This is one topic I have wanted to touch, but for some reason keep forgetting it. Orthodoxy of the heart; if I am correct, Fr. Seraphim Rose has a book with this title. What is essentially Orthodoxy of the heart?
It is, quite simply, living the Orthodox Faith. It is not mere head knowledge about Orthodoxy, but living the faith, becoming a witness for the Orthodox Church. Often people think it is enough that we know something about our faith; that is not so. Even our Lord has said, "Not those who say, Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom, but the one who does My Father's will".
So what does this mean then? How do we live our Orthodox Faith? It's not merely memorizing the Creed, nor knowing what to do in Divine Liturgy. It is good if we know those. It is good if we read the Bible, read about the early Fathers, know about Orthodox theology. Those are important. But it is not complete. What is more essential is praxis, what we actually do.
So when we fast, it is not just fasting for the sake of it, but we fast with the Lord in mind and our hearts in prayer. When we are at Divine Liturgy, we don't just sit at one corner but we join in the chanting, our focus on the Lord. But most of all, we show to others the love Christ has for us. It is by being kind to our neighbors. It is giving that smile to a stranger, or to listening to a friend who is grieving. That is when we become true witnesses to our Faith.
Being Orthodox is not looking or acting stern then, but it is that joyful living of our Faith. It is when we are sincere in our Faith that it truly shines. So when we say we are Orthodox, we must show it in everything that we do. Then we live the Orthodox Faith. Then when people see us, they do not turn away from us nor go the other way when they see us, but they readily come to you because they realize that Christ is within you. Then it won't be hard to share the Faith, to show them what the Orthodox Church is all about.
This is also helpful for those who, for one reason or another, do not have access to an Orthodox church or community; it might be that there are no Orthodox living nearby. How then can one be Orthodox is often the question for them. This is the answer: live the Orthodox Faith as faithfully as you can. Of course, for non-Orthodox, that would also mean learning what the Orthodox Church is all about. Start with Orthodox praxis like making the sign of the Cross. From there it will flow until the opportunity comes for you to truly go to an Orthodox church and join in Liturgy. The opportunity will come, as there is nothing impossible with God. As we often say, God will make a way for things to happen if we but believe in Him and trust Him.
So it is not difficult to live the Orthodox Faith and know it by heart--it really simple. It takes a sincere faith and one that is ready to follow the Lord. It is when we say, "Here I am, Lord" that we have Orthodoxy of the heart.
It is, quite simply, living the Orthodox Faith. It is not mere head knowledge about Orthodoxy, but living the faith, becoming a witness for the Orthodox Church. Often people think it is enough that we know something about our faith; that is not so. Even our Lord has said, "Not those who say, Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom, but the one who does My Father's will".
So what does this mean then? How do we live our Orthodox Faith? It's not merely memorizing the Creed, nor knowing what to do in Divine Liturgy. It is good if we know those. It is good if we read the Bible, read about the early Fathers, know about Orthodox theology. Those are important. But it is not complete. What is more essential is praxis, what we actually do.
So when we fast, it is not just fasting for the sake of it, but we fast with the Lord in mind and our hearts in prayer. When we are at Divine Liturgy, we don't just sit at one corner but we join in the chanting, our focus on the Lord. But most of all, we show to others the love Christ has for us. It is by being kind to our neighbors. It is giving that smile to a stranger, or to listening to a friend who is grieving. That is when we become true witnesses to our Faith.
Being Orthodox is not looking or acting stern then, but it is that joyful living of our Faith. It is when we are sincere in our Faith that it truly shines. So when we say we are Orthodox, we must show it in everything that we do. Then we live the Orthodox Faith. Then when people see us, they do not turn away from us nor go the other way when they see us, but they readily come to you because they realize that Christ is within you. Then it won't be hard to share the Faith, to show them what the Orthodox Church is all about.
This is also helpful for those who, for one reason or another, do not have access to an Orthodox church or community; it might be that there are no Orthodox living nearby. How then can one be Orthodox is often the question for them. This is the answer: live the Orthodox Faith as faithfully as you can. Of course, for non-Orthodox, that would also mean learning what the Orthodox Church is all about. Start with Orthodox praxis like making the sign of the Cross. From there it will flow until the opportunity comes for you to truly go to an Orthodox church and join in Liturgy. The opportunity will come, as there is nothing impossible with God. As we often say, God will make a way for things to happen if we but believe in Him and trust Him.
So it is not difficult to live the Orthodox Faith and know it by heart--it really simple. It takes a sincere faith and one that is ready to follow the Lord. It is when we say, "Here I am, Lord" that we have Orthodoxy of the heart.
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