TRUE AND PERMANENT HAPPINESS

 TRUE AND PERMANENT HAPPINESS

Death is swallowed up in victory!

Death where is your sting Hades where is your victory!”

 Man’s life cannot be filled with absolute happiness, unless he first solves the problem of death, which threatens everyone of us, hanging over our heads like a giant sword.  We can acquire  a  wonderful job; we can start a profitable business, or begin a good career; we can marry a desirable mate and have healthy children. We can be enabled to purchase means of transportation and a house in which to live, and start a family,  and finally hope to be happy.  But death, directly or indirectly awaits and threatens our happiness. Death does not discriminate between rich or poor or single or married, young or old, for it threatens all and remains unpredictable.  If we could solve the problem of death, and rid ourselves even of the thought, then true happiness would overflow our soul, and the sword will vanish as a threat.`

 The great Moses freed the Jews from the tyrannical grip of Pharaoh, led them through the wilderness, established for them a covenant with God at Mt. Sinai, where the law was given, including the ten commandments. Moses was described as the meekest among men, and he loved and served God, and with constant love for  his people, when they proved to be ingrates,  he interceded with God  to spare them. Moses also firmly told the Jews that the Lord God would send them  the Messiah /Christ, and sternly warned that anyone who rejected him, would be cast out from among the people.

Christ came, just as Moses had prophesied, born of the Virgin just as Isaiah had prophesied,  and although being God, He accepted to humble himself and  became man.  He entered the world of men, whom He created,  and preached the good news that He is the Redeemer and Savior of the world. Whoever believes and accepts Him as Christ the Son of God, will gain eternal life. Those who will not receive Him and die in their sins will be separated from God forever, and be “cast into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.” His main objective was to set himself as an example for all men, showing them how to live their lives in peace and love -- how to become the image and likeness of God. What He is what we must become, holy and perfect. “Learn from me for I am meek and humble in my heart.”  He told His disciples many times that He would be put to death, assuring them that He would then rise from the dead on the third day. And it is in this wonderful work of Christ that we are assured of permanent happiness for ever!

FROM THE RUDDER --THE APOSTOLIC CANONS

FROM THE RUDDER

THE APOSTOLIC CANONS

  Shame on those who degrade the importance of the Rudder for it is destructive to Orthodoxy. Without the Rudder, the Orthodox will evolve into  Protestants, each choosing what he wishes to believe.  Only Holy Scripture is before the Rudder, and both are a part of our written Tradition. We selected some Canon handed down to us from the Holy Apostles, who firmly warn us not to ignore these Canons. These are taken from the Rudder, and it easily seen that they deal with everyday matters, forbidding some things, and allowing some things.The Canons are a most vital part of Orthodox Written Tradition.

 SOME OF THE 85 APOSTOLIC CANONS 

CANON 1  BISHOPS

Two or three other Bishops are needed to ordain a Bishop.

CANON 2    PRIESTS

A Priest must be ordained by a single Bishop, and so must a Deacon and other Clergymen.

CANON 6 WORLDLY CARES

A Bishop, or Priest, or Deacon must not undertake worldly cares. If he does, let him be deposed.

CANON 7    PASCHA AFTER PASSOVER

If any Bishop, or Priest, or Deacon celebrate the holy day of Pascha before the vernal equinox with the Jews, let him be deposed.

CANON 9    HOLY COMMUNION

All those faithful who enter and listen to the Scriptures, but do not stay for prayer and Holy Communion must be excommunicated, on the ground that they are causing the Church a breach of order.

CANON 10    PRAYING WITH

One who prays with the excommunicant, shall himself be excommunicated.

CANON  11   PRAYING WITH

A clergyman who prays in company with a deposed clergyman shall\ also be deposed.

THE RUDDER OF THE ORTHODOX CATHOLIC CHURCH

THE RUDDER 

OF THE ORTHODOX CATHOLIC CHURCH 

     This ship symbolizes the Catholic Church of Christ. Its keel represents the Orthodox Faith in the Holy Trinity. Its beams and planks represent the dogmas and traditions of the Faith. Its mast represents the Cross; its sail and rigging represent Hope and Love. The Master of the vessel is our Lord Jesus Christ, whose hand is on the helm. The mates and sailors are the Apostles, and the successors of the Apostles, and all clergymen, secretaries and notaries, and occasional teachers. The passengers comprise all Orthodox Christians. The sea symbolizes present life. A gentle and zephyr-like breeze signifies whiffs and graces of the Holy Spirit wafting the vessel on its course. Winds, on the other hand, are temptations baffling it. Its Rudder, whereby it is steered straightforwardly to the heavenly harbor is the present Book of the Holy Canons.

    Note that divine Chrysostom also likens the Church to a ship (see Volume VI, page 426, line 10, and Volume VII, page 502, line 20 of the Etonian edition).

   The Rudder of the Orthodox Catholic Church is the second most important written source of Holy Tradition, that preserves the essence of our Faith. It is a treasure to all of us, but is sadly a hidden treasure, which is next to the Holy Scripture in importance, and in rank.  Both the Scripture and the Rudder are inspired by God.  The difference being that the Holy Scripture writings of individuals, are directly inspired and therefore infallible. The Seven Ecumenical Synods, which approved all of the Canons in the Rudder, were collectively inspired by God, not the opinion of each father present.  Note: the Rudder contents are available for your use on this blog.

   These sacred Canons are ignored by many, even though they are vital for the preservation of our Faith.  Without its Rudder, the Church drifts into turbulent waters with no one in charge, leaving the faithful in danger.

St.Nicodemos, Compliler of 

The Rudder

   St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite together with Agapios a monk, spent countless years in compiling the Rudder, and making it available. We produced the English translation that is on this blog. It is not their composition for the contents have been handed down to us from the ages, which they collected and compiled.St. Nicodemos did do something very important in presenting his interpretations, which  you will find are useful and helpful. The first 85 Canons of the Rudder are from the Holy Apostles which dates back to right after the next period after Christ. 

   Some scorners of the Sacred Canons, quote, then contradict a few of them, and in doing so, heap scorn upon them all. Going to Church on Sunday is not enough, for there is much more to Christian life, which the Rudder will help you to understand. Select what you require and what interests you. The Rudder is for the  functioning of the entire Church, covering most everything, as you can see by the partial list below.Without knowledge of the sacred Canons, it is not easy to understand the what and why and how of everyday Christian life, especially for members of the laity, which always do not educate themselves into the glory and truth of Orthodoxy, which is not just a religion, but the revelation from heaven, the Holy Church, the Body of Christ.

The following words are contained the Rudder and speak of it very sternly.

“That the divine Canons must be kept strictly by all. For those who fail to keep them are made liable to horrible penalties.”

     “These instructions regarding Canons have been enjoined upon you by us, O Bishops. If you adhere to them you shall be saved, and shall have peace; but, if you disobey them, you shall be punished, and shall have perpetual war with one another, thus paying the penalty deserved for heedlessness.” 

(The Apostles in their epilogue to the Canons)

   That the sacred Canons should be studied and understood according to our ability, can readily be seen by the subject matter, which concerns everyday life. If you just peruse through this wonderful guide of the Church and its members, it is the Church's Rudder, you will see how precious and valuable it is. True happiness will never be found in this world, unless we have God as our Father and the Church as our Mother. 

A small fraction of the contents

What marriages are allowed/forbidden

Who can become a Bishop

Who can be ordained Priest

Fasts; how to be kept

Killing during war

Who can sponsor a child at Baptism

God’s action in His Church

Who can be sponsor at a wedding

Holy Communion the benefits/dangers

Homosexuality

Fornication

Vows that are permissible/forbidden

When fasting is forbidden

What is a schism

What heresy is

Mysteries outside the Church

Orthodox baptism not repeatable

Regarding Holy Communion

How we “die” in Baptism

The blessing of holy icons

Weddings forbidden during fasts

Duties of husbands and wives toward each other

Seizing a woman by force

Clergyman’s mysteries valid unless deposed

Oaths are forbidden

Who can be ordained

Not “original sin” but “propotorical sin”

No Church outside Orthodoxy 

Parents – if child dies

Perjury– very serious sin

On this blog, Click on the Rudder to view its contents.