| Metropolitan Onuphry: One Who’s Grateful to God Receives Even More Blessings When a person considers themselves unworthy of Divine gifts, their spiritual condition is correct. A person who humbles themselves and thanks God for what he or she already has, receives even more blessings said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine in his sermon during the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Cathedral of the Svyatogorsk Lavra on October 10, 2021, the 16th Sunday after Pentecost, reports the Information and Education Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Speaking about the spiritual lessons of the Gospel parable about the miraculous fishing (Luke 5: 1-11), the metropolitan noted that the first thing this story teaches us is the power of faith. “One’s faith makes a person capable of containing the uncontainable. The Gospel says that the righteous by faith “quenched the violence of the fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight” (Heb. 11:34). Faith makes a person a victor over the devil and over every evil in the world. Faith makes a person capable of containing eternal life and eternal salvation,” said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. He reminded those present that there is faith of the mind and faith of the heart. “Faith of the mind is when we recognize God, but we do not live by the rules of faith, and live by our own rules. This faith is insufficient for salvation. Faith of the heart is born from the fulfillment of the Divine commandments,” the metropolitan explained. The second lesson we learn in this parable is to strive for humility. “We all live by God’s mercy, God’s power, and God’s grace. If a person correctly organizes their spiritual life, then their spiritual feats increase their humility. We must consciously say: “Lord, I am not worthy of what I have!” When a person considers themselves unworthy of Divine gifts, their spiritual condition is correct, ”said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. |
| Synaxis of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches-Message Natalya Mihailova 10 March 2014 Synaxis of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches (Phanar, March 6-9, 2014) Message In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Through the grace of God, the Primates of the Most Holy Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, to the Orthodox faithful throughout the world, all of our Christian brothers and sisters as well as every person of goodwill: we extend God’s blessing and our greeting of love and peace. “We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 1.2-3) 1. Having convened by the grace of our compassionate God, at the invitation of the Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, at the Phanar, from March 6-9, 2014; having deliberated in fraternal love on matters concerning our Holy Church today; and concelebrating in the Patriarchal Church of St. George on the glorious occasion of the Sunday of Orthodoxy, we address you with these words of love, peace and consolation. Inasmuch as our One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Orthodox Church dwells in the world, it also experiences the challenges of every age. Faithful to Holy Tradition, the Church of Christ is in constant dialogue with every period of time, suffering with human beings and sharing their anguish. For “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and to the ages” (Heb. 13.8). The trials and challenges of history are especially acute in our days, and Orthodox Christians cannot remain uninvolved or indifferent to them. This is why we have assembled “together in one place” (Acts 2.1) in order to reflect on the problems and temptations facing humanity today. “There is fighting without and fear within.” (2 Cor. 7.5) These Apostolic words are also valid for the Church today. 2. In reflecting upon people’s suffering throughout the world, we express our support for the martyrdom and our admiration for the witness of Christians in the Middle East, Africa, and other parts of the world. We call to mind their dual martyrdom: for their faith as well as for the safeguarding of their historical relationship with people of other religious conviction. We denounce the lack of peace and stability, which is prompting Christians to abandon the land where our Lord Jesus Christ was born and whence the Good News spread to the entire world. |
| Archive His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent Paschal greetings to the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches 28 April 2019 year 15:18 His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent Paschal greetings to the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches: His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria; His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch; His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem; His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch Iliya II of All Georgia; His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia; His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania; His Holiness Patriarch Neofit of Bulgaria; His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus; His Beatitude Archbishop Hieronymos II of Athens and All Greece; His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania; His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland; His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia; and His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada. The text reads as follows: CHRIST IS RISEN! By these life-asserting words I cordially greet you with the Triumph of Triumphs – the Feast of Holy Pascha. On this day let us embrace one other joyously and glorify God “which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet 1:3) and made us “heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Tit 3:7). “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:2), let us “be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love and be of the same mind one toward another” (Rom 12:10,16), in order to do all those things which are commanded us by the Lord (cf. Lk 17:10) and to bear witness to the evangelic truth before the world. I prayerfully wish you radiant Paschal joy from the All-Generous God and good health for successfully continuing your lofty and responsible Primatial ministry. With brotherly love in Christ Risen, +KIRILL PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Synaxis of the Archangel Michael & the other Bodiless Powers: Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salaphiel, Jegudiel & Barachiel SOURCE: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America November 8/21 Reading All the Angels, according to the Apostle Paul, are ministering spirits, - sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation - (Heb. 1:14). God set them as overseers of every nation and people, and guides to that which is profitable (Deut. 32:8); and while one Angel is appointed to oversee each nation as a whole, one is also appointed to protect each Christian individually. He commands them to guard them that hope on Him, that nothing should harm them, neither should any evil draw nigh to their dwelling (Ps. 90:10-12). In the Heavens they always behold the face of God, sending up to Him the thrice-holy hymn and interceding with Him in our behalf, seeing they rejoice over one sinner that repents (Esaias 6:2-3; Matt. 18:10; Luke 15:7). In a word, they have served God in so many ways for our benefit, that the pages of Holy Scripture are filled with the histories thereof. It is for these reasons that the Orthodox Catholic Church, wisely honouring these divine ministers, our protectors and guardians, celebrates today the present Synaxis that is, our coming together in assembly for their common feast to chant their praises, especially for the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, who are mentioned in the Scriptures by name. The name Michael means " Who is like God? " and Gabriel means " God is mighty. " The number of Angels is not defined in the divine Scriptures, where Daniel says that thousands of thousands ministered before Him, and ten thousands of ten thousands attended upon Him -(Dan. 7:10). But all of them are divided into nine orders which are called Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim, Dominions, Powers, Authorities, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone O Commanders of the Heavenly Host, we the unworthy beseech you, that through your entreaties you will fortify us, guarding us in the shelter of the wings of your ethereal glory, even as we fervently bow before you crying: " Deliver us from all danger, as Commanders of the Powers on high! " Kontakion in the Second Tone Chief Commanders of God; ministers of divine glory; guides for men and leadership of the Incorporeal; as Chief Commanders of the Incorporeal, plead for our welfare and for great mercy. 19 ноября 2012 г. Подпишитесь на рассылку Православие.Ru Рассылка выходит два раза в неделю: Комментарии Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| The Ascension. Giotto, c.1305, Scrovegni (Arena) Chapel, Padua, Italy Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (Heb. 4:14). Let us follow along now mentally, brethren, with the sacred writers, depicting the path of our Lord Jesus Christ’s Ascension into Heaven, in the glory of His Father. This path, ending with His Ascension to the Father (Jn. 20:17) and His receiving of the Heavenly glory which He had in His Divinity before the world was (Jn. 17:5), commenced with His sufferings. Ascending up far above all heavens, our Lord had to descend first into the lower parts of the earth (Eph. 4:9-10) to disappear into the bowels of the earth, into the depths of the abyss, and be cut off from the land of the living that, having made Himself an offering of propitiation (Is. 53:8-10) for the sins of man, He could present Himself as our High Priest, able to be touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Heb. 4:15). And we see how this bearer of man’s sin, forsaken among the dead and reduced into the dust of earth (Ps. 88:5, 21:15), is the Victor over hell and death , and binds the strong man, that is, the devil (Mt. 12:29). He Who cometh from Edom … glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength (Is. 63:1), and ascended on high , receives rather the spoils of human souls saved by Him (Ps. 68:18), as the King of glory, entering through the gates of Heaven itself, to appear there as the Forerunner and Intercessor for us (Ps. 23:7-10; Heb. 6:20, 12:23-24). If, brethren, such is the path of the Ascension of Christ Himself into His glory (Lk. 24:26)—that is, a path of suffering and death—then can our path be otherwise? If He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn. 14:6), then how can we come to God the Father, if not by imitating our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 13:15)? If our Lord Jesus Christ sits on the right hand of God, then set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth , for if we have died with Him, then, according to the apostle, our lives must now be hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:1-3). Let us mortify our earthly passions and thoughts (Col. 3:5) in order to have our citizenship in Heaven (Phil. 3:20), and with our purified minds to follow Christ, the Lord of our lives, Who has ascended into Heaven and is drawing us there where He is. Let us prepare our minds with contemplation and prayer for that spiritual joy with which the apostles were filled as they stood watching Christ as He ascended from Earth to Heaven, and afterwards returned to Jerusalem with great joy (Lk. 24:52; Acts 1:10-12). |
| Tweet Нравится Pan-Orthodox Council: The Mission of the Orthodox Church in Today " s World Source: DECR Communication Service February 28, 2016 The contribution of the Orthodox Church to the attainment of peace, justice, freedom, brotherhood and love between peoples and the removal of racial and other discrimination. Draft of document of the Pan-Orthodox Council approved by the Synaxis of the First Hierarchs of the Local Orthodox Churches in Chambésy, January 21-28, 2016. Published in accordance with the Resolution of the Synaxis of First Hierarchs . The Church of Christ lives in the world but is not of the world (cf. Jn. 17:11 and 14-15).The Church is the sign and image of the Kingdom of God in history, proclaiming the good news of a " new creation " (II Cor. 5: 17) and of a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (II Pt. 3:13), of a world in which God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain (Rev. 21:4-5). It is with this hope that the Church lives, and foretastes it in particular when the Divine Eucharist is celebrated, bringing " together " (I Cor. 11: 20) the scattered children of God (Jn. 111: 52) without regard to race, gender, age, social status or any other station into a single body where there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28; cf. Col. 3:11). In this foretasting of a " new creation, " of a world transfigured, the Church lives in the countenances of her saints who, through their spiritual endeavors in Christ, have already in this life revealed the image of the Kingdom of God, proving and affirming by this that the hope of peace, justice and love is not a utopia, but the substance of things hoped for (Heb. 11:1), attained through the grace of God by means of the human person’s spiritual endeavors. In finding constant inspiration in this hope and the foretasting of the Kingdom of God, the Church cannot remain aloof from of the problems of the human person in each historical epoch, but shares his concern and everyday problems, taking upon herself, as the Lord did, the pain and wounds, the cause of which is evil that is active in the world and, like the Good Samaritan, with a word of patience and comfort (Rom. 15:4, Heb. 13:22) and through active love, pours upon his wounds oil and wine (Lk. 10:34). Her word, addressed to the world, has as its aim first of all not to judge and condemn the world (cf. Jn. 3:17) and 12:47), but to offer it as guidance the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, hope and the assurance that the last word in history is not evil, no matter what form it may take, and that we should not allow evil to dictate the course of history. |
| What would you now, brethren, from the ministers of the word? The Word Himself is no more! The Word, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, born for our salvation, the Author of every quick and powerful (Heb. 4:12) word, is silent, dead, buried, and sealed up. The more plainly and convincingly “to show man the path of life” (Ps. 16:11) this very Word came down from heaven and put on flesh; but men would not hearken unto the Word, they tear His flesh, and lo, “He is cut off out of the land of the living” (Is. 53:8). Who then shall now give unto us the word of life and salvation? Let us hasten to confess the mystery of the Word which shall disarm His persecutors, and restore Him to souls ready to receive Him. The Word of God is not bound by death . As a word from the lips of man dies not entirely away at the moment its sound ceases, but rather gathers new strength, and passing through the senses, penetrates the minds and hearts of the hearers; so also the Hypostatical Word of God, the Son of God, in His saving incarnation, whilst dying in the flesh, “fills all things” (Eph 4:10) with His Spirit and might. Thus when Christ waxeth faint and becometh silent on the cross, then is it that heaven and earth raise their voice unto Him, and the dead preach the resurrection of the Crucified, and the very stones cry out. “And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose” (Lk 23:45; Mt 27:51-52). Christians, the incarnate Word keepeth silence only in order to speak unto us with greater power and effect; withdraws, that He may the more inwardly “dwell among us” (Jn 1:14); dies, that He may grant us His inheritance. Assembled by the Church to hold converse with the departed Jesus, listen ye unto the quick and powerful word of the dead (Heb 4:32); listen ye to the testament He has left unto you, “And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My Father hath appointed unto Me” (Lk 22:29). |
| Angel is the Greek biblical term for “messenger” of God (angelos) and in most of the many scriptural references to the angels ( Gen. 16.7, 32.1 ; Judg. 6.11 ; Dan. 7.10 ) they appear as heavenly beings, sometimes radiant in light and power, but on earth usually in human form (called “Sons of Men” or “Sons of God”), made present as intermediaries who serve God’s will by mediating with humankind. In the biblical texts the angels are especially the deliverers of revelation and, as such, play a large role in the New Testament stories of the annunciation, the nativity, and the resurrection ( Mt. 28.2–7 ; Jn. 20.12 ). The late intertestamental (especially the Apocalyptic) texts saw the angels chiefly in the court of God, attending on the divine will for earth and supervising human affairs as his ministers of providential care. This influenced the thinking of the early Christian literature (especially the Book of Revelation and the Letter to the Hebrews) and this aspect of angelic attendance at the divine court developed among the earliest churches into a vision of the angelic host as the preeminent singers of God’s glory, the liturgical choir of divine praise, which was also thought to be specially attracted to the church Eucharistic liturgies, so as to join in with them. Jesus referred to angels on several occasions, teaching that they always enjoyed the presence and vision of the Father ( Mt. 18.10 ), and that they would form the accompanying army of God which would return with the Son of Man at the Second Glorious Coming (Parousia; Mt. 16.27 ). Some very early Jewish Christian sects developed an angelology which saw Christ as a high archangel who had come to earth to deliver a salvific gospel. That theological trend to use angels as a synonym for divine presence and action, and to hypostatize the divine presence by an angelic reference, was already advanced in Hellenistic Judaism, as can be seen in the instance of Philo and in elements of some Christian gnostics. The trend imagined the angelic mediators as “manifestations” (hypostases) of the divine on earth; thus, the Law was seen to be given through angels, not directly by an epiphany of God to Moses. It is a doctrine that is clearly rebutted in several parts of the New Testament (the pastoral letters and the Epistle to the Hebrews) which insist that Jesus Christ is “far superior” to the angels (Col. 2.18; Heb. 1.4). |
| How angels help us pass through the tollhouses. Examples from the Lives of the Saints The Way of All Flesh: Conversation 2, Part 5 Archpriest Oleg Stenyayev On the angels’ help for people in life and in passing through the tollhouses That the angels act as intercessors (“those angelic spirits in their boundless love defended and supported me”—see Conversation 2, Part 3 ) is something we find in Holy Scripture, where it is written: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Heb. 1:14)—that is, their very function consists in helping us struggle against the demons. And if we become the offenders of the defenseless, unfortunate, and “little ones” (Mt. 18:60), then Christ warns us that their special status of being God’s close ones can be used against us: Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels (that is, those who we might disdain, insult, or persecute.—Archpriest O. S.) do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven (Matt. 18:10)—it follows that they can intercede for those whom they protect. Without a doubt, the angels watch after the paths of each of us, are not removed from our problems, and experience great joy if we step upon the path of repentance and correction. It has been said, There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth (Luke 15:10); they are the ones who bear our prayers before the throne of God, as it is written: And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand (Rev. 8:3-4). The phrase, “with the prayers of the saints” witnesses to the fact that the prayers of a living or reposed saint reach the Son of God not without the help of the angels, and the Son of God, as the only Intercessor one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5), intercedes for us before His Heavenly Father. |
| Michael Prokurat, Alexander Golitzin, Michael D. Peterson Скачать epub pdf THE WAY THE WAY (also called the Two Ways). In Scripture (q.v.): Participation in the Kingdom of God and salvation are tied to ethical and mission-oriented action. This action is symbolically described as “The Way of the Lord.” The Two Ways for men and women are 1) the way of the Lord, or the good and right way ( Gen 18:19 ; Ps 18:21, 25:9 ; 1Sam 12:23 ); and 2) the way of evil, that of sinners and the wicked ( Ps 1:1 ; Prov 2:12 ; Jer 18:11 ; Ezek 3:18 ). Although a person’s way may be either good or evil (1 Kgs 8:36; Gen 6:12 ) depending on his free will, the way of the Lord is always right, perfect, just, and true. As the Old Testament text states, the Lord desires not the death of anyone, but that he turn from the evil way and live. When God began to teach and lead his people under the first covenant, the way of the Lord was identified with the Mosaic Law. Jesus talks about the way in his teaching ministry: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life and those who find it are few” ( Mt 7:13–14 ). The New Testament writers saw the way of the Lord, as it was proclaimed by the prophets, completed and fulfilled in Christ ( Mt 3:3 ; Mk 1:2–3 ; Lk 3:4 ; Jn 1:23 ; 1Cor 12:31 ). In John’s Gospel (14ff.), Jesus says to the disciples “and where I go you know the way . . . I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” The “new and living way” (Heb 10:20) to God was made possible by Christ as a way of salvation, of truth, and of peace. Thus, Luke rightly identifies Christianity as “the Way” and emphasizes this repeatedly. The Two Ways in the Qumran documents (“Dead Sea Scrolls”): These antedate Jesus and are a condensed course in ethics or proper moral behavior. This religious community had as its purpose to keep the Law and the Covenant in the True Way. Unfortunately, members of the community were taught “to be unremitting in hatred towards all men of ill repute, and to be minded to keep in seclusion from them.” Jesus and Joh n the Baptist were, no doubt, familiar with the Qumran Community. The genius of Joh n the Baptist as he is described in the New Testament, and as distinct from the Qumran community, lies in the fact that he did not limit the practice and preaching of the Good Way to a closed community. |
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