Love Not The World Or Things In The World, But Do Love One Another

Each of us bear the image of God outwardly and inwardly. God has given each of us a portion of Himself. He desires to give of Himself to those around us. God is love; pure, holy, humble love. Love isn't love unless it can be expressed. The more love gives, the brighter it burns and makes an impression on all those in it's presence. God's love transforms, heals, renews, washes away the residue of sin, the scum of sin, the heavy crust of sin. God's love energizes that which was dead. It transforms and makes beautiful that which has been marred and scarred by sin. Even our words, written and thought myriads of different ways by an untold number of Christians throughout the ages can still have significance, can inspire and give hope. Why?, because God is that broad, that expansive and completely uncontainable, to ever comprehend or know fully, and each of us are yet another unique expression of His love.

"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."

John 4:21-21

"Just as in the world there are rich and poor people, so are there in the spiritual world. We are spiritually poor and they are spiritually rich and it is for them, therefore, that we beggars must appeal." John of Krondstadt

The Path To Hell Is Paved With The Teachings Of Well Intentioned Men

who in ignorance have been deceived by a fallen angel, whose calculations and strategies are cunning and manipulative beyond the understanding or comprehension of any man whose has ever walked this earth. This fallen angel, is a master swordsman, able to disarm any foe; a superb sorcerer, able to imitate any act of creation; an accomplished artist, able to portray with imagery and delusions the most beautiful masterpieces of persuasion. This fallen super angel, Satan, can operate only in collusion with the willing, albeit ignorant ascensions of man. He takes advantage of the weak and strong alike, the misinformed and knowledgeable, the confident and secure, the humble and trusting and always, unfailingly, time and time again, it is with the willful and full cooperation of men. Just as in the garden, the woman took and ate, so mankind today, takes and eats to our own demise and destruction. 

His dwellings are in the deepest darkness, yet to man, he appears in glorious light and behind a veil of stunning beauty and breathtaking glory, lurks the most beastly, grotesque and hideous creature to have ever dwelt in the universe of God's order. Yet, man, in his utterly stupid, carnal and fallen nature is drawn to, drawn in and drawn by, this angel's hypnotic and ecstatic offerings of heady power, fame and riches. With innumerable and incalculable deceptions, distortions and distractions, he bestows upon men curses, yet,in confusion, we embrace these curses of prosperity, knowledge and acclaimed accomplishments as good and godly blessings. To insure our perpetual imprisonment, this master schemer, builds these curses into institutions of great learning, cathedrals of great religions and organizations of immense wealth. All the while, man in his pitiful and wretched condition, grows increasingly addicted and afflicted, falling deeper into a treacherous pit of delusion, lies and denial. 

Reserved for this most pitiful of creatures to be damned is an eternally fiery furnace and this incorrigible, having considered his destiny and in keeping with his incessantly blasphemous condition, will entice away from God, the hearts of many, into a state of ignorant and willful estrangement from God's blessed and eternal love, which reaches to all men, at all times and in all places upon the earth. For just as God the Father, dwells in a perpetual and eternal union of sweet fellowship with the Son and the Holy Spirit and also those blessed creatures who in repentance have sought after Him; so Satan seeks to imitate the Godhead, yet in his perversion, the fruit of his labor will be to dwell in a perpetual loneliness of solitary confinement and in his chosen state of anguish, he will be accompanied by all those who accepted and embraced his demonic gifts. In an indescribably grievous condition, a portion of mankind will join the demons in their torturous solitude of isolation and estrangement from the holy, good and blessed love of our most merciful God; and His love will be for the godly, an eternal warmth but for the condemned, a fiery furnace of torment. 

No "Christian", is immune from the dangers described herein, and there will come a time in the not so distant future, when each of us will experience God in perfect union of clarity, truth and reality and for some, with a depth of sorrow that as of yet has ever been comprehended by mankind, will fall these words of utter disbelief: 

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ Matthew 7:21-22

"A Deep Knowledge Of The Scriptures Will Prepare Us For The Antichrist" St. John Chrysostom

From the Spiritual Counsels of the Blessed Elder Anthony of Russia

...in this system of preparing people for the coming of antichrist, the television has been given not just the role of consuming free time, its destructive role is far greater. A person watches the news, any news, and it seems to him to be something necessary and useful, at any rate, not harmful. But the actual news occupies only a small portion of the time. The rest is an analysis of what happened, that is, a view of what happened which must be formed by those watching. And the view of the customers is that which is given by those who control the given information...From this, from the hypnotic effect of the television program, a person loses his ability of thinking for himself, of thoughtfully perceiving the events that are happening, and finally, of forming his own world-view.

...'For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.' What kind of normal gathering is possible under these conditions?! People love to talk, but not listen, to teach, but not to learn. What unites all of these people around one table? Intoxicants—spirits, and plenty of food, that is, what is on the table, not who is at the table. Nothing soul-profiting can come out of such an environment, for as the saints taught, you do not speak about God with a full stomach—and even more so, with a drunken head!

There is one more terrible evil from the television, but unfortunately, it's far from the last. This evil is the undermining of the authority of the Church. It is planned and diabolically cunning. It is in everything—in mocking the clergy, the Orthodox rituals, in placing the occult, paganism, in opposition to Christianity, in everything. Everything is saturated with hatred for the Truth. Not much time will pass before they will openly mock Christianity and holy things on television. Broadcasts concerning the Theotokos will be especially permeated with hatred; from everything will flow the poison of diabolic evil. Only it will be under the veil of humor, comedy. 'Laughing hell' will take the work of ridiculing everything Divine, and spiritual, all the way to the end. And the end will be in the one who appears and tries to take the place of God. And he will enter immediately into every home. How can a person enter every home at the same time?! We say that that is one of the qualities of God—being everywhere present—even the angels move about and exist in time. But the Church teaches that antichrist will enter immediately into every home; this seems to be a contradiction.

But no, the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is the vessel of truth, of Divine truth. In imitation of being everywhere present, antichrist will enter into every home simultaneously with the help of the television. Everyone will receive him into his house, and he'll receive him voluntarily!...

Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates

There are martyrdoms that are more than costly. The costliness of a martyrdom depends on the greatness of the good things of this world that a Christian gives up, receiving suffering in its place; and it depends also on the greatness of the suffering which he endures for the sake of Christ. St Theodore, a Roman commander in the army of the Emperor Licinius and governor of the city of Heraclea, scorned his youth, his good looks, his military status and the good-will of the Emperor, and in place of all this received terrible tortures for the sake of Christ. Firstly Theodore was flogged, receiving 600 lashes on the back and 500 on the stomach; then he was crucified and pierced through with arrows. Finally he was slain with the sword. Why all this? Because St Theodore loved Christ more than anything else in the world. He scorned the foolish idol-worship of the superstitious Emperor, shattered the silver and gold idols, giving the pieces to the poor, brought many to the Christian faith and urged the Emperor himself to reject idolatry and believe in the one God. During the whole of his torture, Theodore repeated unceasingly: `Glory to Thee, my God, glory to Thee!' He suffered on February 8th, 319, at three o'clock in the afternoon, and entered into the Kingdom of Christ. He is regarded as the protector of soldiers, who turn to him for help. His wonderworking relics were taken from Euchaita to Constantinople and buried in the Church at Blachernae.

St. George The Trophy Bearer and The Dragon Slayer

World War III - One Billion Christian Heretics Fighting One Billion Muslims, Instigated And Incited By Isreal

Ignatius Bishop of Antioch (98-117A.D.) – Epistle to the Magnesians

For if we are still practicing Judaism, we admit that we have not received God's favor…it is wrong to talk about Jesus Christ and live like Jews. For Christianity did not believe in Judaism, but Judaism in Christianity.

"Epistle of Barnabas" Chapter 4vs 6-7 (between 130A.D. and 138 A.D.)

Take heed to yourselves and be not like some piling up you sins and saying that the covenant is theirs as well as ours. It is ours, but they lost it completely just after Moses received it.

Justin Martyr - Dialogue with Trypho (Between 138A.D. and 161 A.D.)

We too, would observe your circumcision of the flesh, your Sabbath days, and in a word, all you festivals, if we were not aware of the reason why they were imposed upon you, namely, because of your sins and the hardness of heart.

The custom of circumcising the flesh, handed down from Abraham, was given to you as a distinguishing mark, to set you off from other nations and from us Christians. The purpose of this was that you and only you might suffer the afflictions that are now justly yours; that only your land be desolated, and you cities ruined by fire, that the fruits of you land be eaten by strangers before your very eyes; that not one of you be permitted to enter your city of Jerusalem. Your circumcision of the flesh is the only mark by which you can certainly be distinguished from other men…as I stated before it was by reason of your sins and the sins of your fathers that, among other precepts, God imposed upon you the observance of the sabbath as a mark.

Origen of Alexandria (185-254 A.D.) – A ecclesiastical writer and teacher who contributed to the early formation of Christian doctrines.

We may thus assert in utter confidence that the Jews will not return to their earlier situation, for they have committed the most abominable of crimes, in forming this conspiracy against the Savior of the human race…hence the city where Jesus suffered was necessarily destroyed, the Jewish nation was driven from its country, and another people was called by God to the blessed election.

John Chrysostom (344-407 A.D.) – One of the "greatest" of church fathers; known as "The Golden Mouthed."

The synagogue is worse than a brothel…it is the den of scoundrels and the repair of wild beasts…the temple of demons devoted to idolatrous cults…the refuge of brigands and dabauchees, and the cavern of devils. It is a criminal assembly of Jews…a place of meeting for the assassins of Christ… a house worse than a drinking shop…a den of thieves, a house of ill fame, a dwelling of iniquity, the refuge of devils, a gulf and a abyss of perdition."…"I would say the same things about their souls… As for me, I hate the synagogue…I hate the Jews for the same reason.

St. Augustine (c. 354-430 A.D.), Confessions, 12.14

How hateful to me are the enemies of your Scripture! How I wish that you would slay them (the Jews) with your two-edged sword, so that there should be none to oppose your word! Gladly would I have them die to themselves and live to you!

Questions To Consider:

"Given the climate of our society today, how would we be received making such statements about the Jews as our venerable Church Fathers have made?

I suppose the threats against our bodies would be such as to even possibly bring us to ruination.

"Why do you suppose such actions would be taken against us for making such statements in public?"

Could it be that the spirit of the Antichrist has saturated our culture to such an extent that his spirit is indeed reigning in our society?

"Ask yourself this question." As you read these statements by our venerable Church Fathers; Were you taken back? Did you writhe and squirm? Did you think to yourself, "Well that was then and we live in different times?" If indeed you entertained these thoughts, I would dare to say, that the spirit of the Antichrist is at work in you at this very moment! 

"Now consider what your attitude would have been before having considered this last question. Would you think to your self, "I would never accept the Antichrist!"?

If, what I am presenting here has merit, the implications for the true Church are absolutely daunting, for I have only made a slight prick upon the body. 

My fear is that the body is wrought with cancer and as of yet, we have not even begun to be aware of it!

St Basil the Great: On the Holy Tradition (4th Century)

Comment: What is fascinating to me, is that every detail of church tradition that St. Basil refers to in his treatise continues to be practiced until this very day and has been faithfully taught and practiced by the church of the East since the time of Apostles.

Concerning the teachings of the Church, whether publicly proclaimed (kerygma) or reserved to members of the household of faith (dogmata), we have received some from written sources, while others have been given to us secretly, through apostolic tradition. Both sources have equal force in true religion. No one would deny either sourceno one at any rate, who is even slightly familiar with the ordinances of the Church. If we attacked unwritten customs, claiming them to be of little importance, we would fatally mutilate the Gospel, no matter what our intentionsor rather, we would reduce the Gospel teaching to bare words. For instance (to take the first and most common example), where is the written teaching that we should sign with the sing of the Cross those who, trusting in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, are to be enrolled as catechumens? Which book teaches us to pray facing the East? Have any saints left for us in writing the words to be used in the invocation of the Eucharistic bread and the cup of blessing? As everyone knows, we are not content in the liturgy simply to recite the words recorded by St. Paul or the Gospels, but we add other words both before and after, words of great importance for this mystery. We have received these words from unwritten teaching. We bless baptismal water and the oil for chrismation as well as the candidate approaching the font. By what written authority do we do this, if not from secret and mystical tradition? Even beyond blessing the oil, what written command do we have to anoint with it? What about baptizing a man with three immersions, or other baptismal rites, such as the renunciation of Satan and his angels? Are not all these things found in unpublished and unwritten teachings, which our fathers guarded in silence, safe from meddling and petty curiosity? They had learned their lesson well; reverence for the mysteries is best encouraged by silence. The uninitiated were not even allowed to be present at the mysteries; how could you expect these teachings to be paraded about in public documents? . . . We have unwritten tradition so that the knowledge of dogma might not become neglected and scorned through familiarity. Dogma is one thing, kerygma another; the first is observed in silence, while the latter is proclaimed to the world. One form of silence is the obscurity found in certain passages of Scripture, which makes the meaning of some dogmas difficult to perceive for the reader’s own advantage. For instance, we all pray facing East, but few realize that we do this because we are seeking Paradise, our old fatherland, which God planted in the East in Eden. We all stand for prayer on Sunday, but not everyone knows why. We stand for prayer on the day of the Resurrection to remind ourselves of the graces we have been given: not only because we have been raised with Christ and are obliged to seek the things that are above, but also because Sunday seems to be an image of the age to come. Notice that although Sunday is the beginning of days, Moses does not call it the first day, but one day: And there was evening and there was morning, one day, since this day would recur many times. Therefore one and eight are the same, and the one day really refers both to itself and to the eighth day. Even the Psalmist follows this usage in certain titles of the psalms [e.g., in Pss 6 and 11, LXX]. This day foreshadows the state which is to follow the present age: a day without sunset, nightfall, or successor, an age which does not grow old or come to an end. It is therefore necessary for the Church to teach her newborn children to stand for prayer on this day, so that they will always be reminded of eternal life, and not neglect preparations for their journey. The entire season of Pentecost is likewise a reminder of the resurrection we expect in the age to come. If we count that one day, the first of days, and then multiply it seven times seven, we will have completed the seven weeks of the holy Pentecost, and the season ends on the same day it began (Sunday) with fifty days having elapsed. Therefore this season is an image of eternity, since it begins and ends at the same point, like a circle. During this time the ordinances of the Church instruct us to pray standing, and by this reminder our minds are made to focus on the future instead of on the present. Also, every time we bend our knees for prayer and then rise again, we show by this action that through sin we fell down to earth, but our Creator, the Lover of Mankind, has called us back to heaven.

–St. Basil the Great, On the Holy Spirit ch. 27(66) (SVS 1980)

Holy Icons Defended From Scripture & Tradition

The standard charge of Protestants is that the Orthodox are idolatrous because they will reverence icons, images, relics and shrines. If we thought that these things were gods, that would be a valid charge. Indeed, there are badly instructed Orthodox who may have superstitious ideas about such things. However, the biblical case for holy images is, I believe, overwhelming when one takes everything into account. Furthermore, it’s been settled by the Seventh Ecumenical Council (Nicea II in 787), which many Protestants claim to adhere to! 

Nicea II based its argumentation upon the writings and argumentation of Ss. Theodore of Studium, Germanus of Constantinople, and John of Damascus. St. John of Damascus’ famous treatise in defense of holy icons is that basis for the arguments I am going to make below. I will also include some quotes from various Fathers defending images, showing that this is part of the Holy Orthodox Faith.

1. Really the only apparent biblical argument against images from the Protestant view is the Second Commandment. Protestants argue that there are to be no images made of God, or anything in heaven or earth. In response to this charge, it is important to note that the Protestant view is actually inconsistent and impossible. First, the literal wording of the Command forbids all making of any images of anything in heaven, earth, sea, etc. Reformed theologian Charles Hodge mentions a reformed colleague of his at Princeton who actually refused to use maps that pictured things like mountains, lakes, etc. This is a consistent outworking of the Protestants position. Such a position is totally ridiculous, but he was attempting to be as consistent with his heretical reading of the Second Command.

Two points refute this: the Commandment specifically mentions heaven, earth, sea, etc. God seems to be pointing out the type of worship the Israelites encountered in their pagan neighbors like Egypt, Babylonia, Philistia, Canaan, etc. In other words, “heavens,” meaning astrology, “earth,” meaning animism and nature worship, and “sea” meaning various forms of aquatic idolatry, such as Nile worship. So, God is not railing against the inherent evil of an image, but against the practices of the Israelite neighbors, which included any or all of the above. We can further prove this with the second point: God himself commands many holy images to be placed inside the Holy of Holies! 1 Kings 6 describes how ornate the inside of the Holy of Holies was, replete with images of Cherubim and Seraphim, and of course the Ark itself had two huge, golden Cherubim over its lid. If images were inherently evil, God wouldn't command His own tabernacle/temple to be full of them. Therefore, the Second Command cannot mean absolutely no religious images. It forbids pagan idolatry, and clearly the temple worship which had images was not idolatry.

Calvin's Fallacious Attack on Holy Icons

John Calvin is one of the single most influential figures of Reformation theology. His theological attitudes are reflected even today in the heart and soul of modern Protestantism. While even Eastern Orthodox Christians revere St. Augustine and his countless theological contributions to the Church; it remains true that Western Christianity inherited not only his genius, but his flaws and innovations as well (namely, the filioque). Likewise, Eastern Christians recognize merit in Calvin’s critical objections to the abuses of the Roman Church, as the Eastern Church posed many of these same objections over 500 years earlier. The shame is in the absence of dialogue between Calvin and the Eastern Church which, in facing the Roman Church in solitude without the compass of theological direction, led to a host of Calvin’s own innovations. One seemingly trivial, but philosophically crucial, point of departure from patristic wisdom is Calvin’s rejection of Holy Icons. While Calvin realized the error in Rome’s evolved state of superstition, his flee from such errors led him quickly past truth and into a state of iconoclasm much worse than the amendable condition of Rome. For reasons partially pragmatic, Calvin chose the road of innovation rather than counsel. And while you might expect this sort of decision to cause a humble man to leave some issues unaddressed, Calvin acted on his implicit iconoclasm and formed an explicit criticism of the Eastern use of icons. But his critique shed ample light on his ignorance, and further emphasized his need of Eastern counsel.

The Monk Makarios the Great of Egypt (4th Century)

Once during prayer Blessed Makarios heard a voice: "Makarios, thou hast reached such attainment as have two women living in the city". The humble ascetic, taking up his staff, went to the city, found the house where the women lived, and knocked. The women received him with joy, and the monk said: "Because of you I have come from a far wilderness, and I want to know about your good deeds; tell about them, keeping nothing secret". The women answered with surprise: "We live with our own husbands, and we have not such virtues". But the saint continued to insist, and the women then told him: "We entered into marriage with two brothers by birth. After all this time of life in common we have told each other not one evil thing nor insulting word, and never do we quarrel between ourselves. We asked our husbands to release us into a women's monastery, but they were not agreeable, and we gave a vow not to utter one worldly word until death". The holy ascetic glorified God and said: "In truth the Lord does not seek virgins nor married women, and neither monks nor worldly persons, but doth value the free intent of the person within the arbitrariness of his free will to offer thanks to the Holy Spirit, which acts and which rules the life of each person, yearning to be saved".

A Blind Poet Who Sees Her Soul

Gerondissa (Greek for Abbess) Xeni, was born in 1867, and reposed in the Lord 1923. Mother Xeni, was chosen to become a Abbess of St. Nectarios (spelled also: St.Nektarios) newly-founded Monastery in Aegina for nuns. This beloved handmaiden of our Lord was blind from the age of 9 months, and although physically blind, she was not spiritually blind. She lived under the spiritual guidance of St. Nectarios, and sincerely developed great Christian virtue, discernment and love. Even before the holy Saint Nectarios officially named her to preside over the Community of nuns in Aegina all the girls and women considered her to be their leader due to her piety, compassion and the great grace which dwelt in her sweet soul. This holy, pure, and chosen woman, though she fully realized the scope of her blessedness, did not "consider salvation a thing to be grasped" (Phil.3:13).

During the life of Gerondissa Xeni, she wrote her poetry, which is now becomming more and more well known. We truly discover the secret of her blessed familiarity and closeness both to the Saint, and to our God in Trinity: humility. Gerondissa Xeni poetry is spiritually remarkable, and full of love for God! Her poetry serves to help us, her readers, to be able to reflect on our own path to salvation.

The poetry of Gerondissa Xeni, here translated from the original Greek.

To God

A soul, of lamentations worthy, sorrows and is sighing,

and with a loud and fervent voice, the name of God is crying,

and saying, my God save me now, my God, have mercy on me,

O God, You've seen my darkness now, so shed Your light upon me,

my God, don't turn away from me, but quickly hear my pleading,

enlighten my soul's eyes, O God, with spiritual leading;

because they have been blinded from the sins within my depths.

O wretched self, I cannot see; my God, I lose my steps.

Miserable me, I cannot see, my God, where I am going,

or where I stand, or that I am a stranger, passed my knowing.

Many clouds and mists my soul in darkness shroud and cover,

and without measure I embitter You, my sweetest Savior.


O wretch, within I feel upheaval, mourning pierced my side,

for Your All-Holy Spirit, Lord, to me must be denied;

my soul must weep eternally her poverty of grace,

and without ceasing to lament in tears that woeful place.

I must avenge myself for all the pain sin makes me suffer,

and with the rivers of my tears, my deep repentance offer;

the tender earth to which I will return, with weeping drench,

to cleanse and flood away the traces of my sins' foul stench.

I am no longer worthy, Lord, to hope in Your compassion,

I'm worthy only of hell-fire, and suffering damnation.

But you, my refuge is in You, my God and my Salvation...

Confession of the Blind Woman

People, hear and pity me, for this, my situation,

and pray to God for me, to give my wretched soul salvation.

Believe me, all of you, my brethren, truly I'll explain,

in me is found abundantly the works I now will name.

If you would like to know which virtues I have called my own,

I'll tell you: naked is my soul of good in every form.

Utterly devoid of virtue, sentenced to be damned,

and by every purity most utterly abandoned.

Poverty past bounds is mine, and wounds and ill diseases,

and being lost forever in the folds of death's deep creases.

Severe insentitivity and stupor overcome me,

anger, pride, hard-heartedness and evil have undone me.

To virtue I am cold as ice, but warm to wickedness,

always ready for laughter's lure and for talkativeness.

Instead of being compunctionate I'm totally unfeeling,

instead of weeping constantly, I laugh, the wretched worldling!

But there is something yet, that hides so perfectly these evils.

How long will I so fool the world, though I am like the devils,

with my false piety, fake virtue and hypocrisy?

When the world regards me highly, I rejoice and boast,

but when they criticise me, even kindly, I am sad, and mope.

Whomever of you knows me, I exhort you to feel piety,

and when reminded of me, weep for my iniguity.

Beg our God that someday He enlightenment will send me;

and by your prayers, my brethren, I hope that He will save me,

and from my somber wickedness and evil, He will free me.

Copied from the website of, "Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church" of Boise, Idaho.

Notable Poetry From An Orthodox Perspective

St. John was a parish priest in Kronstadt, Russia, and during his pastoral life he wrote a book called "My Life In Christ". This famous spiritually rewarding book is not only read by bishops, and priest, as well as the monastics, but also by laymen who are seeking to find their lives in Christ our Lord.

A poem written by St. John of Kronstadt:

The Heart Can Change Several

Times In One Moment

The heart can change several times in one moment

-to good or evil,

to faith or unbelief,

to simplicity or cunning,

to love or hatred,

to benevolence or envy,

to generosity or avarice,

O, what inconstancy!

O, how many dangers!

O, how sober and watchful we must be!

Copied from the website of, "Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church" of Boise, Idaho.

Saint Chrysostom's Ancient Liturgy

No matter what Orthodox Church you enter anywhere in the world, the liturgy is going to be the same. It is ancient, rich, full of symbolism, beautiful and unchangeable and has been consistently the same for fifteen hundred years! 

Orthodox Christians embrace one hope, one faith and one Lord, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Christ in His fullness cannot be experienced anywhere in the world except for within the One, Holy, Apostolic, Orthodox Church.

The One True Church, the only place where one can experience the actual presence of Christ in the Holy Mysteries of the cup and bread. We eat His body and drink His blood and He cleanses us from all our sins and we experience these life giving mysteries every time we partake of the blessed life giving mysteries of our Lord.

No where but in the Orthodox Church will you be able to experience the fullness of Jesus Christ. The reality of the fellowship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Here you will find life, abundant life, with a fullness that can be had no where else on the face of the earth.

Satan's one main purpose is to keep you, who are created in the image of God from tasting of the fullness of Christ as found within the Orthodox Church. He makes you to think that what you already have is the fullness of the faith and that there could be nothing more to be had in this life. He hinders you from experiencing the healing power of the Holy Spirit. He deludes you into thinking the fullness of Christ cannot be realized in the here and now. He deceives you through masterful and cunning distractions, distortions, delusions. 

If you are reading this, then I am speaking to you, addressing your life condition and in doing so, I am urging you to reconsider where you have invested your time, your hope, your faith and your efforts. Is what you know, truly fulfilling? Does it match up with what you read in your bible? Do you ever have nagging thoughts that what you are experiencing may somehow be devoid of the Holy Spirit of God? 

Satan allows the Protestant and Romanist, a glimmer of light as he keeps the masses in the darkness. In doing so, he makes you to think that what little light you have is somehow the fullness of what God has to offer! What a pity, what a tragedy, what a sad scenario, to think that when all of life is over, as you come into the fullness of God's glorious presence, you will at that very moment be overwhelmingly remorseful for what you could have had, if only you had exercised the boldness to have freed yourself from the constraints and comforts of your religiousocity. 

It is not to late to enter into the fullness of the joy of the Lord. Now is the day of salvation, now is the day of repentance, now is the day of the Lord. You are invited, and God, in the fullness of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is ready to welcome you with mercy, grace and healing as you have never known in all of your life. The holy angels will assist you and protect you as you call out to Him now, seeking Him with all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength.

But, calling out to God is only the first step in the pilgrims journey. Christ manifests Himself to the world through the Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church is the door through which you must enter in order to begin to experience the fullness of a meaningful, full and rich relationship with the Triune God. 

If you ready for the next step, seek out an Orthodox Church in your community and attend.

"Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:14

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Luke 13:24

"...that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."

Because Orthodoxy is not individualistic, rather than the arrogance that goes with that individualism, in Orthodoxy we are taught to humbly listen to the teachings of the Fathers of the Church. We are taught not to think ourselves more holy or clever than the Fathers of the Church who have clearly shown themselves to be doers of the Word, and men of holiness -- and so when we read the Bible, we read it in accordance with the testimony of the Church rather than in the vanity of our individualistic minds.

As I said earlier, this is not a false humility, but is simply a realistic assessment of things. When there are 23,000 denominations that all claim to believe the Bible, but which cannot agree on what it is that the Bible says -- it is humility that is realistic, and arrogance that is fanciful. Obviously they cannot all be right, and so humility with regard to one's own interpretations of the Scriptures is the only reasonable approach to the subject.

This is not to say that all Orthodox Christians are truly humble, or that all Protestants are arrogant themselves and lack humility. I have known many Protestants who were themselves very humble, and I know that I myself am often very prideful. But having operated in both ways of thought, I can say experientially that the Orthodox approach to theology and spirituality is the path of humility and repentance.

Click on title to read more: Section III - Humility/Repentance

...The first characteristic of the Protestant Worldview is that it is Humanistic.

Now for conservative Protestants this statement will come as quite a shock, and no doubt they would hotly dispute it -- but the statement is an historic truth as well as an observable fact. Protestantism was birthed out of and became the religious expression of the humanism of the Renaissance, and as Frank Schaeffer has put it: it has been the engine of the Secularization of Western Culture. Humanism is characterized by its idealization of individual autonomy and it promulgation of secularization. Church authority was rejected in favor of the subjective judgment of the individual. The idea of a Christian nation was replaced with the concept of separation of Church and state -- and for those who would argue that this was a later development, while it is true that Luther and Calvin saw no need for the separation of Church and State (because they were in power) the earliest Anabaptists championed this from the beginning.

What is amazing is how conservative Protestants have viewed humanism and secularization as a foreign invader that is completely at odds with their faith -- when in fact it is the fruit of their own intellectual wombs.

For example, every Western Christmas, you can hear Protestants loudly bemoaning the fact that Christ has been taken out of Christmas and replaced with Santa Claus -- but where did that come from? It was the English Puritans who opposed the idea of a religious calendar, and who opposed Christmas and all other holidays as "pagan" and so sought to replace those holidays with secular observances. It was these Puritans who invented Father Frost, and replaced the idea of going to Church on Christmas to celebrate Christ's birth with the family fun, games, gifts, and food observance that characterizes the common Protestant observance of Christmas. So in their quest to get rid of the "pagan" Christian calendar of feasts, it was in fact the Protestants who developed the truly pagan secular calendar that our culture has come to know and love.

Click on title to read more.

St. Peter The Aleut Of Alaska

A native of Kodiak Island, Cungagnaq had been baptized by the monks of St. Herman's missionary party, receiving the Christian name Peter.

In 1815, a party of 14 Aleut seal and otter hunter, including Peter approached the California shore by ship. The Russian-American Trading Company had in 1812 established Fort Ross (derived from the word "Russia") about 50 miles north of San Francisco as a warm climate trading post and as a place to raise crops and cattle to support the communities in Alaska. At that time, Spain still owned California, and some Spaniards perhaps thought that Russia was planning to attack and take possession of San Francisco.

When, therefore, Peter and his party of young fur trappers approached near Fort Ross, Spanish sailors captured them and took them to San Francisco for a mock trial. Roman Catholic priests in California tried to force the Aleut hunters to embrace Roman Catholicism. The prisoners answered, "We are Christians; we have been baptized," and they showed their baptismal crosses. "No, you are heretics and schismatics," replied one of the priests. "If you do not agree to take the Catholic Faith we will torture you," and they were told to think it over.

Returning a while later, the priests found that the Aleuts again refused to renounce Orthodoxy. They took Peter and cut off a toe from each foot, but Peter simply repeated, "I am a Christian; I will not betray my Faith." The Spanish priest-inquisitor ordered a group of California Indians to cut off each finger of Peter's hands, one joint at a time, eventually cutting off his hands altogether. Finally, he ordered that Peter be disemboweled. Peter quickly died as a result of the tortures, witnessing to his Faith in God to his last breath. Just as they were ready to start on the next Aleut, the Spaniards received an order to stop the proceedings. This eyewitness account of Peter's martyrdom is told by some of his comrades who were eventually released.

When the incident was reported to St. Herman, back on Kodiak Island, the monk turned to his icon, crossed himself and exclaimed, "Holy, new-martyr Peter, pray to God for us!" Peter the Aleut was formally glorified as a saint, as the "Martyr of San Francisco;" in 1980. His feast day is commemorated on September 24.

Today Alaska rejoices and America celebrates, 

For the new world has been sanctified by martyrdom. 

Kodiak echoes with songs of thanksgiving, 

Iliamna and Kenai observe the festival of faith. 

The Apostle and martyr Juvenaly is glorified, 

And Peter the Aleut is exalted by his voluntary sacrifice, 

In their devotion and love for the Lord, 

They willingly endured persecution and death for the Truth, 

Now in the Kingdom of Heaven they intercede for our souls! 

Today Valaam joins Alaska 

In celebrating this joyous feast, 

As her spiritual son Juvenaly 

Embraces the new martyr Peter with love. 

Together they suffered for the Lord in America 

And united the old world with the new by their voluntary sacrifice. 

Now forever they stand before the King of glory and intercede for our souls. 

O Peter, upon the rock of thy faith hath Christ built His Church, 

and in the streams of thy blood hath He hallowed our land. 

In thee thy people hath been sanctified, O Aleut; 

from the farthest islands of the west hath He raised thee, a light unto all. 

Glory to Him that hath glorified thee. 

Glory to Him that hath crowned thee. 

Glory to Him that worketh healings for all through thee.

America The Beautiful

America is a rich and powerful nation that assumes this power and wealth was afforded to us by the God of the Bible. Could it be perhaps that this wealth and power came from another benefactor? Is it possible that our forefathers succumbed to temptation as offered by the Great Tempter and that we are now enjoying the short lived pleasures of our choice to follow after him, who has portrayed himself to us as an Angel of Light? Could it be that instead of embracing truth, righteousness and justice, the American people have embraced lies, deceptions and half truths? Could it be that this so-called, "life in Christ" that American Evangelicals and all of American Christendom are living in, is just imagery, distractions, distortions and illusions? What will come of us, if in our secure state of being, we begin to catch glimpses of a wolf's tail, a wolf's snout and wolf tracks beneath the sheep skin? Will it be too late to escape from the wolf's clutches? Who will rescue us, for we sheep are no defense against a wolf, especially one so mighty who takes the name of Satan. Yet,in the midst of such danger, the Great Shepard also is near, ready to rescue with all swiftness, those who call out to Him for salvation.

Heresy can be defined as, "wrong teaching", "that which portrays God incorrectly", or "that which does not hold to the Apostolic Traditions". Through a simple study of church history, one can ascertain particular facts about the roots of our Christian faith. If we follow the genealogy of our Church Fathers back to the times of Christ, we will find landmarks along the way that can enlighten us as to why we are where we are today. Rather than work our way backwards, let's start with Christ who just prior to His ascension into the clouds, commissioned the Apostles to go into all the world preaching the gospel and baptizing all in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These twelve disciples along with the early followers of Christ accomplished an astounding feat in bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a significant portion of the world within just the first generation after Christ's ascension into glory and within the first thousand years of church history, most of the world had received news of this Gospel. 

During the first millennium, the church was united and when heresy confronted the church, it was addressed in the Ecumenical Councils of which there were seven, the first being at Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 15, where the Apostles, upon addressing the acceptance of Gentiles into the church and acting with divine authority, stated, "As seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us". These councils established church rules, canons and decrees which provided a stable foundation and framework in which the church could thrive, blossom and grow. This practice of convening Church councils when the enemy encroached into God's Kingdom on earth continued with great success for many centuries but as prophecy would reveal, the faith of many would eventually begin to grow cold and consequently many would be deceived and deluded. Thus was the demise of the Roman Orthodox Church until in 1054, the final falling away was accomplished with Satan having his victory and for the first time in the history of the church, a major and catastrophic schism occurred and the great Orthodox Church of Rome was excommunicated from rest of Christendom.

As the Apostles and the Church Fathers teach, the seeds of heresy are sowed, watered and fertilized by the Evil One. His diabolical strategy is to sow seeds, be they ever so small that can eventually take root and grow into large trees that spread their branches far and wide for birds of many varieties and species to nestle in. These trees drop their poisonous fruit which is then carried by the birds of the air far and wide, eventually wrecking havoc upon the entire earth. Consistent with this strategy, Satan confuses, deludes and deceives the masses and even the elect by growing trees that bear resemblance in every respect to those of God's Kingdom and only men filled with the Spirit of God having had hands laid on them by the faithful Fathers before them are be able to discern the difference in the origin of the trees. These priests in turn having been ordained by God, teach His elect how to discern and parse truth from falsehood, lies from truth, imagery from reality and this order is consistent with the anointed St. Paul's teaching regarding the preservation of truth by entrusting faithful men through the "laying on of hands" as recorded in the letters to St. Timothy.

The Orthodox Roman Church having fallen from her glorious position in the heavenlies, lost her true beauty and having exchanged divine truth and godliness for power, avarice and pride took on a deceptively beastly character and began to devour the elect and the masses within her realm of dominion. As a wolf devours sheep, Rome devoured the flock of God and having betrayed the innocent and the weak, her appetite was whet with increasing abandon to carnal abuses. Eventually, of her mighty multiple realms, one rebelled and this realm was spewed from her mouth and thus was born the Reformation. Having been far removed from the garden from which all life was brought forth, that is the Church of the East; this small band of seekers of truth and beauty set out on their own to find the Kingdom of God and reclaim it for their own. Sadly, these children turned not to their Mother of the East but were yet again, deceived by the mighty dragon of old, who using his ancient mastery of deception and imagery, portrayed himself as an angel of light, beauty and truth and thus began again to lead this new Adam and Eve astray. 

Satan, in promising great riches, power and pleasure is not lame. He is more than able to provide mankind with all manner of temporal blessings but they are "temporal" and although they satisfy, enrich and bring pleasure, it is short lived. The lake of fire was not created for mankind, it was created for Satan and his demons. Mankind was made to enjoy God forever but to enjoy God, one must freely want to seek Him and God has allowed us the privilege of loving Him and love is not love unless it is freely given of one's own volition. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, it was revealed to us through this experience that Satan has great power and dominion over the earth, yet, it is short lived. Jesus willingly rejected the short lived pleasures of sin for the long term blessings of obeying God, His Father. We must do the same.

Thus this new Adam and Eve of the Reformation grew up and proliferated profusely enjoying a feast of both bitter herbs and sweet delights, of truths and deceptions, of good fruits and poisoned fruits; thus was the way of this new world. And just as weeds when left to grow on their own, grow profusely, so these sincere Protestants grew and spread throughout the West and even began to encroach into the strange and foreign lands of the East. The cunning king of this new world didn't need to intervene with his subjects. He simply sowed bad seed and let nature takes it's course with the birds of the air and the winds of the earth taking this seed far and wide. But the time would come when this King would send his officers out to gather the debts owed to him and those debts would carry a heavy penalty of interest and in lieu of not being able to pay their debt, the consequences would be life imprisonment. But the times were good, the money flowed, the pleasures were many and the food was abundant and no one wanted to think about unpleasantries like debt or penalties or imprisonment.

America, the beautiful, the proud, the blessed, the powerful, the rich. Our poorest are among the richest on the earth. We have spread our wings both far and wide and we have nested in strange lands in every corner of the earth. But where are our roots? From where did we come? Where are our beginnings? Are we really a nation blessed by the Trinitarian God of the Scriptures or is our God of another origin?

Jesus teaches us about the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven and compares it to a field where wheat grows and tells how Satan by stealth of night sowed tares among the wheat. What happens to the tares? What happens to the wheat? They are both allowed to grow up together until the end of the age when the angels will reap and the tares will be thrown into the fire and the wheat will gathered for the harvest. As we approach the end of the age the harvest is ripening and weeds continue to grow and spread and just as the scriptures teach, the harvest near the end of age will be thin, the love of many will grow cold and the masses will be deceived.

With the reformation well under way, the task of separation was made even more secure and Satan with his demons could continue their work of ushering in the last great rebellion against their Creator. As we enter into yet another chapter in this diabolical scheme of usurpation of God's Holy Kingdom, we see more completely the danger of heresies and their full effect on mankind. Heresy emanates from Satan himself; he is author of every teaching that sets itself against God's Holy throne. The scriptures are replete with admonitions and warnings that we are to have nothing to do with heretics after warning them two, perhaps three times. Why, the admonition to shun them, to separate ourselves from them? Because their bacterium is contagious and deadly and regardless of the strength of your knowledge or your holiness, unless you are armed with the vaccine of truth and are coming into the presence of such an infected environment for the purpose of saving a soul from death, you has no business in such a dangerous place without the anointing and equipping of God's Holy Spirit and His divine protection. 

It is indeed a dangerous place, confirmed by Paul the Apostle of God who warns of our need to be ever so careful lest we be sucked into the dark abyss in our efforts to save that man drowning in heresy. No man can stand against such a deadly disease as heresy without himself becoming infected. This bacterium attacks the immune system, breaking down our defenses, weakening us and opening the way for this leprosy to take up residence. This continuing work of the Evil One persists with wave upon wave of heresies. Lies upon lies upon lies until we are so deep in deceptions, half truths, distractions and distortions that we don't know up from down, or truth from falsehood until we find ourselves in a whirlpool of dark, turgid waters being sucked into the depths of a realm so thick with darkness, so vast with emptiness, that we will never escape, no matter how desirous we are to repent for then it will be too late.

Just as Adam and Eve were tempted and fell; we, their offspring reaping the consequences of their acts, yet not being responsible for their original actions but having inherited the consequences of their deeds, we now finding ourselves having to repent of what we were born into, otherwise we find ourselves continuing to live in this spirit of their deception. In the same way, our ancestors, the Romanists and the Protestants sinned against God by embracing heresies that until this very day keep them separated from the living God and the fullness of His blessings as He has preserved them in His Holy, Orthodox, Catholic and Apostolic Church; the Church of the East. We again find ourselves in similar circumstances as with Adam and Eve, in that we are surrounded by the fallout of the actions of the Romanists and the Protestants and we, though not committing the original act must repent of where we are because of our ancestors and return to our Father God and our Mother church. If we choose not to return after having come into a knowledge of the truth of their actions and deeds, then we stand in danger of eternal separation from our Father God and our Mother church and by doing so, we will find ourselves in the eternal company of the great robber and rebeller, Satan himself along with all his demon companions. Yet, all the while our Father who bore us desires our company, our fellowship, our repentance and that we may enjoy Him forever and that He also may in turn enjoy us forever in the realm of His glorious, eternal and magnificent kingdom.

"And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." Matthew 24:10-12

"For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." Mat 24:24

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works." 2 Cor.11:13-15

O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.

2 Tim 6:20-21

St. Irenaeus says that heretics do not follow the Apostolic Tradition,

Cyprian compares heretics to "the sons of Aaron, who placed strange fire (heresy) upon the Altar of God," that is, "despising God's Tradition, seek after strange doctrines and bring in teachings of human appointment"

Heretics usually form "sects" which become historically competitive to the Church.

Paul advises us that "a man that is an heretic" we should "reject, after the first and second admonition." Titus 3:8-10

The Church Fathers teach that heresy has its roots, not in incorrect belief and teaching alone, but in a mean spirit and in persistence in one's error, even after repeated entreaties that he repent.

A true Christian seeks to correct those in error, to lead them with love, and to avoid strife and discord.

The Church never issues its condemnations with the intention of destroying souls, but of awakening those in the dark sleep of error and bringing them to repentance.

Good Tradition Bad Tradition

BAD TRADITION

Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” Mark 7:5

GOOD TRADITION

Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions (plural) just as I delivered them to you. 1 Cor. 11:2

BAD TRADITION

For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men —the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” Mark 7:8

GOOD TRADITION

Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions (plural) which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. 2 Thessalonians 2:15

BAD TRADITION

He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. Mark 7:9

GOOD TRADITION

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 2 Thessalonians 3:6

BAD TRADITION

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. Col 2:8

WHAT IS HOLY TRADITION?

A Divine Embryo—organically, naturally, and fully developed by the guiding of the Holy Spirit.

Tested by centuries, having evolved into an amazingly consistent form of worship, without Western modernized innovations or influence.

What Apostles lived, saw, witnessed and recorded evolved into the "Apostolic Tradition" and eventually became the New Testament.

"Patristic Tradition", consists of the Apostle's teachings as they are kept, treasured, interpreted, and explained to the Church by the Holy Fathers.

Tradition is a gift of the Holy Spirit, a living experience, which is relived and renewed through time. It is the true faith, which is revealed by the Holy Spirit to the true people of God.

Tradition, cannot be reduced to a mere enumeration of quotations from the Scriptures or from the Fathers. It is the fruit of the incarnation of the Word of God, His crucifixion and resurrection as well as His ascension, all of which took place in space and time. Tradition is an extension of the life of Christ into the life of the Church.

Tradition and traditions are the integral parts of the life of the Church and they express the totality of the Christian way of life which leads to salvation. The doctrine of incarnation, the historical truth of the crucifixion and resurrection, the Eucharist, the sign of the cross, the threefold immersion in the baptismal font, the honor and respect due to the Virgin Mary and to the saints of the Church, are all important for the Christian, who wants to find himself in the "perimeter" of salvation in Christ. This is what the Church has taught through the centuries. "Therefore we must consider the Tradition of the Church trustworthy," St. John Chrysostom writes, "it is Tradition, seek no more".

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/phronema/ac_remarks.aspx

The Church Is Visible And One

"The question of the Church was certainly the catalyst in my own journey, especially

after reading the Ignatius Press edition of Thomas Howard’s delightful book Evangelical Is Not Enough. In the Postscript he reflects upon the steps that took him from Canterbury to Rome by saying that it was “the same old story which one finds in Newman, Knox, Chesterton, and all others who have made this move. The question, What is the Church? becomes, finally, intractable; and one finds oneself unable to offer any compelling reasons why the phrase one,holy, catholic, and apostolic,’which we all say in the Creed, is to be understood in any way other than the way in which it was understood for 1500 years.” If Howard

introduced the question to me, the hammer that drove home the nails came, ironically, from yet another encounter with a Roman Catholic book. To this day Yves Congar’s monumental Tradition and Traditions remains one of the most important books I have ever read besides the Bible; for it thoroughly convinced me that the Bible, Tradition, and the Church are one majestic tapestry woven and preserved by the Holy Spirit. When I finally became aware of the reality of this undivided, historical and visible Church I knew I could no longer remain separate from Her. I was not in the Church, and I needed to be.

Exerpt from "The Church Is Visible And One" by Patrick Barnes

photo: Monastery in Meteora, Greece

"God Became Man So That Man Might Become A God." St. Athanasius

... when the intellect has been perfected, it unites wholly with God and is illumined by divine light, and the most hidden mysteries are revealed to it. Then it truly learns where wisdom and power lie... While it is still fighting against the passions it cannot as yet enjoy these things... But once the battle is over and it is found worthy of spiritual gifts, then it becomes wholly luminous, powerfully energized by grace and rooted in the contemplation of spiritual realities. A person in whom this happens is not attached to the things of this world but has passed from death to life." St. Thalassios, "On Love, Self-control and Life in accordance with the Intellect" Philokalia (Vol. 2)", p. 355)

'Can a man take fire into his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?' (Prov. 6:27) says the wise Solomon. And I say: can he, who has in his heart the Divine fire of the Holy Spirit burning naked, not be set on fire, not shine and glitter and not take on the radiance of the Deity in the degree of his purification and penetration by fire? For penetration by fire follows upon purification of the heart, and again purification of the heart follows upon penetration by fire, that is, inasmuch as the heart is purified, so it receives Divine grace, and again inasmuch as it receives grace, so it is purified. When this is completed (that is, purification of heart and acquisition of grace have attained their fullness and perfection), through grace a man becomes wholly a god." St. Simeon the New Theologian (Practical and Theological Precepts no. 94, Writings from the Philokalia on Prayer of the Heart; Faber and Faber pgs. 118-199)