Tradition in the Orthodox Church (Part II)

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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TRADITION IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH (Part II)
By George Bebis, Ph.D.

The teaching or Apostolic Tradition was transmitted from the Holy Apostles themselves to their successors, the bishops and the presbyters, Saint Clement, Bishop of Rome (2nd century A.D.), and probably a Disciple of the Holy Apostles himself, described this historical truth:

"The Apostles preached to us the Gospel received from Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ was God's Ambassador. Christ, in other words, comes with a message from God, and the Apostles with a message from Christ. Both these orderly arrangements, therefore, originate from the will of God. And so after receiving their instructions and being fully assured through the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as confirmed in faith by the word of God, they went forth, equipped with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, to preach the good news that the Kingdom of God was closer at hand. From land to land, accordingly, and from city to city they preached; and from among their earliest converts appointed men whom they had tested by the Spirit to act as bishops and Deacons for the future believers" (Letter to the Corinthians, Ch. 42).

One can clearly see how the message of salvation originated from God the Father was taught by Jesus Christ, witnessed to by the Holy Spirit, preached by the Apostles and was transmitted by them to the Church through the clergy they themselves appointed. This became the "unerring tradition of the Apostolic preaching" as it was expressed by Eusebius of Caesarea, bishop of the 4th century, who is considered the "father" of Church History (Church History, IV, 8).

The Patristic Tradition

From what has been said so far, it can be seen that there is no theological distinction or differences or divisions within the Holy Tradition of the Church. It could be said that Holy Tradition, as a historical event, begins with the Apostolic preaching and is found in Scripture, but it is kept, treasured, interpreted, and explained by the Holy Fathers, the successors of the Apostles. Using the Greek term Pateres tes Ecclesias, the Father of the Church, this "interpretive" part of the Apostolic preaching is called "Patristic Tradition."

The Holy Fathers, men of extraordinary holiness and trusted Orthodoxy in doctrine, enjoyed the acceptance and respect of the universal Church by witnessing the message of the Gospel, living and explaining it to posterity. Thus, Apostolic Preaching or Tradition is organically associated with the Patristic Tradition and vice versa. This point must be stressed since many theologians in the Western churches either distinguish between Apostolic Tradition and Patristic Tradition or completely reject Patristic Tradition.

For the Orthodox Church, there is one Holy Tradition of the Church, incorporating the Holy Scripture and the teaching of the Holy Fathers. This is "the preaching of the truth handed down by the Church in the whole world to Her children" (Saint Irenaeus, Proof of the Apostolic Preaching, 98). Saint Athanasius the Great, "Pillar of Orthodoxy", who was bishop of Alexandria during the 4th century, gives the most appropriate definition of the Church's Tradition:

"Let us look at the very tradition, teaching, and faith of the catholic Church from the very beginning, which the Logos/Word gave (edoken), the Apostles preached (ekeryxan), and the Fathers preserved (ephylaxan). Upon this the Church is founded (tethemeliotai)." (Saint Athanasius, First Letter to Serapion, 28).

In retrospect, Holy Tradition is founded upon the Holy Trinity, it constantly proclaims the Gospel of Christ, it is found within the boundaries of the Christian Church, and it is expounded by the Holy Fathers. (Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America)

(To be continued)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostomos 

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

Tradition in the Orthodox Church

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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TRADITION IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
By George Bebis, Ph.D.

Terminology and Meaning

The term "tradition" comes from the Latin traditio, but the Greek term is parasosis and the verb is paradido. It means giving, offering, delivering, performing charity. In theological terms, it means any teaching or practice which has been transmitted from generation to generation throughout the life of the Church. More exactly, paradosis is the very life of the Holy Trinity as it has been revealed by Christ Himself and testified by the Holy Spirit.

The roots and the foundations of this Sacred Tradition can be found in the Holy Scripture. For it is only in the Holy Scripture that we can see the life the presence of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Saint John the Evangelist speaks about the manifestation of the Holy Trinity:

"For the Life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us" (1 John 1:2).

The essence of Christian tradition is described by Saint Paul, who writes:

"But now in Christ Jesus, you that used to be so far apart from us have been brought very close, by the blood of Christ. For He is peace between us and has made the two into one and broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart, actually destroying in His own person the hostility caused by the rules and decrees of the Law. This was to create one single man in Himself out of the two of them and by restoring peace through the Cross, to unite them both in a single body and reconcile them with God. In His own person He killed the hostility. Through Him, both of us have in one Spirit our way to come to the Father" (Ephesians 2:13-14).

He also makes clear that this Trinitarian doctrine must be accepted by all Christians:

"If any man preach any other gospel to you than you have received (parelavete) let him be condemned" (Galatians 1:8-9).

Speaking about the Holy Eucharist, which is manifestation of the Holy Trinity, he writes:

"For I have received (parelavon) of the Lord that which I also delivered to you" (1 Corinthians 11:23).

The sole source and cause and principle of the Trinitarian unity is the Father Himself (Ephesians 4:4-6).

The Apostolic Tradition

Theologians call this teaching of the Holy Scripture "the Apostolic Tradition." It encompasses what the Apostles lived, saw, witnessed, and later recorded in the books of the New Testament. The bishops and presbyters whom the Apostles appointed as their successors, followed their teaching to the letter. Those who deviated from this Apostolic teaching were cut off from the Church. They were considered heretics and schismatics, for they believed differently from the Apostles and their successors, thus separating themselves from the Church. This brings into focus the Church as the center of unity of all Christians. This is the Ecclesiastical or Ecclesiological characteristic of Holy Tradition. The Church is the image and reflection of the Holy Trinity since the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity live, dwell, and act in the Church. The Father offers His love, the Son offers His obedience, the Holy Spirit His comfort. Only in the historical Church can we see, feel, and live the presence of the Holy Trinity in the world. In describing this reality Saint Paul writes:

"So He came and proclaimed the good news: peace to you who were far off, and peace to those who were nearby; for through Him we both alike have access to the Father in the one Spirit. Thus you are no longer aliens in a foreign land, but fellow-citizens with God's people, members of God's household. You are built upon the foundation laid by the Apostles and Prophets, and Christ Jesus Himself is the cornerstone. In Him, the whole building is bonded together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him, you too are being built with all the rest into a spiritual dwelling of God" (Ephesians 2:17-22).

The Church was established as a historical reality on the day of Pentecost, with the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles (see Acts 2:1-4).

Only in this Church, where the Holy Trinity lives and acts constantly could the teaching of Christ, the very revelation of truth, as received and transmitted by the Apostles, abide and be sustained. Thus Truth in its fullness does not exist outside the Church, for there is neither scripture nor tradition. This is why Saint Paul admonishes the Galatians that even if an angel from heaven preaches another gospel to them, he must be condemned:

"If any man preach any other gospel to you than that you have received (parelavete) let him be condemned" (1:8-9).

And he writes to his disciple Timothy to follow strictly the "precepts of our faith" and the "sound instructions" he received from him and avoid "godless myths" (1 Timothy 4:4-7). He also admonishes the Colossians to avoid "merely human injunctions and teachings" (2:22), and to follow Christ:

"Therefore, since Jesus was delivered to you as Christ and Lord, live your lives in union with Him. Be rooted in Him: be consolidated in the faith you were taught; let your hearts overflow with thankfulness. Be on your guard; do not let your minds be captured by hollow and delusive speculations, based on traditions of man-made teaching and centered on the elemental spirits of the universe and not on Christ. For it is in Christ that the complete being of the Godhead dwells embodied and in Him you have been brought to completion" (Colossians 2:6-8). (Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America)

(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

$tewardship or Stewardship

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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$TEWARDSHIP OR STEWARDSHIP?

A Reflection on Orthodox Christian Stewardship by Father Harry Pappas

Unfortunately, when most of us hear or read the word "Stewardship," we instinctively think of it spelled as "$tewardship," a code word for giving money to the church. It may be politely asked for. It may be clothed in pious language. It may be linked to giving of time and talents. But, in the end, stewardship still means, for most of us: "I must give some of my money so that we can operate the church."

However, we may have not yet learned to spell this keyword as "Stewardship." The Holy Bible from beginning to end identifies what we now call stewardship as a way of life centered on God. And for Christians, this means discipleship centered on Jesus Christ as Crucified and Risen Lord. The Cross thus dramatically signifies both our identity as disciples of Christ and our calling to a life of sacrificial giving directed toward God, others, and all creation.

Many people know how to raise money. There are professional experts who work full time. There are more opinions and ideas than parishes know what to do with. And, in fact, raising funds has become a favorite American pastime for public and private schools, political parties, charitable organizations, and legions of athletic and recreational activities. Who needs another fund-raising campaign when we are already inundated with them!

But while there are legions of experts, opinions, and efforts, how many of us are genuinely committed to Christ and the Church and have learned the sound teaching about stewardship based upon Holy Scripture?

In the Old Testament, our Hebrew ancestors based their very existence upon what God had first done for them: through the promises given to the Patriarch Abraham, the Sacred Covenant at Sinai given through Moses, and Messianic Kingship through David the King and Prophet. Since God was their Creator, Savior, and King, ancient Israel worshipped Him regularly and on special feast days. They considered the very land upon which they lived as a precious gift from God, and not the result of their own hard work or of their pious virtue. This meant that all products of their livelihood ultimately belonged to God. The Biblical tithe (10%) meant that the first and best portion of these material assets were to be returned to God for support of the sanctuary or temple, the ordained ministers, and various human needs (including charity). The rest (90%) was not to be used as each person decided, but rather according to the will of God through each person's family, home, and vocation. Further, as emphasized by the Prophets like Amos and Isaiah, the people of God were to seek justice, and righteousness in all their relationships--through business, commerce, legal courts, government, and society. In particular, ancient Israel was to protect, support, and advocate for the poor, oppressed, and weakest members of society.

In the New Testament (Covenant), Jesus Christ affirmed this Old Testament stewardship as a way of life-based upon God's gracious salvation and his natural gifts through creation. He clearly approved of worship, of tithing, of seeking justice and righteousness in all human relationships, and of service especially to the poor, oppressed, and needy. However, Jesus went way beyond these in offering Himself as a perfect steward of God's gracious gifts by His voluntary suffering and death on a cross. In this event, He exemplified that True Sacrifice for the sake of others has absolutely no limits. The one who truly loves God and passionately seeks the Truth is called to die to self, take up the cross of unjust suffering, and be prepared to live and even die for others, especially those who are hardened in sin and blinded by ingratitude.

In the Church, everyone is called to be a disciple of Christ. This involves conversation -- an inward turning of mind and heart toward Christ -- and a conscious and deliberate commitment to follow the lord, no matter what the cost. And True Christian stewardship springs very naturally from such faith and obedience, since it recognizes God as the original of life, the giver of salvation, and the source of all blessings, visible and invisible. The deeper the conversion and commitment to Christ, the deeper the thanksgiving for these spiritual and material gifts that we received, and the greater the readiness to use them to show our love for God and those around us.

Jesus Christ sets the true standard of Christian stewardship by which we can measure ourselves. Our stewardship of the good news of salvation should be shown in the following ways:

• Creation - joyful appreciation for the wonder and beauty of nature; protection and preservation of the environment; bringing the gifts of creation to the church for blessing (altar bread, wine, fruits, oil, incense, etc.), respect for and protection of the sanctity of human life from conception to death.

• Vocation - fulfillment of our God-given calling in life as married or single people, adult or child, working or retired, clergy or laity, to extend the love and truth of God in Christ to those around us.

• Church - becoming active participants in working out our salvation as members of the Orthodox Church through the Christian nurture of children, regular worship and fellowship; spiritual formation through on-going education; service to one another and to the poor, sick, and needy; cooperating to make our parish a vibrant source of faith and work; and supporting Metropolitan, Archdiocesan, and International Ministries that link us to the worldwide Church.

In a culture that frequently encourages us to focus on ourselves, Jesus Christ challenges us to reorient our priorities according to the Kingdom of God breaking into this world. The antidote to greed and selfishness, even when it is masked by religious piety, is genuine repentance and conversion toward Christian Stewardship as a new way of living. And what joy there is now for those who turn toward God, learning, and living as stewards of the manifold grace that has been offered to us through Christ in the Church! (Department of Stewardship and Pastoral Resources of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America)

I thank you all on behalf of the parish council for your sincere love, commitment, and support to our Saint Andrew parish. May God always bestow His Divine blessings upon all of you and your families.

In His Divine and Loving Service,

+Father George

Resentment and Forgiveness (Part V)

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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RESENTMENT AND FORGIVENESS (Part V)
By Hieromonk Damascene

The Law of Forgiveness

Our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a spiritual law: "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (St. Matthew 6:14-15).

Elder (Geronda) Sampson affirms that this Divine Law is absolute: "No virtue," he says "can atone for the lack of forgiveness. No ascetic undertaking, no almsgiving (charity) can atone for the refusal to forgive."

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (St. Matthew 6:12). That is the only condition for being heard by God, for salvation. You cannot buy off God with formalities. The Law of God is an absolute law! That is why it is so painful and difficult for us when we meet soul which are not Christian, that is, souls which have no intention, or even the desire, to forgive.

In the Lives of the Saints, there are many accounts which show that Christ's Law regarding forgiveness is truly absolute. For example, in the Spiritual Meadow we read the account of the Desert Father, Abba (Father) Isaac:

"Once," says Abba (Father) Isaac, "a demon approached me in the form of a youth. 'You are mine," the demon said. I asked him how he could say that. 'Because three Sundays running you have received Holy Communion while being at daggers-drawn with your neighbors,' he said. I told him he was lying. But he said, 'Are you not harboring a grudge against him because of a plate of lentils? I am the one who is in charge of grudges, and, from now on, you are mine.' When I heard that, I left my cell, went to the brother and prostrated myself before him in order to be reconciled with him. When I returned to my cell I found that the demon had burned my mat on which I prostrated myself, because he was so consumed with jealousy for our love."

An even more sobering tale is found in the Russian Lives of Saints for February 27: The Life of Saint Titus of the Kiev Caves, who lived in the 12th century:

In the Russian Monastery of the Kiev Caves there lived a hieromonk by the name of Titus. He and the deacon Evagrius loved each other very much and got along very well. Everyone marveled at their sincere friendship, but the devil then embroiled them so badly that they could not stand each other. When one of them was censing the church, the other one ran away from the incense; and even if he could not escape in time, the first one did not cense him. A long time passed and they lived constantly in this sinful darkness, and thus irreconciled they dared to take Hoy Communion. The brothers pleaded with them to make peace, but they would not hear of it.

It was God's Providence that the priest Titus should fall fatally ill. He then began to cry bitterly for his sin and sent people to ask the deacon Evagrius for forgiveness on his behalf. The deacon not only did not forgive him, but he cursed him with bitter words. The brothers, when they saw that Titus was already in agony, brought Evagrius by force to reconcile them. The sick man stood up with great difficulty, fell as the feet of the deacon, and begged him with tears in his eyes, 'Forgive me, Father!' But Evagrius callously turned his face away from him and said, "I do not want to forgive him, either here or in the life to come!" As he said these words, he tore himself from the hands of the brothers and fell to the ground. They wanted to lift him up, but they found him dead. At the same time, the blessed Titus was immediately healed. Everyone was terrified by the occurrence and began asking Titus what it meant. Then he told them what he had seen with his spiritual eyes: "When I was ill and I did not give up my anger towards my brother, I saw that the Angels were withdrawing from me and were crying over the death of my soul and that the demons were rejoicing at my anger. That is why I asked you to go to the brother and implore him for his forgiveness for me. When you brought him to me, and I bowed before him and he turned away from me, I saw an Angel who was holding a fiery spear and who struck the unforgiving one with it. Immediately, he fell dead. But to me the same Angel gave his hand and helped me up, and here I am healthy again."

In the book Strife and Reconciliation, Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksieve comments on this story:

"How often in life it happens that embittered and irreconciled Christians suddenly leave this world and set out for the Kingdom of Eternity with anger in their souls! What pardon can they expect from God if they themselves have not forgiven those who have sinned against them? It is terrible to live irreconciled, but it is even worse to die irreconciled! Bitterness and strife make the soul unfit to bear Divine Grace, and thus they destroy it...

Offenses as Blessings

If looked at in the right way, the offenses that come to us are actually blessings in disguise. They offer us an opportunity to forgive and thus receive God's blessings and Grace. As Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov affirms, "All the sorrows and sufferings caused us by other people never come to us except with God's permission for our essential good. If these sorrows and troubles were not absolutely necessary for us, God would never allow them. They are indispensable, in order that we may have occasion to forgive our neighbors and so receive forgiveness for our own sins...Let us force our heart to accept from our neighbor all kinds of offenses and injuries that they may inflict upon us, so as to receive forgiveness for our countless sins."

When we forgive, then our hearts, once darkened and weighed down by the sin of resentment, are made light and free. We receive the ability to attain true, pure prayer, undistracted by any cares or anxieties about ourselves, or by any fears and apprehensions. We live in simplicity of heart, free from care, for, as the Holy Scripture says, "perfect love casts out fear" (I John 4:18). This simplicity, this peace and lightness, is a foretaste of the heavenly blessedness that awaits all those who follow the commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ:  "forgive."

I would like to conclude now with a poem by Saint Nikolai Velimirovich, entitled "Forgiveness," which well sums up everything that has been said thus far:

That God may forgive us, let us forgive men.

We are all on this earth as temporary guests.

Prolonged fasting and prayer are in vain.

Without forgiveness and true mercy.

God is the True Physician; sins are leprosy.

Whomever God cleanses, God also glorifies.

Every merciful act of men, God rewards with mercy.

He who returns sin with sin perishes without mercy.

Pus is not cleansed by pus from infected wounds,

Neither is the darkness of the dungeon dispelled by darkness,

But pure balm heals the festering wound,

And light disperses the darkness of the dungeon.

To the seriously wounded, mercy is like a balm,

As if seeing a torch dispersing the darkness, everyone rejoices in mercy.

The madman says, "I have no need of mercy!" But when he is overcome by misery, he cries out for mercy!

Men bathe in the mercy of God.

And that mercy of God awakens us to life!

That God may forgive us, let us forgive men,

We are all on this earth as temporary guests.

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

Resentment and Forgiveness (Part IV)

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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RESENTMENT AND FORGIVENESS (Part IV)
By Hieromonk Damascene

Reconciliation Through Self-Accusation

Now we've looked at the sickness--anger and resentment--and we've looked at the cure: forgiveness and the cutting off of angry thoughts by means of watchfulness and prayer. But what if anger and resentment have already poisoned our relationship with someone else? What then are we to do? Both the Gospels and the Holy Fathers of the Church tell us that we are to humble ourselves and seek reconciliation. Christ says: "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder,' and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother will be in danger of the judgment…Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (St. Matthew 5:21-24).

The Holy Fathers of the Church tell us that, in order to be reconciled to someone with whom we are at odds, the first thing we are to do is to accuse ourselves, not the other person. If we do not accuse ourselves, we will never find rest, and we will never make a true and lasting peace with our neighbor. We will always be holding onto our pride. Abba (Father) Dorotheos provides us with a good example of this from his own experience as the Superior of a monastery. He says: "Once there came to me two brothers who were always fighting. The older one was saying about the younger one, 'I arrange for him to do something and he gets distressed, and so I get distressed, thinking that if he had faith and love toward me he would accept what I tell him with complete confidence.' And the younger was saying, 'Forgive me, reverend father, but he does not speak to me with the fear of God, but rather as someone who wants to give orders. I guess this is why my heart does not have full confidence in him, as the Holy Fathers say.' Notice that each blames the other and neither blames himself. Both of them are getting upset with one another, and although they are begging each other's pardon, they both remain unconvinced 'because he does not from his heart show me deference and, therefore, I am not convinced, for the Holy Fathers say that he should.' And the other says, 'Since he will not have complete confidence in my love until I show him deference, I, for my part, do not have complete confidence in him.' My God, do you see how ridiculous this is? Do you see their perverse way of thinking? God knows how sorry I am about this; that we take the sayings of the Holy Fathers to excuse our own will and the destruction of our souls. Each of these brothers had to throw the blame on the other...What they really ought to do is just the opposite. The first ought to say: 'I speak with presumption and therefore God does not give my brother confidence in me.' And the other ought to be thinking: 'My brother gives me commands with humility and love, but I am unruly and have not the fear of God.' Neither of them found that way and blamed himself, but each of them vexed the other.

"Don't you see that this is why we make no progress, why we find we have not been helped toward it? We remain all the time against one another, grinding one another down. Because each considers himself right and excuses himself, all the while keeping none of the Commandments yet expecting his neighbor to keep the lot!"

As the above examples indicate, if we are at odds with another person, we should not wait for the other person to come to us in repentance before we ourselves apologize. If sometimes happens that a person who is older or of a higher rank will think that his inferior should apologize take the first step toward reconciliation, then, by all means, one should first ask for forgiveness. If the younger one does not have the sense to take the first step toward reconciliation, the, by all means, the one who is older or in higher rank should be the first to humble himself. A moving example of such humility is found in the life of Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria, who lived in the 7th century. Once, when Saint John was serving the Divine Liturgy, he suddenly remembered that one of his subordinates from the lower clergy was angry with him for something. Then Saint John, the Patriarch, left the holy throne, called the lower clergyman to himself, and fell at his feet, asking him for forgiveness. The clergyman was disturbed and ashamed by the great humility of the Patriarch, and he fell at the Saint's feet and cried with tears, "Forgive me, Father." In this way, Saint John showed by example that even those with higher status can ask first for forgiveness and that the humility of the greater affects their subordinates very powerfully.

Yet another example of the power of humility and forgiveness comes from the Life of the above-mentioned Greek Geronda (Elder), Father Epiphanios Theodoropoulos:

"Someone thought that the Geronda (Elder) had treated him unjustly. He did not want to accept his explanations for anything. So he went to the Geronda (Elder), full of anger, and showered him with a storm of accusations and curses. As he peeled an apple, the Geronda (Elder) listened to him silently till the end. As soon as the angry one finished cursing, the Geronda offered him a piece, telling him, 'Would you like, my child, a little apple?"

"A second shower of cursing: 'Not from you, hypocrite!"

"The person got up abruptly to leave. Then the Geronda (Elder) stopped him and told him: "I will only tell you one word. Life has many changes. If you ever end up in need and think that I might be able to help you, don't hesitate to knock on my door, fearing that I will remember these things you told me today, I have already forgotten them. Go with God's blessing, my child!"

"Sure enough, a few years later, the person knocked n the Elder's door--a plain shipwreck of life. Not only was he then aided and supported, but, crushed and humble, he also became a frequent visitor of the Elder's confessional."

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(Next: The Law of Forgiveness)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

Resentment and Forgiveness (Part III)

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.

+

RESENTMENT AND FORGIVENESS (Part III)
By Hieromonk Damascene

[A talk delivered at the Annual Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western America.]

On Watchfulness and Prayer

The Holy Scripture and the Holy Fathers of the Church affirm that as we pray for spiritual healing from passions like anger and resentment, we must also practice constant watchfulness or attention over our thoughts. Christ spoke about watchfulness, both directly and in parables. At the conclusion of one such parable, He said: "What I say to you I say to all: watch" (Mark 13:37). Later, as He was going to His final Passion, He told His disciples: "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation" (Mark 14:38).

Watchfulness and prayer are closely connected. Saint Symeon the New Theologian explains this connection as follows: "Watchfulness and prayer should be as closely linked together as the body to the soul, for the one cannot stand without the other. Watchfulness first goes on ahead like a scout and engages sin in combat. Prayer then follows afterward, and instantly destroys and exterminates all the evil thoughts with which watchfulness has already been battling, for attentiveness alone cannot exterminate them."

The evil one wants to trap us. He tempts us with evil thoughts against our brothers and sisters, trying to sow the weeds of judgment and resentment against them, inciting our fallen nature so that we will stay far from our first-created image and be separated from God. We must not take the bait. Whether our anger arises from our own fallen nature or from the suggestions of the Evil One, we need to cut it off at once. And to recognize it at once, we must practice watchfulness over our thoughts.

Saint Theophan the Recluse writes: "The passions and desires rarely attack by themselves--they are most often born of thoughts. From this, we can make a rule cut off thoughts and you will cut off everything.

In the Philokalia, the growth from a thought to a passion is described with scientific precision. First comes the provocation of the thought, then the conjunction of the thought with emotion, then the joining of the will with the thought. If the soul does not pull back at this point, the thought becomes a habit, and the mind is constantly preoccupied with the object of the passionate urge. Finally, the person falls into the captivity of the urge and rushes to satisfy it.

From this, it can be seen why it is so important to cut off angry and judgmental thoughts at the time of their provocation. Saint John Cassian writes: "If we wish to receive the Lord's blessing, we should restrain not only the outward expression of anger but also angry thoughts. More beneficial than controlling our tongue in a moment of anger and refraining from angry words is purifying our heart from rancor and not harboring malicious thoughts against our brethren. The Gospel teaches us to cut off the roots of our sins and not merely their fruits.

Cutting off thoughts does not mean arguing with them or struggling against them. Saint Silouan of Mount Athos affirms: "It is best of all not to argue with thoughts. The spirit that debates with such a thought will be faced with its steady development, and, bemused by the exchange, will be distracted from remembrance of God, which is exactly what the demons are after.

Our struggle should not be against thoughts but toward remembrance of God. It is enough just to observe our thoughts through the practice of watchfulness. We will thereby recognize our angry and judgmental right away. We see them, we know that we don't want them because they separate us from God, and we simply let them go. If we do not align ourselves with the thoughts, they will naturally disappear. The 5th-century Desert Father, Abba (Father) Pimen, says: "If we do not do anything about thoughts (logismoi), in time they are spoiled, that is to say, they disintegrate.

When we ask Christ to have mercy on us, we are also humbling our proud fallen nature. We are admitting that we are not God and that we need God's mercy and forgiveness. In seeking God's forgiveness, we are acknowledging the infirmity of our nature, and this helps us to forgive and have mercy on others who share our fallen, wounded nature.

Since the Jesus Prayer is so short and single-pointed, it lends itself to the practice of watchfulness. We can keep our attention on the words of the Prayer more easily than we can with other prayers. This helps us to learn how to repulse or cut off intrusive thoughts, and to keep our attention raised to God. It helps us to develop the habit of inward attention. At the same time, by means of this Prayer, we are calling down Divine Grace into our hearts, for we are calling upon the Source of Grace, Jesus Christ.

As we seek to forgive people for whom we feel bitterness, we should also call upon the Mother of God to help us forgive. When Elder (Geronda) Sampson was once asked how he was to forgive his executioners and torturers, he said: "One need only pray to the Mother of God (Theotokos) and the offense is taken away. It is taken away if you only ask the Mother of God. It is enough for your heart to have some kind of direct contact with the Mother of God, and that horror, offense, injury, sorrow, and slander will be taken away."

(Next: Reconciliation Through Self-Accusation)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George