2016 - January Sacred Lessons

8/20/2019 2016 - January Sacred Lessons

1/50

C I R C U M C I S I O N O F C H R I S T O U R S A V I O U R 1 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6

May the Peace and Joy of our Lord & Saviour, Jesus Christ, fill and heal all hearts and souls!1

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All AfricaArchdiocese of Good Hope

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering

also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady,Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints.

And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole

Life to Christ our God. Amen.

1 January 2016Circumcision of Christour Lord & Saviour

A L S O T H E F E A S T O F S T B A S I L T H E G R E A T – S T B A S I LOF A N C Y R A – S T E M I L I A , R I G H T E O U S M O T H E R O F S TB A S I L T H E G R E A T

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N – C I R C U M C I S I O N O F C H R I S T

M orfin analliotos anthropinin proselaves, Theos on kat’ousian Poleiefsplaghne Kyrie, ke Nomon ekplironperitomin, thelise katadehi sarkikin, ina pafsis taskiodi, ke perielis to kalimma ton pathon imon. Doxa ti agathotiti, ti Si! Doxa ti efsplahnia Sou!Doxa ti anekfrasto, Loge, singatavasi Sou!

Thou took on human form without change in Thee, being God in Essence, O Lord Most Compassionate.And Thou accepted Circumcision in the Flesh, intotal fulfilment of the Law, to put an end to the actsof darkness, and roll away the veil of our sufferings. Glory to Thy Goodness, O Lord! Glory to thy

Tenderness! Glory to Thine inexpressibleCondescension, O Word!

F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N - C I R C U M C I S I O N O F C H R I S T – T O N E 3

O ton olon Kyrios peritomin ipomeni ke vroton taptesmata os agathos peritemni. Didosi tin Sotiriansimeron kosmo: Here de en tis Ipsistis ke O tou ktistouIerarhis ke Fosforos, O Thios Mystis Hristou Vasilios.

Now the Lord of all that is undergoes Circumcision, inHis Goodness cutting off the sins and failings ofmortals. He this day grants Salvation to the wholeworld; and the Hierarch and Bright Daystar of theCreator now rejoices in the Highest: Basil the Wiseand Divine Initiate of Christ.

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N - S T B A S I L T H E G R E A T

I s pasan tin gin exilthen O fthongos Sou, os dexameninton Logon Sou; diou theoprepos edogmatisas, tin fisinton onton etranosas, ta ton anthropon ithikatekosmisas. Vasilion Ieratevma, Pater Osie;

Presveve Hristo to Theos, Sothine tas psihas imon.

Thy voice has gone out all over the earth, which wasready to accept Thy Word; by which in a Godlymanner Thou Dogmatised; the nature of all thatexists Thou clarified; the manners of people Thou

Purified. As Royal Priesthood that Thou art, OFather Righteous, Intercede with Christ our God, thatour souls may be Saved.

F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N - S T B A S I L T H E G R E A T – T O N E 4

O fthis vasis asistos ti Ekklisia, nemon pasin asilon, tinkiriotita vrotis, epi sfragizon sis dogmasin,Ouranofantor Vasilie Osie.

For the Church art Thou in Truth a Firm Foundation,granting an inviolate Lordship to all mortal men andSealing it with what Thou has taught, O RighteousBasil, Revealer of Heavenly Things.

I S O D I K O N – G R E A T E N T R A N C E :

D efte proskinisomen.... SOSON IMAS IIE THEOU, O SARKI PERITIMITHIS , psallontas Si, Allelouia!

Come let us worship... Save us, O Son of God,CIRCUMCISED IN THE FLESH , who sing to Thee:Allilouia!

M A T I N S G O S P E L : J O H N 1 0 : 1 – 9 C H R I S T O U R G O O D S H E P H E R D

At that time, our Lord Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say you, he who does not enter the Sheepfold by the Door, butclimbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But He Who enters by the Door is the Shepherd of theSheep. To Him the Doorkeeper opens, and the Sheep hear His Voice; and He Calls His own Sheep by name andleads them out. And when He brings out His own Sheep, He goes before them; and the Sheep follow Him, for theyknow His Voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know thevoice of strangers .”

Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Then Jesus said to themagain: “Most assuredly, I say to you: I Am the Door of the Sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves androbbers, but the Sheep did not heed them. I Am the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be Saved and will go inand out and find Pasture.”

P R O K E I M E N O N :

M y mouth shall speak Wisdom... H ear this, all you Nations!

T H E E P I S T L E O F S T P A U L T O T H E C O L O S S I A N S 2 : 8 – 1 2S T P A U L S P E A K S O U T A G A I N S T F A L S E T H E O L O G Y O F H E R E T I C S

Brethren, Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy, and vain deceit; according to the tradition of men, according tothe elements of the world, but not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the Fullness of the Godhead corporeally;and you are filled in Him, Who is the Head of all Principality and Power; in Whom also you are Circumcised withCircumcision Not Made By Hand, in the despoiling of the body of the flesh, but in the Circumcision of Christ, buriedwith Him in Baptism, in Whom also you are Risen again by the Faith of the Operation of God, Who has raised Him upfrom the dead.


2/50 C I R C U M C I S I O N O F C H R I S T O U R S A V I O U R 1 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 2

T H E H O L Y G O S P E L A C C O R D I N G T O S T L U K E 2 : 2 0 – 2 1 ; 4 0 – 5 2T H E C I R C U M C I S I O N O F O U R L O R D & H I S F I R S T T E A C H I N G I N T H E T E M P L E A T T H E A G E O F T W E L V E Y E A R S

At that time, the Shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it wastold them. And when eight days were completed for the Circumcision of the Child, His Name was called Jesus, theName given by the Angel before He was Conceived in the Womb. And the Child grew and became strong in Spirit, filledwith Wisdom and the Grace of God was upon Him.

His parents went to Jerusalem every year to attend the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they wentup to Jerusalem according to the custom of the Feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesuslingered behind in Jerusalem. However, Joseph and His Mother did not know it, and supposing Him to have been inthe company, they went a day’s journey. Then they sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances and when theydid not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, to look for Him.

So it was that after three days they found Him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the Teachers, both listening to them

and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His Mother said to Him: “Son, why have Thou done this to us? Look Thyfather and I have sought Thee anxiously .” So He said to them: “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I mustbe about My Father’s Business ?” But they did not understand what He said to them.

Then He went down with them to Nazareth, and was subject to them, and His Mother kept all these things in her heart,while Jesus increased in Wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.

Our Lord Jesus Christ RECEIVED CIRCUMCISION ACCORDING TO

THE PRECEPTS OF MOSAIC L AW – which He faithfully

followed throughout His Life and Ministry because HE

FULFILLED THE ENTIRE OLD COVENANT L AW AS GIVEN BY GOD

TO ST MOSES ON MOUNT SINAI.

After the Resurrection of Christ, HOLY B APTISM REPLACEDPHYSICAL CIRCUMCISION AS THE UNIVERSAL MYSTERY OF

S ALVATION AND INITIATION INTO THE CHURCH. (It is referred

to as being “the New Circumcision.”)

In the Orthodox Church IT IS AN ANCIENT HOLY TRADITION TO

NAME A CHILD ON THE EIGHTH D AY OF ITS LIFE. This is notthe Holy Mystery (Sacrament) of Baptism and

Chrismation that takes place a month or two later.

It is A DIFFERENT SERVICE TO THE 40 D AY CHURCHING OF THE

MOTHER that occurs 40 days after the birth of a baby.

The Incarnation [assuming or taking on a visible,

physical body of flesh and bone] means that OUR LORDJESUS CHRIST EXPERIENCED NORMAL HUMAN PHYSICAL,

EMOTIONAL AND INTELLECTUAL GROWTH, BUT UNDER THE

SPECIAL O VERSHADOWING GRACE OF A LMIGHTY GOD that fills

Him with Wisdom and Strength – both physical and

Spiritual.

Pilgrimages to Jerusalem on the three Great Feasts of

P ASSOVER, PENTECOST AND T ABERNACLES, were customary

for all Hebrews except those who lived at great

distances from the Temple. Entire Clans andCommunities would travel together for safety and

companionship.

When our Lord Jesus Christ referred to “My Father’s

Business” He REFERRED TO GOD’S W ILL IN PREPARATION FOR

HIS DIVINE ( AND PUBLIC) MINISTRY.

This was THE FIRST STATEMENT MADE BY CHRIST CONCERNING

GOD AS HIS HEAVENLY F ATHER.

CHRIST DID NOT BREAK THE 5TH COMMANDMENT, “...Honour thy

father and mother...” because WHAT HE HAD DONE BY

REMAINING AT THE TEMPLE AFTER HIS MOTHER AND GUARDIAN

HAD LEFT THE CITY, WAS AN A CT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS . HE OBEYED GOD AND DID GOD’S W ILL although St Joseph the

Betrothed and the Ever Blessed Theotokos did not fully

understand at the time and were naturallyconcerned for His safety.

While He grew up, CHRIST WAS SUBJECT TO HIS EARTHLY,

TEMPORARY, P ARENTS – HIS LEGAL GUARDIANS - clearly

demonstrating His humble Obedience to and respect

for His earthly Family.

He grew up healthy in Body and Spirit, increasing daily

in “...Wisdom, Stature and Favour with God and

men...” and BRINGING INTO PLAIN VIEW THE W ISDOM AND

GRACE INHERENT IN HIM.

In His Incarnation, JESUS CHRIST MADE HUMANITY COMPLETELY

HIS OWN, including progress in Wisdom and Grace.HE EXPERIENCED AND S ANCTIFIED EVERY STAGE OF HUMAN LIFE.

Since our Lord Jesus Christ is both God and Man, OURLORD INCREASED HUMANLY IN THE GRACE AND W ISDOM THAT

WERE ALREADY FULLY HIS IN HIS DIVINE N ATURE.

The growth of Christ’s Humanity prefigures our own

growth into Union with Him. As Christ our God and Creator took on complete

humanity, HE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO ACHIEVE

SPIRITUAL PURITY OR THEOSIS AND BECOME “GOD-LIKE.”

T H E C I R C U M C I S I O N O F J E S U S C H R I S T O U R L O R D & S A V I O U R Happy New Year!The Great Holy Feast Commemorated by the Orthodox

Christian Church today is the celebration of our LordJesus Christ’s Circumcision as an eight-day-old Infant.

We celebrate this significant Event of Christ’s Circumcision because:

1) A T H IS C IRCUMCISION , H E RECEIVED THE NAME ‘JESUS’ (J OSHUA ).

M A TTH E W 1:21 - “And she shall bring forth a son, andThou shalt call His Name JESUS: for He shall SaveHis People from their sins .”

L UKE 2:21 - “And when Eight Days wereaccomplished for the Circumcising of the Child,His Name was called ‘JESUS,’ which was so namedof the Angel before He was Conceived in theWomb.”

The name “ Jesus ” means “Yahweh is Salvation” or “theLord Saves”.

Even though His Name was known before His Conception,His Name was not officially given to Him until HisCircumcision.

Similarly, Baptism is the New Covenant version ofCircumcision, during which we receive our ChristianName in Christ.

2) A T C H R IS T ’ S C IR C UM C IS IO N , TH E I NC A R NA TIO NWAS CLEARLY MANIFEST .

If our Lord Jesus Christ had not had human Flesh,it would have been impossible to Circumcise Him.

If His Virgin Birth highlighted His Divinity, then HisCircumcision highlighted His Humanity.

3) H IS C IRCUMCISION R E M IND S U S T O A DDRESSG O D W ITH M A S C UL INE P R O NO UNS .

If our Lord Jesus Christ had been Incarnate as a female,Circumcision would have been impossible.

God chose to Reveal Himself in a masculine way – thus our

Saviour became Incarnate as Man.Our Lord Jesus addressed God as His “Father ” whereas God

the Holy Spirit is always addressed as “He ” in Scripture.Because it was important to God to Reveal Himself this way,

it is imperative for us to address Him accordingly –always with absolute devout respect!

This is the correct and True response to modern ‘feminist’groups and ‘progressive’ Protestant denominations,which ignore the masculine references to God ourHeavenly Father, and speak of Almighty God and ourLord Jesus Christ in a disrespectful, deceptive andcasual manner!

We acknowledge that men and women are both created inthe Image and Likeness of God, so wenever advocate gender inequality – for both male andfemale are valued equally by God.

4) C IR C UM C IS IO N R E M IND S US TH A T C H R IS TIA NITYIS EARTHY , TA NG IB L E , & PRACTICAL .

The central Divine Truths of Christianity are based ondown to Earth, historical, physical Events such as:


3/50

C I R C U M C I S I O N O F C H R I S T O U R S A V I O U R 1 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6

May the Peace and Joy of our Lord & Saviour, Jesus Christ, fill and heal all hearts and souls!3

the Virgin Birth the Circumcision of Christ the Baptism of Christ the Crucifixion of Christ the Death of Christ the Burial of Christ the bodily Resurrection of Christ the physical Ascension of Christ

Most religions primarily consist of Basic Moral Teachingsand various beliefs about the Afterlife.

They may mention some concrete historical facts, but those

facts are not central to the religion itself.For example, Islam-minus-Mohammad’s-‘ascension’ wouldstill basically be Islam. There would be little impact tothe Muslim religion, regardless of whether Muhammadactually ‘ascended’ into Heaven or not.

Orthodox Christianity, on the other hand, cannot beseparated from its historical claims, because thoseclaims form the Fundamental Foundations of theChristian Faith.

Remove Mohammed’s ‘ascension’ from Islam, and nothingis changed.

But remove Christ’s Ascension from Christianity, andChristianity falls apart.

There cannot be Orthodox Christianity without the Life-giving Cross, the Glorious Resurrection, or theTriumphant Ascension.

And there cannot be Orthodox Christianity without ourLord Jesus Christ’s Circumcision, either.

5) C IRCUMCISION IS HOW J ESUS F IRST SHED H ISB L O O D F O R O UR S A L V A TIO N .

We could not have been Saved and received Eternal Life inGod’s Eternal Kingdom, if our Saviour Jesus Christ hadnot been Circumcised –

G E NE S IS 17:14 – Holy Scripture states that I F A NINFANT SON WAS NOT C IRCUMCISED , HEWOULD BE CUT OFF FROM G O D ’ S P E O P L E :“...And the uncircumcised man child whose fleshof his foreskin is not Circumcised, that soul shallbe cut off from his people; he hath broken My

Covenant.”

E ZEKIEL 44:9 – Holy Scripture states that W E M US TB E C IRCUMCISED IN BOTH HEART A ND F L E S H , IN ORDER TO APPROACH G O D : “Thus saith theLord God: ‘ No stranger, uncircumcised in heart,nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into MySanctuary , of any stranger that is among theChildren of Israel.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ was Faithful to God’s Law in everydetail - even from His infancy. Via Circumcision as anInfant, our Saviour began His Path of complete

Obedience to God, in every Aspect of Life.Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Most Perfect, Faithful Judean inhistory. Yet without being Circumcised, He could nothave been a Son of Israel.

As the Perfect Judean, our Lord Jesus inherited all thePromises God made according to His Old Covenant.

Consequently, being Baptised into Christ, we, too, inheriteverything that He inherits – for, due to our DivineAdoption during our Holy Baptism, we become Co-Heirswith Christ.

Christ’s Circumcision, Christ’s Faithfulness, and Christ’sInheritance become ours as well.

G ALATIANS 3:27-29 “...For as many of you as havebeen Baptized into Christ have put on Christ . . .. And if you be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s

Seed, and Heirs according to the Promise .”

Almighty God, Who made Thy Blessed Son to be Circumcisedand Obedient to the Law for mankind - grant us theTrue Circumcision of the soul, that our heart and allour members - being mortified from all worldly andcarnal lusts - we may in all things Obey Thy BlessedWill , through Thy Son – our Lord and Saviour - JesusChrist our Lord.

Amen.

T H I S S E R M O N W A S P R E A C H E D O N S U N D A Y M O R N I N G , 1J A N U A R Y2012, A T C H R I S T T H E K I N G O R T H O D O X C H U R C H , I N

O M A H A , I L L I N O I S , B Y J O S E P H M. G L E A S O N H T T P S : / / T H E O R T H O D O X L I F E .W O R D P R E S S .C O M / 2012 /01/01

T H E M Y S T E R Y O F O U R E T E R N A L S A L V A T I O NH I S E M I N E N C E , P A N T E L E I M O N L A M P A D A R I O S , M E T R O P O L I T A N O F A N T I N O E S

Mankind, who was deceived by the evil one into sin, didnot Fall from Divine Grace without the possibility ofRestoration, now were we Condemned to EternalDeath.

Within mankind there was Hope – for we were notabandoned by the Divine Love of our Creator.

Before all time, the Lord our God – foreseeing the Fall ofmankind – made provision for our Restoration andSalvation.

In order to Cure the mortality that sin has enforced uponus, and – to fulfil our Regeneration and Recreation,God sent into our world – according to His Eternal

and Mysterious Divine Will, as our Saviour andDeliverer – His Eternal, Only Begotten Son.The Incarnated Word and Son of God was born for us by

the Wisdom, Justice, Holiness and Salvation of God,and through His Teachings, He Enlightened andGuided us into the True Knowledge of God.

Through His Death and our Incorporation andRegeneration within His All Holy Body, through theHoly Mystery of Baptism, He freed us from all guilt,Justifying us, and making us Saints by offeringHimself as a “Ransom” for the Salvation of the world.(M ATTHEW 19:28)

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, our nature becamecapable of becoming Partakers of Divine Nature.

Hence, the Salvation in Christ is the central Doctrine andmain subject of the Holy Gospel.

Nevertheless, it remains a Divine Mystery – hidden fromall generations and even from the Heavenly Hosts – being the secret Divine Will of God, and existing in theDepths of His Wisdom.

The Divine Mystery of our Eternal Salvation, has remainedincomprehensible to our limited human mind.

Salvation, as Regeneration of the fallen and corruptednature of mankind, is inseparably connected to theCreation as the Divine Will of God, existing before alltime and being inseparable from the Divine Plan ofCreation.

Having fallen from Divine Grace, we have to our credit thefact that we had not invented evil ourselves but weretempted and deceived by Satan.

Mankind was corrupted because of the Offence, and didnot remain in the natural condition wherein we werecreated.

Mankind was corrupted to the extent that the wickedness,

which invaded our nature, did not transform us intocomplete evil beings.This is the significant difference between the evil one and

mankind, for Satan and his demons nature wascompletely transformed by their rebellion against Godand their wickedness – and when the devil lies – “...hespeaks of his own resources .” (John 8:44)

The evil one speaks and acts from the very foundation ofhis corrupted nature, which is completely possessed ydeceit, and is the primary, inexhaustible source ofevil.

On the contrary, when we lie, we speak as being enslavedand influenced by Satan – the inventor of all evil anddeception.

The groaning and suffering is hiding in us sinners because of our Ancestral Offence.

Our human Conscience awakens and becomes theinstrument whereby God raises us up.When mankind fell from Divine Grace, we did not Fall into

the condition of animals, nor did our naturetransform into the wicked, ungodly nature of Satan.


4/50 C I R C U M C I S I O N O F C H R I S T O U R S A V I O U R 1 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 4

Through sin, our heart became like a field of thorns andthistles, but it did not change into insensitive granite– unable to receive the Enlightenment of Divine Grace.

However, by our moral powers, which remained in us, itwas impossible for us to be restored to our former,created state of Purity.

We are susceptible to God’s Attention and Salvation.It was necessary for us to be Divinely Regenerated, but

not to be changed, because through the Offence, evilrushed into us, but it did not become the essence ofour Spiritual Nature.

Hence, us sinful human beings, feeling the pollution of

wickedness that infected and alienated us fromAlmighty God, and because of the accusations of ourConscience that awakened in us, searched for themeans to become Reconciled and close to God, and to

be freed from our guilt and Spiritual Unhappiness.We, therefore, offered Sacrifices, suffered punishments of

our body, took up Spiritual Pilgrimages and wentthrough various means of Spiritual Purification,through which we sought expiation with the Divine, orcleanliness from the stain of immoral deeds.

Considering that sin is a power that soils mankind andalienates us from God – only through an InnerRegeneration and the Outpouring of a New Moral Life,which Transforms us from the offspring of Darkness,Disobedience and Wrath, into Children of Light andDivine Blessedness, is it possible to achieveRestoration and Salvation from the slavery of evil.

This desirable Salvation does not consist of a naturalTransformation of the body – nor is it some kind ofLifeless Morality that Enlightens the mind.

It is the Rising and Moral Transfiguration of the InnerMan that is achieved by our Freedom from the slavery

of sin and the beginning of a New Life, which makesus Partakers of the Divine Nature in our Lord andSaviour, Jesus Christ.

“ T H E C A T E C H I S M O F T HE O R T H O D O X C H U R C H – Q U E S T I O N S & A N S W E R S ” B Y H I S E M I N E N C E , P A N T E L E I M O NL AM P AD A R I OS , V E N E R A B L E M E T R O P O L I T A N O F A N T I N O E S & K A L Y MN O S

T H O U G H T S F O R T H E N E W Y E A R – A T I M E F O R R E N E W A L Being an Orthodox Christian is about a Way of Life.We must seek to live in a Way that we become the

“...aroma of Christ ...” to our surroundings. (2 C ORINTHIANS 2:15 )

This means that we must develop a Presence that

influences others by our Way of Living and Acting.This is a good time to review the following Ten Principles

of an Orthodox Way of life and reflect on our own

Life style -asking what changes do we need to make toimprove our own personal “aroma .”

1. D A IL Y P R A Y E R : Maintaining a regular Rule of Prayerthat includes Morning, Noon and Evening Prayers.

2. W ORSHIPPING AND P A R TIC IP A TING IN A L LE S S E NTIA L H O L Y M Y S TE R IE S : Regularly attendand fully participate in the Divine Liturgy,receiving Holy Communion, as well as attendingall Holy Services and partaking of all required HolyMysteries such as Repentance-Confession andUnction.

3. H O NO UR ING TH E L ITURGICAL C Y C L E O F TH E

H OLY C HURCH OF C HRIST : Honour and applythe various Seasons of the Liturgical Year, fullyparticipating in all required Fasts and Feasts.

4. T HE J E S US P R A Y E R /P RAYER OF THE H EART :Ceaselessly recite the Holy Name of our Lord andSaviour, Jesus Christ and the full Prayer: “O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have Mercy on me, asinner!” or “Kyrie eleison me.”

5. S LOWING D O W N A ND O RDERING L I F E : Setpriorities and reduce the stress and frictioncaused by hurried, stressful daily living.

6. B EING W ATCHFUL : Constantly pay full attention toeverything that we are thinking, saying or doing.

7. T AMING THE P A S S IO NS : We must overcome ourhabits, our attachment to our likes and dislikes,and strive to achieve the Virtues.

8.

A LWAYS PUTTING OTHERS BEFORE OURSELVES : freeingourselves from selfishness and self-indulgence,and joyfully helping others whenever, howeverand wherever possible.

9. S P IR ITUA L F ELLOWSHIP : Spend time regularly withother like-minded Orthodox Christian for support,guidance, discussion and encouragement.

10. H OLY S CRIPTURE , W R IT ING S & T E A C H ING S O FO UR H OLY F ATHERS : We are Enlightened,Encouraged and Inspired by the Divinely InspiredHoly Church Fathers’ Teachings and Writings.

The starting point is always Prayer coupled with regularparticipation in the Divine Liturgy and regularPreparation and Partaking of Holy Communion.

Fasting and the Jesus Prayer can help build the necessarySpiritual Discipline and constant Watchfulness andimmediate Repentance where we constantly beseechDivine Mercy and Assistance.

If we seek Spiritual Enrichment throughout this year, thenwe must avoid falling into a slumber of SpiritualInattention to what really matters – what is essentialto our Eternal Salvation and Life in Christ.

We must engage ourselves in our Spiritual Developmentand allow God the Holy Spirit to Transform us fromthe inside out.

We must never expect nor seek ‘instant results’ from Godas though from an ATM machine!

We must seek and thirst for our Lord God and His Divine,Life-giving Truth.

We must not fret about how distant He seems to us andwe must commit ourselves to live the Holy an BlessedLife in Christ, which He has provided for us throughHis Holy, Eternal Church, which is always for ourSpiritual Healing and Salvation – as well as all theBlessed Benefits necessary to our daily life on Earth.

Our Life in Christ teaches and guides us how to becomeself-disciplined and gain His Divine Help so that weare truly able to Live in Him and He in us as HolyScripture states.

May God Enlighten and Guide us all, and may He bring usmany Wonderful Blessings in this New Year.

D EACON H ARALAMBOS (C HARLES ) J OINER , S T G EORGE G REEK O RTHODOXC ATHEDRAL, G REENVILLE S OUTH C AROLINA , USA.

HTTP ://ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE .BLOGSPOT .CO .ZA

T H E D I V I N E L Y I N S P I R E D W I S D O M A N D T E A C H I N G S O F O U R H O L Y C H U R C H F A T H E R S S T G R E G O R Y O F S I N A I

O N P R A Y E R : S E V E N T E X T S - O N D E L U S I O N A N D O T H E R S U B J E C T S Be careful not to entertain and readily give assent to

anything even if it be good, before questioning thosewith Spiritual Experience - and investigating itthoroughly - so as not to come to any harm.

Always be suspicious of it and keep your intellect free fromcolours, forms and images. For it has often happened

that things sent by God to test our free will, to seewhich way it inclines and to act as a spur to our efforts,have in fact had bad consequences.

For when we see something, whether with mind orsenses - even if this thing be from God - and thenreadily entertain it without consulting thoseexperienced in such matters, we are easily

deceived, or will be in the future, because of ourgullibility.

A Novice should pay close attention solely to the activity ofhis heart, because this is not led astray.

Everything else he must reject until the passions arequietened. For God does not censure those, who out of

fear of being deluded, pay strict attention tothemselves, even though this means that they refuse to

entertain what He sends them until they havequestioned others and made careful enquiry.Indeed, He is more likely to praise their prudence,even though in some cases He is grieved.


5/50 3 1S T S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T – B E F O R E T H E O P H A N Y – R E P E N T A N C E & D I V I N E R E V E L A T I O N – 3 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6 5


All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the

Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria,

Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole


Tone (6) Plagal 2 3 January 201631 sst Sunday After Pentecost

Sunday Before Theophany2 N D D A Y O F T H E F O R E F E A S T O F T H E O P H A N Y

The Feast of St Malachi, Holy Prophet of God – St Gordios of Caesarea, Cappadocia – St

Genevieve Virgin Martyr of Paris, Gaul (France) – St Euthymios Taquaishvili, “Man of

God,” of Ozurgeti, Guria, Georgia

R E S U R R E C T I O N A P O L Y T I K I O N – T O N E ( 6 ) P L A G A L 2

A ngelike Dinamis epi to Mnima Sou ke i filassontesapenekrothisan. Ke istato Maria en to tafo, zitousa to

ahranton Sou Soma. Eskilevsas ton Adin, mi pirasthis ipaftou. Ipintisas ti Partheno, Doroumenos tin Zoin. OAnastas ek to nekron, Kyrie, Doxa Si!

The Angelic Powers were in Thy Tomb, and the guards became as dead men, and Mary stood by the Tomb

seeking Thy Most Pure Body. Thou led captive Hades,yet were not tempted thereby: Thou Who art theBestower of Life came to meet the Woman. Glory toThee, O Lord, Who Rose again from the dead!

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F T H E F O R E F E A S T O F T H E O P H A N Y – T O N E 4

F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N – F O R E F E A S T O F T H E O P H A N Y - T O N E 4

E n tis rithris simeron tou Iordanou, gegonos O Kyrios, toIoanni ekvoa: Diliasis Vaptise me: Sose gar iko, A DAMTON P ROTOPLASTON .

When the Lord descended today into the water of theJordan, He cried aloud to John: Be not afraid toBaptise me, for I Am come to Save ADAM THE FIRST-CREATED.

M A T I N S R E S U R R E C T I O N G O S P E L 9 – J O H N 2 0 : 1 9 – 3 1O U R R I S E N L O R D B E S T O W S H I S A U T H O R I T Y T O F O R G I V E S I N S U P O N H I S A P O S T L E S

P R O K E I M E N O N – P S A L M 2 7 / 2 8 – T O N E ( 6 ) P L A G A L 2

S oson ton laon Sou ke Evlogison tin Klironomian Sou.P ros Se, Kyrie, kekraxome, O Theos mou!

The Lord Save Thy People, and Bless Thine Inheritance...To Thee, O Lord, I cry: O my God!

T H E 2 N D E P I S T L E O F S T P A U L T O S T T I M O T H Y 4 : 5 – 8Timothy, my Son: always be steady, endure suffering, do the Work of an Evangelist, fulfil Thy Ministry. For I am already on

the point of being sacrificed, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the Good Fight - I have finishedthe Race - I have kept the Faith.

Henceforth there is laid up for me the Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord will award to me on that Day – theRighteous Judge - not only to me but also to all who have Loved His Appearing.

St Paul wrote this personal letter to his beloved disciple, St

Timothy (circa 65 – 67) from Rome where he was

imprisoned with chains, suffering physical pain and

facing execution.St Paul had elected St Timothy Bishop of Ephesos where

some Church members had promoted a variety of

self-conceived “Theological” opinions ranging from

the irrelevant to the heretical.

St Paul had therefore found it necessary to

Excommunicate some of these speculators andheretics so he knew with which internal and external

pressures the Church had to deal.

The Hellenistic ‘mystery religions’ misused the terms

“Salvation” and “Saviour ” and the cult of Emperor

worship accorded the title “Lord” to the Emperor.

St Paul strove to guide St Timothy through all the Pastoralchallenges and questions he had to endure.

Every devout Christian who is truly A D ISCIPLE OF C HRIST ,

MUST ALWAYS “...WATCH in all things ...” [BE CONSTANTLY

ALERT to temptations and heresy, false beliefs or

teaching], “...ENDURE AFFLICTIONS ...” [PATIENTLY TOLERATE all suffering, persecution, criticism, unkindness, etc],

and through daily striving “...DO THE WORK OF AN

EVANGELIST ...” [our personal behaviour, habits and

practises reveal our true nature: spiritual or worldly].

E ACH V IRTUE IS AN UNSPOKEN , SHINING EXAMPLE OF AUTHENTICC HRISTIANITY .

S T P AUL EXHORTED not only St Timothy but EVERYONE who

would either read this letter or hear it read out, TOCONTINUE LIFE ACCORDING TO A LMIGHTY G OD ’ S

C OMMANDMENTS AND C HRIST ’ S MOST P ERFECT E XAMPLE .

Our personal goals in this existence should be TO FIGHT

THE GOOD FIGHT , FINISH THE RACE AND KEEP THE FAITH . This means that we must STRUGGLE CEASELESSLY against all

temptation and evil influence that threatens to draw

us further away from Almighty God.

Each day is a new beginning and another opportunity to

grow closer to God and His Eternal Kingdom. At the end of every day, do a personal “accounting” and

ask our Beloved Lord to forgive our faults, sins and

weakness, and beseech Him to assist us to do better

tomorrow.

Although the “Race ” refers to the Life and Work given to St

Paul it also refers to our own lives.

E timazou Zavoulon, ke evtrepizou Nefthalim. Iordanipotame, stithi ipodexe skirton, tou Vaptisthineerhomenon ton Deepotin. Agallou O Adam Sin tiPromitori. Mi hriptete eaftous, os en Paradiso to prin.Ke gar gimnous idon imas epefanen, ina endisi tinprotin stolin. Hristos efani, tin pasan ktisin, thelon.Anakenise.

Prepare, O Zebulon, and adorn yourself, O Naphtali; RiverJordan, cease flowing and receive with joy the Mastercoming to be Baptised. Adam, rejoice with our FirstMother and do not hide yourself as you did of old inParadise; for having seen you naked, He has appearedto clothe you with the first garment. Christ hasappeared to renew all creation.


6/506. 3 1S T S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T – B E F O R E T H E O P H A N Y – R E P E N T A N C E & D I V I N E R E V E L A T I O N – 3 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6

The comparison of Spiritual Life to an Athletic Contest is

common in the writings of the Ascetic Fathers.

T HE “ CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS ” IS A MOST GRACIOUS BLESSING

that A LMIGHTY G OD , W HO IS THE ONLY RIGHTEOUS JUDGE ,

MAY AWARD TO DESERVING SOULS WHO TRULY LOVE HIM and

therefore HAVE STRUGGLED THE HARDEST TO OBEY AND TO

SERVE GOD IN WHATEVER MANNER REQUIRED OF THEM .

The Lord our God, Who is infinitely Merciful, clearly sees

our soul as it really is – for NOTHING IS HIDDEN FROM H IM –

and H E WILL J UDGE EACH SOUL ACCORDINGLY .

It is vital that EVERY EFFORT WE MAKE , WHETHER SPIRITUAL OR

PHYSICAL, IS DUE TO OUR SINCERE DEVOTION AND LOVE FOR

G OD AND ALL H IS C REATION and not done in order to

impress other human beings or for our personal

glorification and material gain!

T H E H O L Y G O S P E L O F S T M A R K 1 : 1 – 8C O N C E R N I N G S T J O H N T H E B A P T I S T & F O R E R U N N E R T O C H R I S T O U R L O R D A N D S A V I O U R

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My Messengerbefore Thy Face, who will prepare Thy Way before Thee... ... The voice of one crying in the Wilderness: ‘Prepare the

Way of the Lord! Make His Paths straight!’” John went Baptising in the Wilderness and preaching a Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins. And all the land

of Judea and those from Jerusalem, went out to him. And all were Baptised by him in the Jordan River, confessing theirsins. John was clothed with camel’s hair, and a leather belt was around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

And he preached, saying: “There comes One after me Who is Mightier than I – Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loosen.I indeed Baptised you with water. H e will Baptise you with the Holy Spirit.”

“Beginning ” refers to the opening Events of the Public

Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ: in other words: the

preparatory activity of St John the Baptist and

Forerunner of Christ and also the Temptation of our

Lord Jesus Christ Who is truly the Eternal, Only

Begotten Son of Almighty God the Father.

The expression “prepare the Way ” refers to St John the

Baptist who is the last Holy Prophet of God of the Old

Testament or Covenant who fulfilled Divine Prophecy

and who prepared the people of God for theMessiah’s Coming.

HEARTS WERE SOFTENED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE GOD’SDIVINE LIGHT – HIS TRUTH AND W ISDOM.

“Baptism... for the remission of sins ...” (literally ‘to let go

of sins’ ) was a major part of St John the Baptist’s

Preparation of the people for the Coming of our Lord

and Saviour.

Later, IN CHRISTIAN B APTISM, GOD NOT ONLY FORGIVES OUR

REPENTED SINS, BY LETTING THEM GO, HE ALSO BRINGS US INTO

A PERSONAL UNION WITH CHRIST.

“ All the land of Judea... went out to him...” indicates the

sweeping impact of the Ministry of St John the Baptist

who was perhaps the leading religious figure outside

official, Rabbinic Judaism.

ST JOHN THE B APTISt’s clothing was similar to that of St

Elijah, indicating that HE FULFILLED THE PROPHECY OF STELIJAH’S RETURN.

Baptism with the Holy Spirit means that ONLY OUR LORD

JESUS CHRIST W HO IS THE TRUE SON OF GOD, FULLY POSSESSES

AND GRANTS US THE HOLY SPIRIT. Therefore, IN ORDER FOR US TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE

MUST BE B APTISED IN CHRIST AND DIVINELY A DOPTED AS

CHILDREN OF A LMIGHTY GOD.

In our Spiritual Adoption by God, CHRISTIANS BECOME‘A NOINTED ONES’ and it was concerning these people

whom God Commanded: “Do not touch My Anointed

Ones!” (P SALM 105:15 )

3 1 S T S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T - S U N D A Y B E F O R E T H E O P H A N Y The Great Holy Feast of the Nativity of Christ has ended,

and the Feast of our Lord’s Baptism is approaching.In the earliest centuries, these were combined into one

Great Holy Feast of Theophany, when both our Saviour’s

Birth and the beginning of His Preaching – His PublicMission - were commemorated.

By the end of the fourth century the Feast of the Nativityand the Feast of Theophany had begun to be celebratedseparately.

Today, midway between these two Great Holy Feasts, wehear the beginning of the Holy Gospel according to StMark, where St John the Baptist is spoken of, and theend of the Second Epistle of St Paul to St Timothy,which was written shortly before his final Martyrdom.(MARK 1:1-8 & 2 TIMOTHY 4:1-8).

These two Readings teach us about Faith in God as ourSacred Path towards Eternity, for only by Faith are weable to develop a close Relationship with the Lord ourGod.

The preaching of the Holy Gospel began with the urging ofSt John the Baptist to the Chosen People of God - MANYOF WHOM HAD APOSTATISED OR GONE S PIRITUALLY A DRIFTTHROUGH THEIR NEGLIGENCE AND APATHY – EXACTLY LIKEOUR OWN MODERN SOCIETY THESE DAYS : “Prepare the Wayof the Lord! Make His Paths straight!”

St Paul the Great Apostle to the Gentiles – shortly beforehis Repose in Christ - stated: “...I am now ready to beoffered, and the time of my Departure is at hand. I havefought the Good Fight. I have finished my Course. Ihave kept the Faith! ” (2 TIMOTHY 4:6-7).

“My Course ” means a specific Race, Challenge or SpiritualContest – for he employed the imagery of a long-distance runner attaining his goal and winning the raceor competition.

Thus today we hear both of the beginning and the end of

the Path – our Life Journey towards Eternity - and aboutthat Crown of Victory that is prepared for everyone whohas continually Repented every time they havestumbled or fallen along the difficult Path of SpiritualLife, but have finally attained their Ultimate Goal - ourLord Himself and His Eternal Kingdom of Love.

The beginning of our Christian Life – Life IN Christ - is the beginning of our ceaseless Repentance.

St John the Baptist addressed all Disciples of Christthroughout the ages with his admonition: “ Repent! Forthe Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” are addressed andapply to each and every one of us. (MATTHEW 3:2)

However, these words of admonition should not beunderstood in the sense that the Kingdom of God isapproaching chronologically, but rather that It is alwayswith us.

The Eternal Kingdom of God is ever present and ready toenter us – as much as we are prepared to enter It byliving IN Christ.

The only requirement is whether we are ready, willing andcommitted to enter the Kingdom of God - welcoming itwithin ourselves.

On the contrary, those who remain outside the Kingdom ofGod are not those whom our Lord has Condemned fortheir wilful sins, but rather those who rejected orrefused to follow this Sacred Path to its end – all theway to the Entrance of the Kingdom of God.

These are also those whose Faith was weak and who choseto surrender to the evil one’s temptations and turnaway from this Sacred Path after only a very short while- giving up the Spiritual Struggle.

Those who have chosen to remain outside the EternalKingdom of God have allowed the demands of theirflesh, which are encouraged by the evil one, to dominateand oppress their Immortal soul and their Conscience.

In other words, they have developed thick, fleshy souls thatare overwhelmed and defeated by self-indulgence andsin.

We should always be aware that, although we are on thisSacred Path, there is the ever present danger of failingto reach our Ultimate Destination because when wehave stumbled and fallen, we neglected to Repent oursins and be Restored, Renewed and Regenerated by the

Holy Mysteries of Repentance-Confession and HolyEucharist.St Paul severely cautioned us as well in his Epistle to St

Timothy: “... watch thou in all things, endureafflictions, do the Work of an Evangelist, make fullproof of thy Ministry...” (2 TIMOTHY 4:5)



The “Work of an Evangelist ” means spreading the GoodNews – the Divine Truth and Teachings of Christ ourLord and Saviour.

Each of us must be a Preacher of Divine Truth - carryingChrist’s Holy Gospel into the world – not only in words,

but above all by our whole Way of Life - with the Goaland Aspiration of going out to meet God and constantlyseeking the Eternal, Heavenly Kingdom of God.

We should thereby become the best examples to others,which the Service that St Paul referred to in his SecondEpistle to St Timothy.

Today, at the beginning of the Sacred Path that leads us

from the Nativity of Christ our Lord and Saviour to HolyPascha, we are reminded and encouraged to ceaselesslyRepent our sins and seek the Eternal Kingdom of God –

His Heavenly Kingdom of Agape – Unconditional, DivineLove.

We must always be aware that our Lord and Saviour, JesusChrist – the Eternal, Only Begotten and Incarnate Wordand Son of God - is always with us, and that theKingdom of God is always present – depending onlyupon whether we strive and Struggle to attain thatGlorious, Ultimate Goal by following that Sacred Path sothat we may finally receive our Crown of Victory, whichour Beloved Lord Jesus Christ has prepared for eachone of us.

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: TRANSLATED FROM RUSSIAN.HTTP://WWW.PRAVMIR.COM/SERMON-ON-THE-SUNDAY-GOSPEL-READING/

O U R F A L L E N S T A T E & E T E R N A L S A L V A T I O N H I S E M I N E N C E , P A N T E L E I M O N L A M P A DA R I O S , M E T R O P O L I T A N O F A N T I N O E S ( R E T I R E D )

Fallen mankind has to our credit the fact that we did notinvent evil ourselves, but rather, we were deceived bySatan (the inventor of everything wicked, devastatingand fatal.) (MATTHEW 19:28)

We, human beings, were corrupted because of the Offenceand no longer remained in the natural condition inwhich we were created.

We were corrupted to the extent that the wickedness, whichsubsequently invaded our human nature, did nottransform us into complete evil beings.

That is the essential differentiation between mankind and

the evil one.Satan’s and all his fallen angels’ – his demons’ – nature was

however forever completely transformed!Thus when he deceives and lies “... he speaks of his own

resources.” (St John of Damascus)He speaks from the very source of his corrupted nature,

which is utterly possessed by deceit and is the primaryand inexhaustible source of evil.

On the contrary, when we lie, we speak as being enslaved by the evil one, and thus influence by him who is theinventor of all deception and corruption.

The groaning and suffering is hidden in us sinners due toour Ancestral Offence.

However, our Conscience awakens and becomes the HolyInstrument whereby our Lord God raises us up andRestores us as He created us to be.

When mankind fell, we did not fall into the condition of beasts or unintellectual animals, nor did our humannature take on the evil nature of Satan and his demons.

Because of sin, our human heart became like a field ofthorns and prickly thistles, but it did not becomeinsensitive granite, which was unable to receive theSpiritual Enlightenment of Divine Grace.

Certainly by our moral powers, which remained within us, itwas impossible for us to be restored to our previousstate of Spiritual Perfection – our Divine Likeness.

We were susceptible to God’s Loving Attention andSalvation and it was necessary for us to Regenerated,

but not changed, because through our Ancestral

Offence, evil had rushed into us, but it did not becomethe essence of our Spiritual Nature.

Hence, although we are sinful beings, we are aware of thepollution of wickedness that infected and alienated usfrom God, and because of the accusations of ourConscience that have awakened us, we naturally beginto search for the means to become Reunited with God,and to be free of guilt and unhappiness.

Therefore, we offered sacrifices, and suffered all kinds ofpunishments of the body.

We went on Spiritual Pilgrimages and endured all kinds of

Purification rituals, through which we sought expiation(penance) for our sins and to be cleansed of the stainsand filth of our immoral deeds.

Considering that sin is a power that soils us and alienatesus from Almighty God, only through an InnerRegeneration and the Outpouring of a New Moral Life,which Transforms us from being ‘sons of Darkness,Disobedience, and Wrath,’ into ‘sons’ or Children ofDivine Light and Blessedness is it possible to achieveRestoration and Salvation from the slavery of evil. (JOHN3:5; EPHESIANS2:2 & 5:6; COLOSSIANS 3:6; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:5;

HEBREWS 2:10; ROMANS 8:14; 9:26; COLOSSIANS 3:26)

This desirable Salvation does not consist of a naturaltransformation of our body, nor is it some kind oflifeless morality that Enlightens our mind.

It is the rising and Moral Transfiguration of our Inner Being

that is achieved by our Freedom from the slavery andimprisonment of sin, and the beginning of our New Lifein Christ, which makes us Partakers of His DivineNature in Him – in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

(1 CORINTHIANS 7:22; ROMANS 6:4; 2 PETER 1:4)

“ T H E C A T E C H I S M O F T H E O R T H O D O X C H U R C H – Q U E S T I O N S A N D A N S W E R S ” B Y H I S E M I N E N C E , P A N T E L E I M O N L A M P A D A R I O S T H E

K A L Y M N I T E , F O R M E R F I R S T M E T R O P O L I T A N O F G H A N A , E T C , M E T R O P O L I T A N O F P E L U S I U M , & C U R R E N T L Y M E T R O P O L I T A N O F

A N T I N O E S (R E T I R E D )E D I T E D & A D A P T E D B Y M P

T H E O R T H O D O X C H R I S T I A N W A Y O F L I F E – S T T H E O P H A N T H E R E C L U S E Our Final Goal is C OMMUNION WITH G OD .The Path to this Communion has been precisely defined:

1.

By F AITH 2. By LIVING ACCORDING TO THE D IVINE C OMMANDMENTS

AND T EACHINGS OF A LMIGHTY G OD 3. Being HELPED AND ENABLED BY D IVINE G RACE .

While it is True that the Orthodox Way of Life is not thenormal way of life for most people in our society, IT IS AMOST PRACTICAL L IFE FOR MARRIED COUPLES WITH FAMILIES who are constantly confronted by the variety andnumerous challenges of their careers.

In fact, IT IS THE W AY OF L IFE THAT WILL MAKES OUR DAILYLIVING LESS STRESSFUL AND MORE MEANINGFUL .

The Orthodox Way of Life is NOT Monastic Life.Even though Monasticism was part of the early Church, we

are not required to Struggle according to that mosthonoured Lifestyle, for only a few of us are Called to

Monasticism.We do, however, have THE SAME S ACRED G OALS .Like the Monks WE SEEK H OLINESS AND U NION WITH G OD , but

we are Called to live in the world with our families.T HE P RINCIPLES OF OUR S PIRITUAL G ROWTH ARE THE SAME no

matter which Path we chose.

Most of us never take the time to reflect on the Purpose ofthis short, Preparatory Period of our existence beforeEternity.

Often we do not contemplate our Purpose and Role in thislifespan until someone we Love departs unexpectedly.

During times of grief and sorrow, our immortal soul beginsto draw our attention, and we begin to ponder themeaning of our existence.

In one way, life is about death.We all know that inevitably we will die - but far too often

we avoid or simply refuse to think seriously aboutdeath and what purpose it serves, due to the unknownaspects and thus he fear of death that arises withinmany of us.

The Purpose of Life – revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ andtaught to us by His Holy Apostles and our Holy ChurchFathers - is our Reconciliation and Reunion with God.

Our Lord Jesus came to Save us, and to re-open the Gates ofParadise and His Heavenly Kingdom for us.He clearly showed us how to live through His Teachings

and His own Perfect Example – thereby teaching usabout the vital importance of Good Relationships withGod and with one another.

Furthermore, He not only taught us but also showed us byHis own Glorious Resurrection, that we have nothing to



fear from Death, which no longer has any power overus, but which is merely a means of departing thistemporary, worldly life and entering Eternity.

To begin, we must have Faith in God and accept His Lovefor each and every one of us – whether we are Saints orsinners!

Even with miniscule Faith - as small as mustard seed - weare able to begin our Orthodox Way of Life in Christ,which grows in leaps and bounds the more we Struggleand apply our Lord’s Divine Truth to our daily livingand to our Relationships with God and each other.

This Wonderful Way of Life has been given to us by our

Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ Himself through HisHoly, Eternal Church.Life in Christ is a proven Way of Life that certainly does

bring us closer to God - and as our Holy Relationshipwith God increases, so does our capacity to deal withdifficulties and troubles that inevitably confront us to alesser or greater degree.

In addition to these Great Blessings, we are also able to liveaccording to the Divine Virtues.

The following ten points outline how to find Union withGod. Try to fulfil each of them and seek ways to makethe necessary changes in order to incorporate them inyour daily lifestyle.

Always offer Prayers of Thanksgiving and beseech our Lordfor His Divine Assistance in all our endeavours.

1. Daily Rule of Prayer for morning, noon and night.2. Attend and participate in all Holy Services and Holy

Mysteries as required.3. Follow and fulfil the requirements of the Liturgical

Cycle of our Holy Church.4. Throughout the day and night repeat the “Jesus Prayer”

or “Prayer of the Heart.”5. Slow down and get your priorities in the right order.6. Be perpetually Watchful and Alert to your Spiritual Falls

and sins, Repenting immediately.7. Struggle against all temptations and passions.8. Always put God and others before yourself, freeing

yourself from self-indulgence and finding Joy inhelping others.

9. Spiritual Fellowship: Spend regular, worthy time withother Orthodox Christians for support, guidance,teaching and inspiration.

10. Reading, Contemplating and Applying the Divine Truthof Holy Scripture and the Wisdom and Lifestyles ofour Holy Church Fathers and all the Saints and HolyMartyrs.

HTTP ://WWW .STGEORGEGREENVILLE .ORG /T EN P OINT P ROGRAM

T H E E T E R N A L , I N S P I R E D W I S D O M O F O U R H O L Y C H U R C H F A T H E R S S T . J O H N O F K R O N S T A D T

Remember that our Lord is in every Christian.When our neighbours come to us, we must always have

great respect for them, because our Lord is in them, andoften expresses His Will through them.

“It is God Who Works in you both to will and to do HisGood Pleasure .” (PHILIPPIANS 2:13)

Therefore, we must not grudge anything to our Brethren, but do unto them as though doing so for our Lord -especially as we do not know in whom our Lord willCome and Visit us.

We must be impartial to all, be kind to all, sincere andhospitable to all.

We must always remember that sometimes God speaks tous even through unbelievers, or disposes their hearttowards us, as it happened in Egypt when our Lordfavoured Joseph in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

(GENESIS 39:21) ( “ M Y

LI F E I N

C H R I S T

” )

S T J O H N ( S H A KH O V S KO V ) OF S A N F RA NC I S CO Many people believe that to live according to our True Faith

and to fulfill the Will of God is extremely difficult.Actually — it is very easy.We need only to attend to details, to trifles, and try to avoid

evil in the slightest and most trivial things.This is the simplest and surest way to enter the world of

the spirit and draw near to God.We often think that our Creator demands great things of

us, that the Gospel insists on complete self-sacrifice,the abolition of our person hood, etc., as a condition ofFaith.

People are so afraid of this that they begin to be afraid of becoming acquainted with God - of drawing near to God– and they try to hide themselves from God, even

avoiding hearing or reading God’s Word.Others try to justify themselves: “If I can’t do anything

important for God, then I’d just better stay away fromSpiritual Things, stop thinking about Eternity, and live‘in a normal way.’”

There exists at the entrance to the Spiritual Realm a“hypnosis of great deeds ” – the erroneous belief that wemust either do something big, significant, spectacular,or do nothing at all - so the majority of people donothing at all for God or for their immortal soul!

It is very strange — the more we are devoted to the littlethings of life, the less we wish to be honest or pure orfaithful to God in those same little things.

Moreover, each one must adopt a correct attitude toward‘little things’ if we wish to proceed towards the Eternal

Kingdom of Heaven. (“ON THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE”)

S T S E R A P H I M O F S A R O V O N D E S P A I R Just as our Lord is solicitous about our Salvation, so,

too, the murderer of mankind, the devil, strives tolead us into despair and self-destruction

A lofty and sound soul does not despair overmisfortunes, no matter what sort or to whichdegree they may be.

Our life is - as it were - a house of temptations and travails

- but we will never renounce our Lord for as long as Heallows the tempter to remain with us and for as long aswe must wait to be Revived and Restored throughPatience and secure passionlessness!

Judas the betrayer was fainthearted and unskilled inSpiritual Battle, and so the enemy, seeing his despair,attacked him and persuaded him to hang himself.

Meanwhile when St Peter, whose Faith was like a solid,unshakable Rock, fell into great sin, but - being skilledin Spiritual Battle - he did not despair nor lose heart,although he shed bitter tears from a burning, contriteheart.

Consequently when the enemy saw those tears of humblecontrition and sorrow, with his eyes scorched red asthough by fire, they fled from him, wailing in pain ofdefeat and utter panic.

And so, dear Brethren, St Antioch taught us that whendespair attacks us, we must not yield to it, but beingStrengthened and Protected by the Light of Faith, withgreat Courage, loudly declare to the evil spirit: “Whatare you to us? You who are estranged from God! Youfugitive from Heaven and evil servant! You dare not doanything to us! For only Christ, the Son of God, hasAuthority both over us and over everything. It is againstHim that we have sinned, and before Him that we will

be Justified. And you, destroyer, leave us! Strengthened by His venerable Cross, we trample under foot yourserpent’s head!” ( St Antioch, Discourse 27).

S T J O H N T H E D W A R F – O N M A N K I N D ’ S V I R T U E S It is best that we should have a little bit of all the Virtues.Therefore, get up early every day and acquire the beginning

of every Virtue and every Commandment of God.

Use great Patience, with Fear and Long-suffering, in theLove of God, with all the fervour of your soul and body.

Exercise great Humility, bear with interior distress; beVigilant and pray often with Reverence, with Purity ofspeech, and control of your eyes.

When you are despised do not get angry; be at Peace, anddo not render evil for evil.

Do not pray attention to the faults of others, and do not tryto compare yourself with others, knowing we are lessthan every created thing.

Renounce everything material and that which is of theflesh.

Live by the Cross, in Warfare, Poverty of spirit, voluntarySpiritual Asceticism, Fasting, Penitence and Tears, inDiscernment, Purity of soul, taking hold of that which isGood.

Do your work in Peace. Persevere in keeping Vigil, hungerand thirst, cold and nakedness, and in sufferings.Shut yourself in a tomb as though you were alreadydead, so that at all times you will think Death is near.

THE SAYINGS OF THE DESERT FATHERS




All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the

Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria,

Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole


Tone (6) Plagal 2 3 January 201631 sst Sunday After Pentecost -Sunday Before Theophany

2 N D D A Y O F T H E F O R E F E A S T O F T H E O P H A N Y

The Feast of St Malachi, Holy Prophet of God – St Gordios of Caesarea, Cappadocia – St

Genevieve Virgin Martyr of Paris, Gaul (France) – St Euthymios Taquaishvili, “Man of

God,” of Ozurgeti, Guria, Georgia

R E S U R R E C T I O N A P O L Y T I K I O N – T O N E ( 6 ) P L A G A L 2

A ngelike Dinamis epi to Mnima Sou ke i filassontesapenekrothisan. Ke istato Maria en to tafo, zitousato ahranton Sou Soma. Eskilevsas ton Adin, mi

pirasthis ip aftou. Ipintisas ti Partheno, Doroumenostin Zoin. O Anastas ek to nekron, Kyrie, Doxa Si!

The Angelic Powers were in Thy Tomb, and the guards became as dead men, and Mary stood by the Tombseeking Thy Most Pure Body. Thou led captive Hades,

yet were not tempted thereby: Thou Who art theBestower of Life came to meet the Woman. Glory toThee, O Lord, Who Rose again from the dead!

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N O F T H E F O R E F E A S T O F T H E O P H A N Y – T O N E 4

F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N – F O R E F E A S T O F T H E O P H A N Y - T O N E 4

E n tis rithris simeron tou Iordanou, gegonos O Kyrios, toIoanni ekvoa: Diliasis Vaptise me: Sose gar iko, A DAMTON P ROTOPLASTON .

When the Lord descended today into the water of theJordan, He cried aloud to John: Be not afraid toBaptise me, for I Am come to Save ADAM THE FIRST-CREATED.

M A T I N S R E S U R R E C T I O N G O S P E L 9 – J O H N 2 0 : 1 9 – 3 1O U R R I S E N L O R D B E S T O W S H I S A U T H O R I T Y T O F O R G I V E S I N S U P O N H I S A P O S T L E S

P R O K E I M E N O N – P S A L M 2 7 / 2 8 – T O N E ( 6 ) P L A G A L 2

S oson ton laon Sou ke Evlogison tin Klironomian Sou.P ros Se, Kyrie, kekraxome, O Theos mou!

The Lord Save Thy People, and Bless Thine Inheritance...To Thee, O Lord, I cry: O my God!

T H E 2 N D E P I S T L E O F S T P A U L T O S T T I M O T H Y 4 : 5 – 8Timothy, my Son: always be steady, endure suffering, do the Work of an Evangelist, fulfil Thy Ministry. For I am already on

the point of being sacrificed, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the Good Fight - I have finishedthe Race - I have kept the Faith.

Henceforth there is laid up for me the Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord will award to me on that Day – theRighteous Judge - not only to me but also to all who have Loved His Appearing.

St Paul wrote this personal letter to his beloved disciple, St

Timothy (circa 65 – 67) from Rome where he wasimprisoned with chains, suffering physical pain andfacing execution.

St Paul had elected St Timothy Bishop of Ephesos where

some Church members had promoted a variety of

self-conceived “Theological” opinions ranging from

the irrelevant to the heretical.

St Paul had therefore found it necessary toExcommunicate some of these speculators and

heretics so he knew with which internal and external

pressures the Church had to deal.

The Hellenistic ‘mystery religions’ misused the terms

“Salvation” and “Saviour ” and the cult of Emperor

worship accorded the title “Lord” to the Emperor.

St Paul strove to guide St Timothy through all the Pastoral

challenges and questions he had to endure.

Every devout Christian who is truly A D ISCIPLE OF C HRIST ,

MUST ALWAYS “...WATCH in all things ...” [BE CONSTANTLY

ALERT to temptations and heresy, false beliefs orteaching], “...ENDURE AFFLICTIONS ...” [PATIENTLY TOLERATE

all suffering, persecution, criticism, unkindness, etc],

and through daily striving “...DO THE WORK OF AN

EVANGELIST ...” [our personal behaviour, habits and

practises reveal our true nature: spiritual or worldly].E ACH V IRTUE IS AN UNSPOKEN , SHINING EXAMPLE OF AUTHENTIC

C HRISTIANITY .

S T P AUL EXHORTED not only St Timothy but EVERYONE who

would either read this letter or hear it read out, TOCONTINUE LIFE ACCORDING TO A LMIGHTY G OD ’ S

C OMMANDMENTS AND C HRIST ’ S MOST P ERFECT E XAMPLE .

Our personal goals in this existence should be TO FIGHT

THE GOOD FIGHT , FINISH THE RACE AND KEEP THE FAITH .

This means that we must STRUGGLE CEASELESSLY against all

temptation and evil influence that threatens to draw

us further away from Almighty God.

Each day is a new beginning and another opportunity to

grow closer to God and His Eternal Kingdom.

At the end of every day, do a personal “accounting” and

ask our Beloved Lord to forgive our faults, sins and

weakness, and beseech Him to assist us to do better

tomorrow.

Although the “Race ” refers to the Life and Work given to StPaul it also refers to our own lives.

The comparison of Spiritual Life to an Athletic Contest is

common in the writings of the Ascetic Fathers.

E timazou Zavoulon, ke evtrepizou Nefthalim. Iordanipotame, stithi ipodexe skirton, tou Vaptisthineerhomenon ton Deepotin. Agallou O Adam Sin tiPromitori. Mi hriptete eaftous, os en Paradiso to prin.Ke gar gimnous idon imas epefanen, ina endisi tinprotin stolin. Hristos efani, tin pasan ktisin, thelon.Anakenise.

Prepare, O Zebulon, and adorn yourself, O Naphtali; RiverJordan, cease flowing and receive with joy the Mastercoming to be Baptised. Adam, rejoice with our FirstMother and do not hide yourself as you did of old inParadise; for having seen you naked, He has appearedto clothe you with the first garment. Christ hasappeared to renew all creation.



T HE “ CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS ” IS A MOST GRACIOUS BLESSING

that A LMIGHTY G OD , W HO IS THE ONLY RIGHTEOUS JUDGE ,

MAY AWARD TO DESERVING SOULS WHO TRULY LOVE HIM and

therefore HAVE STRUGGLED THE HARDEST TO OBEY AND TO

SERVE GOD IN WHATEVER MANNER REQUIRED OF THEM .

The Lord our God, Who is infinitely Merciful, clearly seesour soul as it really is – for NOTHING IS HIDDEN FROM H IM –

and H E WILL J UDGE EACH SOUL ACCORDINGLY .

It is vital that EVERY EFFORT WE MAKE , WHETHER SPIRITUAL OR

PHYSICAL, IS DUE TO OUR SINCERE DEVOTION AND LOVE FORG OD AND ALL H IS C REATION and not done in order to

impress other human beings or for our personal

glorification and material gain!

T H E H O L Y G O S P E L O F S T M A R K 1 : 1 – 8C O N C E R N I N G S T J O H N T H E B A P T I S T & F O R E R U N N E R T O C H R I S T O U R L O R D A N D S A V I O U R

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My Messengerbefore Thy Face, who will prepare Thy Way before Thee... ... The voice of one crying in the Wilderness: ‘Prepare the

Way of the Lord! Make His Paths straight!’” John went Baptising in the Wilderness and preaching a Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins. And all the land

of Judea and those from Jerusalem, went out to him. And all were Baptised by him in the Jordan River, confessing theirsins. John was clothed with camel’s hair, and a leather belt was around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

And he preached, saying: “There comes One after me Who is Mightier than I – Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loosen.I indeed Baptised you with water. H e will Baptise you with the Holy Spirit.”

“Beginning ” refers to the opening Events of the Public

Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ: in other words: the

preparatory activity of St John the Baptist and

Forerunner of Christ and also the Temptation of our

Lord Jesus Christ Who is truly the Eternal, Only

Begotten Son of Almighty God the Father.

The expression “prepare the Way ” refers to St John the

Baptist who is the last Holy Prophet of God of the Old

Testament or Covenant who fulfilled Divine Prophecy

and who prepared the people of God for theMessiah’s Coming.

HEARTS WERE SOFTENED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE GOD’SDIVINE LIGHT – HIS TRUTH AND W ISDOM.

“Baptism... for the remission of sins ...” (literally ‘to let go

of sins’ ) was a major part of St John the Baptist’s

Preparation of the people for the Coming of our Lord

and Saviour.

Later, IN CHRISTIAN B APTISM, GOD NOT ONLY FORGIVES OUR

REPENTED SINS, BY LETTING THEM GO, HE ALSO BRINGS US INTO

A PERSONAL UNION WITH CHRIST.

“ All the land of Judea... went out to him...” indicates the

sweeping impact of the Ministry of St John the Baptist

who was perhaps the leading religious figure outside

official, Rabbinic Judaism.

ST JOHN THE B APTISt’s clothing was similar to that of St

Elijah, indicating that HE FULFILLED THE PROPHECY OF STELIJAH’S RETURN.

Baptism with the Holy Spirit means that ONLY OUR LORD

JESUS CHRIST W HO IS THE TRUE SON OF GOD, FULLY POSSESSES

AND GRANTS US THE HOLY SPIRIT. Therefore, IN ORDER FOR US TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE

MUST BE B APTISED IN CHRIST AND DIVINELY A DOPTED AS

CHILDREN OF A LMIGHTY GOD.

In our Spiritual Adoption by God, CHRISTIANS BECOME

‘A NOINTED ONES’ and it was concerning these people

whom God Commanded: “Do not touch My Anointed

Ones!” (P SALM 105:15 )

3 1 S T S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T - S U N D A Y B E F O R E T H E O P H A N Y The Great Holy Feast of the Nativity of Christ has ended,

and the Feast of our Lord’s Baptism is approaching.In the earliest centuries, these were combined into one

Great Holy Feast of Theophany, when both our Saviour’s

Birth and the beginning of His Preaching – His PublicMission - were commemorated.

By the end of the fourth century the Feast of the Nativityand the Feast of Theophany had begun to be celebratedseparately.

Today, midway between these two Great Holy Feasts, wehear the beginning of the Holy Gospel according to StMark, where St John the Baptist is spoken of, and theend of the Second Epistle of St Paul to St Timothy,which was written shortly before his final Martyrdom.(MARK 1:1-8 & 2 TIMOTHY 4:1-8).

These two Readings teach us about Faith in God as ourSacred Path towards Eternity, for only by Faith are weable to develop a close Relationship with the Lord ourGod.

The preaching of the Holy Gospel began with the urging ofSt John the Baptist to the Chosen People of God - MANYOF WHOM HAD APOSTATISED OR GONE S PIRITUALLY A DRIFTTHROUGH THEIR NEGLIGENCE AND APATHY – EXACTLY LIKEOUR OWN MODERN SOCIETY THESE DAYS : “Prepare the Wayof the Lord! Make His Paths straight!”

St Paul the Great Apostle to the Gentiles – shortly beforehis Repose in Christ - stated: “...I am now ready to beoffered, and the time of my Departure is at hand. I havefought the Good Fight. I have finished my Course. Ihave kept the Faith! ” (2 TIMOTHY 4:6-7).

“My Course ” means a specific Race, Challenge or SpiritualContest – for he employed the imagery of a long-distance runner attaining his goal and winning the raceor competition.

Thus today we hear both of the beginning and the end of

the Path – our Life Journey towards Eternity - and aboutthat Crown of Victory that is prepared for everyone whohas continually Repented every time they havestumbled or fallen along the difficult Path of SpiritualLife, but have finally attained their Ultimate Goal - ourLord Himself and His Eternal Kingdom of Love.

The beginning of our Christian Life – Life IN Christ - is the beginning of our ceaseless Repentance.

St John the Baptist addressed all Disciples of Christthroughout the ages with his admonition: “ Repent! Forthe Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” are addressed andapply to each and every one of us. (MATTHEW 3:2)

However, these words of admonition should not beunderstood in the sense that the Kingdom of God isapproaching chronologically, but rather that It is alwayswith us.

The Eternal Kingdom of God is ever present and ready toenter us – as much as we are prepared to enter It byliving IN Christ.

The only requirement is whether we are ready, willing andcommitted to enter the Kingdom of God - welcoming itwithin ourselves.

On the contrary, those who remain outside the Kingdom ofGod are not those whom our Lord has Condemned fortheir wilful sins, but rather those who rejected orrefused to follow this Sacred Path to its end – all theway to the Entrance of the Kingdom of God.

These are also those whose Faith was weak and who choseto surrender to the evil one’s temptations and turnaway from this Sacred Path after only a very short while- giving up the Spiritual Struggle.

Those who have chosen to remain outside the EternalKingdom of God have allowed the demands of theirflesh, which are encouraged by the evil one, to dominateand oppress their Immortal soul and their Conscience.

In other words, they have developed thick, fleshy souls thatare overwhelmed and defeated by self-indulgence andsin.

We should always be aware that, although we are on thisSacred Path, there is the ever present danger of failingto reach our Ultimate Destination because when wehave stumbled and fallen, we neglected to Repent oursins and be Restored, Renewed and Regenerated by the

Holy Mysteries of Repentance-Confession and HolyEucharist.St Paul severely cautioned us as well in his Epistle to St

Timothy: “... watch thou in all things, endureafflictions, do the Work of an Evangelist, make fullproof of thy Ministry...” (2 TIMOTHY 4:5)



The “Work of an Evangelist ” means spreading the GoodNews – the Divine Truth and Teachings of Christ ourLord and Saviour.

Each of us must be a Preacher of Divine Truth - carryingChrist’s Holy Gospel into the world – not only in words,

but above all by our whole Way of Life - with the Goaland Aspiration of going out to meet God and constantlyseeking the Eternal, Heavenly Kingdom of God.

We should thereby become the best examples to others,which the Service that St Paul referred to in his SecondEpistle to St Timothy.

Today, at the beginning of the Sacred Path that leads us

from the Nativity of Christ our Lord and Saviour to HolyPascha, we are reminded and encouraged to ceaselesslyRepent our sins and seek the Eternal Kingdom of God –

His Heavenly Kingdom of Agape – Unconditional, DivineLove.

We must always be aware that our Lord and Saviour, JesusChrist – the Eternal, Only Begotten and Incarnate Wordand Son of God - is always with us, and that theKingdom of God is always present – depending onlyupon whether we strive and Struggle to attain thatGlorious, Ultimate Goal by following that Sacred Path sothat we may finally receive our Crown of Victory, whichour Beloved Lord Jesus Christ has prepared for eachone of us.

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: TRANSLATED FROM RUSSIAN.HTTP://WWW.PRAVMIR.COM/SERMON-ON-THE-SUNDAY-GOSPEL-READING/

O U R F A L L E N S T A T E & E T E R N A L S A L V A T I O N H I S E M I N E N C E , P A N T E L E I M O N L A M P A DA R I O S , M E T R O P O L I T A N O F A N T I N O E S ( R E T I R E D )

Fallen mankind has to our credit the fact that we did notinvent evil ourselves, but rather, we were deceived bySatan (the inventor of everything wicked, devastatingand fatal.) (MATTHEW 19:28)

We, human beings, were corrupted because of the Offenceand no longer remained in the natural condition inwhich we were created.

We were corrupted to the extent that the wickedness, whichsubsequently invaded our human nature, did nottransform us into complete evil beings.

That is the essential differentiation between mankind and

the evil one.Satan’s and all his fallen angels’ – his demons’ – nature was

however forever completely transformed!Thus when he deceives and lies “... he speaks of his own

resources.” (St John of Damascus)He speaks from the very source of his corrupted nature,

which is utterly possessed by deceit and is the primaryand inexhaustible source of evil.

On the contrary, when we lie, we speak as being enslaved by the evil one, and thus influence by him who is theinventor of all deception and corruption.

The groaning and suffering is hidden in us sinners due toour Ancestral Offence.

However, our Conscience awakens and becomes the HolyInstrument whereby our Lord God raises us up andRestores us as He created us to be.

When mankind fell, we did not fall into the condition of beasts or unintellectual animals, nor did our humannature take on the evil nature of Satan and his demons.

Because of sin, our human heart became like a field ofthorns and prickly thistles, but it did not becomeinsensitive granite, which was unable to receive theSpiritual Enlightenment of Divine Grace.

Certainly by our moral powers, which remained within us, itwas impossible for us to be restored to our previousstate of Spiritual Perfection – our Divine Likeness.

We were susceptible to God’s Loving Attention andSalvation and it was necessary for us to Regenerated,

but not changed, because through our Ancestral

Offence, evil had rushed into us, but it did not becomethe essence of our Spiritual Nature.

Hence, although we are sinful beings, we are aware of thepollution of wickedness that infected and alienated usfrom God, and because of the accusations of ourConscience that have awakened us, we naturally beginto search for the means to become Reunited with God,and to be free of guilt and unhappiness.

Therefore, we offered sacrifices, and suffered all kinds ofpunishments of the body.

We went on Spiritual Pilgrimages and endured all kinds of

Purification rituals, through which we sought expiation(penance) for our sins and to be cleansed of the stainsand filth of our immoral deeds.

Considering that sin is a power that soils us and alienatesus from Almighty God, only through an InnerRegeneration and the Outpouring of a New Moral Life,which Transforms us from being ‘sons of Darkness,Disobedience, and Wrath,’ into ‘sons’ or Children ofDivine Light and Blessedness is it possible to achieveRestoration and Salvation from the slavery of evil. (JOHN3:5; EPHESIANS2:2 & 5:6; COLOSSIANS 3:6; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:5;

HEBREWS 2:10; ROMANS 8:14; 9:26; COLOSSIANS 3:26)

This desirable Salvation does not consist of a naturaltransformation of our body, nor is it some kind oflifeless morality that Enlightens our mind.

It is the rising and Moral Transfiguration of our Inner Being

that is achieved by our Freedom from the slavery andimprisonment of sin, and the beginning of our New Lifein Christ, which makes us Partakers of His DivineNature in Him – in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

(1 CORINTHIANS 7:22; ROMANS 6:4; 2 PETER 1:4)

“ T H E C A T E C H I S M O F T H E O R T H O D O X C H U R C H – Q U E S T I O N S A N D A N S W E R S ” B Y H I S E M I N E N C E , P A N T E L E I M O N L A M P A D A R I O S T H E

K A L Y M N I T E , F O R M E R F I R S T M E T R O P O L I T A N O F G H A N A , E T C , M E T R O P O L I T A N O F P E L U S I U M , & C U R R E N T L Y M E T R O P O L I T A N O F

A N T I N O E S (R E T I R E D )E D I T E D & A D A P T E D B Y M P

T H E O R T H O D O X C H R I S T I A N W A Y O F L I F E – S T T H E O P H A N T H E R E C L U S E Our Final Goal is C OMMUNION WITH G OD .The Path to this Communion has been precisely defined:

4.

By F AITH 5. By LIVING ACCORDING TO THE D IVINE C OMMANDMENTS

AND T EACHINGS OF A LMIGHTY G OD 6. Being HELPED AND ENABLED BY D IVINE G RACE .

While it is True that the Orthodox Way of Life is not thenormal way of life for most people in our society, IT IS AMOST PRACTICAL L IFE FOR MARRIED COUPLES WITH FAMILIES who are constantly confronted by the variety andnumerous challenges of their careers.

In fact, IT IS THE W AY OF L IFE THAT WILL MAKES OUR DAILYLIVING LESS STRESSFUL AND MORE MEANINGFUL .

The Orthodox Way of Life is NOT Monastic Life.Even though Monasticism was part of the early Church, we

are not required to Struggle according to that mosthonoured Lifestyle, for only a few of us are Called to

Monasticism.We do, however, have THE SAME S ACRED G OALS .Like the Monks WE SEEK H OLINESS AND U NION WITH G OD , but

we are Called to live in the world with our families.T HE P RINCIPLES OF OUR S PIRITUAL G ROWTH ARE THE SAME no

matter which Path we chose.

Most of us never take the time to reflect on the Purpose ofthis short, Preparatory Period of our existence beforeEternity.

Often we do not contemplate our Purpose and Role in thislifespan until someone we Love departs unexpectedly.

During times of grief and sorrow, our immortal soul beginsto draw our attention, and we begin to ponder themeaning of our existence.

In one way, life is about death.We all know that inevitably we will die - but far too often

we avoid or simply refuse to think seriously aboutdeath and what purpose it serves, due to the unknownaspects and thus he fear of death that arises withinmany of us.

The Purpose of Life – revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ andtaught to us by His Holy Apostles and our Holy ChurchFathers - is our Reconciliation and Reunion with God.

Our Lord Jesus came to Save us, and to re-open the Gates ofParadise and His Heavenly Kingdom for us.He clearly showed us how to live through His Teachings

and His own Perfect Example – thereby teaching usabout the vital importance of Good Relationships withGod and with one another.

Furthermore, He not only taught us but also showed us byHis own Glorious Resurrection, that we have nothing to



fear from Death, which no longer has any power overus, but which is merely a means of departing thistemporary, worldly life and entering Eternity.

To begin, we must have Faith in God and accept His Lovefor each and every one of us – whether we are Saints orsinners!

Even with miniscule Faith - as small as mustard seed - weare able to begin our Orthodox Way of Life in Christ,which grows in leaps and bounds the more we Struggleand apply our Lord’s Divine Truth to our daily livingand to our Relationships with God and each other.

This Wonderful Way of Life has been given to us by our

Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ Himself through HisHoly, Eternal Church.Life in Christ is a proven Way of Life that certainly does

bring us closer to God - and as our Holy Relationshipwith God increases, so does our capacity to deal withdifficulties and troubles that inevitably confront us to alesser or greater degree.

In addition to these Great Blessings, we are also able to liveaccording to the Divine Virtues.

The following ten points outline how to find Union withGod. Try to fulfil each of them and seek ways to makethe necessary changes in order to incorporate them inyour daily lifestyle.

Always offer Prayers of Thanksgiving and beseech our Lordfor His Divine Assistance in all our endeavours.

11. Daily Rule of Prayer for morning, noon and night.12. Attend and participate in all Holy Services and Holy

Mysteries as required.13. Follow and fulfil the requirements of the Liturgical

Cycle of our Holy Church.14. Throughout the day and night repeat the “Jesus Prayer”

or “Prayer of the Heart.”15. Slow down and get your priorities in the right order.16. Be perpetually Watchful and Alert to your Spiritual Falls

and sins, Repenting immediately.17. Struggle against all temptations and passions.18. Always put God and others before yourself, freeing

yourself from self-indulgence and finding Joy inhelping others.

19. Spiritual Fellowship: Spend regular, worthy time withother Orthodox Christians for support, guidance,teaching and inspiration.

20. Reading, Contemplating and Applying the Divine Truthof Holy Scripture and the Wisdom and Lifestyles ofour Holy Church Fathers and all the Saints and HolyMartyrs.

HTTP ://WWW .STGEORGEGREENVILLE .ORG /T EN P OINT P ROGRAM

T H E E T E R N A L , I N S P I R E D W I S D O M O F O U R H O L Y C H U R C H F A T H E R S S T . J O H N O F K R O N S T A D T

Remember that our Lord is in every Christian.When our neighbours come to us, we must always have

great respect for them, because our Lord is in them, andoften expresses His Will through them.

“It is God Who Works in you both to will and to do HisGood Pleasure .” (PHILIPPIANS 2:13)

Therefore, we must not grudge anything to our Brethren, but do unto them as though doing so for our Lord -especially as we do not know in whom our Lord willCome and Visit us.

We must be impartial to all, be kind to all, sincere andhospitab

Documents

2016 - January Sacred Lessons