE TO BURN AND CAST THE MOULDED CLAY AND SO TO RESHAPE IT. And God, the Great Potter of our mould, does just the same thing. Wanting to reshape our nature, which was crushed by sin, God used fire and water. And He takes the fire from Himself, because as God He is a "CONSUMING FIRE" which consumes wickedness, and he borrows the water from the River Jordan.

The fact is that by Christ’s INCARNATION, by all the steps of the Divine Economy, and certainly by the Baptism in the River Jordan, THE HUMAN RACE IS RESHAPED. After the fall and the crushing of our nature we have RESHAPING and REBIRTH. The reshaping is possible, on the one hand because after the sin human nature did NO DISAPPEAR ALTOGETHER, AND ON THE OTHER HAND BECAUSE GOD DID NOT DISAPPEAR ALTOGETHER, AND ON THE OTHER HAND BECAUSE GOD HIMSELF IS MAN’S CREATOR AND IS HIMSELF MAN’S RECREATOR.

It is impossible for these two elements, WATER and FIRE, to exist together. For fire cannot ignite and prosper in a damp place, and water quenches fire. In the River Jordan they can exist together, because the fire is UNCREATED, while the water is CREATED. And therefore the Uncreated Fire is not influenced by the created element of the water. Indeed, on the contrary, THE CREATED WATER IS MADE HOLY BY THE FIRE OF DIVINITY.

The River Jordan has remained famous for various events in history, but chiefly, for the preaching and Baptism of Saint John the Forerunner, but also for Christ’s Baptism in it. According to Saint John Chrysostomos, the Jordan IS A SYMBOL OF THE HUMAN RACE. In the first place it is called Jordan because it comes from two sources, the Jor and the Dan. These two sources form the River Jordan, which flows into the Dead Sea. According to one reductive interpretation, THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE COMES FROM TWO SOURCES, ADAM AND EVE, and though sin it was brought to deadening, the dead sea of the present life, where there is death. By His incarnation Christ entered into this Jordan, this human race, and in this way He CONQUERED DEATH AND RESTORED MANKIND TO ITS FORMER LIFE.

The Prophet king David says prophetically: "The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back" (Psalm 114:3). By this he wants to indicate the surprise of the sea, of the water which spread out into a large place, and of the River Jordan, AS SINLESS CHRIST ENTERED IT. This surprise is justified in the prayer of the blessing of the waters, written by Saint Sophronios, Bishop of Jerusalem, and read at the blessing of the waters. It says, "The Jordan turned back, seeing the fire of the Godhead descending bodily and entering its stream." The FIRE OF THE GODHEAD IS THE FLESH OF CHRIST ENTERED INTO THE WATER.

This prophecy in some way and to some degree also applies to the life of the Christian. THE SEA IS MAN’S LIFE WHICH IS FULL OF HARDSHIPS, AND IS THEREFORE CALLED A SALTY SEA. AND AS WE SAW BEFORE, THE JORDAN IS HUMAN LIFE WHICH AFTER THE TRANSGRESSION OF ADAM AND EVE WAS BROUGHT TO MORTIFICATION, BOUND UP WITH DEADNESS AND DECAY. THROUGH REPENTANCE A MAN IS DELIVERED FROM THE SALTY SEA OF LIFE, WHILE HIS LIFE IS ALSO ALTERED, CHANGES, RETURNS TO ITS TRUE SOURCES, ACQUIRES A DIFFERENT MEANING. (Hesychios the Presbyter).

During Christ’s Baptism the Holy Trinity appeared. One of the purposes of the Divine Incarnation, as well as of the Baptism of Christ was THE REVELATION (APOCALYPSE) OF THE TRINITARIAN GOD, THAT ALTHOUGH GOD HAS ONE ESSENCE AND NATURE, YET HE IS OF THREE PERSONS, FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. So the voice of the Father is heard witnessing and giving assurance that He who is in the Jordan at that moment is His Son, while the Holy Spirit also appears "like a dove," as a dove.

The same revelation (apocalypse) of the Trinitarian God and the same assurance of the Father also took place shortly before Christ’s Passion, at His Transfiguration, which took place on Mt. Tabor.

Saint Gregory Palamas also analyzes very theologically why the Trinitarian God IS MANIFESTED AT THAT TIME. He teaches that the Trinitarian God is manifested in the creation and recreation of man. The shaping of man is a common energy of the Trinitarian God, since the "Father, through the Son in the Holy Spirit MAKES ALL THINGS." Moreover, it says in Holy Scripture that the Trinitarian God decided TO CREATE MAN: "LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE, ACCORDING TO OUR LIKENESS" (Genesis 1:26). The Father made man IN THE IMAGE OF THE LOGOS/WORD AND BREATHED LIFE INTO HIM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. And since the energy of the Trinitarian God is common to the three, THE WHOLE TRINITY TOOK PART IN MAN’S CREATION. The Trinitarian God, then, HAD TO BE MANIFESTED IN THE RESHAPING AND RECREATION OF MAN. MOREOVER, AFTER HIS BAPTISM CHRIST BEGAN HIS FORMAL WORK FOR THE SALVATION OF THE HUMAN RACE. [Resources:  The Feasts of the Lord. An Introduction to the Twelve Feasts and Orthodox Christology by Metropolitan of Nafpaktos HIEROTHEOS]

__________
"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 MIDST1 HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

Disclosing the Mystery of Christ’s Baptism as Far as
Possible-THE HOLY FEAST OF THEOPHANY
By Saint Gregory Palamas

YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS IN CHURCH, celebrating with you as you kept the forefeast of the day of Lights, I spoke on such themes as the occasion demanded and said to your charity about Christian baptism, which we have been deemed worthy to receive, that it is both a recognition of God and a promise to God… But because baptism is not just the recognition of God, but also a promise to turn back to Him and to do works that please Him, that is why Christ’s Forerunner and Baptist did not merely guide people towards acknowledging Christ, but also preached repentance and sought fruits worthy of repentance: RIGHTEOUSNESS, ALMSGIVING, MODERATION, AGAPE AND THE TRUTH. And to make it clear that a promise to God is useless without deeds, and condemns a man, he held tout the threat of an axe and drew attention to the unquenchable fire, saying, "EVERY TREE WHICH BRINGETH NOT FORTH GOOD FRUIT IS HEWN DOWN, AND CAST INTO THE FIRE" (Matthew 3:10).

"…Speaking to you on that occasion we reach the point where Saint John, having been persuaded, let the Lord be baptized. There remains that part of the Gospel which has now been read in your hearing: "Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:16-17).

Saint John of Kronstadt speaking on the Holy Theophany says, "Water, being simple and accessible to all, becomes, through the invocation of the Holy Spirit, a bearer of grace and sanctification. When the Church blesses the waters, it does not merely perform a symbolic act; it call down Divine power to purify, to heal, and to drive away evil. This sanctified water enters our homes, our bodies, and our lives as a reminder that Christ came TO REDEEM ALL OF CREATION–NOT JUST SOULS, BUT THE VERY ELEMENTS OF THE WORLD. LET NO ONE NEGLECT THE POWER OF HOLY WATER, FOR THROUGH IT, WE RECEIVE STRENGTH, PROTECTION, AND THE NEARNESS OF GOD HIMSELF."

"…When the Holy Spirit was revealed through His descent from the supracelestial regions upon the Lord being baptized in the Jordan, He disclosed the mystery of the Most-sublime and All-accomplishing Trinity which is able to save reasonable creatures. Why is the mystery of the Holy Trinity shown foth when man is formed and also when he is formed ANEW? Not just because man is, on earth, the only initiate into the mystery and the only creature to venerate it, BUT BECAUSE HE ALONE IS IN THE IMAGE OF THE TRINITY. Sensible and irrational animals have only A LIVING SPIRIT, which is incapable of independent existence, and is completely devoid of mind or reason. But the perfectly suprasensible Angels and Archangels, as they are intelligent and rational, have a mind and reason, but no quickening spirit, since they also lack bodies which would need to be animated by such a spirit. Man is the only creature who, in the image of the Tri-Hypostatic Being, has A MIND, REASON, AND A SPIRIT WHICH GIVES LIFE TO HIS BODY, INASMUCH AS HE ALSO HAS BODY WHICH NEEDS TO BE INFUSED WITH LIFE. When OUR NATURE WAS RE-MADE IN THE JORDAN, THE MOST SUBLIME AND ALL-ACCOMPLISHING TRINITY WAS MADE MANIFEST, AS THE ARCHETYPE OF THE IMAGE IN OUR SOUL. Therefore those who receive Christian baptism after Christ are baptized with THREE IMMERSIONS, whereas John baptized with one immersion in the Jordan. To underline this point, Saint Matthew says, "Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water" (Matthew 3:16).

"And lo," it says, when He had just risen up from under the water, before He had stepped out, "the heavens were opened unto Him" (Matthew 3:16). Please make a mental effort, brethren, and focus your minds on what I am saying with the utmost care, that you may understand the power of the mystery of Christian baptism. For Christ’s going down into the water and His being underneath it, at the time of His baptism, FORESHADOWED HIS DESCENT INTO HADES, AND, ACCORDINGLY, HIS COMING UP FROM UNDER THE WATER PREFIGURED HIS RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.

As a fitting consequence, when He came up from the water the heavens were immediately opened to Him. For at the time of His descent into Hades, He went under the earth for our sake, and on returning thence, He OPENED ALL THINGS BOTH TO HIMSELF AND TO US, NOT JUST THINGS ON OR AROUND THE EARTH, BUT HIGHEST HEAVEN ITSELF, TO WHICH AFTERWARDS HE ASCENDED BODILY, "WHITHER THE FORERUNNER IS FOR US ENTERED" (Hebrews 6:20). Just as He foreshowed the saving passion through the mystical bread and cup, and then on this mystery to the faithful TO PERFORM FOR THEIR SALVATION (1 Corinthians 11;25; Luke 22:17-20), so He mystically foretold His descent into Hades and His ascent from there through this baptism of His, and afterwards passed on this sacrament to believers TO PERFORM THAT THEY MAY BE SAVED. He allowed Himself what was painful and difficult, but bestowed on us communion of His sufferings right from the start through these painless means, causing us, according to the Apostle, to be "PLANTED TOGETHER IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS DEATH" (Romans 6:5), that in due time we might also be vouchsafed the promised resurrection. (Resources: The Homilies)

(To be continued)

____________
"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 Jesus Christ our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

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

On the 6th of January our Holy Orthodox Church commemorates
the Baptism of our Lord, God and Savior JESUS CHRIST in the
River Jordan. (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22;
John 1:29-34).

"Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be
baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I
need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’
But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now,
for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’
Then he allowed Him . When He had been baptized, Jesus
came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens
were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending
like a dove and alighting upon Him.
And suddenly a voice came heaven, saying, ‘This is My
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. First Tone

WHEN Thou was baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of
the Trinity was made manifest; for the voice of the Father bare
witness to Thee, calling Thee His Beloved Son. And the Spirit
in the form of a dove confirmed the certainty of the word, O
Christ our God, Who has appeared and hast enlightened the
world, glory to Thee

Hypokoe. Plagal of First Tone

WHEN Thou didst enlighten all things by Thine Epiphany, the
briny sea of unbelief fled, and as Jordan flowed down, it turned
back, exalting us to Heaven. Through the intercessions of the
Theotokos, preserve us at the height of Thine divine Commandments,
O Christ God, and have mercy on us.

Kontakion Hymn. Fourth Tone

ON this day Thou has appeared unto the whole world, and Thy
Light, O Sovereign Lord, is signed on us who sing Thy praise
and chant with knowledge: Thou hast now come, Thou hast
appeared, O Thou Light unapproachable.

In the Patristic Tradition the Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan IS CONNECTED WITH THE MIRACULOUS CROSSING OF THE RED SEA BY THE ISREAELITES. Just as it was by the Wonder-working energy of the Unincarnate Logos/Word, through Moses, that the Egyptians were engulfed and the Israelites were freed, so also here BY THE POWER OF THE INCARNATE LOGOS/WORD, CORRUPT AND PERVERTED MAN IS REFORMED AND THE DRAGONS ARE CRUSHED, THAT IS TO SAY, THE DEMONS LOSE THEIR POWER.

Saint Gregory Palamas states: "Water is a means of cleansing, but not for souls. It can remove dirt from those being baptized, but not the grime that comes from sin. For that reason the Healer of souls, the Father of spirits (Hebrew 12:9), Christ, Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), enters the water before us to be baptized, as we celebrate today in advance. He draws the grace of the All-Holy Spirit from above to dwell in the water with Him, so that later when those being baptized as He was enter the water, He is there, clothing them ineffably with the Spirit, attaching Himself to them, and filling them WITH GRACE THAT PURIFIES AND ILLUMINES REASONABLE SPIRITS. And this is what the divine Paul is referring to: "AS MANY OF YOU AS HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE PUT ON CHRIST" (Galatians 3:27).

"While the THREE IMMERSIONS in the water are also the saving invocation of the Life-Giving Trinity, they REPRESENT THE LORD’S THREE-DAY BURIAL. Following this, the person being baptized comes out of the water the same number of times, because otherwise he could not have been submerged three times, but also because this signifies the profitable contrition of heart, but also sought fruits worthy of REPENTANCE (Matthew 3:8). What are these? Firstly CONFESSION, as practiced by those who came to HIm at that time. "Then they went out," it says, "and were baptized by him in Jordan, CONFESSING THEIR SINS" (Matthew 3:5-6). Next, He looked for righteousness, almsgiving, moderation, agape, truthfulness, telling them, "Exact no more than that which is appointed you," "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely" (Luke 3:13-14), and "He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise" (Luke 3:11) "For every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low" (Luke 3:5).

"…Yet the Lord’s baptism, of which we were deemed worthy, is as fare superior to the baptism given by John in those days, as the grace of the Holy Spirit is more excellent than water; and in proof of this the Lord said to His Disciples, "John truly baptized with water; BUT YOU SHALL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT" (Acts 1:5). Whereas Saint John baptized so that people would believe in Him Who was coming, the Lord TRANSFORMED JOHN’S BAPTISM THROUGH HIMSELF, MYSTICALLY PLANTING WITHIN IT THROUGH HIMSELF THE PRE-ETERNAL FOUNT OF GRACE. While John was teaching these things and baptizing those who approached, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee to the Jordan, TO BE BAPTIZED BY JOHN (Matthew 3:13l Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21; John 1:29-31). He came when He had reached thirty years of age, as Luke relates (Luke 3:23), seeming to be one of the crowd, with no indication that He was at all different, in simplicity and utter lowliness and obscurity.

"Saint John, however, knew through the clear vision of the Spirit that He was drawing near, and said to the multitude, "THERE STA27NDETH ONE AMONG YOU, WHOM YE KNOW NOT, WHO IS AFTER ME," ACCORDING TO HIS BIRTH AND APPEARANCE IN THE FLESH, BUT "WAS BEFORE ME" John 1:26-27, 15), as God, the Logos/Word and Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, and now bearing bodily THE FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD (Colossians 2:9), "the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose" (Luke 3:16). What else can the shoes of the Logos/Word of God be except, obviously, the flesh, which He put on for our sake? The strap of these shoes is the way in which His Divinity is joined with His flesh, which is beyond words, and which even the highest man born of woman (cf. Matthew 11:11) is inadequate to analyse and clarify. "He," says Saint John, "SHALL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND WITH FIRE" (Matthew 3:11); fire, that is to say, which is capable of enlightening and punishing, w1ith each one receiving what is appropriate, according to what his disposition merits. We are all His rational field (1 Corinthians 3:9), and He has "the winnowing-fan" for that field "in His hand" (Matthew 3:12), meaning the power who minister to Him and the Angels who will serve Him at the Coming Judgment, separating the tares from the wheat (cf. Matthew 13:39-42).

"…When Saint John saw Him bowing down he himself bent low and "forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee" (Matthew 3:14), for I was born from the old seed and am an heir of that fall and the defilement it brought, and I myself need cleansing by You. And You, Who took flesh from the Holy Virgin without seed, and Who alone, as God, are FREE FROM SIN, YOU, LORD, COME TO ME? But as a Master giving orders to his servant the Lord says, "Suffer it to be so now" (Matthew 3:15). He added "now," because after the Lord had been baptized that whole place became A SPIRITUAL FONT, AND DIVINE GRACE ENCOMPASSED JOHN AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHERS, POURED OUT UPON ALL FROM THAT REVERED BODY AS FROM A FOUNTAIN, FLOWING AROUND ALL WHO WERE WORTHY, GIVING DIVINE ENLIGHTENMENT AND REDEEMING THEM FROM THE ANCESTRAL CURSE.

"Saint John, hearing the Master’s command, "Suffer it to be so," had nothing to say in reply, and let the Lord be baptized. The Holy Spirit comes uon us and departs of His own volition, being of equal might with the Father and the Son. He says with those who lie in repentance, and een if they sin does not leave them, as we have seen from David (2 Samuel 12:1ff; cf. Psalm 51:11), but forsakes those who sin without repenting, as we hae found out from Saul (cf. 1 Samuel 16:14). So may we all, clinging throughout our lives to the works, words and thoughts of repentance, hae Him always dwelling within us, to give us understanding, care for us, and grant us heavenly salvation, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
(Resources: Homilies)

_________
"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 DIVINE THEOPHANY ACCORDING TO
THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

The Great Feast of the THEOPHANY refers to the Baptism of Christ in the Riven Jordan by Saint John the Forerunner, who is called THE BAPTIST. This took place when Our Lord Jesus Christ reached the age of thirty years, before He began His formal work of teaching and before His later Sufferings FOR THE SALVATION OF THE HUMAN RACE.

The choice of thirty years for the beginning of Christ’s formal activity in the world is related to the fact that the biological formation of the human organism reaches its fullness at that time. Moreover He would have been more acceptable to the Israelites at this time.

This event is described by the Evangelist Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:32-34).

Not many events are mentioned in Holy Scripture in the interval between the Meeting of Christ and Baptism of Christ. What we know about are the flight into Egypt and the return from there, as well as the presence of Christ in the Temple when He was twelve years old.

This is not without reason and purpose. The Gospels were not written to describe the whole history of Christ, but TO PRESENT THE INCARNATION OF THE SON AND LOGOS/WORD OF GOD, AND WHAT CHRIST TAUGHT, WHAT HE DID AND WHAT HE SUFFERED FOR THE HUMAN RACE. In essence the Gospels were catechetical aids. So the historical events of Christ’s life and the references to His childhood years were not needed. His appearance in the Temple was included in the Gospel because it was the early evidence THAT HE WAS THE SON OF GOD.

The absence of the events of His childhood and adolescent age does not mean that Christ was absent from Judaea. Christ lived close to His mother and foster-father Joseph and was "subject to them" (Luke 2:51). The things that some people say without any evidence are not valid but are the inventions of imagination, that Christ went to other countries, such as the Indies, and there spent his life until the age of thirty years, when He suddenly made His appearance in Nazareth and at the River Jordan. For if such a thing had happened, it would have made an enormous impression on His compatriots when He appeared.

The best known incident in Christ’s youth is His presence in the Temple and His conversation with the teachers, for He was listening to the teachers and asking them questions. And indeed, as the holy Evangelist John indicates, "all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers" (Luke 2:47).

The Event of Christ’s Baptism by Saint John the Forerunner in the River Jordan IS CALLED THEOPHANY AND EPIPHANY. In the early Church the Feasts of the Nativity and the Theophany WERE CELEBRATED TOGETHER ON THE SAME DAY (6th January). In the 4th century the feasts were SEPARATED, AND CHRISTMAS WAS TRANSFERRED TO 25th OF DECEMBER, THE DAY ON WHICH THE GENTILES CELEBRATED THE sun god and the Christians the Sun of Righteousness. Likewise it is called the FEAST OF LIGHTS, as Saint Gregory the Theologian characterizes it, BECAUSE OF THE BAPTISM, ILLUMINATION OF THE CATECHUMENS, AND BECAUSE OF THE LIGHTING OF FIRES.

The word ‘THEOPHANY’ comes from the Apostolic passage "GOD WAS MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH, JUSTIFIED IN THE SPIRIT, SEEN BY ANGELS, PREACHED AMONG THE GENTILES, BELIEVED ON IN THE WORLD, RECEIVED UP IN GLORY" (1 Timothy 3:16), and relates mostly TO CHRIST’S NATIVITY. The word ‘EPIPHANY’ comes from the Apostolic passage, "THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGS SALVATION HAS APPEARED TO ALL MEN" (Titus 2:11), and is related mostly to Christ’s BAPTISM, FOR IT WAS THEN THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZED THE GRACE OF DIVINITY.

In any case IT IS A FACT THAT ON THE DAY OF CHRIST’S BAPTISM, WITH THE MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY TRINITY AND THE CONFESSION OF THE Worthy Forerunner, we have the official confession that the Son and Logos/Word of God is the "ONE OF THE HOLY TRINITY’ Who became man to save the human race from sin, the devil and death.

The person who played a major role in Christ’s Baptism IS THE WORTHY FORERUNNER, JOHN THE BAPTIST. HE IS A GREAT PROPHET A GREAT CHARACTER PLACED BETWEEN THE Old and New Testaments. He is THE LAST OF THE PROPHETS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE FIRST OF THE PROPHETS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

The word BAPTISM, as Saint Nicodemos the Hagiorite interprets it, means PLUNGING (TO IMMERSE) is a verbal noun that comes from the verb ‘BAPTO’, meaning TO PLUNGE, IMMERSE. Thus baptism is connected with water. The Holy Fathers of the Church teach that there are many kinds of baptism. Saint Gregory the Theologian teaches that there are five kinds. The first is that of Moses, which gives TEMPORARY PURIFICATION. The second is that of the Forerunner, WHO BAPTIZED PEOPLE WITH THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE. The third is Christ’s Baptism, THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE BECOMES CHRISTIANS; IT IS PERFORMED BY THE ENERGY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. The fourth is THAT OF MARTYRDOM AND BLOOD, AND THE FIFTH IS THAT OF REPENTANCE AND TEARS.

Saint John’s baptism led men to the sense of their sins and prepared the people to RECEIVE THE MOST PERFECT BAPTISM OF CHRIST, and Christ was PERFECT GOD AND PERFECT MAN AND HAD NOT COMMITTED ANY SIN, THEN WHY WHAT HE BAPTISED? The answer to this question manifests great truths to us.

Saint John of Damascus says that Christ WAS NOT BAPTIZED BECAUSE HE HAD NEED OF PURIFICATION, "BUT TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF WITH OUR PURIFICATION." Just as Christ suffered and was crucified for mankind and felt all the grief and pain, so He identified Himself with OUR OWN PURIFICATION. Many things happened in this way.

So according to Saint John of Damascus, CHRIST WAS BAPTIZED IN ORDER TO CRUSH THE HEADS OF THE DRAGONS IN THE WATER, FOR THERE WAS A CONCEPTION THAT THE DEMONS DWELL IN THE WATER; IN ORDER TO WASH THE SIN AND BURY THE OLD ADAM IN THE WATER; IN ORDER TO BLESS THE BAPTIST, FOR THE FORERUNNER DID NOT BLESS CHRIST, BUT CHRIST BLESSED THE FORERUNNER WHEN THE LATTER PUT HIS HAND ON CHRIST’S HEAD; IN ORDER TO KEEP THE LAW, SINCE HE HIMSELF GAVE IT AND SHOULD NOT APPEAR TO TRANSGRESS IT; IN ORDER TO REVEAL THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLY TRINITY, BECAUSE AT THAT MOMENT WE HAVE THE MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY TRINITY; IN ORDER TO BECOME A MODEL FOR OUR OWN BAPTISM, WHICH IS PERFECT BAPTISM AND IS DONE BY WATER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Beyond these things, by His baptism in the River Jordan Christ BLESSED THE WATER AS WELL. That is why even today we perform the service of the BLESSING OF THE WATERS AND DURING THE CELEBRATION WE CALL UPON THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BLESS THE WATERS. THUS AFTER THE BLESSING IT CEASES TO BE WATER OF THE FALL AND BECOMES WATER OF RENEWAL, SINCE IT IS UNITED WITH THE UNCREATED GRACE OF GOD. (Resources: The Feasts of the Lord)

(To be continued)

_______________
"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 VALUE OF CONSCIENCE IN ONE’S
SPIRITUAL LIFELONG STRUGGLE.

"But we have renounced the hidden things of shame,
not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God
deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth
commending ourselves TO EVERY MAN’S CONSCIENCE
IN THE SIGHT OF GOD" (2 Corinthians 4:2).

"holding the mystery of the faith with A PURE
CONSCIENCE" (1 Timothy 3:9).

"let us draw near with a true heart in full assistance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled FROM AN EVIL
CONSCIENCE AND OUR BODIES WASHED WITH
PURE WATER" (Hebrews 10:22).

"how much more shall the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without
spot to God, CLEANSE YOUR CONSCIENCE from
death works to serve the living God" (Hebrews 9:14).

"Therefore you must be subject, not only because
of wrath but also for conscience’ sake" (Romans 13:5).

"but when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature
do the things in the law, these, although not having law,
are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law
written in their hearts, THEIR CONSCIENCE ALSO
BEARING WITNESS, AND BETWEEN THEMSELVES
THEIR THOUGHTS ACCUSING OR ELSE EXCUSING
THEM) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men
by Jesus Christ according to my gospel" (Romans 2:14-15).

Our Holy Father Among the Saints, Saint Dorotheos of Gaza wrote: "When God created man, he breathed into him something divine, as it were a hot and bright spark added to reason, which lit up the mind and showed him the difference between right and wrong. THIS IS CALLED CONSCIENCE, WHICH IS THE LAW OF HIS NATURE. This is compared to the well which Jacob dug as the Fathers say, and which the Philistines filled up. [Genesis 26:15]. That is, to this law of conscience adhered to the patriarchs and all the holy men of old before the written law, and they were pleasing to God. But when this law was buried and truden underoof by men through the onset of sin, we needed a written law, we needed the holy Prophets, we needed the instruction of our Master, Jesus Christ, to reveal it and raise it up and bringing it life through the observance of the Commandments that buried spark. It is our power either to bury it again, or, if we obey it, to allow it to shine and illuminate us. When our conscience says to us, ‘do this!’ and we despise it and it speaks again and we do not do it but continue to despise it, at last we bury it and it is no longer able to speak clearly to us from the depths where we have laid it. But like a lamp shining on a damaged mirror, it reflects things dimly and darkly, just as you cannot see the reflection of your face in muddy water. We are found unable to perceive what our conscience says to us so that we think we have hardly any conscience. No one is without a conscience, since it is something divinely implanted in us, as we have already said, and it can never be destroyed. It always patiently reminds us of our duties, but sometimes we do not perceive that we are despising it and treading underfoot. This is why the Prophet bewails Ephraim and says, ‘Ephraim prevails against his adversary and treads down judgment.’ [Hosea 10:11] The adversary here is ‘CONSCIENCE.’ Here the Gospel says, ‘Come to an agreement with your adversary while you are on the way with him, lest he deliver you to the judge and the judge to the warders and they2:15) put you in chains. Amen, I say to you, you shall not leave the place until you have paid the last farthing’ [Matthew 5:25-26]. Why does he call conscience the adversary? It is called the adversary because it always opposes our evil desires and tells what we ought to do and we do not, or what we ought not to do and we do; and it accuses us, and so CONSCIENCE IS CALLED OUR ADVERSARY, AND OUR LORD ADMONISHES, ‘Come to an agreement with your adversary while you are on the way;’ for the ‘way’ as Saint Basil says, is this world.

Let us be zealous, brothers, to guard our conscience for as long as we are in this world and not to neglect its promptings in anything." [Sermon on the Conscience]

How is your conscience? "By nature" (Romans 2:14) people are inspired by and cooperate with God’s grace. Therefore, good deeds are natural to us, whereas evil deeds are contrary to nature. Because we all fail, we need God’s mercy (Gk, eleos) [Romans 3:9-19). The presence of God’s law in in our conscience (Romans 2:15) condemns anything we do which is contrary to true human nature. Our Savior Jesus Christ will judge on the basis of the light He Himself has given to each of us (John 1:9) and our response to His Light (John 3:16-21). "The secrets of men" are "the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrew 4:12).

Saint Dorotheos continues: "Doing what is right and what is wrong: both begin from small things and advance to what is great, either good or evil. Therefore Our Lord warns ut TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF OUR CONSCIENCE AS ONE GIVING EVIDENCE OF HIS OWN EXPERIENCE AND SAYING, ‘BE CAREFUL, SIMPLETON, SEE WHAT YOU ARE DOING, COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH YOUR ADVERSARY WHILE YET ON THE ROAD’ AND HE SHOWS THE DANGER TO BE FEARED: ‘LEST HE DELIVER YOU TO THE JUDGE, AND THE JUDGE TO THE EXECUTIONER AND HE THROW YOU IN PRISON.’ Conscience then WARNS US, AS I SAID, about what is good or what is bad and shows us what to do and what not to do…"

How healthy is your conscience? Is the voice of your conscience vibrant and strong? Do you pay attention to that special voice or do you ignore it? You see, it is up to every individual believer to treat his/her conscience tenderly and respectfully. Especially when everyone is constantly bombarded with temptations coming from all directions in various ways and forms. Our conscience is our spiritual guardian, our alarm when one is under attack and we are in great danger. It is our personal warning system just like the cities which warn the people of an oncoming weather threat (i.e. tornado, flood, a severe storm, tidal wave etc.) and sirens sound off for everyone to take cover. Those who listen to the warnings are safe and those that don’t, lose their lives. Those who listen to their conscience and follow the guidance of that little voice faithfully will be safe from harm.

To attempt to silence the voice of one’s conscience leads to disobedience and darkness. "Doing good" means seeking God’s glory, not one’s own glory; God’s honor, not one’s own honor; the eternal reward of immortality, not reward here and now. "Doing good" is seeking first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). Those with true faith, "the doers" of the truth, practice virtue from pure and repentant hearts (James 1:21-27). All Christian believers must listen to the voice of their conscience and thank our Creator for giving us this precious gift which is necessary to discern between good and evil, between sin and righteousness, between heaven and hell, between what is Godly and what is Satanic. Without the ability to discern between good and evil, man is totally lost and unable to find his way to the heavenly Father and Savior.

The practicing and believing Orthodox Christian understands that to build an Orthodox Christian conscience it can only be acquired by the grace of God acting within us, and not by his/her effort and want. Once acquired, his/her conscience becomes a powerful warning instrument in one’s heart and mind whenever he or she nears something improper and unholy and warns the believer of its imminent danger and discourages him or her from
continuing on the path of breaking God’s commandments and committing a grave sin such as fornication, infidelity, lust, prostitution, adultery, murder, judging others, covetousness, wanting something that belongs to someone else etc. The believer who is alert will hopefully make the right decision when confronted with a choice between what is Godly and what is wrong.

The Holy Apostle Paul writes, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth fornication, uncleanness, passion, evi desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry…But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have upt off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him Who created him" {Colossians 3:1-10).

__________
"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 2nd of January, The Forefeast of the Holy Theophany. Also, the Feast-Day
of Our Righteous Father SERAPHIM OF SAROV.

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn of the Righteous One. Forth Tone

THOU didst love Christ from thy youth, O blessed one, and ardently
desiring to work for Him alone, thou didst struggle in the wilderness
with constant prayer and labor; and having acquired love for Christ
with compunction of heart, thou didst prove to be the beloved favourite
of the Mother of God. Wherefore, we cry to thee: Save us by thy prayers,
O Seraphim, our holy Father.

Kontakion Hymn of the Righteous One. Second Tone

HAVING left the beauty of the world and what is corrupt therein, O
Saint, thou didst settle in the Monastery of Sarov. And having lived
there an Angelic life, thou wast for many the way unto salvation.
Wherefore, Christ hath glorified thee, O Father Seraphim, and hath
enriched thee with the gift of healing and miracles. And so we cry to
thee: Rejoice, O Seraphim, our holy Father.

SAINT SERAPHIM was born in the town of Kursk in 1759. From tender childhood he was under the protection of the Most Holy Mother of God, who, when he was nine years old, appeared to him in a vision, and through her icon of Kursk, healed him from a grave sickness from which he had not been expected to recover. At the age of nineteen he entered the Monastery of Sarov, where he amazed all with his obedience, his lofty asceticism, and his great humility. In 1780 the Saint was stricken with a sickness which he manfully endured for three years, until Our Lady the Theotokos healed him, appearing to him with the Apostles Peter and John. He was tonsured a monk in 1786, being named for the holy Hieromartyr Seraphim, Bishop of Phanarion (+ December 4th), and was ordained Deacon a year later. In his unquenchable love for God, he continually added labors to labors, increasing in virtue and prayer with titan strides. Once, during the Divine Liturgy of Holy and Great Thursday, he was counted worthy of a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who appeared encompassed by the heavenly hosts. After this dread vision, he gave himself over to greater labors.

In 1794, Saint Seraphim took up solitary life in a cell in the forest. This period of extreme asceticism lasted some fifteen years, until 1810. It was at this time that he took upon himself one of the greatest feats of his life. Assailed with despondency and a storm of contrary thoughts raised by the enemy of our salvation, the Saint passed a thousand nights on a rock, continuing in prayer until God gave him complete victory over the enemy. On another occasion, he was assaulted by robbers, who broke his chest and his head with their blows, leaving him almost dead. Here again, he began to recover after an appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos, who came to him with the Apostles Peter and John, and pointing to Saint Seraphim, uttered those awesome words, "This is one of my kind."

In 1810, at the age of fifty, weakened with his more than human struggles, Saint Seraphim returned to the Monastery for the third part of his ascetical labors, in which he lived as a recluse, until 1825. For the first five years of his reclusion, he spoke to no one at all, and little is known of this period. After five years, he began receiving visitors little by little, giving counsel and consolation to ailing souls. In 1825, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to the Saint and revealed to him that it was pleasing to God that he fully end his reclusion; from this time the number of people who came to see him grew daily. It was also at the command of the Holy Virgin that he undertook the spiritual direction of the Diveyevo Women’s Monastery. He healed bodily ailments, foretold things to come, brought hardened sinners to repentance, and saw clearly the secrets of the heart of those who came to him. Through his utter humility and childlike simplicity, his unrivalled ascetical travails, and his angel-like love for God, he ascended to the holiness and greatness of the ancient God-bearing Fathers and became, like Saint Anthony of Egypt, the physician for the whole Russian land. In all, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to him twelve times in his life. That last was on Annunciation, 1831, to announce to him that he would soon enter into his rest. She appeared to him accompanied by twelve virgins–martyrs and monastic Saints–with Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Theologian. With a body ailing and broken from innumerable hardships, and an unspotted soul shining with the light of Heaven, the Saint lived less than two years after this, falling asleep in peace on January 2, 1833, chanting Paschal hymns. On the night of his repose, the righteous Philaret of the Glinsk Hermitage beheld his soul ascending to Heaven in light. Because of the universal testimony to the singular holiness of his life, and the seas of miracles that he performed both in life and after death, his veneration quickly spread beyond the boundaries of the Russian Empire to every corner of the earth. [Resources: The Great Horologion]

_________
"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 1st of January, the Orthodox Church Commemorates Our Father
Among the Saints BASIL THE GREAT, Archbishop of Caesarea of
Cappadocia.

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn of the Saint. First Tone

Thy sound hath gone forth into all the earth, which hath received thy
word. Thereby thou hast divinely taught the Faith; thou hast made
manifest the nature of all things that be; thou hast adorned the way of
man. O namesake of the royal priesthood, our righteous Father Basil,
intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion Hymn of the Saint. Fourth Tone

FOR the Church art thou in truth a firm foundation, granting an
inviolate lordship unto all mortal men and sealing it with what
thou hast taught, O righteous Basil, revealer of heavenly things.

SAINT BASIL THE GREAT was born about the end of the year A.D. 329 in Caesarea of Cappadocia, to a family renowned for their learning and holiness. His parents’ names were Basil and Emilia. His mother Emilia (commemorated July 19) and his grandmother Macrina (January 14th) are Saints of the Church, together with all his brothers and sisters: Macrina, his elder sister (July 19th), Gregory of Nyssa (January 10th), Peter of Sevastia (January 9th), and Naucratius. Basil studied in Constantinople under the sophist Libanius, then in Athens, where also he formed a friendship with the young Gregory, a fellow Cappadocian, later called "the Theologian." Through the good influence of his sister Macrina, he chose to embrace the ascetical life, abandoning his worldly career. He visited the monks in Egypt, in Palestine, in Syria, and in Mesopotamia, and upon returning to Caesarea, he departed to a hermitage on the Iris River in Pontus, not far from Annesi, where his mother and his sister Macrina were already treading the path of the ascetical life; here he also wrote his ascetical homilies.

About the year A.D. 370, when the bishop of his country reposed, he was elected to succeed to his episcopal throne and was entrusted with the Church of Christ, which he tended for eight years. living in voluntary poverty and strict asceticism, having no other care than to defend holy Orthodoxy as a worthy successor of the Holy Apostles. The Emperor Valens, and Modestos, the Eparch of the East, who were of one mind with the heretical Arians tried with threats of exile and of torments to bend the Saint to their own confession, because he was the BASTION OF ORTHODOXY IN ALL CAPPADOCIA, AND PRESERVED IT FROM HERESY WHEN ARIANISM WAS AT ITS STRONGEST. But he set all their malice at nought, and in his willingness to give himself up to eery suffering for the sake of the Faith, showed himself to be a martyr by volition. Modestos, amazed at Basil’s fearlessness in his presence, said that no one had ever so spoken to him. "Perhaps," answered the Saint, "you have never met a bishop before." The Emperor Valens himself was almost won over by Basil’s dignity and wisdom. When Valens’ son fell gravely ill, he asked Saint Basil to pray for him. The Saint promised that his son would be restored if Valens agreed to have him baptized by the Orthodox; Valens agreed, Basil prayed, the son was restored to health. But afterwards the Emperor had him baptized by heretical Arians, and the child died soon after. Later, Valens, persuaded by his counsellors, decided to send the Saint into exile because he would not accept the Arians into communion; but his pen broke when he was signing the edict of banishment. He tried a second time and a third, but the same thing happened, so that the Emperor was filled with dread, and tore up the document, and Saint Basil was not banished. The truly Great Basil, spent with extreme ascetical practices and continual labors at the helm of the Church, departed to the Lord on the 1st January, in A.D. 379, at the age of forty-nine.

His writings are replete with wisdom and erudition, and with these gifts he set forth the doctrines concerning the mysteries both OF CREATION (his HEXAEMERON) and of the Holy Trinity (On the Holy Spirit). Because of the majesty and keenness of his eloquence, he is honored as "THE REVEALER OF HEAVENLY THINGS" and "the Great, Saint Basil." In the Office for his Feast, he is referred to AS A BEE OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, BRINGING HONEY TO THE FAITHFUL BUT STINGING THOSE IN HERESY. Many of the writings of this holy Father of the Church have survived–theological, apologetic, on asceticism, and on the holy Canons. There is also the Liturgy that bears his name. This Liturgy is celebrated TEN TIMES IN THE YEAR: on January 1st, on the Eves of Christmas and the Theophany, on every Sunday in the Great Fast (Lent) with the exception of Palm Sunday, and on the Thursday and Saturday in Holy and Great Week. Saint Basil is also celebrated on 30th of January with Saint Gregory the Theologian, and Saint John Chrysostomos. [Resources: The Great Horologion and 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.

CHRIST’S CIRCUMCISION (Part II)

Furthermore, Christ was circumcised IN ORDER TO TEACH MEN THAT CIRCUMCISION, WHICH HE HIMSELF HAD GIVEN TO THE JEWS, HAD SERVED HUMANITY AND PREPARED THE GROUND FOR HIS OWN PRESENCE (Saint Epiphanius). It was NOT a useless rite. Through circumcision the Jews REMAINED FAITHFUL TO GOD’S LAW AND HAD WAITED FOR THE MESSIAH.

And lastly, it not only showed that the circumcision was preparing the human race for His presence, but also THAT IT IS A TYPE, A PREFIGURING OF THE CIRCUMCISION NOT DONE BY HUMAN HANDS, WHICH IS HOLY BAPTISM. According to Saint John of Damascus, circumcision WAS A FIGURE OF BAPTISM. Just as circumcision cuts off from the body a part that is not useful, so by Holy Baptism WE SHED SIN, WHICH IS NOT A NATURAL STATE, BUT EXCREMENT. When we speak of sin which is shed, WE MEAN DESIRE, AND OF COURSE NOT THE USEFUL AND NECESSARY DESIRE, BUT USELESS DESIRE AND PLEASURE. Baptism is the circumcision not done by human hands, which does not remove one from one’s nation, but SEPARATES THE ONE WHO IS FAITHFUL FROM THE UNFAITHFUL ONE WHO LIVES IN THE SAME NATION.

After Pentecost, the first Church was very much occupied with the subject of whether the CONVERTS to the Christian faith should be circumcised. The grounds for it were that since the Old Testament preceded the New Testament, the pagans who come to the Christian faith should keep the Law of the Old Testament on the matter of circumcision as well. In order to deal with this topic, the First Ecumenical Council, called APOSTOLIC, was convened, and it made the decision about it, as recorded in the 15th Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.

In that APOSTOLIC COUNCIL the Holy Apostle Peter and the Apostles Barnabas and Paul and James the brother of God spoke. The decision of the COUNCIL was that those who came to the Christian faith from the Gentiles SHOULD NOT BE CIRCUMCISED, BUT THEY SHOULD ONLY KEEP THEMSELVES PURE, ABSTAINING FROM THINGS OFFERED TO IDOLS, FROM BLOOD, FROM THINGS STRANGLED, AND FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY. The decision, which was communicated in a letter to the Christians, said: "for it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and ot us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things, that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these you will do well" (Acts 15:28-29).

According to the teaching of Saint Cyril of Alexandria, the Old Testament circumcision did not abolish death, which New Testament circumcision does. In fact, the person WHO ENTERS THE CHURCH THROUGH BAPTISM BECOMES A MEMBER OF THE RISEN BODY OF CHRIST. In this way SPIRITUAL DEATH IS ABOLISHED AND THERE IS ASSURANCE OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. For if bodily DEATH REMAINS AFTER BAPTISM, IT IS FOR THE SAKE OF CUTTING OUT SIN.

Saint John of Damascus teaches that to be circumcised IS TO RENOUNCE BODILY PLEASURE AND UNNECESSARY AND USELESS DESIRES. Here we see that Baptism IS CONNECTED WITH THE ASCETIC LIFE, THROUGH WHICH A MAN (A PERSON) IS FREED FROM DOMINATION BY THE PASSIONS. It is NOT a matter of disciplining and diminishing the body, but of DIMINISHING AND TRANSFORMING THE DESIRES OF THE SOUL.

In the teaching of Saint Maximos we see that circumcision is the name for cutting off the passionate relation of the soul to the body. The SOUL AND BODY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP AND UNITY. It is not a question of that, however, BUT OF THE PASSIONATE RELATIONSHIP, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOUL AND BODY THROUGH THE PASSIONS.

The sayings of the Holy Fathers of the Church show that the Old Testament circumcision is internal, spiritual, it is a communion of man with God and an effort to maintain this communion. In the Old Testament God gave His Law, so as to prepare the people FOR RECEIVING CHRIST. Saint John the Evangelist says in the prologue to his Gospel: "The law was given through Moses, but GRACE AND TRUTH, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST" (John 1:17). The Unincarnate Logos/Word gave the law to Moses in order TO CURE THE PEOPLE IN READINESS FOR RECEIVING THE TRUTH AND GRACE WHICH CAME INTO THE WORLD THROUGH THE LOGOS/WORD OF GOD MADE FLESH, THAT IS TO SAY, CHRIST. The Mosaic law, as well as circumcision, also had grace, but this was the so-called PURIFYING ENERGY AND GRACE OF GOD, NOT HIS ILLUMINATING AND DEIFYING ENERGY.

Through Christ we gain SPIRITUAL BIRTH AND TRUE WORSHIP. Saint John the Evangelist emphasizes: "AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD, EVEN TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME: WHO WERE BORN, NOT OF BLOOD, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD" (John 1:12-13).

Through circumcision men become good Israelites, God’s chosen people. THROUGH BAPTISM AND THE FAMILY LIFE IN CHRIST MEN BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD, THEY ATTAIN SONSHIP BY GRACE AND THEY CONQUER DEATH.

Therefore Christ’s circumcision suggests to us THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART. THROUGH THE SACRAMENTAL AND ASCETIC LIFE WE BECOME MEMBERS OF THE Body of Christ. Christ’s CONDESCENSION BECOMES OUR ASCENT. [Resources: Metropolitan of Nafpaktos HIEROTHEOS)

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

+ + +

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