Traditions can be Good or Bad

Today is the final day of our 2017 Great Lenten Journey. While the Great Fast is not yet over, and Holy Week will begin a couple days, I wanted to write about tradition today. As Orthodox Christians we speak often about the benefits of tradition. We speak about “BIG T” and “little t” traditions. Sometimes we even find ourselves fighting over traditions, to the point sometimes of missing the entire point of Pascha.

Over the next few days, your particular Orthodox Christians parish will experience Holy and Great Week with many Church services which will include local and global traditions. Some of these traditions will very ancient while others may be of a more recent origin. I won’t deny that tradition is an important part of our Orthodox Christian expression, but it is possible that we sometimes lose focus. Sometimes we look at the traditions as “making or breaking” our celebration of Holy and Great Week. If the priest, especially if he is new, changes ‘just one thing’ about how your parish celebrates Holy and Great Week, many will feel as though he has RUINED their entire experience.

Though all traditions have a history, sometimes the history isn’t worth keeping. One tradition for example is to limit Holy Communion to once or twice per year, or to allow Holy Communion lines to continue for hours on Holy Thursday morning. In these two examples, and there are more) the tradition was based upon an improper understanding and practice, and have mostly stopped within our Churches, but there were many arguments and finger waving sessions when clergy worked to correct poor behavior. I’m sure we can all think of at least one such tradition.

I’m not going to list “good” and “bad” traditions here, but I will urge you to consider Orthodox Christianity is an ancient expression of God’s truth and faith. There have been seasons when we lost focus and seasons when we struggled to regain the proper perspective. If your priest either forgets to honor a tradition, or if he outright stops the practice of a particular tradition, don’t panic. He probably has a pretty good reason. The tradition you hold so dearly may just be hiding your eyes from seeing the true beauty that is Holy and Great Week. If you don’t believe me, pay attention to the many references to the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes during the services next week. They honored many traditions that didn’t lead them to Christ. Check with your priest and he can (and most would prefer) to explain the various decisions so you could better understand Holy and Great Week.

It has been a blessing for me to write a daily reflection for the 2017 Daily Lenten Journey. I pray it has been a blessing, and I pray it becomes a healthy and beautiful tradition here at Be Transfigured Ministries. Have a blessed Holy Week and Pascha. I will work to continue some posting as I did last year. I may miss a few, but God willing whatever we offer will be a blessing.

Today’s Old Testament Readings:

Isaiah 66:10-24 (RSV) - "Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; that you may suck and be satisfied with her consoling breasts; that you may drink deeply with delight from the abundance of her glory."  For thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall suck, you shall be carried upon her hip, and dandled upon her knees.  As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.  You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and it shall be known that the hand of the LORD is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies.  "For behold, the LORD will come in fire, and his chariots like the stormwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.  For by fire will the LORD execute judgment, and by his sword, upon all flesh; and those slain by the LORD shall be many.  "Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating swine's flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, says the LORD.  "For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory, and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.  And they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as an offering to the LORD, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, just as the Israelites bring their cereal offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD.  And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the LORD.  "For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me, says the LORD; so shall your descendants and your name remain.  From new moon to new moon, and from sabbath to sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, says the LORD.  "And they shall go forth and look on the dead bodies of the men that have rebelled against me; for their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh."
 Genesis 49:33-50:26 (RSV) - When Jacob finished charging his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed, and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.  Then Joseph fell on his father's face, and wept over him, and kissed him.  And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel; forty days were required for it, for so many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days. And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, 'I am about to die: in my tomb which I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.' Now therefore let me go up, I pray you, and bury my father; then I will return."  And Pharaoh answered, "Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear."  So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father's household; only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen.  And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen; it was a very great company.  When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and sorrowful lamentation; and he made a mourning for his father seven days.  When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, "This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians." Therefore the place was named Abelmizraim; it is beyond the Jordan.  Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them; for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite, to possess as a burying place.  After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.  When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil which we did to him."  So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died,  'Say to Joseph, Forgive, I pray you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.' And now, we pray you, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him.  His brothers also came and fell down before him, and said, "Behold, we are your servants."  But Joseph said to them, "Fear not, for am I in the place of God?  As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.  So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he reassured them and comforted them. So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's house; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years.  And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation; the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were born upon Joseph's knees.  And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die; but God will visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."  Then Joseph took an oath of the sons of Israel, saying, "God will visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."  So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
 Proverbs 31:8-31 (RSV) - Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all who are left desolate.  Open your mouth, judge righteously, maintain the rights of the poor and needy.  A good wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.  She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.  She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from afar.  She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and tasks for her maidens.  She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.  She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong.  She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.  She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.  She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.  She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.  She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.  Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.  She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers girdles to the merchant.  Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.  She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.  She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:  "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."  Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.  Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Being True to the True Faith

On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the first Sunday of Great Lent, the Church proclaims the truth of the Faith. The Church proclaims, “This is the Faith of the Orthodox! This is the Faith of the Apostles! This is the Faith which has established the universe!” What are you doing to be true to the Faith of the Church as revealed by Christ, received and protected by the Holy Apostles, and guided by the Holy Spirit? Are you living as Nathaniel and Philip who went and told their friends about Christ, or are you keeping the truth to yourself?

Rollercoasters and Incense

The other day, while discussing the painful reality that so many Orthodox Christians “just don’t enjoy being in Church” I was asked an interesting question. “Father, if you ask children which they would prefer, going to the amusement park or doing homework, which one do you think they would choose?” OF COURSE they would choose the amusement part, so would I. The problem with this question, all too common to the struggle of Church attendance, is a false option. Let me explain...

There is a campus (they don’t use the term perish) of New Spring Church in Florence that after only six years (the same tenure of my time in Florence) has grown to over 2,000 every Sunday. They are currently building a brand new multi-million dollar church complex that literally dwarfs the bank next door. The Worship experience of this particular Church has become quite popular in Evangelical Protestant circles, with rock music, light shows, no dress code expectations, and a sermon. BUT.....there is no preacher in Florence. That’s right; the “featured” sermon is ON SCREEN from the mother campus elsewhere in South Carolina. Others have characterized the Sunday worship as attending a concert. So, it should come as no surprise that youth (and adults who wish to pretend they’re still youth) flood in from all directions to attend a weekly “free” concert.

And there lies the false choice. Orthodox worship is NOT a rock concert. It is NOT a light show. It is NOT even a sermon, though we do preach. But the false choice is much more than just the style of worship. Orthodox worship is HEAVEN ON EARTH, where we are graced to physically become one with God through the Holy Eucharist. Orthodox worship is directionally opposite from this form of Protestant Worship. What do I mean by directionally opposite?

Where we as Orthodox direct our attention, characterized in the fact that the celebrant clergy FACE THE ALTAR, is toward God. Protestant worship is directed inward toward the self. We speak to God. We sing to God. We bow to God. We worship God with the proper understanding that we are in the presence of His glory. Protestant worship speaks to the heart and, by design, seeks the rush of adrenaline, which explains the “I just FEEL good when I leave that Church” emotion of Protestants. What examples do we have to follow?

Moses hid his face. Exodus 3.6

Isaiah cried out in fear. Isaiah 6.5

John the theologian fell to the floor as though he were dead. Revelation 1.17

Orthodox Christian worship is based upon this example of humility in the face of God. And YET, we are allowed to approach the chalice standing face-to-face with God to receive His most precious Body and Blood into our very bodies. Orthodox Christian worship is a foretaste of how God is being worshiped in Heaven as witnessed by Prophet Isaiah and Saint John.

They didn’t see rock bands. They didn’t see light shows. Of course this should be obvious, but they DID see an Altar, golden candles sticks, smoldering incense, majestic robes, pious processions, praiseful singing, and bowing....lots of bowing. These are the characteristics of Orthodox Christian worship, as they were Jewish worship before us, SO THAT we can prepare to spend eternity doing the same thing in heaven.

Life isn’t about feeling the rush of adrenaline storming down the hill of a rollercoaster. Life IS about preparing to worship God in Heaven. Worship isn’t about feeling the rush of adrenaline during a rock concert. Worship is about offering God incense and bowing at His glory before the His Altar.

Rather than asking our children if they would prefer the adrenaline of an amusement park to homework, maybe a better question would be, “Do you want to be with God?” If so.....forget the rock concert and go to Divine Liturgy. The real problem is that most Orthodox Christians are still comparing the “fun factor” of our worship to the excitement of Protestant worship. And that’s just a false choice.

It’s time to exchange rollercoasters for incense.

What Does it Mean to Move Mountains?

In the Gospel of Matthew (and elsewhere) we hear Jesus state, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17.20) When was the last time you saw ANYONE moving a mountain “by faith” instead of dynamite or bulldozers? Did Christ mean something different?

St John Chrysostom offers some insight to understanding this claim of faith. “Where did they remove a mountain? I would make this answer, that they did far greater things, having raised up innumerable dead. For it is not at all the same thing to remove a mountain, and to remove death from a body. And certain Saints after them, far inferior to them, are said actually to have removed mountains, when necessity called for it.”

If the Apostles didn’t move mountains, it wasn’t for their lack of ability, but the lack of any NEED to move a mountain. Too often we hear this particular faith challenge as license to demand any particular miracle from God, and then we blame Him for not acting upon our demand. The ability to move mountains has been given to ANYONE whose faith is strong enough, but I’ve personally never met anyone who had that particular need.

And that is where genuine faith is critical. When we have genuine faith in God, even the smallest amount, we will know our real needs and focus upon those rather than so many other desires we treat as needs. As we hear during every Liturgy in honor of the Theotokos, “One thing is needful.” Forget about moving mountains; move your heart to be with Christ.

The 4th of July and Fasting

As Orthodox Christians we have been fasting every Wednesday and Friday with very few exceptions since the earliest days of the Church. In the “Teachings of the Holy Apostles to the Nations” we find this:

But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; (Matthew 6:16) for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday).

Hypocrites was a reference to the unbelieving Jews who fasted on Monday and Thursday, not a reference to Christians. With very few exceptions during periods when fasting is forbidden (after Christmas, after Pascha, after Pentecost) these days remain the staple fasting guide of every Orthodox Christian. Even when Feasts of the Church fall on these days, there is fasting expected albeit lessened in honor of the feast. For example if August 15^th happens to fall on a Friday, the fast is lessened to allow for fish, oil and wine, but no meat is served.

Why is this important? It happens to be the simplest manner in which the Church can teach and train her believers to place God above all other realities in life. It may be difficult for those who do not fast to understand the nuance between having steak and having fish during celebrations. Please allow me another example.

My birthday is during the Nativity Fast every year. This means I must fast every year on my birthday. If my birthday celebrations are going to include meat (I really enjoy a good prime rib) then I must “transfer” my birthday celebration prior to November 15^th. “Now” I am free to celebrate with whatever food I wish in honor of my birthday. In fact, for many other reasons, we “transfer” birthdays and anniversaries to long weekends or other dates out of convenience. What does it teach our children when we can’t do the same out of respect for our Faith Tradition? The Church indeed transfers several feasts so that they can be celebrated outside of fasting periods, the most famous being the Feast of St George. When Pascha is later than April 23 (the date of the Feast of St George) then the celebration, including Divine Liturgy, is “transferred” to the Monday following Pascha. This is done in order to maintain the dignity that is Holy and Great Lent and Holy and Great Week.

HOWEVER, we can’t simply reschedule nationalized US holidays such as the 4^th of July, so what alternative do we have? We should keep the fast when the 4^th of July happens to fall on a Wednesday or, as is the case in 2014, a Friday. This is completely in keeping with the ancient and sacred Orthodox Christian Tradition. Greece, for example, celebrates March 25^th (Greek Independence Day) EVERY YEAR during the Great Fast. The fast is “lessened” by allowing fish, oil and wine, but THIS IS IN HONOR OF THE FEAST OF ANNUNCIATION and not for Greek Independence Day.

There is a uniquely American exception to this rule of fasting on Thanksgiving Day. Early in the 20^th Century, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of (then) North and South America, decided to allow for the “full celebration” of Thanksgiving including turkey, in deference to the unique fact that it is the ONLY US holiday dedicated to giving thanks to God. However, this exception is limited to Thanksgiving Day, and is not universally practiced.

As Americans who are Orthodox Christians, we owe it to our children to train them that their faith is more important than what foods we eat on the 4^th of July. Then, when the time comes for them to choose between living the life their Church teaches, and the life the secular world teaches, they will have already been trained to follow the Church.

Trust is Power!

The Feast of Pentecost commemorates the event during which the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church to fulfill a promise Jesus made shortly before His Passion. Jesus promised His Disciples, “When He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 15.13) Moments before His Glorious Ascension (celebrated 40 days after Pascha) He commanded His Disciples, “Tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24.49)

Since the moment the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost, the Holy Apostles have been entrusted by God to lead His Church according to His commandments. Since the day of Pentecost, the Orthodox Church has trusted in the teachings of the Holy Apostles to lead us to heaven. The trust has been confirmed in the power of the Holy Spirit, who continues to guide the Church into all truth, PROVIDED THAT we remain faithful to the way of life and teachings of the Holy Apostles.

In a day when we are bombarded with mixed messages of moral shifts and self-oriented priorities, sometimes is just helps to be reminded that the Holy Spirit, as promised by God, guided the Holy Apostles into ALL TRUTH, not just some truth, not just “a” truth, but ALL TRUTH. When we trust in that way of life and teachings of the Holy Apostles, what we call, Holy Tradition, we also are given the power of God to endure the struggle against sin and selfishness, and join ourselves to God.

Being One in God

Just before Christ voluntarily endured His Glorious Passion, He offered a prayer to the Father. This prayer, known as the “High Priestly Prayer” was a liturgical prayer following the model of the Old Testament Sacrifices which expressed the devotion of the person offering the sacrifice. In this prayer Jesus said, “Keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” Jesus spoke often of unity in this great prayer. You can read the entire prayer in the Gospel of John, Chapter 17. In this prayer, we can arrive a deeper understanding of Christ’s desire for His Church.

It was this desire for complete unity that has been a driving force of the Church Fathers since the Apostles were first given the authority to lead the Church. This sort of unity Christ desires, is divine unity in love. Jesus is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit, not simply because they share the title of Divine. The Holy Trinity is exists in complete harmony of love and will. In other words, Jesus always ‘wants’ what the Father ‘wants’ and the Holy Spirit always ‘wants’ what the Father ‘wants’ and the Father always ‘wants’ what Jesus and the Holy Spirit ‘want’; which is.....that WE should live in the same community of love and unity.

But this unity is even greater than ‘us humans’ being united. God desires that we are one with each other AND HIM. Later in this prayer Jesus prays, “That they may be one just as We are one; I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one.” (John 17.22-23) We are made perfect in our unity with each other and God. This is realized in the living Sacred Tradition of the Church, given by Christ to the Holy Apostles, and maintained by the Holy Fathers of the Church through the centuries.

The Scriptures and Great Lent - Palm Sunday and Holy Week

A Bible study focused on the Themes and Scriptures readings assigned for Palm Sunday and Holy Week in the Orthodox Christian Church. Filmed LIVE Wednesday, April 9, 2014, in Florence, SC.

What Makes Holy Week So Special?

Every year we are invited by the Church to slow our busy lives down and spend an entire week coming to Church. This week, which is called Great and Holy Week, not only commemorates the final days of Jesus on Earth, but they are specifically set aside by the Church for us to devote our entire life to Christ. As early as 150AD there is evidence that Holy and Great Week was already a week of special devotion for Christians as they prepared to celebrate the Feast of Feasts – Holy and Great Pascha.

That means the week we begin today and the sacred and pious traditions, we are invited to participate in, are more than 1800 years old. That means millions of pious and devout Christians have shared many of the same processions, prayers, blessings, anointing services, and celebrations as we will this week. That means Holy Week is “tested and proven” by countless holy men and women, bishops, priests, monks, nuns, and myriad children.

This year is YOUR opportunity to join the millions of holy men and women in the most holy week of the year. This year is YOUR opportunity to dedicate your life to Christ and growing even closer to Him. This year is YOUR opportunity to add your voice to the countless saints of the Church in prayer for the grace of God. This year is YOUR opportunity to experience a life united to God.

No Thanks Hollywood, You Can Keep Your son of god

The new movie The Son of God opens in theaters today…

I make no secrets about my dislike for “the Hollywood agenda” when it comes to the moral direction our society continues to engage. But when it comes to movies about Jesus and His Church, I can no longer sit quietly under the guise of, “at least they’re talking about Jesus,” without offering a serious warning.

The Orthodox Church throughout history has fought courageously to maintain the truth about who we know Jesus Christ to be, as that truth was revealed by the Holy Spirit to the Holy Apostles. We have defended the truth of Orthodoxy down to single letters when the meaning of who Jesus was and is might be misunderstood by the faithful. We have maintained this truth, “once and for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1.3) through the holy and sacred tradition of the Church.

We would not sit quietly when Arius spoke falsely of Christ, and we cannot sit quietly when contemporary “theologians” under the guise of producing Hollywood blockbuster movies, as these movies are often times fictional representations of the Gospels and early history of the Church. This is nothing new, of course, as Hollywood has a long tradition of altering history for big screen for affect, while defending their actions in “the name of entertainment,” and warning viewers they are not responsible for educating our children.

I remember growing up being warned, “You can’t trust a movie with the facts. You have to read the book!” Teachers were, and probably still are, very good at forming questions that required knowledge of the book rather than just the movie. We can all think of movies where multiple characters from the book were blended into single portrayals on the big screen. So what makes us think this is not also happening when the Bible is produced on the big screen?

The reading of Scriptures is a crucial part of every Christian’s spiritual journey, but there are verses which don’t flow well, for the big screen. If movies were limited to just the written verses, the classic “Ten Commandments” would have been much shorter a movie and Charlton Heston would have been much less famous. I noticed the last time I watched the movie, (and I LOVE the movie) I had my Bible open. What was said in two verses in my bible was more than thirty minutes on the screen. How? Fiction and fantasy is the only way.

But it isn’t only the fictional additions that we must be concerned with. The Orthodox Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, has been interpreting the Holy Scriptures since they were first written (speaking specifically of the New Testament) and the Sacred Tradition requires us to “stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” (2 Thessalonians 2.15) We must be extremely careful anytime we hear the Holy Scriptures interpreted by anyone, including within the Church. Are the interpretations consistent with the Teachings of the Holy Apostles? Are they in line with the understanding of the Church Fathers, who themselves were loyal to the teachings of the Holy Apostles when they first sanctioned the Bible with Canonical Authority.

If you plan to watch this new movie about Jesus, or Noah opening March 28^th, then I caution you to sit with your spiritual father afterward about what the movie teaches. The visual impact of the movie will make it difficult for you to “forget” the incorrect teachings in favor of the Church, but prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit will help as well.

I suppose, from my vantage point, these two movies might comprise a new attack on the Church, since they are being released during the Great Lenten journey while we are seeking a closer relationship with God. Many will flock to the movie theater “seeking a deeper relationship” rather than finding it in the Church. What they are likely to find is partial truth and fantasy about a god who is not the same as The God who revealed Himself to the Church.

Don’t Lose the Forest through the Trees

Sometimes, when we find ourselves in the midst of a struggle, we lose focus on why we entered the struggle in the first place. This is easy in the forest. From the outside looking in, the forest is nothing more than a bunch of trees clumped together, but from within we notice not just a clump of trees, but hundreds if not thousands of trees, shrubs, grasses, vines, puddles, rocks, and maybe even some wild animals. What should be a quick stroll through a few trees to enjoy the breath-taking lake on the other side, becomes a scary journey of twists and turns surrounded by dangerous obstacles. Once inside the forest, we sometimes forget that we are just using the forest as a path to the lake, or worse, we become engrossed in the details of the forest and forget the lake even exists.

The same danger exists in our spiritual journey. God has given us His Church as the path to heaven. He invites us to enter the Church and walk with Him toward salvation. The Church, like the forest, is much more than just “a” Church. It includes many details that, without them, would no longer be a Church. Just like a forest without trees, shrubs, grass, wild animals, etc., would not be a forest. Rather than trees and shrubs, the Church has a way of life which includes prayer, fasting, almsgiving, the Holy Sacraments, and Divine Services of the Church. Once inside the Church, we can sometimes lose focus on why we entered the Church in the first place. We didn’t enter the Church “just” so that we could fast. We entered the Church so that we could find Christ and live with Him. Along the way we pray, we fast, we help others, we tithe, we confess our sins, we marry, we baptize, we ordain, we anoint, we bury, and we receive Holy Communion.

But if we lose sight of WHY we do these things in the Church, we can lose sight of Christ and heaven all together. How do we know this to be true? Consider the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. It was the Pharisee who lost sight of WHY he was living the life of he chose. He had forgotten that fasting, praying, paying tithes, etc., had a purpose…..to find Christ. As we enter the Triodion Period (also called Pre-Lent) and begin a more intense spiritual journey, let’s try to remember WHY, and not lose sight of the goal….to find Christ. Let’s not lose the forest through the trees.

Too Much Focus on Gay Marriage

Gay marriage is the “civil rights movement” of our day it seems. Everywhere you turn around, the question of same-sex marriage is being battled in the media, courts, and legislative chambers of our Nation. If you ask me, which of course you didn’t, it’s all a bit too much.

There are plenty of examples of marriage in which the Orthodox Church doesn’t participate:

1. 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, etc Marriage are forbidden by the Church
2. Marriage between first, second and in many cases third cousins is forbidden by the Church
3. Marriage between “God-siblings” is forbidden by the Church
4. Marriage between an Orthodox Christian and a non-Christian is forbidden by the Church
5. Marriage between two Orthodox Christians OUTSIDE the Church is forbidden by the Church
6. Oh yeah….and same-sex marriage is forbidden by the Church

There are also examples of marriage in which the Orthodox Church doesn’t even bother to acknowledge because it takes place outside the spiritual boundaries of the Orthodox Church.

1. Any marriage in a courtroom performed by a “Justice of the Peace”
2. Marriage between two non Orthodox Christians
3. Marriage between a Christian and a non Christian
4. Marriage between two non Christians
5. Oh yeah…..and same-sex marriage performed in a non Orthodox Church

While I do believe the question of marriage to be a major spiritual struggle within our society, I don’t believe it is prudent for the Church to become vigilant on the question of same-sex marriage, as it will just be another marriage the Church either forbids or refuses to recognize. When the time of national recognition arrives, which it will, the Church will simply “get out of the legal marriage license” business. We’ve done that before and we can do that again.

Orthodox Christian spirituality has always been deeper focused than on any one particular sin, excluding blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of course, so we would do well to remember our Sacred Tradition. The Orthodox Christian way of life is beyond the realm of societal approval or trends, because it is a way of life based upon the Heavenly Kingdom. We would do well to keep our attention on those members inside the Church who, unfortunately are being taken captive by secularists and humanists, and remind them of our need to overcome our passions, and to live in communion with our Lord.

We need to stand up for the Church, within the Church, as a growing number of “members” have sided with the society on many moral questions. I’m not sure it is because they have actually chosen to reject the Church, so much as they have fallen trap to a constant and very well strategized effort from outside the Church to convince them the Church is out of touch. The Church has allowed the society to shape the argument and form the premise without engaging our own members in an authentic spiritual struggle. It’s time to speak the broader truth of our spiritual struggle, and to stop allowing the society to drag us into the pit.

It isn’t about same-sex marriage being more fair; it’s about life NOT being about sex.

Prayer in Public Schools

You might be surprised to know that I do not support prayer in public schools. I often meet people, online and in person, who presume that because I am a priest, I would support a policy of returning prayer to public schools. Well, that couldn’t be the furthest from the truth.

While I do acknowledge that our schools had a long history, as did our other government institutions, in which prayer played an important role in the beginning of every day, I must also acknowledge that we are a very different society today than “yesterday.” Our nation used to be a predominantly Christian society, so public prayer normally consisted of some Christ-oriented prayer. But we have to face facts, whether we admit it or not, that our nation is no longer predominately Christian.

What’s that I say? America is no longer a Christian nation? Well, I’m not sure we were ever truly a Christian nation. We may have been founded by deists, but that is a far cry from Christians. We cannot forget that the Bible of Thomas Jefferson resembled swiss cheese with all the verses and chapters cut out and removed, because he personally did not agree with them. Besides the deists, would a Christian nation have laws supporting abortion and capital punishment? Would a Christian nation have such blatant examples of personal greed? Our nation is founded on freedom, which admittedly is a Christian value, but we have long since turned away from using our freedom to honor God. But on to prayer in public schools….

In 2014, with such a wide range of Christian Churches and a substantial presence of non-Christians, what would such a public prayer include? It wouldn’t include references to Jesus Christ, for fear it would offend the non-Christians. It could, I suppose, include reference to God, but for the growing atheist movement. It wouldn’t be permitted to include references to Allah, even though Allah is technically the Arabic word for God, since many Muslims insist on its usage to be limited to the Islamic God, and fundamentalist Evangelical Christian would have a fit. It might, I suppose, include a prayer to “the supreme energy” which many Christians would pretend acknowledged God, but as Orthodox Christians, we could never tolerate such a blanket reference. EVEN IF the “rest of the nation” could agree on such terminology, it veers so far from the Triune God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we could never allow our Orthodox youth to participate.

So that leaves us with no prayer in public schools. As an Orthodox Christian Priest, I can better explain why WE prayer and others do not pray, than I can explain why certain prayers are wrong to pray. I don’t doubt many Protestant Christians, and a growing number of Orthodox Christians, are unable to appreciate the nuances that overwhelm such a public prayer. To this I would turn our many faithful to a careful study of Christian history and discover there existed, especially at times of secular and pluralist influences, rules forbidding the faithful from praying with others. It wasn’t because we were being elite, but because we were protecting the faithful from offering incorrect prayer? Lest you think there is no such thing as “incorrect prayer” consider this example of the Gospel.

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one." Luke 11.1-4

The disciples took this instruction so seriously, they commanded Christians to pray this prayer three times each day. I would rather have our children pray this in front of their icon corners and before/after meals, than to have them mumble some “O great unknown in the sky….” prayer, but it could just be me.

Something I Think Protestant Christians Would Want to Know

Of all the Saints of the early Church that I would expect Protestants to honor, it would be Saint Athanasios the Great. For us as Orthodox, he wrote the Creed, the Symbol of Faith, which we are encouraged to memorize and proclaim publicly as a testimony to what we believe as Orthodox Christians. Though the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (as it is known) is no longer recited by many Protestants, Saint Athanasios is known for writing something that I would expect Protestants to hold as dear to their tradition as we hold the Creed. In 367AD, Saint Athanasios, in his capacity and with the authority as Patriarch of Alexandria, wrote a letter to his Churches  teaching what the Church had accepted as Scriptures. For Protestants, who hold so dearly to Sola Scriptura, I would expect them to know about this letter, since without it, they may not have the Scriptures they read. Since we honor this Great Saint of the Church today, I thought I would repost his letter here. (The text is taken from the Advent Church Fathers website.)

(For 367.) Of the particular books and their number, which are accepted by the Church. From the thirty-ninth Letter of Holy Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, on the Paschal festival; wherein he defines canonically what are the divine books which are accepted by the Church.

1. They have fabricated books which they call books of tables, in which they show stars, to which they give the names of Saints. And therein of a truth they have inflicted on themselves a double reproach: those who have written such books, because they have perfected themselves in a lying and contemptible science; and as to the ignorant and simple, they have led them astray by evil thoughts concerning the right faith established in all truth and upright in the presence of God.

2. But since we have made mention of heretics as dead, but of ourselves as possessing the Divine Scriptures for salvation; and since I fear lest, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians 2 Corinthians 11:3, some few of the simple should be beguiled from their simplicity and purity, by the subtlety of certain men, and should henceforth read other books— those called apocryphal— led astray by the similarity of their names with the true books; I beseech you to bear patiently, if I also write, by way of remembrance, of matters with which you are acquainted, influenced by the need and advantage of the Church.

3. In proceeding to make mention of these things, I shall adopt, to commend my undertaking, the pattern of Luke the Evangelist, saying on my own account: 'Forasmuch as some have taken in hand Luke 1:1,' to reduce into order for themselves the books termed apocryphal, and to mix them up with the divinely inspired Scripture, concerning which we have been fully persuaded, as they who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word, delivered to the fathers; it seemed good to me also, having been urged thereto by true brethren, and having learned from the beginning, to set before you the books included in the Canon, and handed down, and accredited as Divine; to the end that anyone who has fallen into error may condemn those who have led him astray; and that he who has continued steadfast in purity may again rejoice, having these things brought to his remembrance.

4. There are, then, of the Old Testament, twenty-two books in number; for, as I have heard, it is handed down that this is the number of the letters among the Hebrews; their respective order and names being as follows. The first is Genesis, then Exodus, next Leviticus, after that Numbers, and then Deuteronomy. Following these there is Joshua, the son of Nun, then Judges, then Ruth. And again, after these four books of Kings, the first and second being reckoned as one book, and so likewise the third and fourth as one book. And again, the first and second of the Chronicles are reckoned as one book. Again Ezra, the first and second are similarly one book. After these there is the book of Psalms, then the Proverbs, next Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. Job follows, then the Prophets, the twelve being reckoned as one book. Then Isaiah, one book, then Jeremiah with Baruch, Lamentations, and the epistle, one book; afterwards, Ezekiel and Daniel, each one book. Thus far constitutes the Old Testament.

5. Again it is not tedious to speak of the [books] of the New Testament. These are, the four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Afterwards, the Acts of the Apostles and Epistles (called Catholic), seven, viz. of James, one; of Peter, two; of John, three; after these, one of Jude. In addition, there are fourteen Epistles of Paul, written in this order. The first, to the Romans; then two to the Corinthians; after these, to the Galatians; next, to the Ephesians; then to the Philippians; then to the Colossians; after these, two to the Thessalonians, and that to the Hebrews; and again, two to Timothy; one to Titus; and lastly, that to Philemon. And besides, the Revelation of John.

6. These are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these. For concerning these the Lord put to shame the Sadducees, and said, 'You err, not knowing the Scriptures.' And He reproved the Jews, saying, 'Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me Matthew 22:29; John 5:39.'

7. But for greater exactness I add this also, writing of necessity; that there are other books besides these not indeed included in the Canon, but appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who newly join us, and who wish for instruction in the word of godliness. The Wisdom of Solomon, and the Wisdom of Sirach, and Esther, and Judith, and Tobit, and that which is called the Teaching of the Apostles, and the Shepherd. But the former, my brethren, are included in the Canon, the latter being [merely] read; nor is there in any place a mention of apocryphal writings. But they are an invention of heretics, who write them when they choose, bestowing upon them their approbation, and assigning to them a date, that so, using them as ancient writings, they may find occasion to lead astray the simple.

Yes, Jesus said, “Go to Church”

I can’t count how many times I have heard, “Father, I don’t have to go to Church to worship God, because He is everywhere.” While we do believe God is everywhere, the idea of not going to Church has never been part of the Christian point of view. In the Gospel of Luke, we hear the story of the Ten Lepers who came to Jesus who, “lifted up their voice and said, ‘Jesus, Master; have mercy on us!’ So when He saw them, He said to them, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.” (Luke 17.13-14)

Of course, this was not an isolated incident. The Old Testament is filled with commandments for the people of God to go to the Temple for healing and to receive the blessings of God. The Church is a holy place where God continues to meet His people. There is blessing in the Church. There is peace in the Church. There is healing in the Church. There is salvation in the Church.

God established His Church, the people AND the Temple, as a place of salvation. Our journey as Orthodox Christians is not as lone rangers, but a community of faithful dedicated to living in communion with God. When God commanded the Ten Lepers to show themselves to the priests, He was offering the Lepers the blessing, and ultimately healing, of being part of the People of God. Had they said, “We don’t need to go to Church…” they would never have been healed.

It’s time to get back to Church to find peace and be healed!

What does it mean to be a Church?

I have many times in this blog suggested a goal for revitalizing the Church in our lives as Orthodox Christians. I realized, having said that, many not know what I mean by Church, so I have decided to dedicate the February Newsletter to the theme of “Church” and what it means for us practically speaking. How does it affect our daily lives? And quite frankly, why should we care?

It is no secret the Church has changed over the past several decades. We “see” and “feel” the difference on a weekly basis, so I will begin with the obvious fact. WE ARE NOT THE SAME COMMUNITY we were fifty years ago, and I don’t just mean the actual people. The Church is the Body of Christ, made up of individual people, like you and me, jointly working out our salvation. As a community, we gather for prayer and worship as we, together as a united body, struggle to live in communion with Jesus Christ. So it is no surprise that we are different today than we were fifty years ago. We have different struggles that keep us from our Lord.

Fifty years ago, many Orthodox families were focused on establishing themselves in a new world. The Church was a safe place to gather as Orthodox people, considered exotic by most and even strange by others. The Church was a place we could be comfortable being Orthodox – fasting, having Holy Icons in our homes, celebrating weddings, baptisms and funerals, and coming to Church for the Divine Liturgy. We celebrated birthdays, wedding anniversaries and namedays AS A COMMUNITY. We depended upon our Church for our spiritual AND our social life.

Today, our families have long since been established. Even new families have been welcomed as “our  extended families” by the American culture. Today, as many non-Orthodox friends can be found at birthdays and anniversaries as Church members. Today, our families are no longer considered strange and exotic, but respected members of society. We now have a new struggle. We live in a society in which Orthodox Christianity has less in common than ever before. Fifty years ago we lived in a society that was at its core, Christian. Today, we live in a society that encourages same-sex marriage, while arguing that the traditional understanding of gender (males and females) is no longer relevant. The Christian morality is tolerated by most, but persecuted by some. But we still need the Church.

The Church continues to be a place we can feel safe being Orthodox, but TODAY we must teach our children that our society considers our morality wrong. The Church continues to be a place where we struggle to overcome our sinfulness and grow closer to Jesus Christ, but TODAY we must teach our children that our society considers our idea of sin “outdated.” The Church continues to be a place where help each other find Jesus Christ, but TODAY we must teach our children that our society places individual happiness above communal interconnectedness.

I suppose as many things have changed in our Church, one thing has remained the same. We are still considered strange, but now for different reasons. Through all these decades, the Church has never abandoned us. It has remained here for us to gather as Orthodox Christians so that we could safely, and according to our own Sacred Traditions, follow Christ. What does it mean to be a Church? Being a Church means we are dedicated to living in communion with God, and helping each other struggle to overcome the temptations and distractions of daily life, so we can find Jesus Christ. And that will never change.

Welcome Back Fasting; I’ve Missed You

I have longed believed the Holy Spirit guides the Church into Traditions that are not only spiritually beneficial, but have a physical benefit as well. Fasting is one of those Traditions. No objective person could deny the physical benefits of fasting twice per week and for longer periods during the year. In fact, an Orthodox Christian following the fasting guidelines of the Church will abstain AT LEAST from meat more than two hundred days a year. That translates to less trans-fats and cholesterol, not to mention all the added hormones and other harmful chemicals fed to livestock.

There are a few times each year when I actually look forward to fasting returning to my routine. When the Church forbids fasting, such as the week following Pascha, the week following Pentecost, the week of the Publican and Pharisee, and the eleven days after Christmas, I tend to feel bloated and full whether I am eating or not. I am sure that this is because my body is weighed down (in more ways than one) with the extra meat in my system. It just takes more time to digest meat than veggies.

So today, the first Wednesday back to fasting after Christmas, I woke and said to myself

YEAH! I get to fast today!

Feasting is always a joyous occasion, but we all know it doesn’t have nearly as much joy without its counterpart, fasting.

Why is Theophany So Important?

There is a HUGE difference between God and human beings. He is the creator and we are His creation. It is impossible for us to understand ANYTHING about Him unless He reveals it to us first. It is IMPOSSIBLE, no way, no how, for us to even believe in Him without Him first revealing Himself to us. It is IN NO WAY conceivable that we, mere creatures, can comprehend the purpose of our existence without the Creator first showing Himself to us.

So why is the Theophany so important for the Orthodox to celebrate? For many Christians, Theophany – also called Epiphany – the arrival of the Magi at Christ’s manger, or merely His Baptism in the Jordan River. But for the Orthodox, Theophany is THE APPEARING OF THE UNDIVIDED TRINITY – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – for the first time in human history.

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mark 1.9-11)

So while we are indeed celebrating the baptism of Jesus, the greater gift of God is His divinity revealed as Trinity to those standing by and those of us who “love His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4.8) In the baptism of Jesus, it wasn’t Jesus that was changed, but the entire creation by His presence in the water. By entering the water, Jesus reveals the love of God for every living thing on Earth.

In the ancient Church, this revelation was welcomed with great joy and many believers were baptized. But since we only believe in one baptism, many faithful sought a new way to express the joy of the news of God’s appearing. Immediately after the consecration of the baptismal waters, and prior to baptizing the new believers, the faithful would drink from the Font to express their participation in the Feast and receive a blessing from God. As the Church practice developed over the centuries, rather than baptisms taking place on this day, the Church established the Great Blessing of the Waters, in which we all are blessed to participate.

Today, throughout the Orthodox Christian world, Churches are celebrating the appearing of God with the Great Blessing of the Waters. Some even celebrate with an event called a “Cross Dive” where young men, and sometimes women, dive into the water to retrieve the Cross of Christ. Let’s face it, when God reveals Himself to His creation, it’s worthy of great celebrations.

May God be blessed!

A Higher Standard Needed for Christians

While I will acknowledge Facebook isn’t the “be-all-end-all” of current trends, I’ve notice a growing number of Christians “fighting back” with insults toward any anti-Christian expression. While I don’t question the motives of these individuals, I do wonder what benefit is gained by such reciprocation. Jesus taught to “turn the other cheek” and many Christians seem to have confused defending the Faith with fighting back. While there is an appropriate place for what the Church refers to as, apologetics, and there is a tradition of the Church engaging the society, the Church has always been cautious, if not avoided, attacking the opposition.

The Sacred Tradition of the Church is to focus on members INSIDE the Church. It has been, and continues to be, the emphasis of the Church to guide BELIEVERS into a communion with God through the Eucharist. We cannot argue others into Communion. We cannot debate faith into someone’s heart. ONLY the Holy Spirit can inspire others to believe. OUR role is to continuously strive for OUR repentance and OUR (the Church as a body) relationship with Christ, while inviting others to discover the Good News and freedom that is Christ.

I invite readers of Be Transfigured! to embrace a new, and higher, standard for the New Year. Rather than attacking those who attack you, acknowledge and repent of YOUR sins. Rather than worrying about whether someone else’s sins will keep them out of heaven, acknowledge that YOUR sins are no less dangerous.

Just a thought.

Watch Carefully - You Just Might See God

Have you noticed the difference already since Christmas? It has only been a few days since we celebrated the coming of the Light into the world, and already the days are getting longer. ALL creation is used by God to direct our attention toward Him. He used the stars to lead the Magi, and therefore an entire culture of people, to worship Him at His birth. In a similar way, He offers us the longer days, for those Christians in the Northern Hemisphere, and shorter nights.

Many have argued that the Church “borrowed the solstice from the pagans in an attempt to Christianize their culture. I won’t argue that point here, since my friend and fellow blogger John Sanidopoulos covers this MYTH at great length and detail on his blog “Mystagogy” which I encourage everyone to visit. I happen to accept that God, already knowing the pattern of the Sun, inspired Christians to see the growing days as relative to the coming of the Light into the world.

There are other inspired actions in the Church, that NOW with other scientific research we find to be of benefit.

• A woman needs “about” 40 days to properly heal after childbirth.
• Doctors now suggest fasting has a physical benefit.

Maybe we could create a list of ancient Church traditions that are now encouraged by scientists. It might make a nice panel discussion.