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.

THE CHURCH FOUNDED BY THE APOSTLES NOT ROME OR CONSTANTINOPLE

THE CHURCH FOUNDED BY THE APOSTLES

NOT ROME OR CONSTANTINOPLE

      We honor Peter and Paul and claim no authority from either one, for we are under the same authority  as them, Jesus Christ our Lord. Peter was the son of Jonas and brother of Andrew the First-called, of the tribe of Simeon and the town of Bethsaida. Among the disciples Peter first gave the clear expression of our faith, when he said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. To this very day this remains the foundation stone of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and is the necessary dogma that introduces every one into the Church.  Howe great was Peter’s love for the Lord, it increased over and over. But when the Lord went to His trial, Peter denied Him three times as the Master told him he would.  Christ corrected Peter with the threefold questions:; beginning with : “Peter, do you love me?

     The day of Pentecost changed everything for now Peter and all the disciples were fearless and Peter the gave his first sermon to the Jews, resulting in 3,000 souls being baptized and saved.  He preached the Gospel in Palestine and Asia Minor, in Italy and also in Illyria; Peter performed many wonder, healed the sick, and raising the dead.  He did battle with Simon the Magician and defeated him, and was condemned to death. Peter went to His death by crucifixion with great joy, and asked to be crucified upside down, and he went to receive his crowns of glory.


     Paul born in Tarsus of the tribe of Benjamin, was originally called Saul, and studied under the Pharisee Gamaliel.  He was wondrously brought to Christ by a brilliant and blinding light, and was told that he would preach to the nations.  Both Peter and Paul had great fear of God, without which there is not wisdom.

     Paul preached the Gospel to the uncircumcised gentiles or nations, while Peter was the preacher to the circumcised or Jews.  There is perfect harmony between the two when they both adhere to truth, for their Master is the Truth who came down from heaven. We Orthodox must never forget who we are. We are not a church but the Church. We are not a body of Christians, but we are the Body of Christ. We do not belong to Peter or Paul but the Jesus Christ, who is our Lord and God

     These two were important pillars of the Church, and Orthodoxy rejoices not in their rank or authority, but in their faithfulness and holiness of life. They radiate Christ wherever they went and their presence was similar to the presence of Christ who dwelled within them., being the reason for their great success. They did not "found" the Church of Romne or Constantinople, but the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

     Orthodoxy alone can bear the name APOSTOLIC, for it keeps the faith of the Apostles and follows their 85 Canons, which guide the Church on its journey to heaven. A most marvelous thing about the Church founded by the Apostles is that it also has remained one, having one baptism, one chrismation, one priesthood, one doctrine, one liturgical life. All partake of the one cup of bread and wine which became the body and blood of Christ. The one Lord is our Master and Head, the one Holy Spirit unified us and is our guide, as the one Father has established.

     This is the glorious Church of Peter and Paul.  This is the all powerful  Church against which the gates of Hades shall not prevail. This is the sacred Body of Christ and the Ark of Salvation. This is the only Church outside of which there is no salvation. Everything necessary for eternal life is found within her and is made available to everyone, no one being excluded.

   On June 30, we celebrate the Synaxis of the Glorious and All-praised Apostles. We also should remember how they gave themselves to Christ;

Peter was crucified upside down; 

Andrew was crucified; 

James was beheaded; 

John the Theologian did not die but was translated

Philip was crucified.

Bartholomew crucified, flayed and beheaded.

Thomas, pierced with five spears

Matthew, burned by fire.

James, Son of Alphaeus was crucified.

Thaddeus was crucified.

Simon the Zealot was crucified.

Matthias stoned, beheaded with an axe after death.  

Paul was beheaded.

THE GREAT HOLY APOSTLE PAUL

THE GREAT HOLY APOSTLE PAUL

     The Great Saint and Apostle Paul stands in a position where no one can resist the power of his words. Unbelievers, atheists, papists, protestants,  heretics and schismatics, in fact all those outside the Church are sternly rebuked  as enemies by the zealous example and teaching of this Apostle – the Apostle sent to the nations. 

1. Paul was not seeking Christ for he saw the advent of the Messiah as being  a more  futuristic event, which could be understood through the law. Paul’s main effort was to persecute and jail  those who accept the one who he believed, was a false Messiah.  With great zeal he headed for Damascus to seize and jail al those who followed the teachings of Jesus..

1.  In extremely great light Christ appeared and spoke to Paul while on the road to Damascus. Paul was beside himself in fear and trembling being filled with amazement, even to the point of asking the Lord then speaking: Who are you?

2.  Paul did not receive the Gospel from Peter or any of the Apostles, but from Christ himself. As the other Gospels are perfect, this too is a perfect Gospel

3. Paul firmly establishes what Orthodoxy has always accepted to the shame of the papists who claim they got their authority from Peter.  Paul shows that Peter never had the authority which they falsely attribute to him.

4. Paul, did not go to Jerusalem to report to Peter, but set out, not for Jerusalem but for Arabia. “I conferred not with flesh and blood; neither did I go up to Jerusalem to them who were Apostles before me, but I went to Arabia, and then returned to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter” (Gal.1:16-18).

It is perfectly clear that no authority was vested over the others in Peter this being a papal innovation.  Christ himself assigned Paul his duties and the Holy Spirit was his guide. It is also clear for Christ sent Paul to Arabia where he preached for three years.

PETER NOT SENT TO THE NATIONS BUT TO THE JEWS

“But of those who seemed to be something, in conference added nothing to me. On the contrary when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcised was committed unto me, as the gospel of circumcision was to Peter, for He who wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the nations.”   Peter was not given to preach the gospel to the nations but only to the Jews or the circumcision.

Paul meets James, Peter and John, saying: they appeared to be pillars of the Church.

“Paul then rebuked Peter for his hypocrisy. “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed.  Fort before that James did eat with the gentiles, but when they were come he drew back and separated himself, fearing them which are of the circumcision. And the other Jews hypocritical did likewise, insomuch that Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.  But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according the truth of the Gospel, I said unto Peter before them all; “If you, being a Jew lives among the gentiles, knowing that man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by faith in Jesus Christ and not by the works of the law, for by works of the law shall no man be justified.” 

The Jews believed that by keeping the law they could be saved, therefore they kept the law, and did it so well that they became proud.  They began to attribute their salvation to what they could do.  Quoting and justifying themselves by the terms of the law, they strove to keep the letter but failed to understand and keep the spirit.

THE GREAT PERSECUTOR OF CHRIST IS TRANSFORMED TO THE GREAT APOSTLE OF CHRIST.

THE GREAT PERSECUTOR OF CHRIST

 IS TRANSFORMED TO 

THE GREAT APOSTLE OF CHRIST.

      Paul the glorious Apostle was appointed directly by Christ to bear witness to Him before the nations of the entire  world.  He was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and was a citizen of Rome. His parents had him go to Jerusalem where he studied under Rabbi Gamaliel, He was related to Stephen the Proto-martyr. One of his friends was Barnabas who eventually became an Apostle of Christ. When Barnabas was enlightened by Christ, he incessantly prayed for Paul’s soul to come to truth.

     Paul learned well, endowed with a keen mind And eventually joined the ranks of the Pharisees. He became strictly zealous of their heritage, and outwardly displayed their piety. In the meantime the Apostles were preaching Jesus Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, and engaged in clashes with Pharisees and Sadducees, the latter rejected tradition and the immortality of the soul.

     Paul looked upon the preachers of Christ as enemies who were  breaking their sacred tradition. He disregarded Barnabus’ preaching of Christ and when Stephen the first martyr was suffering in martyrdom, Paul consented to his death.

     Paul not being  satisfied with the amount of followers of Christ he had imprisoned, received  papers from the high priest to the synagogues and , breathing bitterness against the new sect, he went on the road to Damascus, to bring even more to jail in Jerusalem.  These preachers who heralded the coming of the Messiah being Jesus Christ had to be stamped out, thus preserving  the traditions of the fathers.

     Saul was on his way to Damascus, when suddenly a light, powerful and blinding shone on him from the heavens. Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me. Filled with amazement Saul asked, Who are you, Lord? The Lord said: I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads. Saul in fear and trembling, asked: What will you have me do? The Lord said: Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do." (Acts 9:4-6). Soldiers that were with Paul were struck with amazement by the miraculous light, for they had stood silent and blinded, hearing the voice speaking to Saul but unable to see  it’s source.

     Doing as the Lord had told him, Saul arose and although his eyes were open he could see nothing, for his bodily eyes were blinded and his spiritual eyes were now being opened. He remained physically blind while in Damascus for three days, seeing nothing. In his deep repentance he ate nothings but continued in prayer that the Lord would reveal what was His will.

     "In Damascus was an apostle named Ananias, and the Lord appeared to him in a vision ordering him to seek out Saul, living in a house with a man named Judas, and enlighten the eyes of his body by touching them, and those of his soul by baptism. Ananias said: Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints At Jerusalem, and he is here having much authority to seize and arrest all that call upon your name. The Lord replied: Go your way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name befo9re the nations and before rulers and kings and the children of Israel, and I will show him how many things he will suffer for my sake" (Acts 9:13-16).

     Ananias set out to do all that the Lord had commended, and he found Saul and laid his hands upon him, instantly it was as though great scales fell from his eyes and he recovered his sight, and rising up was baptized , and was filled with Holy Spirit, He immediate began to preach the Lord Jesus Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.  Those who heard him were astonished at the change in attitude of the former persecutor of the Church.

     Saul, however, filled with holy zeal, increased even stronger in faith caused many among the Jews in Damascus to believe through his proofs that Jesus is the Messiah who was promised.  The Jews than rose up in great anger, conspiring to murder   him, and set up a watch over the city gates, lest he escape them. Ananias, when he found out about the murderous Jewish plot, took him at night and let him down in a basket through a window of a house built into the city wall. 

     Paul, set out, not for Jerusalem but for Arabia. “I conferred not with flesh and blood; neither did I go up to Jerusalem to them who were Apostles before me, but I went to Arabia, and then returned to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter” (Gal.1:16-18).

HOLY TRADITION OF THE TRUE CHURCH

  HOLY TRADITION 

OF THE TRUE CHURCH

“Therefore brethren, stand firmly, and hold the traditions which you have been taught whether by word or by an epistle”

(2 Thess. 2:15)

     The monks once asked Paisus the Great: “Speak to us Father, a word for salvation, and tell us how we must live to please God.” The elder replied: “Go and keep the commandments of God and hold firmly to the tradition of the Fathers.”  “the tradition of the Fathers” are the experiences of the saints, in the spiritual sphere, an experience grown immense in close to two-thousand years. The experience of thousands and thousands of holy men and women– an incredibly large storehouse, of wisdom and heap of proofs of every truth of Holy Scripture. And all this good, all this wisdom, all these proofs, have been cast aside by the Protestants!  O what unspeakable stupidity!  O, what an extreme poverty.   (The above verse is from Prologue of Ochrid 2 Page 334,335) 

    They have no communication with the Logos because they started additional churches to replace corrupt Rome, whom they erroneously thought was the true church which had become corrupted.

   The word used in the Holy Bible and translated as “tradition”, indicated that it has been “handed down to us”, to be preserved and handed to others by us. Everything is not found in written text, as the Protestant reformers assert claiming Sola Scriptura, or Scripture alone. But they distort   and oppose Scripture, doing great harm to the truth which commands us to Hold firmly the traditions, both oral and written, which we have received.

 The great wealth of Holy Orthodoxy is not to be found  in the Scripture alone., and neither the Papacy nor Protestants have access to this infinite wealth. Here is the infinite wealth before their eyes which fail to see. 

1. Jesus Christ being the Logos of the Father has in himself all that the Father has.                         

2. Jesus never uttered a single word in vain . Now hear the ending of the Gospel of St. John.

     “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they should all be written, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. ” (John 21:25).  

The Evangelist is referring to oral speech and not scripture. The phrase “even the world itself could not contain” demonstrates the enormity and infinitude of all that Christ said, and this if to be found only in Orthodox Tradition

LIFE WITHOUT FAITH IN THE TRUE JESUS CHRIST

LIFE WITHOUT FAITH IN THE TRUE JESUS CHRIST

BETTER NOT TO HAVE BEEN BORN

     Our intellect  has human limitations and therefore can never ascend to the divine. But there is a spark of the divine in every human being, which is why we say that they are the image of God.  That voice is the small voice within us which challenges or praises us for decisions we freely make. This from the divine Mind, which unlike human intellect, knows everything and is the cause of all existence. From that divine Mind was sent to Orthodox Christians at Baptism, the Comforter and spirit of truth.

     Human intellect and reasoning, always ceases with death, blind to spiritual things.  Human reasoning cannot deal with spiritual matters, unsearchable wit the human eye.   Human reasoning is of the flesh and limited for it can know nothing about the spirit. Christ says: “The hour is come when the true worshiper’s of God shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him.                                                   (John 4:23).

    Why is it that the most important aspect of Orthodox life is so thoroughly unknown in secular society? The aspect we speak about is that all the seculars follow human leaders and human teachers. In Orthodoxy however, we have no human leader for we follow the divine God man who is our Head and our King.  To make certain that we would not be led astray, He sent us the Comforter and Holy Spirit of Truth as our infallible Guide. These things are in accord with  God’s providence. He formed the Church to be His body, established Himself as Head and sent the Holy Spirit as Guide of the Church. He peoples His Church with rational sheep who having rejected the hireling and the false shepherds and follow only the true and Good Shepherd.

     For over twenty centuries the Church has glorified Saints, anointed with holy tears and myrrh the Orthodox faithful.  This is not an occasional event, but a repeated. It is not only original icons, but copies that emit myrrh. In Orthodoxy we have a special word for this constant event, and proof of divine presence. We call them Myrrh-streaming.  Orthodox Christians are not surprised, but are amazed during these frequent events, piously bowing to heaven and give thanks, deepening their repentance and love for Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  The blind receive sight, the deaf made to hear, and wonders occur wherever these icons appear.  What joy it is to live an Orthodox Christian life. It takes us up and away from this world into the heavenly world, with the Cherubim, Seraphim and Thrones and all the Angelic hosts. If in this life we do not become closer to and the servants of Jesus Christ, it would be better not to have been born.

    Some of these icons have a long history such as the Iveron icon of Honolulu, Hawaii. Here is one account.

CHRISTIAN LIFE REGARDING ANGER

CHRISTIAN LIFE REGARDING ANGER

“It is never worthwhile to lose my temper.  

On the face of it, there is nothing in the world 

Over which it is worth losing your temper, 

For what is more valuable than the soul and its peace?  

This peace is destroyed by anger.  

When I am angry, I assume the role of slanderer 

And I fan the flames into a great blaze 

In my imagination of the offence of another.”

“If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink.”

    The Pharisees were rebuked by Christ because of their hypocrisy, which caused them to appear to be what they were not and to possess what they lacked. They appeared to be humble but were arrogant. They appeared to be generous but were stingy. They appeared to be fasting but were gluttonous.  They did not know the virtue of sincerity. If anyone is genuinely thirsty let him come without hesitation to Christ, believing he will get what he seeks. Sincerity is the only possible approach to the riches of Christ, for He knows the minds of all men and gives to the humble but takes away from the arrogant.

    We very small-minded men whose knowledge is microscopic need to first understand how and why Christ teaches us and with great authority. What drew the fishermen to Him ? How did they know that He is the one sent by God and is God, performing His works.  It was by divine revelation.  “Flesh and blood has not revealed it to you but my  Father who is in heaven.”    Christ, being God is the source of everything being man is the perfection of man to which we must attain. We need look no longer, for in Christ we will find everything we need perfect in every way. “Mary has chosen the better part.”  We cannot approach Christ in a casual manner, but with awesomeness , trembling  and recognition of His majesty! Saint Paul teaches us this when he ecstatically exclaims:

“O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? O who has first given to Him, that it shall be requited to him again. For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 

           

THAT THEY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE

THAT THEY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE

  In the past week or so, I used this blog to expose the terrible crimes of the pseudo-church, and the sordid character of those are reputed to be successors of Peter. and now we will attempt to shine forth  the beauty of Orthodoxy. Not with the shadowy light of ecumenism, but with the light of the truths  of Jesus Christ.

Christ prayer:   “Neither do I pray for these alone, but to them also that shall believe on me through their word; that they may all be one, as you Father are in me and I in you, that they may also be one in us. That the world may believe that you have sent me. And the glory which you have given to me, I have given to them. That they may be one. I in them and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that you have sent me and has loved them as you have loved me” (John17:20-23).

    It is impossible that Christ prays for the unity of heretics with believers, for He forbids this. Christ prays for  a unity in truth of minds, hearts and spirits. God is a Trinity united without confusion, three in one and one in three. The true Church is almost countless in number, but it is the one Catholic Church, having one Lord, one faith, one hope, and one Baptism by triune immersion. In Orthodoxy we concentrate entirely upon Christ and not on any patriarch or pope, for only Jesus Christ has preeminence. Jesus does not allow for any preeminence among His disciples. “Do not be called Teacher, for one is your Master Christ, and call no man Father upon earth for one is your Father." The unity in Christ includes one King, one Sacrifice, one Master, one Lord, one High Priest, one Savior, one Head, one Godman, one Theotokos, one Gospel, one true Church, one Creed, one Baptism, one Eucharist, one Pascha, one Body of Christ.

  

   
     The one Gospel is preached to every creature, being the Good News proclaiming that salvation has come into the world. The first purpose of preaching is to bring the believers to the Church and baptize them in triune Baptism. However when, they fail to baptize, they break Christ’s commandment, and  deprive those souls of the introductory saving mystery of the Church. Christ orders that everyone be baptized, not just those born of church families.  He specified the three necessary immersions, when He said: “Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Though many hear the Gospel, few care to carry out its purpose in its entirety. The New Testament is an agreement between God and each of us, which means that we are bound to it if we desire everlasting life.  If we break the covenant we break our hope for everlasting life. We must embrace all truth of Christ, and live by those truths, for Christ is the one Living Truth who came down from heaven and dwelt among us “full of grace and truth.”