Here we go again

“They” say repetition is the mother of all learning, and nothing can be more true than in the Orthodox Church. During services we repeat the “Lord have mercy” dozens of times; we ask for peace over and over again; some of the prayers even begin with the words, “Again and again...” Why all this repetition? Wouldn’t it be sufficient for us to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) rather than the elaborate singing of Christ is Risen dozens of times?

With the smell of incense still in our nostrils and the bright flame of Pascha is still burning in our minds, the Church “moves on” and begins another cycle of readings, feasts and fasts. With the coming of Pascha, the Church flips the Gospel and Epistle Book back to the front and it all starts over again with Acts and the Gospel of John. Using a formal Lectionary the Church publicly “reads” the entire New Testament excluding Revelation each year, bit by bit. You can find these “readings of the day” in most Orthodox calendar apps available for free downloads. The one I prefer is from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Here is the link....

So here we go again. We are still singing Christ is Risen, but we are not the same people we were a year ago. Our faith has encountered another year of temptations and struggles and prayerfully we have grown closer to God. Maybe even we slid back this year. It happens. Thankfully either way, we get another round of readings and feasts and fasts to help us through another year.

When you read the readings of the day, don’t focus on “I already read that. I remember the story.” These comments will cause you to gloss over the text rather than be inspired by it. Rather read the selections with the knowledge that you have experienced another year and allow God to speak to the “new” you....the 2017 you.

The Clue is in the Scripture Lesson

Each day of the year the Church has prescribed certain readings from the Holy Scriptures to be read. This is called the Lectionary and hasn’t changed much in many centuries. As it currently is, if an Orthodox Christian is careful to read the assigned readings for each day, he will read the entire New Testament (excluding Revelation) as well as the Old Testament Books of Isaiah, Genesis, Psalms and Proverbs. In addition to those, an Orthodox Christian who faithfully attends the holy services of the Church through the year, but most especially on the eve and day of Great Feasts and Holy Week, she will also be inspired by readings from various prophets and the Wisdom Books of the Old Testament. If you are paying attention to any of these readings you will quickly realize the Church hasn’t assigned readings without consideration, AND that in most cases the readings are continuous from one day to another. Oftentimes, but especially for Feasts and Fasts of the Church, the readings also direct attention toward a truth that is integral to the Feast or season of the Church.

For example, today’s readings pick up where yesterday left off. During Great Lent the Church is readings from Isaiah, Genesis, Psalms and Proverbs during the weekdays. Since this is the first week of the Great Fast the Church has just begun these books, so today we are reminded of the Story of Creation, specifically days four and five. Tomorrow we will hear about day 6 and the creation of humanity.

This is important because we are reminded, if we are paying attention, that Great Lent is a journey to restore our humanity to its original purpose of being in Communion with God. What better to make this point than to remind the faithful of Creation? By the end of this week, the first week of Great Lent we will hear the entire story of Creation AND the fall of humanity to temptation.

Take a few extra minutes today when you are reading your Holy Scriptures for the day and reflect upon what the Church might be emphasizing. The clue is in the Scripture Lesson.

You can find the readings of the day at the Online Chapel. You can also download a FREE smart phone app and have the readings at your finger tips. There are many venues to hear and read the Scriptures WITHIN the Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church. But you can only be guided by the Church if you read along with the Church.

Learning from the Church Calendar

Today’s Gospel Reading: John 1:29-34 - At that time, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

The day after the Feast of Theophany the Church commemorates the Synaxis of Saint John the Baptist, the Prophet and Forerunner. You can always tell what the Church teaches about a saint or feast by the way the calendar fluctuates. For example, yesterday was the Feast of Theophany and even though it was a Wednesday, it was a fast-free day. Compare that with the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, another of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Church, but if the Feast happens to fall on a Wednesday or Friday, the fast is only lightened (fish and oil are allowed) but not eliminated. There are many other ways to understand the Church teachings by interpreting the services used to celebrate the feasts. Take notice of the Scripture readings and hymns and you will better understand the expression of the Church.

For example, since today the Church honors the memory of Saint John the Baptist, who lived a life of total humility and always turned attention toward God rather than himself. It speaks volumes that the Church highlights a Scripture reading in which John the Baptist positions himself was not even knowing who Jesus was until AFTER the Baptism. YET.....moments before actually baptizing Jesus, he said, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” (Matthew 3.14) It seems clear that John the Baptist knew who Jesus was. They were cousins after all. So was this false humility?

There was never any false humility in John the Baptist. In today’s reading, true to form for the Baptist, our attention in turned toward God’s revelation of Jesus rather than John’s rank. We can be assured of John’s greatness by focusing on the words of Christ Who said, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.” (Matthew 11.11) What better way to celebrate the greatest humble man than to emphasize God’s revelation rather than his greatness! The Church is filled with examples of such nuances in the services and calendar of the Church. In this new year I encourage you to make more effort to pay attention to the Church calendar and learn from the choices the Church has made in our celebrations.

Experiencing Christmas as an Adult

Today’s Epistle Reading: St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 5:11-14; 6:1-8 - BRETHREN, about Melchizedek we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of God's word. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the work of righteousness, for he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, with instruction about ablutions, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt. For land which has drunk the rain that often falls upon it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed; its end is to be burned.

Christmas is just a “few days” away and you should be wondering why the Church offers us this particular reading. Keeping in mind this reading is assigned to be read on Wednesday of the 24^th Week following Pascha, it routinely is read during December. While it is not particularly for the Christmas season, as so many daily things are focused on the “holidays” around our society, it does have something to teach us for Christmas.

Christmas is a season during which many of look back with fond memories of our childhood. Many even judge their current Christmas experience with memories of “better days” when we were children. It is a natural process, but one that rarely encourages growth and maturity. If we experienced Christmas with the same maturity that we had when we were children, we would never be satisfied. We would never be willing to help others. In essence we would be what some have called grown children. Others use the term spoiled brat.

The same can be said of our spiritual growth and maturity. If we insist on experiencing Jesus Christ (and now I’m not just speaking of Christmas) with the mind of a child, we will forever remain self-oriented brats. I often use the comparison to math. If we went through life only knowing 3^rd grade mathematics and expecting the world experience of a 3^rd grader, we would not only be lonely and miserable, we would be in danger. Intuitively we know that we MUST grow up, and most of us do pretty well in our secular lives growing up, but what about our spiritual life? This is the warning from Saint Paul today.

If you are still experiencing Christmas as a 3^rd grader, maybe it’s time you grow up and put some effort into preparing your soul to receive Christ this year, and no so much about how well the Christmas Tree is decorated.

I Choose God

The Orthodox Church Lectionary is a tool through which each devout Christian reads the Holy Scriptures daily. In the wisdom of the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, Orthodox Christians read the entire New Testament, with the exception of Revelation, each year “piece by piece” each day. The readings for today are as follows:

2 Thessalonians 2.13-3.5 - But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

Luke 16.1-9 -  He also said to His disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. "So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' "Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 'I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' "So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' "And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' "Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' "So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

In the Gospel lesson for today, if we take at face value JUST the verses written, we might think that Jesus was praising shrewdness and dishonesty. But this parable does not elevate shrewdness. Instead it suggests that eventually the shrewd and dishonest steward will eventually fail, and THEN his only hope will be those FOR whom He was dishonest. Notice it isn’t the master who will be his friend in the end, but those who profited by his dishonesty. (see Luke 16.9)

But in the next verses, though they are not read today) we find a deeper understanding...

Luke 16.10-13 - "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? "And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

If we read these verses we understand meaning Christ wants to understand. He MUST choose our friends. Are we going to choose those who will only support us when we are shrewd and dishonest? Or will we choose God who will stand by us in our struggle and pain? I don’t know about you, but I choose God as my friend, and if that means I lose some friends in this life who would only support me when I am shrewd, then sobeit.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas – It’s Time to Prepare

Everything worth something requires preparation. I’m sure you can think of something, no matter how small, that you have prepared for in your life. That is, of course, if you considered that “something” important enough, and a priority in your life. Today we begin our liturgical preparations for the Feast of Theophany with a service we call “Royal [or Great] Hours” celebrated on the Eve of Theophany. If Theophany falls on a Sunday of Monday, this service is offered on the Friday before the Feast, since it is NOT to be offered any Saturday or Sunday as these are days reserved for other services. This service, a combination of the First, Third, Sixth, and Ninth Hours, is celebrated also on the Eve of Christmas and on Holy Friday Morning. The prayers, hymns, and readings from the Old and New Testament, are filled with references to the coming Feast of Theophany.

One such hymn, uniquely assigned to the Friday before the Feast if Theophany, speaks of this idea of preparation and anticipation. In this singular hymn, the Church teaches us to prepare ourselves and be ready to receive Christ, Who “appeared, wanting to renew the entire creation. Even the river must prepared itself!

Prepare yourself, Zabulon, and make ready, Naphtali; and you, Jordan river stand still to receive with joy the Master coming to be baptized. Rejoice, Adam, together with the first mother Eve; do not hide yourselves, as you did before in paradise; for having seen you naked, He appeared in order to clothe you with the first raiment. Christ has appeared, wanting to renew the entire creation.

The concept of liturgical preparation is most appropriate for Friday, the Day of Preparation. With the Sabbath  and the Lord’s Day approaching with Liturgy and Great Vespers and, in the case of Theophany, the Great Blessing of the Waters, we cannot afford to leave details to the last minute.

• Is the Holy Water Font cleaned and ready?
• Is the Prosoforo baked for Liturgy?
• Have the Altar covers been changed to reflect the Feast?

These are details, among others, the Church must prepare, but there are details for you to prepare as well.

• Do you have your Holy Water bottle from last year cleaned and ready to fill from the Font?
• Have you prepared for Holy Communion with Prayer and Holy Confession?
• Have you cleaned your home to receive the Priest who will begin house blessings in a few days?
• Have you arranged your family schedule to include attending special services for Theophany?
• Have you looked up your nearest Orthodox Church service schedule to see when the services are?
• Have you “signed up” to have your house blessed by the Priest?
• Sunday is a day of fasting (rare and not strict); have you prepared an appropriate menu for Sunday?

When the Sabbath was more strictly followed (see my prior post on the importance of the Sabbath), Friday (the Day of Preparation) was when all the necessary tasks for the Jewish household had to be accomplished, which is yet another reminder that we must rededicate our lives to focus upon the Lord.

Why not start this year by preparing to celebrate the Feast of Theophany in a truly Orthodox Christian manner? Spend time today reading Holy Scripture and other sources, like this blog, to have a richer understanding of your Faith. It doesn’t have to be a LOT of time, but enough for you to grow in your Faith and LIVE A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST.

On the Ninth Day of Christmas – A Great Way to Start the Year

Today the Church begins to look ahead to Theophany, the Baptism of Our Lord. Theophany is one of those Feasts that is significant enough to have celebration “ramp up” over several days. In the Gospel for today, Jesus tells Nicodemus that we must be baptized when He says,

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3.5)

I appreciate how the Church identifies readings which, while not directly associated with a Feast, nonetheless reflect the character of the Feast. Since Theophany is the Feast of the Baptism of Christ, the Church assigns readings associated with Baptism and water. Each day the references become more associated with the Feast itself until, on Monday, we will celebrate and here the Gospel of His Baptism. Then we extend this celebration with the “House Blessing Season” which is the continuation of the Blessing of the Waters INTO each home of the Parish. By the end of January, we have not only celebrated Christ’s Baptism, we have linked our home to the Church.

What a GREAT way to start the year!

2013 New Testament Challenge – Day 39 (Reflections on Revelation 1-11)

Every year I participate in a special effort called the New Testament Challenge sponsored by a priest of the Orthodox Church in America. He encourages Christians to spend the Christmas Fast, also known as Advent) reading the entire New Testament as a preparation for Christmas. Each year I have done this, it has been blessing to me and I pray this year will be no different. As part of the New Testament Challenge, I endeavor to blog a bit about the reading for that particular day. I may miss a few, but I pray for those who follow this blog (NOW ALSO ON FACEBOOK) it will be a blessing.

If you’ve been a follower of my blog for any length of time, you already know I don’t make it a habit of publicly preaching/blogging about Revelations. It is the ONLY New Testament book not publicly read aloud in the Lectionary of the Church. (meaning the chanter doesn’t read it during the services in the same way the other New Testament books are read) It is only excerpted by including certain verses in prayers, hymns and Holy Icons. You will find some people preach/teach about it, but I have found that if the Church’s wisdom proves correct, there is a good reason it isn’t read publicly any longer in the Church. The basic reason for this, by the way, is to avoid its abuse. There was a time (and it seems to be here again with certain Churches) that Christians attempted to predict the return of Christ, or even to frighten Christians into submission. Since it is a book of prophesy and allegory, it isn’t possible to predict its outcome, especially since Christ said we wouldn’t know when He was returning. He even said,

Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. …the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of.” (Matthew 24.4-50)

So if Christ won’t tell, why should we try? Don’t be deceived by ANYONE (Orthodox or not) who tries to convince you that he knows the time of Christ’s return.

So today I just want to remind you of the ancient Holy Tradition of the Church – BE READY! What we can definitely understand from Revelation is that Christ IS returning, and He WILL judge the entire creation. And since we don’t know exactly WHEN….let’s just be ready NOW so we don’t have to worry about it. That’s the emphasis we can understand.

Until tomorrow…..Remember being prepared for Christmas is just a hint of what we are REALLY preparing for.

Get Ready for the 40-Days of Blogging and the 2013 New Testament Challenge

Each year, I participate in the New Testament Challenge (reading the entire New Testament during the Christmas Fast) and the 40-Days of Blogging as a spiritual discipline for the Christmas Fast (also known as Advent). Both are sponsored by the Preachers' Institute which this year will be providing specific topics for each participating blog. I am really looking forward to this as it helps me personally remained focus during the so-called Christmas season.

Get ready! It's only 10 days away...

Here are the other blogs participating in the 40-Days of Blogging

You can also find the 2013 New Testament Challenge here...