ProtoEvangel

Creationism / Theistic Evolution

2009-12-30T12:21:00.000-08:00

Frequenting Orthodox-centered online discussion boards, it is natural that I come across discussions about Creationism and Theistic Evolution. Sometimes the discussions get a bit heated, but usually, the discussions die off after posts suggest that the subject dosen't really affect our Salvation and that the Bible isn't a science textbook. Last night, I finally collected my thoughts on the subject. I sent it to my Spiritual Father, who approved, and so I am posting it here so perhaps it may be useful to those who are considering the subject.

I totally understand the thought process whereby one would say that it really does not matter what one thinks about how literal the Creation account is. I would also agree to a point...Let us assume for a moment that Genesis 1-3 is a literal account of six 24-hour periods of creation... Person 1 could correctly believe this, and be a complete Pharisee about it, and treat people who disagree with him like heretics... While Person 2 incorrectly believes that the world is billions of years old, and that Genesis is a mythical account, providing perhaps a spiritual foreshadowing of Christ and Salvation, but absolutely no historical accuracy. Through holy living and a forgiving heart, Person 2 achieves life with Christ, while Person 1 is tormented forever for his evil disposition.

In the same way, if we consider that Theistic Evolution is the truth, the opposite could also hold true.

It would be wrong to ostracize or disrespect those who differ in opinion. We can discuss our positions while still loving each other.

However, I do think that the truth does matter. What were the serpent's first words to Eve in the garden? "Has God indeed said...?" I am not comfortable in minimizing and categorizing what is and what is not "necessary" for salvation. I will leave that judgment entirely to God, only He can see into each of our hearts. I will simply try to declare the Truth in love, and to accept correction when I err...

Many of the ancient Saints, St Basil the Great, St John Chrysostom, St Ephrem the Syrian, St. John of Damascus, among many others believed in a literal six 24-hour periods of Creation, and even those who totally rejected literal 24 hour days still believed in a young earth. Even the most extreme of the "allegorical" interpreters such as Origen and Clement of Alexandria believed that the world was less than 10,000 years old. Even the modern Saints and Holy Elders, such as St. Barsanuphius of Optina, St. Nektarios, St. John of Kronstadt, St. Justin Popovich, St. Nikolai Velimirovich, Fr. George Calciu, Fr. Seraphim Rose, Elder Joseph the Hesychast, Elder Cleopa, Elder Paisios, Vladimir Lossky, and others seem to support a young Earth. I have yet to see a Saint, either ancient or modern, support either theistic evolution or the kind of time frame that theories of evolution require (aka "Old Earth".) A young Earth (6,000-15,000 years, more or less) is the clear consensus of the Saints and Holy Elders, both ancient and modern. What good can the Science of dating creation really do for us? In an Eternal sense, none. It is a vain pursuit. I am not, however, ready to claim that the Holy Saints throughout the ages taught from their own vanity. They taught from Holy Scripture, not from their own imaginations, and not from Science... In fact, they often taught the "Young Earth" view in clear opposition to the sciences of their own times.

Many people like to defend their belief in Old Earth and Evolution by saying that "the Bible is not a science textbook". This is a dangerous attitude in my opinion. Honestly, Holy Scripture has much more to say about creation than science ever can. Creation is not a question of science. Science is the study of the material world, by observation and experimentation. We cannot measure and experiment on the creation of the universe, or the creation of man. We can only dig up pieces of the puzzle and assume things based on preconceived notions, but only One was present at all of it. Only He has the whole picture. He is the One who we read of in Exodus, "the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." And in the book of Numbers, He says about Moses, "I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings". What God told Moses about the beginning of the world was real and plain. Scientists on the other hand, are working in the dark, and try to make the random pieces they pick up here and there look as if it is the whole picture.

Now, I am in no way trying to suggest that Orthodox Christians who hold to an Old Earth, or to Theistic Evolution are heretics or anything like that... Most people know only what they have been taught in school or what they have read in popular science publications. They will hold on to this understanding for as long as they do not see that it is based, in essence, on an anti-Christian ideology, as long as they don't see it as a contradiction to their faith.

I know that many, most perhaps to not see it this way, but personally I think that rejecting the Father's Scriptural interpretations of Creation in favor of what I see as a worldly "faith" under the name of "science" to be a contradiction of the faith we claim to hold as Orthodox Christians. But then again, we as Orthodox Christians are full of contradictions, aren't we? I contradict my Faith every time I sin. Every time I think of myself over God, and my brother and sister... Which happens pretty much as often as I take a breath. If I were to consider myself "better" than my brothers and sisters, in any way, I would indeed be falling into the pattern of the Pharisee who despised the Publican. God forbid!

OSAS or NOSAS?

2009-02-24T16:08:00.000-08:00

A while ago, I had a coworker/friend ask me what the Orthodox believed about the idea of OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved - "They whom God hath accepted in His Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved."). I explained that the concept was nonsensical to the Orthodox. He said that the question he likes to ask people who don't believe in OSAS is: "If you died today, would you be go to heaven?". I smiled and said that I have a sure hope in God's love and mercy. He asked what I meant by that, and I offered to send him an email explaining it in more detail.

I composed my email and sent it to my priest for approval. He approved it, so I sent it to my friend. He never replied, or questioned me about it again, although our relationship stayed very warm and brotherly.

Here is the email I sent him:

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus,

Glory to Jesus Christ forever! Amen!

We were going to discuss the doctrine that I believe you called, "Once Saved, Always Saved", it has also been called by other names, such as "Eternal Security", and "Perseverance of the Saints". It is my position that this is a false doctrine that can lead to error and false security.

Like I told you, I have had a couple of false starts regarding the opening of this discussion. One attempt at a start began with terminology. One began with history of the opposing doctrines. I do believe that the first and best opening however, is to use Holy Scripture itself. If any misunderstanding occurs, we can always straighten them out when and if they arise. I do not intend this first email to be comprehensive or to "settle the matter" if you will, but instead, simply to be an opening to our dialog.

First, let us consider a passage from the Old Testament:

Ezekiel 3:18-21
18 When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul."

One may ask, exactly who the "righteous man" is. I think the context of the passage makes that quite clear. If there is any question, we can look at the Hebrew. The word, transliterated from Hebrew is "tsaddiyq", and means just, lawful, righteous (as in conduct), and/or justified and vindicated ("saved") by God. The righteous man is the man in right relationship with God. For no one, at any time, is, has been, nor will be, righteous by their own works before God. For Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 7:20, " For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin."

Next, I would like to look at a couple of passages from the New Testament:

1 Corinthians 9:26-27
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Paul tells us here, that he runs for an imperishable crown (cf: Rev. 2:10 – i.e. Final Salvation). He does not run with uncertainty, but he does acknowledge that without discipline, he can disqualify himself from receiving the prize.

Galatians. 5:2-4
2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

Who is Paul here speaking? He is speaking to the Faithful of Galatia, who are being tempted to turn away from the Gospel to the false Gospel of the Judaizers. This is laid out in the beginning of the Epistle. To have "fallen from grace", the fallen must have once been a partaker of that grace which is truly the very essence of salvation.

And finally, I will mention:

Rev. 2:10-11
10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'

"Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life ." says Christ. The same crown Paul speaks of to the Corinthians. "He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." Christianity is a commitment and a life, not a one-time decision.

Other clear supporting verses would include, Matthew 10:22; Luke 8:13; 1 Timothy 6:9-10; Hebrews 3:12-15; James (the whole Epistle); 1 John 2:15-17; and Revelation 2:5, among many others.

You said that when you hear someone deny OSAS, you like to ask them something like, "if you died today, would you be saved?" This kind of question may catch a Catholic or JW, but it is nonsensical for an Orthodox. The Orthodox answer would probably be something like, "I have my sure and firm hope in the mercy of God". This in no way, though means that the Orthodox believe in OSAS. One thing any man is always capable of is apostasy and turning away from and rejecting the gift that God freely bestows. If I died today, would I be saved? My hope is in God's mercy. I have done nothing to earn that Salvation... In fact, all too often I have, in effect, thumbed my nose at it, and had I continued down one of those paths, I believe I could have lost that Salvation that God gave me freely. If one who is "saved" (in right relationship with God), begins trusting in their own works for their Salvation, or if they reject and walk away from the Faith completely, they may indeed loose their Crown of Life, and have their names erased from the Book of Life.

I have heard the argument that if one falls, they were never saved in the first place. This is a doctrine of man, and finds no sure support in Scripture, and is in fact, flatly denied by Paul's Epistles, and even Christ Himself (see the verses addressed above).

The Orthodox know God as a loving and merciful father. He has done everything to bring us from darkness into light. God sets before us both blessings and curses and then urges us to choose Him "... I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days ...." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) God is 100% on our side regarding Salvation. He does not take pleasure in the death of anyone; He always desires that we turn from sin and live! But He never forces Himself on anyone, either before, or after we initially accept Him into our hearts. Paul tells us, " Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. " (Romans 8:37-39), but notice, one thing Paul does not list among these things that cannot separate us from God, is our own hardheartedness and obstinacy.

So you see, salvation is not a once-for-all "get out of hell free card", but neither is it a "on again, off again guessing game". Salvation is the process whereby the faithful are delivered from the curse of sin and death, to union and right relationship with God through Christ, and the process of healing and growth of the believer in Christ, whereby the believer is made holy as God is holy, through our cooperation with the working of the Holy Spirit, and participation in the sacramental life of the Church.

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Newly Illumined

2009-01-13T16:25:00.000-08:00

Greetings friends!

It is with a grateful heart that I announce that I have been accepted into the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church by Baptism on January 10, 2009.

Since my parents gave me a Christian name, my priest thought it would be a good idea to keep it, although he was amiable to me changing it, if I really felt the need. Well, my parents told me they had named me after Daniel the Prophet. I never did a good job of honoring them when they were alive, and I didn't want to miss yet another chance to do so, so I took my priest's advice. I am Daniel, for Saint Daniel the Prophet, who's life is celebrated on December 17th.

My good friend Athanasius recorded the Baptism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_CcFbBvrak

God is Great!

Voice Of The Fathers

2008-05-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

What is Prayer?

"Prayer is a guard of prudence, control of wrath, restraint of pride, cleansing of malice, destruction of envy, righting of impiety. Prayer is strength of bodies, prosperity of a household, good order of a city, might of a kingdom, trophy of war, assurance of peace. Prayer is a seal of virginity, fidelity in marriage, weapon of travellers, guardian of sleepers, courage of the wakeful, abundance for farmers, safety of those who sail. Prayer is an advocate for those being judged, remission for the bound, consolation for the grieving, gladness for the joyful, comfort for mourners, a feast on birthdays, a crown for the married, a shroud for the dying. Prayer is converse with God, equal honour with the Angels, progress in good things, averting of evils, righting of sinners. Prayer made the whale a house for Jonas, brought Ezechias back to life from the gates of death, turned the flame to wind of moisture for the Youths in Babylon. Through prayer Elias bound the heaven not to rain for three years and six months."
- Saint Ephrem the Syrian

As translated by Archimandrite Ephrem

A little rant

2008-05-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Heaven & Hell in the Afterlife According to the Bible by Peter Chopelas, and I am beginning (again) The River of Fire by Dr. Alexander Kalomiros. I just had to rant a little.

Now, don't get me wrong. I see a lot of good in both of these articles. But there is one thing, common to both of them, that I strongly disagree with. I see the same misunderstanding in several modern authors speaking for Orthodoxy in general. It is the idea that since God is Love, that he is not also judge.

As one example, in the article "Heaven & Hell", Peter Chopelas tells us:
"Why would a God who loves us unconditionally torment us for eternity, because of an equally unbiblical notion of Divine Justice? In fact nowhere in the Bible does it explicitly state that it is God that punishes the sinners."

That is an interesting statement, especially when you consider 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10:
"God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed."

And what do the Fathers have to say? For brevity, I'll only take the time to post one relevant quote:
"But then the punishment from God shall be manifest, when the Judge, sitting upon the fearful tribunal, shall command some to be dragged to the furnaces, and some to the outer darkness,"
- St John Chrysostom, Homily III (on Romans 1:18)

Finally, what about the litany we pray several time at every Divine Liturgy (and at most services):
"A Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful, and a good defense before the fearful judgment seat of Christ, let us ask of the Lord. Grant this, O Lord."

I think both of these articles are wonderful, and teach some very important truths... truths you will never hear in "Western" circles. But I do think they state some of their cases a little too strongly, in an (laudable) effort to show the western innovations to be what they are. But what good does it do to put down one incorrect statement by using another incorrect statement? You serve only to confuse others, and bring scorn on yourself, and the Orthodox faith, by those who do know something of Scripture, but do not (yet) know the Church.

On prayer, and tears

2008-05-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

Elder Cleopa asks, "For how many hours do you pray in the morning? And how many in the evening?"

I feel my heart sinking. I wish I could find tears, at least, to take the place of my lacking prayers.

Then Elder Cleopa reminds us, "And death comes tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."

...And I find my tears. Not enough to cover my dry prayer life, but enough to wet my cheeks for a moment.

May his words of wisdom bless you with tears and deeper prayer as well:

Christ is Risen!

2008-04-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

El Messieh kahm!
Hakken kahm!

Christos anesti!
Alithos anesti!

Christ is Risen!
Truly He is risen!

- Still Catechumen, Dan.
(It's not a bad thing, I'll write about it later)

Closest Book meme

2008-02-02T10:21:00.000-08:00

Well, Dixie has tagged me with another interesting meme, so I guess I need to come out from under my rock. ;)

Rules of the meme:

Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. (No cheating!)
Find Page 123.
Find the first 5 sentences.
Post the next 3 sentences.
Tag 5 people.

---

The book that was closest to me when I first read Dixie's blog this morning, was: The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew (House Springs, MO: Chrysostom Press, 2006). I've been carrying this book with me so I can read it on the train when I am going to and coming home from work. I cannot express how rich and amazing this book is. I don't want it to end, but at the same time, I want to continue with the rest of the series (which are all still in their shrink wrap, on my bookshelf.)

"For it is shameful for a princess to be skilled at doing something unbefitting. And consider this additional foolishness of Herod's, that he promised to give whatever she asked. If she had asked for your own head, would you have given it to her?"

---

I am going to have to break the last rule. I have not been blogging lately, as Dixie mentions. The truth is I just don’t really feel like I have much to offer right now, as far as blogging goes. When I was a Lutheran, I was strong, assertive and aggressive, attacking and crushing any heresy or error I saw (in my own mind, anyway). I was on a mission, and didn’t care (as much as I should have) about the collateral damage. For now, I think it is better to let the Church change me, and for me to absorb as much her wisdom as possible, instead of trying to share my own foolishness with the rest of the world. God willing, I will be accepted into the Church on Easter. Maybe I’ll start breaking out of my shell after that. Until then, I do enjoy these memes.

I ask for your prayers, everyone.

Seven things about me.

2007-11-29T12:56:00.000-08:00

Dixie had tagged me over a month ago on this meme. I haven't really been doing much with my blog lately, so I eventually forgot about the tag. But reading Lotar's blog the other day reminded me. So, prepared to be shocked or bored.

1.) I was born into a non-attending Baptist family. When we lived close enough to one, I would sometimes go to church, but my parents always stayed home. Later, I became, for all practical purposes, an agnostic hedonist, occasionally dabbling in witchcraft, satanism, shamanism, etc. A few years after I was married, God made Himself real to me, and I began attending the Lutheran (ELCA) church my wife had attended since childhood. After burying myself for several years in the Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions, I began attending a LCMS congregation, but by this time, I was already well on my way to embracing Orthodoxy. I began regularly attending my Orthodox parish on December 17, 2006, and was accepted into the Catechumenate on February 18, 2007 (Forgiveness Sunday). God willing, I hope to be accepted under the wings of Holy Orthodoxy on April 27, 2008 (Holy Pascha) or June 15, 2008 (Pentecost).

2.) I am the youngest child of five. I have two half brothers (one from mother's previous marriage, and one from father's previous marriage), and two sisters. I grew up as an only child, however, as all of my siblings had married and moved out by the time I was old enough to remember anything. In fact, I have only met my eldest half-brother one time.

3.) Related to the above point, I also have a niece and a nephew who are both older than me.

4.) I grew up for most of my childhood on the Oregon Coast, nine miles from the nearest town. My parents were managers of a small resort motel called the Oregon House. If I only had 3.3 million dollars, I'd buy it and rescue it from the new-ageyness that the current owners are subjecting it to. I would consider donating much of it to an Orthodox Diocese, for a small monastic community. Unfortunately, I'm about 3.2999 million dollars too poor to make that a reality. Any nice philanthropists out there willing to help out a guy who just wants to go home again? ;)

5.) I met my wife during my time as an agnostic, living only for whatever pleasure I could eek out of each moment. I originally asked her and her twin sister out at the same time (not really for a date, but just to hang out, watch a movie, etc.) They, and their family were visiting a resort I was working at, they lived about 200 miles away. We rented a few movies, among them, Flashback, and went back to my place. Darleen (now my wife) hit it off from the beginning. We dated for the rest of the time she was in town, and she visited for the weekend whenever she could get away. One night, after eating some psychedelic mushrooms that I had picked with my friends (like I said, whatever pleasure of the moment), I had a "trip", wherin I was convinced that I was dying. I was not scared to die, but I was sad that I had never told Darleen that I loved her. The next day, I called her, and arranged to visit her. When we met, I asked her to marry me. For the most part, that was the last time I did drugs, although it was several years later before I "decided" I didn't want to do any drugs anymore... I just didn't really feel the need to do them anymore.

6.) When we got married, I chose "If I Had the World to Give" by the Grateful Dead as the theme music. It was strange hearing that coming from a Church Organ... I also asked the pastor to use a line I had heard in "The Doors" movie, something like "this bond, not even death will break, but only the lack of love". The pastor wasn't happy about it, but he said it anyway. Looking back on it, it was quite a silly request... But then again, I was still an agnostic (with vague "spiritualistic" leanings at the time).

7.) I can't wait until my Charismation, when I will enter fully into the life of the Church! I only wish my family were converting with me.

Because I have been out of blogging for so long, I don't even know who to tag. So for now at least, I guess the meme stops here.

An Open Letter to Orthodox Christians

2007-11-28T08:22:00.000-08:00

An Open Letter to Orthodox Christians,
on Behalf of Ron Paul
by Clark Carlton

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

The 2008 US presidential election is almost a year and a half away, and yet the various campaigns are in full swing. With states vying to move the primary season up into late 2007, it is time that we as citizens of the United States start to think about who we would like to see elected to the White House next year.

Before I express my own thoughts about the upcoming election, let me begin with a couple of obvious, but nonetheless vital, observations. First of all, reasonable people – and certainly the reason-endowed sheep of Christ’s flock – can disagree about political philosophies and the relative virtues and vices of particular candidates. I do not believe that there is one "Orthodox" answer to some of the questions that I will raise below. In other words, I will question neither the purity of your faith nor the sincerity of your commitment to Christ if you disagree with my thoughts.

Read the whole letter HERE

Resolution on Orthodox Unity

2007-08-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

The following was voted on by the 48th Convention of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.

The Resolution (PDF).

This looks like good news. Unfortunately, I don't have any details. If anyone knows more, please leave your comments. Thanks!

Confessions of a Catechumen

2007-08-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

Over at From Wittenberg to Athens and All Stops in Between, my good friend Dixie posted A Confession of a Different Kind. Because I neglect my poor blog so badly, I decided to dust it off, and steal her idea by posting here.

I rarely ponder what I left, when I decided to become Orthodox. I honestly can't think of much that I "miss" from my years as a Lutheran.

I think of the Bible studies, but the ones I went to usually weren't really what I consider Bible studies. They were more like brainstorming sessions, "Oh, this might mean", "This has always meant x to me. Even so, I suppose I do miss the social aspect... I know no Orthodox people at at work or anywhere near where I live. The only social time I have with any other Orthodox is after services, when everyone is preparing to go home.

I really don't miss the hymns. They were ok, and I did enjoy them, but really seem lacking when I compare them to Orthodox hymns like Psalm 117 "God is the Lord which has shown us light...", Psalm 136 "Oh, give thanks to the LORD for He is good...", and the Evlogitaria, "Blessed art thou O Lord..."

I must admit, I did really enjoy the strong Law/Gospel focus on the sermons in the Confessional Lutheran churches. But I am blessed that my Spiritual Father and Priest is one of the most gifted homilists I have ever heard.

I really don't miss the Liberal/Conservative infighting. Not that it is completely absent, but I no longer need to worry that the practice of the Church is going to change because of the mood of the day.

I do miss Communion. I look forward to it with great anticipation.

I am also not reading Holy Scripture in a systematic, regular basis as I used to. I agree with Dixie, and her commentators as to the reasons this might be. For me, it is also partially a conscience decision. I want to understand Orthodoxy; to obtain the Orthodox phronema, before trying to read Holy Scripture on my own. Don't get me wrong, I still read Holy Scripture, but not nearly to the degree as I used to, as a parched protestant.

I have not really begun to fast strictly yet. Because of the fact that neither my wife nor my children are converting, and that they are having trouble dealing with my own conversion, my Spiritual Father has extended to me a certain amount of oeconomia. So that we do not have to cook separate meals, so this does not create more of a strain on my marriage than necessary, and for other reasons, I am trying to fast from things in addition to the relaxed food fast. I am not finding the alternative fast to be any easier than the food fast.

Oh, I really despise the jurisdictionalism and ethnocentricism I see in many parishes and individuals. Being Greek/Arabic/Russian etc, doesn’t translate into being Orthodox.

I also really detest the pews in my Parish. I know many people need to sit. I have no problem with having some pews or chairs for people who need to sit, or simply have sore legs and feet, but the nave being full of pews really seem to get in the way more than they help.

I wear a small prayer rope on my wrist. I use it instead of listening to the radio when I am driving.

The service I find hardest to make it to is Saturday Vespers at 6:00 pm. I am usually with my family then. I really enjoy when we have 7pm Compline or Paraklesis on weeknights. I can usually make it to them on my way home from work.

I have a terrible time keeping my prayer rule. More often than not, I let myself settle for the Trisagion prayers in bed, and often completely skim morning prayers, except for using my prayer rope in the car. I know... shameful!

Michelle at Moment of Choice reminded me of this one: Even though in theory I always approved of the kissing, it is still a bit uncomfortable for me.

Well, thanks again Dixie. Both for the post, and for introducing me to the Transposzing blog!

New Iconography at St. George Portland!

2007-07-03T07:33:00.000-07:00

One Sunday afternoon, I left knowing an Iconographer was going to be painting the domes at St. George. The next Sunday morning, my jaw hits the ground. I cried, I praised God. This is the most beautiful dome Icon of the Theotokos I have ever seen. ...And it was completed in only one week.

There are more pictures of this and two other new dome icons (one of the Baptism of Christ, and one of the Resurrection), that were done the next two weeks. The pictures are at St. George's Website and the Website of the Antiochian Diocese of Los Angeles and the West We have been truly blessed by God to have such a skilled Iconographer available to do this work!

Parish Life Conference 2007

2007-07-01T20:40:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the Antiochian, Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, Parish Life Conference 2007. My Parish hosted the event. I can't report on much of what went on, because I was volunteering for the Parish bookstore at the event. I did take time off to attend one of Frederica Mathewes-Green's keynote addresses, Vespers on Friday evening, as well as Orthros and the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy this morning. It was a pleasure to meet Mrs. Mathewes-Green. She is such a warm, loving and kind soul. If you haven't had the pleasure of hearing her speak, you can listen to her on Ancient Faith Radio. They also podcast her segment.

The Hafli dance sounded like a lot of fun. The music was great. The only problem was I found myself staring at the floor a lot as the young ladies sauntered by in their almost inappropriate attire. I should not criticize, but I heard that several Priests made comments, and as tempting as it was for me to enjoy the view, I felt quite sorry for the monks who had another bookstore set up across from the room that the dance was taking place. They ended up packing up and leaving during this time. Hopefully this was a scheduled departure.

The highlight of the whole conference was the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, hands down. His Grace, Bishop JOSEPH presided over the Liturgy, with about 20 or so Priests and Deacons from the Diocese participating. His words during his Homily touched me deeply. Orthros which preceded the Liturgy, began at 8:00 am, and Liturgy concluded at noon. That's about an hour longer than what is normal at my parish, but if it weren't for my sore feet, cramping calves and aching knees and hip, it would have only seemed the briefest of moments had passed.

On vacation

2007-04-30T20:42:00.000-07:00

I expect to be taking a vacation from blogging for a while.

I have no idea when, or if, I will begin blogging again.

The Priest-Martyr Artemon

2007-04-13T15:19:00.000-07:00

Artemon was a priest in Laodicea during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. Before his tormenting judge, he spoke of himself: "I am called Artemon, a slave of Christ, my God. For sixteen years I was a lector and read books in the Church of my God. For twenty-eight years, I was a deacon and read the Holy Gospel. With the help of Christ, I have fulfilled thirty-three years as a presbyter teaching men and placing them on the path of salvation." The judge brought him to the temple of Aesculapius, where the soothsayers nursed large reptiles dedicated to this "god." They all assumed that the snakes would bite Artemon. Artemon crossed himself and by the power of the cross nailed all the snakes to the ground rendering them unable to move. After that, he brought them all out into the courtyard, breathed upon them and all of them died instantly. All of the soothsayers were in great fear. Upon seeing this miracle, Vitalis, the chief soothsayer of this temple, fell to his knees before Artemon and cried out: "Great is the Christian God!" The martyr then baptized him along with several of his friends. The malicious judge remained persistent in his malice and tortured the aged Artemon in various ways. Once, he wanted to throw him into a vat of boiling pitch but, he fell off his horse into the pitch and he himself was incinerated. Two eagles were seen who swooped down upon the judge, lifted him from the horse and dropped him into the pitch. St. Artemon remained free for a period of time and traveled about, always accompanied with his two beloved deer, and instructed the people. Again, he was captured and was beheaded in the year 303 A.D. and his soul took up habitation in the Kingdom of Christ our God, Whom St. Artemon faithfully served.

Source: Prolog from Ohrid

Why I left Lutheranism to become Orthodox

2007-04-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

At a discussion board I frequent, a question was asked regarding Lutherans leaving to become Orthodox, and the reasons for them doing so. I know I have made posts similar to this in the past, but I wanted to repost my answer here... So I could come back to it later, if for no other good reason.

My post was in response to a friend from the LCMS asking (which was in turn a response to another post):

For one, I don't ever consider that you or any other Lutheran left for the Orthodox Church for just Icons and Mysticism. I think it is a little more complicated than that and even go so far as to say that there is too much infighting among the Lutherans in certain synods about the direction the synod is going and the leadership. The Political scene in the LCMS is one part of the reason for some of the discontent and the other part is that there is no longer a sense of unity from one church to another in terms of liturgy and catechesis.

Part of this is due to those Pastor's who were part of the Seminex era in the St. Louis seminary and are not properly catechizing their congregations about good, right and salutary liturgical practices that are in tandem with doctrine. If a person is looking for a united orthodox Lutheran body you won't find it in the Missouri or ELCA. If you can't find orthodoxy in the Lutheran Church and you know that the Roman Catholic Church is not an option, then you have one alternative in the Orthodox church.

Are these some of the probable answers?

Following is my reply:

These are all good attempts at an answer. For me, there was a certain discontent with the rampant liberalization within the LCMS. But you saw how long I stuck even with the ELCA... Besides, I was in a very liturgical/confessional LCMS congregation. The problems in the LCMS were not the issue for me, although, I am sure they did contribute to my initial "looking around" to some small extent.

The real issue for me was twofold. There was what I think of as the negative reasons and the positive reasons. Among the negative reasons were that I no longer considered the Lutheran Symbols to be an accurate portrayal of "the Faith once delivered". For purposes of peace, I will not go into the minute details, but suffice it to say, I saw the Reformation as a good and necessary thing in it's time and place, but one that both carried errors over from the Catholic Church, and created novel doctrines to combat real and perceived Catholic errors. These negative reasons did not drive me to the Orthodox Church, but made me realize that as good and laudable as Lutheranism is (especially when compared to the rest of Protestantism), it was a still a reactionary faith, which was separate from the One True Faith handed down by the Apostles.

While the negative reasons made me question the Apostolicity of the basis of Lutheranism, I still had to find the True Church, if such a thing existed... Otherwise Lutheranism still might have been the best of a fractured, imperfect Church, as many tried to convince me of, and which I accepted, until the positive reasons began growing.

Among these positive reasons are the facts that Christ said the gates of Hades would not prevail against His Church; the fact that if one reads Acts, the Church Fathers, and looks to the Orthodox Church today, there is an unbroken continuity; the fact that the Church of Jerusalem, Antioch, etc. all still exist ("gates of Hades will not prevail"); under the rule of heathen nations, heretics, and ungodly men, regardless of distance, time, and lack of communication, etc, they all teach the same doctrine, from Jerusalem to Antioch, to Romania, to Russia, etc. When I walked into my first Liturgy, I knew and felt the Holy Spirit there and working. When I began praying the prayers, I knew and felt my sinfulness and God's perfect holiness in a way I never had before. When I prostrated before the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, I knew I was truly worshiping God by honoring His handiwork in His handmaiden. Really, there is too much to list. It is a matter of everything fitting together, more than a few reasons here, and a few reasons there. Everything fit.

Even after this, I did not let go of Lutheranism for almost a year. I buried myself in Lutheran Doctrine, and championed the Lutheran Symbols. I tried to ignore the negative reasons I mentioned above, and tried to recognize the positive reasons above into Lutheranism, as far as the Confessions would allow. Even after I decided I had to become Orthodox, I tried to postpone as long as possible, hoping I could see some way Lutheranism was not outside of the Church. In the end, I could not stand to stay away from home any longer. Here I am, the poor miserable sinner begging for the scraps from his Master's table. Allelujah!

Venerable Isaac the Syrian II

2007-04-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

Isaac the Syrian I, is commemorated on January 28. St. Gregory the Dialogues writes about this Isaac II. He came to Italy at the time of the Goths and entered a church to pray in the city of Spoleto. He implored the verger to allow him to remain locked in the church overnight. And so, he spent the entire night in prayer, remaining in the same place. The same thing happened the next day and even the second night. The verger called him a hypocrite and struck him with his fist. Instantly, the verger went insane. Seeing that the verger was bitterly tormented, Isaac leaned over him and the evil spirit departed from him and the verger was restored to health. Upon hearing of this incident, the entire populace of the city thronged around this amazing foreigner. They offered him money and property, but he declined all and accepted nothing and withdrew into the forest where he built a cell for himself, which was rapidly transformed into a large monastery.

Isaac was known for working miracles and especially for his special "gift of discernment." On one occasion, he ordered the brethren to carry all the hoes into the vineyard and to leave them there. The next day Isaac, along with the brethren, went out into the vineyard and brought along lunch. The brethren were puzzled. Who was this lunch for, since there were no laborers? Upon arriving at the vineyard, there were as many men digging as there were hoes. This is what happened: these men came as thieves to steal the hoes, but by the power of God, they were detained to dig all night. On another occasion, two partly-clad men came to Isaac and sought clothes from him. Isaac sent a monk to a hollow tree along the road to retrieve what he would find there. The monk departed, found some clothing and brought it to the monastery. The abbot took these clothes and gave them to the beggars. The beggars were extremely ashamed when they recognized their own clothes which they had hidden in this tree. Once, a man sent two beehives to the monastery. The monk hid one along the way and the other he brought to the monastery and turned it over to the abbot. The saint said to him: "Be careful upon your return. For in the beehive that you left along the way, a poisonous snake had slithered into it. Be careful, therefore, that it does not bite you."

Priestly-Martyr Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum in Asia Minor

2007-04-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

Antipas is mentioned in the Book of Revelation as, "Antipas, my faithful witness, who was martyred among you, where Satan lives" (Revelation 2:13), i.e., in the city of Pergamum. The inhabitants of this city lived in the darkness of idolatry and in extreme impurity. They were slaves to passions. They were slanderers, tyrants and they were incestuous. In other words, they were the servants of Satan. Here among them lived Antipas, "As a light in the midst of darkness, as a rose among thorns and as gold in mud." He, who captured and killed a Christian, would be deemed as good and just.

The totality of pagan belief consisted of soothsaying, interpretation of dreams, serving demons and extreme perversion. Being frightened of Antipas as from fire, the demons appeared to the soothsayers in a dream and confessed how afraid they were of Antipas and how, because of him, they must depart from this city. The pagan priests summoned a large number of people against Antipas and began to interrogate and to force him to deny Christ and to worship idols. Antipas said to them: "When your so-called gods, lords of the universe are frightened of me, a mortal man, and must flee from this city, do you not recognize that, by this, your faith is an aberration?" The saint also spoke to them further about the Faith of Christ as being the only One, True Saving Faith.

They became enraged as wild beats and dragged the aged Antipas to the temple of Artemis before which stood an ox cast in bronze. They heated the bronzed ox and hurled the servant of God into the red-hot molten ox. From within the molten ox, St. Antipas glorified God with thanksgiving, as once did Jonah in the belly of the whale or the Three Youths in the fiery furnace. Antipas prayed for his flock and for the entire world until his soul parted from his weakened body and ascended among the angels into the Kingdom of Christ. He died suffering and was crowned with unfading glory in the year 92 A.D.

Polycarp the Bishop of Smyrna

2007-02-23T07:46:00.000-08:00

Saint Polycarp was a disciple of John the Evangelist,and teacher of St Irenaeus. This holy servant of God served as the bishop of the church at Smyrna, and was recognized as one of the earliest combatants of Christian heresies, including Marcionism and Gnosticism. He was in his eighties when the emperors of Rome unleashed bitter attacks against the Christians. Even though St Polycarp wanted to stay in the city, his friends urged him to hide in the countyrside, where he saw a vision of his own martyrdom. When the soldiers finally came upon St Polycarp, he spoke kindly with them, ordered that they be fed, and asked to be allowed to pray; he stood and prayed, for two hours, full of the grace of the Lord, causing his captors to grieve that they had come against such a holy man. He was brought to the Proconsul of Smyrna, in the Satdium, who urged him to blaspheme against Christ, and to thereby save his life, but St Polycarp replied, "Eighty-six years have I been His servant, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" At this the croud began crying that Polycarp should be burned alive, and remembering his vision, the saint replied, "I must be burned alive." The executioner tied Polycarp, who then offerd praise to God. When the fire was lit, the fire refused to burn the Saint, but instead mad a wall around him, so the executioner pierced St Polycarp with a dagger, ending his life.

Apolytikion
As a sharer of the ways and a successor to the throne of the Apostles, O inspired of God, thou foundest discipline to be a means of ascent to divine vision. Wherefore, having rightly divided the word of truth, thou didst also contest for the Faith even unto blood, O Hieromartyr Polycarp. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion
Through godly virtues, thou broughtest forth for the Lord God much spiritual fruit, O thou most blessed Hierarch, and so didst prove worthy of God thy Lord, O wise Polycarp. Wherefore, on this day we who have all been enlightened through thy holy words extol thy praiseworthy mem'ry and glorify Christ the Lord.

Lutheran to Orthodox

2007-02-22T07:25:00.000-08:00

An acquaintance on a discussion board mentioned the hurdles he had to face when converting from Lutheranism to Orthodoxy. This got me thinking: For me, conversion has been fairly organic. First of all, I never considered myself a "modern" Lutheran.

I remember once, my ELCA pastor asked the question in one of the earliest classes, when I was entering the Church, "what does it mean to reform?" He was (quite obviously, upon looking back on the experience) looking for an answer somewhat akin to "doing new things", but without really knowing much about the Lutheran faith yet, I blurted out, "to return to the original form, to get rid of the stuff that never really belonged in the first place." OH, how this answer irritated him (at the time, I had no idea why).

This occasion marked my entrance into the Lutheran faith, and really, my journey to the Orthodox Faith. When I was baptized, my sponsor gave me the book, "The Prayer of Jabez", but I was already reading Martin Luther's Large Catechism online, and had my eye on the Early Church Fathers. My pastor would say "the ELCA is doing something new!", I would think, "why, was there something wrong with what was already?" It wasn't long before I really understood that Luther, at least, never meant to make his own "church", or to break away from the Catholic Church at all, and even after his excommunication, when death threats abounded, he often mentioned that if the Pope simply rescinded the few real and true abuses, he would happily recant and give up everything else (which kind of made me wonder why he held to them at all - but that's another story).

It was in this spirit that I began reading Luther. Did you realize he was entirely more harsh on the Radical Reformers than he ever was on the Catholic Church? The Orthodox (he calls the Greek Christians) was the only Christian group Luther consistently spoke well of.

I saw quickly that Sola Scriptura meant something totally different to Luther than it did to the Radical Reformers. Luther had a great devotion to Mary. He made a great many arguments solely from the Fathers of the Church, never even attempting to touch on Scripture. Luther was a staunch defender of the Real, True, Substantial Presence of Jesus in the Sacrament. None of these issues were big hurdles for me, Luther had cushioned the blow for me, in his "orthodoxy".

Pretty soon, I realized that if the Orthodox were nearby when Luther began listing his complaints, and was excommunicated, there never would have been a Lutheran Church. Luther probably would have ended up being the first Patriarch of the German Orthodox Church (unless he still got married, of course.)

Then I began researching Orthodoxy. At first some things seemed strange, as I was looking at Orthodoxy from a Lutheran position. But as soon as I realized that to understand Orthodoxy I would have to see it from the "inside", most everything began to click. I eventually began seeing Lutheranism in light of Orthodoxy instead of the other way around. From that point, it was just a matter of time before I realized I could no longer pretend to myself and to others that I was a Lutheran.

Lenten Prayer

2007-02-19T14:25:00.000-08:00

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, meddling, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother; for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages.
Amen.
- Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian

Forgiveness Sunday

2007-02-18T16:03:00.000-08:00

Turn not away Thy face from Thy child for I am afflicted; hear me speedily. Draw near to my soul and deliver me.

To all readers, forgive me.

Lenten break

2007-02-12T09:00:00.001-08:00

I may be unable to keep posting about the Saints up on a regular basis - especially until after Pasca. I have way too much stuff going on with work, all of the Lenten services I want to attend, catechetical classes, and family life right now. I need to focus more on prayer and staying peaceful while chaos is reigning all around me. I will try to read and post about at least one of the Saints per week, time permitting - I don't want to let this hectic time totally pull me away from learning about the Holy ones who have gone before us, but left us their examples to follow.

Parthenios, Bishop of Lampsakos

2007-02-07T08:32:00.000-08:00

Usually, I like to use at least 3-4 sources to compile my posts, due to time constraints, the text for the life of this Saint post is taken entirely from goarch.org

Saint Parthenius was born in Melitopolis on the Hellespont, the son of a deacon named Christopher. Because of the miracles that he wrought even as a young man, he was ordained a priest and then Bishop of Lampsacus in the days of Saint Constantine the Great, from whom he received great gifts and authority both to overturn the altars of the idols and to raise up a church to the glory of Christ. Working many miracles throughout his life, he reposed in peace an old man and full of days.

Apolytikion
O God of our Fathers, ever dealing with us according to Thy gentleness: take not Thy mercy from us, but by their entreaties guide our life in peace.

Kontakion
Since thou hadst received God's grace to work ineffable marvels, godly-wise Parthenius, thou sacred worker of wonders, thou didst wholly cleanse the faithful of all their passions, casting wicked spirits out, O God-bearing Father; for this cause we sing thy praise as a great initiate of the divine grace of God.

1 John 3:21-4:11
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Mark 14:43-15:1
And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.”
As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him. And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”
Then they all forsook Him and fled.
Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes. But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.
Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’” But not even then did their testimony agree.
And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” But He kept silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?”
And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.
Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.
Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.”
But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.
And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, “This is one of them.” But he denied it again.
And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, “Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.”
Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”
A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.
Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.

St Photius the Patriarch of Constantinople

2007-02-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

St Photius was Patriarch of Constantinople in the years 858–67, and 877–86. He was born in Constantinople to pious Christian parents Sergius and Irene. His father Sergius, was martyred in the defense of Holy Icons. When the Patriarch Ignatius was deposed by the Emperor Michael, the bishops convinced the Emperor that pious and worthy Photius should be installed as the new Patriarch. Because St Photius resolutely rejected the error of the filioque and the claims of eccliastical primacy of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Nicholas I anathematized St Photius at a local council in Rome (which Pope John VIII later annulled), and had Ignatius reinstated as Patriarch of Constantinople. St Photius was then reinstated and deposed on several occasions, facing numerous false accusations and denunciations, before being finally exiled to Armenia, where he reposed.

Apolytikion
As a teacher to the world, being one with the Apostles, intercede with the Lord of all, O Photius, that He may grant the world peace, and to our souls His great mercy.

Kontakion
Far-reaching beacon of the Church and God, inspired Guide of the Orthodox, you are now crowned with the flowers of song. You are the divine words of the Spirit's harp, the strong adversary of heresy and to whom we cry, "Hail all-honorable Photius."

1 John 3:8-22
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Mark 14:10-42
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?”
And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.”
So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.
In the evening He came with the twelve. Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me.”
And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?”
He answered and said to them, “It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
‘ I will strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep will be scattered.’
“But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”
Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.”
Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”
But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
And they all said likewise.
Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”
He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

Holy Virgin Martyr Agatha

2007-02-05T10:25:00.000-08:00

Agatha, the daughter of rich and distinguished Christian parents, was known for her remarkable beauty and chastity. When she was 15 years old, she was persecuted by the Senator Quintianus with avowals of love. As his proposals were resolutely rejected by the pious Christian virgin, he committed her to the charge of an evil woman and her daughters, whose temptations, Agatha was able to overcome by her prayer and faith in Christ. She prayed that she may be martyred for Jesus. Quintianus then had her subjected to various cruel tortures. He ordered the torturer to remove her breasts with metal tongs, and when this failed, to have he had them cut off. But the holy virgin was consoled by a vision of St. Peter, who miraculously healed her. The next day, the torture began again, and she was rolled on hot coals. During this, a great earthquake hit the area, and the people demanded the tortures stop. Quintianus sent St Agatha back to prison, where the virgin martyr gave up her soul to the Lord, while offering her praise.

Apolytikion
O Lord Jesus, unto Thee Thy lamb doth cry with a great voice: O my Bridegroom, Thee I love; and seeking Thee, I now contest, and with Thy baptism am crucified and buried. I suffer for Thy sake, that I may reign with Thee; for Thy sake I die, that I may live in Thee: accept me offered out of longing to Thee as a spotless sacrifice. Lord, save our souls through her intercessions, since Thou art great in mercy.

Kontakion
Let the Church be clad today with royal purple in a splendid covering dyed in the chaste and hallowed blood of Martyr Agatha, and let it now cry: Rejoice, O thou boast of Catania.

1 John 2:18-3:1-8
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Mark 11:1-11
Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.”
So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?”
And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“ Hosanna!
‘ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David
That comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!”
And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Afterfeast of the Meeting of our Lord in the Temple

2007-02-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

Today begins the Afterfeast of the Meeting of the Lord, when the Church commemorates and honors the righteous Elder Symeon and Prophetess Anna, who prophesied concerning Him by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and were the first in Jerusalem to receive Him as the Messiah.

Apolytikion
Hail Virgin Theotokos full of Grace, for Christ our God, the Sun of Righteousness, has dawned from you, granting light to those in darkness. And you, O Righteous Elder, rejoice, taking in your arms, the Deliverance of our souls, who grants us Resurrection.

Kontakion
Your birth sanctified a Virgin's womb and properly blessed the hands of Symeon. Having now come and saved us O Christ our God, give peace to Your commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen those in authority, whom You love, as only the loving One.

2 Timothy 3:1-9
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Luke 20:46-21:4
“Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

The Presentation of Our Lord and Savior in the Temple

2007-02-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

After the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, when the Mother of God; the Ever-Virgin Mary's forty days of purification (Leviticus 12:2-8) had been fulfilled, even though, truly had no need of purification, since she had given birth to the Source of purity and sanctity without defilement, she took her first-born Son to the Temple in Jerusalem, to present Him in the temple according to the Law of Moses, which teaches that every first-born male child be dedicated to God, and also that she might offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons, as required by the Law (see Luke 2:22-24; Exodus 13:2; Leviticus 12:6-8).

Also present in the temple, was a just and devout man, the righteous Elder Simeon, to whom it had had been revealed that he would not die until he beheld the the promised Messiah; the Lord's Christ. When he saw the Most Holy Theotokos with the baby Jesus, he took the infant Savior into his arms and sang his praise to God, "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel." (Luke 2:29-32). He then turned to Mary, the mother of God and prophesied, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." Also in the temple was the daughter of Phanuel, Anna the Prophetess; a widow of 84 years, who never left, but fasted and prayed in the Temple day and night. She arrived and praised God with St Simeon.

Apolytikion
Hail Virgin Theotokos full of Grace, for Christ our God, the Sun of Righteousness, has dawned from you, granting light to those in darkness. And you, O Righteous Elder, rejoice, taking in your arms, the Deliverance of our souls, who grants us Resurrection.

Kontakion
Your birth sanctified a Virgin's womb and properly blessed the hands of Symeon. Having now come and saved us O Christ our God, give peace to Your commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen those in authority, whom You love, as only the loving One.

Hebrews 7:7-17
Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies:
“ You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”

Luke 2:22-40
Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
“ Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

What is Vespers (and Orthodox Worship)?

2007-01-31T13:48:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago, I asked a friend (who admits to knowing nothing about Orthodoxy) to attend Vespers with me this week. He responded by asking me about Vespers. The following was my explanation:

Ah, how do I describe Vespers? The word Vespers means "evening", Vespers is the evening prayer of all Orthodox Christians. Since the Church day begins at sundown, just as detailed in Genesis 1, Vespers is the "first" prayer of the day. Vespers is the service celebrated towards the end of daylight, in which we express our gratitude to God for the day which has passed.

The hours of prayer are generally: 6pm/Sundown (Vespers), 9pm (Compline), 12am (Midnight), 3am (Matins), 6am (1st hour), 9am (3rd hour), 12pm (6th hour), 3pm (9th hour). This all follows a Biblical model. In Old and New Testament times, an "hour" meant a "watch" that lasted about three hours. Each service of the daily cycle corresponds to one of these three-hour divisions. The hours seem perfectly natural when you read the accounts of our Lord's crucifixion (Mark 15:25, Luke 23:44, Matthew 27:45). Additionally, the book of Acts shows how the hours were times of prayer. (Acts 3:1, Acts 10:3, Acts 10:9, Acts 10:30). In the monasteries, these hours are kept strictly. Non-monastic’s, however, do not keep such a strict rule of prayer. In a local congregation, you may only have Vespers celebrated on Saturday night, and Matins celebrated only on Sunday morning, before the Divine Liturgy, which is the main service of the Church. Any further persnal prayer rule can be decided with the help of a Priest or spiritual father.

Vespers (actually most Orthodox services) consists primarily of chanting the Psalms, with other hymns and prayers interspersed. The Psalms are THE hymnbook and prayerbook of the Orthodox Church. Vespers begins with the call to worship ("Come, let us worship and fall down before God our King"), then we move on to chant several Psalms, a Litany, the Phos Hilaron ("O gladsome Light"), more hymns, Psalms, and prayers, then the Canticle of St. Simeon ("Lord, now you let your servant go in peace"), and then the final hymns and closing prayers.

What will strike you about Orthodox worship is how it involves the whole person. We have bowing, kneeling, prostrating, (how else would one expect to act before an earthly king, much less the Heavenly King?) crossing oneself; the Sanctuary looks like a scene out of Revelation, with the Angels and the Saints; the chanting and the icons brings you into Heaven, and the incense takes you outside of time; the icons represent the "great cloud of witnesses" from Hebrews, and the incense represents our prayers rising before the Throne of God, as in Revelation. The worship is totally God-centered, not man-centered, and the current Liturgy (the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom) is from the 4th Century. This was a shortening of the Liturgy of St. Basil, which in turn was a shortening of the Liturgy of St James the Apostle, which was the one used for the first three Centuries (St. James Liturgy took literally hours to complete). This is truly the orthodox Christian faith as recorded in Scripture, taught and practiced by the early Fathers of the Church, and preserved within the spiritual life of the Orthodox Christians around the world from the day of Pentecost until now, unbroken, undivided, and unconquered by the Gates of Hell. The true Body of Christ on earth.

Unmercenaries Cyrus & John

2007-01-31T10:38:00.000-08:00

St Cyrus was a noted physician from Alexandria, and Saint John was a high-ranking soldier in the army in Edessa of Mesopotamia. When the persecution under Diocletian started, Cyrus fled to the Gulf of Arabia, to join a small community of monks. John heard of Cyrus' fame and began to search for him. When St John finally found St Cyrus, he remained with him and became his faithful follower. From that time forward, they passed their life in virtue, and healing every illness and disease freely by the grace of Christ; hence their title of "Unmercenaries."

They heard that a certain Christian woman, named Athanasia, had been arrested with her three daughters, Theodora, Theoctiste, and Eudoxia, for their confession of the Faith. Sts Cyrus and John hastened to the prison to help them, and strengthen them to face Martyrdom, and to not renounce Christ. The ruler had Sts Cyrus and John arrested and tortured before Athanasia and her daughters, but they were unmoved from their confession. The Saints, Athanasia, and her daughters were all Martyred on January 31st, in the year 292 AD.

Apolytikion
Since Thou hast given us the miracles of Thy holy Martyrs as an invincible battlement, by their entreaties scatter the counsels of the heathen, O Christ our God, and strenghten the faith of Orthodox Christians, since Thou alone art good and the Friend of man.

Kontakion
O holy ones, you received as a grace the power of miracles: Do not cease to pour out your wonders on us. By spiritual skill, cut out our passions, O two great physicians, Divinely inspired Cyrus and Holy John!

2 Peter 3:1-18
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Mark 13:24-31
“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Synaxis of The Three Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, & John Chrysostom

2007-01-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

During the eleventh century, during the reign of the Emperor Alexis I Comnenus, disputes raged in Constantinople about which of the three hierarchs was the greatest. Some gave St. Basil the pre-eminence for his purity and courage, others St. Gregory for the unfathomable depth and height of his theological mind; still others St. John for the wonderful beauty of his speech and the clarity of his presentation of the Faith. As the Dissension increased, supporters of each Saint began calling themselves Basilians, Gregorians, and Johnites, respectively. Desiring to bring an end to the contention, the three Saints, by the will of God, appeared to St John Mavropous ('Black-foot') the Bishop of Euchaita, in a vision, in the year 1084. They revealed to him that the glory they have at the throne of God is equal "There are no divisions among us, and no opposition to one another". They ordered that the disputes should stop, and that their common commemoration should be celebrated on a single day, and told him to compose a common service for the three of them, which he did with great skill and beauty. Bishop John chose January 30 for their joint Feast, thus ending the controversy and restoring peace.

Apolytikion
The three most great luminaries of the Three-Sun Divinity have illumined all of the world with the rays of doctrines divine and true; they are the sweetly-flowing rivers of wisdom, who with godly knowledge have watered all creation in clear and mighty streams: The great and sacred Basil, and the Theologian, wise Gregory, together with the renowned John, the famed Chrysostom of golden speech. Let us all who love their divinely-wise words come together, honouring them with hymns; for ceaselessly they offer entreaty for us to the Trinity.

Kontakion
Receive, O Lord, the Sacred Heralds who preached God, the pinnacle of Teachers, unto the enjoyment of Your riches and rest. You have received their labors and their suffering as being above and beyond all fruitful offering. For You alone glorify Your Saints.

Hebrews 13:7-16
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Matthew 5:14-19
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Neomartyr Demetrios of Chios

2007-01-29T12:04:00.000-08:00

Demetrios the Neomartyr was born in a small village near the city of Tripolis. The Turks had firmly controlled this area for more than three centuries. As a teenager, Demetrios was apprenticed to a Turkish contractor, who convinced him to refuse Christ and to accept Islam. Demetrios even change his name and became Mehmet. But, fortunately, his father found Demetrios after several months and escued the boy from the muslim environment, and returned him to the Christ once again.

St Demetrios made many prayers for forgiveness, after which he became very contrite. Leaving Tripolis, Demetrios made his way to the island of Chios where he hoped to show his sincere repentance. At Chios he was admitted to a monastery in which he want to cleanse himself of his shameful act, and to serve the Savior with all his heart and soul. Many monks heard his confessions and were deeply moved by the lad's sincere remorse, so they let him remain amongst them. Eventually, he was tonsured a monk. Wishing to console Demetrios, the abbot reminded him the story of Peter's denial of Christ, after which apostle Peter repented and became a Saint.

Demetrios followed the strictest ascetic rules, but he was troubled by an unfulfilled wish to make an act which would completely expiate his sin. And he thought the right way is to return to the place of his fall and there to confess his belief in Christ before those who were witnesses of his acceptance of Islam. The abbot tried to dissuade him by citing the decision of David to preach the word of God for all his days rather than sacrifice himself in an untimely death. But Demetrios felt in his heart the necessity to faced the Turks of Tripolis.

And he returned to avow openly his fidelity to Jesus and for this he was executed as the turncoat from islam. The holy relics of this brave newmartyr, who gave his life for Christ on April 14 lie in the Church of Saint Demetrios in Tripolis, Greece.

Pray for us, Saint Demetrios!

2 Peter 2:9-22
then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

Mark 13:14-23
“So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter. For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

Venerable Ephraim the Syrian

2007-01-27T23:37:00.000-08:00

Saint Ephraim was born in Nisibis of Mesopotamia, in the year 306. In his youth was the disciple of St James, Bishop of Nisibis, one of the Fathers at the First Ecumenical Council. St Ephraim was raised by pious, hard-working Christian parents, and lived ascetically, as one of the early monks. Eventually, Nisibis was surrendered to the Persians, and St Ephraim then moved to Edessa, where he stood for the Orthodox faith, against the numerous heresies. St Ephraim was a great teacher, and writer of hymns and sermons, instructing everyone in repentance, faith and piety. Some of his works are still used in the Church until this day, particularly in the Lenten season. At one point in his life, St Basil the Great was going to ordain St Ephraim as a Priest, and later a Bishop's throne, but humble St Ephraim considered himself unworthy for these, and only submitted to being ordained a Deacon on St Basil's insistence.

Apolytikion
With the rivers of your tears, you have made the barren desert fertile. Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, your labors have borne fruit a hundred-fold. By your miracles you have become a light, shining upon the world. O Ephraim, our Holy Father, pray to Christ our God, to save our souls.

Kontakion
At all times didst thou foresee the hour of reckoning, and pricked in thy heart, thou ever didst lament with tears; and, O righteous Ephraim, thou wast a mighty teacher in works and deeds. Hence, O Father for all the world, thou didst rouse the slothful unto change of heart.

2 Timothy 3:10-15
But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Luke 18:10-14
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Venerable Xenophon of Constantinople

2007-01-26T11:05:00.000-08:00

Saint Xenophon was a wealthy and notable nobleman of Constantinople in the fifth Century. He sent his two sons to Beirut, in Phoenicia, to study law. On the way, they were shipwrecked, split up, and barely survived the ordeal. After this, they both individually decided to go to Jerusalem to become monks. St Xenophon and his wife, Maria, found their children in Jerusalem, at different monasteries, whereupon they themselves joined different monasteries, and lived the rest of their days in asceticsm, prayer, and fasting.

Apolytikion
O God of our Fathers, ever dealing with us according to Thy gentleness: take not Thy mercy from us, but by their entreaties guide our life in peace.

Kontakion
With thy yoke-mate and thy sons didst thou keep vigil in the courts of Christ thy Lord and thou didst cheerfully disperse thy wealth to paupers, O blessed one. Hence, ye have all now inherited joy divine.

2 Peter 1:1-10
Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

Mark 13:1-8
Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”
And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”
And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.

Saint Gregory the Theologian

2007-01-25T12:30:00.000-08:00

St Gregory the Theologian was born in 329 in Arianzus, in Cappadocia, not far from Nazianzus. His father, who later became Bishop of Nazianzus, was named Gregory, his mother Nonna; his brother Caesarius, and his sister Gorgonia are all numbered among the Saints. St Gregory was a great Father and Teacher of the Church; he is numbered among the Three Holy Hierarchs, with Sts Basil the Great and John Chrysostom.

He studied in Caesarea, Alexandria, and in Athens. In Atherns he studied with St Basil and Prince Julian the Apostate. Sts Gregory and Basil lived ascetic, monastic lives. St Gregory was a hero of the Orthodox faith, defending it against the pernicious herecies of the day. When he was called to serve in Constantinople, the city was overrun by Arians, Macedonians and Appolinarians. While the heretics mobbed, and even once stoned him, St. Gregory, simply by preaching the pure Gospel, drove the heretics from the city within two years.

At one time, an assassin was to take St. Gregory's life, but he instead fell at St. Gregory's feet with tears of repentance. At the Second Ecumenical Council, St. Gregory was chosen as Patriarch of Constantinople, but resigned as soon as he saw that this would lead to unnecessary controversy because of those who opposed him. He is honored as one of only two Saints with the title of "Theologian", the other being the Apostle John.

Apolytikion
The pastoral flute of your theology conquered the trumpets of orators. For it called upon the depths of the Spirit and you were enriched with the beauty of words. Intercede to Christ our God, O Father Gregory, that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion
O Glorious One, you dispelled the complexities of orators with the words of your theology. You have adorned the Church with the vesture of Orthodoxy woven from on high. Clothed in this, the Church now cries out to your children, with us, "Hail Father, the consummate theological mind."

Hebrews 7:26-28; 8:1-2
For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who isholy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

John 10:9-16
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Saint Xenia, Deaconess of Rome

2007-01-24T10:28:00.000-08:00

Our righteous Mother Xenia, was born in Rome, and was the only daughter of an eminent Roman senator. Wishing to avoid the marriage arranged for her by her parents, she secretly left home with two of her slaves. Originally named Eusebia, she now took the name Xenia. She caught a a ship to Mylasa on the island of Kos, where she started a community for virgins, remaining there in asceticism until her death. Because of her virtuousness, charity, and humility, she was soon made a deaconess. She helped all, and counted herself as the worst of sinners. She would often spend days and nights standing in prayer, and fasting. When she died, a sign appeared above the monastery; a wreath of stars encircling a cross, shining brighter than the sun. The slave girls, who followed Xenia's example in everything, asked to be buried at her feet when they died. Many people are said to have been cured when touching the relics of Xenia, in faith.

Apolytikion
In thee the image was preserved with exactness, O Mother; for taking up thy cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to overlook the flesh, for it passeth away, but to attend to the soul since it is immortal. Wherefore, O righteous Xenia, thy spirit rejoiceth with the Angels.

Kontakion
Celebrating the memorial of thy life which thou didst live as a stranger, O Xenia, and honoring thee with love, we praise Christ Who gave thee the power to grant healings to all. Ever pray to Him for us all.

1 Peter 4:1-11
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Mark 12:28-37
Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
But after that no one dared question Him.
Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?
Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:
‘ The LORD said to my Lord,
“ Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’
Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”
And the common people heard Him gladly.

Saint Clement, Bishop of Ancyra

2007-01-23T11:16:00.000-08:00

Saint Clement was born in 258 in the town of Ancyra, of Galatia, to a pagan father and a Christian mother. Clement’s father died when he was still an infant, and his mother, Euphrosyne, reposed when he was but was twelve years, after predicting that Clement would die a martyr's death for his firm faith in Christ. A woman named Sophia took Clement as her son and saw that he was brought up a Christian. Clement became so famed for his virtuous life and wisdom that he was made a reader, and later a deacon at very young ages. When he was eighteen he was ordained to the holy priesthood, and at age twenty he was consecrated Bishop of Ancyra. He harnessed and conquered his body by great restraint. He ate only bread and vegetables.

In the reign of Diocletian, he was tortured as terribly "as anyone has ever been since the foundation of the world". He spent twenty-eight years under torture and imprisonment. One time, when they were breaking his teeth with rocks, he thanked his torturer: "You are doing me honor, for the mouth of my Lord Jesus Christ was struck in like manner, and His cheeks slapped; and lo, unworthy as I am, am now made worthy of this!" When he was brought before the Emperor Diocletian in Rome, the Emperor placed on one side various instruments of torture, and on the other side gifts; medals, clothing, money, etc., and then told Clement to choose. Christ's martyr, with a scarcely a glance at all the Emperor's gifts, chose the instruments of torture. And he was terribly tortured; piece by piece the flesh was flayed from his body until his bones and organs were exposed. He was healed of these wounds, and many pagans who witnessed and heard of his torture, willingness to suffer for his Lord, and his miraculous healings, were converted. Once, the prison where he was being held was literally transformed into a church. St. Clement was eventually released and finally beheaded in 312, while he was presiding at the Liturgy as bishop in the church in Ancyra.

Apolytikion
Thou didst blossom forth for the faithful, O most sacred Clement, as a branch of holiness, a staff of contest, a most sacred flower, and a sweet God-given fruit. But as a fellow-sufferer of martyrs and a fellow-prelate of hierarchs, intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion
As an honored branch of Christ, Who is the True Vine, all-famed Clement, thou didst win thy many contests for the Faith, crying with them that had shared thy pains: Christ is the Martyrs' exceedingly radiant joy.

1 Peter 3:10-22
For
“ He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”
And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Mark 12:18-27
Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”

The holy, glorious and all-laudable Timothy the Apostle

2007-01-22T09:11:00.000-08:00

The Apostle Timothy is remembered by the Church as one of the 70 disciples that Jesus sent out to proclaim the Kingdom. His mother Eunice, and grandmother Loida were believing Jews (2 Tim. 1:4-5) and his father was a Greek. He met the Apostle Paul in Lystra of Lycaonia, his home town, and became his disciple. The Apostle Paul's First and Second Epistles to Timothy were written to him. Paul ordained Timothy Bishop of Ephesus in AD 65. After St. Paul's martyrdom, Timothy settled in Ephesus with the Apostle John. He became Bishop there when John was exiled to Patmos. During a pagan feast called Katagogium in the year 80, the crowd mercilessly beat him, dragged him through the streets, and stoned him to death, when he was preaching of the Gospel to the idol-worshipers at this pagan festival. In the fourth century, his relics were taken to in the church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople and buried next to St. Luke and St. Andrew the First-Called.

Apolytikion
Since thou hadst been instructed in uprightness thoroughly and wast vigilant in all things, thou wast clothed with a good conscience as befitteth one holy. Thou didst draw from the Chosen Vessel ineffable mysteries; and having kept the Faith, thou didst finish a like course, O Hieromartyr and Apostle Timothy. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion
With hymns let us, the faithful, sing Timothy's praises as Paul's divine disciple and faithful companion; with him let us also laud Anastasius the godly-wise, who shone forth with splendor like a star out of Persia and doth drive away from us our bodily sickness and spiritual maladies.

1 Peter 2:21-3:9
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
“ Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

Mark 12:13-17
Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?”
But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” So they brought it.
And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
And they marveled at Him.

The Venerable Saint Macarius the Great of Egypt

2007-01-19T11:16:00.000-08:00

St. Macarius of Egypt (331-391) was known as "the child elder" at a young age, for his wisdom and ascetic lifestyle. While his parents were living, he used all he had to take care of them. Afterwards, he gave all his money to the poor, and came under the tutelage of a desert monk who taught him to fast and pray. The devil struggled greatly with this Saint, but Macarius defeated the devil with prayer, fasting, the sign of the Cross, and his extreme humility.

St. Macarius sought out St. Anthony and became his disciple. After some years, St. Anthony sent him to the Skete monastery, where he soon became Abba. He became so popular, and so many people came to him for his prayers and advice, St. Macarius dug a deep cave under his cell to hide in for private prayer and meditation. St. Macarius was a great healer, and even raised the dead back to life through prayer. One time, when he was passing by a skull, the skull cried out for his prayers.

At one time, the Arian heretics, Emperor Valens and Bishop Lucius, exiled St. Macarius to an island of pagans, in the Nile. St. Macarius, along with another Saint from Alexandria, also named Macarius converted the whole population of the island, and baptized them all. Fearing an uprising, the bishop Lucius returned the monks to their respective monasteries. After 60 years in the as a monk, at about 90 years of age, St. Marcarius was miraculously visited by the departed Sts. Anthony and Pachomius, who came to inform him that he would soon be with them in eternity. St. Marcarius' final acts were to bless the monks of his monastery, and to exhort them to always preserve the monastic rule and the traditions of the Fathers. He then fell asleep in the Lord.

Apolytikion
Thou didst prove to be a citizen of the desert, an angel in the flesh, and a wonderworker, O Makarios, our God-bearing Father. By fasting, vigil, and prayer thou didst obtain heavenly gifts, and thou healest the sick and the souls of them that have recourse to thee with faith. Glory to Him that hath given thee strength. Glory to him that hath crowned thee. Glory to Him that worketh healings for all through thee.

Kontakion
The Lord God established thee, O great ascetic, in the house of abstinence, like an unerring star that lit the farthest regions with guiding light, Father of Fathers, O righteous Macarius.

1 Peter 1:1-2, 10-12; 2:6-10
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“ Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“ The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”
and
“ A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Mark 12:1-12
Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. “Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read this Scripture:
‘ The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

Saint Anthony the Great

2007-01-17T10:50:00.000-08:00

St. Anthony the Great of Egypt was one of the founders of the Desert Fathers, along with the St. Paul the Hermit. He was born to a wealthy family, and after his parents died about his 20th year, he sold all of his possessions, gave them to the poor, and relocated to the desert, completely cut off from civilization, and lived the life of an ascetic monk. He would often visit other ascetics living in the area, and from each he sought direction and benefit. He worked hard and made enough money to provide for himself, and to offer alms to the poor.

During this time, the devil fought St Anthony by afflicting him with boredom, laziness, and lewd thoughts, which he overcame by the power of prayer and meditation on Christ. Eventually, St. Anthony moved into a graveyard, and closed himself in a tomb. When the devil saw St. Anthony's ascetic life and intense worship, he beat him almost to death. Friends found him, and took him to the village, so that he could heal in the local Church. But that very night, St. Anthony asked his friends to return him to the tomb, where the devil again tried to defeat St. Anthony, with phantoms of wild beasts. Through faith in God, St. Anthony defeated the devil yet again. At this time, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to St. Anthony, praised him for his unfailing faith, and healed him of the wounds the devil had inflicted.

St. Anthony then moved even farther into the desert and closed himself up in an old abandoned Roman fort for twenty years. He asked his friends to bring him some bread twice a year. During these years, many came to this Holy man for advice, and even build monasteries around his cell. St. Anthony spoke to all that came to him, acting as a spiritual father, through an opening in his cell.

After St. Anthony came out of the fort, he went to Alexandria during a time of intense persecution, hoping to be a martyr for Christ. He visited and comforted all those who were imprisoned and on trial for Christ. Even though St. Anthony faced the Governor, confessing Christ, and angering him to no end, the Governor did not torture or kill St. Anthony. After this, he returned to the old Roman fort, where he healed many who came to him sick and demon possessed. Then, he went even deeper into the desert, but people still came to him for his wisdom and wonderworking. He taught many about the ascetic life, and prayer, and even prophesied about the upcoming persecution of the Church, as well as its restoration. He died in 356, at about 105 years old, and asked his disciples to bury him in an unmarked grave.

Apolytikion
O Father Anthony, you imitated the zealous Elijah. You followed the straight paths of the Baptist and became a desert dweller. By prayer you confirmed the universe. Wherefore, intercede with Christ our God to save our souls.

Kontakion
Forsaking the uproars of life O venerable one, you completed your life in quiet, fully imitating the Baptist. Therefore, we honor you with him, O Anthony, Father of Fathers.

Hebrews 13:17-21
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Luke 6:17-23
And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
“ Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Apostle Peter

2007-01-16T11:31:00.000-08:00

About the year 42, Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great, slew James, the brother of John the Evangelist. and had the Apostle Peter thrown into prison for his witness to the Name of the Lord Jesus, held secure in iron chains. During the night, an angel of the Lord removed these chains from the Apostle Peter and led him out from the prison. This account is recorded in Acts 12.

These chains were later found by Christians, and kept as relics. They are said to heal the afflicted who venerate them in faith. Brothers and sisters, do not be surprised or skeptical at this, for the Holy Scriptures even gives witness to this kind of miricle. In Acts 5:14-16, we read "And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed", and in Acts 19:11-12 as well, "Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them."

Rejoice in the mystery and love of God, who works great and wonderful deeds for his unworthy children! Amen!

Apolytikion
Without leaving Rome, thou didst come to us by the precious chains which thou didst wear. O foremost of the Apostles. And worshipping them with faith, we pray: By thine intercessions with God, grant us great mercy.

Kontakion
Now Christ God, the Rock, doth glorify the rock of faith, illustriously, in calling all to celebrate the dread wonders of the most precious chains of Peter, the first and chief of the disciples of Christ our God, Who granteth forgiveness of sins unto all.

James 3:1-10
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

Mark 11:11-23
And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.
Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”
And His disciples heard it.
So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”
And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. When evening had come, He went out of the city.
Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Venerable Paul the Hermit of Thebes

2007-01-15T13:01:00.000-08:00

In the tradition of such Holy men as St. Elijah the Prophet and St. John the Forerunner, St. Paul the Hermit lived a solitary life; reputed to be the first of the Desert Dwelling hermits. He had been driven from his home, during the bloody reign of Decius. While wandering in the desert, St. Paul found a system of caves that had been used as a mint during the time of Cleopatra, which St. Paul lived in for the rest of his life in solitude, prayer and holy meditation.

When St. Paul was about 113, St. Anthony, another Desert-dwelling monk, was directed by an Angel of God to find St. Paul. During the visit, a raven brought a loaf of bread. St. Paul explained to St. Anthony, that the ravens had brought him only a half-loaf daily, for the past 60 years. Then, after eating, St. Paul explained that his time for falling asleep in the Lord was nigh, and that the Angel had sent St. Anthony so that he could bury St. Paul. So that St. Anthony would not have to watch him die, St. Paul asked him to retrieve his cloak from the monastery. When St. Anthony returned with the cloak, he found St. Paul, reposed, kneeling, and with his hands still lifted to the Lord in prayer.

Just as he realized that he had no shovel to dig St. Paul's grave, two lions entered the cave and venerated the body of St. Paul and roared lamentations. They dug the grave, and returned to St. Anthony, licking his hands. St. Anthony blessed the beasts, buried St. Paul, and returned to the monastery with a tunic of palm leaves, of St. Paul’s, which he, from then on, wore every Easter and Pentecost.

James 2:14-26
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Mark 10:46-52
Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.
Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”
And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

Apolytikion
With the rivers of your tears, you have made the barren desert fertile. Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, your labors have borne fruit a hundred-fold. By your miracles you have become a light, shining upon the world. O Paul, our Holy Father, pray to Christ our God, to save our souls.

Kontakion
O ye faithful, let us all laud the divine Paul, the bright luminary that shone at the virtues' lofty height; and let us joyously cry aloud: O Christ, Thou art the rejoicing of all the Saints.

In closing, I would echo the words of St. Jerome, at the end of his treatise on St. Paul the Hermit: "I beseech you, reader, whoever you may be, to remember Jerome (edit: Dan) the sinner. He, if God would give him his choice, would much sooner take Paul's tunic with his merits, than the purple of kings with their punishment."

Amen!

Lives of the Saints

2007-01-15T10:14:00.000-08:00

At the end of December, following my decision to embrace Orthodoxy, I began posting a short blurb on one of the Saints for the given day. I enjoyed this, but I ceased at the first of the year, deciding that there are already enough sites with information on these Saints, and all I was doing was poorly replicating the information they already provided. Since then, I have found myself not only not posting, but also not reading about these Saints...

I think I will begin again, posting about the day's Saints. Mainly for my own edification. If you, dear reader, find these postings edifying to read, as I find them nurturing to research and write, please do let me know.

The Ten Commandments

2007-01-02T09:02:00.000-08:00

I am an idolater; I have little gods that I place my hope in. I repent.

I am a blasphemer; I malign God's holy name in speech, action, and thought. I repent.

I do not observe a Holy day for God; I pursue selfish desires seven days a week. I repent.

I dishonor and despise my father and mother; I do not hold them in the esteem they deserve. I repent.

I am a murderer; By my inaction I allow and even encourage the murder of innocents. By my action and thoughts, I express anger for my brothers and sisters, which is murder in my heart. I repent.

I am an adulterer; By my thoughts and actions I do not live the chaste life I am called to live. I repent.

I am a thief; I take and use that which does not belong to me, both in the form of intellectual property and material property. I repent.

I am a liar; I bear false witness against my neighbor. I repent.

I am a coveter; I want to own more than I have been given by God and more than what I have worked for. I repent.

Of all this and more am I guilty. In tears, I repent and seek your mercy, forgiveness, healing, and Salvation, O Christ Jesus, my Lord.

Apodosis of the Nativity of Christ.

2006-12-31T16:05:00.000-08:00

Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One,
And the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One!
Angels with shepherds glorify Him! The wise men journey with a star!
Since for our sake the Eternal God was born as a Little Child!

Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the Prophets:
“ Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.”
“ The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘ Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.’”
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Anysia the Virgin-martyr of Thessaloniki

2006-12-30T14:00:00.000-08:00

Anysia was born in Thessalonica. Her family was rich, but very pious. After her parents' death, Anysia took private vows of poverty and chastity and used her wealth to help the poor. One day, around the year 304, on hew way to worship, a Roman soldier accosted her, and when she confessed Christ, he began dragging her off to the temple of the Sun god. When he ripped her veil from her face, she spit in his face, and he drove his sword through her. A church was built in her honor over her grave.

As a doubly-shining lamp of truly mystical brightness do ye shine upon the Church like a high-towering beacon: thou with beams of martyr's glory, O Anysia; thou with rays of great ascetic deeds, O Melania. Now together ye are honoured by Christ your Bridegroom for your travails in His Name.

Hebrews 7:18-25
For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is thebringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath 21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:
“ The LORD has sworn
And will not relent,
‘ You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek’”),
by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Holy Innocents

2006-12-29T08:18:00.000-08:00

Today is set aside to remember the 14,000 children slaughtered by Herod when he tried to kill the infant Christ. Although Saint Stephen is commonly considered the first martyr (protomartyr), these children were Holy Martyrs for Christ, though they did not know it at the time.

All Hail, Ye Little Martyr Flowers
All hail, ye little martyr flowers,
Sweet rosebuds cut in dawning hours!
When Herod sought the Christ to find
Ye fell as bloom before the wind.

First victims of the martyr bands,
With crowns and palms in tender hands,
Around the very altar, gay
And innocent, ye seem to play.

What profited this great offense?
What use was Herod’s violence?
A Babe survives that dreadful day,
And Christ is safely borne away.

All honor, laud, and glory be,
O Jesus, virgin born, to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet
To Father and to Paraclete.

Matthew 2:16-18
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
“ A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”

20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia

2006-12-28T08:27:00.000-08:00

Today, we remember the 20,000 blessed Martyrs who were burned to death in the year 302 in their church at Nicomedia, while celebrating the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. Emperor Maximian declared any who would renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to idols could leave; all refused. Bishop Anthymos Baptized and Communed all of the catechumens prior to their martyrdom.

Their souls strengthened by faith, the twenty thousand martyrs accepted their suffering by fire, and cried out to You, the One born of the Virgin: "Like gold, myrrh, and frankincense, the gifts of the Persian kings, receive our whole burnt offering, O Eternal God."

Revelation 6:9-11
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Holy Protomartyr Stephen

2006-12-27T11:21:00.000-08:00

St. Stephen was one of the first deacons of the Church, and the first Christian martyr. Legends suggest that Stephen converted Pilate and his family to Christianity, and was related to Saul, who watched his stoning.

O Protomartyr and mighty warrior of Christ our God,
You are victorious in battle and crowned with glory, O holy Stephen!
You confounded the council of your persecutors,
Beholding your Savior enthroned at the right hand of the Father.
Never cease to intercede for the salvation of our souls!

The calling of Stephen, and his martyrdom:

Acts 6:1-7
Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Acts 7: 54-60
When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Synaxis of the Theotokos

2006-12-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

Today is the Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos, today we commemorate Mary's role in the Incarnation.

Synaxis is a Greek compound meaning "also worthy", and this is truly appropriate for the Holy and Ever-Virgin Mother of God!

He Who was begotten before the morning star, of the Father without a mother, today is made flesh of you upon the earth without a father.
A star announces the good tidings to the Wise Men while Angels and shepherds sing the praises of your most pure childbearing, O full of grace!

And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.
He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:
As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

Amen!

I hope everyone has a blessed Nativity!

2006-12-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

I spent Christmas day, wonderfully quiet, with family. I hope it was blessed for you all, as well.

New path, or simply the next step?

2006-12-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

Well, Saturday I decided that I am going to finally take the important step in embracing Orthodoxy. This is a move I have been considering and investigating for almost a year now. I have informed the Fathers and Brothers in the Society of Saint Polycarp, and my Pastor. In the next week or so (depending on finances), I hope I will be able to begin attending St George Antiochian Church.

I told one of my dearest Orthodox friends (also an ex-Lutheran), and in her reply, she asked a very important question:

Now...would you be interested in sharing with me the thing or things that helped to pull you over the edge? I am curious.

Following was my simplistic, but honest answer:

Well, you have read my blog entries and posts in this forum over the past year. I have acknowledged the claims of Orthodoxy this whole time, but as I was still thinking "Lutheran", I wanted to give Lutheranism the benefit of the doubt ("nothing has been received among us, in doctrine or in ceremonies, that is contrary to Scripture or to the church catholic"). But the deeper I delved into history; the less I was able to fool myself into believing that the above statement was as key to the understanding of Lutheranism and Lutherans as it needs to be for Lutheranism to truly be "catholic". So, if Lutheranism isn't "it", then what is?

This is something I never doubted from the beginning. It was the church at Jerusalem that held the first council in the Book of Acts, to deal with the question of Gentile believers. The church at Ephesus that held the Third Ecumenical Council in 431. While ancient Antioch no longer stands, there were ten Church assemblies held there prior to AD 300, and it's Church moved with it's people to Damascus, where it still stands. And then there is Rome, who fell away to follow it's own path in 1054. It is a Biblical history that really cannot be denied. This is the Church that Jesus started, and promised that the Gates of Hell would not overcome.

My Lutheran-bred scholastic outlook may have problems understanding the how and why of parts of Orthodoxy, but if this is truly the Body of Christ, what can I say but, "I believe, help thou, my unbelief." Amen!

Another friend, still Lutheran replied to me with:

Why?????
Why not conservative confessional?
I'm thinking about WELS or ELS or AATC

Following was my short answer to him:

Well, to keep it short, I simply do not believe Lutheranism, as described in the Confessions, to accurately reflect the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Faith. That is the bottom line as to why I cannot be Lutheran anymore. On the other hand, I do believe that the Orthodox Church has preserved, defended and died for the Faith handed down by the Apostles since the Day of Pentecost 2000 years ago.

Invocation of the Saints

2006-12-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

Friends,

I intend to pose a position that upon first glance, will certainly seem to run contrary to our Confessions. Perhaps one quick reply will prove that to be true.

On the other hand, I have a faint notion that we (Modern Lutherans in general) have been reading the Confessions with a relatively "reformed" eye; which I suspect is neither necessary, nor correct. The subject I want to present, the "underdog", if you will, is the Invocation of the Saints.

In matter of definition, I am using "Invocation of the Saints" simply as "asking the Saints to pray for us". Obviously there are more serious implications to the Invocation of the Saints, regarding the Roman tradition, but if you will be so patient as to indulge me, I will try to outline my understanding on this more “eastern” concept of Invocation, and how out Confessions relate to it.

The biggest hurdle to my position is how we generally interpret the following from the Smalcald Articles:

25] The invocation of saints is also one of the abuses of Antichrist conflicting with the chief article, and destroys the knowledge of Christ. Neither is it commanded nor counseled, nor has it any example [or testimony] in Scripture, and even though it were a precious thing, as it is not [while, on the contrary, it is a most harmful thing], in Christ we have everything a thousandfold better [and surer, so that we are not in need of calling upon the saints].
26] And although the angels in heaven pray for us (as Christ Himself also does), as also do the saints on earth, and perhaps also in heaven, yet it does not follow thence that we should invoke and adore the angels and saints, and fast, hold festivals, celebrate Mass in their honor, make offerings, and establish churches, altars, divine worship, and in still other ways serve them, and regard them as helpers in need [as patrons and intercessors], and divide among them all kinds of help, and ascribe to each one a particular form of assistance, as the Papists teach and do. For this is idolatry, and such honor belongs alone to God.

This seems very cut and dry, in a reformed mindset, but then this is followed with:

27] For as a Christian and saint upon earth you can pray for me, not only in one, but in many necessities. But for this reason I am not obliged to adore and invoke you, and celebrate festivals, fast, make oblations, hold masses for your honor [and worship], and put my faith in you for my salvation.

Here is, I believe, the crux of what the Reformers were fighting against... "Obliged", "[and worship]", and most of all, "put my faith in you for my salvation".

Father John Fenton once told me that, "Those who pledge themselves to the 1580 Book of Concord as a true and correct understanding and interpretation of the Scriptures cannot, by definition, play one confessional document against another. Rather, they must see the work as a whole." He was suggesting the opposite point that I am, at the time, regarding the Confessional understanding of the subject, but his words made a real impression on me. I hope to show here, that this concept actually supports my idea that a prayer to a Saint is not compulsorily forbidden by our Confessions, out of hand.

In the Formula, we read:

1] ... we unanimously believe, teach, and confess that the ceremonies or church rites which are neither commanded nor forbidden in God's Word ...
6] when a plain [and steadfast] confession is required of us, we should not yield to the enemies in regard to such adiaphora.

There are some points I would like to suggest here:

1a: In the SA quote above, verse 25 says invocation is not commanded.
1b: Similarly, nowhere is it forbidden.
1c: Therefore, this is properly understood as something "neither commanded nor forbidden in God's Word" (adiaphora).

2a: At the time Luther wrote the SA, Rome was demanding that Invocation be practiced, as the Apology makes quite clear.
2b: The proper response to someone demanding one follow adiaphora, is to flatly refuse to do so.
2c: This was the historical context of Luther's Smalcald Articles.
2d: This "coercion" no longer exists. We would not be "yield(ing) to the enemies" anything.
2e: The time for "a plain [and steadfast] confession" in this adiaphora is long past.

Another thing I would like to mention is that the section from the Smalcald Articles where we read the strong words regarding Invocation of the Saints, is extremely and harshly lambasting the Mass as a whole...

7] Fifthly. But since the Mass is nothing else and can be nothing else (as the Canon and all books declare), than a work of men (even of wicked scoundrels), by which one attempts to reconcile himself and others to God, and to obtain and merit the remission of sins and grace (for thus the Mass is observed when it is observed at the very best; otherwise what purpose would it serve?), for this very reason it must and should [certainly] be condemned and rejected. For this directly conflicts with the chief article, which says that it is not a wicked or a godly hireling of the Mass with his own work, but the Lamb of God and the Son of God, that taketh away our sins.
29] In short, the Mass itself and anything that proceeds from it, and anything that is attached to it, we cannot tolerate, but must condemn, in order that we may retain the holy Sacrament pure and certain, according to the institution of Christ, employed and received through faith.

This brings me back to Father John's suggestion, "Those who pledge themselves to the 1580 Book of Concord as a true and correct understanding and interpretation of the Scriptures cannot, by definition, play one confessional document against another. Rather, they must see the work as a whole."

Do we not read in the Augsburg Confession,

1] Falsely are our churches accused of abolishing the Mass; for the Mass is retained among 2] us, and celebrated with the highest reverence.

How many of us Confessional Lutherans celebrate the Mass in our own parishes? Are we being blatantly anti-Confessional by holding Mass? Are we “play[ing] one confessional document against another” (i.e. AC XXIV vs. SA II)? No, I don’t think we are. We simply understand the context of the condemnation in the SA, and find it to be irrelevant to the Mass apart from the Papist abuses, as per the Augsburg Confession. It is clear to me that the Smalcald Articles are not dealing with "The Mass", but instead with the Papistic abuses injected into the Mass. I believe it is indeed the same with the Invocation of the Saints, which was written into the Smalcald Articles within the context of the Popish Mass, and even the greater context of the Papists trying to force it on the free Lutheran consciences.

Then again, this could all be wishful thinking. I am certainly open to discussion.

Farewell, you will be missed!!!

2006-10-30T09:07:00.000-08:00

The Reverend Father John Fenton, only yesterday, resigned as Pastor of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Detroit to pursue communion with the Orthodox Church.

He will be sorely missed in the LCMS. May God bless him on his journey!

The purpose?

2006-10-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

The following, I posted almost a year ago, elsewhere. I had almost forgotten about it, but just re-found it tonight. I thought I would share it here:

Tonight I was pondering the Holiness of God. My thoughts quickly turned to my own sins. I thought about the snares the enemy lies before us, and all the temptations he uses to entrap us.

I pondered this in relation to Romans 8:28, which tells us that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. What good, I thought to myself could come from all my sin, all the times I fall, only to pick myself up again in tears of shame, followed by the joy of knowing that I am forgiven yet again, and again, and again... What good?

The answer came to me slowly. Humility. If the falling is good for anything, it must be to teach us to be humble. If I sin daily, hourly, many times even between each breath, then how can I look at another's sins and judge them greater than my own? We are all judged by God, not according to our own efforts, but solely on the merits of the Christ, Jesus, the Son of God, who rules with His Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. There is no room for anything but humility.

Now I face the real question... Now that I know the answer, what will I do with it?

Higher Things Daily Reflection

2006-10-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

One of the podcasts I listen to is the Higher Things Daily Reflection. It is short (2 - 3 minutes), inspirational, and thought-provoking. Anyway, while driving home from Church this afternoon, I listened to today's edition: Higher Things Daily Reflection for October 15, 2006 - The Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity. The text was from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, chapter 22, verses 37 through 39: "Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Pastor Mark Buetow (the narrator) explains how these two seemingly different commandments, to fear, love, and trust in God above all things and loving our neighbor can be alike. His answer was good, really good in fact. Pastor Buetow explains that Jesus Himself is exactly how these commandments are similar, for Jesus is the One who fulfills even these commandments, to love God and to love His neighbor, even to the extent of going to the cross in His neighbor's place.

This got me thinking... Can you smell the smoke yet? Anyway, I see a second way these two commandments are related in Jesus. Jesus is both true God and true man; the God whom we love, and the man we love in kind. Jesus Himself is both our God, and our neighbor.

Random thought, Part one

2006-09-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

"Inasmuch, then, as our churches dissent in no article of the faith from the Church Catholic, but only omit some abuses which are new, and which have been erroneously accepted by the corruption of the times, contrary to the intent of the Canons..."
- AC, Abuses Corrected

"...in order that it might be understood that in doctrine and ceremonies nothing has been received on our part against Scripture or the Church Catholic."
- AC, Conclusion

For the church to be " Una Sancta " (the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church), these statements are absolutely key and essential. " Quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est " (that which has been believed everywhere, and always, and by all). If one insert new and novel doctrines, or eliminate that which has been believed from antiquity, that one is estranging himself (or herself) from the Church catholic, the Church orthodox.

Martin Luther's intent was not to create a new faith, but to eliminate the abuses that separated the Roman Church from the Church Catholic. Martin Chemnitz, David Chytraeus, Jakob Andrae, Martin Crusius, et al, carried on this noble torch. Holy Scripture even tells us how essential this " Catholic principle " is. Just read Jesus' High Priestly Prayer (specifically John 17: 20-23 "perfected in unity"), and Paul's repeated calls for us to be of one faith, one doctrine (Romans 16:17, Ephesians 4:4-6, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Timothy 1:3 etc.). This clearly refers to the eternal Church throughout all time... Each age, each "denomination" does not have the latitude to pick and choose what of the True and Ancient faith they want to believe. To pick and choose is the very meaning of the word heresy.

To be continued... Maybe.

Am I going to go postal?

2006-08-24T00:26:00.000-07:00

Maria, from Musical Ramblings, posted her score from an online poll, "How Likely Are You to Go Postal?". Her score was considerably better than mine, but it sure is nice to know I'm probably not going to go postal any time soon!

You have a 20% chance of going postal!

Good news! You're not very likely to kill your coworkers. You seem very well adjusted. You rock! Talk about those feelings!

How Likely Are You to Go Postal?
Create Your Own Quiz

Tagged again!

2006-08-04T01:02:00.000-07:00

1. One book that changed your life:
The Spirituality of the Cross: The Way of the First Evangelicals, by Gene Edward Vieth

2. One book that you’ve read more than once:
A Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, by Martin Luther

3. One book you’d want on a desert island:
The Holy Bible

4. One book that made you laugh:
Build A Better Life By Stealing Office Supplies, by Scott Adams

5. One book that made you cry:
The Holy Bible

6. One book that you wish had been written:
The German Orthodox Church, 1522 to the Present

7. One book that you wish had never been written:
Beyond Good and Evil, Friedrich Nietzsche

8. One book you’re currently reading:
Introducing the Orthodox Church, by Anthony M. Coniaris

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read:
The Orthodox Way, by Bishop Kallistos Ware

10. Tag others.
Scott, from The Spirit is Willing; the flesh is weak.

Another Parable

2006-07-29T00:42:00.000-07:00

There is one big ship sailing on the high seas with five captains working in unison (more or less). One day, one of the Captains declares himself Admiral-Vicar, and takes off on his own course with the lifeboats, his own navy!. Later, after realizing that this self-proclaimed Admiral-Vicar is mad as a hatter, several lieutenants jump ship with nothing but the life vests, and some improvised rafts made from floating debris.

There is still only one ship, who's course has not changed, and it is here to take on any who are willing to be pulled from the deep. Sure, those in the lifeboat and those floating individually may make it to shore, through the storms and sharks and sun beating down on them, but do we really want to go on a maybe? Do we shake our finger at those on the ship and be offended that they claim to be on the One True Ship, when we have been able to build these rafts with our own hands?

Sure, I say all this while still clinging to my Lutheran raft...

A parable

2006-06-03T16:59:00.000-07:00

A long time ago, there were several brothers who were left in charge of their father's business, each with equal authority. Each brother had his own piece of their father's business to attend to. Each brother also had servants of his own. Their father left instructions on how these brothers, and their servants, were to take care of the business. Before changing how they did anything, all of the brothers would meet to make sure they all agreed that this change was in accordance with their father's will. Eventually, though, one of the brothers says to the others, "I have decided that I will have all of the authority, and I will now use that authority to change how we all have always understood our father's instructions." The other brothers knew this usurping and change was contrary to their fathers instructions, so they would not allow this, and so instead of all of the brothers working together, the one brother broke away, and began lording his authority over his servants, and conducting business in direct contradiction to the instructions his father had left. Eventually, one of this brother's servants stood up and said, "wait, this is not how your father told us to handle his business". The lone brother kicked this servant out of the family, and out of love for his master's father, the servant began conducting the business of his master's father according to the instructions that were left.

The one brother still wants the servant to submit to his personal authority, the other brothers wants him to submit to their authority. But the servant needs to know that the father's business is being done in true accordance with his instructions. With all of the brothers saying that they have verbal instructions that were never included in the written instructions, but between the one brother, and the group of brothers, these verbal instructions do not always agree, so who is this servant to believe? Should the servant submit to the rebellous and tyrranical authority authority of his previous master? Perhaps he should begin working for his master's brothers, but for a long while, it was not possible, and now that it is possible, there has been a great divide of distrust built, based on the tyrrany of the one brother against the servant, and rebellion of the one brother against the other brothers. To make matters worse, not only the one brother, but all of the brothers are now calling the servant a rebel.

In the end, who was the rebel and outlaw? The one brother, or the servant?

Adam & Eve

2006-05-29T01:51:00.000-07:00

"Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them."
- Genesis 3:21 NKJV

They were vegetarians; death had not yet entered the world. The reality of the concept was totally foreign to them, until now... Wow, do you think that God slaughtered these animals in front of Adam and Eve? I do. Can you imagine the sinking feeling as they watched the blood of these animals flow, and the poor animal's breath slowly fading away, and their kicking gradually weaken... All because they had disobeyed? Knowing that God chose these innocent animals to take the punishment that they, by all rights, deserved.

Have you ever screwed up... really bad? And then later realized it was SO MUCH worse than you had ever imagined? Could you imagine knowing that every person who exists or ever will exist will suffer because of your mistake?

Is it not the same for each and every one of us? Does not our every action and thought validate and demonstrate the correctness of that first sin, the sin of our ancestors, Adam and Eve, the sin that is really and truly ours (mine), and not theirs alone?

Let us praise and thank God for in His mercy of all mercies, He called us out of darkness into the light of His glorious Gospel; He delivered us from the captivity of Satan and took upon Himself (as the unblemished lamb) the punishment that we so rightly deserve! Let us give thanks unto God for this free gift of Salvation; through obedience and by the Works that He has prepared for us to do. Call upon Him, give thanks to Him, praise Him, and confess Him. These are all good works. Let them flow from a cheerful heart... because you have remission of all of your sins in Christ, the innocent, perfect Lamb, that has been slaughtered so that we may be clothed in His righteousness.

Amen!

Favorite Luther Quotes #1, Law and Gospel

2006-05-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

The person who can rightly divide Law and Gospel has reason to thank God. He is a true theologian. I must confess that in times of temptation I do not always know how to do it. To divide Law and Gospel means to place the Gospel in heaven, and to keep the Law on earth; to call the righteousness of the Gospel heavenly, and the righteousness of the Law earthly; to put as much difference between the righteousness of the Gospel and that of the Law, as there is difference between day and night. If it is a question of faith or conscience, ignore the Law entirely. If it is a question of works, then lift high the lantern of works and the righteousness of the Law. If your conscience is oppressed with a sense of sin, talk to your conscience. Say: “You are now groveling in the dirt. You are now a laboring ass. Go ahead, and carry your burden. But why don’t you mount up to heaven? There the Law cannot follow you!” Leave the ass burdened with laws behind in the valley. But your conscience, let it ascend with Isaac into the mountain.
- A Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, Chapter 2, Verse 14

There is a time for the Law and a time for grace. Let us study to be good timekeepers. It is not easy. Law and grace may be miles apart in essence, but in the heart, they are pretty close together. In the heart fear and trust, sin and grace, Law and Gospel cross paths continually.

When reason hears that justification before God is obtained by grace alone, it draws the inference that the Law is without value. The doctrine of the Law must therefore be studied carefully lest we either reject the Law altogether, or are tempted to attribute to the Law a capacity to save.

There are three ways in which the Law may be abused. First, by the self-righteous hypocrites who fancy that they can be justified by the Law. Secondly, by those who claim that Christian liberty exempts a Christian from the observance of the Law. “These,” says Peter, “use their liberty for a cloak of maliciousness,” and bring the name and the Gospel of Christ into ill repute. Thirdly, the Law is abused by those who do not understand that the Law is meant to drive us to Christ. When the Law is properly used its value cannot be too highly appraised. It will take me to Christ every time.
- A Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, Chapter 3, Verse 23

It is not an easy matter to teach faith without works, and still to require works. Unless the ministers of Christ are wise in handling the mysteries of God and rightly divide the word, faith and good works may easily be confused. Both the doctrine of faith and the doctrine of good works must be diligently taught, and yet in such a way that both the doctrines stay within their God-given sphere. If we only teach works, as our opponents do, we shall lose the faith. If we only teach faith people will come to think that good works are superfluous.
- A Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, Chapter 5, Verse 15

Still at odds with the ELCA

2006-05-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

My ex-pastor responded to my confession. Below is his entire letter, with my comments back to him. A big "thank you" to LilLamb, Scott & DaRev from Christianforums.com for helping me tone my reply down, and make it much more charitable than it was in it's first draft!

Pastor Tom,

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I have taken my time to read and absorb everything you have written me, and to try to reply to your every point in it's context. I hope we can continue this conversation, and even if we do not agree on every point, I pray that we at least truly understand each other, and continue our friendship.

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> It is not by understanding that we are saved. As Karl Barth says, "Here is truth we cannot understand - we can only stand under this truth." What is that truth? "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God - not the result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

I did not ever claim nor did I ever insinuate that we are saved by our understanding. Using the same line of thought that you are using here, if I claimed we should avoid those who are constantly trying to drag us into sin, would you then accuse me of promoting salvation by good works? I know you wouldn’t, so why are you now, in this roundabout way, accusing me of this Gnostic heresy?

I am certain that you believe in God, Pastor Tom. Do you understand God? I trust you get the point.

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> All of your statements about the "true church cannot be in fellowship with any church …" leave me very cold.

They condemn all heresies which have sprung up against this article... (AC 1)
They condemn the Pelagians and others who deny that original depravity is sin... (AC2)
They condemn the Anabaptists and others who think that the Holy Ghost comes to men without the external Word... (AC5)
They condemn the Donatists, and such like, who denied it to be lawful to use the ministry of evil men in the Church... (AC8)
They condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the baptism of children... (AC9)
Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise. (AC10)
They condemn the Anabaptists, who deny that those once justified can lose the Holy Ghost. (AC12)
The Novatians also are condemned, who would not absolve such as had fallen after Baptism... (AV 12)
They therefore condemn those who teach that the Sacraments justify by the outward act, and who do not teach that, in the use of the Sacraments, faith which believes that sins are forgiven, is required. (AC13)
They condemn the Anabaptists who forbid these civil offices to Christians. (AC16)
They condemn also those who do not place evangelical perfection in the fear of God and in faith... (AC16)
They condemn the Anabaptists, who think that there will be an end to the punishments of condemned men and devils. (AC17)
They condemn also others who are now spreading certain Jewish opinions, that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall take possession of the kingdom of the world... (AC17)
They condemn the Pelagians and others, who teach that without the Holy Ghost, by the power of nature alone, we are able to love God above all things... (AC18)

Do we still then "fellowship" with those with whom we reject and condemn?

You do accept the Augsburg Confession, the most basic descriptive document of the Lutheran Church, do you not?

"This church accepts the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it In faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession."
- Confession of Faith of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

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> Recall a key post-resurrection encounter with two bewildered and grieving disciples who were not discerning of his presence even as he walked with them on the road to Emmaus, explaining to them the scriptures. They found their hearts "burning" as they met him in the word, both preached and read from the Scriptures. But it was when he was at the table with them, "He took bread, gave thanks, and broke it and began to give it to them; then their eyes were opened and they recognized him." Eyes and minds and hearts are opened in the encounter with the living Christ. Can we expect anything less to occur in the Word and Sacrament ministry of the church?

But who were these people the post-Resurrection Christ broke bread with? Disciples; believers; those who already had followed Jesus for more or less three years. Interesting… Especially considering the sentence you follow this with:

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> I will always invite people, all people into that experience and let Christ do his thing.

“They therefore condemn those who teach that the Sacraments justify by the outward act, and who do not teach that, in the use of the Sacraments, faith which believes that sins are forgiven, is required.”
- Augsburg Confession, Article 13

"Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons."
- 1 Corinthians 10:14-21

Communing all, without proper catechesis, is against Lutheran teaching and against Scriptural teaching. If you share the Body and the Blood of the Lord will "all", then according to the clear testimony of Scripture, would that truly be the Lord’s table?

"Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."
- 1 Corinthians 11:27

"Who, then, receives such Sacrament worthily?
...he is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: Given, and shed for you, for the remission of sins."
- Small Catechism

Why would you not ensure that those who you would commune are prepared, i.e. have faith that those words are indeed for them (pro me) specifically, and that it is truly our Lord who is truly present in, with and under the bread and wine, and that it is not something to be taken lightly, but to be accepted with all reverence.

Invite people, Pastor Tom, invite and accept all people… That is the only Christian thing to do. But, for their sake, and for the sake of true unity in the Church, properly catechize them, and teach the truth. What were Christ’s commands in the Great commission? “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” This is the beginning of true unity, Pastor Tom.

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> Did Jesus say I will not drink water from the same cup or drink from the same well as the Samaritan woman at the well? No, he asked her for a drink and communed with her against all the social practices of the day.

Did I say that I would not drink water with a woman at a well?
Are you here comparing common water with the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?

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> How sad, Dan, that for you your doctrine takes precedence over grace.

Why is this an either/or proposition for you, Pastor Tom? Why cannot you see that the only way for grace to be grace, is with a pure proclamation of true doctrine?

The reason this accusation of yours stings so, is because you should know it to not be true. While it is true that I always stood solidly in the conservative corner on matters of doctrine, how many times would I have to challenge the haters before you would retract this? Just as I have always challenged liberality, I have also always challenged the haters, many times even, in your very presence. One example, on the issue we discussed for so long at Zion, homosexuality; I know of at least two times, in your presence, when someone declared that they would physically throw a homosexual out of our church, I stood, looked them in the face, and told them they would have to throw me out first. Another example: on the same issue, I know I told you at least once, that I would much rather have a homosexual man as a pastor, who ackno wledged the sinfulness of the behavior, and lived that repentance, than I would to have a gluttonous pastor, who denied the sinfulness of gluttony, and demanded his lifestyle be “accepted”.

You are, without any doubt, much more learned than I am, and I am absolutely certain that you are infinitely more righteous than I, but the false accusations and the unscriptural arguments that makes me sad. Do you know the depth of the sacrifice that was made for you, and those who are endangered with the “I’m ok, you’re ok” message? Neither I, you, or they, are “OK”. Pastor Tom, we all need the blood of the Lamb to cover our sins. Have you lost the awe and humility that this knowledge engenders? The deeper I understand this precious sacrifice, the closer to the pure doctrine of the Gospel I am called. How can you put doctrine and grace at odds?

“I cannot say it often enough, that we must carefully differentiate between doctrine and life. Doctrine is a piece of heaven, life is a piece of earth. Life is sin, error, uncleanness, misery, and charity must forbear, believe, hope, and suffer all things. Forgiveness of sins must be continuous so that sin and error may not be defended and sustained. But with doctrine there must be no error, no need of pardon. There can be no comparison between doctrine and life. The least little point of doctrine is of greater importance than heaven and earth. Therefore we cannot allow the least jot of doctrine to be corrupted. We may overlook the offenses and errors of life, for we daily sin much. Even the saints sin, as they themselves confess in the Lord’s Prayer and in the Creed. But our doctrine, God be praised, is pure, because all the articles of our faith are grounded on the Holy Scriptures.”
- Martin Luther, A Commentary on Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians

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> How sad that you would refuse to commune with your family, with your brothers and sisters in Christ at Zion.

This, I completely agree with you. It is truly sad and painful. More painful for me, I would imagine, than for you, my family, and those at Zion. For they all have the luxury of ignoring or misunderstanding the reason I will not commune at your altar. They can imagine that is personality, arrogance, or any number of other reasons. I do not have that luxury, however. I know that I cannot commune with them because they are in communion with a synod that teaches false doctrines. This saddens me to no end, my friend.

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> How very sad, indeed, I feel arrogant you are in your stand.

"For defending the truth in our day, we are called proud and obstinate hypocrites. We are not ashamed of these titles. The cause we are called to defend, is not Peter's cause, or the cause of our parents, or that of the government, or that of the world, but the cause of God. In defense of that cause we must be firm and unyielding."
- Martin Luther, A Commentary on Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians

Tell me how much of a sinner I am Pastor Tom, and I will agree with you. Tell me how arrogant I am, and I will not deny it. Tell me that my sexuality is just as broken and sinful as any homosexual person, and I will shout it with you from the rooftops and praise you for the clear truth that you proclaim. But do not accuse my doctrine, exactly because it is not my doctrine; I am not above the doctrine, I am not even worthy to be called a slave to the doctrine, I am but a dog, a worm, and Christ is the master.

Just know that I do not blame you, I am not angry with you, I do not hate you. You will always be welcome in my home and my dinner table. But I will not commune at the altar of any church in communion with a synod that unrepentantly teaches or encourages false doctrine, or allows the same false doctrine to be taught without correction and discipline.

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> On a lighter note, author Brian Green relates the following anecdote: A priest was reporting to his bishop about an inter-church gathering that was to conclude with the celebration of the Eucharist. "I told everyone present," said the priest, "that only Catholics would be able to come to holy communion. But at Communion time, the non-Catholics came forward as well." What on earth did you do?" asked the bishop. "Well, I said to myself, what would Jesus do in a situation like this?" "Oh my God!" said the bishop. "Tell me you didn't!" Imagine what unity might begin to grow among us if our every word and work was prefaced by that powerfully provocative question: "What would Jesus do?"

I'm not sure which author you are talking about. Do you mean the String Theorist, Brian Greene? The Baptist, Brian Green?

In any case, it doesn’t really matter. It only serves to further illustrate the fuzzy thinking so common to liberal theology. What is it that you want, Pastor Tom, a true unity; a unity of doctrine; the unity of the Spirit Paul urges us on to; the perfected unity Christ prays for in His High Priestly prayer, or a false unity that is truly no unity at all; a unity of the Baha’i; of the Universalists; of the demons? I think you want true unity, Pastor Tom, but I think you have been fooled by the lie that it is not possible. With man it is indeed impossible, but with God all things are possible. It is our responsibility to stick with the true doctrine, and let God do the rest.

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> Members of the Taize community in Burgundy France are devoted to Christian unity and one of its basic tenets insists: "Never resign yourself to the scandal of the separation of Christians, all so readily professing love for their neighbor, yet remaining divided. Make the unity of Christ's body your passionate concern."

The most disturbing thing I find about the Taize community is that they deny nothing, thereby affirming nothing as well. Their talk is as vague and ambiguous as that of the ELCA and the Unitarian Universalists.

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> What are your passionate concerns? To get things "right" yourself, or to let everyone know that Christ has made the world right with God?

I think I have been exceptionally clear as to who my passionate concern is, Pastor Tom. And I know He is your passionate concern as well. Listen to Him, and His whole council!

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In His love,
Dan

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Goodbye ELCA, Hello LCMS?

2006-05-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

I finally found a good confessional, evangelical catholic, orthodox Lutheran church about a half-hour away from my home. Redeemer Lutheran Church, LCMS, in Gresham, Oregon. I spent quite a bit of time talking to Pastor Lange, and continued our discussion by email.

Anyway, I decided to inquire about membership, I am still a little hesitant with the Lutheran Church, but have a good feeling about Redeemer. Following is our email exchange.

My Letter:

Pastor Lange, peace to you,

Thank you for your hospitality last Sunday. You gave me hope that perhaps the Lutheran Church does still exist. I cannot express in words how much of a relief it was for me to find an evangelical, catholic, orthodox, Lutheran church.

I do have interest in joining, but there are a few issues that I must work through before I will feel comfortable being a member of another Lutheran church. I feel betrayed and honestly, swindled by my experience in the ELCA. This has let me to be perhaps a little cynical. Leaving that church was perhaps the hardest and most emotionally draining thing I have ever done, and I never want to have to go through that again. The fact that the LCMS seems to be largely split among the Liberals and the American Evangelicals, isn't helping much either. But it is a great comfort knowing that if a split comes in the LCMS, that you and your congregation would be on the

Lutheranism has always stood on the solid Rock of Christ. Lutheranism is not simply another denomination, another opinion; no, it is the continuation of the Visible Church in the West. Rome may have dubbed us "protestant", but we are truly catholic. Liberalism, Crypto-Calvinism and American-Evangelicalism are deadly infections in the Church, and are each as much of a threat to Lutheranism as papalism ever was. Scripture is the sole rule and norm; the teaching of the Church catholic throughout the ages, and the Lutheran Confessions is our witness. To truly understand Holy Scripture and the Confessions, they must be read in that light; the light of the Body of Christ and it's orthodox teaching. This much I do know, but I have no earthly shepherd to guide me, and indeed, my previous shepherd was no proper shepherd at all, although he is a kind and caring man, and someone for whom I shall always love and call a friend.

I am including in this letter, my resignation letter to the ELCA, and the document I entitled "I confess", so you can get an initial impression as to where I need instruction prior to joining your congregation. The confession is not complete, it mainly illustrates the areas I took issue with the ELCA and my previous congregation. I hope we can talk more about this over the next few weeks, or however long this process may take. I am currently working in Detroit, but I hope to see you this coming Sunday.

God bless,
Daniel M. Head
{I included my letter of resignation to the ELCA and my confession - also below}

Pr. Lange's Reply:

Daniel, thanks for the info. I must say you "get it" and I can but simply say "Amen" to your confession. I especially was thankful to hear your understanding of true "catholicism" something I stress continually to my people. As far as I am concerned you are sufficiently instructed and are in agreement with our congregation in your doctrine and practice. I do not believe that I need to hear anything else for my part. However, you may want to hear more about us before you join us. But I can assure you that the confession you have submitted to us is our confession also. We could bring you into membership on May 7 as a reaffirmation of faith. This would be a good time to do it, since we have our new member lunch after that service. However, if that does not work for you we could discuss other possibilities. We are thankful that the Lord has brought you to us and we hope that we will be a blessing to you. Pastor Lange

I accepted, of course:

Pastor Lange,

Thank you for your words. I must admit that after reading your reply, that apprehension I described melted away. I would be honored to be counted among your flock, and unless some “emergency” comes up, I think May 7th would be a splended date. Thank you. Thank you also for the gift of Luther’s Small Catechism. I appreciate it very much!

God bless,
Daniel M. Head

Bible meme

2006-04-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

Dixie From Wittenberg to Athens tagged me with the Bible meme.

1) How many Bibles are in your home?

16

2) What rooms are they in?

My bedroom, Kid's room, Living Room, Car, my backpack (I travel a lot, and like to take one with me all the time.)

3) What translations do you have?

NKJV, NASB, KJV, ASV, NIV, NIrV, Douay-Rheims, RSV, Living, Good News

4) Do you have a preference?

NKJV

5) Nominate an interesting verse.

Romans 16:17 "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them."

This Apostolic command was written to those of the Early Church, but is meant for all in the church of all time. Schism and apostasy was bound to happen, but the responsibility of each Christian is to ensure that they are in line with True catholic and apostolic teaching, and to avoid contributing to the schism of the church and true Doctrine. Is there a church that has faithfully adhered to Orthodox Apostolic teaching from the beginning? I suspect there is... I suspect the Bishop of Rome fell away from this Church in AD 1054, and all of the chaos in the western church has been the fruit of that schism.

Luther and the conservative reformers knew there was a problem, and did the best they could in a bad situation. Unfortunately, the seeds of the mess we see today had already been planted, almost 500 years earlier.

I posted my "confession" only a couple weeks ago. I stated in it, that if it were to be found in error, that I prayed to God that He suppress my pride, so that I could accept correction gracefully. I repeat that sentiment now, tenfold.

I tag Scott from The Spirit is Willing; The Flesh is Weak.

I finally did it!

2006-03-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

Yes, I finally sent my resignation letter to my old ELCA congregation. I have been collecting my thoughts for the past few months, but I finally decided that I could not postpone this decision any longer. The following is the letter and addendum I sent as my resignation.

The Letter:

Pastor Tom,

I request to be removed from all Zion membership references. In addition, if there is a process I must follow to be removed from membership in the ELCA, I would appreciate it if you would inform me of what I must do to have this done.

I want to make it clear that leaving is not a decision that comes easily. I have no hard feelings against you or anyone at Zion, or the ELCA, for that matter. My reason for leaving is purely doctrinal in nature. I have known that this was the right decision for me for the past couple of years, yet I have stayed against my conscience, and I regret that it created such stress for me, that I lashed out time and again, hurting you and others. Please forgive me for this sin. I have attached a document further explaining where I stand, and why I cannot continueto be affiliated with the ELCA.

The people of Zion are still in my heart. My prayer for the Church is that we all embrace correct doctrine, so that we may at last be one in faith and united in Christ, here on Earth. As that does not seem to be the direction we are heading, I still expect to see you in Heaven, if I do not see you before then.

God Bless,
Dan

The Attachment:

I Confess…
Daniel M. Head

Preamble:
Everyone has their own confession of faith. Some don’t know or understand what their confession is, and some keep their confession secret, but do not be fooled, everyone believes something. The Church has always been based upon Christ, and those who are of the Church were... are... of one accord; of one faith. As I declare my confession publicly, I invite correction. If my confession is to be found in error, I pray that God suppress my sinful nature that is so often expressed as pride, so that I may admit my error, repent, and confess only the Truth.

I believe that the Historic, Confessional Doctrines of the Evangelical Lutheran Church to be the truest reflection of Christian Truth, therefore, let the following be my public confession.

Holy Scripture
Holy Scripture is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; the only norm and source for faith andteaching. All that is taught therein is necessary to a true understanding of doctrine and saving faith. Holy Scripture is to be interpreted literally; as per the literature form (prose as prose, poetry as poetry, apocalyptic as apocalyptic). Either to take allegorically what is written as literal (ex. Genesis/Creation story), or to take literally what is written as allegory (The thousand years of the millennium), is to do violence to Holy Scripture, and cannot be condoned.

Holy Baptism
Through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, we are regenerated through the water by God’s Word and reborn as children of God through the Saving Faith given by the Holy Ghost. Children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God's Grace. The teaching that Baptism is other than the very Salvific Grace of God in the water by the Word, and the teaching that children are not to be Baptized until some unscriptural “age of accountability” are false and reprehensible. The True Church cannot be in fellowship with any “church” which teaches falsely concerning the Holy Sacrament.

The Lord's Supper
The true Body and Blood of Christ is present, in, with, and under the bread and wine. In this Holy meal, we are assured of the forgiveness of sin. The reception of Holy Communion is an act of fellowship with the Triune God, wherein we gather with other believers who are one in faith and doctrine. Only those who are one in faith and accept the doctrine of faith as set forth in the Holy Scriptures and the Confessions should commune together (close communion). The practice of open communion is a recent innovation that has no place in the life of the Church, and endangers those who would partake without recognizing the body. The True Church cannot be in fellowship with any “church” or individual who teaches falsly regarding this Holy Sacrament.

Private Confession
As stated in the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, and explained in the Small Catechism, private confession should be retained, and should not be neglected, but greatly and highly esteemed in the church.

Sanctity of Life
Scripture clearly and consistently upholds the sanctity of human life. The taking of human life beyond that which is authorized by God is an act of evil. All human life has intrinsic value, and God calls upon us to protect the helpless. Because abortion results in the death of a helpless unborn person, it is never justified except in those rare and tragic circumstances when the continuation of the pregnancy would clearly threaten the life of the mother. Any other attempt to end the life of another (or of self) is equally evil, such as suicide, euthanasia, or the withholding of primary needs (food, water, basic medical care).

Creeds & Confessions
As an evangelical catholic, orthodox/confessional Lutheran, I accept the Lutheran Confessions contained in the Book of Concord, because (quia) they are a faithful and accurate summary of Biblical doctrine. These symbols are not a rule of faith beyond or supplementary to Scripture, but a summary of Scripture and the doctrines of the church catholic.

Marks of the Church
The true Church exists where the Holy Gospel is taught and preached in its truth and purity, and where the Holy Sacraments are rightly administered. Where the Sacraments are not, there the church is not. Where the Word of God is corrupted, the church is absent.

The Mass
The Mass should be retained. In its truest form, the Mass is as old as the Church Herself. Indeed, in the words of the Augsburg Confession, “the Mass is retained among us, and celebrated with the highest reverence.”

Knowledge of the Truth
It is possible to both know and to profess the truth of God's Word, and this is exactly what God requires us to do. Taking a confessional stand on the Word in matters of doctrine, after diligent study of Scriptures, is an act not of human pride but of humble submission to God.

Human Sexuality and Marriage
The Divine institution of marriage is described in the Bible as between a man and a woman. The only sexual relationships that are consistent with Scripture occur lovingly within this Holy bond. Anything that falls outside of this order is sinful.

Roles of men and women in the home and in Church
God created man and woman in his own image. In 1 Corinthians 15:28, the Son is said to be subject to the Father, this is not a state of inferiority, but of order. Neither is the order of family life a statement of superiority and inferiority, with the woman submitting to the husband, and the husband loving and serving his wife as Christ loves and serves the Church. The same order is present in God’s plan for the Church, God has stated through His servants, roles of man and woman in His Church. This is not a statement of ability or of superiority/inferiority, but of order. The Church stops being the Church when it discounts God’s Word and implements its own order contrary to that Word.

Tradition:
Only those “traditions” which are in contradiction to Scripture should be eliminated from the Church. All traditions that can be kept should be kept. Those traditions that are adiaphora should always be kept in preference over novel practices, unless doing so would be sinful or extremely burdensome. "Inasmuch, then, as our churches dissent in no article of the faith from the Church Catholic, but only omit some abuses which are new, and which have been erroneously accepted by the corruption of the times, contrary to the intent of the Canons..." - AC, and “...without a reasonable cause nothing in customary rites be changed, but that, in order to cherish harmony, such old customs be observed as can be observed without sin or without great inconvenience.” – Apology

Conclusion:
No longer may I, in good conscience, knowingly associate with any church that teaches contrary to correct doctrine, for by doing so I make myself a liar, and bring guilt upon myself. It is neither loving God or neighbor to accommodate the teaching of false doctrine. Let this be my confession in life, and God willing, May I one day stand before the Throne of the Lamb and confess the same. Amen!

I know this was not only the right decision, but instead, the only decision for me. It still was not easy. So now I am officially what I had already considered myself, a Lutheran without a home. Here the journey begins...

Where is the Lutheran Church?

2006-03-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

"Of Confession they teach that Private Absolution ought to be retained in the churches..."
- AC, XI

"Inasmuch, then, as our churches dissent in no article of the faith from the Church Catholic, but only omit some abuses which are new, and which have been erroneously accepted by the corruption of the times, contrary to the intent of the Canons..."
- AC, Abuses Corrected

"Falsely are our churches accused of abolishing the Mass; for the Mass is retained among us, and celebrated with the highest reverence."
- AC, XXIV

"...in order that it might be understood that in doctrine and ceremonies nothing has been received on our part against Scripture or the Church Catholic."
- AC, Conclusion

If the above is either prescriptive or descriptive of what the Lutheran Church is, then I have only one question: Where is the Lutheran Church?

Simul justus et peccator

2006-03-05T10:44:00.000-08:00

or... Definition of a Christian: A poor, miserable sinner.

"Simul justus et peccator", "simultaneously justified and sinner". Nothing could sum up the Christian life better than this phrase. The Christian is totally justified before God, yet at the same time, he is totally a sinner, who deserves eternal punishment. Sound like a paradox? Deal with it!

"For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me."
- Romans 7:15-20 NASB

"It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all."
- 1 Timothy 1:15 NASB
(In the KJV, Paul's reference to himself in regard to sinners is: "of whom I am chief". In the NIV, it is translated "of whom I am the worst")

Paul did not say "I was" but "I am the chief of sinners!" Here, he openly confesses that he serves the law of sin and death. Paul isn't alone, "And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no man living is righteous.", David prays in Psalm 143.

Martin Luther phrases it this way, "The saints in being righteous are at the same time sinners; they are righteous because they believe in Christ whose righteousness covers them and is imputed to them, but they are sinners because they do not fulfill the law and are not without sinful desires. They are like sick people in the care of a physician: they are really sick, but healthy only in the hope and insofar as they begin to be better, healed, i.e., they will become healthy. Nothing can harm them so much as the presumption that they are in fact healthy, for it will cause a bad relapse."

If even a Christian cannot hope to please God, then who can be saved? Jesus Himself answers that question thussly, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

My prayer for the day:

In tears, I, a burdened sinner, approach You, my Lord and my God. But I dare not raise my eyes to Heaven, for I am unclean and a sinner. I only pray, saying: Give me, my Lord, the sense to weep bitterly over my deeds. O gracious God, have mercy on me. Wretched am I above all men! Woe is me, a poor, miserable sinner! All my members tremble, for with all of them I have sinned: with my eyes in looking, with my ears in listening, with my tongue in speaking evil, and by surrendering the whole of myself to evil deeds. Who does such things as I do, wretched man that I am? But I pray, O Lord, pull me out of this vileness, and have mercy on me, unworthy sinner that I am. I cry: grant me, O Lord, repentance for my evil ways. Glory be to God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever, even to the end of the ages. Amen.