"Wake Up O Sleepers" to Newness In Christ!

Adapted from a Homily By +Fr. Isaac Henke

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!

St. Paul tells us all

"... It is high time to awake out of sleep ... the night is far spent, the day is at hand" (Romans 13:11-12).

Or in short: Wake Up O Sleeper!

St. Paul is urging us to wake up to the spiritual realities which direct our destinies. It is very true that we can -- and often do -- sleep through some very important and vital aspects of our Christian lives.

Therefore, it is very important to ask, " ARE WE AWAKE ENOUGH TO BEGIN ?"

TO BEGIN WHAT?

There is another message which goes with this call to sobriety -- this call to be awakened to the spiritual realities of life. It is a message which comes from beyond space and time; across the past, through the future, and into the present moment of eternity. Indeed, it is a message meant to secure our living in the Eternal Now! The message is from God Himself, and its significance is so great, but at the same time, it is so very subtle, that we can easily miss it. You have heard it many times already.

Jesus Christ, the God-man, says to us: " Behold, I make all things new ." Let me repeat that: " Behold, I [Jesus the Son of God] make all things new ." Do you hear that?

God does not say, " I am going to make all things new tomorrow." Nor does He limit its application by saying, " Behold, I made all things new at one point and then stopped ." The sense of God's message to us is this:

Behold --Listen up, this is very important -- I have, and will continue to make all things new in your life. It is a process which I have begun for you, and will continue to do with you -- if you live the Christian life of faith and action -- and this newness will be an ongoing process of life springing up in you for all eternity!"

Are we awake enough to become new people? Do we want a spiritual make-over? Do we want a new chance to live a life that is filled with wonder and joy -- peace and love? Christ offers us such a wonderful gift. BUT, to accept and live this gift we must begin by letting Him remake us, with ourselves continuously cooperating in the process!

Our re-making in the image and likeness of Christ necessarily becomes evident by the way we think, the way we act -- by the very manner and scope of our life.

Let us ask ourselves this Question: Are we new creatures in Christ?

For instance, are we more Christ-like (loving, accepting, uplifting, forgiving, god-centered, dead to our own self-centeredness) today than we were yesterday; than last year; how about more than even 10 years ago? If not, then why not?

Too often we fail to live a God-ordained fulfilled life of love, peace and joy; we fail to be more like Christ, simply because we neglect to understand what Christ has done, and continues to do for us. Our eyes are upon others in a manner that is not healthy; or likewise, upon ourselves in a way that is not healthy. WHY? Because, we have not yet fully awakened to the newness of human life which Christ brings to us. Moreover, we fail to live " in-Christ" because we fail to understand what it is that Christ wants from us -- indeed, what He needs from us -- in order to help us become whole, healed and united to Him!

WHAT DOES CHRIST WANT FROM US!

Let me use a story, which I heard years ago, to illustrate what God seeks from us. There was a businessman who had an old warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for many, many months and needed several repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash all over the place. All sorts of vermin had taken up refuge in the building, and left unwanted signs of their presence everywhere.

As the business man showed the property to a prospective buyer he was apologetic and took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, clean out the garbage, etcetera.

However, after several minutes of this sort of apologetic salesmanship, the prospective buyer said, " Forget about the repairs. If I buy this place, I'm going to build something completely different. I don't want this old building; I want the site upon which the building sits ."

DOES THIS HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD WANTS FROM US?

Compared with the renovative, re-creative and newness of life God has in mind for us, our efforts to improve our own lives -- in the modern secular sense -- are as trivial and unnecessary as replacing a broken window in a building which is slated for the wrecking ball.

God does not want the life we have built for ourselves in the world, using the things of the world. Rather, He wants our hearts and souls; our hopes and intentions; our thoughts, words and deeds: because with these He can begin within us the process of heavenly transformation.

You see, when we become totally identified with the Gospel newness which our Saviour brings -- when we become God's building, His field, His Vineyard -- our old life is over -- it is dead and gone! In baptism we die to our old life, and are resurrected to new life in Christ. Then God really makes all things new. But only if we cooperate with Him!

• He does not want our old way of thinking;
• He does not want our old way of living;
• He does not want our old patterns of self-centeredness.

"Therefore," St. Paul tells us,

"if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Cor 5:17)

Okay! So you say to me, " Father, I have been baptized, chrismated, and eat Eucharist (almost) weekly, and so on. Why, then, don't I live in this newness ?"

The Church fathers tell us that we most often miss the boat in the spiritual life because of pride! Pride is like a wall which deflects away from us God's blessing. Pride is like a dark sponge which absorbs the light of Christ's goodness and newness, and makes it ineffective in our lives! Pride is a thief which steals from us all that God has given us; and for some insane reason we are grateful and cling to pride as if it were our best friend.

WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE A LIFE OF HUMILITY!

If we could only see how silly is our pride makes us look in the eyes of God -- perhaps we would stop.

Muhammad Ali recalls a moment of such silly pride which occurred when he was in his prime, at the height of his fame. He was on a jet plane which was ready to take off. The flight attendant reminded him to fasten his seat belt. Ali quickly answered her, full of pride and witty sarcasm, "Superman don't need no seat belt ." The stewardess politely but firmly answered, "Yes! But Superman don't need no airplane, either ." Recognizing that he had been put in his place, Ali fastened his belt without saying another word.

The great act of re-creative faith -- the great act of spiritual change and the beginning of renewal -- is when man humbles himself, and realizes that he is not God to himself or anyone else! One of fathers of the Church, Blessed Augustine, tells us that " It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels ."

Let us take a moment to look inwards -- let us look into our heart of hearts -- what do we see? Let us be honest!

• It is all about us?
• What we think?
• How we feel?
• How things touch upon our lives?
• Who we are close to?
• Who is close to us?
• Do we weigh everything by what is "in it" for us or our family & friends?
• It is all about "I, I, I", "me, me, me," & "mine, mine, mine"?

If so, then pride rules in us, and we are suffering from "I" disease.

Other evidence of pride includes judging and gossiping about others. Just as often pride becomes evident when we hold ourselves in higher esteem than our brothers and sisters. Do we look down on others because of the way they look; the way they behave; the way we perceive them; their station in life? We have no business doing so! Jesus said, " Whatever -- whatever you do to the least of these my brother, you do to me!" Do not be mistaken, Christ means what He says!

We must understand that Christianity is not one ideology over against other ideologies. It is not another philosophy of life among all other philosophies. Rather, Orthodox Christianity is Life – which is inspired [in-spirited] and made new, moment by moment, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit . The true victories in our life are not victories over others. No! The true and lasting victory which God brings to us is victory over ourselves!

We must understand that the life of Christ circulates and manifests itself in us through humility, self-examination, and continued watchfulness; Not through pride, self conceit, earthly successes nor secular triumphs.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta once was asked, "How do you measure the success of your work?" She looked puzzled for a moment and then replied, " I don't remember that the Lord ever spoke of success. He spoke only of faithfulness in love. This is the only success that really counts ."

HUMILITY IS THE FIRST CONDITION OF LOVE!

Forgetting oneself, and becoming humble, is not a refinement of love. It is said to be the first condition of love. It is part and parcel of our spiritual, and, indeed, out total human regeneration. St. John tells us that, "God is love!" We are called as Christians to become like God -- to live, to move and exist moment by moment in the love of God demonstrated to us in Christ Jesus. This is the goal of our Orthodox Christian life -- plain and simple.

To live the Life of Christ sounds like a peaceful, relaxing, easy objective – and in many respects it can be. But hold on; stop, look and listen! Within the garment of our frail humanity Christ demonstrated the way of love and obedience by the things He willingly endured and suffered for our salvation.

Yes, we are reminded that to live in Christ is to live in the very midst of the trials, pains, temptations and storms of life. Yes, even within this tumultuous and sinful worldly sphere, the love of God can transform us, recreate us and keep us in peace . We can, with the help of God, overcome our fallenness; we can rise above our habits and compulsions of self destruction. Truly, we can become earthly angels through Christ's humility and love.

This process of transformation from the old into the new is not easy, quick nor natural for us in our fallen state. Indeed, the Holy Scriptures tell us that it is impossible in the flesh , slow in coming, but always supernatural in scope. Only Christ can accomplish it within us. For Christ, and He alone, has won this victory. It is His victory -- which He wants to make into our very own (IC, XC, NI, KA).

Behold, Christ has come to transform us into New People. God calls to us saying , “Wake up O Sleepers!” Let us, together, heed this call to be awakened to the blessed newness of life in Christ!

O only all-good God, help us to be newly made into Thy sons and daughters; to become victorious earthly angels; and to conquer our pride through Thy humility and love. For to Thee belong all glory, honor and worship: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

50% IS NOT A PASSING GRADE!

50% IS NOT A PASSING GRADE!

by Al Fragola

The first eight years of my formal religious education were under the tutelage of the good nuns at Saint Catherine’s Parochial School. Among these venerable sisters, all of whom were addressed by a first and middle name (such as Sister Rose Gertrude, Sister Claire Marie), was the school disciplinarian, who had gained the nickname “Sister Mary Vociferous”. Sister Mary Vociferous was a truly imposing figure with a booming voice that my Drill Instructor would have envied. It was Sister Mary Vociferous who taught the eighth graders a class entitled “Living the Christian Life”.

You can imagine our expectations of this class. Surely, this strict disciplinarian would subject us to a never-ending laundry list of rules and regulations that would be intended to make us rigidly obedient robots for God. Yet, as Sister began the class, we were all taken aback by a transformation in her demeanor and the gentle and angelic nature of her voice as she spoke. Needless to say, this gained our rapt attention.

Sister began by asking us, “What are the two Great Commandments”. Easy, we thought, as youthful hands darted up into the air, and one of us answered with “Love God with your whole heart and soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Sister then had us discuss which of the Commandments were related to each of these, and why. Again, a relatively easy exercise, as we categorized the Ten Commandments as to “love of God”, and “Love of neighbor”. A bit of consternation arose as to where “honor thy father and mother” fit in and Sister allowed us to see that as a separate, but important issue. Then, to a completely baffled group, Sister said, “What about the other six?”

To make a long story short, Sister was drawing our attention to Christ’s sermon of the Last Judgment. While the fifth through tenth Commandments tell us what NOT to do in relation to our neighbors, MT 25:31-46 gives us some very explicit “commandments” for what we MUST DO in order to love our neighbor and achieve life eternal. After much discussion, and as the period was drawing to a close, Sister said, “There are two aspects to living the Christian life. First is the love and worship of God. That is accomplished through a life of prayer, fasting, avoidance of sin, the sacraments, church services and the Eucharist. Second to this is to love thy neighbor as thyself, for failure to do so to one of the least will cast you among the goats. We must do both. Love of God and worship is only half the job, and 50% is not a passing grade”.

Sister’s introductory lesson was very clear. We cannot claim to be living a Christian life if the focus of our Christian activity is on prayer and worship, but lacking in a continuous active love for our neighbor. No matter how faithful we are in attending every service of our parish church, if we regularly fail to feed the hungry, we have failed to heed the words of Christ. No matter how many hours we spend in prayer before the icons in our icon corner, if we never visit the sick, we fail to heed the words of Christ. We are commanded to love God and our neighbor – no mention of ourselves. Indeed, as Sister once put it, “The message of the Gospels is about our salvation, not about us”.

There was a feature article in the paper the other day about a pastor of a very large congregation near my home. The article described the pastor’s success in having built a small congregation into a “$13.5 million dollar a year operation”. This definition of “success” got my interest, so I went to the church’s web site and read what they posted to promote themselves. Totally lacking, in any form, was any mention of charitable work. They had a laundry list of “ministries” to serve the needs of their members, encouraging folks to join the congregation to avail themselves of the ministries that catered to their personal needs. Noticeably lacking was mention of any care for those less fortunate outside the congregation who were hungry, thirsty, sick, in prison or strangers. The focus was on selves, not others.

An equally dangerous situation can arise within Orthodoxy. Nowhere is the worship of the people as rich and extensive as within our Church. If one is not careful, one can become so wrapped up in prayer, piety and worship that one can lose sight of one’s neighbors and their needs and suffering. We must be careful not to use the Church as a route to what the old drug guru, Timothy Leary espoused: “Tune in, turn on, drop out”. The Church is not an inward looking cult, but the Body of Christ, called to follow the message of Christ to love God and our neighbor.

It is not hard to find disturbing symptoms. In all the material on the various “Orthodox” Internet discussion sites, one can find volumes of debate about the “correct” way to make a reverence, the “correct” order of service for a vigil, who is truly canonical, the evils of ecumenism, why one jurisdiction does it “right” while another doesn’t, and so on. Yet, so very little is devoted to opportunities and means available to help the less fortunate among us. Are we in danger of obtaining a grade of 50%?

What should be commonplace in our Orthodox Christian communities? Is food for the hungry, clothes for the naked and a welcoming love for strangers as much a part of our parish life as raising funds for new icons, increasing the number of services or building a bigger and better sanctuary? Do we just pray for those in the hospital, or do we visit them as well? Do we see Christ in the disheveled person begging on the corner and give him a donation without question? A good clue to what we are called to do is what the Church, in her wisdom over the ages, includes in the Divine Services – the Sermon of the Last Judgment is a prominently scheduled Gospel reading at the Divine Liturgy. We hear it year after year so that we might not forget these important Christian imperatives.

Our Archdiocese provides a good starting point in loving our less fortunate neighbors with many activities like the “Food for the Hungry” program. We are not limited to formal programs, but can have a Christian impact on others by our individual acts of love and charity every time we meet “one of the least of these”. Love involves self-sacrifice. To lead the fully Christian life, we are called not only to make loving sacrifices for our God, but for our neighbor as well. I remember once hearing a Roman Catholic parish sing, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” As Orthodox Christians, let’s remember and understand Sister Mary Vociferous’ cautioning statement, “50% is not a passing grade” and be truly Christian by our love, for our God AND our neighbor.

A Word on the Feast of Jesus Christ

By Eleutherious Vorontsov

Late Metropolitan of Leningrad

"Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” (LUKE 2:10-11)

I salute you, dear brothers and sisters, with the great feast of the Birth of Christ—with this radiant, joyous, and solemn day! This day is truly a day of especial joy: it was called this, as you have heard, by the Heavenly Angel who appeared to the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem. And it is such in actual fact. How can not that day in which the Lord Himself descended from Heaven to earth but be radiant and joyful?

Who of the Orthodox Christians can greet this day with a feeling of coldness? Who will not rejoice in his soul, hearing that “a Saviour is born today, who is Christ the Lord?” It is for this reason that one of the Church hymns sung so joyously today, says: “Let Heaven and earth rejoice today in prophecy: let Angels and men exult . . . the whole of creation danceth because of the Saviour and Lord being born in Bethlehem.

But while radiantly rejoicing today, brothers and sisters, let us reverently remember at the same time that the day is one of a great Divine mystery—as the Apostle also says: “A most devout mystery—God has appeared in Flesh.” This mystery is incomprehensible to our mind, it is comprehended only by faith. In very fact, how much is there here which is mysterious, inscrutable! The Un-originate—begins. The Eternal Spirit receives a beginning and is incarnate. Almighty God humbled Himself to the semblance of a slave, for He “took the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (PHIL. 2:7).

St. John Chrysostom, in his homily on the Nativity of Christ, has this to say on the subject: “Imagine to yourselves that the Son had humbled itself and descended to the earth - not burning it, and not destroying it. but warming, lighting, and enlivening it! So it is that the Eternal Sun of Righteousness—Christ the Lord—descends to the little earth, to infirm creatures who are weak and sinful, in order to enlighten, vivify, and save them!”

This is the greatest miracle of Divine Love called God to earth. Love performed this great miracle. “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (JOHN 3: l6)

How shall we respond, beloved brothers and sisters, to this immeasurable Divine love? Love ought certainly to be answered with love. May such love be manifest in our devout doxologies to the new-born God­Child! May it be manifest in our prayers of compunction to Him! May it be manifest in our most reverent sacred remembrances and meditations on the great mystery of the Incarnation of God! Most of all may it be manifest in love and compassion towards our lesser brethren—to all the poor and unfortunates, to those who are forced to greet even this great day with tears, in want, in sickness and sorrow. Our Lord is so compassionate and mankind-loving that all which is done for them, he considers done for Him “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me,” He says ( Matt. 25:4O).

Thus, in these holy days let the holy joy of the Birth of Christ delight not only our personal hearts, but also those who are in need of our mercy and our help! May we all celebrate and exult together, glorifying the immeasurable Love Divine manifested to us now and which has shone forth in the Birth of Christ Amen. Rostov-on-Don. 1944*

* Translated by Fr. David F . Abramtsov from Mitropoplit Elevferij, Na Bozhiej Nive, Prague,1951. pp. 50-51.

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FAMILY COMMUNICATION: A TOOL FOR HEALTHY FAMILY LIFE

FAMILY

COMMUNICATION:

 

A TOOL FOR HEALTHY

FAMILY LIFE

By V. Rev. Jason DelVitto

IT BECOMES INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT FOR US AS

 

ORTHODOX FAMILIES TO GATHER TOGETHER, TO COMMUNICATE

 

WITH EACH OTHER AND TO CELEBRATE EACH OTHER’S PRESENCE FACE TO FACE.

 

The Feast Day of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ celebrates the incarnation of the Word of God, the very presence of God among his people and the whole creation. The focal point of the icon for the Feast of the Nativity is the gathering of the created order around the mystery of the Incarnate Word of God; the entire cosmos sings of the redemption of humanity “ ... for God is with us.” Indeed, the day following the Nativity of Our Lord, known as the Synaxis of the Theotokos, invites us to gather our hearts and attention around the one who gave birth to our Saviour, the Most Holy Mother of God. The act of gathering, or rather being gathered together by God, is an act or theme which runs throughout the entire history of God’s people from the book of Genesis through Revelation. The central reality expressed through these gatherings is that of God assembling his people so that his Word may be heard and, through his Word, his presence made known and celebrated. Our God is a God who communicates with his creation, who reveals himself to us so that we may commune with him, share in His life and His very being. The gathering or assembly, whether it be for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy or the gathering of the members of the family in the home as part of our daily living, is an act which can serve as the forum for communication and union among its members, a community in the true sense of the word. We humans are communal beings and we gather in order to remember and celebrate who we are and to whom we belong. The community of the Church and of the “domestic church” as family is the very gift of God through which our person-hood, created in the image of God, can be nurtured and loved. This love can be expressed through a variety of ways; one of those ways is through healthy communication.

One of the greatest gifts that family living can impart to all of its members is the gift of healthy communication. Communication among family members, especially when we gather for various reasons in the home, can provide an opportunity for an exchange of ideas and concerns and can reinforce the unique identity of each of the family members as being radically unique and loved. The various forms and means by which a family might communicate are unique to each family. A number of books, written by family therapists, sociologists, etc., provide families with the tools and models for the creation and implementation of effective communication systems within the family. A common theme which can be found among these authors is that good communication skills are essential to the well­being of the family system and its members. Through healthy communication patterns family members are able to speak and be heard, thus expressing and sharing the gift of their personhood and their radical uniqueness before God and their fellow humans. It is the healthy family who fosters a spirit of freedom of expression among its members. Our Lord constantly communicates with us, many times in the mystery of silence, and He invites us to communicate with him, openly and freely. God wants to be heard and we hope that God will hear our prayers, hear our voice and acknowledge our presence. The Orthodox Christian family is a family within which each of its members is not only acknowledged but celebrated in thanksgiving to God. There is a mutual acknowledgement, a free-flowing dialogue between God and his people, a real communication ultimately leading to communion. Spouses want the other spouse to hear them, parents want their children to hear them and children want to be heard. For when we are able to speak and be heard, our being is acknowledged, affirmed and shared. Humans possess the innate capacity and desire to speak and to be heard. Our family gatherings and the every day dynamic of family living ought to provide an atmosphere for such self-expression and revelation.

A few guidelines for healthy communication might be the following: First of all, there ought to exist among family members a sense of mutual respect. Mutual respect allows each member of the family to acknowledge each other as a unique and precious member of the family community. Parents especially have the responsibility of maintaining and fostering an atmosphere of respect within the family. Secondly, family members should be encouraged to express themselves freely and responsibly and what they wish to communicate should be respected and valued by the other family members even if there is disagreement. Thirdly, the family community ought to be a place which provides loving support for open dialogue among its members through frequent and close personal contact. Each family must find its own way to healthy communication; you may want to check your local bookstore for books on family communication.

While healthy and effective communication is desirable for all families, one of the difficulties that families face in our society today is the lack of communication among people as a whole. Creating and maintaining communication skills within families can prove quite challenging, especially in today’s social climate. In his book, The De­Voicing of Society: Why We Don ‘t Talk to Each Other (Simon and Schuster, 1998), author John L. Locke maintains that the technological age within which we live is causing us to have less and less personal contact with each other, and that the human voice itself as an expression of the personal presence of another human is being drowned out by electronic technology. How many times a day do we find ourselves communicating with an electronic voice? While it may appear on the surface that, with all of the technological advances within the field of communication, we are growing closer to each other, Locke maintains just the opposite is taking place. Because of such things as E-mail, faxes, answering machines, etc., intimate personal contact, prolonged friendly conversations, mutual exchange of ideas and the sharing of life among many people of our society is dramatically on the decline. Our family communities are also affected by this decline. In the midst of such a decline of communication, it becomes increasingly important for us as Orthodox families to gather together as frequently as possible, to communicate with each other and to celebrate each other’s presence face to face. In order for our own families to maintain our identities as members of the family of God, the Divine Liturgy, the unique and wonderful gathering of God’s people, is given to us by God as the gathering through which every family and all of creation finds its true life and home, resting in God Incarnate for our sake.

Fr. Jason DelVitto is pastor of St. George, Bridgeville, Pa.

 

HOMILY FROM XXXVI: The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel according to Saint John

"Now there is at Jerusalem a sheep pool, called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of halt, blind, withered, waiting for the moving of the water." What manner of cure is this? What mystery doth it signify to us? For these things are not written carelessly, or without a purpose, but as by a figure and type they show in outline things to come, in order that what was exceedingly strange might not by coming unexpectedly harm among the many the power of faith. What then is it that they show in outline? A Baptism was about to be given, possessing much power, and the greatest of gifts, a Baptism purging all sins, and making men alive instead of dead. These things then are foreshown as in a picture by the pool, and by many other circumstances. And first is given a water which purges the stains of our bodies, and those defilements which are not, but seem to be, as those from touching the dead, those from leprosy, and other similar causes; under the old covenant one may see many things done by water on this account. However let us now proceed to the matter in hand. First then, as I before said, He causeth defilements of our bodies, and afterwards infirmities of different kinds, to be done away by water. Because God, desiring to bring us nearer to faith in baptism, no longer healeth defilements only, but diseases also. For those figures which came nearer [in time] to the reality, both as regarded Baptism, and the Passion, and the rest, were plainer than the more ancient; and as the guards near the person of the prince are more splendid than those before, so was it with the types. And "an Angel came down and troubled the water," and endued it with a healing power, that the Jews might learn that much more could the Lord of Angels heal the diseases of the soul. Yet as here it was not simply the nature of the water that healed, (for then this would have always taken place,) but water joined to the operations of the Angel; so in our case, it is not merely the water that worketh, but when it hath received the grace of the Spirit, then it putteth away all our sins. Around this pool "lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water"; but then infirmity was a hindrance to him who desired to be healed, now each hath power to approach, for now it is not an Angel that troubleth, it is the Lord of Angels who worketh all. The sick man cannot now say, "I have no man"; he cannot say, "While I am coming another steppeth down before me"; though the whole world should come, the grace is not spent, the power is not exhausted, but remaineth equally great as it was before. Just as the sun's beams give light every day, yet are not exhausted, nor is their light made less by giving so abundant a supply; so, and much more, the power of the Spirit is in no way lessened by the numbers of those who enjoy it. And this miracle was done in order that men, learning that it is possible by water to heal the diseases of the body, and being exercised in this for a long time, might more easily believe that it can also heal the diseases of the soul.

It's a Different World

Presented by His Grace Bishop Demetri
at the
The 2000 College Conference
December 27, 2000
Antiochian Village - Ligonier, PA

Introduction:

 

(+In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit) Yes, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and on behalf of our Father Metropolitan Philip and all the other Hierarchs of SCOBA, I welcome you here to this year’s College Conference. I am very happy to be here with you, as we to continue to celebrate the wonderful Nativity our Lord.

 

The expressed aim of this conference is “to promote fellowship and unity among Orthodox young people and to renew them in their individual journeys to salvation.” This, is indeed, a great part of the express aim of the Church itself.

This evening, I will be speaking briefly on the various subjects you will be dealing with during this conference namely:

 

• “It’s a Different World”
  

• “Love, Orthodox Style”
  

• “Orthodoxy and the Environment”
  

• “New Frontiers: Modern day Missions”
  

• “Christianity in Action: Almsgiving”
  

• “Solutions for The (Not Always) Holy Land”
  

We know, as Orthodox, that we are never saved alone. Just as you are gathered together from different jurisdictions, you do, at the same time, represent One Holy Church! Together we represent the Body of Christ, made up of different members, but still ONE BODY! Together we can change the world with the love and salvation of Jesus Christ!

I. “It’s a Different World”

A. The “world” that we know as Orthodox Christians is very different from our non-Christian counterparts. In fact, as Christians we are called to “be in the world, but not of the world.” We are called to live in the Kingdom of God, here and now. We are called to see with spiritual eyes, the greater reality of the Universe – which is that God is the only objective truth which exists!

 

1. This world tells us to watch out for “number one” in order that we may get what we want.

a. But Christ teaches us to put the Kingdom of Heaven first and its righteousness, and then all things we need will be supplied to us!

 

2. The world tells us to be assertive, and forceful, and defend ourselves at all costs, and thereby protect our little corner of the world.

 

a. But Christ teaches us to be humble, compassionate, gentle, and defenseless as lambs, and thereby gain the salvation of our souls and the Kingdom of Heaven!

 

3. The world tells us to love those who love us, and do good only to those who do good to us - and thus secure our position in the world!

 

a. Yet, Christ teaches us to love those who hate us; do good to those who misuse us. In fact, He tells us – when people attack us, and persecute us, and say all manner of evil against us for Christ’s name sake – that we should rejoice and be glad, for our reward in heaven will be great!

 

4. Yes, our Orthodox world is, indeed, a very “different world,” from the world around us!

 

B. It is a world in which we, as Orthodox Christians, understand that a constant battles rages for all human souls. Yet, we also know that Jesus Christ, the God-man, has already won the victory for our souls.

1. However, we are called to live Christ’s victorious life, here and now! This means that today we must live the life which Christ has set before us.

C. Of what does this life consist? It consists of:

 

1. Faithfulness to God -- that is, believing what God has told me through His Holy Word and through the Church; and then living in accordance with what God has said;

 

2. Prayfulness – this means, standing before God in intimate conversation, having my deepest self revealed to me (discovering my true-self), and gaining the strength to correct my life according to God’s will for my life;

 

3. Stillness of mind and soul – which is also related to prayer, means, sitting before the feet of Jesus, listening to His voice, and heeding the spiritual direction He gives me;

 

4. Watchfulness over thoughts and actions – this means, always guarding my heart and mind from thoughts of evil and sin; and immediately doing battle with any such thought(s) which attempts to capture me (i.e., attempts entry into my heart or mind);

 

5. Humility – which is the beginning of true spirituality, requires a death to my own selfish desires and self-centered thoughts and actions; humility always leads one to live a life of service to God and neighbor;

 

6. Last, but by no means least, is Love of God and all Creation – St. Isaac the Syrian says that deep love for God comes through faith, prayer, stillness, watchfulness, and humility.

 

a. Likewise, he tells us that true love of neighbor only comes if we first love God. Thus, to a great extent, the love we have for our neighbor is an indicator of our spiritual health and life!

 

b. This means that our love is a direct reflection of the life we live with regard to faith, prayer, stillness, watchfulness, and humility.

(1) If we are not living a healthy spiritual life, then we will live a carnal, worldly, life – which is filled only with “self” and “self-gratification!”

 

(2) A life, which is not filled with love for God, will not be filled with a wholesome love for our neighbor.

 

(3) Indeed, we are told in Holy Scripture:

(a) "Let all that you do be done with love."(1 Cor 16:14 NKJV)

II. “Love, Orthodox Style”

A. However, what too often passes for love in today’s world, is not the same thing understood as love within an Orthodox Christian context. “Love, Orthodox Style,” is far removed from that represented in most of today’s movies, plays and popular songs.

1. Lust is not love! Sex is not love! Possessiveness is not love! Love is not a plaything!

2. St. Theophilus of Antioch said that: “God created Adam and Eve that there might be great love between them, reflecting the mystery of the Divine unity.”

 

3. Our love for another is to reflect the love of the Holy Trinity. For love -- true love – is a HOLY thing, come directly from heaven!

B. We have been given a mystical mirror, if you will, by which we can measure if we truly love. It is the image of Godly love as found in 1 Corinthians 13:

1. "Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant {5} or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; {6} it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. {7} It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. {8} Love never ends..." (1 Cor 13:4-8 NRSV)

 

2. This is love Orthodox Style! This ethic of love requires an object. True love is that which places the object of its love first, even at its own expense! It is the image of the triune God - eternally a community of persons in love and unity.

3. Jesus is our example.

a. He, Who is Supreme LOVE, lowered Himself for our sakes, and for our salvation He paid the price of our sins with His very life!

b. Christ shows us that Love “bears all things . . . [love] endures all things.”

 

C. Thus, we know when we truly love -- for it is at that point in our lives when we place the person, who is the object of our love, first in everything.

1. St. Paul tells us that “... love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Rom 13:10)

 

2. Love, not only for other humans, but for all of God’s creation.

 

III. “Orthodoxy and the Environment”

A. Since 1989, every September1st, throughout the Orthodox world, the beginning of the ecclesiastical calendar has been designated as a day of prayer for the protection of the environment, a sharing of mutual love for all God’s creation.

 

1. In the Vespers service for that date we chant:

 

Lover of mankind, keep unharmed the environment that clothes the earth, through which, by your will, we who inhabit the earth live and move and have our being, so that we, your unworthy suppliants, may be delivered from destruction and ruin.

 

a. This Orthodox prayer recognizes that human beings and the environment form a seamless garment of existence fashioned by God.

b. Accordingly, when we talk in terms of “Orthodoxy and the Environment,” we are really speaking about a combined spiritual and ethical theme -- that of human responsibility and duty, to both God and the rest of the created world

 

B. In the West, there was, and to a great extent still is, a prevalent theory that creation is nothing more than a “resource,” which mankind is entitled to tame, cultivate and exploit by the power of his spiritual and intellectual superiority.

1. Within this theory it is customary to think of religion as indifferent to material things and as concerned only with "spiritual" matters.

 

a. Viewed from this prospective mankind is entitled to use the environment and its inhabitants however he sees fit!

(1) His primary responsibility is to “exploit” those things around him in the most beneficial, or in economic terms, the most profitable manner.

 

(2) This view implies that the material world is not part of God\'s creation, and not blessed with His love and with eternal divine meaning.

 

C. However, the Eastern Orthodox Christian has a different focus altogether when it comes to mankind’s responsibility and duty to his environment and its other inhabitants.

 

1. When God finished the Creation, we are told that all things were “very good” – not just mankind.

2. When He created mankind, God endowed him with dominion over all other “good” created things in the world. This dominion is both expressed and evident when God gave man the authority to name the animals. BUT, with this authority also came responsibility.

a. This responsibility included realizing man’s interdependence on the rest of creation.

 

b. From an Orthodox perspective, mankind’s authority or dominion, demonstrates not ownership - not the right to exploit - not domination – but interdependence!

 

(1) This interdependence calls us to live in harmony with our environment.

 

3. In our Liturgy we celebrate the beauty of creation, and consecrate the life of the entire world, returning it to God with thanks.

(1) We share the world in joy as a living mystical communion with the Divine.

(2) We offer the fullness of creation at the Eucharist, and receive it back as a blessing, in the form of the living presence of God.

(3) We thus view life and the creation as a sacrament of thanksgiving, and as a gift of constant communion with God.

 

4. Thus, as His Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew has noted, from an Orthodox perspective our sin toward the world, or the spiritual root of all our abuse of the environment, lies in our refusal to view life and the world as a sacrament of thanksgiving, and as a gift of constant communion with God on a global scale.

 

a. There is an awful day of repentance coming for the harm we have done. That is, unless we come to a consensus of renewed vision and purpose to respect and nurture our precious environment.

IV. “New Frontiers: Modern day Missions”

A. You live in today’s modern mission field. Your are a vital part of today’s modern mission Frontier. You no longer have to go to another country or continent. Today’s mission field is as close as your neighbor, as close as your own family, as close as your own Church, or particularly, as close as yourself!

 

1. When we speak about Missions, we are speaking about one of Christ’s most basic ministry commandments to His disciples: "And He [Jesus] said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15).

 

2. The term Evangelism is what we use to describe the efforts of someone who does mission work.

 

a. What is the work of an Evangelist? It is to share the Good News (Gospel) of God’s love and way of salvation for all people. It is to let them know that God came in human flesh, to be like we are (except without sin), and to redeem our lives from sin and death.

 

(1) To do the work of an evangelist in today’s modern mission field is to let people know that God loves them, and wants to have a relationship with them, and give them new life! And, that this new life was made possible through the life, death and resurrection of the God-man, Jesus Christ.

b. Evangelism is also to equip people to share their faith confidently, to stir up a love for lost people and ensure that the entire church has a strong focus on spreading this wonderful Gospel message!

 

3. Do you know that recent statistics show that 9 out of 10 people who give their lives to Christ and His church do so as the result of personal relationships?

a. This means that you and I are the means to bringing the world to Jesus Christ!

 

b. If this is true, then the place to begin – or the person to begin with, is you and me!

 

B. We are the first person we need to work on!

 

1. If we earnestly want to engage in modern missions, then we must first be evangelized ourselves.

 

2. But, you are possibly thinking to yourself, “But I am an Orthodox Christian already! Why do I need to work on myself?”

 

a. Jesus tells us that we must make sure we are not just Christians on the outside, but on the inside as well.

 

(1) This means that not only are we to confess our faith with our mouth, and participate in the Divine Services of the Church, although these things are very important as well.

 

(a) But what He is getting at is that we must also be living our faith in our heart, in our thoughts, and by the way we live even when no one is looking!

 

3. This does not mean that we must be perfect before we begin to evangelize or do mission work.

 

a. But is does mean that we must realize our shortcomings, and be giving our lives over to God, moment by moment, hour by hour, and day by day!

 

b. It means that we are willing to confess our need for a Savior – that we recognize our inability to save ourselves.

(1) It means that we begin to consistently recognize Jesus Christ as the only way to God, the only object of truth in the universe, and our only hope for new and vibrant life with God!

 

c. When we have approached this point in our Christian lives, then we are able to move forward to help evangelize the world for Christ.

 

(1) For, it is a vital truth for all Christian workers, that, “we can’t give away what we do not have.”

 

4. Thus, the “New Frontier of Modern Missions” begins as mission work has begun in every age of the Church: With our own conversion and dedication to living the Christian life.

 

C. Thus, once we have worked on ourselves, and cleaned the inside of the cup (our own hearts), we are ready to begin to enter the mission field, which is all around us.

 

1. This includes our own churches, our colleges, our place of employment.

a. What do you do when a visitor comes to your church? Do you welcome them with open arms? Do you go out of your way to greet them and make them feel at home?

 

(1) Many people will come to Christ through coming into our churches. But, they first come to see if God is really working in peoples lives. If they see people in Church engaged in a vibrant and living faith in God, then they will begin to seek God in their own lives.

 

(2) You see here again why it is so important that we first have a living faith in Jesus Christ. When people see Jesus in us, then they want Jesus in them!

 

(a) A vibrant and living church is an excellent testimony for Jesus Christ.

 

(b) And thus, it is an excellent tool for evangelism and missions.

 

b. Within our churches, then, we see three layers of mission work: ourselves, our church family, and those who come to visit our churches!

 

2. Another modern mission is our family and friends!

 

a. Each Christian already has a built in network of mission opportunities. God has placed us in a strategic position to reach those who otherwise would not be reached!

 

(1) Do you realize that God has a very specific purpose in making you who you are. He has a wonderful plan for you to touch the world with His love in a way that no one else can touch it!

 

(2) Each day of your life God brings people into your life who are hungry for the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Often they are people who you would not dream of being interested in such things. But they are!

 

(a) St. Paul tells us that the whole creation groans for redemption! This means that within the heart of every person there is a part of them that is reaching out for God. They are reaching out for someone to tell them that God loves them, and wants to make them into new people.

 

(b) Are you willing to be that person?

 

3. You are called by God to be an evangelist!

 

a. We are all called to at least be live a life filled with God and His great love, so that all can see Him in us – if they care to look.

 

b. We must ask God to fill our hearts and souls with His love for all people. Where you are today (tonight), God is calling you to love all people with His love. Let your heart burn with Divine Love. By this great love alone you are equipped to change the world for Jesus Christ!

 

V. “Christianity in Action: Almsgiving”

A. Perhaps, one of the most misunderstood, and thus, overlooked areas of the Christian life is that of Stewardship, and its sister, Almsgiving -- which is truly “Christianity in Action.”

 

B. Almsgiving is a very important spiritual practice in the Orthodox tradition. It is when we give to those who are in need.

1. Almsgiving is different from our regular offerings given to the Church.

a. For when we give our offerings we give knowing that we are supporting our church’s programs, its pastor, the church building, and so on.

b. But, when we give alms to the needy, we don’t expect to ever be paid back in any tangible way – i.e., there is not an expectation of receiving anything in return.

 

2. Almsgiving is giving to those in need, whoever or wherever they are - the homeless, the needy in third world countries, your next door neighbor who has been sick, lost their job, or are otherwise in need.

 

3. There are two main reasons why we should give alms.

a. The first reason is to help others - or in the words of our Lord, to help “the least of these my brethren.”

b. The second reason is to help ourselves by helping others.

 

C. The first reason, helping others, should be obvious to us.

1. Throughout our world there are people in need – in great need in fact.

 

a. There are people who have been the victims of either man-made or natural disasters. Some have been the victims of both. Such disasters can be on a geographical basis, or on a personal basis.

 

(1) An earthquake, famine, flood, among others, are natural disasters.

 

(2) War, poverty, political upheavals, contamination of our environment, among others, are man-made disasters.

 

(3) We also must include those personal disasters in which there has perhaps been server illness, death of an individual, loss of employment, whereby a family or even an individual has been devastated, and thus, are in need of our help.

 

2. People all over need help, and we have more than we need. We live in the most prosperous nation in the world. Therefore, we are called upon by God to do something for those in need!

 

a. God has commanded us to love one another. Whether we really love someone is made evident when we help others in times of their need.

 

b. Such love requires ACTION!

 

(1) St. James reminds us that, a faith which tells our cold brother that we will pray for him, but which does not also give him a means of warmth, is not real faith.

 

D. The second reason to give alms is to help ourselves. Yes, we help ourselves by helping others.

 

1. This does not mean that if we give alms we should expect to receive money back, or any type of financial or material reward. In fact, we should never expect to profit when we give alms. Giving alms is a selfless act.

2. However, this does not mean that we are not benefitted by giving to others, only that we are never to expect a benefit. In fact, by giving selflessly, we begin to act as God acts, and we procedure further on the path of theosis (the path of sanctification).

 

a. Thus, there is a benefit to us in this life in spiritual growth.

(1) The Church Fathers are in agreement that almsgiving is one of the best ways to work towards becoming a mature and healthy Christian.

 

3. Another reason why giving our money away is so spiritually beneficial is because it is part of dying to ourselves.

a. If we are honest we will all admit that we greatly appreciate money and what it can do for us. Thus, giving it away is hard - often very hard.

 

(1) Yet, it is one of the most tangible ways of practicing self-denial, of taking up our cross and following Christ.

 

E. Do you wish to grow rich spiritually? Then, start giving alms (money) to the poor.

1. But, you must heed the warning of our Lord.

 

2. We are to give in such a way that others don’t know about it and so that even our left hand doesn’t know what our right hand is doing.

a. Guard against pride and showing off or you will end up spiritually ill instead of blessed

 

3. God is our perfect example. He gives generously to each of us every moment.

a. He gives us the food we eat.

b. He gives us the air we breath.

 

c. He gives us life.

d. He gives us salvation in Jesus Christ.

 

(1) Everything – absolutely, everything good is given to us by God!

 

F. Then, let us, in gratitude, give to others who are in need.

1. In doing so, we are giving to God.

a. Our Lord, in Matthew 25, says that when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in strangers, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and those in prison, we are actually doing it unto Him.

(1) Let us, therefore, zealously serve our Lord in this holy manner.

 

VI. “Solutions for The (Not Always) Holy Land”

 

A. When we speak about the Holy Land, we must first understand that the Holy Land is not so named because of the people who live in it. Rather, it is Holy because of what God has accomplished therein, and because of what He tells us He will yet accomplish therein. Where God is, there is also His holiness!

 

1. Yet, it goes without saying that the Holy Land is almost constantly without peace. And even when there is “peace”, it is more often only the appearance of peace.

a. This is a very complex and old problem. Yet, the solution for the Holy Land and its people is the same as that of every human soul!

 

B. The “Mystical Jerusalem” is indeed the human soul -- the City of Peace that resides within the heart of each person.

1. But we know that there is no peace or holiness in our hearts until such time as we surrender ourselves to God and His Truth. Until we surrender to God, and let Him take His rightful place on the throne of our hearts, we will be at war with ourselves and our neighbors.

a. We will suffer from sin which leads to inner conflict, fear, anger, misunderstanding, and hatred.

 

b. Our Lord tells us that "[I]f My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chr 7:14 NKJV)

C. This is the way to peace in the Holy Land - for it is the way to peace in the human heart. We cannot expect to change an entire geographical area until such time as the hearts of the people who live there turn towards God.

 

VII. Conclusion:

 

A. There is much work for each of us to do to change the world for Jesus Christ! 1. As individuals we can do a little. But as the body of Christ, working together in harmony and unity, we can achieve much, much more.

1. But first of all, let us look to our own spiritual health. Let us purify our hearts with the Divine reality that is Christ. Let us become cities set upon hills, which shine with the light of Christ’s love and salvation.

 

2. The Church Fathers remind us time and time again, that if we first find peace in our own souls, then those around us will also find peace.

 

B. I conclude and encourage you, then, with these words of St. Paul:

 

"Finally, [my children], farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Cor 13:11 NKJV)

May HIS holy name be blessed; Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. AMEN!

 

Metropolitan PHILIP's Nativity Epistle, 1966

To all the Pastors and the Orthodox Faithful of our Archdiocese of New York and All North America,

“Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; and you nations praise him with joy; for he has been glorified.”

With great joy a nd gratitude for God’s unfathomable love, we greet you at this Christmas season, praying and hoping that Christ will be born in your hearts. If we look upon the birth of Christ as a mere historical event, we celebrate this holy event in vain, for Christ’s birth must serve to renew our lives and make us comprehend God’s eternal love for man whom He created in His own image and likeness.

Man was created out of God’s love to be a partaker of the divine, and when he—deceived by the malice of the devil—rent that fellowship with God, God never ceased seeking him and stretching forth His hand to lead him back to the meadows of salvation. For God loves us despite our sins. He searched for man in Paradise when he had fallen victim to the deceitful one and established a dialogue with man to prepare him for the most decisive event in the history of man. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that all who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Christ’s birth, therefore, is more than an historical event for He was born to reconcile the human with the divine, to uplift man from the swamps of his lowly existence to the vastness of truth, beauty, and goodness. Christ was born to restore the purity of the image which was stained by sin.

“When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Gal. 4:4,5) When the fullness of time was come “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14). He who is God assumed our human nature with all its aspects except sin and humbled Himself. He was born in a lowly manger to give the greatest example ever given in self-sacrifice and humility. “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor, so that by His poverty we might become rich.” (II Cor. 8:9).

Christmas, therefore, is not a time for superficial pleasure. It is a time for reflection and deep thinking. It is a time for soul-searching and self-examination. History does not record only what we say but rather what we do. In this great event of Christ’s birth God has given us the opportunity to witness to Him in this most crucial time in the history of mankind. Let us not, therefore, forget that we belong to the Church of saints and martyrs, the Church which in the past never compromised with evil. We belong to the Church which challenged the world and changed the history of man.

Let us, therefore, both clergy and laity, bathe in that eternal light which shone brightly over the humble shepherds of Bethlehem. Let us rededicate ourselves for the achievements of the great tasks of Orthodoxy which are ahead of us. To do this we must begin with our own spiritual life, and our progress must go hand in hand with our spiritual progress and development. Progress in spiritual life has no limits and there is so much yet to be done for our Archdiocese in particular and Orthodoxy in general. God gave us His Son, the most precious gift He could offer us. Let us give Him ourselves in return as a spiritual sacrifice, “for a new child was born for us, God before the ages.”

May He who humbled Himself for our sakes and was born in a manger bless you and keep you always in His love. Our best wishes and prayers be with you for a very blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year.

Your Father in Christ,

METROPOLITAN PHILIP

 

Pentecost

St. Mary Orthodox Church in Cambridge

We would like to thank St. Mary Orthodox Church in Cambridge, MA for “sponsoring” this week’s homepage by providing articles.

Please click here to learn how your parish can sponsor the Archdiocese homepage for a week.

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Lenten Transformation: Part 4 (Prayer & Conclusion) by Kerry Patrick San Chirico The following article has been adapted from a lecture series during Lent in 2003.

Continued from Part 3...

Which leads us finally to prayer. We know that without prayer, our ascetical efforts will be short-lived. Prayer under-girds Lent from beginning to end. We know this--that’s why there are so many services. They provide us with the strength to make it through the Lenten journey, just as it’s prayer that will get us through life. It is prayer that places all things before God, and prayer that transforms us and our world. Looking at what we’ve discussed so far, it’s prayer that helps sustain and give reason to our fasting. Also, if we are going to discern how to give alms properly, we need to pray. Too often Christian agencies seeking to serve the poor lose any power they once had because they foolishly allowed prayer to become an accessory, rather than the foundation. When that happens, burnout is not far behind, along with ineffectiveness, and loss of Christian witness. CS Lewis once said that the Christians who did the most for this world were those who never lost sight of the next. When Christians lose sight of the Kingdom their irrelevance is almost guaranteed.

Read the rest of Part 4

Start from Part 1 (Lenten Transformation)

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Justice as Asceticism: Part 3 by Maria Gwyn McDowell Originally delivered as a part of St. Mary's Lenten Lecture Series 2004

Continued from Part 2...

Start from Part 1

It may surprise us to hear that for St. John Chrysostom, fasting is not the highest virtue. Rather, it is:

“almsgiving, our excellent counselor, the queen of virtues, who quickly raises human beings to the heavenly vaults”

Chrysostom, in a series of sermons on repentance and almsgiving, points his listeners down the many roads to repentance. A sinner may confess, mourn the sin, practice humility, pray, and give alms, but the greatest of these roads is clearly almsgiving. Almsgiving is so great a virtue that it surpasses virginity! The five virgins who neglected to fill their lamps with oil, which John interprets as their desire for money over the poor, fail to enter the wedding banquet.

Read the rest of Part 3

Read Part 1 (Justice as Asceticism)

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The View of Sin in the Early Church Father Antony Hughes, pastor of St. Mary's Orthodox Church in Cambridge, MA examines the view of sin in the early Church in his academic paper titled: “Ancestral Versus Original Sin: An Overview with Implications for Psychotherapy”.

In this paper he explores the differences between the doctrine of Ancestral Sin--as understood in the church of the first two centuries and the present-day Orthodox Church--and the doctrine of Original Sin--developed by Augustine and his heirs in the Western Christian traditions--is explored. He also investigates the impact of these two differencing views of sin on pastoral practice.

Click here to read the paper: Ancestral Versus Original Sin: An Overview with Implications for Psychotherapy

SUBMIT YOURSELF. . . AND YOU WILL BE EXALTED!

by Khoureeye Stefanie Yazge

 

One of my favorite hymns heard at Christmas (and as part of every Great Compline service) is “God is with us! Understand all ye nations, and submit yourselves, for God is with us!” Why? For several reasons. First of all, it is a strong reminder that the little Child we come to worship is not a mere baby but GOD Himself who loves us enough to have come to live and dwell among us and save us from eternal death and darkness. The verses of this hymn are from the prophecy of Isaiah, and tell us that this child is “to be called the Angel of Great Counsel, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Ruler, Prince of Peace. . . and of his peace there will be no end. . . The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. To those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, a light had risen.” Hope has come for us! God Himself is with us.

The second reason is that this hymn gives a lesson in humility: "and submit yourselves…” That seems to be a virtue severely lacking today. Somehow, we often mistake submitting to anything or anyone (including God) as some sort of weakness. If we can’t be in control and call the shots, then we are somehow inferior. Even worse, we have confused humility with humiliation and degradation. And we take this misunderstanding even into our relationship with God, where it becomes most inappropriate. Why? Because we know God to be the only one who knows our hearts and minds, our wants and needs. And God is the only one who loves unconditionally eternally. And what He wants for us is eternal life, with Him, in His kingdom. And His will for us every day is to make the choices that will keep us headed in that direction. That is what we mean by submitting to God. But we know that means saying “no” to temptations, to the inclination to take the easy or lazy way out at times, to deny ourselves. How many of us can say we are humble enough to even want to do God’s will, not to mention actually doing it? We need to learn to submit to the love of God, with the purity and simplicity of the baby born of the Virgin Mary. Why? Because it is that baby who showed us that God the Father will exalt us for all eternity in heaven, as He exalted His own son. To submit to God means to live our own life as Christ lived His.

How did Christ live His earthly life? Christ was not arrogant. (Even though He could have been, because He really did know it all!) Though He taught with authority and showed His power in miracles, Christ spoke and acted with gentleness of heart. How He taught us to act can be found in part of the Beatitudes and the whole section of St. Matthew’s gospel, ch. 5-7. And when He got angry (throwing the money changers out of His Father’s house, the Temple), He wasn’t throwing a tantrum because He couldn’t have His own way. He was rightly infuriated that anyone dare to insult God. He told them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you make it a den of robbers.” Christ always put what is true and right ahead of what is easy, fast or because he egotistically wanted His own way. His only desire was to do the will of His Father, and He submitted, even to death. Jesus Christ gave all that He was and had, to the glory of God and out of love for all of us.

We are called to submit to being what God created us to be. Fulfilling that calling, God will exalt us in a glorious resurrection as He has His son. And the first step to realizing that in our own life is to see God Himself — Emmanuel, God with us — in the little Child that the shepherds and magi and angels worshipped in the manger, and in all humility to come and worship Him, too, with all our hearts, our souls, our minds, our lips, and with our whole life.

SUNDAYS CHILD: CHRISTMAS AND THE FAMILY

SUNDAY’S CHILD: CHRISTMAS

 

AND THE FAMILY

 

By Donna Bobin

In last month’s article, I suggested that one way parents could help in the religious education of their children was to make the liturgical year more a part of family life. With Christmas fast-approaching, I don’t think many families need be persuaded to celebrate this holiday together. However, I do think that we all – no matter our age – tend to get a little overwhelmed by our own hectic preparations for the holiday. With so much to do and so little time to do it, it’s very easy to lose the feelings of joy and hope and brotherhood that should be a part of Christmas because we are tired and short-tempered from fighting holiday crowds on our shopping trips or from staying up too late writing Christmas cards or baking cookies. And I’ve known many a frantic father muddling through directions on how to assemble toys at 1 a.m. Christmas morning who has thought very black thoughts about the whole gift-giving tradition. And children, surrounded by TV shows about Santa Claus, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman along with hundreds of commercials on their favorite cartoon shows about toys that no child should be without, may have a little trouble understanding why gifts are given or what the whole holiday is all about.

How can we and our families keep our bearings as we go through the pre-Christmas period? How can we keep our attention focused on the religious meaning of Christmas and not get sidetracked? Well, I have a few suggestions.

First, we can start by observing the Church’s period of preparation for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, which is a period of fasting that begins on November 15 and extends for 40 days until Christmas. There are many things that families can do together during this period to ready themselves spiritually for the feast – through fasting, prayer, church attendance, participation in the sacraments, and a concentration on the full meaning of this feast both to all mankind and to each of us as individuals. What follows are some suggestions of things to do during this period.

You and your family can decide together which ones you want to do, but it’s a good idea to make a plan before the period begins so you’ll have a clear course of action. Below is a little chart of the suggestions to help you plan.

FIRST WEEK

NOVEMBER 14

 

Make wreath - Make plans (Fasting, prayer, church attendance, sacraments, activities)

NOVEMBER 15 - Candle lighting

SECOND WEEK

NOVEMBER 18 - Candle lighting - Gifts for God

NOVEMBER 21 - Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos to the Temple

THIRD WEEK

NOVEMBER 25 - Candle lighting - Gifts for the Less Fortunate - Fix-up Week

FOURTH WEEK

DECEMBER 2 - Candle lighting – Grab bag

DECEMBER 6 - St. Nicholas

FIFTH WEEK

DECEMBER 9 - Candle lighting - Christmas card making

SIXTH WEEK

DECEMBER 16 - Candle lighting - Christmas decoration making

SEVENTH WEEK

DECEMBER 23 - Candle lighting - Prayer, meditation and thanksgiving

DECEMBER 24 - Gifts for God placed under tree - Grab bag evening

The day before the fast period begins is a good time for the family to get together to make plans and to begin its preparations for the feast (families with very young children might want to shorten the periods of some of the following suggested activities since young children may tire of them more quickly). One way of emphasizing the meaning of Christmas and the ideas to be remembered throughout the preparation period is by making an advent wreath. The advent wreath symbolically represents religious ideas, and explaining these ideas as the wreath is being made by family members focuses their attention on the religious meaning of the feast. The wreath also serves as a means of marking time to the feast. It can be as simple or elaborate as the family wishes. The family can begin with a large ring mold filled with wet sand as a foundation or a styrofoam circle bought at the 5 & 10. Evergreens are inserted into the mold or the styrofoam round, along with one candle for each week until Christmas (partial weeks are treated as full weeks so seven candles are needed). Six of the candles should be purple and one should be pink. (If you have trouble finding purple candles, buy white ones and tie a purple ribbon around each.)

As the family puts the wreath together, the parents can explain the significance of each part. The circle of the wreath symbolizes eternity and God because both are endless. The evergreens symbolize eternal life. It is through Jesus that we were given the gift of eternal life, and that is why we celebrate His birth and are so happy we know the gift He is bringing us. The candles also mean something special. Candles give light just as Jesus gave us light. He became one of us and taught us about a new way of life full of hope and love. He is like a light shining in darkness, leading us to a better way of living and to eternal life after death. Six of the candles are purple because purple is the color of repentance, for being sorry for the things we’ve done wrong. Jesus offers us wonderful gifts, but we have to do something, too. We have to look at how we are living our lives, what we are doing wrong and how we can improve. Being sorry for what we’ve done wrong and trying to do better make our hearts and spirits ready to receive the gifts of Jesus; and these six purple candles help us remember for six weeks to repent. One candle is pink because that’s the color for joy and hope. We feel joy as Christmas comes nearer because we think about Jesus bringing us hope for eternal life and we are happy. This candle, the last one lit the week before Christmas, reminds us of joy and hope.

When the wreath is finished, the parents can also explain about the lighting of the candles. One candle should be lit each week: the purple ones for repentance first and the pink one for joy last. One candle should be lit at the beginning of the fast period (November 15) and one new one each Sunday. Usually the youngest child lights the candle the first week (an adult can help very young children) the next youngest lights the first candle and a new one the second week, etc., with the parents also included in the ceremony. The family should pray together before the candles are lit, perhaps with the candle-lighter for the week adding a special, spontaneous prayer.

CAUTION! Make a firm rule at the beginning that children are not to light the candle unless an adult is present. If live evergreens are used, take care that the candles do not burn too close to them: live evergreens can get very dry over the pre­Christmas period and dry evergreens burn readily. Using the ring mold filled with sand that is kept wet will keep the greens fresher, but caution is still necessary. Finally, make certain that the full seven-week order of candle-lighters is agreed upon in advance; this avoids last-minute “discussions” about whose turn it is or should be.

After making the wreath, the family should set it aside for the candle-lighting ceremony the next evening and discuss some general ideas about observing the fast period - its purpose in shifting our attention from filling our physical needs to filling our spiritual needs, the necessity for a program not only of fasting but of fasting, prayer, church attendance, participating in the sacraments and examining our lives and trying to make them better. Perhaps the family can plan to set aside a time each day for home prayer together during the period. Family members should also try to make some resolutions about church attendance during the period and perhaps, too, agree on times to go to confession and communion together in preparation for the feast.

The first three Sundays in the fast period can be devoted to focusing on the meaning of gift giving. Many of us often think of gifts in terms of things rather than actions. On the first Sunday, perhaps after dinner and the lighting of the advent wreath candle, the family can begin its exploration of gift giving. To begin, the parents might get out the family’s manger set and tell the beginning of the Nativity story, using pieces from the manger set. The manger can be set in one part of the living room, which will be Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph can be set at a distance from the manger, journeying toward Bethlehem (the figures can be moved a little closer to “Bethlehem” each day until Christmas Eve), and the story of the Annunciation and the reasons for Mary and Joseph’s journey told. Those gifts that the birth of Jesus heralds— the hope for eternal life and the possibility of living in a new, more loving way — can also be pointed out. The parents can ask what sorts of gifts we can give God in return for the gifts He has given us. When the discussion turns to “doing” things for God, parents can suggest that each member of the family give a special gift to God during the pre­Christmas period. Each member of the family (parents included) should decide on a gift of “doing” that will be done every day during the pre­Christmas period. It might be a chore that helps Mother or Dad around the home or it might be a personal trait that needs work like not fighting with a brother or sister or perhaps working up to potential in school. Each person should then find a “gift” box, and parents should explain that each member of the family will get a token to put into his or her box providing that the agreed-upon gift is done that day (the token can be a bean or some kind of marker; what it is is less important than what it signifies). On Christmas Eve, the gift boxes, hopefully filled with tokens, will be wrapped and placed under the tree as special gifts to God.

The Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple falls during the Christmas fast period (November 21). The Church commemorates in this feast the revelation of God’s choice of Mary for the great future honor that was to be bestowed upon her (as you remember, the priest did an unusual thing and took the three-year-old Mary into the holiest part of the Temple). Because of the importance of this feast and its relationship to Christmas, your family may wish to mark the feast with a special observance at home. On the eve of the feast, parents can tell, to younger children, the story of Mary’s presentation and its significance, or older children can tell the story to the family. Family members may also wish to make individual icons for the feast (see last month’s article).

The second Sunday exploration of gift giving might emphasize the idea of gift giving as love through sharing with people outside the family. The suggestion might be made that each member of the family share with the less fortunate members of the community. Children can go through their toys and games, selecting those that they wish to give to a home for children in the area. Teenagers and parents can go through their possessions for books, clothing, etc. to give to others. The week that follows this Sunday could be designated “Fix-Up Week,” with the children (with some help) repairing and repainting their toys and teenagers and parents mending and/or washing their gift clothing before everything is boxed and made ready to be given away.

The third Sunday, still emphasizing the idea of gift giving, might be grab bag day. For this grab bag, the name of each family member is placed in a box, and it is explained that the “gift” to be given to the person whose name is drawn is doing something special for that person each day during the pre-Christmas period. However, family members may not tell whose names they have drawn. On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, each person reveals the name of the person he or she drew by giving that person some small gift (a little time might also be spent just going over those daily gifts; certainly family members would wish to thank each other for these daily favors).

Since the feast of that well-known gift-giver, Saint Nicholas, falls during this week (December 6), family members may want to have a special family observance for this feast. The story of Saint Nicholas and his many acts of charity may be told or perhaps acted out if the family can find the time beforehand to write a short play. Older children might be given the project of tracing how Saint Nicholas became Santa Claus, and the results of their research might be shared with other members of the family.

The fourth Sunday can be Christmas-card-making day. Parents can suggest that the religious meaning of Christmas be kept in mind during the card making with religious subjects used for decoration and religious greetings used for the inside. Using original drawings or pasting pictures from other sources, children can make their own Christmas cards to send to family members and friends. Inside the children can write (or if they are too young to write, to dictate) their own special and personal Christmas greetings to family and friends.

The fifth Sunday can begin Christmas-decoration-making week. One project that the whole family can work on together is a religious banner, perhaps of the Nativity scene (see Creative Activities I, section on banner making). Another family project can be making a Jesse tree, which is a family tree for Jesus. A tree (an evergreen if you like) can be cut from construction paper and hung with symbols of Old and New Testament people who lead us from the Garden of Eden to Bethlehem. For example, a tree (of Knowledge of Good and Evil) can be cut to symbolize Adam and Eve, an ark for Noah, a figure of a man for Abraham, a replica of the stone tablets for Moses, a crown or a harp for King David, a drawing of a river for John the Baptist, a hammer (carpenter’s symbol) for Jesus’ foster father Joseph, a rose for Mary, and a star for the top of the tree—Jesus. These are just some suggested people and suggested symbols; your family might want to include more people (Isaac, Jacob, etc.) or they might think of some symbols that they feel more fitting; but a list of people and symbols should be drawn up beforehand. All the symbols can be hung on the tree on one day or one can be added to the tree each day until Christmas. (Since Sunday, December 23 is the Sunday of the Fathers, December 22 might be a good day to set aside to talk about the Jesse tree in terms of how everyone fits into this pattern extending from the Garden of Eden to Bethlehem. It will make the Gospel reading for that day (Matthew 1) a little more meaningful to children.)

The sixth Sunday is December 23, the day before Christmas Eve. Knowing how busy the last few days are before Christmas, I’m still going to suggest that the whole family take time for a period of prayer and meditation. Looking forward to the gifts under the tree or the gifts from Santa Claus, some of us sometimes forget the gifts we already have that have been given us by God; and this is a good time to think about them and to give thanks for them. That you are together as a family, that you have many blessings in your life given to you by the abundance of God, that you have life and hope and love, that you have tried to come to this feast with an open and giving spirit—ample reasons all for giving thanks. Parents and older children may also wish to remember those who are dead. Because Christ offers the gifts of hope and salvation, Christmas is a fitting time to offer prayers for those who are separated from us by death. In this happy time, we should also be happy that the same hope we treasure is also there for those who have died.

Christmas Eve at last. What is left to be done? Wrapping our special gifts to God that we have been working on for many weeks and putting them under the tree. Perhaps, having delayed putting the Christ child into the manger until now, we can do so with a prayer of thanksgiving for those gifts He has given us. And once the children are in bed, if there are Christmas stockings to fill, I hope that you have remembered some religious gifts, perhaps some Arch series Bible story books or a Biblical jigsaw puzzle for younger children or a book of colored reproductions of icons for teenagers or adults or perhaps a gold cross or an album of Orthodox liturgical music.

I hope that you will try some of these suggestions for preparing for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and that they work to help you and your family come closer to each other and closer to God. I wish you all the joy of this very special feast.

THANK YOU GOD, FOR THE MYSTERY

“As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.” (ST. LUKE 2:19)

The very birth of Jesus was a gift to the world. Not only the Christ-child Himself, but the way that the birth took place; on a trip, in a stable in the most calm, joyful and peaceful night the world has known.

The mystery of the night was God’s way of protecting the blessed happening for those who see with eyes of faith.

Can you imagine the birth of the Christ-child in our times? All the indignity, the vulgar exposure and lack of publicity the Holy family would be forced to suffer?

Picture yourself watching the late news on television. The announcer would say: “Finally, a news item from the Near East. A young woman from Nazareth, on her way to register as a citizen in the capitol, just gave birth to a baby some are claiming as the promised savior of the world. Take it away, Matthew Luke, in Bethlehem.”

The next image on the TV would focus on a mass of newsmen jammed into a small hut. Flashbulbs are popping. Hands are reaching out holding microphones, trying to pick up the slight voice of a young girl bombarded with questions from those near her. Yells of “Tell her to hold up the baby!” “Ma’am let’s have a little smile!” “Swing that camera over here!”

The scene switches to the alley outside the small hut. We are greeted by an announcer in tan gabardine raincoat. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is Matthew Luke here in Bethlehem, a small suburb of Jerusalem. In just a few moments, PBS will bring you, live, an interview with the young woman whom, it is claimed, was visited by an angel announcing a miraculous birth. Remember, PBS brings you all the news, when it happens!”

I am ashamed for the lack of respect we have today for each other’s privacy. The “right to privacy” is incorrect, because it implies covering up something wicked, that we care not to have exposed. Rather, I am appealing for the recognition of a human’s need for mystery. There are intimate like that. The last thing I should want is to be photographed at the moment of intimacy with my Lord and God.

Any mother has such treasured moments with her infant; Mary and Jesus shared such times, when all others are really intruders. His blessed mother had many such moments referred to in Luke’s gospel. Thanks be to the Father in Heaven that He gave her such moments of mystery, and thanks also to the people of those times, who instinctively honored the sanctity of a person’s personal life. In that respect, those simple peasants were much more cultured than the people of today.

REV. VLADIMIR BERZONSKY

THE ADVENT PERIOD IN HOME LIFE

THE ADVENT PERIOD IN HOME LIFE

by Sophie Koulomzin

 

What is the meaning of the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord in our family life? How can we live through the preparatory period of Advent as a Christian family? Can this meaning be truly and naturally, unpretentiously, embodied in the experience of a family, a home with children, teenagers, adults and old people?

Of course, first of all, Christmas is a FEAST, a celebration, an occasion for joy. Understanding the real meaning of this joy (God coming to us to share our humanity) comes to every individual gradually, within the measure of his or her spiritual development, but the experience of joy, of rejoicing, of having a very happy time because it is Christmas is something that can be experienced by all members of the family, whatever their age, whatever their level of spirituality . . . if only there is someone within the family who remains a witness of the true meaning of this joy. The experience of a joyous celebration remains the foundation stone of understanding the meaning of the Lord’s Nativity.

CHRISTMAS MEANS JOY.

 

All parents realize, I think, that attending church services is not sufficient to have children and young people sincerely experience joy. The real challenge for a Christian family is to find a form of home celebration that will be enjoyable and creative for all its members, young and old and will yet keep a kind of transparency, through which the true meaning of the feast can be perceived within the spiritual capacity of each one. It may be a festive meal, a distribution of presents, lighting the Christmas tree, carol singing, or many other things. It has to be something that comes naturally, remains spontaneous, is not artificially imposed.

I was asked to write a short article on the theme of home activities during Advent. But, I believe that most parents would agree with me, it is practically impossible to plan a program of activities for the family. The family is not a school, not an institution where the whole environment can be carefully controlled, a curriculum planned, study material provided, tests carried out. A family is a unit, a “one­ness,” of individuals, of individual relationships, moods, different and constantly changing stages of development. Any attempt to IMPOSE a mood, a feeling, an emotion may call forth resentment and irritation that defeats the very purpose of the effort. Anything that will be felt by other members of the family as artificial or contrived and will not become a living part of the family experience. A family tradition has to be “grown into,” has to become a natural way of life for the family.

In the past, individual Orthodox families lived within Orthodox societies and certain traditions were part of a general way of life, but today every family has to find its own AUTHENTIC way of living its own church life in a generally secular world.

I am afraid I am quite unable to write a theoretical article on the subject. I can only attempt to share with you how we tried to prepare for Christmas and live through the feast as ONE family.

I think a festive Christmas meal is enjoyed more and becomes more meaningful when it is preceded by a period of fasting and abstinence in whatever form, and for whatever length of time this is possible in your particular family situation. After the ALL NIGHT VIGIL on Christmas Eve we returned to a special lenten supper which we had around the Christmas Tree (my own particular idiosyncrasy was observed in that on that quiet occasion we lit real candles and not electric lights.) I have Ukrainian friends who have a very traditional Christmas Eve supper menu, but in our home we had never known that particular tradition.

I always wanted preparations for Christmas to involve the children’s creativity. For many, many years our home celebration involved a home Christmas play. I am fond of theatricals, especially of the kind that draws upon the children’s imagination and creativity. Old Christmas folk stories and legends adapted themselves easily to whatever number of children or grandchildren were available. Costumes and scenery were made up of odd stuff found in an old trunk in the attic, with the help of colored paper, tinsel, glue, paints. Rehearsals were part of the Advent time and they did involve a sense of effort and work in preparation for celebrating Christmas. In our particular case it also served the purpose of teaching children Russian.

On Christmas Day, after Divine Liturgy, the whole family clan assembled for a festive dinner which lasted quite long. As soon as it grew dark it was time for the play. Looking back at those plays so many years later, I can see how well they are remembered by my children (now parents of growing families), and many of our now adult grandchildren.

After the play, someone dressed up as Santa Claus, brought in all the gifts from grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins and from children to each other and to adults. It made a huge pile. We never made a big issue of “believing in Santa Claus.” I guess the smallest children, up to about three or four years old accepted him in good faith, but whenever they began to ask questions, I always told them the story of Saint Nicholas bringing gifts secretly and how the tradition of Santa Claus was established in his memory.

Our Advent activities were usually var­ious forms of preparing for celebrating Christmas. Some time before Christmas (in the days of “two calendars” it was usually on the “new style” Christmas) we built a manger scene, a “crèche” as we called it. Making the cave, the landscape around it, the clay figures, the lighting effects depended on the age and sophistication of the young artists and varied from year to year. We made decorations for the home, for the Christmas tree.

And then, of course, we prepared gifts. I am sure that, in terms of Christian experience of life, expressing our love to others through preparing gifts for them is a good way of preparing for the feast of Christmas. Obviously the children expected to receive gifts, just as we expect to receive a lot of things from our Heavenly Father, but they also gave gifts and that involved a lot of work, imagination and planning on their part (baking, building, sewing, painting, carpentering, etc. . .)

I regret now that we did not know how to involve our children in trying to give pleasure to people outside the family. I do believe that gift giving has to be a part of a personal relationship and I always felt hesitant about dumping useless little impersonal gifts on old people in a Nursing Home. But as I look back, I believe that it might have been possible to interest children in a personal and continued relationship with a particular person who might be lonely or friendless.

In our family in days past, the Pre­Christmas period was always linked to what used to be called “govenye”, “making one’s devotions” or what is now sometimes called a “retreat.” That meant that we attended church, for several week days we abstained from certain foods and amusements and went to confession and received Holy Communion on Christmas Day. It was a family experience. I realize that today when frequent communion is practiced in many families, the situation is different, but I do believe that a kind of family retreat before great Holidays is very helpful.

Of course, we made sure, as the children grew up, that they all knew well the Gospel Nativity stories and the special Christmas liturgical hymns sung in church. If there is time and place in the structure of family life for special Pre-Christmas instruction, many helpful suggestions can be found in the booklets “THE SEASON OF CHRISTMAS” published by the OCEC.

I do not think that any family can ever say with self satisfaction that it has carried out a perfect program in preparation for the celebration of a great church feast, yet I know that many young adults, who have to a certain extent drifted away from taking part in the life of the Church, still cherish the family celebration of Christmas and Easter, and this experience remains for them a link with the experience of Church life.

Mrs. Sophie Koulomzin is the “mother” of Orthodox religious education in North America. Her article comes to us from the OCEC News.

 

The Enthronement of BISHOP BASIL

Congratulations BISHOP BASIL on your Enthronement

God grant you Many Years!

Read the Address Delivered by His Grace B a s i l On the occasion of his enthronement as Bishop of Wichita and Mid-America December 15, 2004

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The Kingdom is at Hand: the December 15, 2004 Enthronement of the Right Reverend Bishop BASIL to the Newly-established See of Wichita and Mid-America.

by Rev. Fr. Paul Hodge

Perhaps a thousand of the faithful of the self-ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America came to the enthronement of Bishop BASIL for the See of Wichita and Mid-A