SAINTS AND THEIR GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ORTHODOXY

SAINTS AND THEIR GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ORTHODOXY

ST. PAUL INFORMS  ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM





 

      Saints, Martyrs, the Devout, the Just or Righteous, and Wonder-workers, are some of the names we use to honor those among the Saints. They have struggled with great faith and love to serve God first and above every other effort. Some struggled in the desert, with fasting and asceticism, others lived in monasteries and caves, and many lived in the inhabited world, all having one desire, to faithfully serve and love the living God and Creator of all, and to leave this world having full confidence and hope of a good apology at the dread judgment seat of Christ and of everlasting life in the world to come.

     Standing out among the great Saints important to Orthodoxy is St. John Chrysostom. Archbishop of Constantinople (Nov. 13). St John was born around the middle of the fourth century and had lived in Antioch in Syria. Here is a brief account showing that the Saint did not interpret the Scriptures out of his own ideas, but received help directly from the author, in this case, the Apostle Paul.

     John was called Chrysostom, which means golden-mouthed, and he was a superb orator, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Golden-mouthed includes not only his manner of speaking, but also what he said, for he was highly endowed with fiery and divine Apostolic zeal. He was a great beacon of the Church and teacher to the inhabited world.

CHRISTMAS CAROL TELLS OF SAINT WENCESLAS

 

CHRISTMAS CAROL TELLS OF SAINT WENCESLAS

        "The Christmas Carol "Good King Wenceslas" tells of the Czech King (Vatslav) Wenceslas, whose grand-mother is the Holy Martyr Ludmilla. During his lifetime Czechs were Orthodox. Wencesles was became a holy Martyrwhen slain by his own brother."                                                           Prologue # 3

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about,
Deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night,
Though the frost was cruel,
Then a poor man came in sight,
Gathering winter fuel.

 

Hither, page, and stand by me.
If you know it telling:
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes fountain.

Bring me flesh, and bring me wine.
Bring me pine logs hither.
You and I will see him dine
When we bear the thither.

Page and monarch, forth they went,
Forth they went together
   Through the rude wind’s wild lament
   And the bitter weather.

Sire, the night is darker now,
And the wind blows stronger.
Fails my heart, I know not how.
I can go no longer.
Ark my footsteps my good page,
Tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.

In his master's step he trod,
Where the snow lay dented.
Heat was in the very sod
Which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
Wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing

 

THE WESTERN RITE IN ORTHODOXY

THE WESTERN RITE IN ORTHODOXY

      Orthodoxy does not have a Pope, but we do have both good and not so good theologians and bishops, some who love Orthodoxy and some who, without realizing, act against our Holy Traditions. In many cases the faithful are completely unaware and disinterested in what is happening in the Church, and thus the Church is in the process of losing one of its most important defenders – the faithful laity who care about preserving the truth and the Orthodox Faith.

     What is the Western rite? Ostensibly, they say it makes it easier for those in the west to become Orthodox. In reality it is an infiltration, sponsored by Orthodox Bishops, of papal tradition into holy Orthodoxy, accomplishing what the Papacy has often attempted without success, which is to subdue and somehow destroy Holy Orthodoxy. Some will scoff at this, but a little leaven can accomplish much, to leaven good or evil. To accomplish this, first Orthodoxy must, in the eyes of its members, be watered down and gradually changed in their minds into just another rite. The Papacy has already proven this possible through the Byzantine rite churches which preserve the form, but have lost the grace of the Holy Spirit, which enlivens the Church. They look Orthodox but are of the papacy.

     Bishops are called upon to be an example of Christ, to become Christlike, leading the Orthodox faithful on the path of truth and eternal life, helping them to avoid the errors of those outside the Church. Their office requires them to to repeatedly proclaim the glorious truths of Orthodoxy while protecting their sheep from the wolves, such as the papacy, protestantism, and all errors.