Regarding the Lowliness (Humility) of Mind
Now, there are two forms of humility, just as there are two kinds of pride. The first kind of pride is when one disdains his brother, when he demeans him as being nothing, and considers himself to be above him. If such a one does not speedily come to his senses and diligently work to correct himself, bit by bit, he will arrive at the second kind of pride and degenerate to the point of showing arrogance before God Himself, ascribing whatever he achieves to himself and not to God.
Martyr Longinus the Centurion, who stood at the Cross of the Lord
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.
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REGARDING THE LOWLINESS (HUMILITY) OF MIND
Source: "Our Holy Father Dorotheos of Gaza: Various Soul-Profiting Instructions to his Disciples."
The Forms of Pride and Humility
Now, there are two forms of humility, just as there are two kinds of pride. The first kind of pride is when one disdains his brother, when he demeans him as being nothing, and considers himself to be above him. If such a one does not speedily come to his senses and diligently work to correct himself, bit by bit, he will arrive at the second kind of pride and degenerate to the point of showing arrogance before God Himself, ascribing whatever he achieves to himself and not to God.
Indeed, my brothers, I once knew a man who ended up in this deplorable condition. At first, if some brother would say something to him, he would spit and say: "Who is he? No one is worth anything except Zosimas and his disciples." Later, he began to run down them, too, and say: "No one but Makarios is worthy anything." And not long after, he again began to say: "Who is Makarios? He is a nothing. Only Basil and Gregory are of worth." And after a time, he also demeaned them, saying: "Who are Basil and Gregory? Only Peter and Paul are worth anything." I told him, "And shortly you will reject them." Believe me, after a short time he started saying, "Who are Peter and Paul? Nobodies. Only the Holy Trinity is worthwhile." Thereafter, he showed arrogance towards God Himself, and thereby lost his mind. For this reason, my brethren, we must struggle against the first form of pride, so that we do not shortly fall to total pride...
"...The first kind of humility is when someone considers his brother wiser and in all ways better than himself and, in a word, as that holy one said, to consider oneself "worse than all others." The second kind of humility is for one to attribute his every success and every accomplishment to the grace of God. This is the perfect humility that the Saints had. This humility is created in the soul as a natural result of faith and the subservient keeping of the commandments of God. Just as the branches of trees producing much fruit are bent by this fruit downward, while barren branches that produce no fruit grow high and stand upright--indeed, some trees, since their branches grow straight up, produce no fruit, though in one takes rocks and affixes them to the branches, pulling them downward, then they will bear fruit--thus it is with the soul. When it is made humble, it produces fruit; and the more fruit that it produces, so much more is it humbled. Hence, the Saints, the closer they draw to God, the more they see themselves as sinners.
The Humility of the Saints
I remember once a certain nobleman from Gaza who, hearing us speaking of humility and saying that the closer one is to God, the more sinful he considers himself, was surprised and asked: "How does that come to be?" And not knowing, he wished to learn. I said to him, "Sir, tell me how you view yourself when you are in your city?" He said to me: "I consider myself one of the principals and an influential citizen of the city." I said to him: "If you were to leave and go to Caesarea, how would you view yourself there?" He said: "I would see myself as a most lowly and insignificant man among the local noblemen." I said: "If you leave and go to Antioch, how will you think of yourself?" He told me: I would think of myself as an uncouth villager." I said to him: "If you go to Constantinople, in the presence of the Emperor, how would you see yourself there?" He said to me: "I would feel like a pauper." And I then said: "Now you see precisely what the saints are like. The nearer they are to God, so much the more they see themselves as sinners."
The Path to Humility
Abba (Father) Zosimas was once speaking about humility and a sophist who was there, listening to what was being said, wanted to know precisely what he was talking about. [A sophist was, in ancient Greek and Roman society, and intellectual or teacher who used the methods of philosophy to teach the precepts of virtuous living.] He asked Abba (Father): "Tell me how it is that you call yourself a sinner? Do you not know that you are a holy man? Do you not know that you have virtues? Do you not see that you keep the Commandments? How, doing all of this, can you be a sinner?" The Geronda (Elder), however, could not find a way to reply. He told him only: "I do not know how to explain it, but this is how I feel: sinful." But the sophist persisted, wanting to know how such a thing could be. And the Geronda (Elder), with his holy simplicity, said: "Do not misconstrue me, I truly am a sinner."
As soon as I saw that the Geronda (Elder) did not know how to respond, I said to him: "I wonder if, perhaps, this is similar to the knowledge of philosophy or medicine; that is, slowly, as the physician or philosopher comes to learn well his art and how to apply it, the practice of philosophy or medicine becomes for him an entrenched and automatic ability incorporated into his person, though he cannot say or explain how he came to acquire that ability. Slowly, as I said, the soul acquires this ability through active application. So it is, after this fashion, with humility; somehow, "by the keeping of the Commandments, this entrenched quality comes about, without one being able to explain it." The moment that Abba (Father) Zosimas heard this, he immediately embraced me with joy and said: "You grasped it; it is just as you say." This also satisfied the sophist, and he accepted the explanation.
While, on the one hand, the ancient Gerondes (Elders) have told us some things about what humility is, on the other hand, no one can portray in words that quality which is created within the soul by humility.
Bodily Labors and Lowliness of Mind
Why, however, does he say that bodily labors lead the soul to humility? For what reason are bodily labors a virtue of the soul? Because it is by considering oneself below every created thing that one wars against the first kind of pride. For how can one consider himself more important than his brother, or become prideful over something or denigrate someone, when he thinks himself lower than all creation?
"...Moreover, one who prays unceasingly, even if he is capable of achieving something, knows with Whose strength he achieves it. Therefore, he cannot be prideful or attribute it to his own strength, but attributes to God every achievement, always thanking and beseeching Him, fearing that he might lose God's aid and that his own ailing and weak character might show forth. So, too, with the help of lowliness (humility) of mind, he prays, and with prayer he is made humble. And the more that he excels at something, so much more he becomes humble; and to the extent that he is made humble, he is aided and flourishes under the power of lowliness (humility) of mind...
"...Labor, therefore, humbles the soul. And when the body is humbled, the soul is humbled with it. Thus did the aforementioned Geronda (Elder) rightly say that bodily labor leads to humility. And thus it is that, when Evagrius was assailed by blasphemy, (in that he was aware that blasphemy comes for from pride and that when the body is humbled the soul is humbled with it), for forty whole days he remained outside, without shelter, until, like a wild animal, as his biographer says, he was covered by ticks. He did not undertake this effort to cure his blasphemy, but to evoke humility. So the Geronda (Elder) was correct in saying that bodily labor leads to humility.
May God, Who is Good, grant us humility, for it delivers a man from great evils and protects him from great temptations. (Source: Orthodox Heritage)
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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 (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George
The Three Ways of Attention and Prayer (Part II)
The Second Way is this: when someone concentrates his mind in himself, detaching it from all that is earthly, guarding his senses, and gathering his thoughts so that they are not scattered to the vain things of the world. Sometimes he examines his thoughts and sometimes he pays attention to the words of the prayer he recites. Sometimes he returns to his thoughts that were trapped by the Devil and were drawn to that which is evil and vain, and sometimes with much effort and struggle he comes back to himself, after being defeated and possessed by some weakness.
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.
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THE THREE WAYS OF ATTENTION AND PRAYER (Part II)
By Saint Symeon the Theologian
[The Second Way of Attention and Prayer]
The Second Way is this: when someone concentrates his mind in himself, detaching it from all that is earthly, guarding his senses, and gathering his thoughts so that they are not scattered to the vain things of the world. Sometimes he examines his thoughts and sometimes he pays attention to the words of the prayer he recites. Sometimes he returns to his thoughts that were trapped by the Devil and were drawn to that which is evil and vain, and sometimes with much effort and struggle he comes back to himself, after being defeated and possessed by some weakness.
Having this battle and war with himself, he cannot find peace nor time to do the virtuous good deeds and receive the crown of righteousness. For this man is like the one who fights a war against his enemies in darkness and night; who hears the voices of the enemy and suffers being stabbed, yet he cannot see clearly who they are, where they came from, and how, and why they are attacking him. For this damage is caused by the darkness in his mind and the confusion in his thoughts and therefore he can never escape from his enemies, the demons so that they will stop defeating him. The piteous suffers in vain, for he loses his reward being possessed by vanity without realizing it, by thinking that he is worthy to become shepherd or rational sheep, guiding others. He is like the blind person who promises to guide other blind people!
This is the Second Way; anyone who wishes to find salvation needs to start by learning the damage that it causes to the soul, and be cautious. This Second Way is, nevertheless, better than the first, for the sky with Moon is better than the dark night without it. (Source: Myriobiblos. On-Line Library of the Church of Greece)
(To be continued)
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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 (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George
The Three Ways of Attention and Prayer by Saint Simeon the New Theologian
There are three ways of attention and prayer, by which the soul can be filled and become spiritually exhausted, or crumble and perish. If these three ways are used appropriately and at the right time, the soul will be filled, whilst if they are used unreasonably and at the wrong time, the soul will perish. Attention therefore should be tied and inseparable to prayer, in the way that the body is tied and inseparable to the soul. Attention should have the lead and mind for enemies as a guard, and fight sin, and resist evil thoughts of the soul. It should be then succeeded by prayer, which will destroy all those evil thoughts which attention fought against earlier since attention alone is not able to do this.
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.
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THE THREE WAYS OF ATTENTION AND PRAYER
By Saint Symeon the New Theologian {From Myriobiblos. On-Line Library of the Church of Greece)
[Introduction]
There are three ways of attention and prayer, by which the soul can be filled and become spiritually exhausted, or crumble and perish. If these three ways are used appropriately and at the right time, the soul will be filled, whilst if they are used unreasonably and at the wrong time, the soul will perish. Attention therefore should be tied and inseparable to prayer, in the way that the body is tied and inseparable to the soul. Attention should have the lead and mind for enemies as a guard, and fight sin, and resist evil thoughts of the soul. It should be then succeeded by prayer, which will destroy all those evil thoughts which attention fought against earlier since attention alone is not able to do this.
It is this war of attention and prayer on which both life and death of the soul depend. By attention that we keep our prayer safe and therefore we progress: if we do not have attention to keep it clear and we leave it unguarded, then it is infected by evil thoughts and we become wicked and hopeless. Hence, the ways of attention and prayer are three, we ought to explain the features of each one and leave the choice to whoever may wish to find salvation.
[The first way of attention and prayer.]
The features of the first way are these: one stands to pray by raising his hands towards the sky together with his eyes and mind. He imagines divine concepts, the good things of Heaven, the armies of the Holy Angels, the residences of the Saints, and, in short, he gathers in his mind all that he has heard from the Holy Scripture. He recalls them in the time of his prayer looking at the sky, and he exhorts his soul to what seems to be love and eros for God. Sometimes he even has tears and cries. In this way his soul gradually becomes proud without realizing it, thinking that what he does is by the grace of God's compassion for him. Hence he pleads God to always grant him worthy of such deeds which are, however, signs of error.
A good thing ceases to be good when it is carried out in the wrong way or at the wrong time. To such an extent this is the case here that, if this person finds perfect solitude, it will be impossible for him not to lose his mind. Should this not happen, it will still be impossible for him to acquire any virtues or detachment from the earthly. By this method are mislead all those who see the Light with their bodily eyes, sense perfumes with their sense of smell, hear voices with their ears, and so on. Some of them have been possessed, moving senselessly from one place to the other. Others have been misled by accepting the Devil who was transformed and appeared to them as an angel of light, and they have remained uncorrected until the very end, without wanting to hear any advice from their brothers. Some of them were even incited by the Devil and committed suicide, whilst others were crumbled and others became insane. Who can describe the various illusions of the Devil by which he misleads them!
Every reasonable person can understand the kind of damage that comes from this first way of attention and prayer. It happens that someone by being accompanied by brothers (since these evils usually happen to those who are on their own) does not suffer any of the things we described, he nevertheless spends all his life with no spiritual improvement.
(Next: The Second Way of Attention and Prayer)
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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 (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George
October 12 - Venerable Simeon the New Theologian
Our Venerable and God-bearing holy Father Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022 A.D.) is one of three Saints of the Orthodox Church to have been given the title of Theologian (the others are Saint John the Apostle and Saint Gregory Nazianzen). Born in Galatia and educated at Constantinople, he became Egoumenos (Abbot) of the Monastery of Saint Mamas. His feast day is celebrated by some on March 12, the date of his repose, while others commemorate his feast on October 12, as in our case, because March 12th falls within Great and Holy Lent.
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.
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ON OCTOBER 12th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE VENERABLE AND GOD-BEARING FATHER SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN
Our Venerable and God-bearing holy Father Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022 A.D.) is one of three Saints of the Orthodox Church to have been given the title of Theologian (the others are Saint John the Apostle and Saint Gregory Nazianzen). Born in Galatia and educated at Constantinople, he became Egoumenos (Abbot) of the Monastery of Saint Mamas. His feast day is celebrated by some on March 12, the date of his repose, while others commemorate his feast on October 12, as in our case, because March 12th falls within Great and Holy Lent.
Saint Symeon was a poet who embodied the mystical tradition. He wrote that human beings could experience the Spirit of God directly. His works influenced the hesychastic controversy of the 14th century.
HERE ARE SOME QUOTES FROM HIM
"When a man walks in the fear of God he knows no fear, even if he were to be surrounded by wicked men. He has the fear of God within him and wears the invincible armor of faith. This makes him strong and able to take on anything, even things which seem difficult or impossible to most people. Such a man is like a giant surrounded by monkeys, or a roaring lion among dogs and foxes. He goes forward trusting in the Lord and the constancy of His will to strike and paralyze His foes. He wields the blazing club of the Word/Logos in wisdom" - The Practical and Theological Chapters.
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"The roof of any house stands upon the foundation and the rest of the structure. The foundations themselves are laid in order to carry the roof. This is both useful and necessary, for the roof cannot stand without the foundations and the foundations are absolutely useless without the roof--no help to any living creature. In the same way the grace of God is preserved by the practice of the Commandments, and the observance of these Commandments is laid down like the foundations through the gift of God. The grace of the Spirit cannot remain with us without the practice of the Commandments, but the practice of the Commandments is of no help or advantage to us without the grace of God."
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"Our holy Fathers have renounced all other spiritual work and concentrated wholly on this one doing, that is, on guarding the heart, convinced that, through this practice, they would easily attain other virtue, whereas without it not a single virtue can be firmly established."
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"For those who believe in Christ will become all this and even more, beyond enumeration, not only in the age to come but first in this life, and then in the world to come. Though in an obscure way here below and in a perfect manner in the Kingdom, those who believe see clearly nonetheless and receive as of now the first-fruits of everything they will have in the future life. Indeed, if they do not receive on earth everything that was promised to them, they do not have any part of foretaste of the blessings to come, their higher hope being set on the hereafter. However, it is through death and the resurrection that God in his foresight has given us the kingdom, incorruptibility, the totality of life eternal. Given these conditions, we unquestionably become partakers of the good things to come, that is, incorruptible, immortal, sons of God, sons of the light and of the day, inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, since we carry the kingdom within." (Source: Orthodox Wiki)
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Saint Symeon the New Theologian
(The Orthodox Synaxaristes of the Greek Orthodox Church)
Saint Symeon, our Venerable Father, on account of his superabundant virtue, prudence, understanding, and wisdom, is justly surnamed "New Theologian." He arrived at such a state of lofty moral excellence and Divine illumination that he is has come to be marveled at and loved by all. Saint Symeon followed the command of our Savior: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matthew 22:39; Deuteronomy 6:5), and, "Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:39, Leviticus 19:18). Virtue, an active power characterized by ardor, purity, and righteousness, is potent. Virtue is what is needed for one to kindle the flame of Divine love, so that the soul is all afire and the mind advances from earth and ascends to the heavens. It energizes one that one is entirely divine by grace. With all his heart, Symeon loved virtue and exerted himself to make it active in his life. It is blessed to recount the superior valorous acts and merits of this Saint, but let us first commence with his life by furnishing information about his home, people, and upbringing. We shall see to what heights he attained, by God's grace working with Saint Symeon's toils and labors, that were wrought by much perspiration.
The Saint, as a tree thriving in full bloom, flourished during the 10th Century. He originated from the land of the Paphlagonians, and hailed from the village of Galatee. His parents were noble, wellborn, and affluent. His father was Basil, and his mother was Theophano. Symeon was but a lad when his parents sent him to a kinsman in Constantinople, to further his education and opportunities for advancement. His relatives were notable and influential. The youth was received into their home gladly. Symeon's uncle saw in the youth one distinguished by a beauty and an elegance not common. They arranged for him to have a tutor, by which he continued his education. Since, from his earliest years, the lad was sensible and discerning, he loathed disorderly pastimes of other children. He applied himself as much as possible to his studies and learning his lessons. The result of his perseverance and diligence was the elevation of the little scholar's knowledge. At length, he became exceptional in the art of calligraphy, as can be seen in the books which he had penned. He preferred occupying himself with knowing his letters and grammar. As for the rest of the curriculum, his interest flagged. From the study of profane knowledge, he perceived its injurious effect on moral from the conduct of his fellow pupils.
The Hymns of Divine Love, written in poetic form with poetic meter and rhyme, were finished and edited by him from 1009 until his repose. He was enjoined to keep to eight, twelve, and fifteen syllables to a line. The hymns bring into an orbit of mystical prayer, into an inner world filled with beauty and mystery. He also speaks of repentance, similarly to what is seen in his discourses.
As for the hymns and divine office that Father Symeon composed in honor of his spiritual father, the Studite, these have been lost to us, as well as man of his letters and polemical works. He managed to publish most of his works and have them edited by his disciple, Niketas Stethatos.
Let us now return to other events in the Saint's life. He received the gift of prophecy, that is, he foreknew and foretold the future. Many can testify to this gift of the Spirit, which was possessed by the man of God. He predicted ten years in advance what would befall the glorious protonotarios of the dromos, John, and another member of his family. But now is the time for us to narrow some of the miracles and wonder-workings of Saint Symeon, which energized in him through God. After this accounting, we shall conclude with the blessed repose of the Saint. The Saint was very approachable, and not at all austere in appearance. In imitation of Christ, he let everyone draw near to him, of all ages and genders. He walked slowly and peacefully, usually leaning on his staff.
The Egoumenisa (Abbess) of Vardaine narrated the following miracle (wonder or Gk. thavma), which Saint Symeon performed on her behalf. "There was an occasion,' she began, "when I succumbed to a higher fever. My inward parts were burning, so that my body was melting away as wax before the fire. Since I endured this fever for many days and was unable to eat anything, the physician forsook me and said that it was impossible for me to be healed. I was confined to mu bed and at the last gasp. My mother, seeing my death-struggle, took me in her arms and wept bitterly. While I was in such a state of misery, then--behold the miracle!--I suddenly beheld the blessed Symeon Evlavees. They appeared in such great glory as they approached me. The holy Symeon drew near to me and said, 'Rejoice, milady Anna! What has befallen thee that thou sufferest and reclinest without moving? Thou hast not eaten. Why dost thou not speak to thy mother or to us, thy friends?' I then, just as the hearing of his voice, came to myself, I recognized him and said with a thin voice, 'I am dying, most honorable father.' Then Saint Symeon Evlavees turned to his disciple and said, 'Take her, milord Symeon, by the hand. Raise her up and give her something to eat.' After Father Symeon took me by my hand, it seemed to me that he was asking my mother for food. She brought something and he began feeding me. Immediately, as soon as he had taken the food into his hand and gave it to me to eat. I was strengthened. I rose up from my bed, I, then, recounted to my mother the vision that I was vouchsafed to behold. I, then, had an appetite and ate. I was completely healed from that moment." This miracle was one of numerous miracles conducted by Saint Symeon the Theologian.
(To be continued)
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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 (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George
Purification of the Heart
"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).
Then the Apostle Paul speaks about the sorrows that the Corinthians had to endure. This is very useful for us to hear today, because thereby we see that the first Christians also faced life's hardships, temptations, and sins, that their life was not angelic. However, it is important that they perceived them through a spiritual prism: through repentance, through the labor of self-correction.
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.
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PURIFICATION OF THE HEART
By Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol, Cyprus
"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).
Then the Apostle Paul speaks about the sorrows that the Corinthians had to endure. This is very useful for us to hear today, because thereby we see that the first Christians also faced life's hardships, temptations, and sins, that their life was not angelic. However, it is important that they perceived them through a spiritual prism: through repentance, through the labor of self-correction.
In the previous chapter, the Apostle Paul says that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that God lives in man. As our body is such a sanctuary, we must take care not to pollute the temple of God, as, for example, we treat any church building: We consider it a sacred place, and we do not even think of committing any vile act there. It should be the same with our body, our soul, and our entire existence which is the temple of God. "For you are the temple of the living God" (1 Corinthians 6:16), says the holy Apostle. The Lord calls us to reject sin, evil, and every temptation, to truly become the people of God, so "The Lord Almighty would become our Father, and we His sons and daughters" (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:18).
Thus, the beginning of the seventh chapter says: "Having therefore these promises..." He Who promises is the Lord Himself. He promises that He will be our Father, and we His children when we renounce sin an everything that contaminates our existence. And if God promises something, He never lies. The Lord's promises are fulfilled; He is unlike us, who usually promise the moon and then cannot fulfill even half of it. Thus, the spiritual struggle we perform has the prospect of eternal life.
Receiving a promise from the Lord, we cannot always fully comprehend it. Usually we expect something from God that fits into the framework of our perception and understanding. However, everything that we receive from God is in reality much larger and broader that we can imagine. The promises of God work as a counterbalance. On one side of the scale: the weight of our spiritual labors, patience, expectation--everybody has something; and on the other side: the promises of God. The result is not just a balance, but the promises of God neutralize these hardships of our lives. The Lord is incomprehensible. It is impossible to truly understand and embrace anything that we receive from God. The Lord is rich. He is not like us, who have our own measures, our own limitations. God is generous in mercy; the love of God is boundless, and no single creature can fully contain it. A man who feels the love of God struggles to describe it, because it is indescribable.
The holy Apostles and the holy Fathers always tell us that if we endure a certain trial for the sake of the love of Christ, then we should understand that the reward of Christ will be much greater. We should strive to receive this reward from the Lord and have eternal communion with Him. Yes, perhaps it may look self-serving that we are thirsting for a reward, but we are weak people after all, and we simply need to see the prospect of our actions--such is our nature.
The prospect of eternal life is the promise given us by God. Therefore, when difficult times come in our lives, we need to remember the promises of God; we have to reflect upon our ascent to the Heavenly Kingdom, that our life does not end with the passing of these few years that we are allotted to live here on Earth, but our life will continue in the Eternal Kingdom. Thus, we will be able to overcome any difficulty we face, whether on a personal level, a social level, or a global level, as, for example, the danger from the encroachment of enemies on our security and peace of mind. Of course, we are people, and it is intrinsic within us to worry for our lives. But who can guarantee our safety? Who can tell us with certainty that we will not catch the coronavirus? Only God can give this world security.
When a person gives his life over to God and says, "God's will be done in all things," then he truly begins to feel peace of soul. This is what our ancestors said, and they were peaceful people. They always said: "The Lord's will be done," and believed what they said. At the same time, they were ready to endure whatever happened in their lives, having faith that the Lord sees our entire life. And even if death comes, that is, the worst thing that can happen to a person, then it is not so terrible, because Christ has overcome it.
We experience the victory of Christ over death every day in the Church. Death is destroyed through the death of Jesus Christ. And if we have hope in the Resurrected Lord, then we overcome death, corruption, fears, insecurity, etc. Christ promised to ever be with us. He asks but one thing of us--to cleanse ourselves from sin. How can we do this?
Our cleansing, of course, is accomplished through ascetic and spiritual struggles that we all must perform: the struggle of purification from the passions, the struggle of fasting, prayer, spiritual reading, confession, participating in the Church Mysteries (Sacraments), alms (charity), through any spiritual labor within the power of any individual person. By our fallen nature, we all have our own weaknesses, and we cannot overcome all of our sins. Our salvation does not consist in a sinless experience, but in repentance. We must learn to repent of our sins, to ask forgiveness from God, from people, from ourselves for all those sins and weaknesses we have. Thus, through repentance and prayer we receive the grace of God, and repentance becomes the cause of a man's salvation.
In the end, it is not a sinless life that saves us (none of us lives our entire life without mistakes or without sins). And we will make mistakes and commit sins, all because of our weakness. Engaging in the ascetic struggle of battling with sin, we will realize that we are not able to cope with everything. And it is precisely when we feel our weakness, our inability to cope with sin, that we need to sincerely repent. Repentance is a sign of humility. A humble person is ever repenting, but a proud person--never, because he has a very high idea of himself and does not feel the need to repent before God.
"...There are bodily sins, that is, those committed by the body, which we all know well and with which we fight. But the whole man is saved. For example, we say that we fast, that we abstain from food. Such a bodily fast undoubtedly has a beneficial effect on our soul as well, because man is the unity of soul and body. It is one thing to eat a light soup, and another to eat a shish kebab. There is a difference. In the same way, there is a difference between a man who fasts and a man who does not fast, between a man who is vigilant and prays and a man who sleeps ten hours. Every movement of the soul or body has an effect on the other--for example, remembrance of wrongs, or holding a grudge. It is a spiritual passion, but it also affects our body. Remembrance of wrongs is reflected on the whole body of a man, on his behavior, his appearance. But the appearance of a pure, virtuous person is completely different, his piety is imprinted on his face. Look at the Saints, how beautiful their faces are.
"...If you look at the face of Christians who are spiritually laboring, you will see some special internal peace in them. A proud, cunning, evil, money-loving man has a completely different look. Of course, we should not judge someone by his appearance, but quite often our face broadcasts the whole truth about us.
When man labors spiritually, his whole being is sanctified, both soul and body, because man is a psychosomatic (soul and body) unity. We cannot divide a person and say here is where his soul ends and his body begins. No, take bread for an example. To make bread, you have to mix water and flour and knead the dough. When we have baked the bread, we cannot distinguish the water and the flour anymore. It is already one whole. The same is true of the human body and soul. As long as a man is alive, he is an inseparable unity of soul and body; therefore death is the enemy of mankind, inasmuch as it destroys this unity. The body dies, and the soul departs for where souls live. But Christ will abolish death and man will rise again. Only the body will resurrect because the soul does not die. The body will become incorrupt, like the body of Christ after His Resurrection. Man will regain his psychosomatic unity.
Thus, the pollution of the soul and body is any sin committed by the body or soul. Therefore, let us labor with fear of God for the sanctification of our souls and bodies. Holiness is a spiritual ascetic struggle. Everything that a man thinks he is doing for God, he is actually doing for himself...We labor in order to be with Christ. We strive to purify ourselves in order to become the very place where the Lord can come and abide. We need only to perform all these spiritual and ascetic struggles with fear of God, in order to have inner purity.
What does "with fear of God" mean? We often say this in church, or we say it about someone, that this or that man has the fear of God. We have to understand that this fear of God has nothing in common with our psychological fear, when, for example, we fear dogs, cats, airplanes, the coronavirus. We do not fear like that. When our Church calls, "in the fear of God, with faith, and love draw near..." it does not mean that we should be immediately seized by fear, by worrying, and begin to quake with horror. Instead it means that we feel reverence, holy awe, that is, the feeling that God is Holy, that He is our Father, that He loves us, that He is the most sacred and precious thing in the world. And when a man feels awe, love, and reverence in his heart, all of this together is the fear of God.
The fear of God is essential to building our relationship with God. This is the most important work of our life. How should we build this relationship? Through keeping the Commandments of God, through repentance for our sins and contrition for what we have done, through daily spiritual and ascetic struggle, and through participating in the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church, which are necessary elements of the life in Christ. Of course, all of this should happen with every person to the best of his/her ability. And so, thus laboring in the fear of God, we acquire Divine grace in our hearts." (Source: Orthodox Heritage)
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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 (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George
October 11 - Saint Philip of the Seventy
The holy Apostle Philip was born in Caesarea of Palestine. He was married and had four daughters who prophesied. Later, he was chosen to be a Deacon by the holy Apostles and was ordained together with the holy Protomartyr (First Christian Martyr), the Archdeacon Stefanos (Stephen). He served the saints (Christian believers) with much fervor and cared for the poor and the widows. After the slaying of Saint Stefanos, there was a persecution against the Church at Jerusalem, and all were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Twelve Holy Apostles. Then Saint Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ, and the people with one accord gave heed to those things which he spoke (Acts, Ch. 8).
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.
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ON OCTOBER 11th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE HOLY APOSTLE PHILIP, WHO WAS ONE OF THE SEVEN DEACONS AND LATER BISHOP OF TRALLES
The holy Apostle Philip was born in Caesarea of Palestine. He was married and had four daughters who prophesied. Later, he was chosen to be a Deacon by the holy Apostles and was ordained together with the holy Protomartyr (First Christian Martyr), the Archdeacon Stefanos (Stephen). He served the saints (Christian believers) with much fervor and cared for the poor and the widows. After the slaying of Saint Stefanos, there was a persecution against the Church at Jerusalem, and all were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Twelve Holy Apostles. Then Saint Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ, and the people with one accord gave heed to those things which he spoke (Acts, Ch. 8). He confirmed his preaching with numerous miracles, healing every illness and compelling evil spirits to come out crying with a loud voice from the men possessed by them. There was great joy in that city inasmuch as Philip healed not only the bodily infirmities but also the souls of those who received his preaching and believed in the True Messiah. Now there lived there a renowned wizard named Simon, who astonished the whole of Samaria with his sorcery and was regarded by all as a great miracle-worker. When this man saw the miracles worked by the hands of Saint Philip, which were greater than those he accomplished through his sorcery, and heard the Saint's proclamation of the Kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, he also believed and was baptized with the others.
Once, an Angel of the Lord appeared to Saint Philip and commanded him to arise and to go toward the south along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. While travelling, Saint Philip saw a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of Candice, Queen of the Ethiopians, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. He was returning to Gaza and sitting in his chariot, reading the books of the Prophets. The man the holy Apostle instructed in the faith which is in our Lord Jesus Christ, and he baptized him along the way.
After he had baptized the eunuch, Saint Philip was caught up by an Angel and taken to Azotus, and passing through he preached the word of God in that region. Then he went to Caesarea, where his house was, and he lived for a time there with his four virgin daughters who prophesied. Later he returned to Jerusalem, was consecrated to the episcopacy by the holy Apostles, and was sent to Tralles in Asia Minor to preach. There he worked numerous miracles and converted many to Christ, baptizing those who believed, and in deep old age he departed unto the Lord. (Source: The Great Collection of The Lives of the Saints)
Acts, Chapter 8:26-40
"Meanwhile, Philip was commanded by an angel of the Lord, Rise up, and go south to meet the road which leads from Jerusalem to Gaza, out in the desert. So he rose up and went; and found there an Ethiopian. This man was a eunuch, a courtier of Candace, queen of Ethiopia, and had charge of all her wealth; he had been up worship at Jerusalem, and was now on his way home, driving along in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaias. The Spirit said to Philip, Go up that chariot and keep close by it. And Philip, as her ran up, heard him reading the prophet Isaias, and asked, Canst thou understand what thou art reading? How could I, said he, without someone to guide me? And he entreated Philip to come up and sit beside him. The passage of scripture which he was reading was this; He was led away like a sheep to be slaughtered; like a lamb that is dumb before its shearer, he would not open his mouth. He was brought low, and all his rights taken away; who shall tell the story of his age? His life is being cut off from the earth. And the eunuch turned to Philip, and said, Tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? Himself, or some other man? Then Philip began speaking, and preached to him about Jesus, taking this passage as his theme. As they went on their way, they came on a piece of water, and the eunuch said, See, there is water here; why may I not be baptized? Philip said, If thou dost believe with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered, I believe that Jesus Christ, is the Son of God. So he had the chariot stopped, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him there. But when they came up from the water, Philip was carried off by the spirit of the Lord, and the eunuch did not see him any longer; he went on his way rejoicing. As for Philip, he was next heard of at Azotus; and from there he went preaching all round the villages, until he reached Caesarea."
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ON OCTOBER 11th OUR WE COMMEMORATE THE SEVENTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
The Seventh Ecumenical Council (the second of Nicaea): Called in 787 A.D. over the Iconoclast heresy: under Saint Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, Adrian, Pope of Rome, Emperor Constantine and Empress Irene, number of holy Fathers: 367.
Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm was one of the most powerful and prolonged heretical movements. The Iconoclast heresy began in the first half of the Seventh Century and continued to disturb the Church for more than 100 years. Directed against the veneration of icons, it touched also on other aspects of the faith and Church order (for example, the veneration of the Saints). The seriousness of this heresy was increased by the fact that a whole series of Byzantine emperors acted energetically in its favor for reasons of internal and external politics; these emperors were also hostilely disposed to monasticism. The heresy was condemned at the Seventh Ecumenical Council (Synod) in 787 A.D., and the final triumph of Orthodox Christianity occurred in 842 A.D. under Saint Methodius, Patriarch of Constantinople; at that time there was established the feast of the "Triumph of Orthodoxy," while is observed by the Church up to now (one the First Sunday of Holy and Great Lent).
Protestantism is very clearly iconoclastic and very much against the use of holy icons and of the holy relics of the Saints of the Christian Church. Tragically, however, there are some today who call themselves Orthodox Christians who have abandoned the Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church and refuse to venerate the holy icons and even the holy relics. They enter the church for worship and pass by the holy icons in the Narthex without even giving a glance toward them. This attitude is not just now with the pandemic but for years.
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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 (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George