Miracle in Egypt

Broadcast in CBS... A Muslim man in Egypt killed his wife because she was reading the Bible and then buried her with their infant baby and an 8-year old daughter. The 2 girls were buried alive! He then reported to the police that an uncle killed the kids. 15 days later, another family member died. When they went to bury him, they found the 2 little girls under the sand - ALIVE! The country is outraged over the incident, and the man will be executed at the end of July. The older girl was asked how she had survived and she says:- 'A man wearing shiny white clothes, with bleeding wounds in his hands, came every day to feed us. He woke up my mom so she could nurse my sister,' she said. She was interviewed on Egyptian national TV, by a veiled Muslim woman news anchor. She said on public TV, 'This was none other than Jesus, because nobody else does things like this!' Muslims believe Isa (Jesus) would do this, but the wounds mean He really was crucified, and it's clear also that He is alive! But, it's also clear that the child could not make up a story like this, and there is no way these children could have survived without a true miracle. Muslim leaders are going to have a hard time to figure out what to do with this, and the popularity of the Passion movie doesn't help! With Egypt at the centre of the media and education in the Middle East , you can be sure this story will spread. Christ is still controlling and turning the world. Please let this story be shared. The Lord says, 'I will bless the person who puts his trust in me. (Jeremiah 17)

Restoring the Image

St. Matthew 15:29-31 (8/1) The Gospel for Friday of the Seventh Week after Pentecost Restoring the Image: St. Matthew 15:29-31, especially vs. 31: “So the multitude marveled whenthey saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, andthey glorified the God of Israel.” Our God graciously shows us that we are created in His image(Gen. 1:26). In addition, to help us understand how our human nature corresponds to His, Heactively visualizes Himself, that we may perceive how to exercise our dominion over His othercreatures (Gen. 1:26,28) in speech (Gen. 1:3,26, et al.), forming and modifying His creation (Gen.1:28), valuing all things (Gen. 1:4,21,31, et al.), and making decisions (Gen. 1:3,14,26, et al.). Howwondrous to be made in God’s image! Our problem, which these three verses in St. Matthew reveal, is that our sin corruptsthese gifts of God, crippling, blinding, and diminishing us in body, soul, and spirit. What a tragicportrait of our kind: great multitudes coming to lay sufferings before the Lord (Mt. 15:30); and yethow clear a statement concerning God’s will for us is presented in these verses; for the central wordhere is that our God’s abiding purpose is to heal and restore His image in us. Remember: God has set us as stewards over His creation, yet because of our sin we donot exercise our stewardship as the Lord intends. Thus, until we are healed, we have no hope to“subdue” without tyrannizing, crushing, or deforming the other creatures with whom we share thisearth. In the Hebrew account of creation, the principal meaning of “subdue” is “to form or to shape”(Gen. 1:28). However, too often in subduing we damage, distort, and pollute when we apply ourGod-given capacities - “professing to be wise,” our thinking is “futile” (Rom. 1:22). Our blindness is mentioned here in verse 30, reminding us that we need Christ our Godto restore our sight so that we may heal the damage, waste, and pollution we create. First must comethe renewal of our spiritual vision according to the Divine image in us. Can we hope for this? St.Peter of Damascus, says “God irradiates knowledge to all and at the same time He gives us faith asan eye through which we can perceive it. If we choose to grasp this knowledge firmly by means offaith, we can keep ourselves mindful of it by putting it into practice, and God then gives us greaterardor, knowledge and power. For our pursuit of natural knowledge kindles our ardor and this ardorincreases our capacity to put the knowledge into practice.” In addition to being blind, we ought also to admit that we are mute. We maim God’s giftof speech by our sin, using words and speech to lie, cheat, and deceive, proving that we have becomeslaves of the wicked spirit of darkness. How well the Lord describes us: “You are of your father thedevil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He...does not stand in the truth, because thereis no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar....” (Jn.8:44). Follow the Lord Jesus and ascend the mountain of healing with the multitudes. Go tothe place where Christ our God is seated, and there repent. May our tears flow humbly as we seekthe restoration of our speech (Mt. 15:29-31). The Fathers teach that in the deep center of our hearts,God has planted a capacity for His “pure words, silver that is fired, tried in the earth, brought tosevenfold purity” (Ps. 11:6). Yes, today our speech is confounded so that we do “not understandeach the voice of his neighbour” (Gen. 11:7), yet the Gospel declares that our God is waiting toanswer if we will but cry out to Him: “O Lord, Thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall declareThy praise” (Ps. 50:15). O Thou Who hast power to release men from their sins, forgive and release me that Imight obtain Thy cooling solace and be found without any impurity or stain before Thee.

Iraq's Christians form new militias to combat Islamic extremists

By Damien McElroy in Karamlis
Last Updated: 8:53PM BST 27 Jul 2008
Iraqi nuns walk past an armed security guard on their way to mass in BaghdadCivilians in Christian villages in northern Iraq have established their own security in an attempt to deter murders, abductions and would-be car bombers Photo: AP In the five years since the Anglo-American invasion of 2003, murders and abductions have driven about half of the 800,000 Christians who once lived in Iraq to flee the country. Checkpoints manned by civilians armed with heavy machine guns and assault rifles have received official backing in Christian villages on the Ninevah plain in northern Iraq, where their presence dates back to the missions of St Thomas the apostle. Father Yusuf Yohannes combines the duties of parish priest with overseeing security from a converted post office in the village of Karamlis, 10 miles east of the local capital, Mosul. Informal patrols by his parishioners started last year but the effort is now a fully-fledged operation, with 250 employees and official approval from the US army base in Mosul. "We are facing the threat of wipe-out," he said. "I have not left this town in three years because of the danger. The situation here was like a bowl without a base for Christians, we were just tossed around. By establishing our own security we have the chance to stand steady again." Radios supplied by the US-led coalition keeps the command post in touch with guards in Karamlis and three hamlets nearby. A heavy machine gun protrudes from the guardpost on St Barbara Street, pointing towards a road shared with Sunni Muslim neighbours. The gun's purpose, said Saleem Yusuf, the checkpoint commander, is to deter would-be car bombers. "We have not used it in anger yet. Thank God," he said. Iraq's primate, Cardinal Emmanuel Delly, made a public plea for military assistance for "defenceless" Christians in March. The persecuted minority was at it lowest point, reeling after loss of the political protection it had enjoyed from previous regimes over the last century, ranging from British colonial authorities to Iraq's monarchy and Saddam Hussein's government. But local politicians in Mosul opposed the obvious route to Christian self defence - the creation of militias, equipped and armed by the coalition, a model pivotal to the dramatic drop in violence elsewhere in Iraq. These objections have now been dropped, but Christian village guards are still only authorised when they act as auxiliaries to the Iraqi police. Consequently, the guards in Karamlis are paid only £100 a month, compared with the £150 given to militiamen elsewhere in the country. But the patrols have already had an impact. New buildings are going up in Christian areas and there is a renewed willingness to resist the demands of Muslim radicals. "Why should Christians face arrest for not fasting in Ramadan?" asked Fr Yusuf. "Why is it that women should cover their faces if God loves all human beings? We reject these things and want the right to our own culture." Cardinal Delly was able to travel to Karamlis for an ordination last Friday. The man he raised to the priesthood symbolises the ordeal of Iraq's last Christians. Yusuf Rabat assumed the title "Father Paulos" in tribute to the late Archbishop of Mosul, Paulos Farai Rakha, who was kidnapped and murdered four months ago. Pictures of the dead Archbishop are pasted on lamposts across Karamlis. source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/2463208/Iraq

The Heart: The Inner Kingdom ~ Part I

St. Matthew 14:35-15:11 (7/30) Gospel,


Wednesday of the Seventh Weekafter Pentecost

The Heart: The Inner Kingdom ~ Part I:

St. Matthew 14:35-15:11, especiallyvs. 15:8:

"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me withtheir lips, but their heart is far from Me." A group of "scribes andPharisees who were from Jerusalem" (vs. 15:1) approached and then criticizedthe Lord Jesus for allowing His disciples to "transgress the tradition ofthe elders" (vs. 15:2). Our Lord pointed out that the Pharisees were usingthe "tradition of the elders" to exploit their parents (vss. 15:3-6). Hethen concluded His critique of these first-century religious leaders byindicting them for their heartless formalism, quoting a divine judgment fromthe prophesies of Isaiah (vss. 15:8,9 from Is. 29:13).

The Scribes and Pharisees were highly respected in the first century for therigorous way in which they kept the traditions. The Lord revealed thatbecause they obsessed about the externals of the faith, their hearts weredevoid of love toward God and men. Excessive focus on form cuts one offfrom knowing and loving the God Who gives us true religion.

Beloved, Orthodox Christianity has a rich, well-developed Tradition that ourHoly Fathers have taught us to uphold with fierce dedication. Hence, it iswell that we pay urgent attention to this indictment by Christ our Godagainst those who neglect the state of their heart by emphasizing thedetails of Tradition. Clearly, God wants us to uphold His commandments (Jn.14:15), but His greatest desire is that we do so from hearts filled withlove for Him. Remember His greatest commandment: "'You shall love the Lordyour God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind'"(Mt. 22:37). So, let us consider "hearts that are 'near' to God."

St. Peter reminds us that the grace of God takes root within the heart:"...until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Pet.1:19). We meet God in the heart, yet, of course, He "is greater than ourheart" (1 Jn. 3:20), which is the seat of all thoughts, emotions, andchoices. The Lord Jesus promises, when the heart is pure, we shall see God(Mt. 5:8), for being created by and for God, only in Him can our lives havedeep, lasting joy, and meaning. As St. Augustine says: "Thou madest us forThyself, and our heart is restless until it repose in Thee."

True Christian life has so much to do with our "inner life," over which ourhearts preside. The externals of life are performed rightly only from aheart that loves God. Intense faithfulness to the letter of God'scommandments and the dictates of Tradition never saves us if we have nothearts filled with the living God - when we are not in love with Him.

How then may we address the state of our heart? St. Theoliptos ofPhiladelphia urges: "Put an end to conversations with the outer world andwrestle with your inner thoughts until you find the place of pure prayer andthe home in which Christ dwells." The "home" he refers to is our heartwhere is contained the seed of grace that God gave us in our Baptism.

The central work of Christian living is to enter the heart through prayer,and there seek the grace that God gives, the treasure He buries there. Godgives fortunes. As we keep in God's presence by prayer, His gifts becomeavailable to us and transform us and all we do. By our labor at prayer, weuncover His gifts. Best of all, by His Holy Spirit, He aids us in thiswork.

Finally, as we persist, we shall discover that the Divine Treasure is GodHimself. Archimandrite Sophrony reminds us that in the moment in which wefind God, the great Treasure, "love and cognition merge into a single act."By directing our efforts toward meeting our Lord in the heart, we have atrue hope for carrying out right actions: "If you love Me, keep Mycommandments." (Jn. 14:15).

And the sayings of my mouth shall be unto Thy good pleasure, and themeditation of my heart shall be before Thee, for ever, O Lord, my Helper andRedeemer (Ps. 18:14).

ECUMENISM

ECUMENISM
Orthodox Life
Introduction
The Orthodox Church is, by its very nature, catholic and obviously ecumenical (universal). It welcomes with open arms all peoples, of all races and all times, and invites them all to come. Christ, who is the head, addresses the world throughout all time: Come to Me all of you, while at the same time sending out His apostles to teach the Gospel of salvation to all nations. This component and inherent feature of the Church, ecumenicity or universality, is today being contested by two movements which express the spirit of the age: Ecumenism and Globalism. Globalism is promoted by powerful socio-political forces and projects the model of a single united humanity, while Ecumenism is active in the religious sector, attempting to realize the vision of a united Christianity and aiming ultimately at one universal religion, a “pan-religion.” In this paper, we will attempt to provide an outline of the Ecumenical movement, of which the Orthodox Church is a participant, since, for most of the Church its nature and work remains unknown and certain developments within ecumenical circles have raised fears and provoked concerns. It may sound strange, but it is a fact that Ecumenism today is threatening the ‘ecumenical nature’ of our Church, as it falls all the more into compromising and syncretistic tactics which contradict the basic principles of our Orthodox Faith. We must not forget; correct faith is the first and foremost prerequisite for the salvation of mankind, according to the divinely-inspired patristic declaration: “Whoever wishes to be saved is first of all obliged to keep the catholic [entire] faith; if he does not keep this faith safe and unblemished, without hesitation, he will be eternally lost” (The Symbol of Faith of Saint Athanasius of Alexandria). Thus, if the salvific message of Orthodoxy is obscured and lost among the alluring messages of the heterodox and non-Christian religions, for the sake of a utopian, ecumenistic vision, then the hope of the world will also have been lost. Ecumenism Ecumenism is a movement which declares that it has as its purpose the unity of the divided Christian world (Orthodox, Papists, Protestants and others). The idea of unity stirs every sensitive Christian soul and corresponds to its innermost longing. This idea is also appropriated by Ecumenism. However, Ecumenism’s unifying vision, a vision above all spiritual, is based mainly upon human endeavors and not on the action of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit alone Who can, upon encountering human repentance and humility, make this vision a reality. Contemporary Ecumenism The roots of contemporary ecumenism are found in nineteenth century Protestantism. At that time some Christian confessions, faced with an exodus of their members due to an increase in religious indifference and organized anti-religious movements, were compelled to rally together and co-operate. Their unifying activity took on an organized form as the Ecumenical Movement in the twentieth century, and specifically in 1948, with the establishment in Amsterdam of the World Council of Churches, which has its headquarters in Geneva. It is important to note that the World Council of Churches (WCC) would never have been able to assume an ecumenical character, but would have remained merely an inter-protestant affair, had not been for the participation of certain local Orthodox Churches. The Roman Catholics, at first, refused to participate. Later, however, without becoming an organic member of the WCC, they also entered the Ecumenical Movement. With the relative decree at the Second Vatican Council (1964) they inaugurated their own particular version of ecumenism which aims at the union of all Christians under the authority of the pope. Orthodox participation in the Ecumenical Movement It must be acknowledged that the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople provided an important boost to the creation of the Ecumenical Movement. This was the case especially with the Proclamation of 1920 which, as it turned out, became the basis and “Great Charter” of Orthodox participation in the Ecumenical Movement. This Proclamation was quite unprecedented in the history of the Church since, for the first time, an official Orthodox text characterized all heterodox communities of the West as ‘Churches’, as “being a part of the household of Christ and fellow heirs, members of the same body and partakers of the promise of God in Christ’ (Eph. 3:6). In this way it subverted and overthrew Orthodox ecclesiology. So as to avoid referring to earlier periods, it suffices to remember that only a few years earlier (in 1895), in one its encyclicals, the same Patriarchate placed Papism outside the Church because it introduced heretical teachings and innovations. Thus, it likewise called upon Western Christians to return to the One Church, that is, to Orthodoxy. The Proclamation of 1920, having as its prototype the international League of Nations, proposed the creation of an association and fellowship between the churches with the primary aims being (a) a re-examination of dogmatic differences with a mollifying character, (b) the acceptance of a uniform calendar (the partial application of which brought about, unfortunately, an inter-Orthodox calendar division), and (c) the convocation of pan-Christian conferences. Except for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, nearly all of the Orthodox Churches gradually asked to be accepted, and eventually were accepted, as members of the W.C.C. Some, however, were later compelled to retreat and to withdraw since, on the one hand, they observed with disappointment the Ecumenical Movement’s degeneration, and, on the other, they were pressured by intense anti-ecumenical reactions of their flock. One could very well ask: “How is it possible for Orthodoxy to be a ‘member’ of ‘something,’ at the same time that she is herself the ‘whole,’ the Body of Christ, and calls all to become His members?” The presence, in any case, of Orthodox Churches at W.C.C. gatherings was, due to the way in which they were assembled and functioned, always tenuous, ineffective, and decorative. The decisions of the W.C.C. were molded exclusively by the overwhelming majority of the Protestant vote. Of course, until 1961, at the General Assemblies the Orthodox submitted separate statements – some of which constitute historic confessions of faith – as representatives of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. With regard to the ecumenistic overtures of Vatican II, the Orthodox response was positive, with the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras as chief spokesman. The Patriarch met Pope Paul VI in Jerusalem (1964), carried out together with him the mutual lifting of the anathemas from the Schism of 1054, and encouraged the “dialogue of love,” and thus promoting the aims of the Second Vatican Council. The Theoretical “Overtures” of Ecumenism Ecumenism, in order to realize its aims, is obliged to reconsider or even overlook certain basic principles of Orthodoxy. It promotes the idea of an ‘Extended’ or ‘Broad Church,’ according to which the Church is one and consists of Christians of every Confession from the moment in which they were baptized. In this way, all Christian Confessions are amongst themselves ‘Sister Churches.’ Within this same spirit is found the idea of the ‘Universal visible Church.’ That is, a Church which exists ‘invisibly’ and consists of all Christians, which, through the various mutual union efforts, will appear in its visible dimension. These views were shaped and influenced by the Protestant “branch theory,” according to which the Church is a ‘tree’ with its ‘branches’ being all the Christian confessions, each one of which holds only a part of the truth. We should also add the theory of ‘the two lungs’ which was developed between Orthodox ecumenists and Papists. According to this theory, Orthodoxy and Papism are the two lungs with which the Church breathes. For the Church to start breathing again properly, the two lungs must synchronize their breathing. Finally, among the methods which Ecumenism uses for the rapprochement of Christians, there is included ‘dogmatic minimalism.’ This is an attempt to reduce the dogmas down to the most necessary, the bare minimum, in order to leap over the differences between the confessions. The result, however, is to overlook the dogmas, to downgrade and minimize their importance. “Let the Christians unite,” they say, “and the theologians will discuss the dogmas later”! With the method of dogmatic minimalism it may indeed be quite easy for Christians to unite. Yet, can such ‘Christians’ be Orthodox, that is, truly Christians? The Orthodox Understanding of the Church According to Orthodox ecclesiology, Church and Orthodoxy are one and the same. The Church is undoubtedly Orthodox, and Orthodoxy is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, the Body of Christ. Because Christ is one, the Church is therefore also one. That is why division in the Church is inconceivable. There can be only a separation from the Church. That is, at specific historical moments, the heretics and the schismatics cut themselves off from the Church and thus cease being members of the Church. The Church possesses the fullness of the truth, not merely an abstract truth, but a way of life which saves man from death and makes him “God by grace.” On the contrary, a heresy is a whole or partial rejection of the truth, a tearing into pieces of truth, which then takes upon itself the character and pathology of an ideology. It separates man from the way of being which God imparted to His Church, and it kills him spiritually. Furthermore, the dogmas which encapsulate the transcendental truths of our faith are not abstract ideas and intellectual ideas originating in the mind, nor, much more, are they a result of medieval obscurantism or theological scholasticism. They express, rather, the experience and life of the Church. Hence, when there exists a difference in dogma, there likewise definitely exists a difference in the way of life. Whoever, then, undervalues the akrivia (exactitude) of faith cannot live the fullness of life in Christ. The Christian must accept all that Christ has revealed. Not a ‘minimum,’ but the whole. For, in the entirety and wholeness of the faith are preserved the catholicity and the orthodoxy of the Church. This explains the struggles unto blood of the Holy Fathers to safeguard the faith of the Church, as well as their concern for the phrasing – under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit – of the ‘terms’ of the Oecumenical Councils. These ‘terms’ are nothing other than the ‘termination points,’ the borders of truth, so that the faithful can discern the Church, as Orthodox, from heresy. The heterodox, by rejecting the fullness of the truth, separated themselves from the Church. This, then, is why they are heretics. They therefore lack the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit, and their ‘Mysteries’ are invalid. Consequently, the baptism they perform cannot admit them into the Church of Christ. The 68th Canon of the Holy Apostles states: (Free Translation) “Those who have been baptized or ordained by heretics cannot be either faithful Christians or clergymen.” Saint Nicodemus the Athonite adds: “The baptism of all the heretics is impious and blasphemous and has no communion whatsoever with that of the Orthodox.” What, however, do the Orthodox ecumenists tell us? One Orthodox hierarch has proclaimed that “the Holy Spirit is at work in every Christian baptism” and the rebaptism by Orthodox of baptized heterodox Christians is inspired by “narrow-mindedness, fanaticism and bigotry… [It] is an injustice committed against Christian baptism, and eventually a blasphemy against God’s Holy Spirit.” Another hierarch, speaking to the heterodox, stated: “We are all members of Christ, [the] one and only body, one and unique ‘new creation,’ given that our common baptism has freed us from death.” The ecumenist ecclesiology was likewise officially expressed thus: “We are obliged to be ready to search for and to recognize the presence of the Church outside our own canonical limits, with which we identify the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.” Yet, there are those who are even bolder, who envision the re-founding of the Church through the unification of all Christians. One Orthodox hierarch maintains that “we have need of a new Christianity which will be based entirely upon new perceptions and terms. We cannot teach the type of religion which was handed down us to the next generations.” The dialogues of the Past Ecumenism, in order to promote its plans, uses a variety of means. The most basic means is that of dialogue. No one is ignorant of the fact that the Orthodox Church by its very nature is open to dialogue. God is always in dialogue with man, and the Saints of the Church never refused dialectical communication with the world. The Saints, having self-awareness of their communion with God, try through dialogue to impart the experience of the truth they lived. For the Saints, the truth wasn’t an object of research. They didn’t seek it, they didn’t negotiate it; they merely offered it. If the dialogue didn’t lead the heterodox to the rejection of their mistaken belief and acceptance of orthodox faith, they did not continue it. Saint Mark of Ephesus dialogued with the Papists at the Council of Ferrara-Florence for two years (1438-1439). When, however, he saw their haughtiness, their intransigence and their persistence in error, he cut off all relations with them, to the point of exhorting the Orthodox faithful “to avoid the Papists as one avoids a snake.” A theological dialogue was also begun between the Ecumenical Patriarch Jeremiah II Tranos and the Protestant theologians of Tubingen (1579). When he ascertained that the dialogue was fruitless, he ended it. The Patriarch wrote: “Please release us from these cares. Therefore, going about your own ways, if you like, you may write to us, but no longer concerning dogmas.” The dialogues of Ecumenism Contemporary ecumenical dialogues differ radically from the dialogues of the Saints, because they are conducted on the basis of the principles of an extended Church and on dogmatic minimalism. For this reason they are unOrthodox and fruitless. The proof of this is that in the almost 100 years that the talks have been held they have not offered anything of value to the unity of the Christian world. On the contrary, they have succeeded in dividing the Orthodox! The main aspects of the pathology of contemporary dialogues are the following: 1. Lack of Orthodox confession. In the dialogues certain Orthodox representatives do not express the unshakeable belief of the Orthodox Church, that it is, in fact, the one and only Church of Christ on earth. They, likewise, do not put forward the holy tradition and spiritual experience of Orthodoxy, which differ from the traditions and experiences of western Christianity. Only such a confessing stance would be able to vouchsafe and make productive and fruitful the Orthodox presence at the dialogues. 2. Lack of Sincerity. The lack of Orthodox witness, in combination with the demonstrated insincerity of the heterodox, makes the inter-Christian dialogue even more difficult and ineffective. On account of this, many times either mutual superficial compromises or equivocal language and terminology are employed, so as to cover up the differences. If, in the first place, the Roman Catholics were sincere they should proclaim with frankness in ecumenical circles that which they emphasize to their own faithful – their non-negotiable attachment to the primacy of the pope and his infallibility. This of course would reveal clearly how they envision the unity of Christians: not as a unity of faith, but rather as a subjection of all under papal supremacy. In addition to this, the finding would be confirmed that the institution of the papacy on the one hand comprises the most tragic distortion of the Gospel and, on the other hand, uses dialogues purely for the sake of its own expansionist policies. The chief expression of this insincerity of the Papists is found in their maintaining and strengthening of the Unia. This is a perfidious and subversive institution which Papism used and continues to use as a unifying model, despite all the strong objections of the Orthodox and despite the fact that today it (the Unia) comprises the primary obstacle to the bilateral talks. If, on the other hand, the multifarious Protestant groups were honest, they should state outright that they are no longer willing to compromise their fundamental protestant principles and that (in fact) there are other reasons that force them into dialogue. This is, in any case, what is revealed by the deterioration of their ‘churches’ (ordination of women, same-sex marriages, etc) 3. Over-emphasis on Love. Because dishonesty and self-serving motives have poisoned the dialogues, which have been reduced to endless and fruitless theological debates, a turn of events was attempted. The dialogues were now called “dialogues of love”, both for effect, and to side-step the hurdle of dogmatic contentions. “Love comes first,” they emphasize. “Love compels us to unite, even if there are dogmatic differences.” align="justify"> For this reason, their method in the dialogues of today is for there not to be any discussion of things that divide, but only of those things that unite, so as to facilitate a false sense of unity and shared faith. In the Oecumenical Synods of the past, however, the Fathers always discussed precisely that which divided. The same happens today in any dialogue between two parties with differences: They discuss the issues which separate them – that is, indeed, the whole point of the dialogue – and not those issues that unite. For us Orthodox, Love and Truth are notions inseparable. A dialogue of love without truth is false and unnatural. Whereas, a dialogue of love “in truth” means: Conversing with the heterodox out of love, to point out their errors and how they can be led to the truth. If I truly love them, I must tell them the truth, however difficult or painful this might be. 4. The Obscuring of Orthodox Criteria. Within the pathology of the dialogues there also belongs the deadening of Orthodox theological criteria, and this has arisen due to the cultivation of an “ecumenical courtesy,” of personal relationships and friendships amongst heterodox theologians. The faith is no longer considered the truth which saves, but the whole of a series of theoretical truths which allows for compromises. The Orthodox ecumenists claim: “We are merely discussing, we are not changing our faith!” Of course dialogue, as a ‘loving approach’ to the other, is pleasing to God. The ecumenist dialogue, however, as it is carried out today, is not a meeting in truth, but rather a “mutual recognition.” This means that we recognise the heterodox communities as Churches; that we concede that their dogmatic differences comprise “legitimate expressions” of the same faith. By doing this, however, we fall into the trap of dogmatic syncretism: we place on an equal footing the truth and delusion; we equate light with darkness. 5. Joint Prayer. With the deadening of their theological criteria, it is quite natural that Orthodox ecumenists would participate, without reticence, in common shows of worship with the heterodox and in joint prayer, which take place regularly at inter-Christian meetings. They know that within this common ecumenical spirituality the right psychological climate is created which is necessary for promotion of union efforts. However, the Holy Canons of the Church strictly forbid us to pray with the heterodox, for the heterodox do not share the Orthodox faith. They believe in a different, distorted Christ. On this account Saint John Damascene calls them unbelievers: “Whoever does not believe according to the tradition of the Catholic [Whole] Church is an unbeliever.” Praying with the heterodox, then, is forbidden because it professes belief and participation in the faith of the other person praying and it gives the other the false impression that he is not in error or delusion and therefore has no need of turning to the truth. 6. Intercommunion. If the Holy Canons forbid praying together with the heterodox, they even more strongly forbid our participation in the heterodox ‘Sacraments.’ Even on this point, however, we Orthodox have not been consistent. The Second Vatican Council, within the framework of the ecumenistic “overtures” which it made, proposed intercommunion with the Orthodox: the Papists would be able to commune at Orthodox churches and the Orthodox at papist churches. In this way, both the Papists and the Orthodox Ecumenists believe that the union of Papism and Orthodoxy will gradually happen de facto, despite all of their dogmatic differences. If, for the Papists, this position is justified from their perception of the Church and the Sacraments (created grace, etc), for us Orthodox it is illogical and unacceptable. Our Church never regarded the Holy Eucharist as the means to accomplish unification, but always as its seal and crown. Moreover, the common Chalice presupposes a common faith. This means, in other words, that if an Orthodox Christian communes in a papist church, he accepts the papist faith. Cooperation in Practical Affairs Another means for the achievement of the aims of Ecumenism is inter-Christian cooperation in practical matters. Ecumenists maintain that the various contemporary problems (social, ethical, environmental and others) oblige us to unite. The Church, certainly, has shown and always shows great sensitivity towards all human problems. However, to work together with the heretics in order to find a solution to these problems poses the following disadvantages: 1. The voice of Orthodoxy, when it is intermixed with other Christian voices, loses its lucidity and is unable to communicate to contemporary man its own unique way of life, which is theanthropocentric (God-man centered) in contrast to the anthropocentric (man-centered) way of life of the heterodox. 2. The Church succumbs to the temptation of secularization, using in its social welfare work the same worldly practices of the other confessions, at the expense of its message of salvation. What modern man has most need of, however, is not the improvement of life based on a worldly Christianity, even if this could expunge all social wounds, but rather his liberation from sin and his theosis (deification) within the true Body of Christ, the Orthodox Church. 3. The Orthodox faithful, seeing their own ecclesiastical shepherds cooperating with the heterodox, are given the mistaken impression that the heterodox also belong to the Church of Christ, despite their dogmatic differences. Exchange of Visits It has become, over the last few years, ecumenistic policy for the various confessions to exchange official visits, and for these visits to be carried out by high-ranking clerics. They often include laudatory addresses, kisses, exchange of gifts, dining together, praying together, joint announcements, and other gestures of friendliness. In particular, from 1969 onward, mutual participation of Orthodox and Roman Catholic in the annual thronal feasts in Rome and Constantinople has become the rule. These gatherings, unfortunately, cannot be characterized as a mere formality or ceremonial gesture. The ecumenists themselves confess that, with these joint celebrations and their reciprocal recognition, a certain kind of ecclesiastical communion is experienced. Our faithful flock, however, as it watches these visits via the media, experiences an unpleasant surprise. It is scandalized, embittered, dumbfounded and confused, and given to doubt and questioning as it hears its shepherds speak, on the one hand, with a most orthodox and patristic tongue, and on the other hand, watches them move among the heterodox with the demeanor of a diplomat. The inter-religious evolution of Ecumenism A deep crisis regarding a sense of direction appeared quite early in the Ecumenical Movement; a crisis which initially forced it to turn to addressing the socio-political problems of the people, abandoning theology as the road to union, and later lead it to open itself up to non-Christian religions. In the Ecumenical Movement it is generally accepted that all religions comprise various paths to salvation, along with Christianity, and that the Holy Spirit is active and works in them also. Its slogan is the “new age” axiom: “Believe what you want, only don’t claim exclusivity on the truth and the road to salvation.” It convenes, therefore, inter-religious meetings, which are not merely scientific conferences as their organizers contend, but assemblies confessing unity with belief in the one God as their foundation. For this reason they often include joint displays of worship in which Orthodox, heterodox and non-Christians pray together. The Triune God of the Orthodox, the true and self-revealed God is not, however, the same “God” of the heterodox and of the other religions; that is, some imagined “God” who was created and is perpetuated by the religious need of fallen man. Unfortunately, this inter-religious overture is also shared by Orthodox ecumenist hierarchs, who express opinions like the following: “The Ecumenical Movement, although it does have a Christian beginning, must now become a movement of all religions…All religions serve God and man. There is only one God…” “Deep down, a church or a mosque aspires to the same spiritual dignification of man.” “Islam, in the Koran, talks of Christ, of the Mother of God, and we should also talk about Mohammed with the same courage and boldness. We should look at its history and see what it has to offer; (we should look at) its preaching of the one God and the lives of its followers, who are followers of the one God…” “Roman Catholics and Orthodox, Protestants and Jews, Muslims and Hindus, Buddhists and Confucianists, the time has come to bring about, all of us together, the promotion of the spiritual principles of Ecumenism…We are all united in the spirit of the one God.” The main objective of the inter-religious meetings is the creation of contact points between religions so that a united resistance to social and international problems might be facilitated. This aim is at times exploited by powerful world leaders, who enlist the help of religions in order to promote their unlawful self-interests. This was clearly manifest after September 11, 2001, when a number of inter-religious assemblies were carried out “on command.” In this way, however, our Church, instead of being the ‘judgment’ and ‘check’ of lawlessness, is transformed into its supporter and preserver. Our Church is confined within the earthbound outlook of the various religions and is relegated to the level of a worldly religion with a utilitarian and expedient character. At the same time, it is forced to disregard its apostolic-missionary commission since its official representatives accept that all religions comprise “God-willed roads to salvation”! Certain Orthodox ecumenists, likewise, reach the point of talking about peace, about justice, about freedom, of love, and other par excellence spiritual qualities, in a cold, impersonal, worldly idiom. They neglect to mention that these spiritual qualities constitute fruits of the Holy Spirit, that they are divine gifts which are distributed to those who engage in spiritual struggle “in Christ Jesus,” and not at inter-religious gatherings. It should be emphasized, however, that Orthodoxy is not a religion, not even the best of religions. It is the Church: the self-revelation and manifestation of God in history. Orthodoxy is conscious of its Oecumenicity (Universality) and the Truth regarding Christ which it possesses, and this is why it is not afraid of its relationship with non-Christians. It knows, however, the limits of these relationships as these have been defined by the patristic Tradition and by its own mysteriological experience. For example, Saint Gregory Palamas, under the cruel conditions of captivity debated with the Ottoman Turks. He did not hesitate, however, – even at the risk of losing his own life – to tell the truth and to reproach their delusion and erroneous beliefs. Moreover, how did the Holy Martyrs confront the idol worshippers and the New Martyrs the Muslims? Didn’t they confess the truth? Could we imagine them praying together with them? In that case we wouldn’t have any martyrs! Our Church, then, refuses to sacrifice its uniqueness on the altar of expediency, and to accept the ecumenical slogan that “in all religions, under different names, the same God is worshipped.” The Orthodox Church firmly believes that man is saved only through Christ, in accordance with the apostolic dictum: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) What, finally, is Ecumenism? After successive developments and the Ecumenical Movement’s gradual moving away from its original aims, the Orthodox faithful justifiably ask themselves: Doesn’t it clearly seem that the aim of Ecumenism is not merely the unification of Christians, but the predominance of a syncretistic, worldwide religion, the leveling of everything and the transformation of the Church of Christ into a “club for religious people,” in a worldly organization like the United Nations, desensitized and a-spiritual? How is Ecumenism viewed by our traditional Orthodoxy, however? “Ecumenism, in the way the meaning of the word has prevailed, is of course a heresy because it means a renunciation of the basic principles of the Orthodox Faith, as, for example, the acceptance of the so-called branch theory, that every church has a part of the truth and that all the churches should unite and put all the pieces of the truth on the table to form a whole. We believe that Orthodoxy is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. That’s it. It’s non-debatable; and subsequently, whoever professes the contrary can be called an ecumenist and therefore a heretic.” (Archbishop of Athens, Christodoulos, Interview on the Church Radio, 24-5-1998) “Ecumenism is the collective name for pseudo-Christianities, for the pseudo-Churches of Western Europe…All of these pseudo-Christianities, all of these pseudo-Churches are nothing more than one heresy after another. Their common evangelical name is the ‘ultimate heresy.’ Why? Because through the course of history diverse heresies have negated or distorted certain characteristics of the Theanthropos, the Lord Jesus. These European heresies remove the God-man altogether and put European man in His place.” (Archimandrite Justin Popovich) “Ecumenism is not heresy and pan-heresy, as it is usually called. It is something much worse than pan-heresy. The heresies were obvious enemies of the Church. The Church could therefore fight them and vanquish them. Ecumenism, however, is indifferent to the beliefs of the Church and to the dogmatic differences between the Churches. It is the transcendence, the pardoning, the overlooking, if not the legitimization and justification of heresy. It is an underhanded, insidious enemy and this is exactly where the mortal danger lies.” (Professor Andreas Theodorou) Reactions to the Ecumenical Movement Today in the Orthodox world, reactions against Ecumenism and those who represent it are constantly on the rise. Many books, articles and critiques are seeing the light of publicity where, with much pain and anguish, the view is expressed that we are marching “according to plan” towards a Babylonian captivity of Orthodoxy within this heresy of many-faces and many names. There are not a few distinguished Orthodox clerics and theologians who propose the immediate withdrawal of Orthodoxy from the Ecumenical Movement and its conferences, because they believe that Orthodox participation in these is not just fruitless, but in many ways harmful. Some Churches have already withdrawn from the World Council of Churches, while others have been caused to think long and hard about their own participation. This distress and uneasiness was likewise expressed at the Inter-Orthodox meeting held in Thessaloniki in 1998, where, among other things, it was confirmed that “after a whole century of Orthodox participation in the Ecumenical Movement, and half a century’s presence in the World Council of Churches…, the chasm between the Orthodox and the Protestants has grown even larger.” The participation of the faithful in the Ecumenical Movement We know that that the criterion for Orthodoxy remains the faithful and pious people of God. No one – neither Patriarchs nor Synods – is capable of by-passing and silencing the conscience of the faithful. For this reason, “there should be no dialogue or decision made if this vigilant conscience of the Church (grace-filled clerics, laity, monastics) does not agree.” (Metropolitan Ierotheos of Nafpaktou) Ecumenist dialogues as they are practiced are supported and sustained within the circles of academic theology, and by other ecclesiastical or non-institutional organizations, which aspire to certain benefits politically, financially, internationally and publicly. They do not constitute a request of the ecclesiastical body, but are imposed both from “outside” and “above” This fact highlights an unhealthy phenomenon: the autonomy of the administrative institutions of the Orthodox Church today. The church administration is, in other words, separate from theological consideration, but also from the views, the concerns and the experience of the ecclesiastical pleroma. Thus it is that the people of God do not participate actively in, nor are they informed objectively and responsibly about these dialogues. Moreover, the decisions made during these dialogues do not always carry the seal of authentic conciliarity, are not genuinely synodical, but rather are usually made by particular “professionals” of Ecumenism. One Orthodox hierarch has confessed characteristically: “The Orthodox faithful know nothing about the Ecumenical Movement…yet perhaps the Ecumenical Movement is fortunate that the Orthodox people know nothing of what goes on in Geneva!” Our duty We are undoubtedly living in a period of cosmic change. Events, seemingly directed, race forward at a frantic pace. Ecumenism is evolving within the destructive, leveling viewpoint of Globalism, which is being pushed by powerful economic-political organizations. No one any longer takes serious by the viewpoint that Ecumenism can offer a visible and viable solution to the problem of Christian unity. As Orthodox Christians, we should neither retreat to our ivory-tower nor relax our vigilance. If we truly value and respect the life of people, if we truly have pain of heart for the people of the Western world who are tormented by dead end religious traditions, as well as those in Eastern world, who are caught up in demonic delusions, we have an obligation to remain devoted to our Holy Church. We must keep the traditional faith of our fathers pure and unadulterated, and live it authentically within our daily struggle for our own personal holiness and theosis. The right faith and a strict and precise life will make us capable of witnessing to Orthodoxy, but also – and why not? – unto martyrdom, if and when the times demand it. Adherence to Orthodoxy, that is, to the genuineness of life, and perseverance in the truth that frees and saves, is not egotism, fanaticism, or intolerance. Rather, it expresses the ecumenical (universal) dimension, the love and philanthropy of the Orthodox Church. It constitutes the last possibility for a radical spiritual change in the West, but also for a way out for the East from its captivity to false gods. The Holy Monastery of the Paraklete Oropos, Attica, Greece 2004 source: http://www.thevoiceoforthodoxy.com/current/articles/Ecumenism.html

The Prayer of the Veil

The Prayer of the Veil There is a little prayer prayed silently by the priest each liturgy that goes all but unnoticed by the congregation. It is indeed a very personal and intimate prayer, but it is one that the congregation can share, at least in spirit. It is called the Prayer of the Veil, for it is prayed at the Royal Door, the entrance to the sanctuary, which represents Heaven, the place where the Veil was split in two at the time of Christ’s crucifixion. That sign was the indication that we are now able to enter the Holy of Holies, previously an honour reserved only for the Jewish High Priest. But the Christian priest of today does not take this honour lightly! It must never be taken for granted, and thus the tradition of the Church teaches us that none is to enter or exit through the Royal Door except when necessary for the service, and that one should bow and offer reverence to God whenever passing through that Door. But before he enters the sanctuary to begin the Liturgy of the Faithful, the priest must first pray this prayer. When the reading of the Gospel is finished, the priest, who had been standing next to the lectern and offering incense, must now return to the sanctuary to begin the prayers at the altar once more. But he comes to a stop at the Royal Door and prays the following prayer* : “O God, who, in Your unspeakable love toward mankind, sent Your Only Begotten Son into the world, that He might bring the lost sheep home unto You; we ask You, O our Lord, thrust us not behind You when we offer this awesome and bloodless sacrifice. For we put no trust in our righteousness but in Your mercy, whereby You have given life to our race. We pray and entreat Your goodness, O Lover of Mankind, that this mystery which You have appointed unto us for salvation may not be unto condemnation unto us or unto any of Your people, but unto the washing away of our sins and the forgiveness of our negligence and unto the glory and honour of Your Holy Name, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and unto the age of all ages, amen.” Basically, the priest stands outside the Royal Door and prays, “As You came out of heaven, and in Your holiness came out us sinners in the world - so now please allow me the sinner to enter into Heaven to be with You, and sanctify me that I may do so.” He comes out of heaven to pray for his brothers and sisters in the world before the Word, the Logos. But having carried the burdens of the world, having prayed for those who are distressed, in captivity, sick, and so on, he stops before re-entering Heaven to seek ‘cleansing’ of his thoughts. For he will now enter the sanctuary to take part in the calling down of heaven to come and fill the Church, he will stand before the Throne of God, upon which sits the Lamb of God, slain for the life of the whole world, he will be in the presence of the cherubim and seraphim and the angels that surround God’s heavenly throne. He does not dare to enter into such a service without first asking permission, and seeking the acceptance of God, and the forgiveness of his own, many sins. The priest confesses that he is one of those lost sheep for whom the Shepherd came out to search. He pauses, awkwardly, uncertain, “sheepishly”, outside the door, wondering if he is welcome, pondering whether he will be allowed back in. For he knows that he is not worthy; “For we put no trust in our righteousness…” he complains, since before God, “There is none righteous, no, not one … There is none who understands … There is none who does good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:11-13) If he were treated with justice, he would deserve to be cast out, “thrust behind” God, and not allowed to enter the Holy places, like St Mary the Egyptian of old. All he can hope for is that God will accept him, unworthy as he is, in His great mercy, for He came to seek the Lost Sheep like him. The priest knows full well that if he approaches this Mystery in an unworthy manner, not only will he forfeit the blessings it bestows, but it will become a curse to him, for “he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Corinthians 11:29) Thus he entreats God “that this mystery which You have appointed unto us for salvation may not be unto condemnation unto us or unto any of Your people, but unto the washing away of our sins and the forgiveness of our negligence and unto the glory and honour of Your Holy Name”. This is God’s “unspeakable love”, the love that no words can describe, no mind can comprehend. The love that transforms the lowly, the confused, the uncertain and the spiritually orphaned into true adopted Children of the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Before he can begin the Liturgy of the Faithful, the priest pauses at the door to experience this intimate moment of surrender to God and to be flooded with the warmth of His all-consuming love. During this moment, the congregation are singing the appropriate Gospel Response. The general response is “Truly blessed are they indeed, the saints of this day, each one, each one by his name, the beloved of Christ”. Through this hymn they share in this intimate moment with the priest and with the saints who have lived before us over the past 2000 years and grew to know well the love of Christ. We dare to proceed to the Liturgy of the Faithful because they dared … and were not turned away! Rather, Christ accepted them to Himself and even named them “His beloved”. Can we possibly receive this same immense grace? Let us step forward boldly and find out – the priest completes his prayer and steps boldly into the sanctuary through the royal door, and the grand adventure of the Eucharist begins… Fr Anthttp://www.stbishoy.org.au/ * In order to save time, the priest will often pray this prayer while he is still standing at the lectern, during the reading of the Gospel.

Sollitude

St. Matthew 14:1-13 (7/29) Gospel for Tuesday of the SeventhWeek after Pentecost Solitude: St. Matthew 14:1-13, especially vs. 13:"When Jesus heard it, Hedeparted from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself...." In theseverses from St. Matthew he records the grisly story of the macabre executionof St. John the Forerunner, the devotion of St. John's disciples who buriedhim, and of how, afterwards, they reported to the Lord Jesus all that hadhappened. One part of our Lord's response to the tragic news was to go intosolitude, apart to a lonely place. Throughout the four Gospels, the Evangelists record that the Lord Jesusoften left the crowds that followed Him to be by Himself. In solitude Hesought to be with His Father. Note: if the Lord as both Man and God, neededto withdraw from the world to have times of intimacy with the Father, howmuch more do we, as mere human beings, need to follow His example! St. Antony, the founder of monasticism, exemplifies one who discovered theblessings of solitude. When he was about 18, he heard these words from theGospel: "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to thepoor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me" (Mt.19:21). St. Antony understood these words to apply to him. Immediately, hebegan living as a poor laborer at the edge of his village. In time, hewithdrew deeper into the desert to live in complete solitude for twentyyears. Note what happened to him. During his solitude, the great desert hermit underwent painful spiritual andphysical trials. His superficial self cracked, and God revealed to him theabyss of his sinfulness - all because St. Antony surrendered unconditionallyto the Lord Jesus Christ. After surrender and the years of solitude, hereturned again to contacts with other people. They immediately recognizedin him a man whole in mind, body and soul; and they flocked to him forhealing and direction. Christ calls to every one: "Follow Me!" St. Anthony's experience revealsthe meaning of "following" - to go apart for times of solitude. Each onemust deliberately cast himself into the furnace with God alone to be melteddown in the Lord Jesus' transforming presence, to be recast according to Hiswill and likeness; for He burns away our impurities. But how can we find solitude in the mad rush of this secular, godlesssociety that offers no spiritual room for pursuing the disciplines of HolySolitude? Ah, but, wait! A modern contemplative, Thomas Merton, reminds usthat the Christians in St. Antony's day faced a similar situation:"Society...was regarded...as a shipwreck from which each single individualman had to swim for his life....These were men who believed that to letoneself drift along, passively accepting the tenets and values of what theyknew as society, was purely and simply a disaster!" Not all are called to monasticism. Most of us are engaged with family andsociety. Although more are turning to the monastic way to struggle forunion with Christ, yet, whatever lifestyle is chosen, each one must strugglefor salvation; and, the primary place for regaining the desire for a full,rich life in Christ remains to be found in times and places of solitude. Hence, those "in the world" must develop "little deserts" for withdrawingeach day into the firm, renewing, and healing presence of God. Without suchtimes and places, Christian, you and I will lose our souls. Two steps areobvious: 1) We must find a Spiritual Father. We must search for one beforewhom we may bare our inmost thoughts. St. John of the Ladder says, " Ashepherd is pre-eminently he that is able to seek out and set aright hislost, rational sheep by means of guilelessness, zeal, and prayer." 2) Wemust deliberately set apart time and place each and every day to be with Godand with Him alone - no solitude, no renewal, no life! O Thou, Who in the desert gavest water to Thy People, guide us into solitudewith Thee that we may come and drink of the streams of living water flowingforth from Thee. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Wisdom

St. Matthew 13:54-58 (7/28) Gospel for Monday of the Seventh
Week after Pentecost

Wisdom: St. Matthew 13:54-58, especially vs. 54: "'Where did this Man get
this wisdom and these mighty works?'" The people of Nazareth who asked this
question had lived beside Jesus from his childhood, and, rather than being
enlightened by Him, they remained spiritually blind. They thought He was
merely imitating the learned scribes, for His neighbors knew He had not
spent years studying the Holy Scriptures, but rather that He worked in
Joseph's carpentry shop. Thus, instead of respecting His wisdom, they were
offended by Him (vs. 57). Still, their question is worthy of a reply, for
revealing the truth about Him and to refute their "disclaimers" (vss. 55,
56).

For Christians, the Lord Jesus is God's Wisdom Incarnate. Thus, at each
celebration of the Divine Liturgy, during the "Little Entrance," the Priest
or Deacon who bears the Gospel Book stops before the Royal Doors elevates
the Book of the Gospels, and says, "Wisdom! Stand upright!" Understand:
the Gospel Book is a major icon of our Lord Himself, Holy Wisdom. Like all
icons, the Gospel Book serves as a vehicle of Christ's actual presence among
the Faithful. For this reason, as the Gospel Book passes through the Royal
Doors, the Faithful sing out, "O come let us worship and fall down before
Christ. Save us, O Son of God, Who art risen from the dead, who sing unto
Thee: Alleluia!"

Again, in the icon of "Christ the Teacher "- the icon regularly found to the
right of the Royal Doors - the Lord is manifest as true Wisdom teaching the
faithful. As He is shown blessing us with His right hand, He holds the
Gospel Book in His left hand, offering to all who will receive Him, both
Himself and all He teaches - Holy Wisdom.

May God save us from familiarity like the people of Nazareth lest we mistake
Jesus and His life-saving words as mere human phenomena and miss finding
divine Wisdom in Him. The actions and objects, reverently set before us in
the Liturgy, command our attention: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the
dead, and Christ will give you light" (Eph. 5:14). Listen not casually to
the words of the Prayers and of Scripture that are read, but rather behold
Christ and heed Holy Wisdom Himself speaking to you. Familiarity can
stealthily kill your spirit or mine. Resist inattention and routine so as
not to fall into the error of those in Nazareth who "saw in shadows and
perceived not that gloom which obscured the Law and hid from them Him that
had made by His Word both Sabbath and light" (from the Praises of Orthros).

The Lord Jesus' words in this passage warn us: "A prophet is not without
honor except in his own country and in his own house" (Mt. 13:57). Are not
the Temples into which we come on the Lord's Day on land dedicated to God,
land that is "His own country;" and are not our communities who gather there
"the household of God" (Eph. 2:19)? Be attentive!

In many cultures, "wisdom" is understood as the highest expression of
"human" experience, character, counsel, and sound advice. Often wisdom, as
such, has included man's highest ideals such as truth, justice, and other
concepts that under gird an orderly universe. However, in the Icons,
Liturgy, and Scriptures of Orthodox Christianity, God reveals Wisdom to be
the Person of the Incarnate God, Jesus Christ. He expects that we who are
in covenant with Him should be icons of Him as Wisdom practically - in
worship and in our daily living.

Finally, consider contemporary culture that draws its dynamic from
philosophies that assume human, intellectual knowledge to be the highest
wisdom. Let us not, like the savants of this culture, be caught in the trap
of treating Christ and His wisdom as mere history or information. True
Wisdom is not theories or concepts, but Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God.

O Christ our God, Wisdom manifest, enable us to serve Thee worthily and
wisely.

Gospel for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

St. Matthew 9:1-8 (7/27) Gospel for
the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Faith and Wellness ~ Part II: St. Matthew 9:1-8, especially vs. 2:"When
Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, be of good cheer;
your sins are forgiven you.'" In yesterday's Gospel (Mt. 9:18-26), a woman
barely touched the Lord Jesus, yet, because of her faith, she was healed.
In today's Gospel, again, because of the faith of a paralytic, as well as
the faith of his friends, his sins were forgiven. However, certain scribes
who heard Jesus' remark were outraged, saying "Who can forgive sins but God
alone?" (Mk. 2:7)). To the scribes, "forgiving" sins was blasphemy.
Therefore, to help everyone grasp His Divinity, the Lord healed the man's
paralysis.

We noted in yesterday's reading that to "believe in" the Lord Jesus Christ
is to trust Him despite one's doubts, which overcomes inaction and sin
within us. Such faith opens one to healing. Furthermore, being creatures,
we humans are at once physical, psychological, and spiritual beings, and so
our healing involves all these aspects of our nature.

The Lord Jesus' healing of the paralytic reveals that, of these three
aspects, the spiritual is most significant; for it is within our spirits -
within our hearts - that relationship with God either flourishes or withers
and dies. Hence, our Lord Jesus first forgave the paralytic's sins, which
lay the foundation for the man's physical healing. Behold! The paralytic's
physical healing flowed from his spiritual restoration to God and became a
sign of it. The relationship between healing and salvation is very close,
as we noted yesterday.

The present passage from St. Matthew declares that wellness is union with
God, truly a "Holy Communion." As St. Paul says, "In Him we have
redemption...the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace"
(Eph. 1:7); and from His grace healing can also come.

The true Christian seeks complete faith and any healing that comes with it.
To reach such a goal, you and I must grow in faith by controlling our
passions, purifying our hearts, and growing virtues, straining ahead to
blessedness, "deification," and union with God. Deification in man is
identical to what is called the " likeness of God" in Gen. 1:26. For
although God created man in His image and likeness, yet because of sin, we
are corrupted and debased, having lost our likeness to God (Rom. 1:23,28).
Hence, our deep need is restoration to God and to His likeness.

The Lord Jesus comes for all men as The Physician (Mt. 9:12,13). St. John
Chrysostom developed this image of Christ as The Physician in his analysis
of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Therein, he likened the Church to an
inn (Lk. 10:34). The Church is a place of healing where the Bishops and
Priests serve as the leading healers in the footsteps of the Lord and His
Apostles. Properly understood, one comes into the Church, into the healing
community, to take up a long and hard struggle for restoration and
deification. Orthodoxy repudiates a so-called faith in Christ that does not
labor at the healing process with Christ in the Spirit.

Here in St. Matthew, the Lord Jesus reveals that the paralytic and his
helpers knew he was sick, and so they did not remain inactive. Knowing the
man's need of healing, they took action; they came to Christ. Their faith
was expressed visibly by approaching the Lord (Mt. 9:2). A Christian knows
he needs the Physician. Thus, the Church, as the Body of Christ, provides
us with spiritual fathers, prayer, and worship to direct our souls toward
ultimate health in Christ.

Healing follows upon strict observance of Christ's commandments. The Lord
Jesus declares that "if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."
(Mt. 19:17). Ascetic self-discipline is a direct means for applying His
command to obey. Hence St. Thalassios is able to say, "Obedience to the
commandments is resurrection of the dead."

Lord, heal me, for I am Thy servant; teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art
my God!