What's the deal with death?

Our “Ask Father” sermons each summer are quite popular, but there are always more questions than Sundays on which to preach an answer. Therefore, I have decided I would continue to entertain questions throughout the year and provide answers here on the blog. You never know....maybe YOUR question will become a sermon some day! Please use the “tell us what you think” button to the left to submit your questions.

This question was submitted via our YouTube Channel...

My question is, why do we say that death entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned. Notwithstanding the teachings on this subject from the Holy scriptures, ie, Gods commandments made know to Adam and Eve, and in there disobeying Him, the consequences, God said to them for if & when you eat of the tree of good and evil, you shall surely die. Is God just referring to a spiritual death, as well as a physical death of humans, (that's the only conclusion i can come to) for these sayings. But why does the Church say then that death entered the world after the fall of Adam and Eve. Because we learn from science, physics relics, from antiquity, that the evidence is quiet, overwhelming, that death has been around for billions of years, long before the human species ever came into existence. Surely, death of all things that was ever brought into existence, has followed the same predictable pattern for billions of years, plants, animals, stars, galaxies, suns moons, all are born, all mature, and eventually, all die. How do we substantiate, this claim that the Church, in fact most Christian, religion makes the same claim, that death entered the world from the sin of Adam and Eve. Would very much appreciate hearing back from you, maybe, shed some light on how we are to reconcile this issue in our own minds today, with all the advancements and knowledge that science has shown us, even proved through math, and relics.

– Question submitted by James (Demetri)

Thank you for your question Demetri. Let me begin with a clarification between the death of Adam and Eve as distinct from the death of plants and animals. God commanded our ancestors, “You may eat food from every tree in the garden; but from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you may not eat; for in whatever day you eat from it, you shall die by death.” (Gen 2.16-17 SAAS) This commandment was directed at Adam. I am not aware of any Church Father equating Adam’s death due to sin, with the death of every living creature on Earth. Saint Athanasios comments about Adam’s flesh rotting in the grave, but does not refer to other plants and animals. The fact that science reveals that plants and animals have been dying for so many years before modern man appeared on Earth is not in conflict with Genesis. This would be a good time to remind you that the Church does not ignore science as a God-given talent which ASSISTS us in understanding His creation. God’s creation was given to us to help us reach God.

That brings me to my next point about the consequences of Original Sin. Humans, having been placed within creation, are expected to live as part of creation as lord of creation. There is an important symbiotic relationship between lord and subject. As a consequence of The Fall this symbiotic relationship has been disrupted. God said, “Because you heeded the voice of your wife, and ate from the one tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground in your labors. In toil you shall eat form it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground from which you were taken.” (Gen 3.17-19 SAAS) This teaches us that the struggle between man and creation, rather than the death of plants and animals, is a consequence of The Fall.

As lord of creation (small “l” since God is the LORD of creation) our sin affects the creation. Our greed causes us to abuse creation for profit, causing excessive pollution of our air and water. Our lust causes us to rape the soil of nutrients so we can eat till our heart is content leaving soil barren and in need of chemical fertilizers. Our thirst to live wherever we please, irrespective of natural resources, causes or rivers to run dry. I think you get the point...

I pray this helps.

He Forgives Us

It doesn’t matter how you hear it, the Gospel is Good News. God has promised that our sins would be forgiven if only we ask. It doesn’t matter how much we owe God, the truth is that we could never possibly pay off what we owe no matter how we try, and still God is willing to forgive us. That’s Good News, right? It’s always Good News. It’s the way we listen that effects the way we hear the Good News. In the Gospel of Matthew (18.23-35) we find a man who owed more than he could ever pay. His debt was forgiven, but he was unwilling to forgive even the smallest debt a fellow servant owed to him. In return for his selfishness the master threw him in prison and he spent all eternity being tortured. But God still is willing to forgive us, and that will always be Good News.

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The News is always Good even when it sounds bad

Everyone knows the Gospel is the Good News about Jesus Christ, but not everyone who hears the Gospel hears the news as Good News. On the surface the Gospel may even seem like a dual-personality story. There is forgiveness and there is judgment. There is feeding and there is hunger. There is good and there is evil. And many times both exist in the same story. So why is the Gospel called the Good News if there is so much bad sandwiched between the good?

Take today’s Gospel lesson for example. We see a man who owes a huge amount to the king. He owes so much money that he could never possibly even dream about paying his debt to the king, and the king threatens to throw him in debtors’ prison until the debt is paid. In reality this was a life sentence since he owed more than his life would ever pay, so the man begs for a little more time to pay off the debt. Instead the king forgives every cent he owes and lets the man go free. That same man, just seconds later as he was leaving the king as a free man, bumped into one of his fellows who owed him a small amount. The fellow begged for a little more time to pay off the debt, but the man wouldn’t budge. He threw his fellow in debtor’s prison along with his family until the debt could be paid, about three months. The story concludes with the man being called back by the king who had heard about the situation. The king threw him in prison for the rest of his life.

This Gospel story is about forgiveness. Jesus warns us about not being willing to forgive. He says, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” (Matthew 18.35 NKJV) The story doesn’t sound so much like Good News when you come to end and find the man sitting in prison being tortured. The story is a glimpse of heaven and hell. For the moment the man experienced forgiveness he was in heaven. For the moment he refused to forgive his fellow he was in hell. Same man, same story, same Good News, even if sounds bad.

The point of the Gospel is that God is waiting to forgive us. It doesn’t matter how much we owe him. Even if we can’t pay him back, He is willing to forgive us when we ask. And THAT is Good News. It will always be Good News. But if we don’t return the favor and refuse to forgive ANYONE else, the Good News starts to sound bad. If we cannot see the beauty of God’s forgiveness, then we cannot see the reason to forgive others. Keep in mind, the ONLY reason is sounds bad is because WE are not willing to forgive. The News is STILL Good. Let’s look at it another way.

What if the same man was called by the king and told, “You owe me so much money that even if I put you in prison, you will never be able to pay it off. I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I understand there is a fellow of yours who owes you a small amount. If you forgive his small debt to you, then I will forgive you large debt.” I suppose the man would have said, “Absolutely! I’ll go tell him right now!” It starts to sound like Good News again doesn’t it? It is just a matter of perspective. So long as the man knew in advance that he could be forgiven his huge debt if he forgave his fellow’s small debt, he would be more willing to forgive.

The truth is, we HAVE been given the Good News in advance. Jesus HAS told us, “Go ahead and forgive your fellow and I will forgive you.” There is no reason to hear the Gospel story as bad news. It is always Good News. We just have to change the way we hear it.

SERVICE OF PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION

Some desire to offer special prayers for the preparation, reception, and thanksgiving for Holy Communion. A special service exists in the Orthodox Tradition that I have included below. The translation is from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese...

Glory to you, our God, glory to you. Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who are present everywhere filling things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us. Cleanse us of every stain, and save our souls, gracious Lord.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (3).

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

All holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our trans­gressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for your name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Psalm 50 (51)

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your great mercy; and according to the multitude of your compassion, blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done evil in your sight, that you may be found just when you speak, and victorious when you are judged. For behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and in sin my mother bore me. For behold, you have loved truth; you have made known to me the secret and hidden things of your wisdom. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean; you shall wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the afflicted bones may rejoice. Turn your face away from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and establish me with your governing Spirit. I shall teach transgressors your ways, and the ungodly shall turn back to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, my tongue shall joyfully declare your righteousness. Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise. For if you had desired sacrifice, I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God will not despise a broken and a humbled heart. Do good in your good pleasure to Sion; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then you shall be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with oblation and whole burnt offerings. Then they shall offer bulls on your altar.

Psalm 69 (70)

O God, be attentive to help me. Lord, make haste to help me. Let them be ashamed and confounded who seek my life. Let them be turned back and be ashamed who desire evil against me. Let them be turned back because of their shame, who say to me, Well done! Well done! Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; and let those who love your salvation say continually, Let God be magnified! But as for me, I am poor and needy; O God, help me! You are my help and my deliverer; Lord, do not delay.

Psalm 142 (143)

Lord, hear my prayer. In your truth, give ear to my supplications; in your righteousness, hear me. And enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is justified in your sight. For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness, like those who have long been dead, and my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is distressed. I remembered the days of old; I meditated on all your works; I pondered on the work of your hands. I spread out my hands to you; my soul longs for you like a thirsty land. Lord, hear me quickly; my spirit fails. Turn not your face away from me, lest I be like those who go down into the pit. Let me to hear your mercy in the morning, for in you I have put my trust. Lord, teach me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you. Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies; to you have I fled for refuge. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your good Spirit shall lead me on a level path; Lord, for your name’s sake, you shall preserve my life. In your righteousness, you shall bring my soul out of trouble, and in your mercy, you shall utterly destroy my enemies. And you shall destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am your servant.

Doxology

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will to all people. We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you for your great glory. Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father, almighty Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father who take away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us, you who take away the sins of the world. Receive our prayer, you who sit at the right hand of the Father, and have mercy upon us. For you only are holy, only you are Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Each evening we bless you, and we praise your name forever and to the ages of ages. Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation. I said: Lord, have mercy upon me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against you. Lord, to you have I fled; teach me to do your will, for you are my God. For you are the source of life, and in your light we shall see light. Conti­nue your mercy to those who know you. Lord, grant to keep us this night without sin. Blessed are you, Lord, God of our fathers. Your name is praised and glorified from all ages. Amen.

Let your mercy, Lord, lighten upon us, as our trust is in you. Blessed are you, Lord, teach me your commandments. Blessed are you, Master, teach me your com­mandments. Blessed are you, Holy One, enlighten me in your commandments. Your mercy, Lord, endures forever; turn not away from the works of your own hands. To you belongs praise, to you belongs worship, to you belongs glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

The Symbol Of Faith

I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not created, of one essence with the Father through whom all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and he suffered and was buried. On the third day he rose according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and dead. His kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets. In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I expect the resurrection of the dead. And the life of the ages to come. Amen.

First Ode Second Tone

May your sacred body and your precious blood, compassionate Lord, become for me the bread of eternal life and the guardian from manifold afflictions. Defiled as I am by disgusting deeds, O Christ, I am unworthy to receive your pure body and your divine blood. But make me worthy of this communion.

Theotokion

Blessed Theotokos, the good earth that grew the unsown wheat that saved the world, make me worthy to eat of it and be saved.

Third Ode

Grant me, O Christ, the tears to cleanse the uncleanliness of my heart, that I may in good conscience, faith, and fear approach, O Master, the communion of your divine gifts. May your pure body and sacred blood become for me, loving God, forgiveness of sins, communion with the Holy Spirit, eternal life, and estrangement from passion and affliction.

Theotokion

All holy one, you are the table of the bread of life, who out of mercy came down from above giving new life to the world. Make me also worthy, who am now unwor­thy, to eat from it with fear and live.

Fourth Ode

Most merciful One, you put on flesh for our sake and as a lamb you were willing to be slain for our sins. Therefore, I beseech you: also wipe out my sins. Heal the wounds of my soul, O Lord, wretched as I am; and Master, make me worthy, totally, to receive your mystical Supper.

Theotokion

Lady, propitiate on my behalf him who was born of you, and preserve me; your sup­plicant, pure and undefiled, so that by re­ceiving the intelligible pearl I may be sanc­tified.

Fifth Ode

As you foretold, O Christ, let it be to your un­worthy servant as you promised, and abide in me. For behold, I eat your divine body and drink your blood. God and Word of God, may the ember of your body light up my darkness, and may your blood cleanse my defiled soul.

Theotokion

Mary, Mother of God, honorable tabernacle of sweet ointments, make me through your prayers a chosen vessel that I may receive the sanctification of your son.

Sixth Ode

Savior, sanctify my mind, soul, heart, and body, and deem me worthy, Master, to approach your fearful Mysteries without condemnation. O Christ, grant, that I may be rid of my pas­sions, increase in your grace, and be con­firmed in my life by the communion of your holy Mysteries.

Theotokion

Holy, divine Word of God, sanctify me wholly as I now approach your holy Mysteries through the prayers of your holy Mother.

Kontakion Second Tone

As I now receive your awesome Mysteries, your pure body and your precious blood, O Christ, do not turn away from me, wretched as I am. Let my communion not be a judgment upon me but lead to ever­lasting and immortal life.

Seventh Ode

May the communion of your immortal Mysteries be for me light and life, freedom from passion, progress, and an increase in more spiritual virtues that I may glorify you, O Christ, for you alone are good. Approaching now your immortal and divine mysteries, trembling and longing for piety, grant, loving God, that I may be delivered from passions and enemies and every afflic­tion. Grant that I may sing to you: Blessed are you, O God of our fathers. 

Theotokion

I pray that you, the pure one, who are favored by God and who incomprehensively gave birth to Christ the Savior, cleanse me, your impure servant, from all defilement of flesh and spirit as I desire now to approach the most pure Mysteries.

Eighth Ode

O God my Savior, grant that I, your despair­ing servant, may now become a partaker of your heavenly, awesome and holy Mysteries, and of your divine and mystical Supper. Seeking refuge in your loving kindness, good Savior, I cry to you with fear; abide in me and, as you promised, let me also abide in you. For behold, trusting in your mercy, I eat your body and drink your blood. I tremble as I take this fire lest I be con­sumed as wax and grass. O fearful mystery! O divine love! How is it that I, an earthly creature, partake of the divine body and blood and am made incorruptible?

Ninth Ode

Taste and see that the Lord is good. For our sake he became like us and offered himself once for all to his Father to be forever slain, sanctifying those who partake. Master, let me be sanctified in body and soul. Let me be enlightened and saved, and let me become your dwelling place through the communion of your holy Mysteries by having you, most merciful Benefactor, live in me with the Father and the Spirit. May your body and your precious blood, Sa­vior, be like fire and light to me, consuming the substance of sins, burning the tares of my passions, and wholly enlightening me to wor­ship your divinity.

Theotokion

God took flesh from your pure blood. Therefore, all generations praise you, Lady, while the hosts of incorporal powers glorify you. For they clearly behold him who rules all things to be endowed with human nature through you. It is truly right to bless you, the Theotokos, ever blessed and most pure and mother of our God. More honorable than the Cheru­bim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, you incorruptibly you gave birth to God the Word. We magnify you, the true Theotokos.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (3).

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

All holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our trans­gressions. Holy One, visit and heal our in­firmities, for your name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

God of our fathers, you always treat us with leniency. Do not withdraw your mercy from us, but by the intercessions of our fathers, guide our life in peace. With the blood of your martyrs throughout the world, as if with purple and fine linen having been adorned, your Church through them cries out to you, Christ our God. Send down your mercies upon your people. Grant peace to your commonwealth, and to our souls your great compassion.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

With your saints, O Christ, give rest to the souls of your servants where there is no pain nor sorrow, nor suffering, but life ever­lasting. Through the intercessions, of all your saints and the Theotokos, O Lord, grant us your peace and have mercy upon us, only mer­ciful One.

Lord, have mercy (40).

At all times and in every hour, you are wor­shiped and glorified in heaven and on earth, Christ our God. Long in patience, great in mercy and compassion, you love the righteous and show mercy to sinners. You call all to salvation through the promise of good things to come. Lord, receive our prayers at the present time. Direct our lives according to your commandments. Sanctify our souls. Purify our bodies. Set our minds aright. Cleanse our thoughts and deliver us from all sorrow, evil, and distress. Surround us with your holy angels that, guarded and guided by their host, we may arrive at the unity of faith and the understanding of your ineffable glory. For you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

More honorable than the Cherubim, and in­comparably more glorious than the Seraphim, you incorruptibly gave birth to God the Word. We magnify you, the true Theotokos. In the name of the Lord, Father bless. Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy and save us. Amen.

Prayer To The All Holy Theotokos

byPaul the Monk of the Monastery of Evergetis

Spotless, undefiled, immaculate, unstained, pure Virgin, Lady, and Bride of God, by your wondrous conceiving you united God the Word with human beings and joined the fallen nature of our race to heavenly things. You are the only hope of the hopeless, and the help of those oppressed. You are the ready protection of those who flee to you and the refuge of all Christians. Do not spurn me an accused sinner, though I have made myself completely useless by my shameful thoughts, words, and deeds and through indolence have become a slave to the pleasures of life. But as the Mother of God who loves all people, mercifully have compassion upon me a sinner and a prodigal and receive my prayer though it be offered to you by unclean lips. Entreat your Son and our Lord and Master, using your boldness as a mother, so that he may open to me the loving mercy of his goodness, overlook my numberless transgressions, turn me to repentance, and make me an acceptable doer of his commandments. Always be near me, for you are merciful, compassionate, and loving. Be my ardent help and protection in this present life, defending me from the assaults of adversaries, and lead me to salvation. At the hour of my death, care for my miserable soul and drive the dark visions of evil spirits far from it. On the awesome day of judgment, save me from eternal punishment and make me an inheritor of the ineffable glory of your Son, our God. May this be my lot, my Lady, all holy Theotokos, through your intercession and help, by the grace and love of your only begotten Son, our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ; to whom belong all glory, honor, and worship, with his eternal Father, and his all holy, righteous, and life giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer To Our Lord Jesus Christ

By the Monk Antiochos of Pandektes

Grant us, Master, as we depart for sleep, rest for body and soul. Protect us from the gloom of sinful sleep and from all dark pleasures of the night. Calm the impulses of passion, and quench the fiery darts of evil which are treacherously cast against us. Check the turbulence of our flesh and lull all our earthly and mundane thoughts. Grant us, O God, a watchful mind, prudent reason, a vigilant heart, and tranquil sleep, free from all evil dreams. Raise us up at the hour of prayer, strengthen us in your commandments, and keep unshaken within us the remembrance of your judgments. Grant us to glorify you all night long that we may praise and bless and glorify your all honorable and magnificent name, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Most glorious, ever virgin, blessed Theotokos, present our prayers to your Son and our God, and plead with him, that through you he may save our souls. My hope is the Father; my refuge, the Son; my protection, the Holy Spirit. Holy Trinity, glory to you. My every hope I place in you, Mother of God, keep me under your protection.

Dismissal

May Christ our true God have mercy upon us and save us through the intercessions of his most pure and holy Mother, and of all your Saints, for he is a good and loving God. Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us, and save us. Amen.

On The Next Day(After the usual morning prayers say:)

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (3).

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. All holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our in­firmities for your name’s sake.

Lord, have mercy (3).

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy (12).

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Come, let us worship and bow down to God, our king. Come, let us worship and bow down to Christ, our king and God. Come, let us worship and bow down to Christ himself, our king and God.

Psalm 22 (23)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23 (24)

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it. For he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters. Who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbor. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek the Lord, of those who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates, you princes, and be lifted up, you everlasting gates. And the King of glory shall enter. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in war. Lift up your gates, you princes, and be lifted up, you everlasting gates, and the King of glory shall enter. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.

Psalm 115

I believed and therefore I spoke. But I was humbled exceedingly. I said in my ecstasy, every man is a liar. What shall I render to the Lord for all that he has rendered to me? I will take the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Lord, I am your servant, and the son of your handmaiden. You have broken my bonds. I will offer a sacrifice of praise to you, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of you, Jerusalem. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. (Then the following hymns).

Tone 6

Turn away from my transgressions Lord, born of the Virgin, and purify my heart, making it a temple for your most pure and precious body and blood. Do not cast me away from your presence, for your great mercy is boundless.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

How shall I, the unworthy, be not ashamed of your holy things? If I dare to approach you with the worthy, my garment will con­demn me, for it is not a supper garment, and I shall bring reproach upon my most sinful soul. Therefore, cleanse me Lord of the defilement of my soul and save me, for you are a loving God. Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Because of the multitude of my trans­gressions, I come to you, pure Theotokos, asking for salvation. Visit my ailing soul, only blessed one, and beseech your Son, our God, to grant me remission of the evil I have done.

As you are about to eat the body of the Master, approach with fear lest you be burned, for it is fire. And before you drink in communion the blood, be first reconciled with all those you have offended; then you may take courage to eat the mystic Food. Before you take part in the awesome sacrifice of the life‑giving body of the Master, take care and pray with fear of God.

First Prayer: Saint Basil

Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God, the source of life and of immortality, creator of everything visible and invisible, coeternal and co‑everlasting Son of the Father without beginning; because of abundant goodness, you put on flesh and were crucified and buried for us unthankful and ungrateful people in these latter days, and have by your own blood renewed our nature corrupted by sin. Accept, immortal king, my repentance, that of a sinner, and turn towards me, and hear my words. I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned before heaven and before you, and I am not worthy to look upon the height of your glory, for I have provoked your goodness. I have transgressed your commandments. I have disobeyed your ordinances. But you, Lord, being long‑suffering, and of great mercy, do not remember evil, and have not given me over to destruction because of my lawlessness, but have ever awaited my con­version. You who love all people, said by your prophet, I do not desire the death of a sinner but that he should turn and live. For, Master, you do not wish that the work of your hands should perish, nor do you take pleasure in the destruction of human beings, but desire that everyone should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. There­fore, even I, although I am unworthy both of heaven and earth and of this temporary life, having wholly yielded myself to sin, and become the slave of pleasure and have de­filed your image, yet being your creature and of your shaping, I do not despair for my salvation in my wretchedness. But I am em­boldened by your infinite compassion and I draw near. Therefore, O Christ, you who love all people, receive even me as the harlot, as the thief, as the publican, as the prodigal. Take away the heavy burden of my sins, you who take away the sin of the world, who heal the infirmities of all people, who call to yourself the weary and burdened and give them rest, who came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. Do cleanse me from defilement of the flesh and spirit, and teach me to fulfill holiness in your fear, that in the pure testimony of my conscience, receiving my portion of your holy gifts, I may be united to your holy body and precious blood, and have you dwell and remain within me with the Father and your Holy Spirit. Yes, Lord Jesus Christ my God, grant that the communion of your holy and life giving mysteries may not be to my condemnation. Do not let me be afflicted in soul and body by partaking of them unworthily. But grant that to the last breath of my life I shall partake of my share uncondemned of your holy gifts, looking to the fellowship of the Holy Spirit for eternal life, and to a favorable answer at your awesome judgment seat, that even I may also become a partaker with your elect of your incorruptible blessings which you have prepared for those who love you and in whom, Lord, you are glorified to the ages of ages. Amen.

Second Prayer: Saint Basil

I know, Lord, that I partake unworthily of your pure body and precious blood, and that I am guilty, my Christ and my God, as I eat and drink condemnation to myself not discerning your body and blood. Yet, emboldened by your loving kindnesses, I come to you, who said, “he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him.” Take pity, therefore, Lord, and do not rebuke me, a sinner, but deal with me mercifully. Let these holy gifts give me healing and cleansing, enlightenment and protection, salvation and sanctification of soul and body. May they avert every fantasy, evil practice, and operation of the devil enacted in my members by design. May they give me confidence in and love for you; amendment of life and perseverance, increase of virtue and perfection, fulfillment of your commandments, fellowship of the Holy Spirit, provisions for the journey of eternal life, and an acceptable answer at the awesome judgment seat. But let them not be for judgment or condemnation. Amen.

Third Prayer: John Chrysostom

Lord my God, I know that I am not worthy, nor sufficient, that you should come under the roof of the house of my soul, for it is entirely desolate and in ruins, and you do not have a worthy place in me to lay your head. But as you humbled yourself from on high for our sake, do likewise also for my unworthiness. And as you willed in the cave to lie in a manger of dumb animals, take it upon yourself now to enter the manger of my dumb soul and into my soiled body. And as you did not refuse to enter and eat with sinners in the house of Simon the leper, so also deign to enter into the house of my soul, leper and sinner that I am. And as you did not cast out the harlot, a sinner like me, who came and touched you, so have compassion on me the sinner who now comes to touch you. And as you did not abhor the kiss of her sinful and unclean mouth, do not abhor my mouth, more stained and unclean than hers, nor my sordid and unclean and shame­less lips, nor my more unclean tongue. But let the fiery coal of your most pure body and of your most precious blood bring sanctifica­tion, illumination, and strengthening of my lowly soul and body, relief of the burden of my many transgressions, protection against every operation of the devil, an averting and hindering of my mean and evil habits, mor­tification of my passions, fulfillment of your commandments, an increase of your divine grace, and inheritance of your kingdom. For it is not with a light heart, Christ my God, that I venture to approach you. But I trust in your ineffable goodness. May I not become prey to Satan by abstaining for long from your communion. Therefore, Lord, I pray to you who alone are holy that you sanctify my soul and body, my heart, and my mind, and renewing me wholly, implant in my members fear of you. Do not let your sanctification be taken from me, but be my help and protector, governing my life in peace. Make me worthy to obtain a place at your right hand with your saints, through the prayers and supplications of your most pure Mother, of your bodiless ministers and pure angelic powers, and of all your saints who from the ages have found favor in you. Amen.

Fourth Prayer: John Chrysostom

I am not worthy, Sovereign Lord, for you to come under the roof of my soul. Yet because of your love for all people, you wish to dwell in me. I boldly come. Command that the gates open which you alone made and you will come in with love toward all people, as is your nature. You will come in and enlighten my darkened reasoning. I believe that you will do this, for you did not send away the harlot who came to you with tears, nor cast out the repenting publican, nor reject the thief who acknowledged your kingdom, nor forsake the repentant persecutor for what he was. But you counted as your friends all of those who came to you in repentance. You alone are blessed, always, now and to the endless ages. Amen.

Fifth Prayer: John Chrysostom

Lord Jesus Christ my God, absolve, remit, forgive, and pardon me, your sinful, unprofitable, and unworthy servant the errors, transgressions, and trespasses which I have committed from my youth to the present day and hour, whether in knowledge or in ignorance, in words, or deeds, or thoughts, or reasonings and pursuits, and in all my senses. And through the intercession of the all pure and ever virgin Mary, your Mother, who conceived you without sin, my only hope, protection, and salvation, count me worthy, uncondemned, to partake of your pure and immortal and life giving, awesome Mysteries, for the remission of sins, for eternal life, for sanctification and enlightenment, for strength, and healing and health of both soul and body, for the erasing and complete removal of my evil thoughts and recollections, superstitions and nocturnal phantasies brought by dark and evil spirits. For yours is the kingdom, the power, the honor, and worship, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Sixth Prayer: John Of Damascus

Master Lord Jesus Christ our God, you alone have the authority to forgive human beings their sins, for you are good and love everyone. Forgive all my transgressions com­mitted in knowledge or in ignorance. Make me worthy uncondemned to receive your divine and glorious, pure and life giving Mysteries; incurring thereby neither punish­ment, nor the increase of my sins, but receiv­ing cleansing, sanctification, and a pledge of the life to come and of the kingdom. Let them be for me a rampart, a help, and an overturning of my adversaries, and a wip­ing out of my many transgressions. For you are a God of mercy, compassion, and love of all human beings, and to you we give glory, with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Seventh Prayer: Symeon The New Theologian

From foul lips and impure heart, from unclean tongue and a defiled soul, receive my prayer, O my Christ. Take not into account my words, my ways, or my shamelessness. Grant me boldness, my Christ, to say all that I wish. But rather teach me all that I should do and say. I have sinned more than the harlot who, learning where you lived, boldly came forward to anoint your feet, O my Christ, my Master, and my God. And as you did not reject her to come with eagerness of heart, reject not me, O Word, but extend to me your feet that I may hold and kiss and with streams of tears, as with a precious myrrh, I may boldly anoint them. Wash me in my tears and purify me in them, O Word. Forgive my errors, and grant me pardon. You know the multitude of my sins, you also know my wounds and see my bruises. Yet you know my faith, you see my eagerness and hear my sighs. From you, my God, my Creator, and my Redeemer is hid not one tear, nor even a part of one. Your eyes know my imperfections; in your book already written down are all the acts yet not done. Behold my lowliness, behold how great is my weariness and all my sins. God of all, remit everything so that with a clean heart, a conscience filled with holy fear, and a contrite soul, I may partake of your most pure, and wholly spotless mysteries, that give life and divinity to all who eat and drink of you with a pure heart. For you have said, Master, that whoever eats my flesh and also drinks my blood, does indeed abide in me, and I in him. True indeed is the word of my Master and my God. For he who shares in these divine and deifying graces is in no way alone, but is with you, my Christ, the triple‑radiant light that enlightens the world. But so that I may never be alone without you, O Giver of life, my breath, my life, my joy, and the world’s salvation, I have, as you see, with tears and a contrite soul drawn near to you to ransom my errors, beseeching you to rescue me and uncondemned to share in your life giving Mysteries. So as you have said you might dwell with me, the most wretched one, that I not be found by the deceiver, without your grace, and be seized by deception and seducing me lead me away from your life giving words. Therefore, I fall before you and fervently cry out to you: as you received the prodigal and the harlot when she came to you, so receive me, the harlot and prodigal, compassionate One, as I come to you now, with a contrite heart. I know Savior that no one has offended you as I have, nor committed the deeds that I have done. But this again I know, that neither the greatness of my sins nor the multitude of my transgressions exceed my God’s great forbearance and his great love for all. But with the oil of forgiveness you cleanse and illumine those who fervently repent and make sharers of your light and partakers of your divinity. And although this is strange to the minds of angels and of men, you speak with them often as your true friends. These thoughts make me bold, these thoughts give me wings, my Christ, and seeing your rich kindness towards us, I rejoice and tremble too. I partake of fire, being grass, and behold, a strange wonder, I am unexpectedly refreshed as was the burning bush, burning but not consumed. Therefore, thankful in mind, thankful in heart, thankful in every member of my body and soul, I worship and magnify and glorify you, my God, as being blessed both now and to the ages.

Eighth Prayer: Symeon Metaphrastes

Jesus Christ, wisdom of God, peace and power, only pure and spotless Lord, moved by the ineffable pity in your love toward all people, you took upon yourself our whole frame from the chaste and virgin blood of her who wondrously conceived you at the coming of the Holy Spirit and by the favor of the eternal Father. In this assumed nature you underwent the life giving and saving passion: the cross, the nails, the spear‑death itself. Mortify in me the passions of the body that destroy the soul. You who destroyed the power of Hades by your burial, bury and destroy the devices of the evil spirits through pure thoughts. You who raised the fallen forefather by your resurrection, raise me up from the sin that I have fallen into and show me the way of repentance. By your glorious ascension you deified the assumed body and honored it at the right hand of the Father. Make me worthy, by partaking of your holy Mysteries, of a place at your right hand with the saved. You made your holy disciples precious vessels by the coming of the Com­forter, the Spirit. Declare me also a vessel of your coming. You promised to come again to judge the world in righteousness. Grant that I shall go to meet you, my Creator and Maker, in the clouds, with all the saints, and that I may glorify you forever and praise you, with your eternal Father, and your all holy, gracious and life giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Ninth Prayer: John Of Damascus

I stand before the doors of your temple, but I have not refrained from wicked thoughts. But you, O Christ, my God, justified the publican, and showed mercy to the Canaanite woman, and opened the gates of paradise to the thief. Open for me the depth of your love, and receive me as I draw near and touch you, as did the harlot and the woman with the issue of blood. The latter only touched the hem of your garment, and she immediately received healing, while the former, clinging to your pure feet, obtained forgiveness of her sins. But may I, the miserable one, be not consumed, by daring to receive your whole body. Receive me as you did them, and enlighten the perception of my soul, through the intercession of her who gave birth to you without sin, and of the heavenly powers. For you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen. 

Tenth Prayer: John Chrysostom

I believe and confess, Lord, that you are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first. I also believe that this is truly your pure body, and that this is truly your precious blood. Therefore, I pray to you, have mercy upon me, and forgive my transgressions, those voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, known and unknown. And make me worthy without condemnation to partake of your pure Mysteries for the forgiveness of sins and life eternal. Amen.

When coming forward to receive communion, say these verses of Symeon Metaphrastes:

Behold, my Maker, I approach holy Com­munion. Burn me not as I partake, for you are fire which burns the unworthy. But cleanse me from every stain. Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of your mystical Supper. I will not reveal your Mystery to your adversaries. Nor will I give you a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to you: Lord, remember me in your kingdom.

And the following verses:

Seeing the divine blood, have fear, O man, for it is coal that burns the unworthy. It is God’s body that deifies and nourishes me; it deifies the spirit and nourishes the mind mystically.

And the following hymns:

You have smitten me with yearning, O Christ, and with your divine love you have changed me. Burn away my sins with spiritual fire and make me worthy to be filled with your joy, that rejoicing in your goodness, I may magnify your two Comings.

How shall I, who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of your saints? If I dare to enter into the bridal chamber, my clothing will ac­cuse me, since it is not a wedding garment; and being bound up, I shall be cast out by the angels. In your love, Lord, cleanse the vileness of my soul and save me.

Loving Master, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, do not let these Holy Things be to my con­demnation because of my unworthiness, but rather for purification and sanctification of my soul and body, and as a pledge of the life and kingdom to come. For it is good for me to cleave to God, and to place the hope of my salvation in the Lord.

Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of your mystical Supper. I will not reveal your mystery to your adversaries. Nor will I give you a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to you: Lord, remember me in your kingdom.

THANKSGIVING AFTER HOLY COMMUNION

When you have had your due and rightful part in these life giving and mysterious gifts, give immediate praise and great thanks to God, and say the following with fervent soul:

Glory to you, O God (3). (Then the following thanksgiving prayers:)

Anonymous

I thank you, Lord, my God, that you have not rejected me, a sinner, but have made me worthy to partake of your holy Mysteries. I thank you that you have permitted me, although I am unworthy, to receive your pure and heavenly gifts. O loving Master, who died and rose for our sake, and granted to us these awesome and life‑giving Mysteries for the well‑being and sanctification of our souls and bodies, let these gifts be for healing of my own soul and body, the averting of every evil, the illumination of the eyes of my heart, the peace of my spiritual powers, a faith unashamed, a love unfeigned, the fulfilling of wisdom, the observing of your commandments, the receiving of your divine grace, and the inheritance of your kingdom. Preserved by them in your holiness, may I always be mindful of your grace and no longer live for myself, but for you, our Master and Benefactor. May I pass from this life in the hope of eternal life, and attain to the everlasting rest, where the voices of your saints who feast are unceasing, and their joy, beholding the ineffable beauty of your countenance, is unending. For you, Christ our God, are the true joy and the inexpressible gladness of those who love you, and all creation praises you forever. Amen.

Prayer Of Saint Basil

I thank you, Christ and Master our God, King of the ages and Creator of all things, for all the good gifts you have given me, and especially for the participation in your pure and life-giving mysteries. I, therefore, pray to you, good and loving Lord: keep me under your protection and under the shadow of your wings. Grant that to my last breath I may with a pure conscience partake worthily of your gifts for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life. For you are the bread of life, the source of holiness, the giver of all good things, and to you we give glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer Of Symeon Metaphrastes

You who have voluntarily given me your flesh as food, who are a burning fire to the unworthy, do not consume me. No, my Creator. Rather, penetrate into my members, all my joints, my organs, my heart and burn like thorns all my iniquities. Cleanse my soul, hallow my thoughts, make firm my knees and my bones as well. Illumine my five senses and make my entire being vigilant with the fear of you. Watch over me always, shield and protect me from every deed and word that corrupts the soul. Cleanse me, purify and put me in order. Adorn me, give me understanding, and illumine me. Mark me as your dwelling place, of the Spirit only and no longer a place of sin, so that when you enter as if into your own home of communion, every evil doer and every passion will flee from me as from fire. As advocates, I bring to you all the saints, the captains of the incorporeal hosts, your Forerunner, your wise Apostles, and more than these, your spotless, pure Mother, whose prayers accept, my compassionate Christ. Make your ser­vant a child of light. For in your goodness, you alone sanctify and enlighten our souls, and to you, our God and Master, do we give, as it is right, glory every day.

Anonymous

Let your sacred body, Lord Jesus Christ our God, lead me to eternal life, and your precious blood to remission of sins. Let this Eucharist be to me joy, health, and gladness. And at your fearful Coming deem me a sinner worthy to stand at the right hand of your glory, by the intercession of your most pure Mother, and of all your saints. Amen.

All holy Lady, Theotokos, light of my darkened soul, my hope, shelter, refuge, comfort, and joy, I thank you, for you have deemed me, the unworthy one, worthy to partake of the most pure body and of the precious blood of your Son. But you who gave birth to the true Light, enlighten the spiritual eyes of my heart. You conceived the source of immortality. Now give life to me who am dead in sin. You, the compassionate Mother of the merciful God, have mercy on me and give me penitence and contrition of heart and meekness in my thoughts and an awakening of my thoughts from captivity. And grant me, until my last breath, to re­ceive without condemnation the sanctifica­tion of your sacred Mysteries for the heal­ing of soul and body. Grant me tears of repentance and confession that I may praise ad glorify you all the days of my life. For you are blessed and glorified to the ages. Amen.

Lord, now let your servant depart in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have pre­pared before the face of all people, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory Be To God

What are you waiting for?

Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:27-33, 42-51 (RSV)

The Lord said to his disciples, "As the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.

"Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth."

How any Christian could read this passage and STILL worry more about a football game than attending Divine Liturgy is beyond my comprehension. The Lord has given us fair warning that we won’t know in advance that the Lord is about to reveal Himself. It will be too late to repent. It will be too late to confess. It will be too late to feed the poor or say your prayers. It will be too late to take a shower and get to Church. As a flash of lightening Christ will come. It will happen that fast and all we can do at that moment is accept that our hearts will be judged for what they truly are. If we spend every moment of every day filling our hearts with selfish desire, it will be that selfish heart the Lord finds when He comes.

BUT....the Lord hasn’t come yet so we still have some time. It isn’t too late yet to go for Holy Confession. It isn’t too late yet to feed the poor and say your prayers. It isn’t too late yet to attend Divine Liturgy every opportunity the Church gives. It isn’t too late yet. What are you waiting for?

A New Day for Be Transfigured Ministries

Since I began my blog in 2008 I would never have imagined I would be blessed to reach an audience in more than one hundred countries and host a weekly live Bible Study on the internet, let alone have my blog posts read by thousands of readers each month. The ministry has come a long way and I am very thankful to God and all who have supported our efforts in the past eight years. As I looked ahead to the future it occurred to me Be Transfigured was growing into something special and I wanted to take steps to ensure there was a solid and blessed future for Be Transfigured Ministries.

In order to protect my home parish from internet attacks (yes, I have made some online enemies with my sermons) and to allow for greater involvement from local and regional business, I have decided to incorporate Be Transfigured Ministries as a separate nonprofit corporation in South Carolina. I understand some individuals and organizations are just not comfortable working or donating to a Church ministry. This new structure will allow them to support the work of Be Transfigured Ministries. We will still feature sermons, Bible Studies, lectures and other special events in the life of my home parish. We will just have a separate structure to protect the Church. We also plan to file the appropriate forms for official 501c3 tax exempt status with the IRS.We will be sharing more information about our new structure in the weeks and months to come.

The transition does come at a price however. We will need to increase available funds for legal fees and operating costs in the coming months. Our fund raising goal for this phase is $1,000 by October 1st. I pray you will be able to assist us in this new direction. You can choose to become a regular sponsor or make a one-time donation.

Here's to a new day!

State Law vs Religious Law

Our final “Ask Father” sermon for the season answers the question, “What is our Church view on the state law and our religious law?” During election season the balance between Church and State is often brought into the highlight. It can be a bit confusing navigating between the issues to determine if we as Orthodox Christians are obligated to follow the State or follow the Church. A brief study of the words of Saint Paul (Romans 13.1-7) helps us see the governing authorities have an obligation as well, to defend goodness. There might reason to ignore certain laws, but that does not eliminate the consequences. The end has a bonus question, so watch until the end!

 

Is there ANYTHING to be Thankful for?

Life can be tough. In fact, it WILL be tough as God said to our ancestors in the Garden:

To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you." Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3.16-19)

With a guarantee from God Himself of struggle and pain, it can be difficult to find something for which we are thankful. Day after day we go to work (not surprisingly called ‘the grindstone’) and we are faced with unrealistic challenges from management, self-serving competitiveness in our coworkers, and we all know at least one of the ‘can’t follow the rules’ type of customers who take their bad day out on us. Everywhere we turn, life continues to throw us a curve ball, so we ask ourselves, “Is there ANYTHING to be thankful for in this life?”

Tomorrow is Sunday, and the Church celebrates the Divine Liturgy, during which time we are invited to receive the Holy Eucharist (Holy Thanksgiving) and live in communion with God. Divine Liturgy is the ultimate expression of thanks we offer to God as Orthodox Christians. But when we can’t find something for which we are thankful, Divine Liturgy can become a thankless experience. And nobody enjoys a thankless experience. No wonder so many people are bored during the Divine Services of our Church. To help you be thankful tomorrow I have offered this VERY limited list of things for which you might be thankful. During the Divine Liturgy we give thanks for blessings seen and unseen, so I will list a few ideas (just to start you off) in both categories.

Seen Blessings

• New Job you’ve been waiting for
• Good health report
• Healed from a sickness or disease
• A family member or friend was ‘saved’ from a tragedy
• A long-term argument/feud with a family member or friend was healed
• The birth of a new child in your family
• The engagement or marriage of a family member or friend
• You got engaged or married
• You discovered you’re pregnant and you and your husband are happy

 
Unseen blessings (these can be difficult to find)

• You survived another week in a dead end job – at least you still have a job
• You don't have a job - at least there is still food in your pantry 
• You have a job interview next week 
• You received a poor health report, but the prognosis is good
• You survived another week of chemotherapy
• You were delayed leaving the house on errands – when you passed that dangerous intersection you realize you would have been ‘that car’ if you left on time
• Your home burned down – your entire family is safe and staying with friends
• You discovered you’re pregnant and you’re not married – your decide the give birth and your boyfriend is willing and able to help with raising the child 

In a world so preoccupied with physical and emotional comfort it can be really difficult to be thankful for struggle, but struggle reminds us that we are sinful and in need of repentance. What I pray you understand more than anything else with today’s post is that we should be thankful for the chance to repent before it is too late. No matter what the struggle, at least we are still alive and can repent from our sins, even though our sins may not have caused the exact suffering we endure. Every day God allows us to live is a day He allows us to repent, and THAT day is worth giving thanks for during the Divine Liturgy.

Maybe this list can give you an idea about how you can be thankful to God. So find the closest Orthodox Church and make plans from now to be in Church Sunday morning. You can give thanks to God in person for the blessings seen AND unseen in your life.

Separation of Church and State

It’s election season! You can’t turn on the radio or the internet without being bombarded by political commercials or arguments. There is no secret that many of the issues that plague our society are based on morality, and that morality often pits Church against State in the courtroom and congress hall. This week’s “Ask Father” sermon addresses the questions, “What is our Church view on the state law and our religious law?” This question is especially poignant considering the recent legal battles about sexuality and the public square.

Some believe that as Christians we are obligated to obey the State, no matter what law is passed. This is based upon the misunderstanding of the Scriptures. Saint Paul commanded, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” (Romans 13.1-2) But you can’t stop with this verse. Here is the entire passage:

“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” (Romans 13.1-7)

Read from a distance, the entire passage speaks about fighting evil, not blind obedience to authorities. The key to understanding our role as Orthodox Christians as members of society is two-fold. First we must live in a respectful manner, always committed to treating others with the Love of Christ. This is what it means when Saint Paul says, “Do what is good.” It is NEVER evil to love your neighbor. It is ALWAYS good to treat each other with respect even if we have differing opinions. Secondly, not that it less important, but equally important, as citizens of the United States we are obliged to participate in the civic process of determining laws and public morals that help to create a stable and good society.

There will be times when the State Law and the Church (or religious) Law are in conflict, such as with the recent debates on sexuality. When such issues arise, it is our duty as followers of Jesus Christ and members of His Holy Orthodox Church to be the voice of Christ in a Changing World. This in fact was the theme of our most recent Archdiocese Clergy-Laity Congress. But being the voice of Christ does not mean forcing others into compliance. Each human being has been given the freedom to choose a life devoted to God or against Him. How can we be the voice of Christ?

We speak the truth in love, and allow each person to freely choose to obey Him or deny Him. But this NEVER means that we as Orthodox Christians have the obligation to follow a State Law that violates the Law of God. But neither does it mean we are free from the political consequences and social pressure to endorse the evil that some may convince the State is instead good. We must never forget that we too have the freedom given to us by God to follow Him or deny Him, and no State can take away THAT freedom.

Why Does the Church Have Community Gatherings?

What are community gatherings? I’m talking about luncheons, dinners, dances, and other holiday celebrations like New Year’s Eve and Mothers’ Day.

I hear from fans all the time about the “good old days” when communities gathered for Nameday celebrations AS A COMMUNITY when “The Georges” would all get together and sponsor a celebration. Communities gathered for picnics and enjoyed each other’s company at parks. Those days are long gone, but the communities are still there? What happened to the community gatherings? They lost their purpose. Community celebrations became fundraisers and obligations rather than fellowship. Even Sunday coffee hours can become a burden to convince families to host something simple so members could connect as friends “over a cup of coffee and a cookie” before returning to another work week.

But human beings need fellowship in order to be human. When God created man, He said, “It is not good that man should be alone,” (Genesis 2.18) and He created woman. He created humanity in the image of God, in community. Even the Greek work άνθρωπος (anthropos) is a reference to man and woman “face to face” or άνο-τρόπος. The truth is WE NEED FELLOWSHIP to be human. Humans must live IN COMMUNITY.

But Churches are not just any community. They are Orthodox Christian Communities dedicated to living together AS Orthodox Christians. Community life is important, not because it is fellowship, but because it is Orthodox Christian fellowship. It reinforces the Orthodox Christian lifestyle that we each struggle to live. It is easier to be Orthodox in a community than to be Orthodox alone. Even hermits belong to a community and regularly join each other for fellowship during critical times of life. When the Orthodox Community gathers, it fasts together, it prays together, it laughs together, it cries together, it celebrates together. It does all these, and more, AS ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS, helping each other to become more and more like God in our lives.

I said recently, “We don’t need the Church to have a party. We have Church parties so we can be Orthodox and still celebrate without forgetting who we are as Orthodox Christians.” It is too easy to forget who we are outside the Church. It is just easier to fall into temptation outside the Church. Saint John Chrysostom even encouraged fellowship AT CHURCH because it would help believers fight the temptations of the world.  He said, “The meetings there are far more pleasant than those which take place in marts and fairs. The people themselves also will be more respectable.” (Homily 18 On Acts)

So the next time you read about a Church gathering in the Sunday bulletin, I want you to think about how the gathering will help you be Orthodox. Whether it is senior citizen brunch, GOYA bowling, or Philoptochos Dinner, always remember it is about being Orthodox Christians TOGETHER! Then....make plans to join the community in fellowship AND faith.

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Two Voices

This week’s “Ask Father” is a follow-up to last week’s “What is God’s Plan?” Following last week’s answer I was approached by several people challenging my position on God’s plan. Since I always want to maintain a dialogue about the teachings of the Church, this week I will pause our “Ask Father” series and address some of follow-up issues that several have mentioned.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10.10) This quote from our Lord is often used to claim that God wants us to live comfortably and without struggle. Jesus was not speaking about life as the world knows it. He was comparing Himself to the enemy. Here is the full quote:

“Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (John 10.7-11)

There are two voices in the world – the voice of God and the voice of the enemy. The abundant life that God promises is eternal communion with Him in Heaven. There can never be anything more abundant than God’s loving embrace for all eternity. Christ left a voice, HIS voice – The Church, when He returned to His Throne. Any other voice seeks to steal and kill and destroy. But we don’t have to be afraid.

A world without fear is not the same as a world without struggle and suffering. Consider the story of Peter walking on water. The disciples were in the middle of the sea “tossed by the waves” when they saw what they thought was a ghost. They were terrified when Jesus said, “"Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." (Matthew 14.27)He did not say, “Ok, I’ll make the waves go away.” He did not say, “Just believe in me and everything will be smooth sailing.” Peter said, “"Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." (Matthew 14.28)

This story is really important to understanding the difference between what the world calls an abundant life and what God calls an abundant life. During the entire time Peter was on the water, the waves were beating against him, but as Peter set his eyes on Christ, he walked out on the stormy waves. It wasn’t until Peter took his eyes of Christ that he began to sink. So long as Peter focused all his attention on Christ, he never noticed how the waves were beating against him. He struggle was bearable because his eyes were on Christ.

God’s plan isn’t that the waves don’t come, but that we can live focused on God and not take notice of the waves. Any voice that says “LOOK OVER HERE! I can teach you how to avoid the waves,” is a voice that is calling your attention away from God and toward the waves. Just as Peter sank when he noticed the waves, you will sink if you focus on the waves rather than God.

What is God’s Plan?

Living in the Bible Belt, it has become a daily experience it seems to hear the phrase, God has a plan for you. When good-intentioned people say this, they usually are trying to comfort a friend or family member who is in some sort of transition. A lost job, a serious illness, or even some tragedy, nothing seems to be beyond a friend using the phrase, “It is going to be ok. God has a plan for you.” Let me just say, I REALLY DON’T LIKE this saying, and it is definitely NOT Orthodox.

In this week’s “Ask Father” series we will answer the question, “What is God’s plan?” Every day we are faced with choices, some life-changing, when we deeply depend upon understanding that God does indeed have a plan for us. The problem is contemporary American Christianity tends to view God as handing out material blessings in exchange for our loyalty. This also is NOT Orthodox. We can never forget that God said, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8.34) Clearly He couldn’t have meant that His plan was to shower us with material blessings.

The proper understanding of God’s plan is crucial to our relationship with Him. If we constantly look to God as the bestower of material blessings, we will doubt Him when those blessings do not come at our requested time. The truth is God’s plan has NOTHING to do with material blessings and EVERYTHING to do with eternal comfort embraced by His unending love. How we choose to accept His plan will not only impact how we live now on Earth; it will affect how we experience His love in Heaven.

Let’s Face it.....Liturgy is EVERYTHING

This December will mark twenty-three years in parish ministry, both lay ministry and ordained ministry, and I continue to find the same root disease in the Church. People just don’t like Liturgy. It’s boring. It’s too long. It’s old fashioned. It’s in a foreign language. I’ve heard them all! What I also hear over and over again is complaints the Church isn’t doing enough to retain members. There aren’t enough activities. There aren’t enough volunteers. There are enough resources to pay the bills. I’ve heard those too!

Alone, these complaints are nothing more than excuses, but combined they reveal the real disease. When you begin to remove the layers of these excuses, you arrive at the true irritant. Most people want to be entertained in life. Everything must be fun. Even education has become “fun” with computer games replacing multiplication tables. Teachers, thinking they are helping children learn, cry out, “Learning must be fun, or they will tune out!” Everything is a game. One popular children’s program created the “Clean up” song.... “Clean up, clean up, everybody clean up. Clean up, clean up, everybody does their share.”

The problem with the ‘everything has to be fun’ model of child rearing is that the fun eventually runs out. Eventually you just have to be willing to clean your room. Eventually you just have to learn your math tables. The same applies for the Church. Eventually you have to want to be in the Church for Liturgy. You can’t pass out basketball trophies to forty year-olds in an attempt to lure them back to Church. The best performing students are the students who love to learn. So....the best performing Christians are those who love Liturgy. Let me explain.

As Orthodox Christians our entire “Purpose Driven Life” (to borrow a phrase from a popular Protestant pastor) is to become one with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, what we call Theosis, or Sanctification/Divination. The Sacraments, the Holy Scriptures, the writings of the Holy Fathers and Mothers of the Church, prayers, fasting, almsgiving; are all meant to shape our soul to become more like God. At the core of the entire process is Holy Communion which takes place during the Divine Liturgy.

Consider the typical Church dinner-dance, the Church family getting together for fellowship. It is supposed to be a joyous celebration, but one group complains that the party has to end too early “just because” there is Liturgy the next day. Another group complains the cocktail hour had to begin too late because “it had to wait for Vespers” to finish. A third group arrives late after eating dinner at a fancy restaurant, and leaves early to “go out to the night club” for the rest of the evening. A fourth group, enters the Church for Vespers, lights a candle and venerates the Holy Icons, and then after Vespers makes their way to the Church hall for the dinner and a bit of dancing. Which group do you think considers the Church dinner-dance a success? For three-fourths of the Church the event was nothing more than an excuse to complain.

Now fast-forward twenty years. Which group do you think is still involved in the Church? Correct! The group that attending Vespers was the only group that was not continually searching for “more fun” and eventually found it outside the Church. You see...the Church CAN NEVER compete with the world in the business of fun. For the Church, Liturgy is our business. It is the only thing we do “better” than the world, and it is the only ‘activity’ that will keep someone connect to the Church. Let’s face it...Liturgy is EVERYTHING!

Questions and Answers: Too Many Translations

With over one hundred translations of the Bible into
English, it can be daunting task for even the most serious Christian to choose.
A wealth of vocabulary of the original can create a variety of translation
options which is understandable. However the American trend to alter
translations to suite a personal or Church agenda is dangerous and we do well
to avoid such editions. Since the Holy Scriptures are central to understanding
our relationship with God, it serves our soul well to use caution and faith in
choosing just the right translation.

What’s in a Translation?

As a continued effort to answer fresh and important questions about the Church, this week’s question is central of understanding our relationship with our Lord. We all know, or at least we should know, the New Testament was originally written (with the exception possibly of the Gospel of Matthew) in Greek. We also know most of the world does not speak Greek, so the Church has been translating the Holy Scriptures into local languages since the earliest days of the Church. Form the moment of Holy Pentecost, the Church has always presented the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the language of the people. As Saint Paul said, “For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10.13-14)

So you don’t speak Greek and you want to study the Holy Scriptures? All you have to go to a bookstore or online and buy a Bible right? But which Bible should you buy? There are so many to choose from, you don’t know where to start! You aren’t imaging things. In fact there are over 100 DIFFERENT English translations of the Bible in use today. Why so many? How do you pick? Does it even matter? That is the essence of this week’s “Ask Father” question.

The Church has a great deal to offer in this discussion, since the Holy Scriptures are have been established, written, authorized and interpreted by the Church. It is virtually impossible to create a perfect translation from one language to another. Cultural understandings and vocabulary are drastically different from one time to another and from one place to another. That has always been the case, even when the Old Testament was first translated from Hebrew to Greek more than two hundred years before the Birth of Christ. Is there a right or wrong translation? That, all depends on the motives of the translators. Motives are EVERYTHING when trying to sort out a translation of Holy Scripture.

He never said it would be easy...just blessed

He never said it would be easy...just blessed

Today's Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:16-22 - The Lord said to his disciples, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."

It never ceases to amaze me just how many Christians think life is supposed to be easy "just because" they carry a membership card to a Church. Blessings from God bear eternal payoffs, not earthly. Something worth remembering in today's secular environment.

Can we pray for non Christians?

This week’s “Ask Father” sermon asks the question, “Can we pray
for people who are not of the Christian faith, for example for the healing from
a sickness?” Although the simple answer is, “yes,” there is a great deal more
on the subject of prayer that can and should be said. Prayer in central of our
Orthodox Christian life, so this week’s episode of Be Transfigured will discuss
the “Who, What, Where, When & Why of Prayer.”