Wealth and Giving

Today’s Epistle Reading: St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 6:17-21 - TIMOTHY, my son, charge the rich in this world not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches but on God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good deeds, liberal and generous, thus laying up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed. O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the godless chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, for by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

My goal recently has been to blog daily as I have other years during the Nativity Fast. It helps to remain focused on spiritual matters rather than the mundane politics of the day. It hasn’t always been easy since part of my ministry includes spending some time every day on the internet during which time it has become increasingly difficult to avoid politics. Nonetheless, I will attempt to offer a few words every day for the glory of God.

In today’s Epistle reading we hear another commandment for the Church to urge wealthy individuals to higher spiritual standards. Yesterday, I spoke negatively about the new “Giving Tuesday” movement because I truly believe it takes advantage of peoples good intentions to be generous, so that wealth can increase. There are many reports of CEOs of various national charities with unreasonably high salaries. It is clear to me that many people have become quite rich claiming to serve the poor.

Talking about wealth can be a daunting task. Everyone who is wealthy wants to remain wealthy, and so many who are not wealthy desire to become wealthy. Some even suggest they desire wealth “just” so they can help others. How many times have you heard, “If I could just win the lottery, I would be able to help....” but the money never seems to flow to the various charities as promised. There always seem to be other desires that get in the way. Advance promises give way to current excuses. Wealth can be so tempting.

It doesn’t require wealth to love others. It doesn’t require wealth to have compassion for others. It doesn’t require wealth even to feed the hungry. It requires a heart that desires God above all else, because once wealth finds its way into our bank account, it isn’t a difficult journey into our hearts. Once we “get the taste of wealth” we crave an ever more growing supply. And then we make excuses that our donations, though they are but a small fraction of our wealth, are “more than others need.” I was once told, “Father, if just the men around this table tithed, the entire Church budget would already be funded,” as if that were a bad thing.

And so it continues. The wealthy use their wealth to influence society, sometimes even claiming it is for the good of society, without ever really giving to society themselves. It isn’t uncommon for a wealthy person to say, “I know how to make money. If you listen to me, the Church will have plenty of money,” but then never actually giving any of their own wealth to the Church. Many times, it would have been much easier, and more effective in the long run, if instead of teaching others how to earn money for their Church, the wealthy taught others how to give by actually giving.

I invite you this Nativity Fast to learn how to give rather than how to get the best deal. I invite you to reconsider how to go about your Christmas shopping. Rather than attempting to “get as much as you can for as little as you can,” spend the Nativity Fast giving what you already have. In other words, your love, your time, your compassion, your peace....and then you may just find that shopping mall a less stressful experience. This isn’t a fasting period for nothing.

Your Salvation is Outside Your Door

In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazaros (Luke 16.19-31), Jesus tells of an opportunity for salvation that goes unnoticed by the rich man. Day after day he stepped out his door passing over his salvation, an unnamed and unknown poor man “desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.” (Luke 16.21) Day by day the rich man was sealing his fate for an eternity of torment and grief, while the fate of the poor man rested firmly in the bosom of Abraham. Both men died, and both men met their fate.

Just outside your door, if you are choose to notice, is your salvation waiting for you. Every time you step out your front door is an opportunity to meet your salvation face to face. The rich man in the parable was so focused on his own comfort that he didn’t even know the name of the man lying across his front steps. When you step out your door you leave behind the comfort of home, but you also leave behind the chains of torment and grief. Every person you meet, rich or poor, is your opportunity for salvation.

Your salvation isn’t about rich or poor. It isn’t about names. It is about bread crumbs and dogs. It is about being able to see the person just outside your door, not as a burden or inconvenience but with compassion and love. Salvation is about love.

I can only dream

Since it is “house blessing season” I have been spending a great deal of time in the car driving from house to house, and therefore listening to more news than normal. It isn’t that I avoid the news, although there are many evenings I do just that since the news can be so depressing. But in the car, I tend to have the radio on, so every “top of the hour” no matter what station I have tuned in, I hear the news. Today’s news, beside the unfulfilled snow storm that was less than expected, featured a regularly updated and repeated blurb about the “sell off” in the Stock Market.

Now I’m no financial guru mind you, so hearing about bulls and bears is lost on me, but I sensed a bit of urgency in the news reports of the large “sell off” of stocks. Coincidentally

(?) since it is “tax season” I also hear more than my fair share of tax services and “wealth management” commercials during the news. That’s when I decided I wanted to blog today. As a society, we are consumed with wealth! Everywhere you turn, wealth is either the goal or the benchmark of success.

• Is the news about politics? Then a solid economy and surging stock market are supposed to be indicators that our nation is “doing well” and the government is to be commended.
• Is the news about the decay of the family? (as we Orthodox Christian would understand) The “real” strain isn’t teens having babies out of wedlock, but families losing the homes they couldn’t afford in the first place.
• Is the news about global climate change? Then the affect of high oil prices is supposed to be inspiration for Americans to change their habits.
• Is the news about retails sales during Christmas? Then, in direct contradiction to the climate change reports, we supposed to be happy for LOW oil prices which allows for more discretionary spending during the holidays.

In the midst of “all this” talk of wealth and economic stability, we are neglecting our souls as a nation. We are more wasteful of our communal resources and less generous with our personal finances than a so-called “Christian Nation” ought to be, to which I can only ask, quoting our Lord, “What will it profit a man if he gains [or saves in a 401K for distribution to his heirs] the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8.36)

What if you turned on the evening news and heard, “The State of the Union is good. People are attending Church more than ever before; more families are getting the guidance they need to remain together; and we finally learned that Christmas isn’t about the presents under the tree, but the “baby in the manger...” I can only dream....

Can You Hear God Calling?

The world is filled with distractions, from busy street sounds to hectic lifestyles, many of which can stop us from hearing God’s voice. The story of Zacchaeus teaches us the benefit of filtering through all the commotion in our life so we can focus on God. Until we can eliminate the clutter from our lives, we will continue to be lost, unable to hear God calling us to safety. The Orthodox Christian way of life offers us an opportunity to learn to filter through these distractions of wealth and comfort, and welcome God into our hearts.

Serving the Poor Helps YOU, not the Poor

In the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16.19-31) the un-named rich man was in the torment of Hell because he refused to serve the sick and poor man named Lazarus. Many times we think that it is the poor that benefit from our charity, but according to Gospel, this is not the case. When we feed the hungry their stomach might be filled, but it is our soul that fills with the love of God and enjoys unity with Him. As an alternative, when we refuse to help the poor, while their stomach might remain empty, their soul is filled with the comfort and love of God. It is our soul that remains empty of God’s compassion.

When we serve others, we are expressing our love for God and our soul is rewarded with comfort and welcomed by God. If that is the case, we could also say that serving the poor is actually ministering to OUR soul and is therefore “just as” if not more important the every other parish ministry. Each ministry our Church offers, from HOPE/JOY/GOYA to Sunday School & Greek School; from Parish Council & Philoptochos to Church dinners at which WE eat & serving the poor at which the POOR eat; each of these ministries has the same effect. Our soul grows closer to Jesus Christ, our Lord God and Savior.

The next time you are presented with the opportunity to serve the poor, remember you are preparing your future. Will you serve the poor and experience the comfort and welcome of God, or will you serve yourself and experience torment and loneliness in Heaven? Just don’t forget this one urgent point....the “great chasm” the rests between comfort and torment is created by the choices you make today.

A Spiritual View of Politics

I am often accused of making EVERYTHING spiritual. In making this accusation, people are suggesting that there are issues that can, and should, be considered merely for the secular value the present. In fact this spiritual vs. secular perspective is a common debate within youth ministry circle. Can a basketball tournament “be” just a basketball tournament, or must it always include spiritual discussion sessions? Indeed I believe it is better to allow a basketball tournament to “be” just a basketball tournament, but does that make it merely a secular event? THAT is where the debate rests, but it isn’t limited to youth ministries.

How you view sports, education, work, family and friends, economics, and even politics, is shaped by how you view the world. If you view the world from a secular point of view (everything neatly placed in a box which is not and should affect any other box) then sports is just sports. However, if you view the world from the Orthodox Christian point of view in which EVERYTHING is connected, then even basketball is not just basketball and politics is NEVER just politics. The Orthodox Christian worldview, if it is genuine, must affect every aspect of our life.

 

Let’s consider some of the presumed mundane issues of our life. Sports and recreation are important leisure activities, but are they purely secular? Caring for our physical bodies and our mental state of mind are an important part of our spiritual journey, but only if we in fact engage in a spiritual journey. Since Orthodox Christianity is a way of life journey, then even sports and recreation are spiritual in so far as they play a balanced role in our overall health. But what about politics?

I’ve been considering lately the economic politics of our current American scenario. Multiple points of view are competing for our attention and loyalty to possible solutions. Of course the two loudest, often called conservative and liberal, seem to be on polar opposite points of view. However, if you consider the question of economics from an Orthodox Christian point of view, the liberal-conservative debate loses steam. Both points of view are based upon selfish agendas. I won’t debate which agenda is correct, but suffice it to say, no matter which side of the argument you find yourself, economics are changing and so politics with it. HOW you maneuver through the economic waters of the future will either be your salvation or condemnation.

Saint Paul urges us to be content with what we have. So long as we have been united to Christ, all this ‘stuff’ we fight over during our life will not be with us in heaven.

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.” (Hebrews 13.5)

And Jesus said

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6.19-21)

How can we choose sides of the political debates about the economy when both sides fight are “getting more” or “keeping more” of what we want.....MONEY AND WEALTH?!

The economy of the world is rapidly changing, and unless we embrace the Orthodox Christian worldview of wealth and poverty, live and death, legal vs. moral rights, etc., we will ultimately become lost and despondent. What difference does it make if employers, insurance companies, or the US Congress “pays” for our health care? Is it about how much MONEY we will control or whether we will live or die? We WILL die and all money is ultimately left for someone else to spend.

So consider this.....If Jesus Christ returns in the next five minutes, are you ready to make an accounting of how you were a faithful and loyal servant? Or will you beg for a few more minutes? Money is just money, and basketball is just basketball. Most of all, politics is just another way of arguing to get YOUR way rather than God’s way. How about putting it all aside and searching out to make time for the Orthodox way of life? Christ GAVE you the Church for a reason, not a burden.

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) 

It is the Work of the Church, not the Government

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common. (Acts 2.44)

Many wonder why I am not a supporter of government “doing the work of the Church” by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the homeless. As much as I teach the importance of these Christian traits, many are confused as to why I do NOT support the government being involved in these good works. The answer rests in the results of Communism as it has been expressed on the world scene in the 20^th Century.

Within the Church for more than 2000 years, however, communism has been practiced with great success. Have you ever wondered HOW the Church has been successful with communism while governments have not been successful? The answer is freedom. The Church has NEVER forced her believers to live “in common” but allowed love to govern the hearts of believers. It was an act of love and unity that created the WILLING sharing of resources in the ancient Church.

Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. (Acts 4.32)

To this day, communism is thriving within the Church through holy monasticism. Men and women VOLUNTARILY join monastic communities and live in common with each other. (Monasteries are not coed; men live in male monasteries and women in women monasteries.) In fact, joining a monastery is neither taken lightly, nor should it be a rash decision. Potential monastics are required to spend a period of time (varies from place to place) to ensure the decision is genuine and the way of life freely chosen. Then following a period of “testing” the candidate is eventually allowed to join the monastery. This process is necessary to ensure the freedom of every human being is preserved as a sacred gift of God.

When government is involved in communism, or any form of shared resources, freedom must be preserved at all costs. When, as was the case in Russia in the last century, resources are taken from one and given to another by force, the system ceases to become a response of love and unity, and becomes a system of resentment and separation. Eventually the system collapses, not because people are incapable of loving, but  because ultimately ever human being strives to be free.

So when I am faced with whether or not the government should get involved in the “work of the Church”, the answer isn’t as simple as yes or no. The answer depends upon the hearts of those participating. There have been and will be times when the sharing of resources is universally and freely embraced. At those times, the answer might be yes. If however, the sharing of resources becomes a matter of force and lacks the free participation of those involved, I am less inclined to support such work.

Of course, this does not address the fact that I believe STRONGLY that the work of the Church is the WORK OF THE CHURCH and should not be delegated to the government, as the government by design does not work from the perspective of Christian love, but democratic compromise. The real answer, from my point of view, is THE CHURCH needs to get back to what it does best…..living as a community of love.

A “New” American Heresy

I spend a good amount of time in the car, especially this time of year, going from home to home for house blessings, so I tend to listen to the radio. What I listen to tends to go in cycles, ranging from podcasts and liturgical music to local radio.

For months now I have been intrigued by a commercial for the “Biblical Money Code” and its assurance of guilt-free, God-endorsed, wealth building. The man who discovered this code, according to the radio commercials, used to be a Christian Pastor and “NOW DONATES MORE THAN 50 THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR!” There is no hidden message; follow the code, and become filthy rich. And…..by the way, when you’re rich you can finally give a lot of money away.

I have so many difficulties with this premise; I’m not really sure where to start. We live in a society consumed with money; how to get it, how to spend it, how to save it, and how to get more of it. How any Christian Pastor can endorse a system of wealth building which is rooted in the Sacred Scriptures, seems counter-intuitive to the message of Christ.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6.9-10)

And yet, when a rich man confronted Jesus with the question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life,” Jesus said,

"If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19.21-23)

Ultimately, what Jesus desires is our entire love and devotion. He asks us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. (see Mark 8.34) Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom.” (Matthew 6.33) If we seek wealth, we cannot seek Christ and His Kingdom.

So where is the heresy? The most dangerous heresies are those based upon partial truths. (Check out my post on "Partial Truth is More Dangerous") The so-called Prosperity Gospel contends that Jesus actually desires us to be wealthy, comfortable and “enjoy life,” which brings us true happiness. Many I have heard, base this heresy on a short passage in the Old Testament.

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3.10)

It is perpetuated by New Testament quotes such as,

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9.6)

I suspect this is also why the radio commercial makes a point to proclaim how much the former pastor is now “able” to donate. His presumed guilty conscience is soothed by a charitable donation, just as a promised donation is rewarded by God.

But how is this reconciled with God’s commandment for us to be willing to die to the world, and lose everything, just for our love for God? It can’t be, but that is nothing new. 

Orthodox Christian Stewardship

Since the Church commemorates the Holy Prophet Malachi today, and since we are in the beginning of another new year, I thought I would remind you of your Orthodox Christian Stewardship. For those Orthodox Christians from a “traditionally Orthodox country” such as Greece, where the Church receives if even limited State support, Orthodox Christian Stewardship is a new or even unknown concept.

January is a time of all sorts of resolutions like joining a gym to improve our physical health, or getting out of debt. Some even make resolutions to be more organized and outgoing socially, but have you ever considered making a New Year’s Resolution to increase your Orthodox Christian Stewardship?

That’s right! Orthodox Christian Stewardship is worthy of a New Year’s Resolution. Unfortunately, many will routinely contribute their weekly Stewardship to their Church without any thought. Even “tithers” can fall into this trap, where giving to the Church has become a “rote exercise” rather than an intentional act of worship and gratitude to God.

But proper Orthodox Christian Stewardship requires faith and action. It is something that MUST be connected to our hearts, not just our pocketbooks. While most Orthodox Christians are very supportive of their local Church, nearly all fall short of the challenge God offers to us in Malachi.

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3.10)

Have you tried God on His promise? You shouldn’t be confused, however, and think that God is challenging you to bring Him 10% of your worth SO THAT you will become rich. This is NOT the purpose of His challenge, though tragically many (including Orthodox Christians) preach this version of the “Prosperity Gospel.”

The intent of God’s challenge is for you to place your trust in God. Trust me on this; it requires great faith to bring 10% of your wealth to the Church, especially in our current economic uncertainties. Will we have enough food in our cupboard? Will we have enough money to pay the rent? These are series questions and require serious discussion and faith.

Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. " Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. "But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. "And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven. "Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. "For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. "And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' "So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. "Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? "And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? "If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? "Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. "If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? "And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. "For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. "But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. (Luke 12.6-31)

Why not make a New Year’s Resolution to have enough faith in God to bring your TOTAL TITHE to God’s Church, not to become rich, but simply to honor God? The blessings God has promised will be well worth the risk.

Idolatry

How appropriate that the 40 Days of Blogging Challenge has given us this topic on a “Sunday” during football season. I strongly believe, that for many Americans, football has become an idol. Just think about it. God commands, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6.5) God also says, (about having idols) “you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.” (Exodus 20.5) But isn’t that what we do when we place such an unbalanced importance upon football that it keeps us away from our prayers, or from attending Church on Sundays?

It isn’t just football. Idols come in many forms:

Sports

Careers

Money

Statues

Politics

Relationships

But the biggest idol we tend to worship is OURSELVES! When was the last time you put yourself ahead of God? I bet it was today? In fact, our ego and pride are the worship services for the SELF. It isn’t a coincidence that Jesus said we had to deny ourselves in order to follow Him.

Something to think about!

This post is written for the 40 Days of Blogging Challenge sponsored by the Preachers Institute. You may find other blogs participating in this challenge. I hope you enjoy this year’s Advent journey.

How much is enough?

2013 New Testament Challenge – Day 20 (Reflections on 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus & Philemon)

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.

With the emphasis on materialism so common during the so-called “holiday season”  it seems good that today we read,

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6.6-10

It doesn’t get any more than that! Be content with enough, and allow ‘others’ to pursue wealth.

Until tomorrow…..Consider how much is REALLY enough

Holiday Depression

Today’s topic from the Preachers’ Institute for the 40 Days of Blogging Challenge is “Holiday Depression.” The holiday season can be exciting, fun, filled with family, and fulfilling. It can also be lonely and depressing. One of my childhood friends is a firefighter/paramedic who has worked many holidays in his career, which have oftentimes included suicide attempts. Sometimes, too many times, the attempts had been successful. But holiday depression is not limited to those without family. ANYONE can feel lonely or depressed during the holiday season.

First, I would like to address the term itself – holiday season – before I attempt a few words about depression. When and what is the holiday season, and whose description do we allow to influence our outlook on life? The commerce-driven society has only one goal – to make money. It only cares about how much money is in our bank account, and (maybe more importantly) how it can separate it from OUR bank account and transfer it to THEIR bank account. Yesterday, as part of our family Thanksgiving tradition, we watched Miracle on 34^th Street, during which Mr. Macy says, “We’ll be known as the store with a heart….and consequently we’ll make more profits.” If we depend upon the society to determine the length (and priority) of the holiday season, we will inevitably find ourselves neither satisfied (since the department stores are never satisfied), nor full of joy. If you doubt this reality, take a moment and research the shopping trends of Americans as it pertains to Christmas.

So, what does the Church say about the holiday season? Beginning with November 15^th, the Church asks us to fast, increase our daily prayer, Scripture reading, and charity. It is a season, through prayer, in which we PREPARE our souls to receive the Good News of Christ’s Incarnation in the Flesh. It is a 40 day period, similar to Great Lent but less intense, of focusing on God rather than ourselves. It is a complete opposite emphasis than the retails stores.

Here I must take a moment to clarify that, while I am NOT a trained psychologist (I had a few classes), I do not ascribe to the opinion that depression is as wide-spread as society suggests. I personally believe our society has created a “syndrome” mentality, where moods and mentalities which are well within the normal human experience, create the need for treatment. I also think this mentality is perpetuated by the idea that we must always be “happy,” a characteristic of our general desire to please ourselves. If we are not pleased, then we are not happy.

I think this is the struggle we must engage as Orthodox Christians. The reason the Church invites us to fast, is to teach us that life is not about pleasing ourselves, but pleasing God. If we can embrace that difference, when we find ourselves without certain pleasures or material “things” in our life, we can better appreciate this as a “normal part of life” rather than a failure of life. It might be a failure for the retail stores to separate us from our money, but it is in no way a failure of life.

If you find yourself every year during the holiday season feeling like a failure or wanting more than you can either afford or secure, please consider the difference between these two priorities. Do you want to follow the priority of the retail stores or the Church? Which priority do you think has YOUR best interest in mind? Which priority do you think is better for your soul? Which priority do you think will better keep you from being depressed this holiday season?

I do not discount the reality of a neuro-chemical imbalance which can create a clinical depression. Science has blessed us with a better understanding of the human brain, and we are blessed when we embrace this science. Check out the CDC website for more information about depression.

This post is written for the 40 Days of Blogging Challenge sponsored by the Preachers Institute. You may find other blogs participating in this challenge. I hope you enjoy this year’s Advent journey.

What to do with all those Black Friday Bargains?????

2013 New Testament Challenge – Day 15 (Reflections on Mark 12-16)

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.

Today is “Black Friday” so I wanted to keep my comments on the readings somewhat connected. If you read me earlier post today, “If you need it, buy it; If you can’t afford it, WAIT FOR IT,” then you already know my feelings about “Black Friday” so I won’t repeat them here. Today I want to reflect on a conversation I had last week, and Mark 14.3-9.

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted? "For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. "For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. "She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. "Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." (Mark 14.3-9)

The other day, I had a conversation with someone about, as I was told, wasting money in decorating the Church. I’ve had this conversation MANY times before, so it doesn’t faze me, but it ties well into today’s readings. Have you ever noticed when people complain about “wasting money” in decorating the Church, they defend their affront with, “God doesn’t need money!” In my personal experience with this topic, the one with the affront is not at all financially struggling. In fact, they are fairly well off.

Although today’s reading in the Gospel of Mark doesn’t make reference of Judas’ intention in filing HIS affront, other sources do. “This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.” (John 12.6) I’m not suggesting the person with whom I had my conversation last week was a thief, merely that I’m not quite sure the affront was as pure as I was led to believe.

God has directed that His Temple be decorated with the finest materials; gold, fine linens, precious stones, etc. You can read about the construction of the Temple in Exodus 25-31. Why did He command this if He didn’t desire it? The point is the value WE place on those precious items. WE place a value on gold, and therefore we gild items that are of precious value to us, OR to show high social status. When we decorate God’s Church with golden items, it is because we place a value on those items and we wish to honor the highest social status that God deserves. When we pretend to be affronted by the money spent decorating God’s house, and then proceed to spend “Black Friday” filling our shopping baskets with items we don’t even need, how much affront is genuine?

So here is a challenge for you, specifically during this shopping season. How about you take the money saved on GREAT BARGAINS and bring it to the Church? This would be consistent with Saint John Chrysostom’s urging to take money saved during fasting periods and giving it to the poor. It might also help keep things in perspective for the Christmas shopping season. If we focus on spending the savings on ourselves, or worse, MORE SHOPPING, then we really haven’t benefited at all.

Until tomorrow…..You’re right! God doesn’t need money….but you probably don’t need that extra stuff you’re buying on sale either.

If you need it, buy it; if you can’t afford it, WAIT FOR IT!

Today’s topic for the 40 Days of Blogging is avarice, which is the love of money. I guess the topics fits well with Black Friday. Today is “Black Friday” which was originally designated because it represented the day on which most retails stores FINALLY were in the black for the year. The holiday sales continues to be the “make-it-or-break-it” for most retails centers.

I’m not a big fan of “Black Friday” madness, especially with the many riots and chaos lately at area malls. Having said that I won’t begrudge someone for taking advantage of a sale price for an item that he needs.  I’ve already blogged about my feelings on Thanksgiving Day shopping and on rushing out to buy more stuff the day after we are supposedly thankful for the stuff we already have. So, today I won’t beat that bush. Rather I will presume you already have made up your mind to shop today. That probably also means you will be reading this AFTER you return from a long day of shopping.

For me the issue isn’t whether or not we can get a good price on something, but whether or not we need the item in the first place. I’m sure most would agree that the Christmas frenzy has achieved irrational levels lately. I remember a day (that expression makes me feel old) when getting new socks, a pair of pants, a couple of shirts, and new pair of shoes make the bulk of our gifts, along with a few toys. We needed the clothes as children. Our parents took advantage of Christmas to “bulk up” our present count by wrapping each item separately. NOW, parents wrap countless toys and throw in a token article of clothing. Long before our children return to school in the New Year, the new toys are either already broken, lost, or they have grown bored of playing and go digging for last year’s toy.

So this year, go ahead and take advantage of store sales – they’re there for a reason – and find the best sale on the items you NEED. That new pair of shoes your son has needed since soccer season ended; those new socks to replace the hole”y” socks your daughter wore out at gymnastics practice. Put them away and wrap them up for Christmas. Then sit back and take inventory of your finances before going back “out there” to the mall. What else does your family REALLY need this year? Don’t allow the sales to talk you into purchasing something just because it’s a good deal. A good deal is no longer a good deal when it sits abandoned in the corner collecting dust.

I want to add one more thing about Christmas shopping. Americans are more in debt now than ever before. It seems we cannot discern the difference between needs and wants. If anything, I think it shows a society that has grown more and more impatient. We would rather pay HUGE amounts of credit card interest than wait a few months to purchase our stuff. That is where a simple dose of fasting would help, by the way. It would help us learn to do without and tame our urges. I’ve written on fasting and its benefits to cure just this very problem before.

So I invite you to adopt a new slogan this Christmas shopping season…

“If you need it, buy it; if you can’t afford it, WAIT FOR IT!” You’ll be much happier, and a much less in debt. You can thank me later.

This post is written for the 40 Days of Blogging Challenge sponsored by the Preachers Institute. You may find other blogs participating in this challenge. I hope you enjoy this year’s Advent journey.

Giving Thanks to God as a Nation

If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you will know there is no love lost between myself and politicians. I don’t trust them. I don’t believe their motives are pure. I don’t think they have the best interest of our nation in mind. They care about themselves above the nation. I do pray for them. That’s just how I feel, so when the question of giving thanks to God as a nation is given as today’s 40 Days of Blogging topic, it causes me to pause………..

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Ok, that’s long enough. To be brutally honest, I don’t believe our nation understands the meaning of the word thanks. We use the word, but I don’t see the action in the society that correlates to gratitude, to anyone, let alone God. I also, by the way, don’t believe America has EVER been a Christian nation, but that’s for another blog.

I believe thanks is a concept that rests (literally) in contentment. If you are thankful for anything, then you understand that things can be much worse and someone has helped either hold you up or lift you up to a higher level than you were before. But if you are constantly not satisfied with where you are or what you have, are you really thankful? Or is it more of an acknowledgement that someone has helped you achieve something? And is your “thanks” really just a calculated act to secure future benefits?

In fact, many treat their relationship with God in that way. “If I don’t say thanks to God, then He won’t bless me with more of what I say I want.” My evidence for this theory is the popular phrase, “God answered my prayers!” But this NEVER means He didn’t give me what I ask for. I’ve NEVER heard, “Praise God! I didn’t get that job promotion and raise!”

That being said, what about Thanksgiving Day? Watch the parking lots tonight and tomorrow and you will see just how many are truly thankful or just wanting more. The evening news will likely report riots and violence over that “perfect toy” or other sale item. Is the action of a nation filled with thanks for the blessings from God? Or is a nation that just wants to “cover its bases” and acknowledge the loot will only keep coming if “someone” is given credit? Time will tell….

This post is written for the 40 Days of Blogging Challenge sponsored by the Preachers Institute. You may find other blogs participating in this challenge. I hope you enjoy this year’s Advent journey.

Who Can be Saved?

When the Disciples were faced with the ultimate command of God, given to a certain rich man, “Sell all that you have and distributed to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” (Luke 18.22) they couldn’t anticipate ANYONE would EVER get to heaven. Jesus gave one of the most popular statements, while being the hardest to swallow, “’For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ And those who heard it said, ‘Who then can be saved?’” (Luke 18.25-26) While it might be impossible for man…..it is not impossible for God. All you need to do is be WILLING to separate yourself from the comforts of the world, and God can take care of the rest.

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Another Rich Man; Another Challenge

Again this week, the third time in four weeks, the Gospel lesson includes a “certain” rich man. As in other weeks, the rich man thought he knew what was important in life. Now, for the third time we hear the words of Christ, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18.27) In each of the three lessons (Luke 16.19-31, Luke 12, 16-21, Luke 18.18-27) wealth is a stumbling block to heaven. In each case, it seems the rich man desires salvation, but is instead tormented because he cannot look beyond his wealth.

The Lord knows our struggles and He knows our limitations. But beyond everything else, He knows our heart. We can say with our lips, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18.18), but unless our hearts are tuned toward God, we will turn away, choosing our wealth over salvation. The rich man obeyed all the rules since he was a young boy, but Jesus said to him, “’You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.’ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.” (Luke 18.22)

It wasn’t enough that the rich man obeyed the commandments because his heart was selfish. It makes you think about your life, or the life of the Church. We can obey all the commandments of God and the Church, but if our heart is cold toward the needs of others, we will turn away from God sorrowful. God doesn’t desire our obedience, He desires our love. Where is your heart?