Serving the Poor Helps YOU, not the Poor

In the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16.19-31) the un-named rich man was in the torment of Hell because he refused to serve the sick and poor man named Lazarus. Many times we think that it is the poor that benefit from our charity, but according to Gospel, this is not the case. When we feed the hungry their stomach might be filled, but it is our soul that fills with the love of God and enjoys unity with Him. As an alternative, when we refuse to help the poor, while their stomach might remain empty, their soul is filled with the comfort and love of God. It is our soul that remains empty of God’s compassion.

When we serve others, we are expressing our love for God and our soul is rewarded with comfort and welcomed by God. If that is the case, we could also say that serving the poor is actually ministering to OUR soul and is therefore “just as” if not more important the every other parish ministry. Each ministry our Church offers, from HOPE/JOY/GOYA to Sunday School & Greek School; from Parish Council & Philoptochos to Church dinners at which WE eat & serving the poor at which the POOR eat; each of these ministries has the same effect. Our soul grows closer to Jesus Christ, our Lord God and Savior.

The next time you are presented with the opportunity to serve the poor, remember you are preparing your future. Will you serve the poor and experience the comfort and welcome of God, or will you serve yourself and experience torment and loneliness in Heaven? Just don’t forget this one urgent point....the “great chasm” the rests between comfort and torment is created by the choices you make today.

God Wants You to be a Martyr

In a day when our world is frantically searching wealth and honor, Christians are daily called to choose between worldly priorities and a Godly life. Your willingness to live the faith of Christ through the choices of your life reflects the importance of God in your life, and will be a witness of your faith to those around you. You are a living martyr when you allow others to see your commitment to Christ in your choices, and your martyrdom will draw others to Christ in the same way martyrs drew believers to Christ. Are you willing, or even wanting, to allow your choices to be a martyr for Christ?

The Difference Between Can't and Won't

"It don’t think that means what you think it means." There is a BIG difference between 'I can’t' and 'I won’t' that it makes me believe this quote from one of my favorite movies is appropriate. Here are some examples...

What you say: “I can’t come to Church.”

What you mean: “I won’t come to Church because I have no intention making Church a priority. I’m just going to tell you I can’t come and hope you won’t ask for details.”

What you say: “I can’t read the Bible every day.”

What you mean: “I won’t even try to read the Bible today. I have too many other important things like posting on Facebook and watching American Idol.

What you say: “I can’t tithe to the Church.”

What you mean: “I won’t give up anything I am currently buying just to give more money to the Church. It’s my money, and I can do with it what I want.”

What you say: “I can’t chair that Church event.”

What you mean: “I won’t chair that event, but I don’ have the courage to tell you why.”

What you say: “I can’t fast.”

What you mean: “I won’t let the Church tell me what to eat. It isn’t what goes IN your mouth but what comes OUT that matters.”

The list goes on, but this last one is the point. When you refuse to be honest by telling someone you can’t do something, when you could but you won’t, what is coming OUT of your mouth is not the truth. And you know what not telling the truth is...

Be Transfigured IN SERBIAN!

My recent sermon "It isn't about doing more, it's about being more" was recently translated into Serbian by a loyal fan. I offer it here for anyone interested! The video in English can be viewed here...

Није у питању "радити више" већ "бити више"

Поздрав! Добродошли у још једну епизоду серијала "Преобразите се", којим вас позивамо на нови живот у Христу. Зовем се отац Атанасије Харос и ја свештеник сам у храму Преображења нашег Спаситеља Грчке Православне Цркве (Florence, South Carolina). Знате, наши животи понекад делују претешко, да више не можемо ништа. И баш тада Црква нас позива и каже: "Уради још мало." Може бити разочаравајуће, зар не? Или бар много исцрпљујуће, то сигурно знамо. Али када се препустимо Господу и кажемо: "Без обзира, на Твоју реч учинићу то што тражиш од нас" тада примамо благослов. Одмах се враћам.

Не знам јесте ли већ схватили или не али сваке седмице у билтен додам нешто што наговештава о чему ће бити проповед. Не знам јесте ли то већ приметили. И сваке седмице треба да смислим наслов који би одговарао проповеди. Некакву фразу која повезује Јеванђеље са поруком, како бисмо нешто упамтили и били покренути да живимо хришћански. И као што видите, у билтену стоји "Само још мало", тако сам написао. Мислио сам да напишем:"О! Не могу више да поднесем!" (^_^) То сам хтео да ставим јер је то лик какав су имали апостоли у јутрошњем Јеванђељу. И знам да многи од нас, заједно самном, кад чујемо како Црква тражи од нас да учинимо још мало кажу: "Још!? Не могу више да поднесем и имам толико обавеза сваког дана. Оче, молим те, не терај ме да чиним више!" Али то стварно нисам могао ставити као наслов јер би било лоше. Нећемо да се жалимо на црквени живот, зар не? Црква је ту да нам да покретачку поруку а не да се жалимо. Али ту слику утучености сам хтео да уочимо у прочитаном Јеванђељу. Само да се подсетимо приче. Знам да смо је управо чули али замислите ове околности. Ови рибари су управо завршили ноћни посао и као у сваком занимању они су се пажљиво трудили на свом послу целе ноћи али нису уловили ништа, то касније сазнајемо из приче. Они су ту, јутро је и скупљају своје мреже, ушивају их на местима где су у току ноћи оштећене, сав тај рад који је важан рибарима. А када се окрену Исус им каже: "Хајде, имамо још посла!" Чак су рекли: "Господе, трудили смо се читаве ноћи и не уловисмо ништа." Мора да су били утучени. И баш у том тренутку Исус им каже: "Хајде, има још посла." Али Симон Петар одговара: "Без обзира Господе, на твоју реч бацићу мрежу."

Зато желим да овог јутра задржимо пажњу на тој дивној вери Симона Петра: "Господе, исцрпљен сам. Господе, уморан сам. Господе, све сам то учинио и не улових ништа. Ипак, на Твоју реч отићи ћу корак даље."

Видите хришћански живот браћо и сестре... Мислим да се ми понекад збунимо. Јер нам се Црква увек обраћа говорећи да треба постити Црква нам каже да треба читати Свето Писмо, да идемо на ову службу, ону службу, и још једну службу па још једну а онда треба да идемо и на веронауку, па да се бринемо о сиромашнима. Црква нам увек даје нове задатке, док ми само желимо да одговоримо као Петар:"Нисам ли већ учинио довољно?" Бог зна колико смо ми заузети. Он зна како смо уморни. А веровали или не то и Црква зна. Зато бих с надом покушао да вам данас објасним зашто Црква хоће од нас да у својим животима учинимо мало више.

Црква не смишља те ствари, те праксе, на грчком их зовемо "ἄσκησις", аскезе у множини... Ове делатности, вежбе за наш живот, Црква не даје то само да би нас провела кроз гомилу бесмислица... У Хришћанство није у томе да радимо више ствари већ у томе да будемо више од оног што смо сад. Хришћанство није у схватању

да смо на неком нивоу и да је то све што можемо. Хришћанство нам поручује да као свети Петар прихватимо Слово Божје: "Господе, на Твоју реч тежићу да будем више него што сам сад. Не обавезно да урадим више већ да БУДЕМ више."

А сад је питање: "Бити више ШТА?" Бити више као Христос. Хришћански живот није у "радити" већ у "бити". Тако све од ових делатности, све ове вежбе које нам Црква даје имају за циљ да више БУДЕМО налик Исусу Христу. Тако, моја браћо и сестре, Хришћански живот испробаван већ две хиљаде година успостављен самим Господом, објашњен Његовим светим ученицима и апостолима имамо да бисмо постали сличнији Богу.

У нашој Цркви почиње нови период. Улазимо у недеље светог Луке. Читаћемо Јеванђеље по Луки до Божића. Па ако се сећате претходних неколико недеља порука је била о Крсту, порука да се одрекнемо себе, порука да се уклонимо од земаљског и тражимо небеско. По чему је јутрошње Јеванђеље мање од тог? Исус нас зове

да у тренутку кад смо најисцрпљенији да дамо још само мало. И зато нас називају хришћанима. Не будимо задовољни оним где смо данас већ да све више узрастамо и постајемо као Исус Христо све док смо живи. Зато нам Црква даје пост. Не желимо ми тек тако да постимо већ постимо да бисмо научили како да живимо по Божјој вољи. Зато вас ове недеље позивам на пост. Ако до сада нисте постили покушајте, можда вам се свиди. Као што кажу... Покушај имајући довољно самоконтроле. Кад се пробудиш средом и петком реци: "Данас ћу да постим јер желим да будем сличнији Исусу Христу." И сам Христос нас је учио да постимо.

Ове недеље узмите своје Библије. Ако не знате где су овог поподнева идите кући и претражите полицу са књигама. Обришите прашину са корица...

Знам како је то! Не заборавите да ја нисам увек био овде. Пронађите своје Библије и после мале претраге дозволите да вам Божја Реч говори. И у том вашем тренутку пуном умора имајте храбрости, сетите се шта смо рекли о моћи Крста, смогните снаге да кажете Богу: "Без обзира на све, на Твоју реч...", док својим ушима примате Његову Реч. Припремите се да примите Свето Причешће јер је дар Евхаристије, моја браћо и сестре то што нас чини целином, употпуњава нас. Нисмо у потпуности људска бића ако нисмо у заједници са Богом. И то је тако важно да ћу поновити. Нисмо у потпуности људска бића ако не живимо у заједници са Богом. Припремите се да примите Свето Причешће. Сваке недеље дозвољавајте Божјим речима да вам улази у уши кад читате Библију. И дозволите живом Божјем Слову да уђе у ваша уста и ваш стомак кад примите драгоцено Тело и Крв нашег Господа Бога и Спаситеља Исуса Христа и постаћемо више налик Њему. Потражите сиромашне. У данашњем свету нећете морати да идете далеко. Донесите храну гладнима, одећу нагима. Имамо разна места на која носимо те ствари, однесите их онима којима су најпотребније. Не онима који понекад злоупотребљавају систем. У нашем граду имамо агенције са којима Црква сарађује како би лакше препознала људе који су заиста потребити како би добили подршку Цркве. Будите више налик Исусу Христу у свакодневном животу браћо и сестре.

А постоји још један начин како да се уподобимо Исусу Христу. Доведите своје пријатеље у цркву, чланове породице, доведите суседе у цркву. Да, суседе! Ова црква није само за Грке, Русе, Румуне, Арапе... Она је за сваког! Свако људско биће заслужује сусрет са Исусом Христом овде, у нашој Цркви. И кад је Симон Петар имао толико вере да каже: "На Твоју реч, без обзира на све..." и спустио мреже ухватио је толико рибе да му је требала помоћ да их извуче, зар не?

А шта Исус Христос каже њему? "Од сада ћеш ловити људе." Један од најбољих начина да постанемо налик Христу је да доведемо своје пријатеље, суседе и породице

да дођу и заиста сретну Исуса Христа овде у Његовој Цркви. Не можете у потпуности сусрести Бога само читајући о Њему. Не можете у потпуности сусрести Бога

само говорећи о Њему. То се дешава када примамо Христово Тело и Крв, кад смо у Његовом стварном физичком присуству, сусрећемо Га на начин који се не може у потпуности објаснити. Али ако желимо БИТИ више налик Исусу Христу тада ћемо бити неуморни доводећи људе да Га сусретну. Не мислим да их вучемо, тучемо по глави, називамо их свакојаким именима... Али ви сви имате пријатеље који би били благословени сусретом са Исусом Христом. Позовите их. Начините тај додатни корак. И чак када сте у најтежем тренутку, кад мислите да не можете постићи више ништа, предајте срце Богу и реците: "Без обзира на све Господе, на Твоју реч постаћу више него што сам данас." Слава Богу за све!

Ето, то је био мало другачији приступ, зар не? Гледање на живот као да смо практично сви превише заузети, сви уморни... Али морамо бити вољни да предамо живот Христу, имати веру као свети Петар и рећи: "Упркос свему Господе, на Твоју реч..." и бити вољни да превазиђемо своје (не)моћи. Не ради се о чињењу нечега већ о томе да будемо нешто. Бити хришћанин значи бити као Исус Христос, свакодневно све више. Зар не желите да будете као Бог?

Посетите нашу веб-страницу www.liveanewlifeinchrist.org, где можете наћи више информација о Православној Хришћанској Цркви, а можете нас пронаћи и на Православној Хришћанској мрежи myocn.net. Можете нас пратити средом уживо на часовима веронауке. Средом у 19:00 часова по источном времену. До следеће недеље Бог вас благословио и не заборавите да живите новим животом у Христу.

America NEEDS More Martyrs

All but one of the Holy Apostles was martyred for standing up and living the Gospel of Christ. In the earliest centuries of the Church, thousands of dedicated men and women were killed in a thousand different ways, by those who refused to embrace the message of hope that is preached by the Church. In many cases, these holy men and women, refused even to pretend to deny Christ, in order to show the world that the Kingdom of God is greater than any kingdom on Earth. The result of these martyrs was the conversion of the world into Christ’s Holy Church. Their willingness to die for the Gospel was an inspiration to thousands.

In our current political environment, it is becoming clear that sooner rather than later, the Church will again be in the position of standing up for the Gospel of Christ. In doing so, we must understand that the society at large will work against the Church. We may not be persecuted with death as in early centuries, but nonetheless we will be challenged to choose between living the Gospel and pleasing society. Although we cannot ignore that many are in fact being killed for their Christian Faith in other parts of the world, already these new martyrs have inspired new converts in the Middle East.

In America, our martyrdom will be different. We will be called to give up comforts, tax exempt status, wealth and other privileges that Churches have enjoyed since the founding of our nation. In America, our martyrdom will be green rather than blood red. In America, our martyrdom will include jumping through hoops to get buildings built and marriages sanctioned. Like the martyrs of old, our willingness to lose wealth and status and comfort will be an inspiration for others to embrace the Gospel of Christ. America NEEDS more martyrs. America needs YOU!

Putting all the Pieces Together

Now that cooler weather has settled in and leaves have begun to fall, many families are looking for activities to gather and enjoy fellowship now that it’s too cold for beach fun. Among the many long-time traditions for family fun is building puzzles. Puzzles come in all sizes and shapes, and made for all ages young and old alike. Puzzles highlight beautiful scenery and famous landmarks. After an evening of family fun, NOTHING is more frustrating than have a missing piece to the puzzle. A puzzle with just a single piece missing will inspire families to search for long periods of time, overlooking nothing, to find that single missing piece. Everyone cheers when the missing piece is found; much more than if the family had completed the puzzle quickly without any missing pieces. Puzzles are great family fun...

We often hear life being compared to a puzzle that needs to be solved, and our spiritual life and Church are no different. The Orthodox Christian way of life is like a carefully crafted puzzle in which every piece is perfectly interconnected. Without EVERY piece, the puzzle just isn’t complete. It always surprises me that many, unlike game puzzles, have no difficulty in leaving the pieces of the Orthodox Way of Life puzzle either missing or not connected.

The pieces of the Orthodox Christian Way of Life puzzle include:

1. Receiving Holy Communion
2. Prayer
3. Fasting
4. Caring for the poor
5. Reading and studying the Holy Scriptures
6. Reading and studying the Holy Fathers of the Church
7. Reading and studying books about the Faith and Church history
8. Tithing to the Church
9. Attending Sunday Divine Liturgy EVERY SUNDAY ON TIME
10. Regular Holy Confession
11. Regular attendance at special Church blessing services
12. Regular attendance at special Church prayer services
13. Serving others (inside and outside the Church Family)
14. Reaching out to others and inviting them into the Church
15. Enjoying fellowship with others inside the Church

Like every puzzle, the most important piece is THE MISSING PIECE, since without it, the puzzle is not complete. As we enter into the Advent Season, and the Christmas Fast, take a moment and look over the puzzle you’ve been working on. Is there a missing piece? Have you spent any time recently working on completing your puzzle?

Like any puzzle, the Orthodox Christian Way of Life puzzle is best worked on as a family, when each member searches for the next piece and then rejoicing when each piece is carefully put into place. As a family, we can only rejoice when the entire family is participating in building the puzzle. Take it one piece at a time and, with dedication and unity, the entire puzzle will be complete. Let’s complete the puzzle!

The Touch of God

Many people think they don’t need to walk into a Church to encounter God, but you can only touch God in His Church. God could have called down from Heaven and forgiven all sins and welcomed humanity back into Paradise, but He chose instead to take on flesh and touch humanity. There are many ways to call out to God, but only one way to touch Him. When the Precious Body and Blood of Christ touches your lips, your sins are forgiven and you are healed, because the touch of God heals and you live forever.

The Touch of Christ Heals All

So many times we struggle with whether or not we should attend Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. I’ve heard so many explanations in the past twenty years about why people don’t need to be in Church to pray and experience God. The Gospel offers us a different answer with the story of the raising of the widow’s son in Nain. (Luke 7.11-17) In this story it was the physical touch of Christ, along with His command, that healed the young man. He touched the open coffin when He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” (Luke 7.14)

St Cyril of Alexandria said, “Why then did He not work the miracle by only a word but also touched the bier? It was, my beloved, that you might learn that the holy Body of Christ is productive for the salvation of man. The flesh of the Almighty Word is the body of life and was clothed with might.” Don’t you see? God could have called out from heaven and healed not only this young man, but all humanity. But He didn’t. He came and lived among us – in a real body, touching and blessing us.

THIS is why we must attend Divine Liturgy if we wish to be saved from death. Christ commanded that His Body and Blood be offered in the Eucharist, as life for the salvation of the world. You can’t receive Holy Communion on the golf course. If you can’t receive Holy Communion, then you cannot touch Christ. And the touch of Christ is life and heals all.

We Hold Ourselves to a Higher Standard

We live in a world, much like the Christians of the first century, in which morality is based not on the teachings of Christ, but the teachings of darkness. Daily, it seems, our world is stepping further away from the way of life of Christ and His Church, as is evidenced in the daily news reports. In a world in which the terminally ill are invited to take their own lives with “dignity,” or in which there is no longer a distinction between males and females, we must strive to hold ourselves to a higher standard. We are encouraged by Saint Paul to coexist peacefully in this world, all the while never faltering in our commitment to live a life worthy of Christ. Holding ourselves to a higher standard doesn’t mean abandoning nonbelievers to hell; rather it means being in a constant state of prayer that their hearts may be softened. Of course, we understand the Gospel message will fall sometimes on deaf ears, but that does not give us license to live according to the same fallen standards of the world. We hold ourselves to a higher standard. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Responding to Contentions about the Law

With the recent decision of the US Supreme Court regarding pending court cases, same-sex marriage licenses were being issued in Charleston, SC amid celebrations and cheers. What is the Orthodox Christian response? We state our opposition to such laws, but we understand that the gift of free will given by God allows for each human being to either accept His will or reject it.

As we celebrate the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the 7^th Ecumenical Council, at which the Holy Fathers defended the truth of Orthodoxy in Holy Icons, we might learn a lesson from the willingness of ALL the Church Fathers

to stand up for the truth within the Church, while acknowledging those outside the Church are not bound by the same standards. Preaching about Titus 3.9, St John Chrysostom said this:

“For when a man is perverted and predetermined not to change his mind, whatever may happen, why should you labor in vain, sowing upon a rock, when you should spend your honorable toil upon your own people, in discoursing with them upon almsgiving and very other virtue.” (from Homily 6 on Titus)

Our Orthodox Christian response must be to protect and nurture the faith in our children. We must strengthen the faith within the Church in order to defend against the attacks of the Evil One who will never cease trying to destroy Christ’s Church. If such laws in South Carolina continue, it will become increasingly difficult for our children to remain faithful to Christ and His Church unless we “spend our honorable toil” to not only teach them the faith, but teach them to LIVE the faith. “These things are good and profitable to men.” (Titus 3.8)

It’s All About Family

When you were baptized and chrismated into the Church, you became a child of God. Our God is the only God who allows His people to call Him Father, and He has given us a Mother, the Church, to guide, protect, and comfort us as we grow perfecting holiness as sons and daughters of God. Christ invites us, “Be merciful like your Father is merciful.” Are you willing to live as a child of God?

A Spiritual View of Politics

I am often accused of making EVERYTHING spiritual. In making this accusation, people are suggesting that there are issues that can, and should, be considered merely for the secular value the present. In fact this spiritual vs. secular perspective is a common debate within youth ministry circle. Can a basketball tournament “be” just a basketball tournament, or must it always include spiritual discussion sessions? Indeed I believe it is better to allow a basketball tournament to “be” just a basketball tournament, but does that make it merely a secular event? THAT is where the debate rests, but it isn’t limited to youth ministries.

How you view sports, education, work, family and friends, economics, and even politics, is shaped by how you view the world. If you view the world from a secular point of view (everything neatly placed in a box which is not and should affect any other box) then sports is just sports. However, if you view the world from the Orthodox Christian point of view in which EVERYTHING is connected, then even basketball is not just basketball and politics is NEVER just politics. The Orthodox Christian worldview, if it is genuine, must affect every aspect of our life.

 

Let’s consider some of the presumed mundane issues of our life. Sports and recreation are important leisure activities, but are they purely secular? Caring for our physical bodies and our mental state of mind are an important part of our spiritual journey, but only if we in fact engage in a spiritual journey. Since Orthodox Christianity is a way of life journey, then even sports and recreation are spiritual in so far as they play a balanced role in our overall health. But what about politics?

I’ve been considering lately the economic politics of our current American scenario. Multiple points of view are competing for our attention and loyalty to possible solutions. Of course the two loudest, often called conservative and liberal, seem to be on polar opposite points of view. However, if you consider the question of economics from an Orthodox Christian point of view, the liberal-conservative debate loses steam. Both points of view are based upon selfish agendas. I won’t debate which agenda is correct, but suffice it to say, no matter which side of the argument you find yourself, economics are changing and so politics with it. HOW you maneuver through the economic waters of the future will either be your salvation or condemnation.

Saint Paul urges us to be content with what we have. So long as we have been united to Christ, all this ‘stuff’ we fight over during our life will not be with us in heaven.

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.” (Hebrews 13.5)

And Jesus said

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6.19-21)

How can we choose sides of the political debates about the economy when both sides fight are “getting more” or “keeping more” of what we want.....MONEY AND WEALTH?!

The economy of the world is rapidly changing, and unless we embrace the Orthodox Christian worldview of wealth and poverty, live and death, legal vs. moral rights, etc., we will ultimately become lost and despondent. What difference does it make if employers, insurance companies, or the US Congress “pays” for our health care? Is it about how much MONEY we will control or whether we will live or die? We WILL die and all money is ultimately left for someone else to spend.

So consider this.....If Jesus Christ returns in the next five minutes, are you ready to make an accounting of how you were a faithful and loyal servant? Or will you beg for a few more minutes? Money is just money, and basketball is just basketball. Most of all, politics is just another way of arguing to get YOUR way rather than God’s way. How about putting it all aside and searching out to make time for the Orthodox way of life? Christ GAVE you the Church for a reason, not a burden.

Our Journey from Childhood to Adulthood

When Jesus called His Disciples, He said to them, “You will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6.35-36) Saint Paul, quoting the Old Testament, reminds us that God had promised to become our Father long before He called His disciples. “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6.18, 2 Kingdoms 7.14)

Once we are Baptized and Chrismated into Christ, we ARE the children of God, but just like “normal” childhood, we still have some growing to do. This is why Saint Paul said, “Therefore having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7.1) Our Christian life is a journey from childhood to adulthood.

Every child is guided by teachers, mentors, and parents to become the most they are meant to be, and in every way we are children of God. He has given us His Church as teacher, mentor, and mother to guide and shape us as we become children of God. We are never quite complete; as Saint Paul says, we are “perfecting holiness” through the life of the Church. However, even though we may still be children, we are STILL children of God, and He will never abandon us on our journey.