Are you an apostle of Christ?

The Church often speaks about “making disciples” as in integral part of our mission. Christ Himself said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen,” (Matthew 28.19-20) but what about apostles? Who is an apostle? More importantly, are YOU an apostle?

The word “apostle” means “one who is sent” and similar to the term “saint” it can be considered either with a capital “A” or “a”. (Saints are those who the Church lifts up in an official capacity as some worthy of modeling our life around, while saints are each of us Christians working to live holy lives.) The Apostles were those sent directly from God to go out and lead the Church. We normally think of the Twelve, but there were also The Seventy (Luke 10.1-17) who were also sent out by God. Today the Church commemorates one of Twelve known as Simon the Zealot.

Have you ever considered you were also an apostle with a “small” a? You were sent out too, as part of every Divine Liturgy. “Let us go forth in peace...” are the words which open the dismissal prayers of the Divine Liturgy. Just as Christ said, “Go therefore...” the Church says, “Go!” Being a Christian is more than just being a disciple. Being a Christian includes being an apostle.

Learn Your Limitations

When I was young I never really understood what it meant to be accused of being too big for my britches. After (admittedly) too many times of needing to be helped down from somewhere I had no business climbing, eventually I learned to understand my limitations. The lesson we all (hopefully) learn in our secular life has great potential when we consider our spiritual journey these final days of Holy and Great Week.

In the Gospel reading from the Vesperal Liturgy this morning which commemorates the Mystical Supper in the Upper Room, we get a close-up view of the Apostles getting too big for their britches. Here is the excerpt I talking about.....(the entire reading is including at the end of today’s post.) “And as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord? ... . Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written, `I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." Peter declared to him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.”

We know how the story unfolds. Not only did EVERY disciples except for Saint John the Theologian run away when Christ was one the Cross, Peter denied even knowing Christ three times. Saint John Chrysostom helps us be graceful especially to Saint Peter because he had not yet experienced the resurrected Christ nor had he received the Holy Spirit.

But we have received the Holy Spirit, and we witness the Resurrection ANUALLY. How often do we get too big for our “spiritual” britches? How often are we not strong enough to fight the temptation of sleeping late on a Sunday morning and missing the Divine Liturgy? How often do we find ourselves too weak in the face of friends and coworkers challenging us because we are “too” holy? Is it even possible to be too holy? I don’t think so.

So my dear brothers and sisters, as we walk the final days of the Great Fast and experience the final moments of Holy Week, I pray that we are each strong enough to remain loyal followers of Christ. Thankfully God offers us a chance to learn from our mistakes. If (and I really should say because) we found ourselves in the past not strong to stand up to temptation, let’s not continue to make the same mistakes. Let’s commit to standing stronger longer than in the past.

And if (and here again I really should say when) we find this year we are not strong enough to fight, remember that the Apostles EVER AFTER they ran away and EVER AFTER Peter denied knowing Christ, they were forgiven by God and became the leaders of the Church. They became strong and eventually stood firm against the temptations to deny Christ. All but one of the original Apostles were martyred because they refused to deny Christ. They learned their limitations. We can too!

Have a blessed Resurrection!

Gospel Reading: Matthew 26:1-20; John 13:3-17; Matthew 26:21-39; Luke 22:43-44; Matthew 26:40-75; 27:1-2
 At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of man will be delivered up to be crucified." Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and took counsel together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be a tumult among the people." Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head, as he sat at table. But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for a large sum, and given to the poor."  But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the passover?" He said, "Go into the city to a certain one, and say to him, `The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at your house with my disciples.'" And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the passover.

When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve disciples; Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,  rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. He came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand." Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not every one of you." For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "You are not all clean." When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

And as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?" He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Is it I, Master?" He said to him, "You have said so." Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written, `I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." Peter declared to him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you." And so said all the disciples. Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go yonder and pray." And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt."

An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death; and they bound him and led him away and delivered him to Pilate the governor.

Become an Apostle of Christ

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10.34-38

These words of Jesus have always been a challenge to us as Christians. We desire peace. We pray for peace at every Divine Liturgy. When loved ones die we hope they rest in peace. Jesus gives us peace (see John 20.19) So why does He also tell us He did not come to bring peace but a sword? I think the answer rests partially in today’s Epistle Reading:

St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 4:9-16 (RSV) - BRETHREN, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

The truth is the devil has a stronghold on the entire earth. He has been given authority, although only temporarily, by God to rule here. So when Jesus came to usher in the end of the devil’s reign, the devil upped his anti, so to speak, and increases the temptations and burdens on the earth. Our job as Christians is to choose Christ Who is at war with the devil. The devil will not win, but he plans to take down as many of us as he can in the meantime.

To those who side with the devil we must seem a strange sort of person. As followers of Christ, we choose to ignore riches (or at least we should), we choose to welcome the stranger, we choose to place the needs of others above our own desires (or at least we should). All of these behaviors, as Saint Paul admits in today’s Epistle, are a true struggle for the Christian, but our Lord said, if we love the worldly things more than Him, we are not worthy of Him. If we choose to side with the devil and refuse to embrace our struggle against the devil, we refuse our cross, we are not worthy of God.

Tomorrow begins the Feast of Theophany. It is a day of strict fasting following a period of no fasting to celebrate Christmas. I urge you to embrace the call of Christ, and become His apostle. Don’t panic when you feel the sword for your faith. Jesus already won the war. He will comfort and rescue you from the battle.

It’s easy to be confused

Have you ever read something in the Bible and wondered why you didn’t understand the words the same way the Church taught? It can be really easy to read the Holy Scriptures and come to your own conclusion about the meaning of the text, but chances are you will be wrong as often as you are correct. Even the same disciples who would eventually become the Holy Apostles didn’t always get it right when they were first following Jesus. Of course once the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost, they were guided into all truth as Jesus promised. What’s the lesson for us today? Look at today’ Gospel Reading.

Mark 9:33-41 (RSV) - At that time, Jesus and his disciples came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?"  But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest.  And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."  And he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me."  John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me.  For he that is not against us is for us.  For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward."

The difference between our lack of understand the Holy Apostles rests only in our willingness to allow Christ to transform our understanding to be along His desires. While He walked with the disciples, He was continually teaching. He continues to teach, through the Church, for those of us willing to listen and learn. It’s easy to be confused, but if you are willing to be guided by the Holy Spirit who works through the Church, then your confusion will lead to truth.

Why Jesus Came

It is too easy to forget why Jesus came two thousand years ago. He didn’t come to write a new Liturgy, although the early Church did establish a way of worship that was unique as Christians. He didn’t come to teach us a new way to fast, although the early Church did establish a way of fasting that was unique as Christians. He didn’t come to force people to love each other, although the early Christians were known throughout the Roman Empire for the love they showed even to their enemies. So why did Jesus come? Consider today’s Gospel lesson...

Gospel Reading: Luke 4:16-22 (RSV) - At that time, Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the Sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.

If we could remember that Jesus came to free us and open our eyes to His plan for our salvation, it might just be a bit easier to embrace the way of life the Holy Apostles established for us over two thousand years ago. The next time you hear or read about prayer or fasting or almsgiving, or the next time you are told you should be in Church as often as you can be in Church, or the next time you think about how difficult it is to love your enemy, consider that each of these actions is given to us by the Church to assist us in our new-found freedom and open our eyes to the new life in Christ that we have received.

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Be Worthy of God

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:37-42, 11:1 (RSV) - The Lord said, "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward." And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

Have you ever wondered why the Orthodox Christian Life is “set up” the way it is? Why do Orthodox Christians fast and go to Church what seems like ALL THE TIME? Why does the Church place so much attention on Divine Worship and adoring God? In our contemporary ‘protestantized’ world, Orthodox Christianity is accused of empty traditions and unnecessarily grand buildings, and yet it was the Orthodox Church that was established by the Apostles. The SAME Apostles who heard the teachings of Christ in today’s Gospel lesson established our Orthodox Christian way of life, so there has to be some benefit to how we live. So what could it be?

It’s worth considering the spiritual value of the way of life established by the Holy Apostles. Prayer, fasting, almsgiving, the Mysteries (Sacraments), Holy Water blessings, house blessings, crop blessings, blessings of all sorts....ALL given to us to help us be worthy of God. If you want to be worthy of God give the Orthodox Christian Way of Life a try. It does help. Contact an Orthodox Christian Priest near you and ask for a meeting to discuss your spiritual journey. You’ll be on the right sooner than later.

One Holy Catholic and Apostolic

Today’s Gospel Reading: Luke 10:16-21 (RSV)

The Lord said to his disciples, "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name! " And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. " In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will."

Have you ever truly considered the consequences of this statement by Christ? If we reject the Church, we reject God. I think many of us don’t fully appreciate the teachings of the Church, either because we don’t know them or because we have chosen to trust in our own understanding rather than the Church. What makes the Orthodox Church unique is her dedication to remaining loyal to the teachings of the Holy Apostles. As we state in the Nicene-Constantinoplitan Creed, we believe “in One Holy Catholic and APOSTOLIC Church.”

We are ONE – There is only ONE Church of Christ. The outwardly divisions of the Orthodox into so-called national Churches is for the ease of administration. We are ONE in doctrine.

We are HOLY – We are in the world, but not of the world. We are (or at least we should be) committed to the heavenly kingdom rather than any version of Earthly kingdom that we might fancy. We cannot serve God and Mammon; we will either hate one and love the other or be loyal to one and despise the other. (Matthew 6.24)

We are CATHOLIC – We are universally the Church while at the same time local. Each local Church under their canonical bishop is complete and wholly the Church while at the same time united to every other local Church. The Church of Constantinople is no less the Church than the Church of Russia or the Church of Romania, for example.

We are APOSTOLIC – We are loyal to the teachings and way of life as revealed to the Holy Apostles. We do not teach as truth that which the Holy Apostles did not teach as truth. We believe the truth has been “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1.3 NKJV) through the Holy Apostles.

The Church is the body of Christ working in the world for the salvation of the world. The way of life given by the Holy Apostles to the Church has only one purpose, to prepare us to live a new life in Christ. We will be with Him for all eternity. If we want being with Him to be heaven, then we will hear the Church as the voice of Christ and follow the Church to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Why Does the Church Celebrate Pentecost?

As part of our “Why” series this year, I have chosen to discuss the importance of the Feast of Holy Pentecost and why it is celebrated in the Church. On the surface Pentecost is sometimes referred to as the “birthday” of the Church, but that ignores the truth that the Church is actually a continuation of the Old Testament as the New Israel. The New Testament Church, the Orthodox Church, is not a new institution founded on Pentecost, so it must mean something deeper than just a religious founder’s day.

The Feast of Pentecost is the celebration of the descent of the Holy Spirit to live within the Church. Shortly before His Passion, Christ promised the Disciples, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16.13-14) Just before His Glorious Ascension back to His Throne in Heaven Jesus said, “I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.”(Luke 24.52) Combined, these both mean Pentecost is fulfillment of God’s promise that He would send a Comforter (another name used for the Holy Spirit), so we could be assured of the Truth being taught in the Church.

Blessed are You, O Christ our God. You

made the fishermen all-wise, by sending down

upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them

You drew the world into Your net. O Lover of

mankind, glory to You.

However, based upon the Apolytikion above, there was a purpose even greater than comfort and truth. While the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church, the Church has a mission to draw the world into God’s net, which is the Church. This explains why at the moment of Pentecost the Holy Spirit granted the ability to each of the Apostles to speak various languages so they could spread the Gospel throughout the world without any worries about not being understood.

In a world filled with pain and suffering, Pentecost gives us comfort in knowing the pain is only temporary. In a world filled with many, VERY MANY, interpretations about who God really is, Pentecost gives us comfort knowing the Church has been guided into all Truth by God Himself. We can trust the wisdom of the Church over the centuries, since that wisdom has remained unchanged as first taught by the Holy Apostles. And as Saint Jude said, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 1.3)

Pentecost is a celebration of truth, comfort, trust, faith, wisdom, evangelism, the Church, the Saints, and the power of God from one high. Pentecost is a celebration of Orthodoxy.

Make a Change

There have always been two ways, one of life and the other of death. Since the earliest days of the Church the Holy Apostles confirmed this truth in “The Teaching of the Apostles to the Nations” which was written around 70AD. This teaching of the Apostles was not created by them as we can see from today’s reading in Proverbs 15:7-19.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the minds of fools.  The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.  The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but he loves him who pursues righteousness.  There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; he who hates reproof will die.  Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, how much more the hearts of men!  A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.  A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.  The mind of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.  All the days of the afflicted are evil, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.  Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it.  Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.  A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.  The way of a sluggard is overgrown with thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.

The way of life described in Proverbs and in “The Teachings” might seem unachievable by today’s standards. It might seem like the Church is expecting an unreasonable level of dedication from members in the 21^st Century. It might seem like the Church is out of town and “old fashioned” in her teachings and laws. It might be, but it isn’t.

The Church’s way of life has been given to us by God incarnate, and guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth through the Holy Apostles. This way of life, as I have said already in our Daily Lenten Journey, can be trusted. It is the worldly life that needs to be reevaluated, not the Church. Continuing with our theme this week of renouncing the world, I invite you to consider your decisions from yesterday, and make your own judgment based upon today’s’ reading in Proverbs. I invite you to evaluate your options today and ask yourself if you could have lived a life more in line with the Church. And then.....make a change.

Let me know how it goes....Using the “Tell us what you think” link on my blog, let me know how your decisions are going. I would love to hear (and share with others) how your Daily Lenten Journey is going.

Venerating Peter's Chains

Today’s Epistle Reading: Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11 - ABOUT THAT TIME, Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword; and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the Church. The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, "Wrap your mantle around you and follow me." And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him. And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."

Today the Church venerates the very chains that held Saint Peter in prison. Some may wonder why the Church would venerate anything physical let alone prison chains. The Book of Acts teaches that even the shadow of Saint Peter was known for its healing miracles. “And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.” (Acts 5.14-16) If Peter’s shadow, why not the chains which participated in his miraculous release from prison?

To this some may argue that the various stories of handkerchiefs and shadows are legends that cannot be proven. Others would say that it is only the power of God that heals. It is true that ONLY the power of God heals and performs miracles, but history and the Church has witnessed that God often works His miracles through these holy objects. If venerating these holy objects helps us experience God’s grace, which He brought into creation through His Baptism and the power of the Holy Spirit, then may it be blessed by God.....so long as we never lose sight of the FACT that it is faith in God that accomplishes any good thing. Remember it isn't about being right; it is about being healthy.

If We Won’t Listen to the Church, Then Who?

When our Lord returned to His Throne in Heaven He commanded His Disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28.18-20) Since that very moment the Church, guided into all Truth by the Holy Spirit (John 16.13), and the authority given to them by Jesus, has been responsible to God for our spiritual growth.

But most of us refuse to listen to the Church. This is why Saint Paul said, “Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account.” (Hebrews 13.17) It isn’t only authority the Church received by God. The Church also received grace from the Holy Spirit to teach us to observe all that God had commanded us. The Holy Apostles were the protectors of that way of life, and the Church down through the centuries has continued as protector and teacher of truth. This is why the Church REQUIRES that every teaching remain unchanged from the Holy Apostles.

The Holy Fathers, the bishops, archbishops, metropolitans and patriarchs of the Church, always loyal to the teachings of the Holy Apostles, are today’s protectors and teachers of the truth. This is why during the Divine Liturgy we pray, “Among the first remember, O Lord, our Archbishop Alexios, whom You have granted to serve Your holy churches in peace; keep him safe, honorable, and healthy with length of days, rightly teaching the word of Your truth.” Between the Holy Spirit guiding the Apostles into all truth, the Holy Fathers protecting the truth over the centuries, and the Bishops today protecting and teaching the word of God’s truth, why wouldn’t we obey our leaders? If we won’t listen to the Church with all the grace the Church has received from the Holy Spirit, who will we listen to? 

He Who Hears the Church, Hears God

Words are nothing if they are not spoken with authority, and authority is given, not taken. In the Gospel of Luke we hear Christ give authority to the Church to speak and preach on His behalf. Jesus said, “He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” (Luke 10.16) Then the seventy apostles whom Jesus had sent out to preach the Kingdom in advance of His Passion, returned saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” (Luke 10.17) The mission of the Seventy was to prepare others to encounter God. They healed the sick, they cast out demons, they spoke on behalf of God. Despite all these blessings the Seventy experienced, Jesus said, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10.19-20)

The mission of the Church has not changed in two thousand years. Jesus Christ has given the Church authority over the power of the enemy. He who hears the Church, hears God, and He who rejects the Church, rejects God. He has given the Church authority, not so people could rejoice in earthly blessings, but that their names (OUR NAMES) might be written in Heaven. This responsibility is taken very seriously by the Church, which is why our teachings MUST BE loyal and consistent with the teachings and way of life of the Holy Apostles, to whom Jesus first gave the authority. This is what we mean when we say, “One Holy Catholic and APOSTOLIC Church” in the Creed. The way of life and teachings of the Church are the same as the Apostles.

The words spoken by the Church are for our benefit, not for earthly blessings, but that our names are written in heaven, and they are words spoken with authority given directly from God. It was Jesus Christ who said, “He who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” Do you want to hear God, listen to the Church!

You Just Can’t ‘Go It Alone’

Moments before calling His first disciples, Jesus invited a group of fishermen to cast out their nets in a place where they had fished the night before with absolutely no success. When they did as He commanded, “they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.” (Luke 5.6-7) It was only together that they were able to haul in the greatest catch they would ever see. It was at this moment; they dropped their nets and followed Christ.

There are many times in our lives that we are tempted to ‘go it alone’ rather than depend upon the helping hand of others. We are often too proud to look to the experience and knowledge of others to help us get to where we are going. And it is too often that we find ourselves lost and unable to accomplish our goal simply because we refuse to call out and signal to our partners that we need their help. So why do still insist on trying to go it alone?

You could call it our fallen human condition. Ever since Adam and Eve, we have been trying to live independently from God, even though we, like the fishermen, keep coming up short. As human beings, we were created to live in communion with God and each other, not as isolated individuals. In fact it is only when we accept the invitation of God to join Him, that we can finally accomplish our true purpose. And what is our true purpose? Entering into heaven and living eternally with God, and we can’t do THAT alone......that’s for sure.

What are You Willing to Leave Behind to Follow God?

As Jesus called His first disciples to follow Him, many of them were fishermen. They had boats and nets to maintain. They had families to support. They were business men with a mind to manage businesses. But when Jesus called, something changed in their hearts. “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” (Matthew 4.20) Imagine what courage it must have required for them to leave their livelihood behind to follow Jesus. Imagine what courage it must have required for men who knew their business, to follow Jesus into an unknown future. And now imagine they made no excuses. They requested no delays. They immediately followed Him.

Each of us has something that keeps us from totally and unconditionally following Jesus. For some it is a job. For others it might be fear of the unknown, but each of us is called to follow Him. Each of us is called by God to join Him in the important work of spreading the Gospel to others. The time has come to bravely drop our defenses and follow Him. The time has come be courageous in the possibility of the unknown, and trust that God will take care of our needs. It won’t be until we are free from what keeps us back, that we can follow Jesus.

What are you willing to leave behind to follow God? Once you answer that question, only one thing remains. Now put it aside and start following. Once the disciples chose to follow, great things began to happen. “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. (Matthew 4.23) Just remember one thing.....these great things could only happen when they left everything and finally followed.

Ritual...we all have one!

Henry David Thoreau lived in the woods to discover what he already knew to be true, human beings live through ritual. Whether it is driving the exact same route through town to Church every Sunday, or flipping light switches is a particular order when we open our business on Monday morning, each of us has a ritual we follow.  Most of us have several rituals that are unique to certain events in our life such as work rituals, family rituals, vacation rituals, and it seems EVERYONE has morning rituals. Have you ever thought about your morning ritual?

I’m sure you have some sort of morning ritual, but does it include morning prayers? One common mistake I have noticed in many “morning rituals” is the lack of a dedicated Morning Prayer component. Many people desire to pray in the morning, something taught through the centuries as being central of a Christian life, but they can’t find the time to squeeze it in to their morning ritual, simply because it isn’t PART of their morning ritual.

In the Didache (Teaching of the Holy Apostles to the Nations) we were taught:

Neither pray as the hypocrites; but as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, thus pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us today our daily (needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one; for Yours is the power and the glory for ever. Thrice in the day thus pray.

This basic ritual of prayer, what we Orthodox Christians call a “Prayer Rule”, might be just the thing you need to successfully include morning prayers into your morning ritual.

As we are quickly approaching the Feast of Christmas, and as we have been invited by the Church to increase our daily prayer to God, this is the perfect opportunity for you to rethink your morning ritual to include morning prayers. Give your spiritual father a call and ask him to establish a “Prayer Rule” for you to include in your DAILY morning ritual.

Then....go home and, following the advice of your spiritual father, begin following your new morning ritual. It will take a few weeks for the new ritual to take root in your life, but once established it will feel as if you’ve always “done it that way” and you’ll be living a new life in Christ.

Come and See....There is Good News on the Horizon

When the Apostle Andrew saw Jesus Christ for the first time, he couldn’t help but run to his brother Simon Peter and tell him the Good News. “We have seen the Messiah!” The Apostles joyfully spread the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the world, even though their personal lives were filled with pain and suffering. Each of the Apostles, with the exception of Saint John the Theologian was martyred for sharing the Good News. Sometimes we wonder....is the news really good? Just like the lives of the Holy Apostles, our lives are filled with pain and suffering, and we might wonder why Saint Paul told us to imitate him. The truth is that God has saved us from this pain and suffering and promised a NEW life with Him in Heaven. We haven’t been saved for this world; we have been saved from this world. All our pain and suffering is temporary. There’s Good News on the horizon; Come and See!

The Role of a Disciple of Christ

Moments after Saint Andrew, the First-called Apostle, encountered Jesus Christ, he ran home and told his brother the Good News. “We have found the Messiah!” (John 1.41) The news traveled throughout the city as Simon Peter told Philip, who told Nathanael. Good News is hard to keep quiet.

When Jesus Christ sent His Disciples out share the Good News (Gospel – Ευαγγέλιον), He gave a simple commandment. “Go therefore and make disciple of all the nations.” (Matthew 28.19) Saint Andrew traveled to a small port-town called Byzantium, which would later become the center of the longest lived empire in world history. While there, Saint Andrew obeyed the commandment of Jesus Christ and shared the Good News about the Savior with the city, and made disciples of Christ. And what did they do? They traveled throughout the known region and shared the Good News they had received with others, because as we know Good News is hard to keep quiet.

Just over two hundred years ago, Russian Orthodox Missionaries arrived on what would become “American soil” and shared the same Good News with the Native Peoples of Alaska. Around the same time, Greek Orthodox faithful arrived on the East coast in Florida and later in New Orleans to continue the history of making disciples of all the nations. Today there are more than 500,000 Orthodox Christians living as disciples of Jesus Christ. Now it’s our turn to share the Good News, and bring Orthodoxy to every corner of this great American Nation. It’s the role of every disciple.

America NEEDS More Martyrs

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

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

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

Just a Bit More...

We live in a busy society. Our day never seems to stop from the moment we wake until the time in which we finally lie down to sleep, normally MUCH later than we would hope. We live in a multi-task society in which we are expected to always be thinking about work and how we are going to accomplish the next task on our agenda. We live in a society in which if we dare to spend a few moments to reflect upon the “greater things of life” we are considered lazy. When rest does come at the end of the day, you are finally able to reflect upon the joys of life. Just then, you get a call: “Get up, go back to work, you have more to do before you can sit down!”

I wonder if that might have been the reaction of the Disciples when Jesus came to them that fateful day and said, “Put out into the deep and let your nets down.” (Luke 5.4) They must have been very frustrated since they had, like so many of us, worked all night long and needed a moment of rest. And Jesus knew their frustration when He blessed their efforts with a catch larger than they expected. Their willingness to “go just a bit more” was honored by God.

Many times, just when we think that we can’t possibly do one more thing, the Church calls out and challenges us to go just a bit more. We are asked to fast when we struggle just to put food on our table. We are asked to come to special Church services when we struggle just to get to Church on Sunday morning. We are asked to read the Bible when we struggle just to find a few moments to catch up on the important news of our world. And the Church wants us to “go just a bit more?”

The blessing of a great catch was possible only when the Disciples were willing to “go just a bit more,” and the blessing God has in mind for us are only “just a bit more” away, but we may never know those blessings. 

The Irony of Osteen

In past couple of weeks Christians have been “jumping on the bandwagon” (including yours truly) and condemning recent remarks from Victoria Osteen about what’s “really” going on when we worship God. Major bloggers and Christian media outlets have included scathing remarks from fellow Christians calling the Osteens heretics and warning well intentioned Christians from following their ministry. But I find it more than a bit ironic that Protestants are warning ANYBODY about following another Protestant. I’m actually not surprised, THUS the title for today’s blog.

Several months ago I was having a discussion with a Lutheran Pastor (and friend) about a trend I found disconcerting. We were acknowledging that many Christians hop from Church to Church until they “finally find a Church” with which they agree. At the extreme pinnacle of this trend exists entire parishes that, if they find themselves at odds with the Pastor, whom THEY hired in the first place, they either fire the Pastor, OR leave to start their own Church. This was called, “The inherited sin of the Reformation,” by my friend, the Lutheran Pastor. My response to her was, “If you really believe what you are saying, that means you have to return to the Orthodox Church. You know that, right?” Of course she, a bit caught off guard by my boldness, did not agree with my conclusion.

The IRONY....

The inherited sin of the Reformation, a statement with which I can agree, carried to its logical conclusion is: Every Christian has the ultimate right to determine for themselves the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures and Faith of the Christian Church. This practice is what gives “legitimacy” to as estimated 43,000 Christian denominations worldwide. Take away the individual right to “your own” interpretation, and all you are left with, is the Orthodox Church. No surprise there.....

This is why I find it dripping with irony that ANY Protestant would dare suggest that the Osteens are heretics. By what authority does this condemnation rest? With their OWN private interpretation; thus the vicious cycle repeats itself with the number of denominations growing every day.

I have been asked why I am so worried about Joel Osteen and other like him. In short, my immediate concern is for those Orthodox Christians in my parish who “follow” Osteen and others, which allows the heresy to trickle into their own faith practice and ideals. It isn’t uncommon to find Orthodox Christians defending Osteen with comments such as, “His messages are GREAT! I follow him every day,” or “His is a great motivational speaker. God wants us to stay motivated, doesn’t he?” Well....yes and no. The sort of motivation God has in mind is for us to be motivated to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, rather than building up riches. The Gospel is replete with references to sin in regard to focusing on the self. If motivation is focused on the self, it is not heavenly motivation.

So where do we go from here? We are called by God to test all spirits to determine if they are from God. How should we test them? Just like Saint Paul, the ancient Church, and every council since Pentecost. If a teaching is not totally consistent with the teachings of the Holy Apostles, it should be disregarded and avoided. As I like to say, if Saint Paul was required to verify his teachings with the Holy Apostles, and alter them where necessary, then so should we be required.

So where does that leave Osteen? It is obvious his teachings are not Orthodox. At the very least, Orthodox Christians should avoid paying ANY attention to him and his false teachings. At the most, we should help our friends, if we indeed love them, to step away from his incorrect teaching of the Gospel of Christ. In the end, we will all be accountable to God for our teachings and beliefs. Otherwise, God is going to cal to us, “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3.16 – more irony......the opposite result of John 3.16)