THE ONLY TRUE FREEDOM

THE ONLY TRUE FREEDOM

Freedom was bestowed upon human beings and angels who  have unrestricted freedom within their allotted powers,   that is, freedom of choice and freedom over their actions. Freedom is shown to be most desirable and is craved by many. Americans in particular tout the many virtues and boons of freedom, for our country in particular was founded with this fundament: “My country ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing . . .  Let freedom ring!”  “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!” But this is not the freedom that fills hearts with happiness and it ids only unto death.   

     Whatever a man may be bound by, after denouncing sin, if placed in jail, is much freer than a person outside.  A drunkard or glutton may be free in body but remains a prisoner.  The same is true of an alcoholic or drug addict. Any sin in which we indulge imprisons us and  arouses fear in men’s souls, for they cannot escape their  conscience which bears witness of  right and wrong and unnatural.

  No man wants to be cheated, but many are willing to cheat others. No man wants another man to take his wife, but many are willing to take another man’s life. No man desires to be defrauded but man often think as nothing defrauding others in business and governmental transactions.

       Lacking the teaching and the blessing of Christ man will walk blindly in darkness failing to recognize what is beneficial or detrimental in his life. Not knowing where he is going, he wanders as if drunk, lacking direction or guidance.  This is occurring in our present day, where there are fewer people interested in the important destiny to which we are all heading. The many promises and threats of Jesus Christ are clearly recorded in Holy Scripture.  “Whoever believes in me has eternal life!”  “They shall be cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  No threat or danger is greater than spending eternity in outer darkness and misery and in the company of demonic powers.  No promise can be greater than the promise of eternal life with continual joy, dancing and singing with the angels and saints, for all eternity.

Lack of proper use of freedom defrauds us of the greatest treasure ever made available to man. The freedom and free will of man distinguish him from every other creature, for not the animals and birds, but man is in charge. What would be the advantage of an imprisoned human race of zombies? It would not have even been recorded!

     How very sad that we are already headed toward this immoral end, for without morality man evolves into a beast.  The restraints of immorality are not really restraints but an introduction to freedom, for to restrain of immortality reduces many evils among men.  Though we  believe we are free because we make choices, but to a great degree. As the restraints of immortality come down, we are headed towards loss of freedom and are on the fast road to  becoming moral zombies.  Take   away the moral law from man and he is no longer man, for he wanders  about lacking a moral compass, and moral law is gradually disappearing from the realm of man’s vision. 

     Good and evil certainly exists, but modern man in general closes his eyes to evil, to demons and to the Devil. There is only one who can extract us from this deep slimy pit. Christ is the brilliant light shining on the world, a light we must follow toward our Lord Jesus Christ and learn from Him.   

     Freedom in Christ enables mercy and love to  soothes the wounds of our souls, it also warms our hearts and strengthen our wills  Without freedom it is impossible to love God for no one but the free are capable of  love. 

       God formed man according to His image with the divine perfection known only to him.  For He gave man all that he needed for his purpose.   Love is not possible without freedom, and this freedom was given to the first created pair bearing full responsibility for their decisions. Freedom is essential to a person, rendering him able to decide on choosing good or evil and right or wrong. Without such freedom there would be no responsibility and consequently no possibility of love, for only a free person can accept love and return love that is extended to them. Brethren, as St. John says: “Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and everyone that loves is born of God. He that does not love, does not know God; for God is love. 

THE HOLY MARTYRS WE MUST EMULATE THEM

THE HOLY MARTYRS

WE MUST EMULATE THEM

      Countless brave and holy martyrs have willingly given up their live out of great love for Jesus Christ. Some were new to the faith yet they immediately gave up their lives for the sake of the Truth which came down from heaven. Others, even in ripe old age willingly offered themselves as a sacrifice to the Lord.

     Every type of torture and death, known top man,  has been used, such as being skinned alive, burned to death, hung by the neck, pierced with a sword and drowned. To describe the pain caused by these torturous deaths is not possible, for it is beyond description. Many in the world have undergone such torture and pain, not for Christ, but due to the malignancy of man, pass out and become unconscious, unable and unwilling to bear the painfulness.

     Many of the Holy Martyrs felt no pain but were filled with joy, for they had such great love for Christ.  Their love was like unquenchable flames, causing their pain to be diminished or to vanish from their extreme love and devotion. This great love is what made their suffering bearable, and they beheld their future which filled them with great hope as they were being put to death.

     “St Ignatius," says St. John Chrysostom, “put off the body as easily as a man takes off his clothes.” He urged the lions to eat well and completely devour him. His love was like fire and lightning. But Ignatius was not without fear. He feared the fellow Christians who would try to prevent him from being fed to the lions.  Asking their forgiveness, he said: "I know what's good for me."

      As they led him to the lion’s to be devoured, Ignatius boldly turned and addressed those present: 

“Men of Rome, witnesses of my contest: you ought to know that neither have I committed  a criminal, act nor have I transgressed in anything deserving death.  I, however, receive this sentence today voluntarily and with rejoicing, that I might attain to the true God for whom I thirst and yearn to enjoy;  inasmuch as I am God’s wheat, ground fine by the teeth of the wild beasts that I might become pure and unblemished bread.”

   With love and extreme joy in Christ, the numberless holy Martyrs were enabled to endure what man simply cannot endure.  They received crowns of glory for sure, but that was not their motivation. Nor was their motivation promises of the kingdom of heaven and the hoped for  blessings. Their motivation was undying , pure and indestructible love that burns in their hearts like a roaring fire. They loved not what God gave them but God, because He is good and worthy of our love.

     Ignatius was one of many but an outstanding martyr, who considered himself unworthy of this blessing. Humility is characteristic of genuine Orthodox Christians.

 The Holy Martyrs stand before us as witnesses that we also must sacrifice ourselves for Jesus Christ. This may not be by physical torture and death, but it may come in the form of temptations, which we must oppose vigorously, for we pray for it, saying: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

     Without going to the sword of martyrdom, we can do violence to ourselves. We can keep the fasts and have a firm rule of prayer, We can read the Bible every day and listen to what God has to say to us. We mus not allow our spiritual nature to starve to death, but we must feed it with healthy spiritual food, as we feed the body each day with material food. The soul \being of immense value deserves our constant attention.  Christ came to bring our souls up to heaven and eternal life, and we should share His desire for us, lest we show ourselves to be unworthy and be cast into to outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Let us become martyrs by conducting our daily lives according to the laws of Christ, not according to the laws of this world.

THE EVER-VIRGIN MARY THEOTOKOS

THE EVER-VIRGIN MARY THEOTOKOS

     Supremely exalted by the Most High God, filled with divine grace, adorned with her rare and extreme beauty of soul and perfection of virtue, who can be worthy to offer proper praise and exaltation to the greatest creature in the of earth and heaven.  The Archangel Gabriel was sent unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth to the virgin espoused to a man whose name is Joseph, of the house of David, and the Virgin’s name was Mary. And the Angel came in unto her, and said, Rejoice “Full of Grace” (her new name) (apparent in Greek a single word, keharitomeni).  The Angel said:  “Rejoice Full of Grace; the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women. 

     And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the Angel said to her: Fear nor Mary, for you have found grace with God. And behold you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His name JESUS. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give to Him the throne of His father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.  Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be seeing I do not know a man?  The Angel answered saying: “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you’; therefore that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God. And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing is impossible; And Mary said, Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word. And the Angel departed from her.”  Luke 1:26-48)

     God filled with his divine grace the humble and pure Mary and from the entire human race, selected her to  lead us all to salvation and everlasting life in the kingdom of heaven. She expresses her role perfectly in her conversation with Elizabeth.  “And Mary arose in those days and went to the hill country with haste into a city of Juda, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with Holy Spirit and she spoke out with a loud voice and said. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For, Lo, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  And blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD IS BEFORE OUR EYES!

PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD IS BEFORE OUR EYES!

     In the beginning of the Bible it is written:

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

2.  “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God Created he Him; male and female created He them . . . ” 

    In the first verse isour Lord's intention to form in the future a man and men exactly like himself, in His own image and likeness.

   In the second verse is the actual creation of Adam and Eve and through them, the whole human race, in the image of God with the potential  and divinely ordained plan, to become also the likeness of God.

     We can gaze at the sun, moon, stars, trees, oceans, mountains, and all created works, but will not be able to see even the slightest glimpse of God, for God is a spirit and what we see are His works.  But when we look at another human being, we are closer to seeing God than any other place in the universe. For every man and woman is formed in the image of  the true God, the undivided Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

     The Father is eternal and  unoriginate, and is the Eternal Mind from whom all that exists is derived.  Christ says, no man has seen the Father!  Indeed and no man has seen the mind (not brain) of another man at any time, for the mind is invisible.

     The Father Mind, eternally generates His Logos and perfect Idea. The Logos is not another God but is God of God, being one of the Trinity, never separated from the Father. In the Logos who is eternally being born of the Father, there is exactly what is in the Father Mind. He is being born of the  Father, and never leaves Him for there is one God.  

     God necessarily has the idea and Spirit of himself. From the Father is born the eternal Logos and the eternal Spirit is emanated. For to know,  signifies nothing else but to have in mind the type and idea of it. Hence if we say, I have no idea of such a things I say nothing else but that I do not know it. But when we say, I have an idea  of something it means that I know it.

     Without spirit understanding is not possible for there would be no ideation, nor knowledge, but ignorance.

     Let us look at man and we can see God more clearly.

God is perfect with an intellect or mind Father, a logos or word, and a Spirit of understanding.

Man is imperfect,having a limited intellect or mind, a logos or word, and a spirit of understanding.

     While God is always the same good and perfect, man is changeable according to his choice. He has an insidious and invisible enemy who viciously attacks him striving to reduce man to  his own ugly miserable image. He is known as the Devil and demons are his companions, together they have a single intention, to blind man so that he will not know the most important truth of all.  This truth is that God desires to sanctify and glorify man and reform him into His own image and likeness, awarding such a man as being worthy of eternal life.

     Crime, irreverence, lying, cheating, stealing, revolutions and wars are instigated and fomented by the Evil one to men.  This causes man to rise against man and nation to rise against nation, spreading misery everywhere.

     Humility, meekness, justice, generosity. Peace and gentleness are those who have “found  and followed the Messiah”.  Christ is the man who is the perfect image and likeness of God and is the man that we all need to become, until we rise  to the fullness and stature of Christ.

     There is no place in between following Jesus Christ or the Devil, it is one or the other.  If we follow Jesus Christ, we will belong to His Orthodox Church, not to man made and man led churches which are traps. In His Church we will be taught His truth, we will be baptized into His death and resurrection, sanctified, glorified and deified. Then following this extremely short span of  life, we will be granted, by His mercy and kindness, everlasting life in the Kingdom of heaven.

  Man becomes more like God as he becomes more like Christ, the Godman, for when he becomes merciful, kind, honest, humble and meek. He is filled with love for mankind, desires that no one perish, but that all come to knowledge of truth and salvation. 

     But man, without God and faith gradually becomes more like his enemy the Devil when he becomes malicious and hard-hearted, he becomes arrogant,  angry and a cheater.  He imitates his master, the Devil when he  robs, burglarizes properties and murders his fellow man.

     Let us remember that we cannot come any closer to God on earth than to the very image of God in our fellow man, whom we should honor and respect as an equal. And even if the image in men be marred, there still remains an image, and there is always hope for its restoration and sanctification for this is the reason that Christ founded His Church.

     It is written: “The fool says in his heart; there is no God.” Let the Bible remain true and let those who choose foolishness remain foolish, but let us rejoice that we are not fools, and that we are able to come so close to God in His image –man!

NAME CHANGING DOES NOT REDEFINE SIN OR THE HERESY THEY REMAIN SIN AND HERESY!

NAME CHANGING DOES NOT REDEFINE SIN OR THE HERESY

THEY REMAIN SIN AND HERESY!

     Secular society,Ecumenism and Philo-papism, by the sleight of hand of name-changing, have been the cause of complacency for both sinners and heretics, causing them to remain in their errors. Instead they should be encouraged to change and act for the better, which is the only course of action which will lead them to eternal life,  but now they are left lifeless.

1. Fornication is defined as all sexual acts outside of the legitimate marriage of a man and woman, as God ordained. 

Name Change: Doing away with the name fornication, it was changed to “making love” or “living together.” This name change dulls the sting of the sin and encourages continuation of the “deadly sin of fornication.The Lord firmly declares: “Fornicators shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

2. A heretic is one who has an opinion. From the Greek heresia.  In Holy Scripture it is forbidden to dialogue with them with this command: “A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject; knowing that he that is such a person is subverted and sins being self- condemned” (Titus 3: 10-11). Everyone. Clergy or laity, outside of the Orthodox Church are outside because of their own opinions or heresies. From the earliest days of the Church, the Fathers have anathematized heresies of the heretics. To return to the Church they must denounce all their wrong beliefs and embrace only the true Orthodox Faith.

NAME CHANGE 
Heretics to brothers

By changing their names from heretics to “brothers” they commit two evils. One is they prevent their accepting the truths of Orthodoxy, because they are equal in brotherhood. There is no clergy among them, but they are addressed as clerics.

In recognizing their sacraments, such as baptism, they declare that the Holy Spirit is cooperating with heretics. The truth is that they are impoverished and need the true Faith and baptism. All that are outside are outside of their own choice.  For this reason the Theologian says in his First Epistle: “They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us;  but they went out that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us” (1 John 2:19).

3. The Monophysite heresy:   
NAME CHANGE

Leaders changed their name to “Oriental Orthodox Christians.”

     Over 1500 years ago, the Monophysites were excluded from the Church, for denying the two natures of Christ. In modern times, after meeting with Orthodox leaders, they still confess a single nature in Jesus Christ and they were given a name change to “Oriental Orthodox Christians.”

That their heresy remains is simple to understand. They claim that the two natures became one in the incarnate Christ, which is the heresy they held. The truth is that the Lord Jesus Christ has both a divine nature being eternally born from His Father and a human nature, being born in time  from the Virgin Mary. Now the Orthodox address the Monophysites as  brothers and are welcomed by many Orthodox, contrary to the fact that they stubbornly remain in their heresy.

NAME CHANGE    

FROM the Papacy to Sister Church and brothers

4. The Papacy   (the Former Roman Catholic Church has been known as the Papacy and is centered, not on Christ but on the Pope of Rome is renamed  a sister church!  The Pope is now welcomed as a brother in Christ. (Names changed)

HEAVENLY VIRTUE AND MOST POISONOUS VICE

 HEAVENLY VIRTUE AND

MOST POISONOUS VICE




The Three Servants

    Our interior condition and attitude  control the direction in which we conduct our lives, toward salvation or condemnation. If we look at contemporary man, we fail to see what man is destined to be. Only in the lives of saints, holy men and women can we see what our proper destination. 

     What controls our lives, even though we claim to be free, are the sins and passions which hold us prisoner. All vices are like shackles from which it is difficult to be set free.  Our Lord speaks of this when He says: “If the Son of man set you free then you will truly be free.” Also “Truly I say to you, whoever commits sin is the slave of sin.”  Virtues are a certification of proper freedom, while vices are like spiritual handcuffs, from which only Christ can set us free. The western world glories in freedom, but freedom of the body is not freedom, when the soul is imprisoned by sin and iniquities.

   When Christ began preaching to His disciples, as we read in Matthew 5:1. He opened His divine mouth and said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall be filled."  Being poor in spirit is the realization that I don’t know, that I must learn, and that I am ignorant of most things and know little.  The realization of our poverty incites us to seek and seek first the kingdom of God.

      Poverty of spirit arouses in the soul, a desire to seek and learn, and  ask why am I here? What is my end and purpose. This spawns in the soul the very first virtue called humility, humbleness, modesty, poorness of spirt.  Opposing these virtues are the poisonous vices of arrogance, haughtiness, pride, boastfulness, pompousness, conceit, and insanity. Humility opens doors and leads the soul to Jesus Christ, through the   Holy Spirit. All the teachings of Jesus are beneficial to mankind for as God, He knows exactly what we lack and our needs for perfection. In the words of the Devine Logos Christ, there is nothing lacking and nothing superfluous for it is perfect and all that is needed.

     Concerning pride, its father is the Devil and its end is ignorance, foolishness and insanity. Why insanity?  The Logos or Word of God who became incarnate for us, according to St. John the Theologian, is  “the true light that lightens every man who comes into the world.”  Through this light bestowed upon men we receive the ability to use right reason and avoid folly. 

But previously, when heaven was organized under regiments of angels, the Devil, in his arrogance rebelled against God. When he was the Archangel Lucifer, He had been under the guidance and authority of the Logos, but in his foolishness, he deliberately abandoned anbd rebelled against the Logos and thus became insane, unable to reason rightly in accordance with the Logos and right reason. He knows well that he will be punished for all eternity yet, continues to work against the Almighty Master and God, demonstrating his total insanity!       

Are we sane or insane? If we believe in Jesus Christ, in life after death, in the last judgment and separation of the sheep from the goats, then we are sane.  But if we believe that Christ is not God, nor the Judge of all, that there is no gehenna and eternal suffering, no life after death, than sadly we are insane.                                                                                                                                                                  

     Pride is the deadly poison that lurks in the hearts of men and prevents them from reasoning according to right reason. Pride causes the man to deny that there is a God and Creator. Pride prefers to believe in mindless matter as being the constructor of the universe, intelligence coming from non-intelligence light coming from darkness, Effects having related causes they exchange for the big band.  Pride fails to consider, why we need air and have it, eat plentiful food and drink abundant water. Pride sees a reason for everything except truth. Pride causes nations to rise against nations and wars to spread everywhere.  Pride and haughtiness oppose truth and reason, vaunting itself as the source of knowledge. We call those obsessed with vice vicious, while those who love virtue are called virtuous.

    Humility is gentle and caring, the most beautiful among the virtues as described by the only humble One saying: “Come uno me all you that labor and are heavily laden and you will find rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and humble in my heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION– GOOD OR BAD?

RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION– GOOD OR BAD?

 This concerns only the Orthodox Eucharist, for the Church recognizes this mystery as present in Orthodoxy alone. First what is the Mystery of Holy Communion and its purpose. A mystery always includes something hidden or unseen to many except initiates. Hidden in the Holy Eucharist of Orthodoxy is the Lord himself, for the bread and wine have been changed by the Holy Spirit and the Priest’s prayers and invocations into the Body and Blood of Christ.

Christ made it clear to His disciples and the Jews, that He is the Bread which come down from heaven. Hear is some of the conversation.  “I am the bread of life; he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst . . . the Jews murmured because He said, I am the  Bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?  How is it that He says, I came down from heaven? . . . The Jews strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us flesh to eat. Then  Jesus said to them: Amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His Blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life; and I will raise Him up on the last day.  For my flesh is truly food, and my blood is truly drink.  He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood, dwells in me and I in him.”

Christ here identifies himself with the Bread which came down from heaven. On the night in which he was betrayed He established the partaking in the mystery of the  Eucharist or Thanksgiving which is the great mystery and center of our Orthodox Faith. “Jesus took bread and broke it, and gave it to them and said, Take, eat. This is my body. And He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And He said to them, This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many” (Mark 14:22-24).

Who should approach and partake of this fearsome mystery? Only those who have repented and changed their lives, abandoning sins and the spirit of this world, Their souls should be washed in the tears of repentance for this is no small manner. The purpose of partaking is not at all trivial, but is of great importance.  

St.  Paul says the following regarding partaking of Holy Communion: “For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread , and when He had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of me.  After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this you shall do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.  For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show the Lord’s death until He comes. Wherefore, whoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks condemnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s Body. For this reason some of you are weak and sickle and some have even died" (I Cor.11:23 -30).

   There are many books available on this subject and partaking places a great responsibility, so it would be prudent to learn more.  For example there is preparation which starts the night before. There are pre-Communion prayers which contribute to our partaking worthily. There is the timely attending and taking part in the Divine Liturgy and there are the Thanksgiving Prayers of after receiving these great gifts.

If we have the interest to attend and partake, would it not be better to do it according to the Church’s teaching and thus avoid the terrible threat of partaking unworthily?

Finally our lifestyle must conform to the Orthodox Christian lifestyle and not that of this world, which leads to perdition. Our mouths and lips need purification as does our mind and hearts. We need to do everything possible, in deep repentance to partake in a worthy manner, and Christ will then work in us to exalt and lead our sinful souls into eternal life. For He alone is good and the Lover of man.

LIFE AND ITS MEANING THE GREATEST KNOWLEDGE POSSIBLE

LIFE AND ITS MEANING

THE GREATEST KNOWLEDGE POSSIBLE

    The most important thing we can learn about the  universe is knowledge of the source and meaning of life. For without life the universe is as nothing. Without life we do intellectualize and live.  Life exists in millions of forms; life is very well organized; life is precious and necessary, for without life there is nothing.   Life appears before us at all times and we witness it in fellow men and women, in horses and dogs and cats, in flies and mosquitoes.  Above all life bears witness to the Lifegiver, for life is given and cannot be purchased or manufactured. Lifeless matter cannot possibly produce life which it does not possess, nor does chaos ascend into order; The big bang could never have exploded into such perfect order as the universe. Nor did it possess the ability to produce itself, let alone the universe. Life is too orderly, too organized, too predictable and too perfect!  Hundreds of trillions of thoughts could not begin to explain the cause and purpose of the universe. Man does not have the mental capacity, even with all his computers, to understand with his intellect what life and its meaning of life are.

     Every day millions of new babies are born into the world. Each of us was at one time  among those new babies, and have produced new babies of our own. Not only human life, but insects, birds, fish animals, and beasts are continually being born replacing the dead. Life continues just as it has from the beginning. 

What is life and from where is it derived? It is important to recognize that life is neither accidental nor spontaneous, and life as we know it, is derived from previously existent life. Plants have life producing flower and fruit. Animals have lives  and they also are endowed with souls which cause them to seek their needs and satisfy them and reproduce. Their bodily requirements send messages to their souls causing them to satisfy those  needs. Some animals feed on vegetation, others on other animals, but everything that has life seeks to maintain its life by feeding and reproduction.  Life in the vegetable kingdom is a lower forms of life. Life in the animal kingdom is a higher form.   Human life, however far exceeds the former for only  human beings can understand and explain and rejoice in life!  Each animal knows how to protect reproduce its precious life.  Some are fast moving, some use camouflage while others can climb rapidly, each one using whatever defense it was endowed with.

 We cannot deny that the highest form of life is human life, which is endowed with dominion over the fields, the animals, birds, fish and quadrupeds.  Let us ask what the differences are in these forms of life. Plants have no soul to satisfy their needs. They just grow from an apparent lifeless seed that is in fact teeming with potential life. Animals have a soul which feels its needs causing it to seek to satisfy them. . 

MORE . . . IMPORTANT TEACHINGS OF THE DIVINE LITURGY

MORE . . .  IMPORTANT TEACHINGS OF THE DIVINE LITURGY

   “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you”

   If we understood the gifts of God, our praise would be endless and our appreciation boundless for the great gifts we receive each day from God. The Priests blesses us for even more, saying:  “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . be with you all.”  Grace from God includes all that we need for complete  happiness, salvation and everlasting life.  If we are the poorest of the poor and have Christ, we are the richest of all!  God is love and to love God is to live in Paradise!

The communion or sharing of the Holy Spirit is the gift beyond all gifts for God offers  himself  to us and dwells within us and we dwell within Him. What a great and noble end believing man has as his hope. The heavenly kingdom! The abode of the Saints and Martyrs. The land of the truly living is our expectation.

  “Holy. Holy. Holy. Lord of Sabbaoth, heaven and earth are filled with your glory.  Hosanna in the highest; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!”

In this hymn, the King of all receives from the faithful, a royal greeting honoring and glorifying his glory, for he is now going up to Jerusalem,  not to be crowned, but to give himself on the Cross as in His voluntary sacrifice which will redeem all mankind from sin and iniquity.  God the Logos himself, the Son of the Virgin is now entering His passion to free us from our sins and passions.

“And that which is in this cup, the Precious Blood of your Christ.” The Priest them blesses the elements, saying: “Changing them by your Holy Spirit.  So that they may be to those who receive them, for the purification of soul, for the remission of sins, for the communion of the Holy Spirit, for fulfillment of the kingdom of heaven, and for the boldness to approach you neither unto judgment nor unto condemnation.”

SOME IMPORTANT TEACHINGS OF EVERY DIVINE LITURGY

SOME IMPORTANT TEACHINGS OF EVERY DIVINE LITURGY

   At the completion of the Doxology, raising the Gospel the Priest dynamically proclaims:

“Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and for ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.” 

     At this moment, invisibly angels gather to celebrate together with us in every church throughout the world. This is indeed a glorious moment where heaven comes down to earth!

CONCERNING THE TWO KINGDOMS

     It is the Kingdom of the Father, Son and holy Spirit that is blessed, for in it are sanctified all who desire to be saved and brought to eternal life. We are blessed to belong to this kingdom. Kings domains are called kingdoms. Jesus Christ is the King of the Orthodox Christians, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and His domain to which we belong and live is the “Kingdom of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”  This is not  a worldly kingdom, as  Christ says: “My kingdom is not of this world.” There is another kingdom which stands in direct opposition to the spiritual kingdom. It has various names. Among them are, the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of this world, and the kingdom of Satan, This kingdom wages war against the kingdom of heaven and all its members. We become members of the Kingdom of Christ through Baptism and Chrismation, wherein we die to the old man and live to  the new man, Christ!   We remain members when we follow and keep Christ’s commandments. We receive heavenly food and drink in the Church, which provides us with the strength to do good only good works.

“For the peace of the world, for the well-being of the holy churches of God and the union of all. Let us pray to the Lord.”

     As Orthodox Christians we seek to live in peace as much as possible,  for our desire is that there be tranquility among nations and peoples. “For the well being of the holy churches of God and the union of all is exclusive. It refers only to the “holy” churches of God, those inhabited by the Holy Spirit, and  called Orthodox.  It is not possibly for this to be a  prayer for unity with heresies and those outside the Church, as some foolishly say, but refers to the union of the ‘holy’ orthodox churches of God, having the same mind.

    “Commemorating our most holy, pure, most blessed and glorious maiden Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and all our lives to Christ our God.”

PREPARATION FOR THE LAST JUDGMENT IT’S OUR CHOICE – VINDICATION OR CONDEMNATION?

PREPARATION FOR THE LAST JUDGMENT

IT’S OUR CHOICE – VINDICATION OR CONDEMNATION?

The last judgment is a certainty and necessity for Christ will judge every member of the hman race, based on what they believe and chose to prctice  in this present life. In the Orthodo

morning Prayers, we are warned: about the certainty of the event: “Suddenly the judge will come and the deeds of each of us will laid bare, but in the middle of the night let us cry out in fear:  Holy, Holy, Holy are you O God; through the Theotokos have mercy upon us.”

It does not matter, that some believe in Christ and some do not, some in false gods, some in many gods, some in the Pope, others are with the Protestants and many follow the Islamic Prophet.  No matter who a person believes in, his judge will be the one and only Judge Jesus Christ who will judge all the living and the dead.  For there is only one judgment by one God and one Lord Jesus Christ, We know that He is the omniscient God and knows our every thought and idea in the minds and hearts of men. Also recorded  in the Book of Revelation: “And I John saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it from whom the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened . . .  And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”  At that time standing before the fearful throne of God will be the entire human race, trembling and recalling all the evil deeds of their life, for these books are the consciences of mankind, and are never erasable. Every human being has a conscience, a fact which is well documented. Voluntary confession of  crimes without supporting evidence verifies this. If we had no conscience and were  like robots, we could commit crimes and have no regrets or memory. But we are all created in the image of God, destined to become gods who will live forever! Therefore , our conscience accuses and excuses our words,  deeds and thoughts.

The conscience that is within all of us is the small voice of God who silently rebukes or praises what we say and do. It is the books that were opened. Few ever listen to the voice of God, but many tune Him out and listen to the voice, and accept the invitation of the ruler of the world who is our enemy. Silence and prayerfulness enables us to hear the still small voice of God. Most do not like His rebuke, and thus avoid  silence and quietness.  Parties, loud music, non-stop talking and  texting, television, utilizing all the latest smart phones and other devices which drown out the voice of conscience. Each person goes  into himself  but never hears that still small voice.  However their books or conscience keeps right on recording to the end.

  When the books are opened, this voice, being permanently turned on cannot be turned off for it is not their own. In the book of conscience is written all the  works of our  lives. Further, “and the books were opened” also means that to our great shame and sorrow, we willreveal what we did with our lives.

But what of those who believe  in Jesus Christ, keep His commandments and dedicate their lives to Him? A good report will come from each of their books testifying to the recorded truth of their faithful lives.  In utter delight the faithful believers will hear:  “and another book was opened which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which are written in the book of life.” All life comes from God the source of life. In the beginning Adam and Eve did not know death, but knew only life as given to them by God, but the venom of the serpent injected the poison of disobedience resulting in the scourge of death, which  plagues mankind.  God wants us to have live abundantly. Christ, who came to save and elevate man to his dignity cries out: “I am the life of the world!”

   Christian life is not following some routine or doing certain things without regard. Going to Church and receiving Communion is not all there is, in fact there is so much more, for Christ gave us doctrine and dogmas to be preserved, commandments to be kept, virtues to acquire, and ethical life to put into  practice. Orthodox Christian life is a continuously active life which leads us to sanctification and deification. If we do not die to sin and iniquity we cannot live only to Christ, He is our guiding light and the illumination of our souls, and food for both body and soul.

 It is in this present life that we must prepare for the judgment certain to come after our death, The Lord and the Apostles, the Ecumenical Fathers and the Martyrs, the Theotokos and all Saints shine before us as an example of what our goal must be, holy as the Lord is holy, and perfect  as our Father in heaven is perfect.

SUDDENLY THE JUDGE WILL COME!

SUDDENLY THE JUDGE WILL COME!

  The Church of Christ in its continuous Orthodox confession says, not once, but at every reading of the Creed:   “He shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead; and His kingdom has no end.”  The year or date makes no difference to any of us, for we are all a heartbeat away from judgment.  To ignore this is disaster and horror, but to heed it is a call to happiness, joy and eternal life.

 Accidents and sickness can shorten our days, including war and insurrection as well as crime. There is no guarantee as to how long this life will last and how soon we will leave this world to face the Judge, who will judge justly , bestowing mercy only upon those who called upon Him., and obeyed His commandments.

 Without any warning, all of a sudden, shrill angelic trumpets will sound and be heard by every person in every corner of the earth. In a moment, the wicked and sinful, the unbelievers and haters of Christ, will be terrified of this great event and seeking death they will not find it. “They will cry out to the mountains and rocks; Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand.” (Rev. 6:16-17).

   Those who wasted their days in vain pursuits, in searching for riches, full bellies, and various  entertainment, will be terrified realizing that they are no better than those who cried: “Away with Him! Crucify Him!. They will remember having heard of the Resurrection but giving it little attention. They never picked up their Bibles so that God could communicate with them. Scoffers will hang their heads in shame and seek repentance but not find it, for it is too late.

ORTHODOXY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST PART 2 SEEKS NOT UNION BUT RETURN OF THOSE OUTSIDE

ORTHODOXY THE  CHURCH OF CHRIST PART 2

SEEKS NOT  UNION BUT RETURN OF THOSE OUTSIDE

These phrases are a second group which show how well truthful sober-minded Roman Catholics and Protestants admire and glorify the Orthodox Church!

      The Church headed by the Godman, like Him, is both divine and human, it is a living Church having an active divine and human life. Each of us  walk into the holy church bearing our  human bodies and divine spirits, indeed to offer worship to God, but the worship is productive, helping us to be sanctified undergo a transition from carnal humanity to divine spirituality. Jesus Christ is the perfect man in the image and likeness of God which each one of us must become, by personal  ascetic struggle.  All these things are taught to us in the  Gospel and Epistle readings and the hymnology.  We cannot say that we are uninformed, the reason is our not caring. The holy mysteries supply the food for energy and power to complete this transition., as we  and we offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God, who , on the last day, will grant us eternal life out of His great and rich mercy.

      In 1951, Professor U. Kury, in the Internationale Kirchliche Zeitschrift, pointed out that the Orthodox Church gave the impression of a powerful society which was conscious of its mission and surged from within new ideas and enterprises.  Let us praise God that the Orthodox Church which has suffered countless persecutions at the hand of barbarians of various times and has been so much mocked by many so-called Christians, today sees the truth being restored and hears it confessed that she is a “Living Church”. In view of this acknowledgment let us be encouraged to continue the effort for this final establishment of the truth. It is time for the propaganda from without, which has done so much harm with slanderous statements about Orthodoxy, to keep silent and acknowledge reality. It is time for the non-Orthodox of the West to put a stop to their proselytizing activities and pay more attention to the life of the Orthodox Church.

ORTHODOXY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST SEEKS NOT UNION BUT RETURN OF THOSE OUTSIDE

ORTHODOXY THE  CHURCH OF CHRIST

SEEKS NOT  UNION BUT RETURN OF THOSE OUTSIDE

These phrases show how well sober-minded Roman Catholics and Protestants  admire and glorify the Orthodox Church!

      The Church headed by the Godman, like Him, is both divine and human, it is a living Church having an active divine and human life. Each of us  walk into the holy church bearing our  human bodies and divine spirits, indeed to offer worship to God, but the worship is productive, helping us to be sanctified undergo a transition from carnal humanity to divine spirituality. Jesus Christ is the perfect man in the image and likeness of God which each one of us must become, by personal  ascetic struggle.  All these things are taught to us in the  Gospel and Epistle readings and the hymnology.  We cannot say that we are uninformed, the reason is our not caring. The holy mysteries supply the food for energy and power to complete this transition., as we  and we offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God, who , on the last day, will grant us eternal life out of His great and rich mercy.

    It is not possible to describe Orthodoxy in all its glory, for much of it is invisible, and seen by few. But here we are presenting the remarks of those outside of Orthodoxy.  Their description is truly amazing and some of us should be ashamed, knowing that they are outside the Church. Also amazing is that only a small minority of the praiseful commentators actually came into the Church.

     Quotations below  are from a book published in 1959 called NOSTALGIA FOR ORTHODOXY, by Reverend Archimandrite Elias Mastroyianopoulos.  It is a most unusual book because it quotes Protestants and Roman Catholics highly praising and glorifying Holy Orthodoxy!  We were pleasantly amazed at their descriptions of our holy Church, exalting it more than many of our own clergy and laity, who seek unity rather than return.

     When the prominent Protestant Christian leader John Mott (1865-1955) was passing through Athens in the nineteen fifties, his first words were: “Thank God, the world has never stopped looking at Athens.”

Then a Greek reporter asked him: “Have you any messages for the youth of Greece?”

     “The Orthodox youth? ,” Mott asked, and then added : “Yes I have: Before such a great opportunity God sends special tribulations. Stand by your doctrines. Protestantism has been torn by divisions. You have your doctrines that keep you united. Do not let them go!”

     What the non-Orthodox admire most in Orthodoxy is that she has kept the doctrine, the ethos, the worship and the polity of the early united Church, without adding or taking from it. From the Trinitarian doctrine to the veneration paid to the Saints and the Mother of God, the Eastern Church has remained loyal to everything in the ancient tradition.  For the theologians of the West today (1959), this is a discovery before which they stand in awe with emotion. 

     European scholars who have started a systematic study of the treasures of Orthodoxy, are not a few. In Germany there are special academic chairs where are given lessons on Orthodoxy. The Protestant Professor, Fritz Lieb, and the Roman Catholic Professors Q. G. Wunderle, have both taught from such special chairs.

     Here is how the Roman  Catholic Professor describes the beauty of Holy Orthodoxy: “Whoever visits an Eastern Church feels at once that he is in a place of mystery, that is, in a holy place, detached and separated from the world and flooded by the presence of God.”

WHY I ABANDONED THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

WHY I ABANDONED THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

by Bishop Paul Ballaster-Convolier  +1984

      Bishop Paul de Ballester-Convallier: A contemporary Neo martyr of Orthodoxy (25th anniversary of his martyrdom: 1984-2009)

     Two thousand and nine marked the 25th anniversary of the death as a martyr of the late Bishop Paul de Ballester-Convallier (1927-1984).  As a memorial to him we reprint here his article which explains why and how he was converted to the Orthodox Church from Roman Catholicism.

     The following article of the then Hierodeacon (monastic deacon) Fr. Paul Ballester-Convollier was published in two follow up articles by Kivotos Magazine (July 1953, p. 285-291 and December 1953 p. 483-485).  Previously a Franciscan monk who had turned to Orthodoxy, Bishop Paul was made titular Bishop of Nazianzus of the Holy Archdiocese of North and South America with its seat in Mexico City.  There he met with a martyr’s death.  The news of his death was reported on the first page of the newspaper Kathemerini (an Athens daily), Saturday, February 4, 1984) which says”   

THE GREEK ORTHODOX BISHOP PAUL WAS MURDERED IN MEXICO

     As it became known in Mexico City, before yesterday the Bishop of Nazianzus, Paul De Ballester of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, died.  He was murdered by a 70 year old Mexican, a retired military man who was suffering from psychiatric problems.  The funeral was attended by Archbishop Iakovos who was aware of the work of the active Bishop.  It should be pointed out that Bishop Paul was of Spanish origin and was received into the Orthodox Church as an adult. He excelled as a chief shepherd (Bishop) and author.  The Mexican authorities do not exclude the possibility that his murderer was driven to his act through some sort of fanaticism.  Bishop Paul was a native of Catalonia, Spain. He studied in seminaries in Athens and Halki, Turkey.  He was ordained in Athens as a deacon in 1953 and as a priest in 1954.  His ministry as a priest was first in Constantinople (1954-1959) and as a priest in 1954 and then in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (1959-1984).  In 1970 he was consecrated titular Bishop of Nazianzus (in New York) with its seat in Mexico City.  His work there as a churchman, university professor and voluminous author was brilliant and conspicuous, but unfortunately it was sealed with his premature death.  He was murdered at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy in Mexico City in 1984.  His funeral was attended by Archbishop Iakovos who praised the exceptional work of this vibrant Bishop..

This article will open many eyes to the complete folly of dialogue with the Pope’s operation.  The author discloses their erroneous claims to primacy and infallibility, reason alone for which Orthodoxy must shun them.

GOD – FATHER SON AND HOLY SPIRIT THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD!

GOD – FATHER  SON AND HOLY SPIRIT

THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD!

“And God said: Let there be light and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good.”

“And God saw that it was good,”   indeed for only  good can come from God. For in all  the works of God there perfection and the complete absence of sin. Everything that God created is pure and remains sinless so long as it freely turns toward Him, not separated or in opposition. As creatures of God every one of us learning of His great goodness, should joyfully  desire to offer Him praises for He is worthy of all glory. Air, and sunshine, water and food, darkness and light, everything God made is good. Trees and flowers, animals and quadrupeds,birds and fish all show us the goodness of God.

     “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Alleluia!” (Psalm 150). Rejoicing and pious voices all over the world at all times give thanks to and praise the Lord, for His goodness and great mercy, realizing that God has made everything good.

     But God made man. Then why is it that man rises against man and nation rises against nation; why are there wars and rumors of wars? The answer is that all the evil in the world comes, not from God, but from sin in opposition to God. Sin causes the abuse of the freedom which God has given to some creatures.

     We know that sin transformed the brilliant angels who rebelled  into dark malicious demons. The Devil, by his own decision and action was changed, from an angel of light to a vessel of sin, with a desire to infect all mankind with his acquired poison  –sin.

     The Devil and the fallen angels who followed him, called demons, chose to  become evil and malicious and enemies of God and man. They hated the light and sought darkness, and hating the goodness of God, they fought against it with evil machinations. The first woman, Eve  being deceived by the Devil, she in turn deceived her husband and in this manner  sin entered the human race with all its horrors and evils and darkness.

     Sin brought a curse upon the human race causing the minds of men became confused and darkened and their wills made bad choices. The deadly poison of sin was first evidenced, by Abel’s thankful offering accepted by God, who rejected Cain’s unworthy sacrifice. Sin enticed Cain to slay his brother, virtuous and innocent Abel..

   If we look back at human history, and up to this day, we can clearly see the work of the evil one upon the race of man. All the evils that beset mankind are caused by sin and separation from the Logos of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Sin is a deadly poison that poisons all creation and the human race.

     Let us attribute to the good and kind God, all that He did for us out of His divine goodness, being grateful for only only good comes from God, who is the source of all goodness, and the only Giver of life.

     The Logos became incarnate and filled with grace and truth, as a sinless member of the human race, he showed by his existence in the flesh, the perfect man, God’s plan from the ages: “Let us create man in our own image and likeness.”  Among the faithful, God requires total fidelity in His own beloved Son and obedience to His commandments. For he sent our Lord Jesus Christ to be born of the Virgin Mary into the world to save the world. “For God so love the world that He gave His own beloved Son that whoever believed in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

DEATH AND HAPPINESS

DEATH  AND  HAPPINESS

      Most people desire happiness with high hopes that all will go well with them. A  young couple having been just married, saw their future as happiness being together at last.  The bride suddenly dies and their happiness dissolves. Another couple marry and have a child, and  a year later the child’s beauty fades and death takes her away. Filled with enthusiasm, having received his doctorate a young man, according to his plans now opens a business which turns out to be an immediate  success. He  greatly rejoices in this good fortune, but disaster strikes in the form a fast moving cancer. Death hovers over all mankind, causing fear that it will strike at anytime. So they rid themselves of this great reality by simply dismissing it from their mind. The fact remains that out of fear of death men have continue to go through terrible ordeals

THE GREAT DOCTRINE OF ORTHODOXY

Christ is risen from the dead!

“Away with Him! Crucify Him!” The Godman came into the world with the express purpose of freeing man from the death and the cause of death!   This is the most important event to be witnessed by mankind, how the death of Christ put death to death and granted the entire human race, the victory and the great mercy. Few deny the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, or that He died and was buried. He was placed in a new tomb and on the third day, the world would never be the same again, for those who saw Him, knew for certain that death did not hold Him, “for behold I was dead and am alive!”  The myrrhbearers were beside themselves with delight, not yet realizing the meaning of His Resurrection.   “Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs, bestowing life.”

WHAT TOOK PLACE? 

Jesus Christ is the only sinless one, the only Godman, the only preeminent One, the only Head of the Body which is the Church.  Being sinless, under the law, He could not be put to death, for only sinful men could be legally killed. Jesus Christ battle was not against the wicked Scribes and Pharisees, but against their master, the evil one, who is the dragon and serpent, Devil and Satan. He had been holding the human race as prisoners through the authority of death, for man had chosen him in place of God. Man being subject to death lived in constant fear of death, inflicting death upon others to save his own miserable life.

  How did Jesus enter into battle and what were His weapons?  He humbled himself even to death on the Cross. He put death to death by submitting to it. The Cross was a trap that would strip him of his authority and power, That trap was sprung, when he put an innocent man to death. The Devil thought that he was putting a sinful man to death, not knowing that this man was also God. By unjustly putting Jesus Christ to death,  the Devil was stripped of his authority . Christ has conquered death! This is the most important event in the history of mankind, for here is the only solution to human happiness  – Jesus Christ! 

JESUS WILL NEVER DIE AGAIN

 “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, but the life He lives He lives to God.  So you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:10-11). Our temporary present life of a hundred more or less years can be exchanged for a life that never ends, a life that the world cannot offer,  a life that in Christ is perpetual happiness, with no threat of death, sickness or accident. Death has been changed by the Resurrector Jesus Christ for instead of being a prisoner of death, we triumphantly shall follow Him through the door of death to eternal life in His Kingdom. This is the only true happiness, and for those who serve Christ there is no death but life everlasting.