THE TRUE CHURCH HAS ONE HEAD JESUS CHRIST AND ONE GUIDE THE HOLY SPIRIT

THE TRUE CHURCH HAS

ONE HEAD JESUS CHRIST

AND ONE GUIDE

THE HOLY SPIRIT

　

　The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church,

Holy Orthodoxy, begins all services

with the following prayer to the

The Holy Spiritwho proceeds from the Father
 being our Comforter and Guide

     "O Heavenly King and Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who are everywhere present and fills all things, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and abide in us, cleanse us from every impurity and save our souls, Good One."
 

Why is this prayer so exalted and vital?  

      Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only Head of the Church, and the chief cornerstone and foundation, nor can any man lay a different foundation. After His Ascension into heaven, Christ sent from His Father, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who alone is the Guide of the Church. Christ would never entrust the Church for which He shed His Blood to any sinful human being, but sent His equal, the Holy Spirit to Keep the Church secure against her enemies. As the Spirit of Truth, He guides her into all truth.

The following is from:
The Prologue of Ochrid by St. Nicolai Velemirovich, Vol. 1 p196: 

HOMILY

‘The Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He shall testify of me."                                              (John 15:26)

The Spirit who acts in these and many similar ways is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth, gracious, life-giving and almighty.

     The Spirit of God does not stand against a single word of Christ’s. Therefore, when the Spirit of God deigns to enter a man’s heart, he is a living and true witness of all that Christ said and did, and the man believes with joy and steadfastness. For how could he not believe the greatest and most enduring Eyewitness of and Participator in all the words ,wonders and acts of Christ. Therefore, my brethren, let us pray, before all and above all, that this Eyewitness of and Participator, the Holy and Almighty Spirit, will come into our hearts, that our faith may be a living faith, unwavering and creative of joy. O God the Holy Spirit, You Spirit of truth, come and abide in us. To you God the Son sent God the Holy Spirit into the world to testify of Him to the end of time: "He shall testify of me."

THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF A POST-CHRISTIAN ERA

THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF A POST-CHRISTIAN ERA
 

THE WICKED CRUCIFIED CHRIST, BUT HE IS ALIVE!

PROOF POSITIVE OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

Behold, through the Cross joy has come into all the world!

Ever blessing the Lord let us praise His Resurrection.

By enduring the Cross for us, He has destroyed death by death!

Christ is risen from the dead; trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
 

In the Epistle of Holy Saturday which is also read at every baptism.

 

      "For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. The death He died He died to sin once for all, but the life He lives he lives to God. So you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus"                                                     Romans 610-11).

     Through faith in Jesus Christ who was crucified and arose on the third day, millions of martyrs have joyfully confessed the resurrected Christ even to death. All of Christ’s followers are christs, for the word "christ" means anointed. Every Orthodox believer puts on Christ in Baptism, and is sealed by anointment with Holy Spirit, therefore becoming a christ, in the image of Christ. The words of Christ are filled with life, beauty and truth, for He is the Godman and has conquered death and its ruler the Devil.

     Christ promised that followers would do even greater works than He did. He also assured us that with faith as small as a grain of mustard, mountains would be moved.

THE RESURRECTION

THE RESURRECTION

Christ is risen from the dead. trampling down death by death,

and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!

 

 

 

 

Thomas’ Doubt vs Living Faith

After His third-day Resurrection, Christ appeared and stood among His disciples, who were exceedingly glad when they saw Him alive. But Thomas was not among them, and when they spoke to him, they said: "We have seen the Lord. But he said: Unless I shall see in His hands the marks of the nails, and put my finger into the marks of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe. After eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas was among them. Then Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood among them and said: "Peace be with you. Then He said to Thomas: Reach here your finger and behold my hands; and reach here your hand and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing." And Thomas answered and said unto Him: My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him: Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are they who have not seen , and yet have believed."

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS – ITS CONSEQUENCES

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS –

ITS CONSEQUENCES

 

 

 

"Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He raised from the dead"

The event of the rising of Lazarus is an extremely important event, for Christ, simply called out to the four-day dead Lazarus: "Lazarus, come forth!" Lazarus had already undergone the process of corruption, causing his sister Mary to say to Christ: " Lord, He stinks." Lazarus also was prepared for burial in tight graveclothes, according to the custom of the Jews. Neither the odor nor the graveclothes were a hindrance to the voice of Jesus Christ, and for an important reason. He who in the beginning simply declared: "Let there be light, and there was light," now says: "Lazarus, come forth!"

ON THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

ON THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Second

In western Christianity the Cross and death of Christ is greatly misunderstood, but preserved in the Orthodox Church is the truth about the death of our Lord. The death of our Lord is the means of our salvation. Christ was not being abused by an angry God for our sins. This is just not so. Christ offered himself to the torture of the Cross, voluntarily so that we might live. It was an outpouring of the greatest love that ever existed on earth. He is the one and only Godman, and the only Savior of mankind. He is the everlasting High Priest who perpetually offers himself as sacrifice for our sins. He remains as the perpetual sacrificer and victim offered. He rescued us from the captivity of the Devil, the tyrant who rules over man through lawlessness and sin. Let no man be mistaken. As God is the source of all good, the Devil is the source of all evil. There is no evil in God and there is no good in the Devil. Every man has to choose between the good God and the evil devil.

ON THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (First)

ON THE PASSION AND CRUCIFIXION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

(First)

      Jesus Christ upon entering this world as a new born babe in Bethlehem had a natural enemy, seeking to put Him to death! This enemy is known as the Devil. At the very beginning, as soon as Christ became incarnate, the Devil, being a "murderer from the beginning", darkened and blinded Herod, causing him to seek and destroy the infant Jesus, which necessitated the flight into Egypt. Having failed this first attempt, the Devil desired even more to put Jesus to death, because He was a new man in whom the Devil saw no sin, considering Him to be a threat to his kingdom. But Jesus also had a desire to put His natural enemy to death, and it was for this purpose He came into the world, after partaking of flesh and blood, as St. Paul says: "Inasmuch then as children are partakers of flesh and blood, and He himself similarly had a share thereof, in order that through death He might abolish the one who had the control of death, that is, the Devil. Also that He might free all of them who for fear of death have throughout their lives been subject to slavery" (Heb. 2:14).

     So Jesus had a strong desire to put to death to death and do away with the Devil who had control of death; just as the Devil also had a desire to do away with Jesus and put Him to death, and this making the two naturally implacable and irreconcilable enemies. A war would be fought until one of the two vanquishes and destroys the rival enemy, Jesus as the ruler and leader of every virtue, and the Devil as the ruler and leader of every vice.

STEPHEN HAWKING’S DIRE WARNING FOR HUMANITY

STEPHEN HAWKING’S DIRE WARNING FOR HUMANITY

SPACE EXPLORATION IS THE KEY TO SAVING HUMANITY

"There is no heaven; it's a fairy story."

Stephen Hawking:

 Stephen Hawkings, greatly renowned for his work on black holes and expertise on the origin of the cosmos, asserts that if one understands how the universe works, you control it in a way. That space exploration is the key to saving humanity, and warns that humans may not survive another thousand years! This makes him into not only a great genius regarding the origin of the cosmos, but also a prophet of the end of the cosmos! But do his conclusions have even the slightest value to human race and is he a true prophet whom we ought to believe?

     The Lord says: "The fool says in his heart, there is no God." It is really unfortunate that the world considers men of Hawkings caliber of "extreme intellect and wisdom" as their mentors and guides, even though the Lord addresses them as fools. Astoundingly, Stephen Hawkings professes that he has some understanding of the universe, which is arrogant, for he shows that he doesn’t have a clue about the purpose of creation. How can he possibly know the mind of the Creator, when he denies His existence? He raises the question about creation as to what, but not who is behind everything that exists. Who created it? Why did He create it? Who is man? What is man’s final purpose and destination? These are critical questions, the answers being filled

MAN AND HIS NOBLE DESTINATION

MAN AND HIS NOBLE DESTINATION

 

 

 In discussing who man is, where he came from and what is his destination, even at this moment, before reading these words, some will just reject or ignore them establishing beyond doubt one of the most important things found in all men – freedom! Freedom to accept or reject! Man is free and able to choose between truth and falsehood, good or evil. In our freedom of our choice favoring truth over falsehood, we turn to the only account of the formation of man that has ever been recorded by one of the greatest of all man – Moses. What He writes in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, he does not record fiction but what was directly revealed to him by the Spirit of God. Moses was not in existence when he begins recording the account of creation. How wonderful and comforting are his true inspired and recorded words, which teach us that we are not from beasts and animal, by were created directly from the hands of God, who breathed His Spirit into our beings.

     "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" , and

 he goes on, recording all the days of creation. We will go to the sixth day, enabling us to see the final creation and the purpose of it, as well, for the final creation being man in the image of God is for whom everything was made.

     The account in the above paragraph is not the creation of man,. But the future plan expressed by God of a man in His own image and likeness, that is, perfectly like himself.

      Moses records before the creation of man, what God’s perfect plan for all creation is, saying: "And God said, let us create man according to our own image and likeness, and let him have dominion over the fish of the seas, and over flying creatures of heaven, and over the cattle and of all the earth, and over all the reptiles that creep on the earth."

     This man is not the old Adam but the New Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ, who refers to this passage when He says: "In the heading of the Bible it is written of me" It is the first reference to Christ in the Bible, and it is the fulness of manhood to which Adam and every man are destined by God if they so choose.

     Moses continues his account: "And God made man, according to the image of God made he him, male and female he made them. And God blessed them/, saying, Increase and multiply ,and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of heaven, and all the cattle and all the earth, and all the reptiles that creep upon the earth."

     The man in the image and likeness of God, is the man whom the entire human race needs to emulate, for this man, being the [perfect image and likeness of God, proved to be the Conqueror of Death, who by His death destroyed the kingdom of death.

     However all of us are descended from the old Adam, and are thereby subject to death, which came upon mankind by his violation in eating of the forbidden tree. How then are we enabled to become like the man in the image and likeness of God. Glory to God, who did not neglect us. For Christ came into the world, and after His terrible suffering and death, He did rise on the third day, bestowing life on the race of man. Here is the method by which we share in His death and resurrection.

     Christ established His holy Church and within it are everything needed to become the perfect man in the image and likeness of God. First, we are baptized into the death of Christ, and arise into His resurrection. This is accomplished by three immersions in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Then we are washed and made clean and are able to be sanctified. Then we are sealed with Holy Chrism, and the celebrant proclaims: "The seal of Holy Spirit" repeatedly, anointing our bodies. This process deadens the old man of sin within us, making it possible for us to choose not to sin again. But if we do sin, repentance and return to God is possible.

     Now we have become new, washed of our sins sealed with Holy Spirit, we feel ready to do battle with the Evil One. Well not quite, for we need the energy and power to fight fearsome forces which seek our destruction. So we are provided with divine Food, unlike any food ever offered to man. It is called the Eucharist, Holy Communion, the Body and Blood of Christ or simply the Holy Mystery.

     This Food is meant only for those who have entered into battle against their own sins and the evil forces which surround us. It is not ordinary but appears as bread and wine. However it is fire, for it is God himself who enters into our souls, inflaming us with love and desire for Him even more.  It is a deifying Food which transforms the worthy into gods like God.

     Partaking of the divine Mysteries, we actually partake of the nature and essence of God, and the Communion prayer says it so wonderfully "Tremble O man, when you see the deifying Blood, For it is a coal that burns the unworthy. The body of God both deifies and nourishes; It deifies the spirit and wondrously nourishes the mind." Truly, when we partake of the Body and Blood of Christ the Holy Trinity comes into our souls and abides there. Guiding us, teaching us, sanctifying, us and deifying us, as the prayer of St. Basil says: "Purify me from all defilement of flesh and spirit. Teach me to achieve perfect holiness in the fear of you, that with the clear witness of my conscience I may receive a portion of your holy things, and be united with your holy Body and Blood, and have you dwelling in me with the Father and the Holy Spirit."

     When we live in this manner, keeping every commandment, avoiding every sin and transgression, living soberly and with temperance in all things. At the same time offering up prayers frequently and never forgetting the God who gave us our very existence, and who fills us with every blessing. Our lives here will be paradise and filled with every grace from on high! The change is inner, for it is the interior man within us who seeks to conform to what God has meant us to be. Our speech will become measured and attractive, our anxieties will abate as we acquire the interior peace endowed to us by Christ. As our lives becomes tranquil and the attraction of this world grows dim before our eyes, happiness and joy will begin to surround our lives, due to Her who dwells within us. Peace accompanies us wherever we travel and whatever we do. This peace cannot be taken of us for it is divine, for the Lord constantly greets us with: Peace be with you!

ABSOLUTE TRUTH AND CERTAIN FREEDOM

ABSOLUTE TRUTH AND CERTAIN FREEDOM

      Absolute truth, when acquired, guarantees each of us certain freedom. Ordinary ethical or moral truths are studied and analyzed by many, some seeking truth in religions, others question the existence of truth, or embrace falsehood masquerading as truth, such as, there is no God; man came from a monkey, or there is no life after death. But among the many pursuits of truth, none of them satisfy what man unknowingly yearns – which is absolute truth. But this must be sought for, as the Lord taught: "Ask and it shall be given to you . . ." For the acquisition of absolute truth available to us, brings with it ``` perpetual happiness, certain freedom and lasting liberation. That is why our Lord says: "You will know the truth and the truth will make you free." Our Lord speaks of himself for He is the absolute living Truth.

       Truth is defined as the exact representation of a being, while the opposing lie is the misrepresentation of a being. A being includes anything that exists, from the smallest fraction of a grain of sand to the whole of creation, from an invisible germ to the true God, who alone bears the title, The Being or the One who exists.

NEW HERESIES VS ORTHODOXY

NEW HERESIES VS ORTHODOXY

The Ever-Memorable Bishop Augustine (Kantiotes of Florina

by Matushka Constantina 

 



 

"Wolves in the sheepfold!!"

A drawing by His Eminence of blessed memory, Augustinos of Florina.(Source)

New Heresies by +Metropolitan Augoustinos (Kantiotes) of Florina

"We will not deny you, beloved Orthodoxy" – Joseph Vryennios (St. Mark of Ephesus' spiritual father)

　

      Of late, certain theologians, under the influence of contemporary, world-wide currents, have begun to savor the words "ecumenicity", "ecumenical spirit", and "ecumenical movement", as if they were hard-candy. Ecumenicity; what a beautiful word! And yet, behind these words, lay hidden a most fearful danger for Orthodoxy. What is this danger? We will show you by means of an example.

      Imagine a woman, a woman faithful to her husband, a woman who will allow no third party to enter into their relationship, ever mindful of the promises which she had made before God and before men. She is a woman of exceptional beauty, drawing the eye of many a man. On account of her uprightness, however, anyone who dares to touch, or to proposition her, immediately meets with her anger. Should such a one persist, this honorable woman will deliver a strong slap to his face in order bring him to his senses.

      Those men who are learned in this vile business, however, will try another method. These will try to uncover what it is that this woman likes; does she perhaps love poetry, or philosophy, or art? By means of these things the secret admirer will trap her. 

THE MYSTERY OF THE EUCHARIST

THE MYSTERY OF THE EUCHARIST
"THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME"

       On the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus took bread and broke it and said to His disciples: "Take eat, this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance. Drink you of it all, for this is my blood in the new covenant which is shed for you and many for remission of sins."
 

"This do in remembrance of me!"

    He that eats and drinks the body and blood of the Lord, will be unable to forget the Lord, but will continually remember Him for ever. Let us then consider what the nature of this remembrance is.

The Sweet Remembrance of Christ

      The remembrance of Christ consists in thinking, what a person Christ must have been to have done such a work, and what a work, for our salvation! Thinking, that although being in the form of God, and enjoying all the power, authority, and glory of God, as being the perfect Logos of the perfect Mind, as the reflection of His glory, and although served and honored by all the angelic and bodiless forces, and master of all creation visible and invisible, He emptied himself, and became obedient unto death, even death on the Cross. 

SIMPLE PROOFS OF OUR ALL-KNOWING GOD

SIMPLE PROOFS OF OUR

ALL-KNOWING GOD

1 X 8 + 1 = 9

12 X 8 + 2 = 98

123 X 8 + 3 = 987

1234 X 8 + 4 = 9876

12345 X 8 + 5 = 98765

123456 X 8 + 6 = 987654

1234567 X 8 + 7 = 987654

12345678 X 8 + 8 = 9876543

123456789 X 8 + 9 = 98765432

THE BEAUTY OF MATHEMATICS

 

 

     Behold the wonder and beauty of mathematics as shown above! There are arranged by man but created by God.

     What is the truth about everything? Why are we on this earth and how did we get here? If there is no God, then who created everything? Some claim a big bang, but who created the energy and matter? Man has never created matter or life, and can only work on preexisting materials and energy. God created the son and without which there would be no life. God causes our hearts to start beating – and to stop at death. God supplies the entire human race, with air, warmth, heat and light, food drink, shelter and intelligible speech.

      In denying the existence of God, or worshiping false gods, and false religions, man becomes more like a beast being reduced to

WORLD WAR II VICTORY-ALLIES AGAINST NAZIS

 

WORLD WAR II VICTORY-ALLIES AGAINST NAZIS

ST. MENAS IMPORTANT ROLE.

PREVIOUSLY HELPED

CRETANS vs TURKS

 

 

From our publication,"Cretan Saints" by Metropolitan Titus of Rethymnon, first translated then edited by Dr. George Christakis and Ralph Masterjohn (publisher of this blog). Page 150, "St. Menas the Great Martyr"

"In the heart of Heraklion in Crete stands the most magnificent church in the Balkans. It is the church that pious Cretans dedicated in their devotion to St. Menas the Egyptian whom they cherish as the patron saint of their city. This is not due to his origin, but rather to the assistance and protection he offered them. For the name Menas is an Egyptian name. The first Egyptian ruler was called Menas and there are seven Saints with the same name.

     During the massive slaughter of the people of Crete in WW II, St. Menas rose and fought against the Turks, who could not quell the revolutionary spirit of the Cretans. This was strengthened on the Sunday of Pascha, April 18, 1826, an opportune time. A crowd of faithful Christians named as infidels by the Turks, where worshiping in the church of St. Menas during the Resurrection or Paschal Service.

    The Church of St. Menas was then much smaller than the present church, as it was built during the Venetian rule and was known as the "small" Church of St. Menas. It is the very same church where the Turks slaughtered six Bishop of Crete and many clergy and laymen on June 24, 1821.

     Heavily armed, the Turks surrounded the small church of St. Menas. According to a prearranged plan, they set fires and burned down the outlying suburbs of Heraklion. At the moment when Metropolitan Kallinikos was reading the Gospel of the Resurrection, the din and firing of their weapons was heard. The massacre of the Christians began. It was a critical hour for Crete. But a brilliant light appeared, and like lightning illuminated the church. White-haired and venerable, St. Menas came with sword in hand to save his people. His horse, securely bearing its rider, sped through the multitude. The Saint looked sympathetically on his people and reproached the pirates. He diffused tenderness and comfort inside the Church, and lightning bolts were hurled outside at the Turks who had defiled Christian Pascha and the sanctity of that Holy Day. The Turks fled terrified and protested to the governor because St. Menas had come to break up their planned slaughter. The Agha knew nothing of what happened, and the Turks finally realized it was St. Menas who wondrously protected the Christians.

      Truly, the Saint saved the people of Heraklion. and nothing happened to anyone except for some women who had fallen and died in the midst of them, Of course the congregation fled in fear and terror, but with awe and admiration Metropolitan Kallinikos III of Anchialos completed the Liturgy by himself because even his deacon had deserted him.

      On the following day, the Metropolitan confirmed this wonder in a festive manner. It is said that the Metropolitan visited the Turkish governor and thanked him for his supposed assistance by sending his officer Aghian Agha. The Governor assured him that he sent no agha. Thus the Turks themselves confirmed and proclaimed the wondrous intervention of Saint Menas.

      Ever since this event, the marvelous and wonder presence of the Saint is celebrated by a synodical decree on Tuesday after Holy Pascha (in Bright Week). The relics of the Saint are venerated and a Liturgy is celebrated in the church of Saint. Menas. The faithful then light their candles during the reading of the Gospels an expression of gratitude because the Saint had saved them at that very hour. In fact since that time, in various areas of Crete, people light their candles during the Gospel reading.

IMORTANCE OF ST. MENAS IN WORLD WAR II

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.