An Orthodox Christian in a Postmodern World

The Sunday of the Last Judgment: Good Works and Seeing Christ in the Poor

2011-02-27T10:10:00.000-08:00

[31]"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
[32] Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,
[33] and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.
[34] Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
[35] for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
[36] I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
[37] Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?
[38] And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?
[39] And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?'
[40] And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'
[41] Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;
[42] for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
[43] I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'
[44] Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'
[45] Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'
[46] And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

- Matthew 25.31-46, RSV

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Today's gospel is based on Christ's teaching on the last judgment. We have all heard this passage before, and we may be inoculated to its teaching.

As I read this passage this morning, I reflected on whether I really do recognize Christ in the hungry, poor, sick, and those in prison. My ability to recognize Christ in the disenfranchised is to a certain extent a measure of my faith.

Most Christians in America believe that we are saved by faith only. We in the Orthodox Church too say we are saved by grace through faith. But we do not separate good works from faith. We do not say we are justified by faith alone. True faith has good works with it.

In a classic passage people use as a proof text for salvation by grace through faith only, it is clear that works are the result of true faith:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.- Ephesian 2.8-10, NRSV.

God prepared beforehand good works to be "our way of life." Good works in the Gospel of the last judgment have not to do with Church observances, Lenten fasting, attending Liturgies, receiving the Mysteries even. No, good works, in the teaching of the Last Judgment, have to do with how we respond to the poor and needy. This is a test of true faith, our ability to recognize Christ in the poor.

Notice that one of the manifestations of Christ in this parable is that of the Stranger. Some commentators say that all of these manifestations- the poor, the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, stranger, prisoner- represent Christian missionaries traveling among the Nations, who are gentiles or pagans. To the degree this interpretation is correct, we have to say that even those who are not in the Church show true faith by ministering to the needy. This agrees well with St. Paul's teaching in Romans (c.f. Rom. 2.6-10).

I understand this teaching as referring to all who are hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, strangers, and prisoners. And all those who minister to them, whether Christians or non-Christians, show that the grace of Christ is at work in them.

In the Old Testament, Yahweh identifies Himself with the poor in several passages, especially in the book of Proverbs:

Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who are kind to the needy honour him. - Proverbs 14.31

Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished. - Proverbs 17.5

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and will be repaid in full. - Proverbs 19.17

If you close your ear to the cry of the poor, you will cry out and not be heard. - Proverbs 21.13

These passages clearly teach that God identifies Himself with the poor. If we want God to hear our cry, we need to hear the cry of the poor. It is the cry of God. The Rich man, Dives, in Luke chapter 16 ignored the cries of the poor, and found himself in hell. His cries were ignored; he could not even get a cold drop of water to cool his tongue in the flame (Luke 16.19-31). This is also why I believe that we should be concerned about social justice for the poor and to advocate for them politically as well as with our private charity, because we cannot ignore the cries of the poor. For us to accept conditions of oppression and unjust social structures, and to not address the plight of the poor in a social context, is to ignore their cry. The Bible is full of calls for us to advocate for the poor (e.g., Proverbs 31.8,9; Isaiah 1.17; Jeremiah 22.16, etc.).

Saint John Chrysostom teaches us that if we want to honor Christ in Church, we must honor him in the poor. If we want to honor the Body of Christ in the Eucharist, we must honor that same Body of Christ in the poor:

"Do you wish to honour the body of Christ? Do not ignore him when he is naked. Do not pay him homage in the temple clad in silk, only then to neglect him outside where he is cold and ill-clad. He who said: "This is my body" is the same who said: "You saw me hungry and you gave me no food", and "Whatever you did to the least of my brothers you did also to me"... What good is it if the Eucharistic table is overloaded with golden chalices when your brother is dying of hunger? Start by satisfying his hunger and then with what is left you may adorn the altar as well." - St. John Chrysostom, John Chrysostom, In Evangelium S. Matthaei, hom. 50:3-4: PG 58, 508-509

Bishop Frank Weston in 1923 proclaimed this to the Anglo-Catholic Congress:

"You cannot claim to worship Jesus in the Tabernacle, if you do not pity Jesus in the slums...It is folly- it is madness- to suppose you can worship Jesus in the Sacraments and Jesus on the throne of Glory, when you are sweating Him in the souls and bodies of his children."

The teaching on the Last Judgment comes one week before the beginning of Great Lent. It is there to remind us that our Lenten practice should not be about form and ritual, fasting and church practices only; it should indeed lead us to faith, compassion, and good works, and to recognizing Christ in those who are disenfranchised.

The Message of the End Times for the Believer

2011-02-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

"But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man." - Luke 21.34-36

Russian Icon of the Final Judgment, mid- 15th Century

In America, the subject of the "End Times" in popular religion is a sensationalist topic. The success of the Left Behind Series and the ministries of such TV preachers as John Hagee and Jack Van Impe, are emblematic of the fascination with the "end times" by adherents of popular American religion.

Often the narratives proclaimed by these contemporary preachers of the End Times include judgment on the perceived enemies of God, suggestions of who the Antichrist might be, and the whisking away of "true believers" in the rapture, before the Great Tribulation. In these narratives, the believers avoid all judgment, and are in heaven with Jesus while the rest of the world below goes through hell.

These End Times ministries also are invariably Christian Zionist, and have promoted an uncritical attitude toward Israel among many Christians in this country. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that these attitudes have possibly influenced this nation's middle east policy at times because of the political participation of some types of conservative Christians in the religious right and the Republican party.

Besides the fact that these teaching are clearly heretical according to Holy Orthodoxy and historical Christianity, they are also very narcissistic.

Today's gospel reading in the Holy Church is from Luke chapter 21. What struck me as I read is that our Lord Jesus Christ directs his warnings about the "end times" toward believers, not unbelievers. The Gospel is written to the Church, Jesus tells us to "take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man."

The Lord Jesus directs his words to me as a believer; I must pray for the strength to endure the tribulation and to stand before the Son of Man. We do not take the attitude that some have that I am "saved," and all of this judgment is happening to someone else, the spiritual version of "I've got mine Jack, and to hell with you!"

No, Christians must prepare themselves for testing, and to be able to stand before the Son of Man. St. Paul teaches us that "all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted," - 2 Timothy 3.12, not just those "left behind." I always thought it was a slap in the face of persecuted Christians all over the world for American Christians to insist that they will be raptured up into heaven and avoid all persecution and suffering.

What must one do to "stand before the Son of Man?" One must be sanctified, and purified from those things which would impair our communion with God.

Christ, in the person of King David in the Psalms tells us:

"The man of haughty looks and arrogant heart
I will not endure.
I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless
shall minister to me.
No man who practices deceit
shall dwell in my house;
no man who utters lies
shall continue in my presence."

- Psalm 101.5b-7

and...

"For thou art not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not sojourn with thee.
The boastful may not stand before thy eyes;
thou hatest all evildoers.
Thou destroyest those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men."

- Psalm 5.4-6

...and finally....

"O LORD, who shall sojourn in thy tent?
Who shall dwell on thy holy hill?
He who walks blamelessly, and does what is right,
and speaks truth from his heart;
who does not slander with his tongue,
and does no evil to his friend,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
in whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
but who honors those who fear the LORD;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
who does not put out his money at interest,
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved."

- Psalm 15.1-5

Who then can be saved? We might say. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us " "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God." - Mark 10.27.

In the Psalms we read of the Grace of God enabling us to have communion with God: "But I through the abundance of thy steadfast love will enter thy house, I will worship toward thy holy temple in the fear of thee." - Psalm 5.7

We must seek the Grace of God through prayer. In the Greek Prayer manual (The Synekdemos) we read:

"Now, Master, let your hand shelter me, and let your grace descend upon me, for my soul is distracted and pained at the departure from this, my miserable and sordid body, that the end design of the adversary may not overtake her and make her stumble into the darkness for the unknown and known sins amassed by me in this life. Be gracious to me, Master, and do not let my soul see the dark countenance of the evil spirits, but let her be received by your angels bright and shining. Glorify your holy name, and by your might set me before your divine judgment seat. When I am being judged, do not allow the hand of the prince of this world to take hold of me, to throw me, a sinner, into the depths of hell, but stand by me and be a savior and mediator to me. Have mercy, Lord, on my soul, defiled through the passions of this life, and receive her cleansed by penitence and confession, for .you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen." - Prayer of St. Eustratios

Orthodox spirituality emphasizes the synergy between God's grace and man's free will. We trust in God's mercy for our salvation, but we also work for our salvation, especially through prayer, begging God's grace for repentance.

"work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." - Philippians 2.12-13.

We do not take our salvation for granted, but continue pray for God to save us. St. Paul says, "I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." - 1 Corinthians 9.27.

When our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to pray and be ready that we can stand before Him, he is not just talking about the end of the world, but about the end of our lives. For most of us, our death will be our own personal eschaton, "it is appointed unto men to die once, and then face judgment." - Hebrews 9.27.

He further teaches us that "he that endures to the end shall be saved." - Matthew 24.13.

Christ provides His Grace to help us endure to the end. He invites us to "abide in Him," (see John ch. 15), and we do this by being organically united to Him by prayer and the sacraments in communion with the Church, which is His Body.

The teaching on the end times is meant to prepare us for eternity, for eternal life in communion with God, not to inspire sensationalism. God does infinitely more to save us by His Grace, but we also must do our part, and work and pray for our salvation too, in cooperation with God's Grace.

"In all you do, remember the end of your life, and then you will never sin." - Sirach 7.36

Finding a Struggling Mother in a Used Book Store

2011-02-15T20:46:00.000-08:00

One of the Barnes and Noble stores here in the Twin Cities area has a used book section. I am always a sucker for used books. I have a lot of Bibles at home, and usually drift toward the Bibles when I am in a used book store.

On one visit to this Barnes and Noble, I found an interesting and sad item. I picked up a used Bible, off the shelf, a beat-up, leather-flex, New King James Version, and some papers and photographs fell out on to the floor.

I picked them up, stood and started to read what was written on the piece of paper. Tears came to my eyes as a read the handwritten script.

The Bible apparently belong to an African-American single mother. There was a photo of her and her son. On a piece of paper she had written a short list of of a half a dozen or so prayer requests she “was believing God for” in the coming year. I do not remember all of the items, but they included:

1) that her “man” (boyfriend or husband) would get out of jail
2) That she would have a new house of her own
3) that she would have a new Cadillac.
4) that her son would do better in school
5) that she would graduate from nursing school and get a good job

She had written down other thoughts, I did not read them all. I skimmed through it the papers, hoping to find a way to contact her and return these items to her.

I felt deep compassion for this woman. I did not judge her for wanting a materialistic thing like a car. A car may have been a real need for her, although she probably did not need a Cadillac. I read her situation as one of profound struggle. I imagined she may have felt desperate. I felt a little anger toward the kind of prosperity teaching that may have been influencing part of her list, and the way she expressed with brazen certainty that all of these things would happen for her specifically in the way she wanted and on the time table she wanted. I got the impression from other materials in this Bible that her church may have taught the prosperity gospel.

Surely our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to pray for our needs. But in America, some Christians fall prey to a prosperity gospel, that promises to those with faith material blessings. It seems a cruel teaching to lead people on to think all the desires will be satisfied, when in fact they may not. For some one living in a desperate situation, the illusory nature of these teachings can lead a person to experience a sad, Kafkaesque end to their hopes.

This experience gave me pause. What can I pray for? Is it okay to pray for my needs? Or should I only pray for knowledge of God’s will and the power to carry it out, as learned to do in my 12-step program? Does God care about our needs? Does He want us to have a spouse, a good job, a stable household? Does God just take care of that bottom rung of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, or even that?

I wondered why her bible was on the used book shelf, with all of these personal documents stuck in it. Was she just getting rid of some of her books, just to get rid of clutter- or was she selling them for much needed money perhaps? Was leaving the personal documents in the bible a simple oversight?

Or had she lost faith, had she chucked it all in. Had that year come and went, and her significant other was still in jail, her son was still struggling in school, she had no home of her own or reliable car? Did she indeed graduate from nursing school, only to find the job prospects or pay not what she imagined? Did she feel like God had failed her, that she had lived her life on faith principles, and God cruelly crushed her dreams? Perhaps God just did not listen, or simply was not there? Did He abandon her, as perhaps her significant other, or a father, or mother had?

As I stood there and thought about her situation, I joined her prayer. I prayed for this woman and her family. I prayed that indeed her man would be released and restored to her, that her son would do better in school, and that she would have dignified work in a fulfilling field, and have a reliable car and job. And I still pray for her, several years later.

Bob Marley Became an Orthodox Christian and Knew Jesus

2011-02-13T14:01:00.000-08:00

Bob Marley, Legendary Reggae Star, joined the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in 1980. His baptismal name is Berhane Selassie, "Light of the Trinity." His final words were "Jesus, take me."

Here is a little of what was written on a website about Bob Marley "Bob Marley Knew Jesus".

However, what most people don't know, and many try to cover up, is the fact that Bob Marley converted to Christianity in 1980. In fact on 4 November 1980 he was baptised and became a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

The Jamaicans.com website says that Bob remained outside the church for several years after Rita and the children converted in 1972. Bob was under the spiritual guidance of the archbishop but was baptised just a year before his death, after 3 aborted attempts to convert in Kingston. He backed out each time, says the Archbishop, after being threatened by other rastas. Marley was finally baptised in the Ethiopian Church in New York where less resentments were less inflamed. The Archbishop christened him Berhane Selassie - "light of the Trinity".

Yesehaq told Barbara Blake Hannah: "I remember once while I was conducting the Mass, I looked at Bob and tears were streaming down his face. Many people think he was baptised because he knew he was dying, but that is not so... he did it when there was no longer any pressure on him, and when he was baptised, he hugged his family and wept. They all wept together for about an hour."

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee

2011-02-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

Today is the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee, which begins the Lenten Triodion, the three weeks before Great Lent.

It is fitting that this Gospel story is read as we are approaching Great Lent, for it reminds us that we are sinners, in need of the mercy of God. It also teaches us that we can do all the good works, such as fasting and almsgiving during Great Lent, and still not be justified in the sight of God.

It is the publican, the sinner, who went home justified. All he could do was was say, "God, be merciful to me a sinner."

Jesus in the Gospel teaches us the evangelical virtues of prayer, fasting and almsgiving; these should be practiced all through our lives, not just during Great Lent. These ascetic practices are foundational to Christian life and for our sanctification. But ultimately, we must trust God's mercy for our justification, not our own good works: "he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy..." - Titus 3.5a, RSV

Our Lenten practice should lead us to humility, not pride in our religion. The Gospel today teaches us not only to be humble, but to be aware that we are sinners. It is necessary for us to be aware of our own sinfulness in order to acquire humility. God's mercy is there to forgive us and raise us up.

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. - James 4.8-10, RSV

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you.- 1 Peter 5.5b-6, RSV

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Today's Gospel:

"Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." - Luke 18.10-14, RSV

The Privilege of Receiving the Holy Eucharist

2011-02-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

Since I was a little boy, literally since I was four years old in 1964, I have been a fan of the Beatles, and even had dreams of meeting Paul McCartney (both as a boy and as an adult!). I have been a great fan of the Green Bay Packers since the mid sixties, when Bart Starr was leading the Packers to five world championships, including the first two Super Bowls. The Beatles and Packers, both phenoms of the sixties, form part of the consciousness of the later baby boomers, such as myself.

As an adult, I have had the opportunity of seeing both the Green Bay Packers play football, and the two surviving Beatles perform in concert. Every time I have seen Paul McCartney in concert, fond memories of growing up and listening to his music flood my mind.

I have seen many other of my favorite musicians in concert, and have had the privilege of meeting several of them, at record stores signings, sound checks, backstage, and even in coffee shops (I met both Patti Smith and Bruce Cockburn, two more musicians I admire, randomly in coffee shops!).

I think that in our society we have a fascination with celebrities. We consider it a great honor to meet a celebrity, whether they are a musician, actor or actress, writer, sports star, or even a politician. We eagerly look forward to the performer taking the stage, shaking our hand, or signing an autograph for us. For some of us, it is a thrilling experience to meet or even watch perform a celebrity we admire.

But I am afraid that there is a great honor most of us miss. We have opportunity to have communion with our God on a daily basis. God lives in us by virtue of baptism and being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity takes up residence within us (John 14.23). But the greatest privilege is to receive our Lord in the Holy Eucharist.

I think of the great thrill it was to see the Green Bay Packers play for the first time, or to see Paul McCartney in concert the first time. But there is One so much greater than any person on this earth, that is, our Lord Jesus Christ. And he is present in every Divine Liturgy, in the form of bread and wine.

I am struck by some of Communion Prayers we say as Orthodox Christians in preparation for Holy Communion. Psalm 24 for example:

“Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory!”

- Psalm 24.9-10, RSV

Or consider this from St. John Chrysostom:

“O Lord my God, I know that I am not worthy nor sufficient that thou shouldest enter under my roof into the habitation of my soul, for it is all deserted and in ruins, and thou hast not a fitting place in me to lay thy head. But as from the heights of thy glory thou didst humble thyself, so now bear me in my humility; as thou didst deign to lie in a manger in a cave, so deign now also to come into the manger of my mute soul and corrupt body.”

Consider this beautiful prayer from St. John Damascus:

“I stand before the gates of thy Temple, and yet I refrain not from my evil thoughts. But do thou, O Christ my God, who didst justify the publican, and hadst mercy on the Canaanite woman, and opened the gates of Paradise to the thief; open unto me the compassion of thy love toward mankind, and receive me as I approach and touch thee, like the sinful woman and the woman with the issue of blood; for the one, by embracing thy feet received the forgiveness of her sins, and the other by but touching the hem of thy garment was healed. And I, most sinful, dare to partake of thy whole Body. Let me not be consumed but receive me as thou didst receive them, and enlighten the perceptions of my soul, consuming the accusations of my sins; through the intercessions of Her that without stain gave Thee birth, and of the heavenly Powers; for thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.”

Notice the language of intimacy on these prayers, the language about coming to His Temple, or Him coming under our “roof;” of touching, receiving, and approaching Christ.

In the Greek Orthodox Church, we recite this prayer before we approach our God in the Holy Eucharist: “Behold, my Maker, I approach holy Communion. Burn me not as I partake, for you are fire which burns the unworthy. But cleanse me from every stain. Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of your mystical Supper.”

It is a sublime privilege and great honor to receive Christ our God, to receive His Pure Body and Precious Blood in the Holy Eucharist; to be united in the closest intimacy with our Maker.

Surely He is the greatest Person we could ever meet, greater than any celebrity, and sports or music star, politician or King or Queen. We have the opportunity to have communion with the God of the universe!

I did not convert to Orthodoxy to become another fundamentalist.

2011-02-02T16:06:00.000-08:00

“I did not join the Orthodox Church because I thought Orthodoxy was a superior ideology, but because it possesses beauty and truth.”

After 20 years of diligent study and inquiry, I with great joy and gratitude joined the Orthodox Church in January 31st of 2010, one day after my 50th birthday, January 30th, which falls on the feast of the Holy Hierarchs. I believe with all my heart that the Orthodox Church is the true Church, the Church founded by Christ. It is the Church of the Fathers, of the Ecumenical Councils, which gave us the canon of Scripture.

I became Orthodox because I believe Orthodoxy is the fullest expression of Christianity, and lovingly maintains the most ancient and authentic traditions of Christianity. In some ways, it is a very simple faith, the opposite of what some people think. I have a simple life of reciting the prayers from my simple Greek Orthodox prayer book and going to Divine Liturgy every week. I am interested in theology, and I feel like I have a good basic grasp of Orthodox theology, but I do not feel a need plumb the depths of meaning to concepts like “essence and energies,” “apophatic theology” and the like. I want to be a good person. I try not to make it any more complicated than that.

I am diabetic, I do not bother with a strict observance of the fasts; I try to eat healthy, which is more important for my health and longevity than following religious practices. I do not mind that my parish has services that only last an hour or so as opposed to three hours, or that we do not have Saturday evening vespers (except on eves of major feasts). Our church engages in a lot of social ministry. I think that is a better gauge of Orthodoxy than whether our services are one or three hours.

With such a triumphalistic-sounding introductory paragraph, I might sound like an exclusivist, but I am not. The Orthodox Church affirms where Grace is present, she does not say where it is not. I find it strange that some Orthodox seem to think that they can. I find it ironic for example, that some Orthodox, in attacking Roman Catholicism, employ Roman Catholic concepts such as “valid orders.” In attacking Roman Catholics, they use Roman Catholic tools! Some Orthodox in their attack on Catholics barely sound any more sophisticated than the infamous Chick Tracts! We are sometimes equally dismissive of Protestants and non-Christians.

Some Orthodox think that they are helping the cause of Orthodoxy and helping to save “Christian” American culture by setting up quasi-religious right wing think tanks and institutes. Not doing either, I am afraid, and making Orthodoxy appear a little less attractive.

I did not join the Orthodox Church because I thought Orthodoxy was a superior ideology, but because it possesses beauty and truth. My attraction to Orthodoxy was like falling in love with a beautiful woman, but I do not see her as a strict mistress. I did not convert to Orthodoxy to become another fundamentalist.

The Sweetest Jesus

2011-01-29T10:02:00.000-08:00

Christianity has at its heart the Revelation of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus reveals to us who God is. “No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.” - John 1:18.

We come to know God through Jesus. He is the “True God and Eternal life.” - 1 John 5.20. We find our life with God, our communion with God, through Him. Some of the ways we come to know Jesus are through the Bible, the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments), and by prayer.

The Holy Scriptures
Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself never wrote anything down. He himself is the Revelation. God in Christ came to have communion with humankind. He left writing of the Scriptures to his friends and disciples. They were witnesses to Him, and testify to the Revelation of God in Christ.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life -- the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us -- that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing this that our joy may be complete.”- 1 John 1.1-4.

Our holy Orthodox father St. Jerome said, “Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ.” The Bible is not itself the Revelation of God and Christ, Jesus Himself is. But the Bible witnesses to the Revelation.

Jesus tells his contemporaries, “You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me.” - John 5.39.

St. Paul says “from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” - 2 Timothy 3.15-17.

In order to know Jesus, we need to read the Bible often, daily if we can. It is disappointing that Christians often do not read the Bible. It is daily bread for us (Matthew 4.4).

The Holy Eucharist
As Christians, we know who God is because of Jesus. In Christ, God became a human being and dwelt among us, lived as we do. He joined His divine nature to our human nature, so that we might have union with God. But unlike the other Asian religions, our union with God does not mean absorption into the Deity. Rather, it is communion with God.

One of the metaphors for this communion with God is that of a meal, a dinner, a banquet. We see this in the Passover Dinner, the dinner shared between Abraham and Sarah and the three Angels, and in the parables Jesus tells of dinners and banquets (c.f. Matthew 22.1-14; Luke 14.12-24).

Jesus establishes His covenant with us by shedding His blood on the Cross, and by making His sacrifice present to us in a sacred meal, the Holy Eucharist. In the Eucharist, we receive the true Body and Blood of Christ in the form of bread and wine.

Jesus says "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.” - John 6.53-57.

It is a wonderful thing to enjoy the closest intimacy with our Lord through the Holy Communion. In the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist, we may “taste and see that the Lord is good.” - Psalm 34.8.

But the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist is not an individualistic thing. Holy Communion is with other Christians as well as Christ. We are all part of His Body, the Church. We are the Church when we participate in the Holy Eucharist. Christianity is not an individualistic religion, not a Siddhartha thing; it is communion with God and with each other.

The Jesus Prayer
A central devotional practice in the Orthodox Church is the practice of the Jesus prayer. The practice of the Jesus prayer focuses on the Name of the Lord. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.” - Proverbs 18.10. The most common form of this prayer is “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” The Jesus prayer is repeated by lay people, monks, nuns, priests and bishops in the Orthodox Church. The repeating of the prayer is not merely a mantra; rather it invokes the Holy Presence of Jesus and He is with us. Again, we are in communion with Christ, communion with God.

The Sweetest Jesus
Through reading the Bible, participation in the Holy Eucharist, and daily prayer, especially the Jesus Prayer, we can come to know Christ, and have a relationship with Him. We have this communion with Jesus not simply as individuals, but as a Body, as the Church, His bride.

It is Christ who sustains us, who gives us life, who makes life bearable when it is difficult. He tells us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - Matthew 11.27-30.

What a sweet thing it is to have communion with Christ, to know Jesus.

Martin Luther King, Jr Day and Today's Gospel Reading

2011-01-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

Here is today's Gospel Reading:

And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and healed them all. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. "Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh. "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. - Luke 6.17-23, RSV

We read this passage today because we commemorate a Father of the Church, St. Anthony the Great. But it is also an appropriate reading since today we honor in America the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today's gospel proclaims the blessedness of the oppressed- the poor and hungry. Dr. King was a prophet of social justice. He spoke out for the civil rights of African-Americans and for the poor. Today's gospel proclaims the blessedness of the poor, and likewise, Dr. King, inspired by the gospel, proclaimed the human dignity of all God's children.

But as John Fugelsang pointed out on his Facebook page today, King was also an advocate of labor unions, non-violence, and the end of war. Typically, we remember his advocacy of civil rights, but not his stances on poverty, the Vietnam War, non-violence, and labor unions. When King died, he was supporting a labor strike by garbage workers.

Dr. King insisted on non-violence. He was influenced by Ghandi, and by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels. When one is committed to non-violent social action, one must be ready for persecution. The nonviolent person will rather suffer abuse than inflict harm on others. Jesus teaches us non-violent resistance (Matthew 5.38-41). Today's Gospel says:

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil (defame you- NRSV), on account of the Son of man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. - Luke 6.22,23, RSV

We often forget that Dr. King was spied on, maligned, and called a traitor and a communist while he was alive.

As we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, let us remember everything he stood for- civil rights for African-Americans, minorities and people of color; social justice for the poor and oppressed; non-violent social protest; an end to war; and the right for labor unions to organize and seek justice for their members.

Let us as Christians, like our late Archbishop Iakovos of Blessed Memory, be willing to walk with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the pursuit of peace and justice, in solidarity with the poor and the oppressed and the workers, and in the light of the Gospel of our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Archbishop Iakovos of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

What do we mean by Eastern Churches?

2011-01-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

St Catherine's Monastery in Sinai.

By Eastern Churches we mean the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Catholic Churches, and Church of the East. These are Churches of ancient communities with deep apostolic roots, that grew in the Eastern parts of the Roman Empire, and beyond. St. Mark for example, founded the Church in Alexandria, and was its first Pope. St. Thaddeus and Bartholomew brought the Gospel to the Armenians. And of course, St. Thomas is very well known, even among Western Christians, for bringing the Gospel to India. He also brought Christianity to the Assyrians in modern day Iraq.

These Churches are exceedingly diverse, and have many differences in theology and spirituality, although I think one generalization that applies to all of them is that they take a more mystical and less rational approach to faith in contrast with Western Churches. Christianity is, after all, an Eastern Religion.

The Eastern Orthodox follow the Byzantine Rite originating in the great Church of Constantinople. She claims to be the Church of the Seven Ecumenical Councils. She split with the Church of Rome officially in 1054. For centuries, the Eastern and Western parts of the Imperial Church were drifting apart, with marked differences in theology and spirituality, with cultural, and with linguistic and political factors playing apart in this estrangement. The decisive factors in the Great Schism were the Filioque controversy, and the nature of the Petrine ministry. Some of the Eastern Orthodox Churches are the Greek, Russian, Antiochian, Urkainian, Polish, Czech-Slovak, Serbian, Bulgarian, Albanian, Finnish, Alexandrian, Japanese, and others.

The Church of the East split with the Orthodox Church in 431 after the the Third Ecumenical Council in Ephesus. This Church, often called in the past the Nestorian Church, took hold mainly among the Assyrians in what is now Iraq. At one time, this Church was one of the largest Churches in Christendom, if not the largest, reaching as far East as China. After centuries of persecution and genocide, the Church of the East remains and is resilient, but relatively small in numbers. The Churches that rejected the Third Ecumenical Council refused to call the Virgin Mary, "Theotokos." The Orthodox party accused the Nestorians, as they were called, of positing two persons in Christ: the Logos, and the man, Jesus.

The Oriental Orthodox Church rejected the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon in 451. They are the Coptic (Egyptian), Ethiopian. Armenian, and Syrian Churches, and Syro-Indian Churches. This Church, too, has endured centuries of suffering and persecution. These Churches stress the unified Nature of Christ, and have been incorrectly termed "Monophysite" by the Romans and Orthodox. Now, it is the view of many in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, that the Christological differences between them and the Oriental Orthodox are more semantic the substantial.

The Eastern Catholic Churches are former Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Church of the East communities that sought union or re-union with the Church of Rome. This strategy of bringing various Eastern Churches into union with the See of Rome has been called "uniatism," and has been now rejected by the contemporary Roman Catholic Church. Historically, these Churches have been unduly influenced by Latin theology. The adoption of Latin theology and practices into the Eastern Catholic Churches has been called "Latinization." Today, the Eastern Catholic Churches for the most part have been striving to return to their original heritage and have been restoring Eastern theology and customs, but there is still much more work to be done on this front.

One Eastern Catholic Church, the Maronite Church, has no analog among the various other Orthodox Churches. She has her own distinct rite, and claims never to have been in schism with Rome.

Although the Uniate Churches have been promoted by Rome to be bridges with the Orthodox, their existence is seen by many Orthodox as a stumbling block for reunion with the Roman Catholic Church. Most Eastern Catholics consider the term "uniate" as a pejorative.

All of the Eastern Churches- Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, and Church of the East- claim to have valid sacraments, priesthood, and apostolic succession, and can in fact claim Apostolic origin. But the Churches are in schism because of theological, political and cultural factors.

One of the purposes of this blog site is to bring some Light from the East. Often our Roman Catholic and Protestant brothers and sisters know little about us. They may know a little about the Eastern Orthodox Church, but usually very little about the Eastern Catholics, the Oriental Orthodox, and the Church of the East. I hope to offer more information on the Eastern Churches, as time goes by.

If you are an Eastern Christian, and are a member of any of these beautiful ancient traditions, please feel free to share them in your comments. I will try over time to incorporate sharings from other Eastern Christians. I will also be going into further detail about the history and theology of the various Eastern Churches in the future.