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.
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"THE CHURCH IS THE EARTHLY HEAVEN IN WHICH THE HEAVENLY GOD
DWELLS AND MOVES" (Saint Germanos of Constantinople).
An Orthodox Church is that part of God's creation which has been set apart and "reclaimed" for the Kingdom of God. Within its walls, the heavenly and earthly realms meet, outside time, in the acts of worship and Sacrifice offered there to God. Angels assist the Priest during the Divine Liturgy, and Saints and members of the Church Triumphant (The Heavenly Church) participate in the Divine Services. The Blessed Theotokos, the Mother of God, is also present and, of course, Our Lord Jesus Christ is invisibly present wherever two or three gathers in HIs Name (St. Matthew 18:20), just as He is always present in the reserved Eucharist preserved on the Holy Table of most Orthodox Churches.
Given these very significant spiritual realities, we should always approach an Orthodox Church with the deepest attitude of reverence. Even when passing an Orthodox Church on foot or in a car, we always cross ourselves out of respect for the presence of God therein. It is, indeed, unthinkable that we should ever pass in front of an Orthodox Church without showing such reverence. Therefore, it is obvious that we must approach our meeting with the heavenly realm during Divine Services with careful and proper preparation.
When preparing for Church, we should always dress as we would for a visit to an important dignitary. After all, we are about to enter into the very presence of God.
Orthodox Churches always have candles available at the back of the Church. One should normally light one of these before a holy Icon as he/she enters the Church. If you have a special need or wish to remember someone prayerfully, you can make this known to God by lighting a candle as a pious offering to God. Saint John of Kronstadt tells us:
"The candles burning on this altar represent the non-created Light of the Holy Trinity, for the Lord dwells in an unapproachable Light. They also represent the fire of Divinity which destroys our ungodliness and sin. The candles lit before the holy icons of the Savior signify that He is the True Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (St. John 1:9); at the same time, He is a Fire which engulfs and revives our souls and bodies..."
The Faithful (Christian believers and followers) are called upon to be participants in the Divine Liturgy and not to be mere spectators. First, this requires attention ("Let us be attentive"), and that attention is most complete in the standing position.
We make the Sign of the Cross:
When the Name of God, Christ, or the Holy Trinity is mentioned.
When the Theotokos (Mother of God) or any Saint's name is mentioned.
When we say the Trisagion ("Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us"), "Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages," the Lord's Prayer ("Our Father..."), and any other similar prayers.
When we venerate an Icon...
While the Orthros (Matins) Gospel is being read, we act humbly and listen attentively. Afterward, the Priest will bring out the Holy Gospel for us to venerate. Since the Gospel contains the very words of Christ, it is also considered the most sacred of images.
If we are communing, then we should, as a minimum, have kept Wednesday and Friday fast. We should also fast from meat on Saturday. But since Saturday is not a day of fasting (except for Great and Holy Saturday), we should eat olive oil and drink wine and, if our spiritual Father allows it, eggs and dairy products at midday.
Having made the necessary preparations, we should go to the Church for the Divine Liturgy a bit early. Thus we give ourselves time to venerate the holy Icons, light a candle, and present the name of those living or dead Orthodox Christians whom we wish to have commemorated by the Priest during the Service of Preparation.
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12).
For Orthodox Christians, this means regular attendance at Vespers on Saturday evening and Orthros (Matins) and Divine Liturgy on Sunday ("Lord's Day"). We should reserve Sundays for family worship. We must not replace our sacred duty to worship and offer thanksgiving to God on the Lord's Day with sports on Sunday morning.
As Orthodox Christians, we have an obligation to treat people with respect and to believe the best about people until we have had clear personal evidence to the contrary. Slander, then, should be foreign to everyone.
Gossip is a lesser form of slander but is just as destructive and sinful. We should always be careful about what we repeat to other people regarding the behavior or character of others. If we pass on a story, we should remind ourselves that we might be passing on false information about that person. We thus become the source of a lie. This is a sin even if we have no malicious intent. Do you seek to inflate yourself at the expense of others? If so, you are guilty of gossip and slander. And if so, you should avoid Holy Communion until you have corrected this fault.
With regard to lying, which is also covered by this commandment, one must be very cautious. The essence of a sinful lie is the result that we are seeking from the lie. Are we lying for our own selfish interests? Even when there is no direct harm caused to another person, a selfish lie is still a sin, for it focuses on the ego and pride, which in turn impedes communion with God. And this is very harmful.
As Orthodox Christians, we must seek to live in the spirit of truth, which demands that we do all things that are good for our neighbor, bearing a "true" witness before them. We are reminded by Saint Nikolai Velimirovich that, "if at times, the righteous prayed to God to prolong their earthly life, that was not because of love for this life nor because of the fear of death but solely that they would gain more time for repentance and cleansing from sin in order that they may present themselves before God, more sinless and more pure. Even if they showed fear before death, that was not out of fear of death but the fear of God's judgment. What kind of fear then must be unrepentant sinner have before death?"
We all know and believe that there is a day when all of us will stand before the Almighty God and be judged by Him. In the book of Revelation 20:12 we read, "And I saw the dead, small and great standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books." "The books" of judgment (Daniel 7:10) contain a record of men's own deeds: their own works will judge them (Psalm 62:12; Jer. 17:10). This judging of believers works is a common New Testament theme (St. Matthew 16:27; Romans 2:6; 2 Cor. 5:10; I Peter 1:17). The Book of Life contains the names of all who are saved by grace (see Exodus 32:32; Isaiah 4:3; Daniel 12: 1, 2). God's mercy is far greater than human works, good or bad. The Orthodox Divine Liturgy thus petitions God for a "good account before the dread judgment seat of Christ."
Let us pray to the Lord:
"Shine in our hearts, O Merciful Master, the pure Light of Thy Divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our mind that we may understand the teachings of Thy Gospel; implant in us also the fear of Thy blessed Commandments, that we, trampling down all carnal desires, may enter upon a spiritual manner of living both thinking and doing all those things that please Thee. For Thou art the Source of Light for our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Eternal Father, and Thine All-Holy, Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and forever, and from all ages to all ages" (Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom).
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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