Morever, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites - Matthew 6.16

New Testament Challenge – Day 1

Matthew 1-7

I can’t believe it has been a year since we have undertaken this discipline. Of course I pray we are reading the Bible EVERY day, but I always look forward to our annual New Testament Challenge. If you’re not familiar with the New Testament Challenge you can read about it at:

http://journeytoorthodoxy.com/2011/10/27/the-2011-new-testament-challenge/#axzz1dnYJqRwT

I will attempt, by God’s grace and His Will, to blog each day during the Challenge referring directly to some passage in the assigned reading for the day.

Today’s passage, appropriately enough is taken from Matthew 6.16-18.

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Since today is also the beginning of the Nativity Fast, I thought it would be appropriate to begin here…

Fasting in the Church should not be seen, as it too often is, as a mere rule that must be obeyed by Christians. In fact many Christians refuse to fast, or at the very least don’t fast because they don’t see the benefit to fasting. Some even suggest that fasting is not required, or possibly even forbidden, because it is mistakenly lumped into the “Law” and therefore somehow done away with by the Cross of Christ.

First from the perspective of the Law, we must understand that fasting is not about being Kosher as was the Mosaic Law. Rather it is a spiritual discipline, which Christ and the ancient Church endorse, that has a great benefit to assist us in defeating the demons that distract us on our Christian journey. Take for example when faced with severe demon possession, the Apostles asked why they couldn’t cast out the demon (see Matthew 17.14-21) and Christ responded, “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” This clearly indicates that Jesus believed there was a spiritual benefit to fasting.

Now from the perspective of today’s reading, we see that Jesus presumes that we will be fasting when He says, “Moreover, WHEN YOU FAST, do not be like the hypocrites.” (Matthew 6.16 – emphasis added) There is no room for confusion. Christ expects that His followers will be fasting.

And herein rests the fruit of fasting. When we fast, whether it is the weekly fast as commanded by the Holy Apostles in the Didache, or the Nativity Fast, we grow spiritually as we train our bodies physically and psychologically that there is something greater than ourselves, worthy of our obedience. In these modern days of hustle and bustle before Christmas most are too burned out on the holidays after weeks and weeks of parties and shopping to truly celebrate the birth of God.

As I hear recently, “If you want to put Christ back into Christmas, start by fasting the Nativity Fast.” At least then, when you arrive at Christmas Day you will actually be anticipating something great.

Have a blessed Nativity Fast and I pray you will enjoy the 2011 New Testament Challenge as part of your spiritual journey.

Verb: A word indicating action or state

When a lawyer asked Jesus, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10.25) he already knew the correct answer as he quoted the Old Testament Law: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” To this Jesus commanded the lawyer to “Do this and you will live.” (Luke 10.28) Nothing speaks more clearly than action. Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.25-37) to help us see the difference between knowing the Law and actually doing it. He expects us to DO the Law and we will live.

When the lawyer asks, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10.29) he unknowingly was asking HOW to live out the law. We know this because Jesus answers the question by asking, “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? And he [the lawyer] said, ‘He who showed mercy on him.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10.33-37)

Christian: A word indicating action or state

If we desire to live eternally with God in heaven, then we will not just know how Christ wants us to live, but we will actually do it. We must receive the words of Jesus deeply into our hearts, “Go and do likewise,” and become a people of action rather than remaining passive merely believing in Jesus. We must become a people who are known more for our mercy on others and not like the priest and Levite who “passed by on the other side,” when someone is in need – no matter who or what the need.

Christianity must become a verb!

The Healing Touch of God

“Who touched Me?” (Luke 8.45) With these resounding words Jesus shined a bright light upon the humble faith of a woman who had been suffering for twelve years. This woman, like so many of us, suffered for years with no relief from the world. She had nowhere else to turn but to approach God. Her suffering was so great that she didn’t even consider herself worthy enough to see Him fact-to-face so she, “came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.” (Luke 8.44)

And that is where this woman’s life was changed forever. Once she approached Christ with faith and hope, His healing touch not only cured of her physical illness but gave her finally what she was seeking, peace. “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” (Luke 8.48)

What we wouldn’t give for a little of God’s peace in the hectic and dangerous world! We can have this same peace….we just have to come to God.

When our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven, He left His Church and her holy mysteries (sacraments) as a way for us to come into real physical contact with Him, just as this woman. Holy Icons, Holy Water, Holy Oil, Relics of Holy Saints, these are all physical things that God has blessed and through them we too can be blessed…if we approach with faith. Remember it was the hem of His garment that she touched, not His hand.

When God came and lived among us on Earth He sanctified all of creation so that we could be saved and live in total communion with Him. This is why the Church continues to use elements from within creation, such as water and oil, to offer the blessings of God. Once God has touched something…it remains Holy. And you must NEVER forget…..God has touched you too in your Holy Baptism and Holy Chrismation.

Preparation for Holy Confession

Preparation for Holy Confession

I often encounter questions about Holy Confession, so I am offering this information to assist our faithful in the understanding and preparation of Holy Confession. It is taken from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule Holy confession, please contact your Spiritual Father directly.

The gift of God's forgiveness is received through private prayer, corporate worship, the disciplines of prayer and fasting, penitential services and above all through the sacrament of Holy Confession.

The value of Holy Confession is twofold. First, through this sacramental act of the ordained priest and the Christian believer we have the assurance of divine forgiveness, according to the words of Christ (Jn 20:23). Secondly, Holy Confession provides the opportunity to talk about one's deep concerns, to receive counsel and to be encouraged toward spiritual growth, all of which are universally recognized as extremely beneficial to personal life.

Holy Confession is appropriate whenever an Orthodox Christian feels the need for it. It is also a part of our total spiritual preparation during the fast periods leading up to the great feasts of Easter, Christmas, the Falling Asleep of the Theotokos and the Feast of Twelve Apostles. However, Holy Confession is especially necessary:

1. when a serious sin has been committed;
2. when a habitual sin has overwhelmed a Christian, or
3. when a Christian has stopped growing spiritually and needs a reexamination of priorities.

We confess our sins to God and the power of forgiveness is God's. However, the gift of God's forgiveness, although assured, is not magical. It does not automatically spare us from spiritual struggle - the continual vigilance against evil and the unceasing warfare against sin. Holy Confession will bear fruits in the Spirit only when the believer hates evil, utterly rejects sin and patiently cultivates positive habits of the life in Christ. "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ Jesus. Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wicked ness, but yield yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life" (Rm 6:11, 13)

How can one prepare for Holy Confession? Preparation for Holy Confession is a prayerful examination of feelings, thoughts, words, acts, attitudes, habits, values, priorities, goals, direction and way of life. This prayerful self-examination includes not only the personal religious life, but also family relationships, social activities, job conduct, business dealings, political commitments and even recreational pursuits, because our entire existence should be lived in under the light of the Holy Spirit is not to condemn ourselves, but to affirm our true selves in Christ who has given us access to God's mercy and forgiveness and who has taught us to live for God's glory.

Pray and think and your confession over several days. Ask God to help you perceive your sins and to make a thorough confession of them. Sometime before the sacrament of Holy Confession, offer selected prayers from the following Confessional Prayers, Psalm 51 or the following prayer of repentance:

Prayer of Repentance

O Lord my God, I confess that I have sinned against You in thought, word and deed.

I have also omitted to do what Your holy law requires of me.

But now with repentance and contrition I turn again to Your love and mercy.

I entreat You to forgive me all my transgression and to cleanse me from all my sins.

Lord, fill my heart with the light of Your truth. Strengthen my will by Your grace.

Teach me both to desire and to do only what pleases You. Amen.

Now, without justification or self-pity, make a prayerful examinations of your conscience regarding all things. As a help, reflect on your life in the light of the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. Take pencil and paper and specify your sins so that, at the time of the sacrament, you will be able to make a thorough confession from the list, without confusion or lapse of memory.

The Ten Commandments

I am the Lord your God, and you shall have no other gods before me.

Has God been the source, center and hope of my life? Have I put myself, others or things before God? Have I failed to trust in God's existence, love and mercy? Have I failed to pray to God, to worship Him and to thank Him for His blessings? Have I tried to serve God and keep His commandments faithfully? Have I murmured or complained against God in adversity? Have I praised and glorified God through my words and deeds?

You shall not make for yourself a graven image in order to worship it.

Have I valued anyone or anything above God? Have I given to anyone or anything the love, honor and worship that belongs to God alone? Have I made and idol of any person, idea, occupation, or thing?

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Have I blasphemed God's holy name in any way? Have I sworn a false oath? Have I broken any solemn vow or promise? Have I entered into an agreement, promise or contract against God's law? Have I cursed or used foul language?

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

Have I worshiped regularly on Sundays and major feast days and have I helped others to do the same? Have I worked unnecessarily on Sundays or major feast days or caused others to do so? Have I spent the Lord's Day in a wholesome and edifying ways?

Honor your father and mother

Have I loved and respected my parent s as I should? Have I neglected them or failed to help them? Have I disobeyed them, deceived them or caused them pain by my words or deeds? Have I treated all my family members with patience and love?

Thou shall not kill.

Have I caused the harm, injury or death of anyone? Have I wished my own or anyone's harm or death? Have I been cruel to animals or destroyed any life unnecessarily?

You shall not commit adultery.

Have I committed any immoral acts alone or with others? Have I caused others to commit immoral acts? Have I committed immoral acts in my heart?

You shall not steal.

Have I taken anything that was not mine from anyone or from anywhere? Have I cheated anyone? Have I caused others to steal or cheat? Have I tried to find the owners of lost things I have found? Have I damaged or destroyed anything that belonged to another? Have I defrauded anyone of rightful wages? Have I paid my debts? Have I given to the poor and to philanthropic causes in proportion to my means?

You shall not bear false witness.

Have I given false testimony against anyone? Have I spoken evil, told lies or spread rumors about anyone? Have I disclosed to anyone the sins and faults of another? Have I made careless statements or done anything else to harm the name and reputation of another? Have I engaged in idle gossip?

You shall not covet.

Have I looked with envy jealousy or hatred toward the possession talents or achievements of others? Have I desired the downfall or loss of others out of evil intent that I might benefit? Have I grieved that God has bestowed greater blessings on others than on me?

The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Have I truly recognized my complete dependence on God? Have I been proud arrogant and self-righteous in my ways? Have I been selfish, possessive and self-seeking? Have I sought after status power and wealth?

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Have I endured difficulties and afflictions with faith and patience? Have I felt sadness for the sufferings of the poor, the hungry, and addicted; the sick, the lonely and the sinful of the world? Have I truly been sorrowful for my sins and faults?

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Have I tried to serve or rather to dominate others at home, school, work, office, Church and elsewhere? Have I nursed against anyone? Have I been resentful, bitter, unforgiving or insulting and abusive to others? Have I loved my enemies?

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Have I truly yearned for God's will to be done in all things? Have I worked for justice in my family, society and the world in ways with in my reach? Have I tried to cultivate a righteous life through prayer, fasting, worship, receiving Holy Communion and deeds of love toward others?

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Have I shown compassion and help toward the poor, hungry, lonely and needy around me? Have I tried to understand and forgive others? Have I been indifferent judgmental or legalistic?

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Have I loved goodness, purity and holiness? Have I succumbed to evil motives and intentions? Have I given way to impure thoughts, words or deeds? Have I been guilty of bias and prejudice? Have I been hypocritical, pretentious or self-indulgent to sinful passions?

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Do I have God's peace in my heart? Have I been unfairly angry, aggressive or impatient? Have I worked for peace at home, work, Church and in society? Have I been irritable, polemical, or divisive?

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Have I complained when persecuted for God's sake? Have I prayed for my persecutors? Have I failed to defend anyone in the truth for fear of humiliation or persecution? Have I had the courage to stand up for what is right despite criticism, ridicule or persecution?

Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you on my account; rejoice and be clad, for your reward is great in heaven

Is the joy of Christ in my heart even in trying moments? Have I been pessimistic despondent or despairing? Have I truly delighted in the promise of God's treasures in heaven?

Prayers to Christ

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Shepherd and Lamb, You offered Your life on the cross to take away the sins of the world. You granted forgiveness to Peter and to the harlot who turned to You in tears. You forgave the debts of the two debtors and also said, "him who comes to me I will not cast out." Lord, receive me, a sinner, and hear my prayer of repentance (Confess to the Lord your specific sins.) I acknowledge my sins and transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, known and unknown. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to turn away from my sins and to amend my life according to Your teachings. Help me to walk in the way of the righteous and to offer praise to Your glorious name forever. Amen

Sweet, Jesus, my Lord and Master, through Your holy passion You have healed my evil passions, and through Your sacred wounds You have cured my sinful wounds. Grant me, compunction. Purify my body with the fragrance of Your life-giving Body, and casting out the bitterness with which the adversary has fed me. Lift up my earth bound mind to You and take me out of the pit of perdition. I have no sincere repentance, I have no true compunction, I have no consoling tears to lead me as a child of God to my spiritual in heritance. My mind has been darkened through worldly passions. I cannot look up to You in grieving remorse. I cannot warm myself with tears of love for You. But, Lord Jesus Christ, the treasury of blessings, grant me through repentance and a diligent heart to seek You. Grant me Your grace and renew in me the form of Your image. I have forsaken You; but, Lord, do not forsake me. Come out to seek me; lead me to Your pasture; number me among the sheep of Your chosen flock and nourish me with the food of Your sacred mysteries, through the intercession of Your all-pure Mother and of all the Saints. Amen.

Prayer of St. John Chrysostom

Lord, deprive me not of Your heavenly and eternal blessings.

Lord, deliver me from everlasting torments.

Lord, if I have sinned in word or deed, in mind or spirit, forgive me.

Lord, deliver me from all distress, ignorance, forgetfulness, laziness and stony hardness of heart.

Lord, deliver me from all temptations and spiritual abandonment.

Lord, enlighten my heart which has been darkened by evil desire.

Lord, being human, I sin; but You, being God, have mercy on me.

Lord, take heed of the weakness of my soul, and help me with Your grace that Your holy name may be glorified in me.

Lord Jesus Christ, inscribe the name of Your servant in the book of life, granting me a blessed end.

Lord my God, I have done nothing good; yet by Your compassion help me to make a new beginning.

Lord, refresh my heart with the dew of Your grace.

Lord, God of heaven and earth, remember me, who am sinful, wretched, evil and impure, in Your kingdom, according to Your steadfast love.

Lord, receive me in repentance and do not forsake me.

Lord, put me not to the test.

Lord, grant me good thoughts.

Lord, grant me tears of repentance, remembrance of death and contrition.

Lord, grant me sincere confession of my thought.

Lord, grant me humility, deliverance from my own will and obedience.

Lord, grant me patience, forbearance and meekness.

Lord, implant in me Your holy fear, the source of all blessings.

Lord, enable me to love You with all my soul, my mind and my heart; and my neighbor as myself.

Lord, protect me from evil people and demons, from impure passions and all unseemly things.

Lord, as you commanded; Lord, as You know all things; Lord as You desire I desire Your goodness; let Your will be done in me.

Lord, let Your will, not mine, be done through the intercessions of the all-holy Theotokos and of all the Saints, for You are blessed forever. Amen.

The Prayer of Manasseh

This prayer is a classic prayer of repentance attributed by tradition to Manasseh, a wicked king of Judah (2 Chr 33:11-13), who pleaded God's forgiveness for his many sins.

Lord almighty, God of our fathers, of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and of their righteous posterity,

You have made heaven and earth with all their adornment.

You have bound the sea with Your word of command.

You have confined the abyss and sealed it with Your fearful and glorious name.

All things shudder and tremble before Your power.

The magnificence of Your glory cannot be endured.

The wrath of Your threat against sinners cannot be resisted.

Yet immeasurable and unsearchable is Your promised mercy.

For You are the Lord Most High, compassionate, long-suffering and merciful, turning away from the evils of people.

You, Lord according to the abundance of Your goodness, have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against You;

And in the multitude of Your loving kindness You have appointed repentance for sinners unto salvation.

Surely, Lord, God of the heavenly powers, You have not appointed repentance for the righteous, for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who did not sin against You;

But You have appointed repentance for me a sinner.

For the sins I have committed are more in number than the sands of the sea.

My transgressions are multiplied, Lord, they are multiplied!

I am unworthy to look up and see the height of heaven because of the multitude of my iniquities.

I am weighed down with many evil bonds and cannot lift up my head because of my sins.

I have no relief because I have provoked Your wrath and have done evil before You, not doing Your will, nor keeping Your commandments, but setting up abominations and multiplying offenses.

And now I bend the knee of my heart beseeching Your goodness.

I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned and I know my transgressions.

Do not be angry with me forever or store up evils for me; and do not condemn me to the depths of Hades.

For You, Lord, are the God of those who repent, and to me You will show Your goodness.

Unworthy as I am, You will save me in Your great mercy and I will praise You continually all the days of my life.

For all the powers of heaven sing Your praises and Yours is the glory forever. Amen.

Source: "My Orthodox Prayer Book" from the Department of Religious Education

God Provides a Glimpse into Heaven

Every now and then it helps to get a picture of what our future might become. We are taught to envision our future in order that we may embrace it and work toward it. A common theme in all “get rich quick” schemes is for you to picture yourself wealthy and to begin living to get there. The same is true for our spiritual future. Thankfully God again provides us with a glimpse of our future, no to scare us, but so that we can embrace it and begin to live to get there.

In the Gospel we hear of a poor, sick man named Lazarus (not the same Lazarus that was raised from the dead) lying across the front gate of a rich man’s home begging for a few crumbs of food. The rich man surrounded and comforted by extreme wealth, remains nameless in the story as he goes about his daily life ignoring the needs of poor Lazarus. In death, the rich man suffers while Lazarus is comforted. Abraham says to the rich man, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.” (Luke 16.25)

St John Chrysostom says, “How then is it possible for the rich man to be saved? By possessing his goods in common with them that are in need, and exterminating out of his soul the desire for more, and in no point going beyond real need.”

It won’t be wealth that brings suffering into our future, but the lack of compassion we have for our brothers and sisters in the world who are suffering. Even in death the rich man expected Lazarus to serve him because he saw himself as superior to Lazarus. In life the rich man expected the dogs to care for Lazarus rather than reaching out to him and treating him as a brother.

Compassion comes at a price….the price of comfort. We can choose to be comfortable with our wealth here on earth or we can use our wealth to comfort the afflicted. It’s our choice, but today God gives us a glimpse of our future to help us make the right decision.

Hope for Something Better

In the Gospel we hear of a man who was possessed by demons that drove him into the wilderness. We know from the Gospel also that this man had many demons that would regularly torture him and leave him naked and alone among the tombs. We also know that this man’s condition had lasted a long time.

How can we in 2011 bring some connection to this story? First we must ask ourselves, are there any demons or forces that in effect torture us by causing us to live alone and isolated from our friends and family? Do we find ourselves driven by forces that seem to control us beyond our wishes? Do we feel at times that we are being held down by struggles that don’t allow us to recognize the beauty and hope of every day? If not for a long time, have we ever felt this even once in our life? We all struggle at some level. So how can the Gospel give us hope for a better life? You may just think the Gospel is filled with commandments from God and the Church is always “laying down the law” telling us how to live.

This Gospel is just the thing we need! Hope comes from knowing there is a better life ahead. Three words should comfort us in this story, “He permitted them.” (Luke 8.32) The demons couldn’t even enter the swine without permission from God. Even though the demons had possessed this man for so many years, at God’s commandment they left him and he was found “sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.” (Luke 8.35)

In spite of the demons the man found the strength to approach Jesus. (Luke 8.27) To be healed by God all that is needed is for us to search our heart and choose to let God in and the demons out. We just need to approach Him. God will take care of the rest. Then once we are healed we can follow this man’s example when “he went his way and proclaimed to the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.” (Luke 8.39)

Don’t Be Stingy with God’s Message

In the Gospel we hear one of the great Parables of Our Lord about the “Sower.” This is the only parable where Christ also gives an explanation of the meaning of the parable. We are encouraged to be good fertile soil to allow the Word of God to take root in our hearts so that we can bear fruit with great abundance to the glory of God.

There is another aspect to the parable that the Fathers of our Church bring to our attention. Saint John Chrysostom teaches, “For as the sower makes no distinction in the land submitted to him, but simply and indifferently casts his seed; so He Himself too makes no distinction of rich and poor, of wise and unwise, of slothful or diligent, of brave or cowardly.” In these words we see clearly the beautiful gift that God does not limit His love only to a select few….and neither should we.

God has given us His Gospel to share with the world. Just as the “Sower” does not carefully set seeds only into the ground he thinks is the most important, neither should we limit where, and with whom, we share the word of God. We have been given the gift of Communion with God and He has asked us to share it with EVERYONE!

When we refuse to share His Word with our friends and family, we are acting selfish rather than with Christian love. Let’s face it….the only reason a tree bears fruit is to send seeds out to make more trees. And the only reason for us to have the Church is to sow more seeds so God can harvest more Christians. “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.”  (Matt 9.37)

Don’t be stingy with God’s message of hope. He sends His seeds to everyone and so should we.

So Guess Who Died Yesterday?

You guessed it…..LOTS of people but the whole world is only talking about one….Steve Jobs. Please understand I don’t deny his amazing talent (a gift from God) and that he offered society a great number of tools for us to communicate (most of which is pornography) at volumes never before available to us. And I am not going to take away his place in American history as an innovator and clearly a successful business man. But that is really all he accomplished which is why he is being made to be such the hero the past 24 hours. There are even cartoons of him in heaven helping the angles with new “apps” to make heaven run more smoothly (I suppose) than before he was around.

It would be nice as Christians though to keep his gifts to the planet in perspective…very well made technology that could have been used for the glory of God. The only problem is…it can also be used, and is often used, to work against God especially with His young children. If we really wanted to honor the great work of Steve Jobs, how about we eliminate internet porn for starters so his inventions can be used for much more good than evil?

You might be thinking to yourself, “Has Father Athanasios gone out to lunch? What’s the big deal? It’s not like we’re praising Hugh Hefner.” My perspective is one of Orthodox Christianity. All sin is the same and when someone has been given a gift by God and doesn’t praise God with it, it should be a cause for somber reflection on a wasted gift rather than how fast I get to update my Facebook status.

But who am I fooling? The American God is wealth and prestige and Steve Jobs had both, so I guess…let the praise of Saint Steve of Apple continue….

When Does Innocent Behavior Become Evil?

There are many things in our day that by themselves are harmless. For example: playing or watching sports, enjoying the outdoors, attending the theatre, even our actual jobs are not spiritually harmful behaviors. It’s when any of these behaviors take us away from spending time with Jesus Christ IN CHURCH that they take on the role of evil in our lives. YES!, even enjoying the outdoors can be evil when it replaces Jesus Christ as the top priority in our life.

Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6.53) We cannot live without receiving the Body of Blood of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ – Holy Communion. The Holy Apostles knew this when they said, “But every Lord’s Day, gather together and break bread and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions.” (Didache) This was a direct reference to Holy Communion.

So…..Jesus said we would not have life if we didn’t receive Holy Communion, and the Holy Apostles whom the Holy Spirit guided into all truth (John 16.13) commanded that we should receive Holy Communion every Sunday….

When does innocent behavior become evil? Whenever it takes us away from the Holy Communion on Sunday….that’s when. I encourage you to pray about this Truth of Christ in your life and take advantage of being alive and able to repent. Saint John the Baptist said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3.2) It’s never too late to repent and embrace Jesus Christ in your life.

Evil by definition is doing something against the will of God. If your behavior takes you away from obeying Christ and receiving Holy Communion……then that behavior, though it may have been innocent, has become evil. Call your Priest and schedule a time for Holy Confession and repent welcoming Jesus Christ back to the top of your priority list.

Nobody Wants Fool’s Gold

We have all had moments when we are utterly shocked at the words that come out of a person’s mouth, especially when the words are negative. “Can you believe she only worked one hour for the Festival? Doesn’t she know that isn’t enough?” This might sound familiar anywhere in America during Greek Festival season, but have you ever heard, “Isn’t it great? Even though she has so many things to do, she still found time to come help us for an hour!”

What’s the difference? In both cases she worked for an hour to help with the Greek Festival but in the first example, someone was complaining about how little she worked, obviously suggesting she could have and should worked more. But we don’t always know someone’s situation. We don’t always know what struggles they have in their life. And we NEVER know the whole story. If we think about it for a moment we will understand that just as nobody knows our exact situation we can’t possibly know somebody else’s situation. So why do we insist on speaking poorly about others?

Jesus said, “Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” (Luke 6.31) The Golden Rule has passed down from generation to generation and still we need a reminder. If we don’t want people judging our actions because they don’t know the whole story, why do we still do the same to them? It seems that we spend more time reversing the Golden Rule to mean, “Since they did it to me, I’m going to do it to them!” This sounds more like the fool’s gold and we all know just how worthless that is.

This week take a moment and think twice before you react to someone or say something about someone. Remind yourself you don’t know the whole story and maybe your fool’s gold will turn into pure gold for the glory of God.

How Will You Help the Lord This Week?

In the Gospel of Luke we hear the calling of the first disciples of Christ while they were “off duty” from their day of fishing. Jesus “saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.” (Luke 5.2) Their day was finished and I’m sure the fishermen were looking forward to a few moments of rest after a long day at work, but the Lord had other plans. “Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.” (Luke 5.2-3)

Simon was faced with a common struggle we all face today; whether or not to give our time to the work of God and His Church or rest a bit. The need for rest is the single most common reason people miss Church on Sunday morning. I can’t imagine anyone would have given it a second thought if Simon had said, “Excuse me please, but I just returned from a long time of fishing and we have to fix our nets and get some rest before we go out again. Can you use someone else’s boat?”

In the context of hearing the Gospel this excuse sounds ridiculous but we use it every time we don’t come to Church or refuse to assist the Lord in getting His message to the world. If Simon had said “no,” then the multitudes would not have heard the Gospel from Christ. And if we say “no,” many more will go without hearing the Good News that Jesus Christ has to offer the world.

When Simon allowed God to use him and his boat for the Gospel, many wonderful things took place. “They caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.” (Luke 5.6) When we allow Jesus Christ and His Church to use our talents and our gifts for His purpose of reaching out to the thousands needing the sort of hope that only God provides, great things will happen also in our lives.

How will YOU help the Lord get His message out this week?

Christianity is for Radicals

Most people don’t associate being a Christian with being a radical especially in the “Bible Belt” South, but radical living is exactly what Jesus expects from His followers. “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8.37) That sounds pretty radical to me!

Many of us have grown up believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and we even believe in the Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – but we never sit down to really think what it means to believe in Jesus Christ. We hear the words, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3.16) We believe, so we are saved, right? Maybe…

Jesus also said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father.” (Matthew 7.21) We also know that demons believe in Jesus, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” (Mark 5.7) So maybe just believing in Jesus isn’t enough….unless we think demons are being blessed by God.

The Gospel of Christ is radical because it requires a radical response. “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mark 8.34-35) We only have to think of all the things and causes we have worked so hard to accomplish during our life and we will see what is important to us.

We work for what we want, that’s for sure. So if we want to live with God, THAT is what we will have to start working for and be willing to lose a bit of the things we have accumulated during our life. What would we give in exchange for OUR soul? Our satellite TV? Our 72” plasma flat screen TV? Let’s be honest, our soul is worth exactly what we are willing to give for it…that sounds pretty radical doesn’t it?

When It Matters Most

When tragedy occurs in our life that causes us to reflect upon what really matters, our hearts turn toward God. When we are faced with the reality that life is fragile and hangs in the balance, our hearts turn toward God. When a loved one or friend dies suddenly and without warning, our hearts turn toward God. When it matters most, deep down inside our hearts know to turn to God.

Such were the events of September 11, 2001. Suddenly and without warning our lives as Americans were changed forever. Families throughout our nation were filled with panic as they struggled to locate family members in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. As the hours drew on our eyes became sore from the tears shed and hours of watching TV news waiting for updates or news of other horrific events. And on the evening of September 11, 2001 and for days and weeks following, our hearts turned toward God….and our churches were filled with people searching for an answer to questions we didn’t really know we were asking.

Many of us either know of someone who was killed or even knew personally an innocent life that was taken during the attacks on our Country. Our lives will never be the same but deep down inside we know we must turn our hearts toward God. As the weeks turned into months following the terrorist attacks, we struggled to return our lives to normal and put these events behind us. But in doing so we forgot the one thing that mattered most, we forgot to KEEP our hearts turned toward God.

Now our Country struggles again, this time with a failing economy and likely depression. Our nation’s morals are being challenged with issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion with unwavering efforts by the devil to trick us into accepting these behaviors as natural contrary to God’s teaching. My brothers and sisters…..the time has come for us to turn our hearts toward God and this time let’s keep them there.

The American Dream is a Spiritual Nightmare!

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” 1 Corinthians 10.23

We live in a society that is built upon the same freedom of action as expressed by these words of the Apostle Paul to the Church in Corinth 2000 years ago. Ancient Corinth was a city, not unlike most American cities today, with a great deal of wealth, education, and multiculturalism, but it also was a city where competing philosophies of life were common. There was no, and there remains no, inherent sin in being wealthy or appreciating education and culture, but also just like most American cities, the competing philosophies of life in ancient Corinth challenged the very foundation of Christian living by suggesting worldly logic was superior to divine Christian logic. This is the essence of Saint Paul’s letters to the Church in Corinth.

Just as our ancestors in ancient Corinth were faced with the choice of worldly logic vs. divine Christian logic, we are faced daily with decisions that challenge the very fabric of our Christian walk. 21^st Century American Christianity has embraced a secular understanding of life rather than a holistic Christian manner of living which prevailed in the ancient Church. Is there any question that the world’s logic is challenging our Christian worldview? Abortion and sexual morality are but two highly visible and spiritually challenging topics our society faces today. There are others, such as the Big Bang Theory and the Evolution of Species, that are taught in classrooms throughout America that not only conflict with our divine understanding given to us by God, but go so far as to ridicule the Church for rejecting their theories.

I believe the worst lie the world has convinced the Church to believe is that all things spiritual should be reserved for Sunday and further that we should refrain, as much as is in our power, to limit the remainder of our time during the week to activities and topics that will better prepare our children to be successful in the American workplace and to pursue without reservation the so-called American dream.

I ask you, if the American workplace and the society in general are boldly challenging the way of life commanded and expected of us by God, can we as parents continue to sit idly by and watch our children being brainwashed with morals that are in direct conflict with what Jesus Christ and His Church teach? We must take back the reigns of our children’s upbringing and instill, sometimes retraining them, to live by the principals that, as Saint Paul said, will edify and lead them to an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ.

That process begins daily in our home as our children learn to set priorities in their life. I urge you therefore to consider making the Church – the Greek Orthodox way of life – a stronger priority in your family. Take a moment and reflect upon the words above by Saint Paul and ask yourselves, “Can we do more as a family to be closer to Jesus Christ and His Church?” Then take a look at the Church calendar, which is available online, and take advantage of the various ministries and teaching opportunities for your children and yourselves.

A few suggestions that will help…

X  Attending Divine Liturgy EVERY Sunday – and ON TIME (10:00am)

X  Be prepared to receive Holy Communion EVERY SUNDAY

X  Fast as a family every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year – at least from meat

X  Read daily from the Bible – even 5 minutes a day makes a difference

X  Establish a prayer corner with icons and a vigil light in a central area of your home – and use it

X  Say your prayers daily when you wake up and before you go to sleep –teach your children to do the same.

X  Pray before and after each meal – even in a public restaurant we can do our cross and thank God

X  Pick one extra activity each week and attend a church service or bible study to help you grow in faith

X  Participate fully in the Sacramental life – including regular Confession and blessings

X  Tithe – offer the Church 10% or your income as thanks to God for your blessings

Good Thing Job Wasn’t an 21st Century Evangelical Christian

The other day I was listening to a Christian radio broadcast of Dr Charles Stanley as he was talking about tithing. I listened attentively since I also preach the biblical and traditional truth of the tithe to God in thanks for the many blessing He has given us. I was disappointed however in the premise that if someone tithes he will be overly blessed financially by God. As if God is some sort of ATM machine. I’ve heard this before though since the “Gospel of Prosperity” has gained such prominence in the American Evangelical Christian scene. The premise is simple: we tithe and God makes us rich. In Dr. Stanley’s recent broadcast, http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/podcasts , this point is made quite clearly.

Unfortunately this message, though very popular in America, misses the mark when it comes to what God has always promised.  The Lord guarantees our basic sustenance, since we are of much more value than the sparrows of the air, but wealth? With statements like “Deny yourself and take up your cross,” we are hard pressed to see such a guarantee for prosperity in the Gospel. In fact the message is just the opposite. We get rid of wealth to show our loyalty to God and our willingness to trust wholly in Him. Just tell someone who struggles financially even though they tithe that God is making them wealthy…..Do you think Job thought God was pouring down wealth over his head? It’s a good thing Job wasn’t an Evangelical Christian…he may never have endured the temptation by the devil.

Follow Christ and be willing to be poor for theirs is the kingdom of God. "I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." (Luke 19.23)

Do YOU Want Eternal Life?

When Jesus was asked, “What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” He responded by saying, “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19.16-17) After listing all the commandments the rich man chose to push the issue further by saying, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” (Matthew 19.20) Ultimately, after Jesus said, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor; and you will treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me,” the rich man departed from his chat with Jesus because he could not part with all his wealth. Have you ever wondered why the rich man left instead of following Jesus?

The Gospel makes it a point say, “He went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Matthew 19.22) The rich man was unable to give away his wealth because, like so many wealthy today, he worked hard for what he had. The money wasn’t given to him; he had to work for it and it wasn’t fair that he should give it to some poor person who was too lazy to get out of bed and work hard. And who was Jesus anyway to expect him to live without the comforts of life? It was HIS money after all…..

I hear this same argument every time I mention Christian stewardship. The hard truth is that most of us live lives that revolve around making money to maintain a lifestyle that is, if we really acknowledged it, more than we would ever need. In fact we put much more effort into our American lifestyle than into preparing our souls to spend eternity with Jesus our Lord.

The real question is…..would WE walk away or follow Jesus? Think about it…