THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM

THE DESTRUCTION

OF THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM
CITY CONQUERED BY THE ROMAN ARMIES

 

     After the death of Nero, the seventeen year old son of Herod Agrippa was considered too young to ascend the throne, so Jerusalem fell under direct Roman rulers. This caused animosity and civil war and eventually a riot which killed 20,000 Jews.

     Trouble broke out in Caesarea between the Jews and the Greeks (who tried to insult the Jews). This led to a siege of the Roman garrison Antonia and the assault on Masada. The trouble intensified when two massacres occurred on the same day. The Jews in Jerusalem killed some Roman soldiers and the Greeks massacred 20,000 Jews in Caesarea. This caused all Jews to resort to retaliation and armed conflict. Many Roman soldiers were killed as they tried to maintain order. Judea was now in open rebellion against Rome.

CHRIST’S GLORIOUS RESURRECTION

CHRIST’S GLORIOUS RESURRECTION

AND OUR RESURRECTION

      As we begin the period of the Great Forty Day Fast, we must together joyfully bear our personal crosses, permanently separating ourselves from every sin and transgression and taking our mind from unnecessary worldly thoughts, as we cleanse our souls in the mystery of Confession. With our souls purified, we are enabled to focus our hearts and desires on the glorious Resurrection of Christ. Then ponder our own coming death and resurrection which draws nearer with each passing day. It is certain that every man born on earth, will die and rise in the general resurrection, to either a blessed or unblessed life, which unlike this life, never ends. We cannot choose the day of our death which will come, nor can we choose to die and dissolve into nothing, ending our existence, but the continuous future life is a certainty.

     When we pass through the door of death, and enter the arena of judgment, then "the books will be opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works" (Rev. 20:12)

SCHISM HERESY APOSTASY vs ORTHODOXY

SCHISM   HERESY   APOSTASY vs ORTHODOXY

Jesus Christ spoke of the sower of seeds, and seeds that fell in various places. He defined the seeds as the word of God, and the different areas of reception was the hearts of men. Schismatics, heretics, and apostates, may have received good seed, but they corrupted his words. 

 With the advent of the Great Fast, which all Orthodox Christians ought to keep, so as to celebrate with great joy the glorious Resurrection of Christ, the most important thing is to be certain we avoid the above pitfalls mentioned in the title, and herein is some clarification.

A schism is the departure of a person or group from legitimate and canonical authority. Any  layman, deacon, priest, bishop, in fact, any member of any rank in the Church who rejects such authority places himself in schism. Schism  is so  serious an offense, that a saint said:  “Even the blood of martyrdom does not wash away the stain of schism.”  

BEAUTIFUL IS THE GOSPEL OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS

BEAUTIFUL IS THE GOSPEL OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS

 There is one God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, "and one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten begotten  of the Father before all ages.”  As there is  one God and one Lord, there is one Church and one Gospel.  Why then are there so many false gods and false gospels in the world?  One reason, is because the pristine  and  beautiful Gospel of Orthodoxy is hidden from them, partly because we Orthodox Christians fail to be the light of  the world.  Perhaps we need to remember  that  Christ tells us: “Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  We hold the truth, perhaps unjustly, and perhaps we fail to follow it ourselves and thus it remains hidden.

    For what reason did  God descend to earth in the form of a man, instead of as an angel or archangel? The reason has great importance  to every one of us, for each of us are precious to God, the only Lover of Man.  Whether we know it or not, we are a part of His great plan and we have  much to gain if we comprehend it and cooperate, and much to lose if we do not. In becoming a man, He demonstrated  the importance of mankind,  far  beyond  all other creatures;   for man is truly the most wonderful of all. We  were  created by the hands of  God in His image, who bestows His spirit upon us.

   God came to us as a man, being  part of His mysterious plan, which is the reason for the existence of all creation.  For God’s plan is to form Man and men in His own image and likeness.  In the book of Genesis,  the perfect Man was proclaimed as God’s  ultimate  plan  even before the creation of Adam, when God said:             

     “Let us create man in our own image and after our own likeness  . . ”   

CHEESEFARE SUNDAY

The Gospel on Fasting

Mat. 6:14-21

From Homilies Vol.1 Number 12

St. Nikolai Velemirovic

"If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive men, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your transgressions. Moreover when you fast, do not be as the hypocrites, of a sullen countenance; for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen, I say unto you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face; that you do not appear to men to fast, but unto your Father, which is in secret. And your Father, which sees in secret, shall reward you openly. Do not lay up treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupt and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust does corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

For a soldier in battle, the first rule is not to surrender to the enemy. The commander gives prior warning that every soldier must keep out of the enemy’s traps, in order not to be tricked or captured.

A lonely, cold and naked soldier will be greatly tempted to give himself up to the enemy. The cunning enemy will make use of his predicament in all possible ways. The enemy may be hungry, but he will, to show the abundance that he has, throw the soldier a little bread. The enemy may be cold, ragged and naked, but he will, as though he were rich and well clad, throw the soldier some piece of clothing. He will give the soldier pamphlets, in which he boasts of there being complete security in his victory, and will lie to the poor soldier, as though there were many regiments of his friends to the left and to the right who had surrendered, or that his general had apparently been killed, or his king had sought terms of peace! He will promise the soldier a quick return to his home and hearth, and a good position, and money, all that a man of extreme necessity can only dream about. The general points out all these snares and traps of the enemy’s advance, and warns the soldier not to believe in them at any price, but to hold their position, not to surrender, and to keep faithful to their standard even at the cost of death.

Avoiding` surrender to the enemy is a particularly important rule for Christ’s soldiers in the battle with the evil spirit of this world.

FREEMASONRY VS ORTHODOXY

OR

     Jesus Christ came into the world to save the race of man,  and to enlighten  the entire human race, for mankind was imprisoned and in the captivity of darkness, this darkness was ruled over by the prince of darkness, the Devil. His moral darkness leads to every evil, idolatry, murder, dishonesty, wars, robbery, fornication and human sacrifices. However, as the darkness of night is overcome by the rising of the sun, so Jesus, the moral Sun, arose upon the world in order to do battle with the perpetrator of all evil, the prince of this moral darkness which enveloped mankind. This would be a life and death struggle, leading to the establishment of Christ’ Kingdom on earth through His Church, which would draw people into His heavenly Kingdom.

   The cost of this battle cannot be calculated,  for Christ our God, knew that He came into the world to do good to man, healing deaf and mute, giving sight to the blind, cleansing lepers, casting out demons,  raising paralytics, and raising the dead. His battle plan was to submit to every evil inflicted on Him, to suffer any torment, to voluntarily die, and permanently seal His victory by His third day Resurrection.  He clearly demonstrated His divinity, but allowed the Devil’s minions to arrest Him as a common criminal, to adorn Him in a purple robe of mockery, to smite Him, scourge Him, spit on 

VATICAN COUNCIL LAYS CONDITIONS

 VATICAN COUNCIL LAYS CONDITIONS

FOR  ORTHODOX OR PROTESTANT UNION WITH PAPACY

SEALS THEM WITH ANATHEMAS

UNEDITED

Source: Decrees of Vatican Council of Faith and the Church  (Central Office CHAIR OF UNITY APOSTOLATE, Graymoore, Garrison, NY. Pamphlet No. 11-24, 1958)  

   “If anyone says that  blessed Peter
 the apostle was not appointed by Christ the lord as prince of all the apostles and visible head of the whole church militant; or that it was a primacy of honor only and not one of true and proper jurisdiction that he directly and immediately received from our lord Jesus Christ himself: let him be anathema. 

     Therefore whoever succeeds to the chair of Peter obtains by the institution of Christ himself, the primacy of Peter over the whole church. So what the truth has ordained stands firm, and blessed Peter perseveres in the rock-like strength he was granted, and does not abandon that guidance of the church which he once received . 

 

     For this reason it has always been necessary for every church--that is to say the faithful throughout the world--to be in agreement with the Roman church because of its more effective leadership. 

THOUGHTS – THE SOURCE OF ALL SIN

THOUGHTS – THE SOURCE OF ALL SIN

OUR THOUGHTS BECOME OUR LIVES

     "And in the day time He was teaching in the temple, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, in order to hear Him. Now the feast of bread approached, which is called Passover. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.

     Then Satan entered into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being numbered among the twelve, And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains/, how he might betray Him unto them. And they were glad and covenanted to give him money. And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray Him unto them in the absence of the multitude"

(Luke 21:37-22:8).

Satan entered into Judas and showed him how to betray the Lord; he agreed and betrayed Him. Satan entered because the door had been opened for him. The door within us is closed; the Lord himself stands outside and knocks that we may open it.

HOW WONDERFUL A WOMAN IS MADE

  HOW WONDERFUL A WOMAN IS MADE

God created Adam the first man; God assigned Adam the task of naming all the animals, and as they went before him he noticed them passing two by two, male and female. God said: "It is not good for man to be alone." He caused an ecstatic sleep to fall on Adam and from one of his ribs He formed a female, whom Adam named woman for she came from man. When Adam beheld her he was delighted for God provided him with a most beautiful companion and helper; and a woman would one day play a major part in God’s eternal plan.

     Many things that pertain to man also pertain to woman. She is wonderfully made yet quite different than man . A wonder are her arms and legs as well as her ears and eyes, her hair and her voice, and general appearance. Women are similar to men but quite different. Her circulatory system, her muscular system, her breathing system, her skeletal system and her nervous system are a great wonder, like man’s, as is her heart which is a dual pump, pumping newly oxygenated blood into the heart and blood out of the heart to the lungs. But her spiritual heart is filled with softness and love toward her husband and children. Lord how wonderfully am I made."

WILL THERE BE NUCLEAR WAR?

WILL THERE BE NUCLEAR WAR?

               
















             PROPHET ISIAH                                                                       PROHET EZEKIEL 


     In regard to the real threat and visions of horrible nuclear war, most of those who were living in the 1960's, during the JFK era, remember most vividly, the fear and apprehension and fear that gripped a majority of people, all over the world, for this was first threat of the reality of nuclear war.

     United States intelligence having found out about missile activity in Cuba, which led to confirmation that the Soviets had already began the deploying of nuclear missiles in Cuba which would be programmed to attack various US cities. Kennedy was the US President, and Nikita Khrushchev was the Soviet chief. After finding out about the plan of the Soviets, and the extreme danger to the US, Kennedy, after consultation, instituted his plan of action.

Before the world, the president demanded that the Soviets stop shipments and remove what was already in Cuba. He made it clear, demanding – all missiles be taken away. Then, upon learning of Soviets ships entering Atlantic waters on their way to Cuba, carrying missile related equipment, everything changed as the atmosphere became electrified. On October 22, 1962, Kennedy announced the institution of a naval blockade with orders to prevent the advancement of Soviet ships.

HOW WONDERFULLY ARE WE MADE!

HOW WONDERFULLY ARE WE MADE!

    David says in the Book of Psalms: "O Lord how wonderfully am I made." If we look at the body of man, or woman, we see the most delicate tissues which form the eyes, which are utterly useless if there were no light, and of no use, if there were not objects to see. The hardened material of the light and heavy bones which form our skeletal system are a marvel to behold! Joined neatly together they provide man with the rigidity and flexibility he needs, to keep his body upright and able to function. We see the perfect structure of the ears, able to hear whispers and loud noises, contributing to man’s balance as well. The steadily beating heart has input and output, arteries and veins, the lungs oxygenize the blood and the clotting of the blood is another wonder. even the very tiny veins that are throughout our bodies are another wonder.

THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD

THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD

　

     "Search the Scriptures," advises the Lord. The Scriptures not only testify that Jesus is the awaited Messiah, but they are also filled with eternal life and wisdom. As St. Peter testifies, "all Scripture are inspired by God." For God inspired the evangelists and Saints as they wrote. Many of us at one time or another, have overlooked or misread things in Scripture, which makes it important to read them frequently, or to bring errors that have become common, to the attention of everyone, for the words of Scripture are the sacred teachings of God, who speaks to us through the Bible. However, the Bible needs to be understood according to right reason and in agreement with the interpretations of the Church and the Church Fathers.
     It is also good when quoting the Bible, to be as accurate as possible, thus avoid changing the meaning or the words, which is sometimes due to poor translation. Here is a particular misreading of Scriptures that occurs frequently in the Orthodox Church in this statement: "Man is created in the image and likeness of God."

THE ANONYMOUS PROPHECY (1053 AD

THE ANONYMOUS PROPHECY  (1053 AD)

From the Library of the Holy Koutloumousiou Monastery

Mt. Athos, Greece.

1.   Great European War

      2.   Defeat of Germany, Catastrophe of Russia and Austria
3.   Defeat of the Hagarenes (Turks) by the Hellenes (Greeks)

     4.   Reinforcement of the  Hagarenes  (Turks)
    5.  Slaughter of the Orthodox peoples
6.   And great anxiety in the Orthodox peoples.  
7.   Invasion  of  foreign troops  from the  Adriatic Sea.
         Woe unto  those  who live  on earth;  for Hades is ready.
8.   The Hagarene is great for a moment. 
9.   A new European War
10.  Union of Orthodox peoples with Germany.  
11.  Defeat of the French by the Germans.  
12.  Revolution in India and its separation from England  
13.  England left to the Saxons alone. 
14.  Victory to the Orthodox peoples and general slaughter of  
            the Hagarenes by the Orthodox.                                                                                                                                
15.  The world in anxiety. 
16. General despair on earth. 
17.  A battle of seven states in Constantinople. Slaughter for                   three days and three nights. Victory of the largest state over the  six states
18.  Alliance of six states against the seventh one; slaughter for   three days and for three nights.
19.  Cessation of the war by an angel (of God and of Christ), and delivery of the city to the Hellenes.
20.  Submission of the Latins to the faultless Faith of the Orthodox believers.
21.  The Orthodox Faith shall move outward from East far into the West
22.  The barbarians fearing and trembling at it.
23.  Discharge of the Pope, and proclamation of one Patriarch for all Europe.

PROPHECY OF ZACHARIAS

PROPHECY OF ZACHARIAS

Zacharias 14:12

And this shall be the calamity with which the Lord will smite the nations, as many as have fought against Jerusalem; their flesh shall be dissolved while they are still standing on their feet, and their eyes will pour out of their sockets, and their tongue shall melt in their mouth. And there shall be in that day a great ecstasy from the Lord upon them. 

PROTESTANT PREACHERS OF PAN-HERESIES

PROTESTANT PREACHERS OF PAN-HERESIES

 MARTIN LUTHER AND OTHER REFORMERS  THREW OUT THE BABY 

AND KEPT THE BATH WATER

   The reformers and all those who placed their hope of salvation in Scriptures alone,  by their actions, threw out the true Church, and kept the Bible, not realizing that the Bible by itself cannot save a single soul, being the inspired written tradition of the Church. For without oral tradition no one can understand the real meaning of the Bible (The reformers met with Orthodox Bishops but did not seek to enter the Church)  FN *.  St. Paul warns the sola scriptura advocates in advance: “Stand firmly in the traditions which you have been taught, whether by  word or by  epistle” (2 Thes. 2:15).  Preservation of written tradition without oral tradition will not lead to unity with Christ.   Even more serious, in  remaining outside the Church,  where and to whom can they go? It is impossible for there to be a second church, for Christ is only present in His Church. Christ, being the Head never leaves the Church, confirming this He says: “Lo, I am with you until the close of the age.” He is the Head of the True Church, which is His own body.  He will never go to another Church other than the one He dwells in which He founded and heads.  Christ cannot be divided and is at the helm of Orthodoxy. Luther’s people showed no interest in  the True Church,  when they were  approached  by members of  Orthodox  Church. FN *  The Church always welcomes those who sincerely search for the truth of the Church, and to this day  Protestants who want the truth will always be welcomed in the  love of Jesus Christ.

PROPHECIES CONCERNING PRESENT DAY ISRAEL

PROPHECIES CONCERNING PRESENT DAY ISRAEL

ST. PAUL’S PROPHECY

CONCERNING ISRAEL IN THE FLESH

“I say then, has God rejected his people? May it not be so! I myself am an Israelite, a descendent of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.  Do you know what the Scripture says of Elias, how he pleads with God against Israel?  Lord they have killed your prophets, they have  demolished your altars and I alone am left, and they seek my soul.  But what is God’s reply to him?  I have kept for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed their knee to Baal.  Even so, in the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace.  And if by grace then it is no longer by works, otherwise it is not by grace. 

    What then? Israel failed to obtain what it sought. The chosen obtained it but the rest were hardened because of their sins, as it is written” God gave them a spirit of slumber, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear, down to this very day . . .  

WHO WILL GO TO HEAVEN?

WHO WILL GO TO HEAVEN?

   The general opinion in our days concerning those who have departed, is that they are going to "a better place, or that they are in heaven now and  thank goodness their suffering is over." But what about  their  faith,  what type of life did they lead, and what works they have they done for the Lord’s sake?  We do not seeking answers for those who have departed as they are in God’s hands;  may he have mercy upon them. But these questions really concern the living, especially who will go to heaven?   This question is of great importance to all of us, who are still living, and it is better that they be resolved before we leave this world.  The Lord has something to say about this question. Do the majority of people enter the heavenly realm and gain eternal life with the Lord?

SOME SCIENTISTS ARE TAKING MANKIND DOWN A SLIPPERY SLOPE

SOME SCIENTISTS ARE  TAKING  MANKIND DOWN A SLIPPERY SLOPE

 Some scientists, dealing with the human brain, whether they believe in God or not, are gradually leading humanity to total chaos and disaster by promoting the myth that the human brain is the source of all of man’s decisions and  actions including his consciousness.  Denying that man has an immortal soul, and is responsible for all that he does, they attribute the immaterial soul’s activity to the material brain. Why is this a slippery slope?  Because they are stripping man of his God-given freedom, his necessary morality and his neglected conscience.  Failing to realize their error, they also fail to realize where their unscientific ideas are leading society.  

PROPHECY OF THE GREAT MOSES TO THE JEWS

PROPHECY OF THE GREAT MOSES

TO THE JEWS

YOU SHALL HANG CHRIST 

THE LIFE OF ALL MEN ON A TREE

“You shall see your Life  hanging before your eyes”

  The great Moses warned the Jews that they would be dispersed among nations for their rejecting and crucifying Christ, and he went into more detail vividly describing how they would behold their life and the life of all men hanging upon the Cross.

Moses speaks:

 “And the Lord God shall disperse you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall worship other gods, wood, stone, which you and your fathers have not known.  Moreover, among those nations he will not give you rest, neither shall the sole of your foot have rest.  And there the Lord God will give you a misgiving heart, failing eyes and a wasting soul.  And you shall see your life hanging before your eyes, and you shall be afraid day and night, and shall have no assurance of your life.  In the morning you shall say, Would that it were evening, and in the evening you shall say, Would that it were morning.” 

                                                                       (Deu. 28: 64-67)

      The Orthodox Church of Christ, the servants of God who have accepted the true God worshiped by the Jews, behold the Christ before us and we sing solemnly on Great and Holy Friday:

Η ζωη εν ταφω κατατεθης Χριστε,

      “O Life how can you die? How can you be laid in a tomb?    You  freed us from the reign of death and from Hades you raised the dead.

   

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD MORAL LIGHT AND MORAL DARKNESS

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

MORAL  LIGHT AND MORAL DARKNESS

     Jesus Christ said of himself: “I am the Light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.”

     There are three types of light that illuminate the souls of men, the first being physical light which lightens our eyes and viewable objects, enabling us to move about without stumbling. The second light is the light which enables us to realize our existence and that of the world around us, which is metaphysical light, differing in effect and purpose than the former. Consciousness is metaphysical light and while asleep or unconsciousness we are in metaphysical darkness, knowing nothing.  When we awaken the light of consciousness returns.  The third type of light is the moral light, the source being Jesus Christ who is the true Light who came into the world.  Moral light coming from the moral Sun, enables us to walk without stumbling in an upright manner, humble and meek, kind and merciful, conducting affairs with justice and honesty and keeping all the commandments of Christ, which radiate like beams of the sun into our souls. Unlike the other two lights, moral light when shining in our souls fills them with divine awe and love of God and the greatest of joys, for  “This is the true light that lightens every man who comes into the world.”