Paschal (Resurrection) Season: 2018

Introduction and Bright Week

The week following Pascha (Easter), is called Bright Week, by the Church. Pascha is celebrated this year by the Orthodox Church on April 8, one week after Christians of the Western Tradition. As Holy Week was a final time of anticipation and preparation for “the Feast of Feasts,” so Bright Week is a period of unique Resurrection joy, manifested outwardly in diverse ways. For instance, during Bright Week there is no fasting at all from various types of food; all liturgical hymns, ideally, are to be sung rather than read; and the Church remains highly decorated, with the royal doors and deacon’s doors of the iconostasis left open as they were during the Midnight Service. This latter practice emphasizes visually that the gates of God’s Kingdom have been open to man through the Cross, Tomb and Resurrection of Christ. Services during Bright Week are celebrated in a particularly glorious manner, identical to that experienced during the Midnight Service and Resurrection Vespers on Pascha Sunday. The traditional announcement, “Christ is Risen,” is sung repeatedly by the Church choir, and people greet one another with this same message of hope.

While Bright Week is a time of profound, perhaps uncommon celebration, the Resurrection season is not limited to one week. For forty days, until Ascension (this year May 17), the faithful recall in songs and greetings the joyous news that ‘Christ has trampled down death by death, bestowing life upon those in the tombs.’ Clergy and altar servers continue to wear their brightest vestments, and everyone stands (rather than kneels) in prayer, both at home and in Church. The practice of standing in prayer during the Paschal Season serves to stress our belief that in Christ we are already resurrected beings, residents on earth yet citizens of Heaven. The faithful continue this practice until Pentecost (this year May 27), when after Liturgy for the first time since Holy Week we kneel in prayer during three special prayers that are read from the ambo by the clergy.

The five Sundays following Pascha emphasize, through the appointed Scripture readings and hymns, (1.) post-resurrection appearances of Christ; (2.) the Church’s early life and missionary endeavors (epistle readings are taken from the Book of Acts); and (3.) aspects of baptism, through which we ourselves have died and risen with Christ to a new life in God (Gospel readings are taken from the most “sacramental” of Gospel accounts, that of John the Theologian or Evangelist). Fr. Thomas Hopko (of blessed memory) in his Orthodox Faith Handbook Series, Volume II, provides a summary of the meaning of the five Sundays of Pascha. The following contains quotes and paraphrases from that summary.       

Thomas Sunday (April 15):

On the Sunday following Pascha, called in our liturgical books “the Second Sunday,” the stress is on the Apostle Thomas’ vision of Christ.  The significance of the day comes to us in the words of the Gospel: 

“Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands;  and put out your hand, and place it in My side;  do not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and My God!”  Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”  (John 20:27-29).

In this last statement Christ refers to all those who will come after the Apostles and become disciples through their words. This includes Christians of every century, including our own.  We have not seen Christ with our physical eyes, nor touched His risen body with our physical hands, yet in the Holy Spirit we have seen and touched and tasted the Word of Life (1 John 1:1-4), and so we believe.  In the early Church it was only on this day that those baptized at Pascha removed their (baptismal) robes and entered once again into the life of this world.   

The Myrrhbearing Women (April 22)

The Third Sunday after Pascha is dedicated to the Myrrhbearing Women who cared for the body of the Savior at His death and who were the first witnesses of His Resurrection.  The three troparia of Holy Friday, (having to do with the Noble Joseph of Arimethea anointing and burying the Body of Jesus;  Christ’s descent into hell and its defeat;  and the angel’s proclamation to the myrrhbearing women of Christ’s resurrection) are sung once again and form the theme of the day:

     "The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure body from the Tree, wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb."

      "When Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal, Thou didst slay hell with the splendor of Thy Godhead."

      "The angel came to the myrrhbearing women at the tomb and said: Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption! So proclaim: The Lord is risen, granting the world great mercy."

The Paralytic (April 29)

The Fourth Sunday is dedicated to Christ’s healing of the Paralytic (John 5).  The man is healed by Christ while waiting to be put down into the pool of water.  Through baptism in the church we too are healed and saved by Christ for eternal life.  Thus, in the church, we are told, together with the paralytic, to “sin no more that nothing worse befall you” (John 5:14).  Our Lord’s question to the man, “Do you want to be healed?” is directed to us as well, reminding us that the gift of life and illumination through the Resurrection brings with it responsibilities.  It must be nurtured and shared with others. 

The Feast of Mid-Pentecost

In the middle of the Fourth Week, there is a day which is called by the Church, the Feast of Mid-Pentecost (this year May 2).  On this day we recall that Christ, “in the middle of the feast” teaches men of His saving mission and offers to all “the waters of immortality” (John 7:14).  Again we are reminded of the Master’s presence and His saving promise:  “If anyone is thirsty let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37).

The Samaritan Woman (May 6)

The Fifth Sunday after Pascha deals with the Woman of Samaria with whom Christ spoke at Jacob’s Well (John 4).  Again the theme is the “living water” and the recognition of Jesus as God’s Messiah (John 4: 10-11; 25-26).  We are reminded of our new life in Him, of our own drinking of the “living water,” of our own true worship of God in the Christian Messianic Age “in Spirit and in Truth” (John 4: 23-24).  We see as well that salvation is offered to all:  Jews and Gentiles, men and women, saints and sinners.

The Blind Man (May 13)

Finally, the Sixth Sunday commemorates the healing of the man blind from birth (John 9).  We are identified with that man who came to see and to believe in Jesus as the Son of God.  The Lord has anointed our eyes with His own divine hands and washed them with the waters of baptism (John 9: 6-11).  In Christ we are given the power to see and confess Him as God’s only-begotten Son, and we are given the ability to comprehend clearly and with love, our own lives, the lives of others and the world around us.

Ascension, Pentecost and All Saints Sunday

The Paschal Season ends with the great feast of Ascension (again, this year May 17) on which believers celebrate the Lord’s ascent in order to be glorified with God the Father and to glorify us with Himself.  He goes in order to “prepare a place” for us, and to take us into the blessedness of God’s presence.  He goes to open the way for all flesh into the “heavenly sanctuary...the Holy Place not made by hands” (See Hebrews 8-10).  Furthermore, Christ ascends in order to send the Holy Spirit (an event celebrated on Pentecost) who proceeds from the Father, to bear witness to Him (Christ) and His Gospel in the world, by making Him (Christ) powerfully present in the lives of His disciples.

On Pentecost (May 27) the Church celebrates the final act of God’s self-revelation and self-donation to the world.  God’s plan of salvation – starting with and including the formation of His chosen people, Israel; the sending of the prophets; the birth of Christ; His teachings, miracles, sufferings, death, burial and resurrection – all of this culminates with the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and the birth of the New Israel, the Church of God, the life of which is the continued presence of the Spirit in our midst.

The Sunday after Pentecost, that of All Saints  (June 3), reveals the power of the Holy Spirit in this world, the reason that He was given.  The Saints are those who, without a doubt, have been saved and transformed by the Spirit’s presence, a fate open to all who believe.  And then finally, on June 10, we commemorate All Saints of America, as a logical follow up to the previous Sunday.  This celebration affirms God’s presence and activity amongst His disciples in North America, placing before us local and contemporary examples of sanctity.    

Thus, a journey which began for us way back on January 21 with the Sunday of Zacchaeus will end on June 10.  But the journey was taken for a reason.  The seasons of fasting and celebration that we have experienced are to lead us to a deeper faith in Christ as Savior.  They are to instill within us a stronger commitment to our own mission, to be Christ’s witnesses “to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

(Some of the above information taken from Fr. Thomas Hopko’s, The Orthodox Faith, Volume 2, Worship, published by the O.C.A.’s Department of Christian Education)

Personal Reflections: Early St. Seraphim Cathedral, Paschal Traditions and Outreach

Growing up in a Southern Orthodox community – St. Seraphim Cathedral – had its challenges as well as distinct advantages.  To be sure our membership did not have social and educational resources provided for in other congregations by generous budgets.  Neither did it possess the benefits of spacious facilities enjoyed by larger Churches:  in fact, quite the contrary.  The Cathedral’s initial building in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s was a converted, one story, four room, wood frame home.  The community itself boasted a membership numbering just a handful of families and single adults. Later the small converted home became exclusively the fellowship hall, when the community built a modest, insulated sheet metal chapel.  Eventually the membership grew and the current two-story St. Seraphim hall was constructed in the early 1970’s. The new temple enjoyed today by the Dallas congregation was consecrated in April of 2001. 

As a youngster, however, I never felt that our parish – given its modest size – was deprived of anything.  The Church was our home, our spiritual family, and that experience which revolved around the liturgical life of Orthodoxy, made early St. Seraphim’s seem ten times larger than it was.  Our considerable resources resided primarily in the hearts of the people whose faith, work ethic and comradery left a lasting impression on many. I consider myself extremely fortunate – blessed – to have grown up in a family oriented, close-knit Orthodox parish, with serious-minded clergy, as well as lay elders (men and women) who led by example.  Pre-eminently of course, the presence and prayers of Archbishop Dmitri were a considerable help and inspiration, from St. Seraphim’s start in 1954 until His Eminence’s repose in 2011. 

Being an Orthodox Christian in the Bible Belt forced a person to learn the fundamental precepts of his or her Faith – even as a child – so that an intelligible answer could be given to the question, “What is the Orthodox Church?”  Addressing that question and speaking with others about the Church was something one came to expect.  The idea of local missions and outreach was taken for granted by our parishioners.  Conversions and baptisms were common experiences. Ours was an English speaking but multi-ethnic community, with cradle Orthodox as well as converts from various backgrounds, a congregation which enjoyed the company of inquirers regularly at liturgical services.  

As a child and young teen, I was occasionally confronted with religious differences both at school and around my neighborhood.  If nothing else I was asked by friends about “this Church to which I belonged” that had services on Saturday night, and for unheard of feasts; this Church that celebrated Easter on a different date than everyone else.  In those days Western Good Friday was a school holiday, but I was always allowed an extra day off for Orthodox Good Friday, a “perk” that made my non-Orthodox friends somewhat envious. As a matter of fact, one of my neighbors accompanied us yearly to the midnight Paschal Service to check out and enjoy differences in Easter traditions for himself.  It was his only regular exposure to Orthodox worship, but needless to say he found it fascinating. His family belonged to a local Protestant Church so our ways of celebrating Pascha stood in stark relief to Easter customs with which my friend was familiar: i.e. the Orthodox tradition of singing “Christ is Risen” repeatedly; the reading of the Gospel in various languages; the Paschal procession around the Church; the contrast between a totally dark, then brilliantly lit temple upon re-entering the building;  the inspiring sermon of St. John Chrysostom;  the blessing of Paschal baskets with rich foods not eaten during Lent; getting home at sunrise after three hours of worship and three hours of fellowship, and so forth. Yes, as youngsters we were a little tired on Bright Monday when we returned to school, but our fatigue was like a badge of honor: we had been through something uniquely special that weekend (not to mention that entire Holy Week) and we felt better for having experienced it.      

Even though sharing Orthodoxy with others was part of our experience early on, it was not until later that I personally became aware of the profound significance of this sharing.  Although relatively small in the 50’s and 60’s, given the Cathedral’s diverse cultural makeup and the example set by leaders, it just seemed natural – the thing to do – to speak about Orthodox Christianity with others and to welcome people into the fold, even young friends curious at first about the differences between Orthodoxy and their respective Churches.

I specifically offer at this time of year, these youthful recollections – partly out of nostalgia – but primarily as reminders of the importance of the sense of community for parish development.  This emphasis is especially significant now, as we experience the rich traditions of the Lenten and the Paschal seasons, through which the messages of brotherly love, forgiveness and unity are repeatedly stressed.  On Pascha night for example, we will sing, “Let us call brothers even those who hate us, and forgive all, by the Resurrection…”  I also wish to encourage adult members of the Church to lead always by example as we encounter Christ, the very Image (Icon) of compassion and mercy, through Orthodoxy’s profound sacramental, liturgical life. 

As we all know, Orthodox Christians residing in Texas find themselves in an area where the Orthodox Church is relatively unknown and sometimes misunderstood.  Our children are certain to be asked religious questions and will have to respond to these inquiries to the degree that they understand the Faith, and in ways that are consistent with their respective ages and activity in Church life. The hope would be with our young ones, that their identity as Orthodox Christians, their love for the Faith attained through the experience of community, the “badge of honor” referenced earlier, acquired through Lenten and Holy Week efforts, that these will be so ingrained in their minds and hearts from little on, that they will be delighted to ask others to “come and see;” that the distinct character of their “religion” will be cherished and something they will want to share.  At the same time, we adults must also try to embrace the challenges, both to foster a sense of Church family, and to make disciples of those around us, remembering that we are responsible for passing on the Orthodox Christian Faith to future generations.  In a very real way however, it all begins now, with this Lenten season of repentance, of rededication and renewal.    

Orthodox Holy Week 2018

St. Barbara Orthodox Christian Church
(March 31 – April 8)

On Saturday, March 31, Orthodox Christians will begin observing the most solemn of Days leading up to the celebration of Pascha on April 8:  Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday and Holy Week.  These nine days are specifically set aside –  consecrated – by the Church to commemorate the final and decisive events in the Lord’s earthly life.  Traditionally, during this time, Christians make an effort to “lay aside all earthly cares,” in order to devote themselves to contemplating the central Mysteries of the Faith:  the Cross, the Tomb and the Resurrection of Christ.  So significant is this period that some have stressed that during Holy Week “time seems to stand still or earthly life ceases for the faithful, as they go up with the Lord to Jerusalem” (Fr. Thomas Hopko).  May we all look upon the days ahead as sacred, dedicated to our Lord.

Lazarus Saturday & Palm Sunday (March 31 & April 1)

These two days form a double feast, anticipating the joy of Pascha.  At the grave of His friend Lazarus, Christ encounters “the last enemy,” death (1 Cor. 15:26).  By raising Lazarus, Christ foreshadows His own decisive victory over death, and the universal resurrection granted to all mankind. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, “riding on the colt of an ass,” in fulfillment of a prophecy from Zechariah (9:9).   On this occasion our Lord allows the people to greet Him as a Ruler, the only time during His earthly ministry when this occurs.  Christ is indeed the King of Israel, but He comes to reveal and open to mankind His Heavenly Kingdom.  We hold branches of palms and pussy willows of our own on Palm Sunday, greeting Christ as the Lord and Master of our lives. 

Liturgical services for these two days will be celebrated on Saturday morning at 10:00 am, Saturday evening at 6:30 pm, and Sunday morning at 10:00 am.  Palms will be blessed on Saturday night, the eve of Palm Sunday.

Great  &  Holy  Monday,  Tuesday  &  Wednesday  (April  2 – April 4)

Having just experienced a foretaste of Pascha we now enter the darkness of Holy Week.  The first three days stress the End Times, the Judgment, and the continual need for vigilance.  They point to the fact that when the world condemned its Maker, it condemned itself, “Now is the judgment of this world” (John 12:31).  They remind us that the world’s rejection of Christ reflects our own rejection of Him, inasmuch as we sin and accept the worldview of those who shouted, “Away with Him, crucify Him!”  Central to the services for these days are the Gospel readings, and the hymns which comment on these lessons.  Among the chief hymns are the Exapostilarion, “Thy Bridal Chamber, I see adorned….,” and the following troparion sung during Matins as the Church is being censed:  “Behold!  The Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching:  and again, unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep, lest you be given up to death, and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom.  But rouse yourself, crying: “Holy! Holy! Holy! art Thou, O our God.  Through the Theotokos, have mercy on us!”  (Troparion)

Liturgical services for these three days will be celebrated at 7:00 pm.

Great & Holy Thursday (April 5)

During the Matins Service or the Service of the 12 Passion Gospels on Holy Thursday night we “accompany Christ, step by step, from the time of His last discourse with His disciples to His being laid in a new tomb by Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus.  Each of the 12 Gospel sections read during the evening service involves us in a new scene:  the arrest of Jesus; His trial; the threefold denial of St. Peter; the scourging and the mockings by the soldiers; the carrying of the Cross; the Crucifixion; the opposing fates of the two thieves; the loving tenderness of the moment when Jesus commits His Mother to the care of His faithful disciple, John;  and the Lord’s final yielding up of the spirit and burial” (Fr. Paul Lazor). The liturgical hymnography for that night comments on the Gospel readings and gives the response of the Church to these events in the life of Christ.  During this service the faithful hold lit candles during the Gospel lessons while kneeling, and in large parishes Church bells are rung before each reading: once for the first reading, twice for the second, and so on.

The Matins Service at St. Barbara’s on Holy Thursday will be at 7:00 pm.

Great  &  Holy  Friday  (April 6)

On the one hand, this is the most solemn of days, the day of Christ’s Passion, His Death and Burial.  On this day the Church invites us, as we kneel before the tomb of Christ, to realize the awful reality and power of sin and evil in “this world,” and in our own lives as well.   It is this power that led ultimately to “the sin of all sins, the crime of all crimes” the total rejection and murder of God Himself (Fr. Alexander Schmemann).

On the other hand, the Church affirms that this day of evil is also the day of redemption.  “The death of Christ is revealed to us as a saving death, an offering of love” (Fr. Alexander Schmemann).  Holy Friday is the beginning of the Lord’s Pascha, for the One Who is raised, is the One Who is crucified for us and for our salvation.  “By death Christ tramples down death…”  Thus the tomb of Christ, placed in the center of the Church, is lavishly adorned with flowers, for from the tomb comes life.

Liturgical services for Holy Friday will take place at 2:00 pm and at 7:00 pm.

The afternoon service is often referred to as “Burial Vespers.”  During its celebration the final events in the life of Christ are brought to mind through the scripture readings and the hymnography.  At the conclusion of Vespers the faithful kneel and the choir sings, in a very slow manner, the troparia for the day which speak of Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus burying the Body of Jesus; and the angel’s announcement to the Myrrhbearing Women that, “Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption.”   As these words are heard the clergy and servers make a procession around the tomb with the “winding sheet” on which is an icon of the crucified Lord. This winding sheet is placed on top of the tomb and venerated by the faithful.

On Friday night a Matins service is celebrated during which the people sing hymns and lamentations in front of Christ’s tomb.  We hear about how, “hell trembles while Life lies in the tomb, giving life to those who lie dead in the tombs.”  We also begin to hear announcements and foreshadowings of the Resurrection in both the scripture readings and hymns.  In fact, the Alleluia verses chanted after the Epistle reading are the same Resurrectional verses from Psalm 68 chanted by the clergy on Pascha night:  “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, let those who hate Him flee from before His face..” (etc.)

Great & Holy Saturday (April 7)

On the morning of this day, at 9:00 am, we will celebrate the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil.  This service “inaugurates the Paschal celebration…”  On ‘Lord I Call Upon Thee’ certain Sunday Resurrection hymns are sung, followed by special verses for Holy Saturday which stress the Death of Christ as the descent into Hades, the region of death, for its destruction.

"A pivotal point of the service occurs after the Entrance, when fifteen Old Testament lessons are read, all centered on the promise of the Resurrection, all glorifying the ultimate Victory of God…The epistle lesson is that which is read at Baptisms (Romans 6:3-11), referring to Christ’s Death and Resurrection as the source of the death in us of the “old man,” and the resurrection of the new man, whose life is in the Risen Lord  (Here we must remember that Pascha has always been the most traditional time for Baptisms of catechumens).  During the verses immediately after the epistle reading the dark Lenten vestments and altar coverings are put aside and the clergy vest in their brightest robes.  An announcement of the Resurrection is then read from the last chapter of St. Matthew”s Gospel.   The Liturgy of St. Basil continues in this white and joyful light, revealing the Tomb of Christ as the Life-giving Tomb, introducing us into the ultimate reality of Christ’s Resurrection, communicating His life to us…”  (Fr. Schmemann). 

It should be noted that on Great and Holy Saturday every major act of the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil takes place in front of the Tomb, or processes around it:  the Small Entrance; the 15 Old Testament readings;  the Epistle and Gospel readings;  the Great Entrance;  the distribution of Holy Communion;  and the final dismissal prayer. 

Pascha (April 8)

The Main Resurrection service will begin at 11:30 pm on Saturday night (We ask that everyone try to arrive at least 15 minutes early, those with food even earlier, so that we can begin the service promptly with all lights out in the Church).  This particular service is actually comprised of three services, celebrated together, one after another:  Nocturnes, Matins and the Divine Liturgy.  The entire round of services ends around 2:30 am on Sunday morning and is followed by the blessing of Pascha baskets and the Agape Meal, at which we enjoy fellowship and partake of many non-lenten foods.

Special features of the Midnight Service include:  Nocturnes (11:30 pm to 12:00 midnight) celebrated in total darkness with only one light for the choir, followed by a triple procession around the outside of the Church, a Resurrection Gospel reading and the first announcement of, “Christ is Risen!”  The Paschal Matins then begins during which the Church is brightly lit and the faithful sing of Christ’s Resurrection in a very joyous manner. Near the end of Matins the Paschal Catechetical Sermon of St. John Chrysostom is read.  During the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom the Gospel from the Prologue of St. John’s Gospel is chanted in several languages, symbolic of the universal character of the Christian Faith.  Immediately after the service food for the Agape Meal is blessed, as well as Pascha (Easter) baskets full of non-fasting foods.

On Sunday afternoon, April 8, at 12:00 noon, we return to the Church to celebrate Resurrection Vespers during which we hear a Gospel reading and more hymns of Christ’s Resurrection.  A continuation of the Agape Meal will be enjoyed after Vespers.

Bright Week (April 9 – April 14)

The week immediately after Pascha is an extended celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection.  Although we enjoy a 40 day Paschal season, the services of Bright Week are uniquely joyous, reflecting the specific tone and spirit of Pascha night.  Divine Liturgies and Vespers celebrated during this time are very similar to those of April 8.  There is, as well, no fasting during Bright Week.  We look forward to celebrating Pascha with all of our Church members and friends.  Once again, we encourage everyone to set aside the days ahead as sacred, dedicated to our Lord.

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

Christian Freedom: A Daunting Gift and Its Implications for Lent

Freedom in Christ is both a glorious and overwhelming experience for believers. On the one hand, they feel a profound sense of gratitude for God’s gift of redemption through His Beloved Son.  Personally however, they know they are incapable of rendering sufficient praise for their release from, “the power of sin and the chains of death.”  Only in and through their Savior may suitable thanksgiving be offered; the faithful approaching God as adopted children in Christ (Ephesians 1: 5).

At the same time, there is an awesome sense of individual responsibility connected with freedom, knowing that those who, “come after Christ, must (willingly) take up their Cross and follow Him” (Matthew 16:24).  But even in this effort, it is understood that nothing may be accomplished without the grace of God which makes all things possible.  As a matter of conscience however, people are free to accept or to outright reject the “narrow path.”  They are free also to abuse their liberties by distorting the Gospel, in efforts to make it more “palatable” for a contemporary audience.  Preserving, living, and conveying the authentic Truth(s) of Christ are daunting tasks facing His disciples in each generation.

Furthermore, in many countries such as the United States, Christians are free politically to openly practice their Faith.  They possess every opportunity to worship, fast, evangelize, construct Churches, visit the sick and imprisoned in the name of Christ, and to take part in classes on Orthodoxy.  There is nothing inhibiting or pressuring them outwardly from living as the Lord wants them to live, from becoming that which He wants them to become.    

Yet, even in the midst of challenging circumstances – where they exist – grace abounds, enabling the faithful to change defeat into victory, and death into life, recalling these words, “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).  Paradoxically, even in the worst of times Christians always experienced a strong inner freedom, and were empowered to live their Faith in all its fullness.  Believers throughout history suffering religious oppression knew that regardless of outward limitations and persecutions, no one could touch their hearts and consciences.  Many of them, becoming confessors and martyrs, experienced firsthand the truth of the Apostle’s words, that, “…neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8: 38-39).

Freedom and Lent:

With the approach of the Great Fast – which begins February 19 – the notion of freedom is key.  We hear on the first Sunday of Lent, commemorating the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the words of St. Philip, “Come and see…”  (John 1).  The Fast starts with an invitation, not a command.  As many have pointed out, “we are called ultimately by the One Who “knocks on the door of our heart;” He does not kick it in.”  The faithful are invited each year during the Fast, to voluntarily deepen their relationship with God, Whose love is revealed through the precious gift of freedom, the opportunity granted to creatures made in His image, to say either “Yes“ or “No” to the Divine Will.  “See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil…choose life, that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying His voice, and cleaving to Him; for that means life to you and length of days…”(Deuteronomy 30: 15, 19-20).

As one theologian wrote: “The orders of a tyrant always evoke deaf resistance.  On the contrary, the Bible emphasizes the multiplicity of God’s appeals and invitations: “Hear, O Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4), “If you wish to be perfect…” (Matthew 19:21), “The king sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding banquet” (Matthew 22:3).  God is the king who makes such an appeal and who waits “in suffering” for the free response of his child(ren).  God’s authority is not an order which is imposed from on high upon us. God’s authority is a secret action, one that takes place within us…His authority is in his being the shining truth of love, and this is evidence one can neither prove nor demonstrate, but which one simply receives, saying with Thomas, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).  (Evdokimov, Paul, “In the World, of the Church,” SVS Press, Crestwood, NY, 2001, p. 222).

The invitation to “Come and see…” will be heard this year on Sunday, February 25.  It extends throughout Lent, encouraging the faithful to participate wholeheartedly in the Church’s “Journey to Pascha,” as the entire Body worldwide prepares itself to meet the Bridegroom, to praise His life-creating death, and to rejoice in His glorious resurrection. 

As Orthodox Christians in a democratic society, we experience blessings of political freedom that many of our forebears in Christ could only dream about.  Believers are indeed free in these United States, to worship, fast, evangelize, construct Churches, visit the sick and imprisoned in the name of Christ, and to take part in classes on Orthodoxy.  Apart from sin and slothfulness of mind there is nothing inhibiting believers – in their own unique circumstances – from advancing in the Faith. We are now being invited to increase freely our practice of the Church’s (the Gospel’s) disciplines in preparation for Holy Week, as characteristic activities marking the path that leads to eternal life.  May we not neglect them, but use them wisely during the upcoming Fast, to experience firsthand the inner freedom granted by Christ to live upright and sober lives in accordance with His Word.

As We Begin 2018

On January 1, Orthodox Christians observe a double feast as part of the grand winter celebration of our Lord’s Epiphany (Theophany), His shining forth unto the world.   

THE LORD’S CIRCUMCISION:

First, the commemoration of Christ’s Circumcision. The Church’s services highlight the fact that as an eight-day old Child, Jesus the Divine Law Giver, allowed Himself to be brought to the Temple in fulfillment of the Law which He Himself had imparted to the people.  He even said at the start of His ministry, "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.” (Matthew 5:17).  Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets by His very appearance, since they pointed to His coming. He fulfilled them as well by perfectly accomplishing all that God’s Law required, including Circumcision.   

Jesus endured this ritualistic cutting of the flesh, to provide the people an example of humility, and of how divine teachings are to be followed faithfully.  Christ's Circumcision bore witness additionally to His complete identification with man, serving to emphasize the reality of the Incarnation; it was not an illusion as some people taught. The Son of God actually took for Himself an authentic humanity. If this were not so, what need would there be for Circumcision? 

“The God of all goodness did not disdain to be circumcised. He offered Himself as a saving sign and an example for us all. He made the Law, and He obeyed His own commands. He fulfilled the words of the Prophets concerning Himself.  He holds the world in His hands, yet is bound in swaddling clothes. Let us glorify Him!” (Lord I Have Called:  Eve of the Feast).

Moreover, Jesus submitted to Circumcision as an indication of things to come.  Circumcision was an Old Testament sign of God's Covenant with His people.  It gave way however, to the mystery of Baptism in the New Testament. Circumcision prefigured Baptism, so that one’s Baptism into Christ is now the sign of entry into a new life, a new Covenant with God.  

In addition to Circumcision, the Lord also received on the eighth-day the Name of Jesus (meaning Savior) as an indication of His overall mission, the work of salvation (Matthew 1:20-25; Philippians 2:9-10). 

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us).  When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:20-25).

ST. BASIL:

The faithful commemorate as well, on January 1, St. Basil the Great or St. Basil of Caesarea (330-379 A.D.).  A fourth century archbishop, theologian, ascetic, and Christian luminary, St. Basil is also remembered as one of the Three Holy Hierarchs on January 30th, together with his friend St. Gregory the Theologian and St. John Chrysostom.  (A large icon of these hierarchs hangs near the front of St. Barbara’s Church opposite the choir). 

A number of Basil’s family members are also venerated as saints:  two brothers, Gregory of Nyssa (January 10) and Peter of Sebaste (January 9), and two sisters, Macrina the Younger (July 19) and Theosebia the deaconess (January 10). Basil’s father and mother, Basil the Elder and Emmelia (May 30), as well as his grandmother Macrina the Elder (January 14) have also been canonized by the Church. The latter helped to raise the future hierarch, and Basil extolled his oldest sister as being his greatest teacher. This holy family serves as a reminder that sanctity is often fostered through community, that saints frequently come in clusters.  A person’s household, local parish and friendships can be sources of spiritual strength when people are focused on, “the one thing needful” (Luke 10:42).         

St. Basil served as a clergyman -- deacon, priest then bishop -- for a total of seventeen years.  Nine years were spent as the ruling hierarch of Caesarea, but during his brief tenure Basil impacted the life of the Church greatly.  He fought as strongly as anyone against the heresy of Arianism, defending the divinity of Christ.  Among his writings is a treatise, On the Holy Spirit, in which he defends as well, the Spirit’s divine nature.

The Church celebrates a Liturgy of St. Basil ten times a year, during the most intense and/or spiritually rich liturgical seasons. The consecration prayers of this Liturgy – longer than those in the Liturgy of St. John – have been described as more penitential.  They also offer expanded supplications for people from all walks of life, as well as a detailed reference to salvation history. Furthermore, St. Basil’s Monastic Rules remain the basis for much of the formal monasticism practiced in the Orthodox Church, as well as in some Eastern Rite Catholic communities.  

Basil’s personal sanctity, faith and insights are extolled by the flock of Christ in her worship.

One hymn for example, likens him to the great ones of both the Old and New Testaments:

“Holy Father Basil, you acquired the virtues of all the saints:  the meekness of Moses, the zeal of Elijah, the faith of Peter, the theology of John.  You cry with Paul the Apostle: “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I do not burn in indignation?” Therefore, as you dwell with them all in heaven, pray that our souls may be saved!” (Aposticha Hymn, Eve of the Feast).

Basil fell asleep in the Lord on January 1st at the age of 49 from natural causes.  Some believe his rigorous asceticism may have contributed to an early repose.  It can be truthfully said however, that in his brief seventeen years as a clergyman – nine as a bishop – St. Basil had about as great an impact on the life of the Church as any hierarch or saint.  His prayers and example continue to guide Christians in every generation.        

FINAL THOUGHTS:    

The commemorations of the Lord’s Circumcision and of St. Basil the Great can be fully appreciated within the greater context of the winter cycle of festivals, starting with the Nativity of Jesus (December 25), including Theophany (January 6), and ending with the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple (February 2).

Commemorating Jesus’s Circumcision under the Law is closely tied to celebrating His appearance to, and identification with the Hebrew race, and through them to all nations. It brings to mind St. Paul’s words, that with the advent of the Messiah members of the New Israel (the Church) experience a circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:29 and Colossians 2:11), a cutting away of the sins of the flesh. They experience a cleansing, a renewal, that was only foreshadowed in the Old Testament, but is made real to us, available in Christ.

In addition, the feast of St. Basil begins a month of special commemorations focusing on some of the Church’s greatest saints:  Seraphim of Sarov (January 2), John the Baptist (January 7), Gregory of Nyssa (January 10), Nina of Georgia (January 14), Anthony the Great (January 17), Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria (January 18), Macarius the Great and Mark of Ephesus (January 19), Maximus the Confessor (January 21), Gregory the Theologian (January 25), and the Hieromartyr Ignatius (January 29), among others.  St. Basil is only one example of diverse expressions of holiness found within sacred history.  Such illustrations for Church members, in the first month of 2018, extend and enrich the great feasts of Christ’s Epiphany: His Birth, Baptism and coming to the Temple, His overall shining forth to the world. The commemorations of great saints in January offer concrete examples of the New Life entered into through, “water and the Spirit” (John 3:5).        

So, at the start of the year, as people focus on new beginnings, perhaps the most important resolution – with the above in mind – is a rededication to the basic principles of the Christian Faith; those exemplified in the humble, obedient life of the Savior, and taught by St. Basil and God’s holy ones.  Members of the Body have indeed been cleansed, renewed, and set apart as St. Peter says, "to proclaim (through words and deeds) the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

Nativity of our Lord 2017

Archpastoral Message of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon

Christ is born!  Glorify Him!

My beloved Brethren and Blessed Children in the Lord,

As we come to the end of the civil year, we reflect back on a period in which tragedy, acts of terrorism, shootings in public spaces, political confusion, and sexual misconduct allegations dominate the news.  The darkness which enshrouds the world adds to the burden of our personal and family struggles: addictions, estrangement, divorce and all manner of conflict wrought by human passions.  We might be tempted to wonder how love could have so definitively fled from the hearts of human beings.

The feast of the Nativity in the Flesh of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ is a reminder to all of us that “heaven and earth today make glad prophetically” and angels and men “keep spiritual feast for God, born of a woman, has appeared in the flesh to those that sit in darkness and shadow.”  The light that we receive today is not merely a physical light that pierces the gloom which surrounds us, but rather a transfiguring light that both reveals God’s love for us and inspires us to grow in our love for God.

There is no philosophy or ideology that can overcome the irrationality of the world.  It is only the transfiguring light of Christ – His divine and sacrificial love – that can accomplish this.  It is only through love that we can, with the animals and the manger, “accept Him who by His Word has loosed us dwellers on earth from acts that are against reason.”  When we despair at the tragedies in the world and in our lives, let us remember that it is precisely in the midst of such darkness that the Word of God chose to be incarnate.

Archimandrite Zacharias suggests that “when we are confronted by the ruins of human love and find ourselves completely broken, then two solutions can be given: either we turn to God with our pain, so that God enters our life and renews us, or we continue to be deceived by our human plans and slide from one tragedy and barrenness of soul to another, hoping that one day we will find perfection.”

The world longs for authentic love but seems to remain mired in the global tragedies that we witness every day.  In our horizontal and human relations with one another, what is missing is God Himself, a third and divine-human Person to purify and heal our imperfect and broken relationships.  Whether it be husband and wife, brother and sister, or larger communities, true love and abiding peace can only be found through our communion with God.

In our Orthodox context, this takes place through the Divine Liturgy and through our efforts to nurture the sacrificial love of God in our own hearts.  “Paradise begins on earth through love for God and love for our fellows.  In this lies the entire wealth of eternal life, for man has been created to give eternal glory to God.  His delight is to return this glory to His image, man, who then returns greater glory to his Creator.”

Today’s feast is a reminder that it is through this cycle of glorification and love between God and man that we find our true fulfillment.  May the new-born Christ grant us the courage to keep His love in our hearts, to connect with our fellows through prayer, sacrifice, and humility, and to remember that, no matter the degree of our own brokenness or the brokenness of the world, Christ has come to give us hope for renewal, “for what He was, He has remained, true God: and what He was not, He has taken upon Himself, becoming man through love for mankind.”

With love in the New-Born Christ,

+ Tikhon
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada

The Nativity of Christ: What’s in a Greeting?

“Christ is Born, glorify Him.  Christ is from Heaven, receive ye Him.  Christ is on earth, be ye exalted.  O all the earth, sing unto the Lord…” (Ode 1, Nativity Canon). 

These words begin the Nativity Canon sung during Matins on December 24 and at each major Vigil Service during Advent. They are found as well, at the start of a Nativity (Theophany) sermon by St. Gregory the Theologian (4th century, Oration 38) and were given a prominent place over time in the Orthodox celebration of Christmas.  

The exclamation, “Christ is Born!  Glorify Him!” also constitutes a traditional Orthodox greeting during the holiday season.  In this brief affirmation of joy, is presented both a great mystery of grace and the human response:  Christ is Born, a mystery past all understanding; Glorify Him, the most appropriate reaction to God's offering of love. 

During the Nativity season when Orthodox Christians greet one another with, “Christ is Born!“ they are affirming through the eyes of faith that in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the anointed and promised Savior of the world has come (John 1:40-41; 4:25-26). The Man Jesus – born in Bethlehem – is the only begotten Son of the one, true God (John 3:16). He is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, equal in honor and divinity with God the Father and the Holy Spirit (John 5:21-23; John 10:30; Matthew 28:18-20).  He is the Creator and Lord over all that exists (John 1:1-4; Philippians 2:9-11).  At the same time however, Jesus is completely and perfectly Man (Hebrews 2:14-18).  He is God, but He is also our brother, and through Him we become sons of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7, the Nativity Epistle; John 1:12-13).    

Furthermore, Orthodox Christians insist that Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ, is the Light of the world Who comes to enlighten all men (John 1:7-9; John 8:12).  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life of man (John 14:6). He is the Teacher (John 3:1-2), the Shepherd (John 10:11,14), the Physician of souls and bodies (Matthew 11:4-6; Mark 2:17). Jesus is the I AM of the Old Testament – the only truly existing One – a self-affirmation for which He was unjustly condemned (John 8:58-59; Exodus 3:14).  Jesus is the perfect, blameless sacrifice offered for the sins of the world, and having risen from the dead, He becomes the first born of the dead (John 1:29; 1 John 2:1-2; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 2:17).  Jesus has power over both life and death (John 5:26) and raises sinners with Himself to a new and eternal life, from corruption to incorruption.  Furthermore, while granting immortality to believers, He gives them the possibility on earth, to experience victory over sin, the devil and over the fallen passions of the flesh (Romans 6; Hebrews 2:14-15; Leviticus 11:44, 1 Peter 1:13-16).

On the day of His Nativity this same Divine Person entered the world in a most humble fashion, providing His followers lessons in both humility and love. The manner of His appearing in fact, was a revelation of God’s Divine Humility.  The Son of God, “not counting equality with God a thing to be grasped…emptied Himself, (took) the form of a servant, (and was) born in the likeness of men…” (Philippians 2:7).

At Christ’s birth there were no trumpets, no fanfare for the masses to announce His arrival.  Even when the angels and star presented themselves, they did so only to those whose hearts were open:  the simple shepherds and the wise men, representing both Jews and Gentiles, people of all nations for whom Christ came. Similarly, our Lord continues to come in our day to those whose hearts are prepared and purified for His Self-revelation (John 14:23).  

So, when Orthodox Christians greet one another with “Christ is Born,“ we should maybe pause briefly, giving ourselves an opportunity to think about what is being declared, the identity of the One, “Who was born in a cavern and lay in a manger” (Festal Dismissal Prayer).  We can then perhaps more fully appreciate that the most appropriate human response to our Lord’s Birth is indeed one of simple yet sincere gratitude and glorification.  This Mystery, this gift of Christ is certainly unmerited, as well as incomprehensible in its greatness.  In light of it we can only say most humbly:  Thank You God, for Your great loving kindness. Thank You God, for the gift of adoption to sonship, in Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  

Christ is Born!  Glorify Him!   

The Liturgy as a Community Effort: Preparation Needed to Receive the Gift of Grace

The Divine Liturgy is the primary corporate or shared experience for Orthodox Christians.  The Liturgy is viewed as the Sacrament of Sacraments (N. Arseniev, Mysticism and the Eastern Church, chapter 4).   In this celebration the goal of the Christian Life is realized: union with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through the reception of His Body and Blood.        

Within the Liturgy the Kingdom of God is present in the midst of the faithful; or rather they ascend spiritually in worship to the Throne of the Most-High, and the Divine Mysteries are received, “for the forgiveness of sins, for enlightenment, for the healing of soul and body, and for purification and sanctification” (Preparatory Prayers). 

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (4th Century) in his Fourth Catechetical Lecture (Sermon), states that as worshippers approach the Chalice, and partake of Christ, “His Body and Blood are diffused through our members; thus, it is that, according to the blessed St. Peter we become, “partakers of the Divine Nature:”” (Lectures on the Christian Sacraments, SVS Press, p. 68).    

Similarly, in a Pre-Communion Prayer attributed to St. John Chrysostom (4th – 5th Centuries) one reads: “…Let the fiery coal of Thy most pure Body and Thy most precious Blood bring me sanctification, enlightenment and strengthening of my lowly soul and body…I pray Thee, O Master, for Thou alone art holy, sanctify my soul and body, my mind and heart, my muscles and bones.  Renew me entirely…”        

Because of the Liturgy’s divine and transforming character, its proper celebration requires preparation on the part of the faithful.  Sacred tradition, following the teaching of the Apostle Paul, requires proper discernment from one approaching the Chalice, as both a precaution, and as the means by which a proper foundation for growth can be laid: “Not unto judgment, nor unto condemnation be my partaking of Thy Holy Mysteries…”  (Prayer of St. John Chrysostom; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32).  In the language of The Parable of the Sower, one cannot expect to enjoy the fruits of Liturgy, as it were, without a deliberate effort to till the soil of the heart, making it fertile, making it fit for the reception of Divine Grace.

Practically speaking there is no mystery to this preparation. Tradition simply likens the tilling of the soil of the heart to the Church’s spiritual and ascetic disciplines.  These include such fundamentals as fasting, daily prayer, regular Confession, prayerful reading of Scripture, a desire to repent (i.e., “change” in light of revealed Truth), participation in services such as Vespers or Vigil that anticipate the Eucharist, and an effort to live throughout the week according to the precepts of the Gospel. 

The Liturgy itself even contains its own preparation for the reception of Holy Communion. It comprises the first half of the service, commonly referred to as the Liturgy of the Word, or the Liturgy of the Catechumens.  In his Commentary on the Divine Liturgy, St. Nicholas Cabasilas (14th century) highlights the importance of everything that precedes the Anaphora (the Lifting Up and Consecration of the Gifts) as a preparation for receiving Holy Communion. 

“As a preparation for, and contribution to (the Eucharist), we have prayers, psalms and readings from Holy Scripture; in short, all the sacred acts…which are said and done before and after the consecration of the elements (bread and wine)... 

“…Since in order to obtain the effects of the Divine Mysteries we must approach them in a state of grace and properly prepared, it was necessary that these preparations should find a place in the order of the Sacred Rite … They purify us and make us able fittingly to receive and preserve holiness, and to remain possessed of it…”  (A Commentary on the Divine Liturgy, SVS Press, pp. 25-26).

St. Nicholas’s words remind us of the importance of being present in Church on Sunday, for the opening exclamation, “Blessed is the Kingdom…”

Additionally, as Orthodox Christians prepare for the Eucharist, it helps greatly to anticipate the Liturgy as a community event.  It is not simply prayer, but is a shared experience, a work of God’s people in which everyone takes part: those present physically, as well as the Saints, “who have gone to their rest before us.”  Thus – on the part of the faithful – the Liturgy is an offering of love, strengthened by a common desire to be taught by Christ, to be led by the Spirit, to render praise in the company of others, and to be reconciled to one’s fellow man. 

The Liturgy, by its very nature as a corporate act, places responsibility on the faithful for other members during the service itself.  This responsibility is carried out partially through one’s advance preparations for the Eucharist, as well as through one’s attentive and timely participation in the service.  Spiritually speaking, the stronger a Christian is personally, and the more focused he is during Liturgy, this enhances greatly the common offering to God within the Eucharist.  A person fulfills his “obligation of love” for the neighbor – to a degree – by setting a righteous example during the service, and by becoming a powerful link in the communion of prayer exercised throughout the Church. 

Responsibilities during the Eucharist extend additionally to the entire world and to everyone in it. Within the Liturgy the faithful pray not merely for themselves, their loved ones and the surrounding communities, but for everything, and “for all mankind…” “Thine Own of Thine Own, we offer unto Thee, on behalf of all, and for all…” With this in mind as well, Orthodox Christians are asked to remain focused and alert in the Church’s common prayer, thereby fulfilling their “obligation of love” for the neighbor and for all of creation, as powerfully as is humanly possible.       

Most Orthodox Christians know from experience that there is nothing more inspirational, more joyful, than a Church full of people truly engaged in their service to the Lord, and in their prayers for their fellow man.  One only has to think of this shared experience on Pascha Night.  The hope would be that each and every time a member or visitor comes to the Orthodox Church that this joy will be their experience:  an experience that is the result of Grace and Divine Love on the part of the Creator, and the result – on our part – of love and forethought,

Excerpts on Prayer

Archimandrite Sophrony (Elder Sophrony was born in Russia in 1896.  He was a priest, a monk, a disciple of St. Silouan of Athos, and was himself a spiritual guide to many. Sophrony fell asleep in the Lord on July 11, 1993. The following brief excerpts are from a book, “On Prayer,” published by St. Vladimir Seminary Press.  “On Prayer” contains writings by the Elder, and was originally published in Russian following Sophrony’s repose.)

Prayer as Communion and Life:

Through prayer we enter into communion with Him that was before all worlds.  Or, to put it in another way, the life of the Self-existing God flows into us through the channel of prayer…(p. 9).

Prayer assuredly revives in us the divine breath which God breathed into Adam’s nostrils and by virtue of which Adam “became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7).  Our spirit, regenerated by prayer, begins to marvel at the sublime mystery of being.  The mind is filled with wonder…And we echo the Psalmist’s praise of the wondrous works of the Lord.  We apprehend the meaning of Christ’s words, “I am come that (men) might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10). (p. 10).

True prayer to the true God is contact with the Divine Spirit which prays in us.  The Spirit gives us to know God.  The Spirit draws our spirit to contemplation of eternity…(p. 12).

God Honors Man’s Freewill:

The life-giving Divine Spirit visits us when we continue humbly, open to Him.  He does not violate our freedom…He envelops us with His tender warmth. He approaches us so softly that at first, we may not notice Him. We must not expect God to force His way in, without our consent.  Far from it.  He respects man, submits to Him.  His love is humble – He loves us not condescendingly but tenderly, as a mother ached over her sick baby.  When we open our heart to Him we have an irresistible feeling that He is our “kin,” and the soul melts in worship. (p. 14).

God does not violate our freedom.  He will not force Himself into our heart if we are not disposed to open the door to Him.  “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:  if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him.” (Rev. 3:20).  And the wider we open our hearts, the more abundantly does the Uncreated Light flood into our inner world. (p. 66).

Difficulty and Fluctuations in Prayer:

St. John Climacus (St. John of the Ladder) says that it is possible to familiarize oneself with every form of science, of art, and every profession, and practice it without any special effort.  But no one has ever been able to pray without toil – particularly if it is a case of the concentrated prayer of the mind in the heart…(p. 67).

Time after time we experience an eager upsurge towards God, followed repeatedly by a falling away from His Light…(p. 9).  The struggle for prayer is not an easy one.  The spirit fluctuates – sometimes prayer flows in us like a mighty river, sometimes the heart dries up.  But every reduction in our prayer-strength must be as brief as possible…(p. 12).

This world contains no source of energy for prayer. If I eat well, so that my body may be strong, my flesh will rebel against prayer. If I mortify the flesh by excessive fasting, for a while abstinence favors prayer, but soon the body grows faint and refuses to follow the spirit.  If I associate with good people, I may find moral satisfaction and acquire new psychological or intellectual experience, but only very rarely will I be stimulated to prayer, in depth.  If I have a talent for science or the arts, my success will give rise to vanity and I shall not be able to find the deep heart (Ps. 64:6), the place of spiritual prayer.  If I am materially well-off and busy wielding the power associated with riches or with satisfying my aesthetic or intellectual desire, my soul does not rise up to God as we know Him through Christ. If I renounce all that I have and go into the desert, even there the opposition of the cosmic energies will paralyze my prayer.  And so on, ad infinitum…(p. 11).

Like grace coming down from on High the act of prayer is too much for our earthly nature and so our mortal body, incapable of rising into the spiritual sphere, resists.  The intellect resists because it is incapable of containing infinity, is shaken by doubts and rejects everything that exceeds its understanding.  The social environment in which I live is antagonistic to prayer – it has (its own) organized life with other aims diametrically opposed to prayer:  hostile spirits cannot endure prayer.  But prayer alone can restore the created world from its fall, overcoming its stagnation and inertia, by means of a mighty effort of our spirit to follow Christ’s commandments. (p. 12).

Prayer for the Neighbor:

Christ’s love inspires compassionate prayer for all men – prayer in which soul and body take part together.  Grieving over the sins of one’s fellow (man) in prayer of this kind links us with the redeeming passion of the Lord…Our Heavenly Father “favors” us when we grieve over our brothers who stumble.  In the spirit of the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves we are bound to have pity one for one another; we must establish a kind of mutual responsibility to link us all together before the face of God our Creator. (p. 19).

Historic Visit to Azle, Texas by Archbishop Alexander of the Orthodox Church in America: Tuesday, Sept. 19

Pastoral Visit:

We are pleased to announce that on Tuesday evening, September 19, His Eminence the Most Reverend Alexander, Archbishop of Dallas and the South, Orthodox Church in America, will make a pastoral visit to the new OCA Mission of Archangel Gabriel in Azle, Texas. The tentative schedule is as follows: 6:30 pm Greeting of the Archbishop; 7:00 pm Vespers followed by an open reception and meeting of His Eminence with mission members.

Archangel Gabriel is a sister mission to St. Barbara Orthodox Church in Ft. Worth. Members have been worshipping in a beautifully renovated rental space since the start of the year at 1157 S.E. Parkway (Jacksboro Highway). The chapel will comfortably hold over 60 people and there is plenty of parking in the evening and on weekends.

We invite interested people to join us for this historic first “official visit” of an Orthodox Hierarch to the city of Azle. Driving directions and contact information may be found on our Archangel Gabriel Mission page.

Further Information Concerning Archbishop Alexander:

(Much of the following may be found on oca.org). Elected by the Holy Synod of Bishops on Tuesday, March 26, 2016 at its Spring Session, Archbishop Alexander succeeds His Eminence, the late Archbishop Dmitri, as only the second ruling Bishop of the Diocese since its establishment in 1978.

“Bishop Alexander [Golitzin] was born in Burbank, CA in 1948 and was raised at Saint Innocent Church, Tarzana, CA. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Vladimir’s Seminary. He spent seven years pursuing doctoral studies at Oxford University in England under His Eminence, Metropolitan Kallistos [Ware]. During this time, he also spent two years in Greece, including one year at Simonos Petras Monastery on Mount Athos.

“After receiving his D.Phil. in 1980, Bishop Alexander returned to the US. He was ordained to the diaconate in January 1982 and to the priesthood two years later. In 1986, he was tonsured to monastic orders. He served OCA missions in northern California and headed the Diocese of the West’s mission committee.

“In 1989, he accepted a position with the Theology Department at Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, a position that he left at the end of April 2012. While teaching at Marquette, he had been attached to Saints Cyril and Methodius Church, Milwaukee, WI. For 22 years, he preached, taught and served at Saints Cyril and Methodius Church, and witnessed to the Gospel and to Orthodox Christian theology at Marquette University. He helped attract a dozen Orthodox Christian students to doctoral work in theology at Marquette.

“In June 2010, the Bulgarian Diocese initiated a search for a candidate to succeed His Eminence, Archbishop Kirill [Yonchev], who reposed in the Lord in 2007. In October 2011, the Holy Synod of Bishops elected Archimandrite Alexander as Bishop of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese. He was consecrated to the episcopacy as Bishop of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese during a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Saint George Cathedral, Rossford, OH on May 5, 2012… During the 2017 Spring Session of the Holy Synod, he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop.”