Category Archives: Eastern Christian Orthodox

A Christian’s Response in the Midst of Pandemics, Politics and Chaos

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I’m so tired of all the controversy over the pandemic, politics, riots, chaos, and controversies. As Christians, we are to seek the middle path the “Royal Way” as St. John Cassian (who lived in the 4th century) encourages us to do. Not be led by extremism on either side.

Let us not live in fear and neither let us live in anger, rebellion, pride, or be distracted by “our rights”, “our “freedoms” or the “cares of this world”. As Christians we are called to lay down our rights, the only true freedom is found in serving Christ. The cares of this world will only entangle and snare us.

Rather let us live in love for God and love for others. There are some who will live carelessly, there are some who live cautiously. Let us walk in love, dying to self, surrendering our lives to Christ & giving ourselves in service and love to our neighbors.

Speaking specifically about all the videos, these facts and statistics are outdated and incorrect almost as soon as they’re posted. There are so many videos and messages spreading information and misinformation that causes either dissensions, accusations, fears, and doubts.

The bigger picture is that we do not battle flesh and blood but spiritual powers and principalities. We are facing a greater spiritual battle, one in which the enemy of our souls wishes to cause divisions, fears, protests, distrust, self-preservation, self-interest, materialism, and more.

Please don’t get caught up in all this stuff. The Lord God, King of the Universe, has allowed for these rulers over us at this time in our lives. Let us obey the laws of the land so long as they do not violate the law of God which is love. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the eternal things, the fruits of the Holy Spirit, in Galatians 6 and the love as explained in 1 Corinthians 13.

Scriptures encourage us to look out for the “weaker” brother, to be examples for the children, to not be a cause for them or anyone to stumble. As Christians we must ask ourselves, how can I care for the “least of these”. If our fellow brother or sister is fearful, how can we put them at peace? If I have a sickly relative or an elderly parent how can I protect them? If I have a friend out of work and needs help, how can I be a servant to them?

All this other “stuff” is nothing compared to the eternal values of the Kingdom of God. We must ask ourselves constantly if what I say, think or do is profitable for my soul and the soul of my brother or sister.

I fail everyday with this, but I keep pressing on to the upward call in Christ Jesus.

There is nothing new under the sun, says the writer of Ecclesiastes. During the time of the book of the Acts of the Apostles, there was famine, plague, persecution. We must follow the example of the apostles who didn’t get involved in the things of this world, but rather went about the work of the Kingdom sharing the Gospel in spite of the turmoil in the world.

They didn’t share the political news, they didn’t share social media news, they didn’t share the latest controversies. They shared the Gospel, the Good News, and they died to self, sharing their very lives and laying down their lives for the sake of others.

In this world we will have tribulations but be of good cheer for Jesus has overcome the world and gives us peace. (John 16:33)

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

(Philippians 4:8 NIV)

Be at peace, live in peace my friends and family. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.

In addition to the scripture quotes already mentioned, here are some quotes from St. Seraphim of Sarov to ponder and put in practice:

“Acquire the Spirit of Peace and a thousand souls around you will be saved.”

“You cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of him who gives and kindles joy in the heart of him who receives.”

“All condemnations is from the devil. Never condemn each other…instead of condemning others, strive to reach inner peace.”

“Keep silent, refrain from judgment. This will raise you above the deadly arrows of slander, insult, and outrage and will shield your glowing hearts against all evil.”

Amen

Wabi-Sabi… an Unusual Way to View the World

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Interesting article on a Japanese way to view the world. I found this intriguing and so very similar to the Eastern Christian Orthodox way of thinking, especially as it relates to perfectionism.

So often as Christians we struggle with what Jesus said and reaffirmed by the apostles in the New Testament “…be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48 KJV)

Here are two quotes to pique your interest and give you food for thought:

“…the term ‘perfect’, which stems from the Latin perfectus, meaning complete, has been placed on an undeserved pedestal in many cultures, especially the West. Prioritising flawlessness and infallibility, the ideal of perfection creates not only unachievable standards, but misguided ones. In Taoism, since no further growth or development can take place, perfection is considered equivalent to death. While we strive to create perfect things and then struggle to preserve them, we deny their very purpose and subsequently lose the joys of change and growth.”

“The dents and scratches we bear are all reminders of experience, and to erase them would be to ignore the complexities of life. By retaining the imperfect, repairing the broken and learning to find beauty in flaws – rather than in spite of them – Japan’s ability to cope with the natural disasters it so often faces is strengthened.”

Wabi-sabi offers a refuge from the modern world’s obsession with perfection, and accepts imperfections as all the more meaningful – and in their own way, beautiful. http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20181021-japans-unusual-way-to-view-the-world

A Mother’s Love – Faith Encouraged

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A Mother’s Love – Faith Encouraged
— Read on blogs.ancientfaith.com/faithencouraged/2018/08/a-mothers-love-2/

Light in the Darkness

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People often find the darkness inside an Orthodox church a bit disturbing. I have heard other Orthodox Christians mention various reasons as to why this is so: to help us focus, to distance ourselves from the distractions of the world and other reasons. To others it just seems to be a place of darkness and with the darkness it seems on the surface to be contrary to what we think it should. After all shouldn’t being in Church be a place of light?
As the Nativity fast is soon upon us, my thoughts were turning toward preparing my heart for the coming of the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior in the flesh. That wonderful time of year that is for Christians a time of reflecting and remembering the birth of Jesus – Christmas. The Nativity season doesn’t end “officially” in the church until Theophany also know as Epiphany. This season is known as the festival of lights.
As a child raised in a Lutheran Church, we, as a family looked forward to the Advent services and especially the Christmas Eve services. During each Advent service we would light one special candle on Sunday to again prepare our hearts. Then came the midnight Christmas Eve services which usually started around 11:00 in the evening and it would end on or a bit after midnight. During this service all the lights in the church were extinguished and then each of the Advent candles were lit with a special Scripture reading. Finally it came time to light the Christ candle. Upon the Christ candle being lit, the Pastor would take his own individual candle and light his candle from the Christ candle. The Pastor would then light one of the candles of one of the other members of the church, who in turn would pass the lighting on to another, until each one of us had our own individually lit candle. By the time everyone had their own candle lit, the room was no longer dark. We were no longer sitting or standing in darkness.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.”  Isaiah 9:2, The Holy Bible, New King James Version
“Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people but the Lord will arise over you and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”  Isaiah 60:1-3, The Holy Bible, New King James Version
Jesus said of Himself that He was the Light of the World. The scriptures have numerous references to God and especially the God-man Jesus of being light and in Him is no darkness. As Christians we are exhorted to let the life of Christ, the light of Christ, shine out of our own hearts and lives.
We have many artistic renditions of the Nativity with some very common themes that illustrate the Nativity story in paintings, sculptures and in the Orthodox Church icons. It is the Nativity icon I find many expressions of darkness contrasting light. The cave in which Christ is born is pictured dark and out of the darkness the light of Christ is shining. It was dark in the sky until Angels appeared and lit up the sky. And let’s not forget the magnificent Star, the Magi from the east followed to where the baby Jesus lay.
In the services of the Orthodox Church there are many reminders to help teach us eternal truths. One of the reminders is a darkened church. There is light in the surroundings, but the lights are strategically placed in front of icons in the form of candles: in the memorial boxes and small oil lamps (lampadas). There is usually a big light such as a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. In the evening Vespers service the candles and lampadas are lit, but the overhead lighting is off, until a certain moment when we sing a song that begins with “O Gentle Light of the glorious…”
I am not an Orthodox “expert” by any means, so hear are my humble thoughts on these expressions of contrasting light and darkness. Jesus came into a dark world as the Light of the world. Each time a candle is lit in front of an icon we remember the particular saint or angel as one who has the light of Christ dwelling in them. The “halo” around various saints and angels reflects the glory of God shining from their faces and their lives.
So much more symbolism in the candles, the flames, oil burning in the lampadas, everything to remind us that although we are in a dark world, we have the light of Christ with us always. And just as the light from the Christ candle is One glorious light – it is still passed on person to person. So the next time you find yourself surrounded by darkness look for the light, perhaps bring a light to someone else in darkness. Where do we get this light? We receive the light from the Lord Jesus Christ himself who even the darkness, the darkness is light to Him.

Good book on differences between Orthodoxy and other faiths

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http://wp.me/prN4b-iY
Are you an Orthodox Christian who wonders how to explain to your Baptist grandmother, your Buddhist neighbor, or the Jehovah s Witness at your door how your faith differs from theirs? Or are you a member of another faith who is curious what Orthodoxy is all about? This book will help you understand some of the differences.