The Nameday of our God

Today is the exclusive Nameday of our God. Although there are three Names, for three separate Persons, yet One Nameday, One God, not three Gods.

Christ defined this in a very mysterious paradox way, when instructing the Apostles: «to make disciples by baptising them in the ‘name’ (in Singular, not ‘names’ in Plural, though He lists 3 Names) of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.» This unusual Singular is contrary to the laws of Grammar but also contrary to human logic. Those who stubbornly attempt to analyse God under the prism of human logic, deprive themselves from a spiritual insight, they restrict themselves from an examination of things unseen and exclude themselves from a heavenly awakening: FAITH.

The holy Pentecost (explanation of the Feast)

On the tenth day after the Ascension of Jesus Christ during the Jewish feast of Pentecost, at the third hour, but according to our reckoning at nine o’clock in the morning, when people usually go to the temple both for offering up a sacrifice and prayer [1] all the disciples were assembled in Jerusalem, in the upper room (Acts 1:13), which was «on Mount Zion», «and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,» (as though from an unusually strong wind).»

Actually there was no wind rustling, but the noise was similar as if it were from the strength of a wind, but without the wind.» This noise «filled the whole house where they were sitting», – not only of the apostles, but, according to the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, even other believers in Christ (Acts 1:16).

Orthodox Christianity and the Idea of Homosexual Marriage

By Fr. Chrysostom MacDonnell
Priest of St. Dunstan’s Antiochian Orthodox Church, Poole-Bournemouth

In the film, Monty Python’s The Life of Brian, there is a scene where a group of revolutionaries are discussing tactics. One of them, played by Michael Palin, suddenly announces that he wants to be a woman from now on and have babies. After a certain puzzlement, the group decides that, although he can’t actually have babies, they agree that he has the right to have babies. Perfectly in line with the post-modern culture of rights, even outside the bounds of nature, this satire seems to mirror recent events in the Swedish Lutheran Church.

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The holy Pentecost (explanation of the Feast)

On the tenth day after the Ascension of Jesus Christ during the Jewish feast of Pentecost, at the third hour, but according to our reckoning at nine o’clock in the morning, when people usually go to the temple both for offering up a sacrifice and prayer [1] all the disciples were assembled in Jerusalem, in the upper room (Acts 1:13), which was «on Mount Zion», «and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,» (as though from an unusually strong wind).»

Actually there was no wind rustling, but the noise was similar as if it were from the strength of a wind, but without the wind.» This noise «filled the whole house where they were sitting», – not only of the apostles, but, according to the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, even other believers in Christ (Acts 1:16).

The Struggle for True Communion

For many Protestants (and some others) whose Church experience has largely been shaped in the past few decades, one of the most disconcerting aspects of a first visit to an Orthodox Church is the fact that not everybody, not all Baptized Christians, are permitted to receive communion. Indeed, communion is restricted to Orthodox Christians who have made preparation to receive (that’s another topic). For some, this is a surprise, for others, not, and for still some few, this is a welcome fact. When I first visited an Orthodox Church I fell into this last group. I did not rejoice that I was not able to take communion, but I rejoiced that I was not allowed to (in the state of schism in which I was living). Someone was saying to me, “There are things in your Christian life that must be addressed before you approach the Cup.” I understood this as healthy.

A task that we as Orthodox Christians have…

The first and most important thing to remember is that we do not bring anyone into the Church – its not our job. We do not attract people to the faith, we do not convince people of the Truth, we don’t do any of that. God is the One Who attracts people, Who brings them in the door, Who convicts their hearts, Who brings them to repentance, Who convinces them of the Truth!

We do none of this.

Too often the individual person is made responsible for doing God’s task, but in attempting to do God’s work, he neglects his own!! What is our task? Our task is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit (St. Seraphim), our task is the working out of our salvation, our task is to repent and weep for our sins, our task is to enter the Kingdom of God. This more than anything else is what we must do. This is an evangelistic task – indeed the primary evangelistic task.

There are other «tasks», however, which derive from this one which are a bit more specific to «evangelism». It is God who brings people to the door of the Church and who convinces them that they should enter – however, we must keep the door to the Church open and visible!!!

«Satan, the Great Deceiver»

God will judge The Prince of evil on the last day - The Day of Judgment

«Satan can only deceive he cannot pluck us out of the hand of God»

Deceive – to mislead by a false appearance or statement

By Fr. Timothy Evangelinidis

When I was much younger and attending university in my home-town of Sydney (in those days a much smaller and less busy place), I was allocated a particular lecturer who prided himself on being an atheist. «Religion is something for weak people, those who cannot think or live for themselves». Arriving at his first lecture this man proudly announced that with a few premises, sub-conclusions and a watertight conclusion, he would prove beyond any doubt that God did not exist. It went something like this:

God’s Angels and the Devil’s demons

Angels and Demons

God sent us angels to be our traveling companions and our guides in this life, to guard us and protect us from all evil. They are also our most faithful allies in our struggle against the forces of evil.

Orthodoxy and the Environment: A Life of Wonder

«For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.»

(Romans 8:22)

In a recent talk on salvation, Bishop Kallistos Ware spoke of four aspects of salvation: personal, organic, communal, and cosmic. In speaking of the cosmic dimension of salvation he quoted from a prayer at the time of earthquakes: «The earth, although without words, yet groans and cries aloud, ‘Why all you people, do you pollute me with so many evils?'» His Grace went on to give a definition of man as «the one who can give thanks.» A Christian is a person who gives thanks, whose mode of being is that of being thankful. It is this attitude of thankfulness that enables us to be transformed from a polluter of the earth to one who takes care of the earth. It is not possible for one with a eucharistic attitude to treat poorly the gifts one has been given.

Orthodox Man as the Image of God

All too often do we as creatures of the Almighty forget that in each of us, no matter how spiritually depraved or perverted, is the ever present image of God. In some of us its very brilliance overshadows everything that we come in contact with and thus brings admiration and greater glory for God. On the other hand, there are those of us who live as though our existence depended only on our own initiative void of any spiritual power and thus denying the deity within us. Nevertheless, whether we recognize the fact or not. God’s image pervades our natures from the very moment of our conception.

What Is the Mark of the True Christian?

by St. Anastasius the Sinaite

St. Anastasius was a priest and abbot of Mt. Sinai. His zeal for true faith led him to travel through Egypt, Arabia, and Syria to combat the errors of the Acephalites and Eutychians. His writings show not only a thorough command of Holy Scripture and a wide knowledge of the writing of the Church Fathers and other Christian writers, but also classical erudition and a solid grounding in Aristotelian philosophy. Of his prolific output the most important works are Guide Against the Acephalites and Answers to Questions. It is from the latter that the present passage is translated. St. Anastasius died in great old age in 686. [1]

In a Single Moment – Paradise

April 11, 2010 by father stephen

Pascha and Bright Week always remind me of the joy of paradise. The doors of the altar stand open for all of Bright Week, reminding the people of God that Christ has opened paradise to us all. These are some thoughts on the suddenness and nearness of paradise. As the Elder Cleopas used to say, “May Paradise consume you!”

The Exapostelarian for the Matins of Good Friday is the hymn, “The Wise Thief.” It draws our attention to the mercy of God – who promised paradise to the wise thief, “This day.” Thoughts on the nearness of paradise are also a theme in the writings of Dostoevsky. If paradise is so near – why do we settle for less?

The Icon of the Mystical Supper

Christ is the central figure at the table. Saint John the Beloved [Evangelist, Theologian] is seated at Christ’s right; as the youngest of the disciples he is depicted as beardless. Judas Iscariot the Betrayer is the third figure from Christ’s left; he is depicted dipping into the dish (Matthew 26:20-25). Saint John the Beloved receives in his left hand a piece of the Body of Christ; another morsel is on the table before Christ. The chalice containing the Precious Blood of Christ is in His Left hand.

Great and Holy Thursday:The Institution of the Eucharist

On Thursday of Holy Week four events are commemorated: the washing of the disciples’ feet, the institution of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, the agony in the garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal of Christ by Judas.

The Institution of the Eucharist

At the Mystical Supper in the Upper Room Jesus gave a radically new meaning to the food and drink of the sacred meal. He identified Himself with the bread and wine: «Take, eat; this is my Body. Drink of it all of you; for this is my Blood of the New Covenant» (Matthew 26:26-28).

Jesus and the Donkey…

What exactly is the meaning of Palm Sunday? We know the simple facts: Jesus arrived in Jerusalem and asked his disciples to bring him a foal, the colt of a donkey to ride upon into the gates of . As Jesus entered the city the crowds began shouting, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” and waved palm branches and spread out their coats on the streets. But this story is quite rich with symbolism and points to something much deeper.

First of all, the waving of palms and laying down of coats by the people was no accident or coincidence. Palms were signs of victory and of military achievement. The Romans gave palms to the victors in the Roman games and emperors gave them to their subjects following thier military conquests. The Jewish people had picked up on this and in 1 Maccabees the people waved palm branches to celebrate the newly established independence of Jerusalem and Judea.

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Mid-Lent: The Worship of the Cross… A Weapon of Victory!!

The Adoration of the Cross. Etching by Wenzel Hollar (1607–1677).

Archbishop Dimitri of Dallas and the South

«And he said unto them: Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his own soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.» (Mark 8:34-38. From the reading for the Sunday of the Cross.)

This, the Third Sunday of the Fast is dedicated every year to the Adoration of the Holy Cross. As the Cross is at the center of our Faith, it seemed natural to the Church over the course of history, to place this «weapon of victory» in the midst of the assembly mid-way through the most spiritually intense season of the year. Gazing and meditating upon it, the faithful, who have chosen the way of the Cross as the way that leads to life, are renewed and strengthened for what remains of their Lenten pilgrimage to Pascha.

All Things are Possible to Him who Believes

If we consult a Bible concordance for the words «belief» and «faith», we find many pages of Biblical references. So very much has been said in the Scriptures and by the Fathers, yet these words are still misused and misunderstood. In the Western Churches, debates on «faith alone», or «faith and works», have caused division and strife. Today, in our consumer-oriented society, as we look at the Scriptures, we tend to want to know what is promised, what we deserve, and what we can get from our faith and belief. Certainly, «all things are possible to him who believes»; but only from searching the whole of the Scriptures and the mind of the Church, can we come to understand what is revealed to us by God. Our understanding of faith cannot be limited to a belief in the existence of God. Satan knows that God is God, the demons recognized and knew Jesus Christ, and many devil-worshippers recognize, yet wish to deny, what God reveals to us.

Moral Dilemmas of Globalization by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

We should first like to express our joy that this meeting of distinguished and dynamic economists, political figures, and other eminent dignitaries has included on the agenda of its discussions the human dimension of globalization of the economy, as well as non-economic values. There is no doubt that when ranking values the human person occupies a place higher than economic activity. Neither is there any doubt that economic progress, which is present when there is growth in economic activity, becomes useful when and only when it serves to enhance the non-economic values that make up human culture. This is the reason that justifies our Modesty’s presence among this luminous gathering of eminent economic activists although we bear no relation to matters of economy.

The advance of humanity towards globalisation is a fact arising primarily out of the private sector, in particular they are the desires of multinational economic giants. This fact finds support in the incredible development of communications. Already the role of states is being constantly downgraded, with few exceptions; whereas the role of the economically powerful is growing in magnitude, even among the larger states.

As the Primate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the first bishop of the Orthodox Church throughout the world, we assure you that the Orthodox Church has experienced and cultivated the idea of spiritual ecumenicity.

How old is the Οrthodox faith?

Christ, the Good Shepherd. Wall-painting at the ancient church in Dura-Europos (Mesopotamia). 235 AD the latest. At the lower left we see Adam and Eve.

If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517. If you belong to the Church of England, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to re-marry. If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560. If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582. If you are Protestant Episcopalian, your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England, founded by Samuel Senbury in the American colonies in the 17th century. If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1606. If you are of the Dutch Reformed Church, you recognize Michelis Jones as founder because he originated your religion in New York in 1628. If you are a Methodist, your religion was founded by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1774. If you are a Mormon (Latter Day Saints), Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, New York, in 1829. If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865. If you are Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born and to Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.

The role of women in the Eastern Orthodox Church (Part 2)

Continued from Part 1

Divine priesthood is a “functional imaging of the divine priesthood of God the Father through Jesus Christ” (Voulgaris 1996 : 35). It can thus only be imaged by man who is connected to the imaging of divine fatherhood. A woman’s role differs in that she images functionally the role of the Paraclete who is the assistant of Jesus Christ in His work in the Ekklesia. Both men and women are considered in Orthodoxy, to be harmonious and mature persons with a sense of great personal responsibility. Each of the sexes has a deep gnosis or knowledge of their total dependence on the Triune Godhead for their salvation by the Grace of God the Father. Holy Scripture teaches us that Salvation is the task of the entire Triune Godhead. The Father wills that certain things happen. The Son fulfills the will of the Father and the will is then perfected in each individual believer by the Paraclete. This is the foundation upon which the teachings of the early Church was based concerning priesthood as a specifically masculine function. Men and women thus have distinct roles and functions within the Church. There is expected to be synergy in what men and women do in the Church in the same way that Jesus Christ and the Paraclete co-operate.

What is Clean Monday? How Do Eastern Orthodox Christians Celebrate Clean Monday?

Clean Monday is the Monday that begins the season of Great Lent in Eastern Orthodox Churches. This corresponds to the season of Lent found in Western Christendom, but the periods of these two seasons are calculated differently. Both have 40 days between the beginning and end of Lent because of the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert.

The Opacity of Sin

“And this is the condemnation: that the light has come into the world and men preferred darkness to the light for their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

There is an opacity to sin: we do not see through it. Sin sheds light on nothing beyond itself. It refers only to itself and because of this it is darkness.

It is the nature of light to give beyond itself and what it illumines becomes light as well to a certain extent. Light always reaches out. Light is never turned inwards.

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The Grace of the Holy Spirit

By Monk Markellos Karakallenos

The Holy Spirit is the source of the divine gifts and when He descended upon the holy Apostles, He gave them all the graces. Through them therefore every receptive and pure soul receives the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Through the Holy Apostles the Holy Spirit granted to the faithful, the believers of their preaching the knowledge of theology, of Divinity, and divinely to confess in true faith the indivisible and inseparable nature of Divinity, known by the three hypostases, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Medvedev Backs More Religion in Russian Schools and in the Russian Army

By Nabi Abdullaev / The Moscow Times

President Dmitry Medvedev pledged Tuesday to support the study of religion in schools and hiring chaplains from major Russian religions, in what could pose a major challenge to the constitutional separation of religion and state.

“I have made a decision to support both these ideas: teaching the basics of religious culture and secular ethics in Russian schools, and I also consider it expedient to organize on a regular basis the work of clergymen representing traditional Russian confessions in our Armed Forces,” Medvedev said at the meeting with top religious and government officials at his Barvikha residence outside Moscow.

The so-called traditional Russian confessions include Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism.

Medvedev said he based his decision on requests and suggestions sent to him by religious leaders.

The two initiatives are among the most debated and controversial in Russian society. Their critics claim that the Russian Orthodox Church is significantly better prepared to install its priests in schools and garrisons, which would leave others at a disadvantage. Opponents also say a conflict of subordination could arise in military units between priests and commanders.

ON BECOMING AND REMAINING AN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN

By Fr. Andrew Phillips

A Talk given at the Orthodox Pilgrimage to Felixstowe in August 2001

INTRODUCTION

We sometimes hear people talking about how they came to join the Orthodox Church. Although each story is interesting and may even be extraordinary, I think that the stories of how people remained faithful Orthodox Christians despite temptations may be more helpful. As it is written in the Gospels: ‘In your patience possess ye your souls’.

Moreover, I have called this talk not, ‘On Joining the Orthodox Church’, but, ‘On Becoming and Remaining an Orthodox Christian’. For joining the Orthodox Church or becoming a member of the Orthodox Church, which is concerned with external changes, is not at all the same as ‘Becoming an Orthodox Christian’, which is all about internal changes. And remaining an Orthodox Christian is even more important, which is why I have devoted three times as much time to it here as to becoming an Orthodox Christian.

ON BECOMING ORTHODOX

CONVERSION AND INTEGRATION

Let us define our terms by talking of a number of words which are used in this context. First, there is the useless phrase ‘born Orthodox’. This does not exist. Nobody is ‘born Orthodox’, we are all born pagans.