In the Middle of Lent

The Following is an excerpt from Great Lent, by Alexander Schmemann
From Chapter 4: The Lenten Journey

    The third Sunday of Lent is called "The Veneration of the Cross." At the Vigil of that day, after the Great Doxology, the Cross is brought in a solemn procession to the center of the church and remains there for the entire week-- with a special rite of veneration following each service. It is noteworthy that the theme of the Cross which dominates the hymnology of that Sunday is developed in terms not of suffering but of victory and joy. More than that, the theme-songs (hirmoi) of the Sunday Canon are taken from the Paschal Service-- "The Day of the Resurrection"-- and the Canon is a paraphrase of the Easter Canon.
   The meaning of all this is clear. We are in Mid-Lent. One the one hand, the physical and spiritual effort, if it is serious and consistent, begins to be felt, its burden becomes more burdensome, our fatigue more evident. We need help and encouragement. On the other hand, having endured this fatigue, having climbed the mountain up to this point, we begin to see the end of our pilgrimage, and the rays of Easter grow in their intensity. Lent is our self-crucifixion, our experience, limited as it is, of Christ's commandment heard in the Gospel lesson of that Sunday: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mark 8:34). But we cannot take up our cross and follow Christ unless we have His Cross which He took up in order to save us. It is His Cross, not ours, that saves us. It is His Cross that gives not only meaning but also power to others. This is explained to us in the synaxarion of the Sunday of the Cross:

On this Sunday, the third Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the veneration of the honorable and Life-Giving Cross, and for this reason: inasmuch as in the forty days of fasting we in a way crucify ourselves.... and become bitter and despondent and failing, the Life-Giving Cross is presented to us for refreshment and assurance, for remembrance of our Lord's Passion, and for comfort.... We are like those following a long and cruel path, who become tired, see a beautiful tree with many leaves, sit in its shadow and rest for a while and then, as if rejuvenated, continue their journey; likewise today, in the time of fasting and difficult journey and effort, the Life-Giving Cross was planted in our midst by the holy fathers to give us rest and refreshment, to make us light and courageous for the remaining task.... Or, to give another example: when a king is coming, at first his banner and symbols appear, then he himself comes glad and rejoicing about his victory and filling with joy those under him; likewise, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to show us His victory over death, and appear to us in the glory of the Resurrection Day, is sending us in advance His scepter, the royal symbol-- the Life-Giving Cross-- and it fills us with joy and makes us ready to meet, inasmuch as it is possible for us, the King Himself, and to render glory to His victory.... All this in the midst of Lent which is like a bitter source because of its tears, because also of its efforts and despondency.... but Christ comforts us who are as it were in a desert until he shall lead us up to the spiritual Jerusalem by His Resurrection.... for the Cross is called the Tree of Life, it is the tree that was planted in Paradise, and for this reason our fathers have planted it in the midst of Holy Lent, remembering both Adams bliss and how he was deprived of it, remembering also that partaking of this Tree we no longer die but are kept alive....

Thus, refreshed and reassured, we begin the second part of Lent....

Starting Over Again

My first official move towards the Orthodox Church begins today. Today I set down my office as Presbyter in the Anglican Communion, and become a catechumen in the Orthodox Church. This move of mine has baffled many of my Anglican and Protestant peers, and it has also forced me to try to explain why someone whohas been in Christian ministry for over 10 years, with Masters in Divinity degree, as well as been a priest for 6 years should become a catechumen. I realize that it is really, really strange to the western mind, but nevertheless, let me try to explain.

The explanation begins with two presuppositions, or understandings on my part as well as on the part of the Orthodox Church. The first of these understandings is the conviction that the Orthodox Church has been given, and even now possesses the fullness of Christianity.The second is that the Orthodox Church cannot and should not try speak for any other branch of Christianity, except to say that they do not know what degree of this fullness of Christian group possesses.

This means then that when someone desires to come into her fold, and come under her oversight and protection, she has a responsibility to explain exactly what this fullness is with her own mouth, and thus give opportunity to each person to accept or reject the Orthodox Church. In a conversation with the local bishop he said to me, “we are not used car salesmen, pushing to close the deal.” This means that it is a necessity to be honest and fair to all parties and to state the terms of this new relationship right up front. These terms are explained and made clear during the catechumenical period.

Personally,I am thoroughly convinced that these two understandings of the Orthodox Church are 100% true and accurate. I believe that the Orthodox church possesses the fullness of the faith brought to earth by our Lord, passed down to the apostles, taught to the church fathers, and retained and fought for by the undivided church of the first millennium, and I am also convinced that there is no telling what a person outside of her fold believes. Consequently, the catechumens te is essential for for everyone who desires to enter the Orthodox church, even one who has an M. Div.

What makes this difficult for westerners is a twofold problem. The first is a battle with ego, in that battle we hear a voice tell us that tells us that we may be part of a deficient Christianity; this wounds our ego deeply. In other words, the reality that the Orthodox Church possesses the fullness tells me that my Christianity may be deficient, and that’s not something I want to tell myself about myself. In fact, I want to tell myself that I am right and others are wrong (that is theego’s job).

The second problem is that this one voice of the church strips us of our individual ability to decide right from wrong apart from the whole church. This western pattern of ours began when the Pope of Rome broke away from the Orthodox Church because he wanted to make his own decisions, and later this approach multiplied with the protestant reformation, when everyone was told that they must decide what truth is all by themselves. However, the church Christ left the world knows nothing about teachings made by one person or one sect of the Church; it knows only one whole faith, without deviation at any point.

I for one know that I am self-deceived at many points, and I hope to learn how to decipher these delusions brought about by my ego. I also know that I desire nothing other than the faith of our Lord, the apostolic faith, the faith of the fathers, the faithof the undivided ecumenical church and her councils. Therefore, I gladly lay down my office, and sit at the church’s feet, as a little child, and begin this time in my life with a great big smile.

Met. Jonah on Unity

See the video here: Orthodox unity...

Lent & Spiritual Excercise

When I was in seminary I had the great blessing of becoming the spiritual son of a Greek bishop, Bishop Kallistos of Xelon. He ended his life as the bishop of Denver of the Greek Archdiocese. It was he who taught me the Jesus Prayer. The whole spiritual vision of Bishop Kallistos had three very simple points.

• Do not resent.
• Do not react.
• Keep inner stillness.

These three spiritual principles, or disciplines, are really a summation of the Philokalia, the collection of Orthodox Christian spiritual wisdom. And they are disciplines every single one of us can practice, no matter where we are in life – whether we’re in the monastery or in school; whether we’re housewives or retired; whether we’ve got a job or we’ve got little kids to run after. If we can hold on to and exercise these three principles, we will be able to go deeper and deeper in our spiritual life.  more...

Metropolitan Jonah- OCA

For video of lecture  click  here.

Last Judgment Sunday

The historic church, the undivided church, the Orthodox Church has always clung to the teachings of Christ, the apostles, & church fathers, & thus has always taught that “faith and faithfulness” are inseparable.  And, it is “faith & faithfulness” being one and the same thing that is addressed by St. Matthew’s gospel, ch 25: vss 31-46.  There we are presented with “the parable of the Last Judgment.”

Our Lord tells this parable on the very last day before he was arrested and put to death, and He does this not only to inform us, but also warn us that our time just like His earthly time will one day end. It is a parable that reminds us that while trusting in Christ's love and mercy is absolutely imperative, it is equally imperative to be sure that we will experience His righteous judgment based on our faithfulness to Him when He comes again in glory.

Consequently, if our hearts remain hardened and unaffected by the Love of God in Christ, we should not expect the Lord to overlook our transgressions on the day of judgment simply because He is a good and loving God. & although God does not desire the death of a sinner, He also expects us to turn from our wickedness and live.

Let me say this in a more plain way: God does not repent for us, nor does he believe for us, nor does he act for us. We must of our own volition, repent, believe, and act according to the truth, anything short of that is self-deception.

As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? "And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins. Eze 3: 11-12

Excerpt from the Homily of the Sunday of the Last judgment. Fr.. Carlos Miranda

In Preparation for Lent

'If a king wanted to take possession of his enemy's city, he would begin by cutting off the water and the food and so his enemies, dying of hunger, would submit to him. It is the same with the passions of the flesh: if a man goes about fasting and hungry the enemies of his soul grow weak.'

John the Short

Peace

Always look at your own sins and do not judge another’s. Do not be self-confident. Control your tongue, your appetite, and your drink. If anyone speaks to you on a controversial matter, do not argue with him. If he speaks well, say, “yes”, if he speaks ill, say, “I don’t know anything about that.” Don’t argue, and your mind will be at peace.

      An unknown hermit