My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.
THE MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) OF THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD IN THE HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Part III)
by Father Michael Pomazansky
The Celibacy of Bishops
For a bishop, there exists the obligation of celibacy. In the first centuries of Christianity such a demand was not obligatory, but even in Apostolic times, it was allowed for bishops to avoid marriage for the sake of the ascetic struggle of continence. This tradition became strengthened and the Sixth Ecumenical Synod (Council) made it a canon. As regards priests and deacons, the Church regarded that such a burden should not be laid upon them as obligatory and that the ancient canon should be followed which forbids clergy, after receiving ordination (cheirotonia), to enter into marriage, but which allows to Mystery (Sacrament) of Priesthood persons who were already bound by marriage, even regarding this as natural and normal. A second marriage, as well as having a wife who has been married before, are hindrances to ordination (cheirotonia). In the Roman Catholic tradition in the 4th to 6th centuries, celibacy began to be introduced likewise for priests and deacons. This innovation was rejected by the Sixth Ecumenical Synod (Council), but this prohibition was not heeded by the Roman popes.
The Protestants have rejected the priesthood as a "Sacrament." Their pastors (ministers) are only elected and appointed by the people (laity), but do not receive any kind of special consecration, and in this sense they are not distinguished from the ordinary members of their communities. Historically this is explained by opposition to the abuses of their rights by the Latin (Roman Catholic) clergy at the end of the Middle Ages. The Protestants made their theoretical justification the opinion that ordination to the priesthood began to be called by the fixed name of "sacrament" only in more recent times. But of course, such a justification has no value whatsoever. We see from the teaching and practice of the Holy Apostles, and from the constant belief of the Church, that cheirotonia (ordination) from the beginning was a sacramental, grace-giving sacred action, and therefore the fact that in a later period it began to be called a "sacrament" did not introduce anything new but only expressed its essence more precisely in a single word. In a similar way, for example, the term homoousios, accepted at the First Ecumenical Synod (Council), did not introduce anything new into the ancient Church teaching of the Divinity of the Son of God, but only defined it more precisely and confirmed it. Unfortunately, Protestant scholars, defending the false position of Protestantism, continue stubbornly, but without proof, to deduce the very concept of the Christian Mysteries (Sacraments) from the practice of the pagan mysteries.
The Life of the Church in the Holy Spirit
The Church is surrounded by the sinful unenlightened world; however, it itself is a new creation, and it creates a new life. And every member of it is called to receive and to create in himself this new life. This new life should be preceded by a break on the part of the future member of the Church with the life of "the world." However, when one speaks of the break with "the world", this does not mean to go away totally from life on earth, from the midst of the rest of mankind, which is often unbelieving and corrupt; "for then," writes the Holy Apostle Paul, "must ye needs go out of the world" (I Corinthians 5:10). However, in order to enter the Church one must depart from the power of the devil and become in this sinful world "strangers and pilgrims" (I Peter 2:11). One must place a decisive boundary between oneself and "the world", and for this one must openly and straightforwardly renounce the devil; for one cannot serve two masters. One must cleanse in oneself the old leaven, so as to be a new dough (I Corinthians 5:7)...
"...The whole life of the Church is penetrated by the mystical actions of the Holy Spirit. "The cause of all preservation lieth in the Holy Spirit. If He think fit to blow upon a man, He taketh him up above the things of the earth, maketh him grow, and settleth him on high" (Sunday Antiphons from Matins, Sixth Tone). Therefore, every Church prayer, whether public or private, begins with the prayer to the Holy Spirit "O Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of Life, come and abide in us..." Just as rain and dew, falling upon the earth, vivify and nourish and give growth to every kind of growing thing, so do the powers of the Holy Spirit act in the Church.
In the Apostolic Epistles (Letters), the actions of the Holy Spirit are called "excellency of power" (lit., "superabundant power" II Cor. 4:7), "divine power" (II Peter 1:3), or "by the Holy Spirit." But most frequently of all they are signified by the word "grace." Those who enter the Church have entered into the kingdom of grace, and they are invited to "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16; see also Hebrews Ch. 10-14). (Source: Orthodox Dogmatic Theology)
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!"--Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George