Bright Thursday Sermon

Christ is Risen!

Bright Week as we know, is a special time for Orthodox Christians. We are called to let the light of Christ’s resurrection illumine every facet of our existence, allow His victory over death and His abiding presence be the inspiration for all that we do, say and think. And not just this week, but throughout the year.

From the Book of Acts this morning we heard a portion – just a small portion – of St. Peter’s first sermon given on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38-43). As a result of his exhortation 3000 people were cut to the heart, repented and baptized. 3000 people! For many, a preacher’s dream.

And yet, as miraculous as this was humanly speaking, it is important to know that St. Peter, or any of the Apostles, would have been the first to ascribe the power of their preaching as coming from God Himself. Indeed, the content of their preaching was the Person of Christ. They did not preach the Church (or for our purposes the Orthodox Church), nor one religion over another, not even one charismatic disciple over another. Their focus was the Person of Jesus as the crucified, risen Messiah. This was their message to Israel and ultimately to the world.

Sometimes that emphasis is lost in our day and time. Christians seem to be in competition with one another constantly, in ways only secondarily having to do with Jesus. Unfortunately, their message to others reflects that misplaced emphasis. But really, this is nothing new. Even in the early Church, the Corinthians were warned about centering their faith around one or more “electrifying leaders,” be it Apollos, Cephas or even Paul himself (1 Corinthians 1:10-17).

Later, in his first sermon – from which we heard today – Peter referenced the gift of the Holy Spirit. Such a gift fulfilled the Prophecy of Joel: “In those days (says the Lord), I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even upon the menservants and maidservants I will pour out my spirit” (Acts 2:14-18).

In other words, regardless of age, gender or social status, all will prophesy with the advent of the Comforter. People will fulfill their destiny to be prophets, with the calling to bring the Word of God to bear on every situation, the possibility of knowing God, discerning His will, speaking the truth in love, and letting God’s will guide every action. We all have that particular calling, to be prophets as those united to the Prophet, our Lord Jesus Christ.

But again, as the Apostles would readily affirm, the ability to enact any of this – even to convert 3000 souls – the power to pull this off, always belongs to God. In our pride that is often one of the most difficult lessons for us to learn, both clergy and laymen alike. Even in our work for the Church: that it’s not about us, our talents, our skills, our gifts, or whatever. It is ultimately about God: His Love, His Truth, His Grace, and ultimately His Church, His Body, His People.

There is a scene in the Gospel of St. Luke, describing Cleopas and another disciple traveling on the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-31). They were conversing, even debating according to some translations, about what had happened to Jesus, speaking on the limited plane of human thought, and suffering from doubt, according to St. Theophylact. Ultimately, these men were enlightened through the breaking of bread (an image of the Eucharist) and later through the gift of the Spirit.

This same gift, this same enlightenment is given to us. Bright Week and the Paschal Season are perfect times – in the splendor of the Resurrection – to open ourselves more fully to such divine revelations. We can then break free from what is sometimes a shallow approach to life and even to the Church itself. We can perhaps rediscover with more power and confidence the dignity we possess as children and prophets of the Most-High. That in and behind everything we do as Christians is the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ is Risen!

Easter Sunday: The Holy Pascha

(The Midnight Service)

Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko

A little before midnight on the Blessed Sabbath (Holy Saturday, April 19) the Nocturne service is chanted. The celebrant goes to the tomb and removes the winding-sheet. He carries it through the royal doors and places it on the altar table where it remains for forty days until the day of Ascension.

At midnight the Easter procession begins. The people leave the Church building singing:

The angels in heaven, O Christ our Savior, sing of Thy resurrection. Make us on earth also worthy to hymn Thee with a pure heart.

The procession circles the Church building and returns to the closed doors of the front of the Church. This procession of the Christians on Easter night recalls the original baptismal procession from the darkness and death of this world to the light and the life of the Kingdom of God. It is the procession of the Holy Passover, from death unto life, from earth unto heaven, from this age to the age to come which will never end.

Before the closed doors of the Church building, the resurrection of Christ is announced. Sometimes the Gospel is read which tells of the empty tomb. The celebrant intones the blessing to the “holy, consubstantial, life-creating and undivided Trinity.” The Easter troparion is sung for the first time, together with the verses of Psalm 68 which will begin all of the Church services during the Easter season.

Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee from before his face!

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life (Troparion).

This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

The people re-enter the Church building and continue the service of Easter Matins which is entirely sung.

The canon hymns of Christ’s resurrection, ascribed to Saint John of Damascus, are chanted with the troparion of the feast as the constantly recurring refrain. The building is decorated with flowers and lights. The vestments are the bright robes of the resurrection. The Easter icon stands in the center of the Church showing Christ destroying the gates of hell and freeing Adam and Eve from the captivity of death. It is the image of the Victor “trampling down death by his own death.” There is the continual singing and censing of the icons and the people, with the constant proclamation of the celebrant: Christ is risen! The faithful continually respond: Indeed, He is risen!

It is the day of resurrection! Let us be illumined for the feast! Pascha! The Pascha of the Lord! From death unto life, and from earth unto heaven has Christ our God led us! Singing the song of victory: Christ is risen from the dead! (First Ode of the Easter Canon).

Following the canon, the paschal verses are sung, and at the conclusion of the Easter Matins, the Easter Hours are also sung. In general, nothing is simply read in the Church services of Easter: everything is fully sung with the joyful melodies of the feast.

At the end of the Hours, before the Divine Liturgy, the celebrant solemnly proclaims the famous Paschal Sermon of Saint John Chrysostom. This sermon is an invitation to all of the faithful to forget their sins and to join fully in the feast of the resurrection of Christ. Taken literally, the sermon is the formal invitation offered to all members of the Church to come and to receive Holy Communion, partaking of Christ, the Passover Lamb, whose table is now being set in the midst of the Church. In some parishes the sermon is literally obeyed, and all of the faithful receive the eucharistic gifts of the Passover Supper of Easter night.

The Easter Divine Liturgy begins immediately with the singing once more of the festal troparion with the verses of Psalm 68. Special psalm verses also comprise the antiphons of the liturgy, through which the faithful praise and glorify the salvation of God:

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Sing of his name, give glory to His praise.

Let all the earth worship Thee and praise Thee! Let it praise Thy name, O most High!

That we may know Thy way upon the earth and Thy salvation among all nations.

Let the people thank Thee, O God! Let all the people give thanks to Thee.

The troparion is repeated over and over again. The baptismal line from Galatians replaces the Thrice-Holy Hymn. The epistle reading (includes) the first nine verses of the Book of Acts. The gospel reading (focuses on) the first seventeen verses of the Gospel of Saint John (often chanted in multiple languages). The proclamation of the Word of God takes the faithful back again to the beginning, and announces God’s creation and re-creation of the world through the living Word of God, his Son Jesus Christ.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God . . . all things were made through him . . . In Him was life and the life was the light of men. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth . . . we have beheld His glory, glory of the only-begotten Son of the Father, and from His fullness have we all received grace upon grace (Jn 1.1–17).

The Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom continues, crowned in holy communion with the Passover Lamb at his banquet table in God’s Kingdom. Again and again, the troparion of the Resurrection is sung while the faithful partake of Him “Who was dead and is alive again” (Rev 2.8).

In the Orthodox Church the feast of Easter is officially called Pascha, the word which means the Passover. It is the new Passover of the new and everlasting covenant foretold by the prophets of old. It is the eternal Passover from death to life and from earth to heaven. It is the Day of the Lord proclaimed by God’s holy prophets, “the day which the Lord has made” for His judgment over all creation, the day of His final and everlasting victory. It is the Day of the Kingdom of God, the day “which has no night” for “its light is the Lamb” (Rev 21.22–25).

The celebration of Easter in the Orthodox Church, therefore, is once again not merely an historical reenactment of the event of Christ’s Resurrection as narrated in the gospels. It is not a dramatic representation of the first Easter morning. There is no “sunrise service” since the Easter Matins and the Divine Liturgy are celebrated together in the first dark hours of the first day of the week in order to give men the experience of the “new creation” of the world, and to allow them to enter mystically into the New Jerusalem which shines eternally with the glorious light of Christ, overcoming the perpetual night of evil and destroying the darkness of this mortal and sinful world:

Shine! Shine! O New Jerusalem! The glory of the Lord has shone upon you! Exult and be glad O Zion! Be radiant O Pure Theotokos, in the Resurrection of your Son!

This is one of the main Easter hymns in the Orthodox Church. It is inspired by Isaiah’s prophecy and the final chapters of the Book of Revelation, for it is exactly the New Creation, the New Jerusalem, the Heavenly City, the Kingdom of God, the Day of the Lord, the Marriage Feast of the Lamb with His Bride which is celebrated and realized and experienced in the Holy Spirit on the Holy Night of Easter in the Orthodox Church.

Thoughts on the Civil New Year: Consider the Words of the Baptist

People greet the Civil New Year with a variety of emotions, a wide array of expectations both positive and negative.

Many individuals, for instance, experience joy as January 1st rolls around each year. They look forward to changing their lives for the better, to countless unseen, unknown possibilities. Others become nervous or anxious. There is perceived pressure to set New Year’s Resolutions coupled with painful remembrances of the past, as well as fear of what lies ahead. We just saw a reason for such fear with the attack in New Orleans last night. And then, there are those for whom January 1st is like any other day. No need to make a fuss, to be optimistic or pessimistic: “I can pray, party, set Resolutions, look forward to hopes and dreams at any time. I do not need an imposed date to change the way I think and behave.”

Regardless of where we personally fall into this range of responses, the point would be that we have an opportunity each January 1st along with our fellow countrymen, to feel close to them, to acknowledge with them the joys, possibilities and even sorrows that a New Year potentially brings. Regardless of faith or politics, we can find a certain comradery with our neighbors, as they undoubtedly experience the same feelings that we have connected to time and life changes. They embrace the same expectations, fears and joys. We can learn to rely on their support and guidance while they, in turn, rely on us.

The question for Orthodox Christians, however, is how do we specifically greet the Civil New Year, understanding that we have a great deal in common with our neighbors, and yet, we have much to share that is unique?

This morning, we are off to a good start. We are here in Church, offering praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, and we would certainly invite our friends and families to do the same. How can one fully appreciate and celebrate a change-over in time, if he or she does not “refer it all” to the Creator of time and space? We are here on this religious (also civil) holiday celebrating God’s divine condescension made manifest through His humble birth, and His circumcision in the flesh according to the Law. We are also commemorating today one of the Lord’s greatest disciples, our Father among the Saints, Basil the Great. Beyond that, we are praying this morning for forgiveness, strength, courage, determination, peace, guidance and prosperity in the months ahead. The prayers later on will mention these more emphatically. We are here, as well, seeking wisdom: we genuinely want to know how it is and what it means for Christ’s Disciples to take up their Cross, following in the footsteps of Jesus each day.

This good start to the New Year must lead to further action: growth in faith and a virtuous disposition. If we desire meaningful Resolutions, we can pick any list of activities that will take the focus off of us and place it on Jesus, on the neighbor as well: i.e. pray for others, offer forgiveness, be kind and charitable, especially to those who need extra help in specific areas of life. Be faithful with personal prayer and Church attendance.

In short, a good rule (if you will) for 2025 will take to heart the words of St. John the Baptist: “He (Jesus) must increase and I must decrease.” This would apply also to family, friends and acquaintances. Our neighbors should increase in our appreciation and understanding of them, as we treat them with respect and dignity. We cannot go wrong if we strive to live by St. John’s inspired principle. To Christ be all glory, honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Christ is Born! Blessed New Year!

(From a January 1st sermon.)

Christ is Born!

Beauty and Salvation

(The following are basic thoughts on a broad topic that has captivated authors, artists, philosophers and theologians for centuries. There is no shortage of ideas concerning the infinite expressions of beauty. From a sermon at St. Barbara’s.)

The notion of beauty applied to people is often discussed in terms of outward appearance. “Appearance is everything,” many would say: the air of success, a youthful image and personal style. Toward these ends, Americans invest a great deal of money and time each year to acquire the “perfect look.” In 2023 alone they spent 502 billion dollars on cosmetics, cosmetic surgeries, fashion and fitness. Add to that number countless hours devoted to exercise, choosing the right clothes and applying make-up.

Each society possesses its own criteria that define a good looking individual. These may vary from country to country, generation to generation. A former professor of dogmatic theology, Sergei Verhovskoy (of blessed memory, +1986) expressed a bit of surprise at people’s obsession in the U.S. with “being thin.” He was born in Russia but in Paris received his formation as a theologian. According to Verhovskoy, the countries and times in which he lived, until the age of forty-five, appreciated “a healthy, robust look” as a sign of attractiveness.

Changes in perception have occurred even in America, especially since the 1970’s and 80’s. “Thin, is still in,” to be sure, but the end-look has been more refined. Today, a healthy glow combined with a lean, tanned, muscular, waxed-body represents the pinnacle of beauty. Actors, cover models and athletes provide the look that many strive to emulate.

Such standards, focused as they are strictly on appearance, literally scratch the surface of true beauty. What about a person’s emotional and mental stability, his inner well-being? What about concern for love, peace, joy, gentleness, goodness and faith, the fruits of the Spirit listed by St. Paul in Galatians? These qualities have a strong appeal and certainly offer a much better gauge of human excellence. Afterall, physical looks come and go. They cannot be taken with us once we leave this planet. But what can be taken is who and what we are inwardly. Beauty of character opens the gates of the Kingdom for each person. What’s more, inner beauty can be seen, clearly perceived in the faces of virtuous individuals. “The light of the body is the eye,” and soft eyes are often described as hugely attractive. They reveal a compassionate soul.

Unfortunately, many are blind to such things. They are equally oblivious to the inherent splendor of creation as a revelation of God’s presence. Psalm 19 tells us that, “The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.” Paul, in his letter to the Romans, states that, “ever since the creation of the world God’s invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made.” In other words, all that exists bears the stamp of the Creator Who is beauty itself.

In a lecture, Fr. Thomas Hopko (of blessed memory, +2015) said that, “The most natural thing in the world should be that a person throws open his bedroom window each morning and exclaims, ‘the heavens are telling the glory of God and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.’ We typically do not do that (he said) because we are fallen creatures who – to a great extent – have lost the innate ability to perceive His presence. That ability, however, has been restored for us, in Christ.” Fr. Thomas then described the manner in which St. Seraphim of Sarov (+ 1833) greeted each person he met. “My joy,” he would say, perceiving the beauty of the divine image in each individual. For this righteous man, the company of another human being was always a cause of quiet celebration: it signified God’s abiding presence.

Thus, authentic beauty is associated with truth and goodness. When these three are not held together beauty alone – as an end in itself – is nothing. Accordingly, the Russian philosopher Vladimir Soloviev wrote, “beauty without truth and the good is an idol.” In Dostoyevsky’s (+ 1881) The Idiot, one finds a related, provocative statement that has challenged the thoughts of countless individuals: “beauty will save the world.” Beauty does indeed save in the most comprehensive sense of the term: as inspiration, as revelation of truth, a witness to God throughout creation. Ultimately the world is saved by beauty incarnate, our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Roman Catholic author, Juan Ignacio Hubner, associated these thoughts specifically with the Cross. “Ultimately (he said), there is no greater beauty than love that has conquered death…The beauty that saves, that truly saves, is the beauty of love that goes to the extreme of redemptive sacrifice.”

Such ideas lie at the heart of the Church’s appreciation of beauty in worship. Her music, iconography, architecture and liturgical celebrations point beyond themselves to something higher, more profound than colors, shapes and choral harmony. The Church’s art, through its varied expressions, conveys the central experience of Christians, that “God is with us,” the Savior has arrived. Sacred art communicates the presence of God’s Kingdom in our midst. There is a sacramental quality to Church art that goes beyond emotion, even inspiration. Orthodox Christians seek to open themselves to that experience. They do so by way of traditional disciplines: prayer, fasting and charitable works entered into for the sake of Christ.

The Advent, Nativity and Theophany seasons are quietly powerful with great attention given to beauty and prayer. There is even an art to prayer itself, and as with any artform proficiency is gained only after years of practice. May the Winter Pascha continue to be for us a time of heartfelt prayer and spiritual renewal, opening our mind’s eye to God’s beauty everywhere present, filling all things.

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On Politics and Religion

Protopresbyter John Meyendorff

(Looking ahead to the upcoming election we thought that the following article might be of interest.  Fr. John of blessed memory, was a Dean of St. Vladimir Orthodox Seminary, a noted author, Church historian and patristic scholar.  He also represented the Orthodox Church in America in many pan-Orthodox and ecumenical affairs around the world during his tenure at SVS).

In a totalitarian state it is easy – and often unavoidable – for the Church to be totally apolitical.  This is so because totalitarianism consists precisely in depriving the people of the right to think and decide on political matters.  The issue of “politics” (under an oppressive regime) arises only in the case of a revolutionary confrontation with the powers-that-be, and, in that case, for Christians there are difficult choices to make between active and passive participation in the change.  Quite often, Christians fail to satisfy either side because of their abhorrence of violence, which is practically inevitable in revolutionary situations.

In a democratic system Christians cannot be totally apolitical, because they freely vote.  If they abstain from voting, claiming to be apolitical, they in fact support the majority, which is a political act in itself.  They also pay taxes, which support government policies, and therefore are inevitably performing political acts.  So, in fact, an apolitical attitude in democracy is impossible.

However, Christians have advantages over their non-religious co-citizens.  They know through faith of the true meaning of such words as “justice,” “peace,” “security.”  They know that none of these realities can be provided by political or military or economic means only.  Politicians are lying when they promise those things to the people in their programs or their slogans.  True justice, peace and true security are accessible only in the Kingdom of God.  This basic belief makes Christians somewhat immune to total political commitment to anyone. 

However, it would be a mistake to think that the relative, temporary and partial forms of justice and peace can be ignored by Christians because they expect to find them in the Kingdom of God.  The commandment of love given by the Lord to His disciples refers also to this world and not only to the next.  “If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar” (1 John 4:20).

There is actually no clear and simple formula which would give us infallible directions as to how this divine love revealed to Christians is to be realized in their attitude towards society at large.  Historically, Roman Catholics and Protestants have relied on political solutions and methods more readily than the Orthodox.  To secure its independence from the State, Roman Catholicism became a state in itself, while Protestants, including the original white settlers in America, often dreamt of creating here on earth a just and “perfect” society.  Some Western Christians today, disappointed in the failures of the past, tend to ally themselves blindly with secular reformers or revolutionaries, hoping to reach “justice” in this way.  Orthodox Christians generally understand well that such solutions are quite mistaken.  However, they too have been often accused of being so detached from the world in their spiritual and liturgical experience of the Kingdom of God that they left their own countries in the grip of tyrants and dictators.

Personally, I believe that the Orthodox historical record in this respect is really not worse than that of the Christian West.  But it is true that if we, the Orthodox – especially now that we live far away from traditional structures which took certain Christian values for granted – do not take seriously our mission to the world around us, we will be judged accordingly.  This mission consists, first of all, in preaching the Gospel of Christ in its fullness, but it also involves feeding the hungry, helping the sick, being concerned with the weak and the disinherited.  There is no reason in this respect to leave a monopoly to socialist atheism, which is a miserable social failure anyway, or to agree with straightforward, selfish capitalism, which leaves the weak to care for themselves.  The Orthodox Christian solution is neither another ideological system, nor a politicized Christianity, nor an apolitical indifference to the world.  It implies the support of what is right and the rejection of injustice, in alliance with no one.  This freedom from all secular commitments, coupled with real concern for the salvation of the world, is the Christian position.  It somewhat annoys those who wish to use the Church for their own goals, but its strength lies in its independence and in its commitment to the higher Truth.  Let us not depart from it, and let us make the right choices accordingly.

(From a March 1983 editorial in the Orthodox Church in America Newspaper.  Reprinted in “Witness to the World,” published by St. Vladimir Orthodox Seminary Press, Crestwood, New York, 1987, pp. 88-90).

“Do not be Anxious…” The Perception and Utilization of Time

(From a sermon given at St. Barbara’s. Some main ideas are borrowed from the much beloved Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, as found in his modern classic, Beginning to Pray.)

People in general – certainly Americans – tend to be very anxious about life. I suspect this has always been the case, but the times we live in seem particularly unique. According to studies, approximately thirty percent of the U.S. population suffers from some form of anxiety. Twenty percent are affected in ways that make it difficult to function normally in everyday situations. [1]

Anxiety levels vary amongst individuals, as well as reasons for the anxiety. Some worries are self-induced: people place themselves willingly in ongoing situations that are morally questionable or carry a high degree of risk. Thus, they live in a constant state of apprehension. And then, there is stress – anxiety – that comes to people from the outside. Nothing to do with their personal choices. Simply wrong place, wrong time. They are left then to struggle with the aftermath.

This morning, however, did we not hear from Christ Himself: “Therefore (brethren), I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, about what you shall eat, drink, or wear…Is not life more than food, and the body more than raiment?” [2]

“Do not be anxious.” Some might respond, “Easier said than done. How is this even possible in light of constant daily concerns?” Difficulty understanding the Lord’s message is frequently related to misguided priorities. Jesus’s words presuppose a level of commitment – eventually – to His way of life.  When a person’s primary gaze, however, is directed toward something other than our Lord, then He seems to speak in unrealistic platitudes.  

Another problem lies with people’s perception and utilization of time itself. And that is what I want to focus on today, the perception and utilization of time.  

It’s probably safe to say that most Christians have not fully learned what it means to live in the present moment. And that is important, because this moment, where we are at right now, is really all that anyone can possess, living it by faith in God.

We know from experience that people tend to agonize continually over mistakes of the past, times and situations that no longer exist. On the flip side, they project personal fears and dreamt up catastrophes into a future that has not yet arrived, one which may never arrive, at least not as we envision it.

Both of these “non-existent time zones” (if you will), the past and the future, nevertheless, influence our lives so greatly that it becomes difficult to conceive of life devoid of anxiety, difficult to focus on that which currently stands before us. We constantly worry about things we did, and then we worry about what will happen if our well-conceived plans do not come to fruition. The present moment, in effect, is wasted. Our minds wander between what was, and the unproven what may be. We then lose sight of what is.

The actual problem then, lies in how we perceive the point at which we find ourselves here and now. Practically speaking, the present moment often seems like a razor thin, imaginary line, connecting the past with the future: almost non-existent. We are not quite sure how to view it. Our perception is that each second, each minute “come and gone,” rolls immediately into the future. People are left wondering, “is the present, even a real thing?” We think about it, but then in the blink of an eye, it instantly disappears. [3]

It is important though, to arrive at some kind of understanding, because God can only work with us where we find ourselves here and now. This moment is all that I have as an opportunity to open my heart to divine grace. I cannot change what has happened, nor can I live my life totally as it might be an hour, a month or ten years from now. The present is all I own and I must fill it with as much meaning as possible, give to it my full concentration.  This, in part, is the lesson of the Rich Fool: “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” [4]

Again, easier said than done. Think about individuals, however, on the point of death but then miraculously saved. Many confess that in that final moment their lives “flashed before their eyes.” Amazing. Decades of experiences and relationships suddenly brought into the here and now. That razor thin line of the present, instantly became for them a river, highway, or whatever metaphor one may wish to use. So, what changed? [5]

Nothing on the surface. One second of time, was still one second.  One minute, still one minute. The person’s perception, however, of that one minute was like nothing he had ever known. He was offered a small yet powerful glimpse – dare we say – of how God Himself views the nature of time: past, present and future all laid out before Him.

Christians can learn to embrace such brief moments – good and bad – that offer this intense awareness. The experiences are usually few and far between, so to compensate there are useful exercises that can enhance one’s sensitivity.

We can take brief periods out of each day – a few minutes at a stretch – to simply sit: be with God and with ourselves. We do not have to pray formally at such times. We do want to insure, however, a mindfulness of God’s presence, and that our hearts remain still. Don’t look ahead anticipating the football game on television later that night or the next day’s business meeting. Don’t look back, wondering if this morning we should have given our neighbor different advice, or if last week’s car purchase was a smart investment. And do not let the ring of the doorbell or of our cell phones take us “out of the moment.”

If we are faithful to this daily routine, over the course of several months another world gradually opens up. During those short breaks anxiety dissipates as we let “the past be the past” while refusing to allow concerns about the future influence our thoughts. We simply allow the depth of time, the meaning of each second, reveal itself.

It is necessary, as well, to prioritize individuals and situations placed before us, here and now. People sometimes flit or dart through life, like butterflies, bouncing quickly from task to task, one personal encounter to the next, without really taking stock of where they are at, or who they are with. It is important, therefore, to pause periodically during the day, perceive the inherent worth of others, the value of their ideas, approach any job immediately at hand as something worthy of our complete attention for the glory of God. [6]

We admire individuals who are able to make us feel as though we are the only person in the room.  Learning the secret of that approach as a sincere gesture of respect – not simply as an act of salesmanship – will help believers to “live in the moment,” give to them a more intense appreciation of time itself. 

When our Lord gives directives such as, “Do not be anxious about life,” He knows what He is talking about. He anticipates all objections and justifications. We can expect the full meaning of such words to escape us initially, especially when our daily experience is just the opposite: we worry, we are anxious, we seem addicted to worry. It takes a while to understand and appreciate the blessings of God, including the gift of time, to learn the potential for each moment offered by Creator. May we be open to such lessons.

[1] National Institute of Health; Forbes Health.

[2] Matthew 6:25.

[3] Anthony Bloom, Beginning to Pray (Paulist Press, Mahwah, NJ 1970), p. 83.

[4] Luke 12:13-21.

[5] Bloom, pp. 83-85.

[6] Bloom, pp. 85-89.

The Final Meaning of Religion

In his first publication entitled Orthodox Christian Teaching, Archbishop Dmitri laments the fact that contemporary thought is increasingly indifferent to the existence of spiritual truth: Who is God? Who is Christ? Can we know Him?  His Eminence explains that there seems to be little interest in exploring such all important questions:

“While one of man’s chief preoccupations throughout history has been the acquisition of knowledge about the Primary Cause, who made the world and us, and about the destiny of man, popular thought in our time tends to regard this fundamental drive of mankind as of little value, and to turn its attention to “making a better life” for men here and now…It is becoming more and more popular to say, “I believe in a god, but I don’t know anything about him,” or “There must be something above and beyond the reality of everyday life, but there is no proof for it as far as I am concerned, so I don’t worry about it” (OCA Department of Religious Education, 1980, p. 9).

People are skeptical about Man’s ability to receive and know truth. A spirit of skepticism, of relativism has crept even into Christianity. “The truth” has become essentially whatever one wishes it to be, “whatever works for you.” The value of religion itself is often viewed as unrelated to truth, reduced solely to positive feelings, social activism, charitable efforts and the like.

Those unhappy with such reductions, often and unfortunately, take an exaggerated, opposite stance. While their legalism is meant as a counterbalance to the skeptics, and to those who would water down the Gospel, their message – void of spirit and compassion – tends to fall flat.

The propagation of truth, however, has always been a matter of balance, of “speaking the truth in love,” according to the Apostle (Ephesians 4:15). Truth lies at the heart of the Faith which bears witness to Christ, truth and love incarnate: “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

Professor Nicholas Arseniev, in his book Revelation of Life Eternal: An Introduction to the Christian Message, speaks of truth, of the value of religion from an Orthodox perspective. He addresses the questions: “Why is religion necessary?”  “What is the true sense of religion?” and “Why ought we to believe in God?” (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, Crestwood, New York, 1982, pp. 7-8)

Arseniev starts by offering “pragmatic” responses, commonly held beliefs that are acceptable and right:

(1) Faith in God has always provided comfort in times of sorrow.

(2) Religion has inspired Man with heroic and selfless acts, with a power of self-dedication and sacrifice.

(3) Faith unlocks a creative force within Man, provides a vision of authentic beauty.

(4) Religious convictions have been the dynamic center of human culture and achievements for centuries.

(5) Religion has also inspired incomparable works of art; it has led men to seek justice for the oppressed, and provide hope for the hopeless.

While all of this is undeniable and worthy of exaltation, Arseniev states that none of it actually, “proves the case for religion, for why we should believe.” From the traditional Christian point of view, there is only one decisive claim which religion can make:  that it bears witness to truth.

All that has been mentioned as reasons to believe in God, as arguments for the necessity of faith, they all find their final meaning in spiritual truth, in the existence of a Divine Reality which provides inspiration and ultimate worth to all human endeavors.

Thus, the importance, the central place of theology in Church history. Christian theology is not merely the study of God, Father, Son and Spirit. It is Man’s attempt to find words – inspired words – adequate to the revelation of truth as given by Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

When Man discovers such truth about God, he then discovers the truth about himself: why, for instance, do people possess inherent needs to create, to explore, to have personal relationships, to look beyond themselves toward a Higher Reality, which if nothing else they can feel within their hearts? These human tendencies point to the existence of a loving Creator, for Whom the world was made, Whose image resides in Man.

The Saints bore witness to these claims, even if many of them were not what we would call academic theologians.  Nevertheless, they were able to see value and worth beyond their own religious confines, something with which more dogmatically minded Christians often have difficulty. The Saints knew that in each Faith – Christian or not – there were kernels, hints of truth: distortions perhaps, but present nonetheless. Their understanding of the Faith led God’s holy ones to approach others with open hearts, not with a spirit of judgement or condemnation. It allowed them to see the good, to see potential, wherever it may have been:  starting points for discussions and conversions.

The Apostle Paul himself was quite discerning as he addressed the men of Athens. He was sensitive to local customs, measured in his teaching, and in the process gained a number of followers: “I perceive in every way that you are very religious…I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you…some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman called Damaris and others with them” (See Acts 17:22-34).

With that in mind, let us conclude with words of St. Paul to the Philippians, a favorite passage for many Christians: “Brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things:  What you have learned, received, heard and seen in me, do these things; and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).   (An edited sermon from an All-Saints Sunday at St. Barbara Orthodox Church)

Summary of Paschal Services

Christ is Risen!

Please forgive the lack of specific names. The work accomplished Holy Week and Pascha was indeed a team effort, and there are far too many people to remember for whom we are most grateful.

HIGH SPIRITS, INCLEMENT WEATHER:

Rain, thunder and brilliant displays of lightning led to a smaller than normal gathering for the midnight service, late May 4 and very early May 5.  The crowd was similar in size to a good Sunday attendance. We welcomed, though, a number of visitors along with old friends who braved the elements for “the feast of feasts.”  As someone pointed out, spirits were high during the Resurrection celebration despite the threats from “mother nature.” 

One newcomer teared up during much of the service.  Listening to Paschal hymns, she fondly remembered “days gone by” at her former out of state Orthodox parish.  Several people declared their desire to learn more about, and/or to begin an official program of study to enter the Orthodox Church. The Power of Pascha is indeed great, touching the hearts of everyone.

The choir did an outstanding job, as they had done throughout Lent and Holy Week.  Their enthusiasm was contagious.  They sang the beloved hymns of Pascha with both beauty and energy. We look forward to many “Christ is Risen’s” during the next forty days.

Altar servers, tomb and lighting crews did amazingly well, adapting seamlessly to Plan B, as we call it:  i.e., Indoor Processional Procedures used during inclement weather.  With their assistance, as “Thy Resurrection” was being sung and candles lit in a dark Church, the tomb itself seemed to disappear miraculously.  The Gospel of the Resurrection was then chanted (Matthew chapter 28), the start of Paschal Matins was intoned, followed by “Christ is Risen’s.” Lights throughout the building were suddenly aglow and constant hymns of festal joy were heard: i.e., the Canon, the Praises, as well as the traditional catechetical sermon of St. John Chrysostom.  All without ever leaving the protective confines of the temple.

Our resident photographer made his way stealthily throughout the entire celebration. We anxiously await the results of his efforts. 

Greeters and security team members had an active night, welcoming members at their cars with umbrellas, carrying in heavy crockpots, and speaking with late night pedestrian passerby’s who wondered – were somewhat confused – at the sight of such activity at 11:15 pm.

Medical team members, fortunately, had an uneventful night but were on hand and ready for any serious health complications.  Much appreciation to all. 

LITURGY and AGAPE MEAL:

The Paschal Liturgy began at approximated 1:00 am with special festal antiphons. The Epistle from Acts was read (Acts 1:1-8), followed by the main Gospel of the feast (John 1:1-17). This was chanted in English, then Russian, Galic, Ukrainian, Georgian and Spanish.  We appreciated our readers lending their talents and voices.

The Creed was sung with notable gusto, followed by the consecration of the gifts, and the singing of the much beloved, “The Angel Cried…” During the priest’s communion further Paschal hymns were sung.  The Liturgy ended at around 2:30 am with a final dismissal prayer.  Paschal greetings were exchanged, food and Paschal baskets were blessed. 

The highly anticipated Agape Meal featured a very nice selection of delicious salads and sides, with a wide array of meats, cheeses, creamy desserts, beverages and additional delicacies.  We are very grateful to members and friends who brought food and drink in abundance for “the feast of feasts,” as well as to those who helped with set-up and clean-up before and after the meal.  

A stalwart cleaning crew met on Holy Tuesday morning for a final cleaning of the Church prior to Pascha. The temple always looks and smells quite nice following their efforts.  Florals and other decorations were beautifully prepared then put into place on Holy Friday and Holy Saturday afternoon, following the Burial Vespers and the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil. 

PASCHAL VESPERS:

When all was said and done, the last individuals left St. Barbara’s at about 5:00 am Sunday morning. Some grabbed a good 3 or 4 hours of sleep before returning for the 12 noon Paschal Hours and Vespers. A great way to start Bright Week.

Each year we enjoy a different crowd for Sunday Vespers. This year the Vesper group was a diverse mix of both members and visitors.  An extension of the Agape Meal was served from the kitchen counter – more or less family style – after the singing of “Christ is Risen” and a blessing. 

Good discussions and fellowship ensued, followed by clean-up and final greetings.  The last individuals departed at about 4:00 pm, anticipating the Paschal services this coming week.

THANK YOU’S:

Once again, we express our sincere appreciation to all, and apologize if we forgot to mention any hardworking groups.  Heads are still reeling with Paschal joy.  To those unable to be with us, your presence was missed and we hope to see you in the days ahead.  Christ is Risen!

The Theatre of Worship? Anticipating Palm Sunday and Pascha

A prominent feature of the main Paschal service is the outdoor midnight procession. The faithful sing repeatedly, “Thy Resurrection, O Christ our Savior…,” while circling the Church three times. Some have described this procession as “a dramatic liturgical reminder” of the myrrh-bearing women coming to Christ’s tomb very early in the morning.

A similar approach to religious symbolism is used to explain particulars of Palm Sunday, especially in non-Orthodox communities. Tree branches, processions, donkeys, men dressed as centurions on horses, and shouts of “Hosanna,” are said to portray – recreate – the Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

Orthodox Church services, however, are not theatre, in spite of what some call “the pageantry of liturgy.” Believers, on occasion, may certainly participate in religious plays conducted outdoors, in parish halls or auditoriums for entertainment and educational purposes. In their worship, however, the faithful never pretend to be something or someone they are not. Icons, processions, hymns, festal decor and the like, these are not simply vivid reminders of history. Neither are they used to help congregants “get a feel” for what things must have been like in Jesus’s day. Instead, such symbols indicate the power of the unseen in our midst, our participation – here and now – in the works of the Lord, accomplished centuries ago for the salvation of all.

Thus, each Spring, we recall that Pascha was the time in the early Church for receiving catechumens into the Faith.  After their immersion in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which took place typically in a lake, stream or baptistry, the newly illumined would walk in procession to the Church for their first experience of the Paschal Divine Liturgy.

In our day, the midnight procession can indeed serve the same purpose for those received into the Faith at Easter. For most Orthodox Christians, however, it is a beautiful reaffirmation of their personal participation in the death and resurrection of Christ.  It recalls the triple procession around the fount at their own baptism years ago and is, therefore, a point of rededication, a forward movement circling the House of God, indicating a desire to advance in the Faith.  

The timing of the procession – the stroke of 12:00 – in the dark of night, the faithful returning minutes later to a brilliantly lit Church, makes strikingly clear the ongoing battle in this world between the powers of good and evil, the dark forces that led to our Lord’s crucifixion, followed by His glorious victory over Satan.  It serves to highlight Jesus’s words, “the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:5), and the words of St. Gregory the Theologian who referred to Pascha as, “the night that is brighter than any day.”  We also recall the Parable of the Maidens, referenced at Matins during Holy Week, “Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is he whom He shall find watching, and again, unworthy is the one whom He shall find heedless” (Matthew 25:1-13).

The meaning of Palm Sunday for modern Christians is affirmed with equal strength throughout the liturgy.  A week prior to Pascha we celebrate the presence of an eternal Kingdom, revealed on this day in the Person of Christ, as He entered the Holy City, riding on “the foal of an ass.”  We stand with branches in hand during the services and, “commemorate this event with exactly the same joy as those who greeted Jesus, as if we ourselves were standing on the street of Jerusalem, waiting, welcoming, exulting and repeating the very same words…” (Fr. Alexander Schmemann). And yet, we are not those people, but the presence of the Lord – His Kingdom – is every bit as real for us in 2024, as it was for them in 33 A.D. 

So, we take the Palms each year, and mindful of the past we raise them high in the air, decorate our Churches and make processions, celebrating the meaning – today – of these colorful rituals. “(As we experience) once again the thunder of that royal Hosanna, we say to ourselves and to the world:  Christ’s Kingdom lives. The Kingdom that shone so brightly on that day in Jerusalem has not died, it has not perished, it has not disappeared from the face of the earth. We say to God (here and now) “You are the one Lord, You are our only King; we know and believe and affirm that this Kingdom of Your love will be victorious over sin, evil and death.  The joy of this faith no one can take from us, even if others put all their hope in power and violence, even if their only belief is in bullets, prisons, terror and torture.  No, this kingdom of violence, evil and lies will not stand. It will collapse, as every previous kingdom has collapsed, as every previous tyrant has vanished. But Your Kingdom, Lord, will remain.  And the time will come when with Your love You will wipe every tear from our eyes, dissolve every sorrow in Your joy, and fill the world You created with the light of immortality” (Fr. Alexander Schmemann).

So, as Orthodox Christians enter the latter days of Lent, approaching Holy Week with the special hymns, rites, symbols, decorations, dimly lit chapels giving way to the light of victory on Pascha night, the eternal, and eternally relevant meaning of all this has to be remembered, and thus, entered into.  How often have people mistakenly likened our Church, our Faith, to a museum of beautiful relics, ancient rituals, interesting artifacts and teachings having little significance for modern man. Orthodox Christians themselves are sometimes guilty – unconsciously – of describing Orthodoxy in these terms. Well-meaning “Church tours,” for instance, can give such impressions as the glories of the past are enthusiastically described. Centuries old architecture, hymnography, styles of music, vestments and icons are explained in detail – symbolically – without relevance for the present, without application given for our present-day world. 

The power of the Faith, however, lies in the ability of believers to make clear the contemporary meaning of all that we do and teach. The past is brought into the present while anticipating the Kingdom to come, already given in the Person of Christ.

Let’s recall that on Palm Sunday we will sing, “Like the children with the palms of victory, we cry out to Thee (now) O Vanquisher of death: Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord.”  And on Pascha night, “Thy Resurrection, O Christ our Savior, the angels in Heaven sing, enable us on earth (now) to glorify Thee in purity of heart.”  The continual dwelling in our midst of Christ the King – and our faithful response – remains the constant experience of Orthodox Christians, the ultimate relevance and power of our beautiful and colorful worship.

(Quotes herein are taken from, Celebration of Faith:  Sermons, Volume 2: The Church Year, by Fr. Alexander Schmemann and published by St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary Press.)