What is the true Church? Often we hear people say the church he belongs to is the true church. But what is the use of saying such things when there is no compassion in that church? When, instead of its pastor welcoming someone as a fellow brethren, turns his brother away? Saying such and such is the true Church means nothing without love for fellowman. As St. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13: If I have faith as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. Without love a church is empty--it is just a museum. We Orthodox say we are the true Church; we must then live the Gospel so people will see that truth in the Church. Let us be compassionate as Christ intended His Church to be. Then we can draw people in, as they see a Church which has love, compassion and mercy in it.
Friday, May 02, 2014
Monday, March 11, 2013
Christ's Judgment, or Reflection on Judgment Sunday
As we move closer towards Holy and Great Lent, we read on Judgment Sunday the passage concerning the sheep and the goats (cf. Matthew 25:31ff), where Christ will judge all people not just according to their faith in Christ, but according to what they've done. Or more particularly, how they showed their faith by what they've done. This is important to note, since a number of non-Orthodox, and particularly Protestants, would contend that faith, or proclaiming one's belief in Christ alone, is enough. Of course we start off with our faith in Christ--in the Protestant context, that would mean believing in Him. Belief though should not be merely by knowing Jesus, but a real life in Him by obeying Him. In the Orthodox view, this is the more complete faith--knowing Christ and following Him by obeying Him. So we see this then in the passage in Matthew. Interestingly, St. Paul echoes the same in Romans 2:5-8, especially in verses 7-8: eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works,
but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. He would repeat this in verses 9-10 to stress his point. In Revelation as well we find the same thing regarding Judgment: “Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds." (Revelation 22:12). We must then live our lives following His will, doing it with love. And above all, indeed, it should be with love, as St. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13. Indeed, he writes that the greatest virtue is love, and good works in another sense is love in action, or faith working with love in action. As we move towards Great Lent this should be in our hearts, that we must do things with love for God and for our neighbor. All that we do is geared towards love, for we are here because of His love for us, and we are reminded of this each Great Lent, and indeed each day we are with Him.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The Publican and the Pharisee
Last Sunday we read about the publican and the Pharisee. This then starts our preparation towards Holy and Great Lent. The Gospel leads us to reflect on one aspect, often said but often not quite followed: humility. Often we are told to be humble. Often though, we fail to do so. Our world today calls us instead to brag on about what we've accomplished, on what we've done. But there is more to that than simply not telling what we've done--it is about obedience. It is about confronting ourselves and seeing ourselves as who we are--that we are sinners in need of Christ's love and forgiveness. So the Church reminds us of this, that as we go towards Lent, we must again go back and realize that we are sinners.
We are often reminded of this in our prayers. In Liturgy we say often, "Lord, have mercy". And again: O God be gracious to me a sinner and have mercy one me. And how often we are reminded of The Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Yet, do we reflect on these things? It is worthwhile to reflect on them, if we have not done so yet. For here we see something--a need for mercy, for forgiveness. We strive, and yet we fail. And yet there is hope--for in The Prayer, we appeal to our Lord to have mercy on us. And He shows us this mercy, if we really seek for it. He shows us that we are not hopeless, because He is always there waiting for us. So we must pray as often as we should, asking His mercy, and then doing His will, which is to live in Him, for then by doing so we then show that we are His. We must strive, to carry on, towards that perfection which the Lord calls us to do, and in the end He will reward us for our tears and our struggles.
We are often reminded of this in our prayers. In Liturgy we say often, "Lord, have mercy". And again: O God be gracious to me a sinner and have mercy one me. And how often we are reminded of The Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Yet, do we reflect on these things? It is worthwhile to reflect on them, if we have not done so yet. For here we see something--a need for mercy, for forgiveness. We strive, and yet we fail. And yet there is hope--for in The Prayer, we appeal to our Lord to have mercy on us. And He shows us this mercy, if we really seek for it. He shows us that we are not hopeless, because He is always there waiting for us. So we must pray as often as we should, asking His mercy, and then doing His will, which is to live in Him, for then by doing so we then show that we are His. We must strive, to carry on, towards that perfection which the Lord calls us to do, and in the end He will reward us for our tears and our struggles.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
New Year, New Life
Every start of the year, we see it as a new day. A new life for many of us. How do we start this new year then? Many of us make resolutions. If ever there is one resolution we must do, it should be that we must be faithful to our Lord and follow Him. Our new life then should be a new life in the Lord, living in obedience to Him and being faithful to His commandments. That should be the new life we must strive, each day, and that we must keep. It is a life that we should keep not just at the start of the year, but everyday for the rest of our lives. So as the celebration stops and the grind of daily life returns, we must keep this new life in Christ, really focusing on Him and obeying Him. Then our life will be one of joy and peace, knowing that we are with Him and that we live the life that our Lord desires for us.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Axios! Many Years to His Beatitude!
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/64912-youhanna-yaziji-elected-new-greek-orthodox-patriarch-of-the-levant-and-antioch
His Beatitude, John X has been elected as Patriarch of Antioch and All the East on Dec. 17, 2012. Many years to His Beatitude! Axios!
His Beatitude, John X has been elected as Patriarch of Antioch and All the East on Dec. 17, 2012. Many years to His Beatitude! Axios!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Sunday of Forgiveness and Great and Holy Lent
Last Sunday was the Sunday of Forgiveness, as well as Cheesefare Sunday. This signals to us the start of the most solemn season in the Church, Great Lent. Last Sunday we read about how we must forgive one another (Matthew 6:14-21) as well as how we must be when we fast. This season we are called to repentance as well as forgiveness. As we journey towards that day when He died for us, we reflect on how despite our sins He still found us worthy of forgiveness. That should not be lost on us. And just as much as He forgave us, then we must show the same mercy to those who offend us.
This season as well we are called to fast. Fasting is a way of reminding us of what we should do; that is, to take off our inclinations to sin and sin itself. Fasting then is a start--if we can avoid certain foods during Lent, then we should be able to avoid sin as well. It goes without saying that when we fast, we do it in prayer. Fasting without prayer is merely dieting, and spiritually it does us no good if we fast without prayer. So fasting done in prayer and reflection helps us focus on our goal, that is Christ Himself. We pray that His mercy and forgiveness be with us. We pray that we have the courage to face ourselves and take off our sinful selves and put on Christ, as we have promised at baptism. We remember this season that we have to put on Christ as His followers.
But it shouldn't only be this season that we should reflect on these things. We are called to live this life daily. It should not only be at Lent that we remember this--and even that, if at all--but it must be part of our life every single day. So we ask for His grace that, everyday, we live our Christian life the way He wants us to live it. Then we are ready to be with Him, as we go on each day to be more like Him.
This season as well we are called to fast. Fasting is a way of reminding us of what we should do; that is, to take off our inclinations to sin and sin itself. Fasting then is a start--if we can avoid certain foods during Lent, then we should be able to avoid sin as well. It goes without saying that when we fast, we do it in prayer. Fasting without prayer is merely dieting, and spiritually it does us no good if we fast without prayer. So fasting done in prayer and reflection helps us focus on our goal, that is Christ Himself. We pray that His mercy and forgiveness be with us. We pray that we have the courage to face ourselves and take off our sinful selves and put on Christ, as we have promised at baptism. We remember this season that we have to put on Christ as His followers.
But it shouldn't only be this season that we should reflect on these things. We are called to live this life daily. It should not only be at Lent that we remember this--and even that, if at all--but it must be part of our life every single day. So we ask for His grace that, everyday, we live our Christian life the way He wants us to live it. Then we are ready to be with Him, as we go on each day to be more like Him.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Long time since I last wrote...
I guess I have stayed a bit too long away from my blog. It is almost Great and Holy Lent, and I have not posted since the visit of His Eminence, Metropolitan Paul of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines. Anyway, my apologies.
Last Sunday was Judgment Sunday and Meat-fare Sunday. We recall on that day the final Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46), where we see Jesus as Judge. We also realize that His Judgment is hinged not only on our faith, but how we lived our faith. Overall, what Jesus wants from us is to love--love the Lord as well as our neighbors. What we do then has much importance; recall, for instance, that in Romans 2:5-8 Paul shows the same Judgment scene, where those who do good will go to their reward while those who do evil to their punishment. It is clear then that Judgment will be based on how we have lived our faith, a faith working in love. As Paul would later affirm in Romans, love is the fulfillment of the Law.
As we near Lent, we reflect on this--how we lived our lives, and are called to repentance. The first Sunday of the Triodon has the Publican and the Pharisee; the second Sunday the Prodigal Son and last Sunday, Judgment. In all these, we are prepared for that time when we recall His suffering, death and Resurrection. In that time, we should reflect on our lives, and what we can do to correct whatever we need to. The Lord is kind, as we are shown in the Prodigal Son--He waits for us patiently to return to Him. But we must not recall these things only during Lent, but each day, for often we fall short and have need of His mercy.
Last Sunday as well was Meat-fare Sunday. It is the last day for us Orthodox to eat meat, in preparation for the Great Fast of Lent. Fasting must be done in prayer; we do not fast simply for its own sake, but to help us in prayer as well as help us to slowly take out sins and our disposition towards sin, towards as more holy life. So we should reflect as well on this, that our life is a life of sacrifice, as life lived in penance. Such a life then, lived in prayer and contemplation, would be a holy life, one where, as we in the Cherubic Hymn, we lay aside all the cares of this life, and focus on a life in service to our Lord.
Last Sunday was Judgment Sunday and Meat-fare Sunday. We recall on that day the final Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46), where we see Jesus as Judge. We also realize that His Judgment is hinged not only on our faith, but how we lived our faith. Overall, what Jesus wants from us is to love--love the Lord as well as our neighbors. What we do then has much importance; recall, for instance, that in Romans 2:5-8 Paul shows the same Judgment scene, where those who do good will go to their reward while those who do evil to their punishment. It is clear then that Judgment will be based on how we have lived our faith, a faith working in love. As Paul would later affirm in Romans, love is the fulfillment of the Law.
As we near Lent, we reflect on this--how we lived our lives, and are called to repentance. The first Sunday of the Triodon has the Publican and the Pharisee; the second Sunday the Prodigal Son and last Sunday, Judgment. In all these, we are prepared for that time when we recall His suffering, death and Resurrection. In that time, we should reflect on our lives, and what we can do to correct whatever we need to. The Lord is kind, as we are shown in the Prodigal Son--He waits for us patiently to return to Him. But we must not recall these things only during Lent, but each day, for often we fall short and have need of His mercy.
Last Sunday as well was Meat-fare Sunday. It is the last day for us Orthodox to eat meat, in preparation for the Great Fast of Lent. Fasting must be done in prayer; we do not fast simply for its own sake, but to help us in prayer as well as help us to slowly take out sins and our disposition towards sin, towards as more holy life. So we should reflect as well on this, that our life is a life of sacrifice, as life lived in penance. Such a life then, lived in prayer and contemplation, would be a holy life, one where, as we in the Cherubic Hymn, we lay aside all the cares of this life, and focus on a life in service to our Lord.
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