September 17, 2007 - On Humility
Dear Parish Faithful,
Yesterday at the post-Liturgy discussion, we were treated to an excellent presentation from Joy Corey on the "Tools of Spiritual Warfare." Joy began with the "mother of all the virtues" - humility - and contrasted it with what is essentially demonic pride. We will hear from Joy again next Sunday.
I would like to "humbly" supplement what Joy shared with us by simply presenting a few more sayings and anecdotes from the Desert Fathers on the virtue of humility. The so-called "simplicity" of the Desert Fathers is somewhat elusive, in that these short sayings and stories require thoughtful and careful meditation so that we can appreciate the deepening levels of meaning found in them, before we could even begin to hope to actually embody such humility in our own lives.
OF HUMILITY
+ A man possessed by the devil, who was foaming terribly at the mouth, struck a hermit-monk on the cheek. The old man turned and offered him the other. Then the devil, unable to bear the burning of humility, disappeared immediately.
+ An old man said, 'Every time a thought of superiority or vanity moves you, examine your conscience to see if you have kept all the commandments, if you love your enemies and are grieved at their sins, if you consider yourself as an unprofitable servant and the greatest sinner of all. Even then, do not pretend to great ideas as though you were perfectly right, for this thought destroys everything.'
+ The devil appeared to a brother disguised as an angel of light and said to him, 'I am Gabriel and I have been sent to you.' 'See if it is not someone else to whom you have been sent; as for me, I am not worthy of it' - and immediately the devil vanished.
+ The old men used to say, 'Even if an angel should indeed appear to you, do not receive him but humiliate yourself, saying, 'I am not worthy to see an angel, for I am a sinner.'
+ An old man said, 'I would rather have a defeat with humility than a victory with pride.'
+ An old man said, 'If you say to someone, "Forgive me," in humiliating yourself you are burning the demons.'
+ Abba Hyperichius said: 'The tree of life is lofty, and humility climbs it.'
+ An old man said, 'We are the more humbled when we are tempted: for God, knowing our weakness, protects us. But if we boast of our own strength, he takes away his protection, and we are lost.'
+ A brother asked an old man: 'Tell me one thing, that I may keep it and live by it.' And the old man said: 'If you can suffer injury and endure, this is a great thing, above all virtues.'
Fr. Steven
Dear Parish Faithful,
As hoped and anticipated, we had a very lively discussion on Monday evening over our topic of "Orthodoxy and Catholicism." To begin, we had an unprecedented response, with the largest group I can recall in the parish for an educational event outside of a retreat. It was almost SRO! That many people generates a sense of anticipation, excitement over the theme and, as just stated, a lively discussion when many questions were asked, and many insights were shared.
The time was too short, of course, for anything like a thorough exploration of the similarities and differences between Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. We only managed, according to the saying, to "scratch the surface." Yet, hopefully, we did manage to raise the right issues and shed some light on them from our Orthodox perspective. I hope that everyone went home having learned something new. For me, it was a wonderful evening of shared learning and deeply encouraging with such great participation.
All of our claims of being the "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church" will remain mere "talk" if we do not make a real effort to learn our own Orthodox Faith when the opportunities arise - like the one from the other evening. Knowing the Faith well allows for a healthy sense of confidence and self-identity as an Orthodox Christian. We can then "witness" to others in an intelligent fashion when the opportunity arises. It also equips us to critically assess the surrounding (secular and pagan!) culture, so as to discern the "wheat" from the "chaff." And we will simply rejoice in the liberating Truth of the Gospel.
With this is mind, I would like to announce our Fall Adult Education Class for 2007. It will begin on Monday evening, October 22, and continue for six sessions as in the past. This year, I have chosen as our discussion book, Sweeter Than Honey - Orthodox Thinking on Dogma and Truth, by Dr. Peter Bouteneff, a lay theologian now teaching at St. Vladimir's Seminary in NY. A promotional blurb states: A reflection on Truth - as identified with Jesus Christ and in response to relativism - opens a discussion on how Orthodox Christians read tradition and discern dogma. " ... addresses important questions in a powerful way, with the courage to engage in the real world." (Rev. Dr. John McGuckin)
In my humble opinion "relativism" is one the most corrosive and damaging influences on genuine Christian faith in today's world. Relativism is an attitude that states that all "truth claims" are basically equal, which is the same as saying that there really is no Truth. It is all "subjective," "personal," a "matter of choice," etc. How do we respond to relativism as Orthodox Christians? Dr. Bouteneff takes on this attitude in a non-jargonistic manner that offers constant insights into the Truth we claim to be found in Christ. It is a wonderful book; in my opinion one of the best books from SVS Press in years.
In this case, I think it best that everyone interested in the class and book should order it individually from SVS Press. This avoids ordering too many or too few, and keeping track of it all, etc. Ordering is very simple: just follow this link, or call the seminary press at 914-961-2203 or at 800-204-BOOK (2665).
My role is to guide us in the reading of the book, and help clarify and supplement the concepts, ideas, and insights offered by Dr. Bouteneff. This always opens up further discussion and "practical application." That is what makes the class sessions so valuable. However, even if you cannot commit to the class or, at least, to all six sessions, I would strongly encourage you to still "read along" with the rest of us.
Orthodox dogma is truly "sweeter than honey," because through it we gain access to Christ - the Way, the Truth and the Life. The slightest "taste" of this honey, savored and properly "ingested," will have us coming back for more due to its delectable delights!
Fr. Steven
September 7, 2007 - Busy About God
Dear Parish Faithful,
We are still within the first week of the Church New Year which began on September 1. Today, this is at best a relatively minor commemoration that can flow right by with hardly any notice at all. It is difficult to say how well it is even observed on the parish level. The actual date has its source in the calendar of the Roman Empire that was "converted" to the Christian Faith in the fourth century. The date is thus somewhat arbitrary, even though the Jewish new year also began in September, though with a moveable date. Yet, we should be very cautious about ignoring or dismissing September 1 as yet another ancient custom that is essentially social/political in its origins. The Church's festal cycle is built around this date, as the first major Feast Day of the liturgical year is on September 8, the Nativity of the Theotokos. It is her birth that will prepare us for the Incarnation, so we immediately understand how this Feast is a "beginning" of our annual commemoration of the saving events of the Gospel, thus complementing the beginning of the church new year and giving it direction.
In addition to inaugurating the festal cycle, though, we need to avail ourselves of any opportunity for a new beginning. This always gives us a sense of hope and renewal: now I can "start over" and get it right! With that understanding, the church new year is like a gift from God, a blessed opportunity to renew our lives in the Church which ultimately means renewing our commitment to Christ and the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. We can re-orient ourselves and our lives as ecclesial and eucharistic beings, shaking off the "garments of skin" of rampant consumerism. We already experience this sense of a new beginning quite tangibly with the "back to school" atmosphere that either characterizes our homes or neighborhoods. Driving to church now in the mornings, the sidewalks are busy with the students on their way to the high school right in our neighborhood. The whole atmosphere has changed.
Students from first grade to the university level need to be prepared so that they begin the new semester effectively. On their own, or with parental supervision, they may have "check lists" to ensure that everything is in order: school supplies, books, class schedules, calculators, laptops, a new wardrobe(!), etc. A good beginning - based on preparation - holds out the promise for a good semester if only it can be sustained. An unprepared beginning only promises a chronic feeling of being behind and "catching up." Christ was addressed as "Rabbi" during His ministry. As the Teacher, the Church becomes something of a "school" in which we are taught the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Is it possible to also think in terms of a spiritual or ecclesial "check list" for the beginning of the church new year? Are we prepared for the liturgical cycle that will lead us into the "mystery of Christ?" If not, that same uneasy feeling of falling behind in the liturgical and personal cycle of prayer, fasting and almsgiving may overcome us. What are some of the potential items on that ecclesial/spiritual check list? The following comes to mind:
- + The reading of the Scriptures with regularity
- + Thoughtful preparation for receiving the Eucharist
- + A consistent Rule of Prayer to be used on a daily basis
- + Observing the fasting discipline of the Church
- + Sacramental Confession of sins with some regularity
- + Embracing some of the parish ministries
- + Commitment to the Lord's day before all else
- + Awareness and participation in the Church's liturgical and festal cycles
- + Commitment of children to the parish Church School program
- + Honest assessment of charitable giving
This "check list," of course, must be put into the deeper context of loving God and neighbor before all else according to the teachings of Christ. Otherwise, we may hold true to the "form" of religion, but lack its true substance. However, with the best of intentions, it is that pervasive sense of being "busy" that serves too often to distract us from the "one thing needful." The word "busy" characterizes our daily vocabulary perhaps more than any other, beacuse it accurately describes our daily lifestyle. According to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, the word busy means: 1) engaged in action; 2) full of activity; 3) foolishly or intrusively active; 4) full of distracting detail. We all know what the word means, and the simple phrase, "I am so busy," usually implies "I am too busy." Yet, "too busy" for what? For God? Church? Relationships with others? For the very practices and disciplines outlined above on our spiritual check list?
I do not doubt for one moment everyone's sincere confession of being terribly busy. It is inescapably woven into the fabric of our society. To the point that we feel guilty when we are not "busy!" That would imply "non-productivity" which in turn has a dangerous whiff of meaninglessness hovering around it. Yet, the endless drone of our busyness has its consequences: We unintenionally justify placing God on the margins of our lives, by our unremitting "commitment" to being busy. We pacify our uneasy conscience by assuring ourselves that when we are less busy, we will then turn to God. The sad irony in all of this is the simple fact that the busier we are, the more we need God! As busy Christians, we need to pray consistently and carefully so that we do not wander far from the "rock" which is Christ in our busyness. Being busy, therefore, acts to drive us away from God, and that is the real carrier of the malaise of meaninglessness.
If we could only get "busy" about God - which means getting serious about God - then we can go a long way in at least balancing the demands of daily life with the presence of God. It is not impossible. For Orthodox Christians, we have the Church calender, rich with Scripture, saints, and festal commemorations. That Church calender indicates yet another New Year by the grace of God; a new beginning with the opportunity to put God first - where He belongs according to Christ. Will an honest assessment of our lives and the things that make them so busy allow for giving some time back to God? Can we afford not to make that assessment before we run out of time?
Fr. Steven
August 27, 2007 - Patterns of Charity Pt. 2
Dear Parish Faithful,
"But who can endure the day of His coming? For he is coming like the fire of a furnace and like the fuller's herb; and he shall cleanse, refining and purifying, as it were, silver and gold ... against those who oppress widows and beat orphans ..." (Malachi 3:2-3, 5)
On Monday, I attempted to summarize a recent 20/20 piece of investigative journalism, concerning the trends and patterns of charitable giving in America. (I subsequently learned that that particular evening's program was a "summer rerun," so obviously I am behind the times!) Some of those results may have proven to be surprising but, of course, I am unable to test the accuracy of everything conveyed on that program. Still, one discernible pattern was the connection between "religious people" and charitable giving, the claim being that religious people "give more money: four times as much." Once again, relying on Arthur Brooks, we were told the following: "Actually, the truth is that they're giving to more than their churches. The religious Americans are more likely to give to every kind of cause and charity, including explicitly non-religious charities."
Be that as it may, I did want to touch on one more story from the report that immediately resonated for me based upon our own parish's recent history of charitable work. We were informed that the African country of Namibia was experiencing an AIDS crisis that was leading to a large orphan population among its younger children. Our government has sent $161 million in foreign for these orphans. But beyond that, our host informed us of the Mt. Zion Methodist Church in Maryland, that funded the building of an orphanage in Namibia where many of these orphans are now living and going to school. Church members periodically fly to Africa and visit the children that they have sponsored. This type of connection reinforces the church's sponsorship of the orphanage.
As just alluded to, this immediately brought to mind our own relationship with the Hogar San Rafael Orphanage in Guatemala City. We certainly did not build the orphange, but we have consistently supported the ongoing work of the orphange for about five years now with very generous donations of "time, talent and treasure." Our Mission Teams to the Hogar have provided many within the parish the unique opportunity of working directly with "abandoned, abused and orphaned children." These can be very transforming experiences as they lift us far outside of our "comfort zone" and into the realm of brokenness, need, and immense sadness. Yet, these same personal encounters are simultaneously very inspiring as only the sharing of love and friendship can be. No one has regretted going to the Hogar! On the contrary, all have thanked God for the blessed opportunity to be part of this parish ministry and having our lives enriched by interacting with the children of the Hogar. In addition, our charity appeals for the support of the Hogar have been overwhelmingly generous and we have donated thousands of dollars there over the years.
My simple point is that hearing about this Maryland church and its ministry with orphans, brought back into clear relief our own such parish ministry - although we didn't quite make it onto 20/20! Perhaps more than others, we can understand the joy and blessed satisfaction felt by the Mt. Zion Methodist Church of Maryland for their ministry to the orphans of Namibia. This last summer was the first summer in six that we did not send a Mission Team to the Hogar. I would very much like our parish to remain mindful of the Hogar in the future and continue that relationship in the upcoming years. This is the work of God. Perhaps there are more Mission Teams yet to come out of our parish. Certainly we can, as a community or individually, continue our financial support of the Hogar.
Presently, we are, with perfect justification based upon our internal needs as a parish, concentrating on our new Education Center for the sake of our children and beyond. This is a fund-raising campaign that will challenge every parishoner's sense of giving - and sacrifice - for the upbuilding of the parish. It is also the work of God. It is thus a challenge to balance "inreach" and "outreach." Yet, "outreach" is the real realm of charitable giving. At this very moment, collections are being carried out throughout Orthodox parishes within North America for the relief of the victims in Greece from the fires raging throughout the country there. And we will respond with our own collections for the next few Sundays. No matter whatever strains and stresses of a financial nature may be preoccupying us at a given moment, the Gospel calls us to find "room" - in our hearts and pocketbooks - for those in real need.
A final comment: this 20/20 program ended with a segment entitled something like, "Giving More - and Feeling Better: Why Giving Can Make You Happier - and Healthier." The study data does point to improved "happiness" and better health for givers. I will not argue against that. In fact, it makes a whole lot of sense. However, I begin to feel uneasy when the practice of giving starts a slide toward one more form of self-affirmation or self-satisfaction. Earlier, I wrote of a blessed satisfaction in giving, and perhaps I am aiming for too subtle of a distinction from mere self-satisfaction. I believe, though, that the distinction can hold if the needs of the"other" remains the focus of our giving. This is clearly what the Lord taught, so we will allow Him the last word:
Fr. Steven
August 27, 2007 - Patterns of Charity - links and more...
Dear Parish Faithful,
For those who would want to read further on the subject of yesterday's meditation, a reference from Lee Malatesta:
Father,
- Anyone who is interested can read a fascinating article on the subject
- from 2003 by the very same Arthur Brooks at the web site of Policy
- Review magazine.
- Religious Faith and Charitable Giving
- By Arthur C. Brooks
- Believers give more to secular charities than non-believers do
- http://www.hoover.org/publications/policyreview/3447051.html
- There is also a strong critique of Brooks' work, that the data he uses
- isn't representative of the US as a whole as compared to other
- available data sources and that some of the ways he presents his data
- may be be misleading.
- Concerns about Arthur Brooks' ``Who Really Cares''
- By Jim Lindgren
- http://www.volokh.com/posts/1164012942.shtml
Best regards,
Lee
August 27, 2007 - Patterns of Charity Pt. 1
Dear Parish Faithful,
"It is more blessed to give than to receive." (ACTS 20:35)
On Friday evening, I watched the latest installment of 20/20 on ABC. I believe that this particular program specializes in "investigative journalism." I found the over-all production value of the show rather mediocre and further found myself getting a bit irritated with the style of the "host/investigative journalist." Be that as it may, I continued watching because of the show's content for the evening. I am forgetting the title of the featured subject, but it had to do with charitable giving in America. Who gives? How much is given? What are the motives for giving? I wanted to share something of what I learned because each and every one of us is always being deeply challenged about our own capacity and responsiveness to others in need. Charity is not an "option" for a Christian. The Lord Jesus Christ spoke about when , not if, when teaching about almsgiving. That does not mean it should be perceived as a burdensome duty either. Rather, the Apostle Paul speaks about being "cheerful givers."
I did learn that as a nation, the United States gave away $28 billion in foreign aid in 2005, and that placed us 20th among the 22 major donor countries of the world. Not very encouraging, considering our over-all wealth and general affluence. However, it was also revealed that American citizens, our private philanthropy if you like, was responsible for giving $33.5 billion in foreign aid during that same time period. And immigrants have sent a staggering $62 billion "back home" to families and friends. Thus, in terms of private philanthropy, "No other country even comes close," according to Arthur Brooks, professor of public administration at Syracuse University in New York. Another example reinforces these facts: the United States govenrment pledged $900 million in relief following the Tsunami disaster of a couple of years ago, while Americans individually gave about $2 billion.
Trying to summarize a good deal of facts and figures as best as possible, I discovered some very interesting trends. According to the same Arthur Brooks cited above, who wrote "Who Really Cares" (I am not sure if that is a title of a book or an article): "when you look at the data, it turns out the conservatives give about 30 per cent more" (than liberals, as the context of that statement makes clear). Brooks further adds: "And incidentally, conservative-headed families make slightly less money." The above was based on a comparison of the giving patterns in rural and religious Sioux Falls, S.D. (where half the population goes to church every week) and predominantly liberal San Francisco (where 14 percent of the population goes to church every week - that sounds a liitle high for San Francisco doesn't it?). The program made it clear that the perception that "liberals" give more than "conservatives" is actually "a myth." Our program host stated that: "Of the top 25 states where people give an above average percent of their income, 24 were red states in the last presidential election." In fact, the people who disagree with the statement, "The government has a basic responsibility to take care of the people who can't take care of themselves," are 27 percent more likely to give to charity. Rather interesting and revealing findings.
Who, then, gives the most? Either the "rich" (here defined as people with an income over $1 million - 7 percent of the population) or the working poor (something like $35,000 on down). According to Brooks: "The two most generous groups in America are the rich and the working poor. The middle class gives the least." Now that is very interesting data, and I am sure that it refers to "proportional giving," at least when comparing the rich and the working poor. In fact, according to the Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey (whatever that is), "people at the lower end of the income scale give almost 30 percent more of their income." I would very much want to study further the factors involved in holding the middle class back from "competing" with the rich and the working poor - proportionally, that is - on the level of charitable giving. My own opinion is that the vast majority of the "middle class" lives to its limits - or far beyond - of their financial means. This usually translates into high credit card and other forms of debt that then add pressures, strain and anxiety that in turn only serve to make spending and use of income much more "insular." But, that, again is simply my opinion.
It is estimated that American gave away $300 billion in charity last year (I am assuming that this does not include the financial support of churches, which are not charities!). That comes to about $1,000 per person. For those who like standards of comparison, that may serve as a good one - as well as a challenge.
I will add a bit more on Wednesday with a very topical subject for us as a parish that I picked up from this 20/20 program.
Fr. Steven
August 22, 2007 - I Look for the Resurrection...
Dear Parish Faithful,
"I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life in the world to come." (Nicene Creed)
For the past five weeks, the homilies at the Sunday Liturgy have been based on St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians. At the Divine Liturgy this past Sunday, we heard the extremely important passge of I COR. 15:1-11. In this appointed reading, St. Paul "delivered" over to the Corinthians what he had "received" concerning the apostolic kerygma (a word which refers to the public proclaimation of the Gospel), and the eyewitness accounts of the Resurrection of Christ. In this enormously significant passage, the apostle writes:
Some of the Corinthian Christians - in what must have been a very difficult "parish" - were denying the future resurrection of the dead at the end of time. They may have believed in the resurrection of Christ, but they were "spiritualizing" the notion of resurrection by perhaps claiming that they were already experiencing the fruits of Christ's resurrection in their lives, thus rendering the future resurrection meaningless. St. Paul, however, was determined to correct their erroneous beliefs: "Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?" (I COR. 15:12) St. Paul then had to write further of what this actually means, probably in response to a question posed from within the Corinthian community: "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" (I COR. 15:35) He carefullly distinguishes between resuscitation and resurrection. Resuscitation would imply no real change or transfomation, but simply the resumption of life as we know it within the confines of our fallen and sinful world. Resurrection, however, implies transformation, as manifested in the descriptions of the Risen Lord. As Prof. Veselin Kesich summarizes:
The daughter of Jairus, the son of the widow of Nain, and Lazarus were resuscitated to resume the same manner of life in this world, but the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead: "For we know that Christ being raised from dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him." (ROM. 6:9)
In an incredibly revealing passage that abounds in hope and expection, the Apostle Paul further elaborates:
Attempting to capture something of the mysterious dialectic between continuity and change when the perishable puts on the imperishable, St. Cyril of Jerusalem wrote the following:
And from The Homilies of St. Macarius:
Our belief as Orthodox Christians is not centered on the "immortality of the soul," but in the "resurrection of the dead." That is what we confess to believe in whenever we recite the Nicene Creed together in church or personally at home. The immortality of the soul is essentially a Greek philosophical idea; while the resurrection of the dead - body and soul together as a psychosomatic whole - is a biblical, eschatological hope. We believe in the resurrection of the dead because Christ is risen from the dead - soul and body together. It is a belief and a hope that is grounded in the reality - the "fact," we may say - of Christ's resurrection. Christ is the "first fruits," while the harvest is yet to come. St. Paul's certainty of the resurrection of the dead is based on his certainty of the resurrection of Christ. And the Apostle Paul was an eyewitness of the risen Lord: "Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me." The whole person that God created will be redeemed and transformed in the Kingdom of God. If our bodies were essentially meaningless and meant to be discarded at death so that our immortal souls could be released as from a prison, then the Incarnation, Death and (bodily) Resurrection of Christ would be equally meaningless. (By the grace of God, our "souls" created together with our bodies, are immortal, and do taste of the Kingdom of God following the experience of death, but this has never been at the heart of the Christian faith which holistically emphasizes the entire person in relation to God). Only with the resurrection of the dead, is "the last enemy" - death itself - "destroyed." (I COR. 15:26)
The very thought leads St. Paul to an ecstatic hymn of praise (I COR. 15:54-55):
The resurrection of the dead is hardly a theme that can be dealt with adequately in a short meditation, but perhaps the Apostles and the Fathers referred to here will lead us to further ponder this great and final "mystery" that is within us as a sure hope.
Fr. Steven
August 17, 2007 - The Elvis Fragments...
(Read a response to this meditation on our Orthodox Q&A Page...)
Dear Parish Faithful,
I made a rather rare excursion onto a daytime talk radio station yesterday and stumbled across an interesting interview under the title "Elvis and Gospel Music." Actually, I believe that this is the title of a new book by an older gentleman (I do not recall his name) who sang and recorded a good deal of Gospel music with Elvis Presley. His reminiscences about "the King" and his love of Gospel music were actually rather moving. When asked about Elvis' "faith," the author stated that through all of Elvis' personal tragedies and the excesses that marred and eventually took his life at an early age, he kept his "faith" until the end. Although left unspecified, In the context of Elvis' life, that must presumably be the Christian Faith. For trivia buffs, I learned that Elvis won three Grammy awards for his recording of Gospel music. In a rather reverential tone, the author stated his belief that Elvis was the greatest Gospel singer that he had ever heard. The talk show host invited this gentleman on due to her own deep appreciation of Elivs as a Gospel singer. Apparently, there was a great deal more to Elvis than simply "Nothing but a Hound Dog," "Blue Seude Shoes," and some of the later grotesqueries of his Las Vegas reviews. Elvis' deep and profound love of his mother was perhaps the main source behind his love of singing Gospel music in church and then beyond in his recording career.
I was born, but was a bit too young to get into the unparalleled Elvis phenomenen of the 1950's. Popular culture and popular music were indelibly transformed once and for all. As John Lennon supposedly said: "Before Elvis there was nothing." Actually, I do recall going into my older brother's bedroom and playing some of those early Elvis 45s (together with the music of Little Richard and Fats Domino, etc.) on one of those small and poorly-sounding record players that were popular then. But my "coming of age" was marked by the equally-explosive Beatles phenomenon and the "English Invasion" of the early 1960's. This culminated in a ticket to a live Beatles' performance in Detroit on what I believe was their first US tour. Sheer mayhem and madness. (Hold on tight, but I know for a fact that presvytera Deborah was at that same concert!)
Before I get lost in my own vague reminiscences of a distant past, I should state that these somewhat different "fragments" are being written up because yesterday, August 16, was the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. It was hard not to catch something of this on the news. Thirty years later, Elvis Presley remains an "icon" of mass adulation. This is born witness to by a real "pilgrimage" to Graceland and his graveside by an estimated 50,000 - 75,000 devotees for yesterday's commemoration, braving the intense heat and humidity. Even without a specially-marked anniversary, it is estimated that about 40,000 fans appear there on this date annually, and that 600,000 travel to Graceland every year! (I cannot resist the comment that Graceland exemplifies some of the worst excesses of bad taste imaginable!) Perhaps here we encounter a combination of genuine devotion to Elvis' music-making talents enhanced by his boundless kinetic energy and "charisma," a nostalgia for an irretrievable past, an attraction to the famous, mere curiosity, a need for a "hero," or even the basic and universal need to "worship" something or someone. To complete this somewhat macabre picture, we are further informed that Elvis is the second highest "grossing dead celebrity" in the country, yielding the top spot to the more-recently deceased Kurt Cobane of Nirvana, but still holding his own with a healthy $40,000,000 per year.
What stood out to me in the description of this media event, was the now ever-present "candlelight vigil" by the faithful gathered around the graveside of Elvis in silent reflection and mourning. Genuine sighs, tears, and prayers punctuated the reverent silence as the crowd swelled. The spirit of fellowship, strengthened by a shared grief, though ephemeral, must have been rather intense. Actually, this may even have literally been an "all night vigil." Hardly anyone was probably waiting for it to end with a spirit of impatience. "Icons," in the form of countless photographs of Elvis were everywhere. Candles were offered before these images. I recall well that intense emotion, concentration and powerful communal spirit from the vigils and funeral services of Frs. Alexander Schmemann and John Meyendorff that I am to this day so grateful for being able to attend. However, with a difference that could hardly be over-exaggerated, there was a pervasive sense of paschal joy present at those vigils based upon our shared belief in the Death and Resurrection of Christ, and a certainty that Fr. Alexander and Fr. John were "good and faithful servants" awaiting their rewards from the Lord. That shared faifh is far-removed from the vagueries and speculations about the fate of the departed today.
Yet, perhaps I experience a twinge of envy or disappointment when I think of the intense devotion offered to our pop culture icons and our own lukewarm veneration of the saints - our ecclesial "heroes" - and perhaps the casualness of our worship of the Lord Himself. An Elvis fan will know the facts and anecdotes of his life in perhaps the minutest details, spending a great amount of money and time on biographies, gossipy memoirs, coffee-table sized - and priced - photo albums, etc. Some of these better-quality books may be accorded the status of "scripture." For that reason, they are read over and over again. And just think of the sheer time spent with the music and the ecstatic experience evoked after countless playings, including the memorization of all the lyrics! Our saints remain relatively unknown, but could it be true that Elvis devotees know more about him than we do of Christ Himself and the Scriptures that witness to Him? Our "passion" for our Lord needs to exceed the passion of others for their "idols." A home in our neighborhood, by the way, has a large bust of Elvis in their front bushes. God alone knows what's inside!
Sadly, it would be far to easy to moralize about the death of Elvis Presley. That is certainly not my intention, though. His last years and especially last days must have been horrific due to the exploitation of his fame and, alas, his fortune. He seemed to have been a sad caricature of his promising and dreamlike youthful days. Of course, his own choices also proved to be fatal in the long run. However, behind the more sordid elements of his "fall from grace," a theme that some of his Gospel songs would certainly have evoked, we must recognize a deep personal tragedy that needs to be respected and not judged. I distinctly remember one of my beloved professors from St. Vladimir's Seminary, Serge Verkhovskoy, surprisingly speak of the deep sense of tragedy behind the life and death of Marilyn Monroe. Her equally sad fate genuinely moved him, and he spoke of her demise with a real sense of pathos. Perhaps this comes with age and maturity, as we come to terms with our own precarious relationship with God and our neighbors. The abyss may only be a step or two away in the wrong direction.
Just a few fragmentary thoughts prompted by the media coverage of the thirtieth anniversary of Elvis Presley's death and my spontaneous listening in to a very interesting interview about him yesterday. i hope indeed that Elvis departed this world with "faith."
Fr. Steven
(Read a response to this meditation on our Orthodox Q&A Page...)
August 15, 2007 - O Marvelous Wonder!
Dear Parish Faithful,
Neither the tomb nor death, could hold the Theotokos ... (Kontakion of the Feast)
Yesterday evening we had a truly splendid celebration of the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. It prompted one of our long-standing parishoners to share with me after the Liturgy: "That is one of the most beautiful liturgies I can recall since being here!" The Church, as the "Bride of Christ," was decorated and adorned with the tomb of the Mother of God and her burial shroud at the focal point of our prayer and veneration. But a truly festal spirit is only possible with the presence of flesh and blood "lovers of the Feast," and the church was filled with the faithful as never before for this particular Feast. There was a real sense of people being drawn to venerate the Mother of God in her blessed repose. "As incense" arising before the Lord, we offered our prayers in the sure hope that they were received before the Throne of God. After such an experience, it is difficult to leave the church without a certain inner glow. I recall Fr. Alexander Schmemann coming out of the old chapel at St. Vladimir's following the Liturgy on a particular Feast Day, pausing for a moment as he absorbed the bright atmosphere of the sun and the blossoming flowers, and then saying to those of us present: "You know, on a day like this, life seems to make real sense." The Feast Days manifest the true nature of the Church as the realm of grace and joy in an unrivaled manner.
Was is this Feast of the Dormition all about? Dormition is the translation of a Greek word - koimisis - which means "falling asleep," but more specifically the "falling asleep" in death which is how Christians have referred to death from apostolic times based on the teachings of the Lord and the Apostles. As is our common human destiny - our "yielding to nature" as the Fathers put it - the Virgin Mary died and was buried. Pious tradition tells us that the apostles were all gathered together for this solemn event. They accompanied the most pure body of the Theotokos to the grave with the chanting of burial hymns and songs. As in the face of all death, there was great grief and sadness. We liturgically reactualize the experience of being present for the burial of the Theotokos on this Feast. Such an experience is also meant to bring to mind our own impending death and burial, as it may recall to mind the deaths of our loved ones who have gone before us.
"Falling asleep," though, implies reawakening. In our paschal hymnography, we refer to Christ Himself "as One fallen asleep" before His Resurrection. So we commemorate the death of the Virgin Mary on this Feast of the Dormition, but together with her "reawakening" and even bodily "translation" to Heaven. This is based upon another tradition that claims that her tomb was discovered to be empty when looked into shortly following her burial. Burial hymns are mingled with festal shouts of joy because "the Mother of Life" has been "translated to life by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb!" (Kontakion of the Feast) So we further liturgically reactualize the glorious experience of the victory over death manifested in the Mother of God, ultimately based upon Her own Son's Resurrection. We anticipate our own "translation" to life in God's Kingdom. The hymnography can barely restrain its ecstatic joy before this event:
At the risk of sounding terribly naive or simplistic, we could say that in this Feast we celebrate the fact that the Virgin Mary "died and went to Heaven!" With a bit more sobriety and realism we could say that the Virgin Mary indeed entered into Heaven, but she had to die first. That is inescapable with all of its attendant grief and sense of separation. (Through the centuries, many Roman Catholic theologians have had a difficult time acknowledging the actual death of the Virgin Mary before her "assumption" into Heaven. This was based on the very questionable claims made about her in the Roman Catholic dogma of her "immaculate conception"). But her Son and Lord rescued her out of the helplessness and hopelessness of death. That is why we believe that the Theotokos represents our deepest longings and desires for unending life in the presence of God. Where else but the Church can we truly "celebrate" the death of another human being?
The Dormition has an Afterfeast that takes us to the Leavetaking on August 23. Remember to incorporate the hymnography for the Feast into your prayer life, as we continue to celebrate the Feast liturgically in the church.
Fr. Steven
August 10, 2007 - The Way of the Pilgrims (updated 8/24/07)
Dear Parish Faithful,
"This is what monasticism is: a longing for God that knows no limits. It is the beginning of the Age to come, of the Kingdom of Heaven still here on earth." (Nun Euphrosyne)
"Get thee to a nunnery." (William Shakespeare)
We returned safe and sound, thank God, from our brief pilgrimage to the Holy Dormition monastery yesterday evening. It was a rather short, but altogether delightful journey to the monastery enjoyed by everyone in our group. It struck me while there, that not only is a monastery a place of peace and quiet. There is a great deal more to it. In a good Orthodox monastery - such as the Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, MI - the grounds and the very atmosphere are sanctified through ceaseless prayer. There is a strong, pervasive sense of the presence of God. For this reason, it comes naturally to "lay aside all earthly cares" while in the monastery; to feel momentarily liberated from the sensory overload of our everyday lives; and to unconsciously begin to assess what is actually "needful" in life. In fact, in a very short time, you begin to realize that there is ultimately "one thing needful," and this is Jesus Christ. Since our busy, serious, and care-laden lives often obscure that truth, the fruit of a monastic pilgrimage is to recover that Truth, if only briefly, but hopefully well enough to bring our focus back to Christ.
It is that sanctified atmosphere that directs you to speaking less and much more carefully when on the grounds of the monastery. In fact, you begin to realize that you speak far too much and far too carelessly. There you will discover the "laughter of the soul," but not that worldly chatter and profane laughter that deplete our spiritual energies. You notice how purposeful almost all the gestures of the nuns are - from how they stand and bow in church, make the sign of the Cross, venerate the icons; to how they set and clear the tables for a meal, move from one place to another with a task to accomplish, or water the plants in the monastery garden. These are the outward signs that a slow process of development is occuring on the interior level based on prayer and stillness. There is hardly anything superfluous and every minute of the day is accounted for. The day is filled with the twin activities of prayer and work. Actually, the nuns seem to "work" at their prayer and pray as they work. At its best, it is one seamless life that brings to mind the words of the Apostle Paul: "You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (I COR. 6:20) The humility, obedience and love of the nuns is in stark contrast to the counterfeit Christianity that we encounter today with its appeal to entertainment and constant self-affirmation.
Our pilgrimage group was representative of the parish in that we had, in addition to eleven adults, three teenagers and four children. Mother Gabriela made a point of telling us how well-behaved our children were. The children, in turn, thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The services are long, but they were still and respectful in church. A couple of times, one or two helped one of the nuns with her task. Also, a shared trip together helps the children get acquainted with one another and make friends.
A trip to a monastery is a real gift for a child! It fills their souls with a palpable sense of purity and goodness. It is so different, but in a wholesome, safe way. Just for them to see the nuns leaves an impression on them. The nuns arouse their curiosity: When and why did they choose this life? What are their days like? Do they always wear their habits, even in bed?! The nuns, in turn, are friendly and loving to the children. At the Dormition Monastery there is a beautiful "Children's Garden," lovingly constructed by the nuns. This is a real attraction. There are paths to take nice, scenic walks on. The dining hall is filled with large and wonderful frescoes of Christ and the Saints, and the food is healthy and tasty. The Lives of the Saints are read while everyone eats, and the stories are simple and direct in what they teach about God. And there is the wonderful Guest House, which combines simplicity, cleanliness and stillness.
Parents, do you want to protect the purity of the souls of your children? Then take them to a monastery! They have already experienced King's Island and perhaps even Disneyworld. After awhile, all of that gets boring and then you have to find the next set of thrills. (I will guarantee that a trip to a monastery will be far less expensive!) This would make a wonderful weekend trip. I would strongly recommend the two women's monasteries that we make our pilgrimages to: Holy Transfiguration in Elwood City, PA and Holy Dormition in Rives Junction, MI. It only took us four-and-a-half hours of driving time to the monastery this week, and Holy Transfiguration is about five hours away. Mothers Christophora and Gabriela will greet you with love and hospitality. The young souls of your children will absorb a real sense of Godliness and they will love the beauty of the Church more in the process. And the effect on you will be the same.
Adults with no children: please read the paragraph above. We may have outgrown King's Island and the like, but we are also looking for something new to please our restless souls and bodies. What does the next resort have that the previous one was lacking? Only God can fill that void, and it is God that is at the center of a monastery's very existence. In fact, it exists for no other purpose than to glorify God and anticipate the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven. Perhaps the point is to find a balance between leisure and prayer, for as the years slip away from us, never to be recovered, it is prayer that will bring us closer to God and His Kingdom.
Mother Gabriela sends her heartfelt greetings to the entire parish. She very much enjoyed her time with us during Great Lent 2006.
Fr. Steven
August 6, 2007 - Life in The Parish
Dear Parish Faithful,
All things considered - services on Sunday evening (Great Vespers) and Morning morning (Divine Liturgy) - our parish celebration of the Lord's Transfiguration was well-attended. All age groups were represented, making our over-all celebration something of a microcosm of the parish. This morning we further blessed some lovely fruit baskets that signify the transfiguration of all material reality in and through Christ. The Transfiguration has a a full octave, so the period of the Afterfeast, leading to the Leavetaking, extends until August 13. Up until that day, we should include the chanting of the troparion and kontakion of the Feast in our daily and family prayers. The troparion should also be used as a "replacement" of the Lord's Prayer when we bless our meals together as a family. (These festal troparia are found in most decent-sized Orthodox Prayer Books. And, of course, there is now always the internet sites to find it on).
For those who observe the fullness of the Dormition Fast, our calendars indicate that "Fish, Wine & Oil" are allowed today because of the Feast. Enjoy!
_____
Parish Inreach Ministry Meeting, preceded by Evening Service
This evening we will serve the Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos - a tradition during the Dormition Fast - at 7:00 p.m. After the service, we have a meeting scheduled that is meant to address our Parish Inreach Ministry; that is, organizing ourselves as well as possible to assist those in the parish who have a particular need as those needs arise. Please join us and share any ideas that you may have!
_____
Education Center Fundraising Drive
As Phase I of our basement renewal project - the Holy Spirit Education Center - nears completion, our Parish Fund-raising Campaign will get under way. Everyone in the parish should receive a letter in the next couple of days, explaining the project to date and revealing just how much has already been raised. Please read the letter carefully as you consider your response.
Fr. Steven
August 6, 2007 - A Sin Against the Body (I Corinthians 6)
Dear Parish Faithful,
At the end of I Corinthians 6, the Apostle Paul makes a striking statement about the nature and extent of certain sin, when concluding his discussion of sexual immorality:
What is the nature of this distinction that claims sexual immorality as "different," in that it is a sin "against the body?" In his Commentary on I Corinthians (a book I would highly recommend), the Orthodox priest, Fr. Lawrence R. Farley, offers the following explanation:
St. Paul closes on a profoundly positive note that speaks to us about the integrity of our over-all life in Christ, soul and body. This is very typical of the Apostle Paul; after rejecting a particular form of behavior, he will offer an explanation that points to a new way of life that is affirmative of the believer's faith in Christ:
Fr. Lawrence continues his commentary on these verses thus:
Fr. Steven
August 3, 2007 - A Clear and Present Danger
Dear Parish Faithful,
The appointed Epistle reading for Sunday is I COR. 4:9-16. This is a wonderful passage in which St. Paul gives us a glimpse into the hardships of being a genuine apostle of Christ. However, since it continues with themes that I have already spoken about the last two Sundays, I am going to look ahead in this Sunday's homily to some new themes found throughout I COR. 5-7 that deal with sexual morality (and sexual immorality). In a fallen world, the realm of human sexuality can be a rather "murky" area with temptations and aberrations all around. In our contemporary society which no longer has a clear sexual morality to guide us, that murkiness poses a "clear and present danger" to both spiritual and physical well-being. I believe that we need to understand what the Apostle Paul taught about the body and sex so that we and our children can "navigate" those murky waters and emerge unharmed.
As I pointed out in giving some background about Corinth, the city had an international reputation for sexual licentiousness and debauchery. "To Corinthianize" met to live a life of sexual excess. And the term a "Corinthian girl" signified a prostitute. As a major commercial center and bustling seaport, such "attractions" and "delights" were offered for the "entertainment" of the rough and ready sailors and traders. Periodic visits to the city's many prostitutes were not seen as anything that morally reprehensible. It all seemed to fit in rather naturally with a pagan way of life. And St. Paul established a local church within that environment! Although baptized and therefore "washed ... sanctified ... and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (I COR. 6:11), it seems as if - strange as this may sound to us - this very "activity" was continuing among some of the Corinthian Christians!
What may have been behind this was a gross misunderstanding of the words of the Apostle Paul himself. At one point in his ministry at Corinth, St. Paul said and taught: "All things are lawful for me." (I COR. 6:12) The apostle was here speaking of his relationship with some of the restrictions, primarily dietary, imposed by the Law (of the Old Testament). St. Paul was saying that the Christian, baptized into Christ, was now "free" of such restrictions. No foods, for the Christian believer, were any longer understood as "unclean." However, this teaching of the Apostle Paul was twisted in such a way that his words were taken as a license for any and all behavior. After all, some of the Corinthians seemed to reason, having been "raised" in Christ, the believer was "above" the flesh and free to indulge the flesh and its "natural appetites" which included sexual gratification. This was something of a pseudo-spiritual form of libertarianism (that later emerged among some of the Gnostic movements of the second - third centuries) that horrified the Apostle Paul because it so undermined the new way life in Christ that was meant to characterize the Christian believer.
That is why St. Paul now qualifies and explains what he meant in the following manner:
In other words, there is a huge difference between genuine Christian "freedom" and and the pseudo-freedom that is nothing but "license" allowing one to act according to one's whims and passions. Freedom is indeed liberating, in that one is no longer enslaved to any passions or, in today's language, addictions; while the pseudo-freedom of "license" inevitably leads to being enslaved by some habit or other. I am perfectly free to drink, take drugs or gamble to my heart's content. But I will enslave myself to these habits in a matter of time. Thus, I may be free to do something, but it may not be "helpful" to do it. Actually, I am free to harm myself! Self-restraint and discipline, properly applied, is much more liberating than an unthinking enslavement to the enticements envisioned by license. I believe that our contemporary society fails to make the essential distinction between freedom and license. This has enormously affected the realm of sexual morality, where just about anything is seen to be permissable as long as it is "freely-chosen." The Apostle Paul would vehemently disagree with such an attitude. In a passage that is jarringly not politically correct, he writes the following:
St. Paul was not sexually-obsessed, so he includes other sinful forms of behavior in his catalogue of vices in this passage. Sexual sins are very prevalent, because that was the primary focus of some of the aberrations in the Corinthian community. A much more "positive" and carefully thought out series of pastoral directives are found in I COR. 7, so hopefully we can examine these in the near future as we continue to concentrate on St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians.
Fr. Steven
August 1, 2007 - Midweek Meditations: "Take Up and Read!"
Dear Parish Faithful,
A good start to the Dormition Fast would be the Bible Study this evening at 7:45 p.m. As we set aside time during a fasting season to read the Holy Scriptures even more eagerly, open and friendly discussion of the Scriptures as a group is always spiritually rewarding. That context is provided on a weekly basis in our Bible Study. This evening, we will be studying LK. 21, the long and challenging discourse of Jesus about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of time.
There are two questions that are actually related to each other: 1) do you read the Bible?; and 2) If not, what do you read? If you had to answer the first question by saying "No, I do not read the Bible," but answered the second question with a long list of material, then a flashing warning should light up your mind: "Systems disconnect; need to reconnect system." If we do not read the Bible, then it would be far more consistent, and somehow not as convicting, if we read nothing at all! There are literate people who, for one reason or another, do not do any real reading beyond the essentials of life. Reading may cause eye-strain or headaches; there is no leisure time; or simply it is a pleasure that may have never been developed and thus enjoyed. So, if one never did any reading, then it becomes somewhat more understandable that such a person would also not read the Bible.
However, if a Christian does a lot of reading, but does not include the Bible in that reading, then a "spiritual problem" has clearly developed, one just referred to as a true "disconnect." How can one read "secular" literature, from popular novels to news or even gossip magazines; from self-help books dealing with psychology and dieting to consumer and financial reports, etc., and not put all of that in perspective with the living word of God? It would be something like eating and drinking food and beverage with all of the vitamins and nutrients being taken out of it. "Take up and read" is the voice of our guardian angels speaking about the Scriptures that lie close at hand for our over-all well being and relationship with God.
Recently, I wrote a short response to the strong ecclesiological statement of Pope Benedict XVI, in which he strongly restated the traditional Roman Catholic position that any Christian community not under the direct authority of the pope is not actually a "church." This may have prompted many Orthodox Christians to revisit our differences with the Roman Catholic Church. Bearing this possibility in mind, I have ordered ten copies of a short (21 pages) booklet by Fr. Theodore Pulcini entitled Orthodoxy and Catholicism - What are the Differences? It is quite readable, written by an Orthodox priest who was formerly a Roman Catholic. I will schedule an evening session in September in which we will read and discuss this booklet together, concentrating on the issue of the papacy and papal authority. On a "first come - first served basis," please let me know if you would like to reserve one of these ten copies. The booklet costs $3.50. We can order more if necessary.
Fr. Steven
July 30, 2007 - The Dormition Fast: A 'Blessed Inconvenience'?
Dear Parish Faithful,
For sheer "bad timing" or "inconvenience," it appears to me, at least, that the two-week Dormition Fast (August 1 - 14) in honor of the falling asleep in death of the Theotokos would consistently rank near the top of the list. After all, it is "summertime" and everything that that term evokes: from a backyard barbecue to a baseball game; from swimming pools to summer camps; or from the latest blockbuster film to a leisurely vacation. (It even seems to evoke an image of "less church!") In the midst of all this "fun" (certainly one of America's greatest "gifts" to the world), the Church directs us to "give alms, pray, and fast." (MATT. 6: 1-18) In other words, we are asked to "get serious" about our life in the Church, and about life itself, because we are guided toward contemplating death and its ultimate outcome in the person of the Virgin Mary. And contemplating, commemorating, and even celebrating this unique human death does not "fit in" well into our summer schedules and "things-to-do" lists! At the very least, we need to acknowledge a clash of "value systems" in the first two weeks of August, as we are seemingly pulled in two different directions in this "battle of the calendars." If we are well into our summertime rhythm of life, then the Dormition Fast can certainly strike us as "inconvenient," because any alteration in a given pattern of living is always challenging if not jarring. This may be especially so when we need to shift toward a certain discipline and restraint.
However, what may honestly be called inconvenient on one level, may prove to be profoundly beneficial and spiritually fruitful on another level. Overcoming our more sluggish tendencies, manifesting some effort - ascetical struggle in the language of the Church - being obedient to the voice and guidance of the Church, almsgiving with generosity, praying with intensity, and fasting with resolve; all of this is a way of going deeper than what are, frankly, the superficial tendencies of our popular culture, and discovering at least the potential for a genuine relationship with God. It is inconvenient to break free of our perpetually sought-after "comfort zone," and yet that is precisely what our Lord, His apostles and the saints witness to and call us to. "Self-denial" is at the very heart of the Gospel and Christian discipleship: "Whoever desires to come after Me; let him deny himself ... " (MK. 8:34) To whom do we belong - to Christ or to the world? Consciously or unconsciously, at some level at least, we will make a choice between the two in our embrace or neglect of the Dormition Fast that begins on Wednesday. Each will have its "rewards." Which are more desirable?
The Feast of the Dormition commemorates the blessed death and "translation" to Heaven of the Theotokos. This particular destiny, I believe, is the deepest desire of every serious Christian. It is the very basis of our faith. It is the one great hope that sustains us in the dark moments of life. We pray for it constantly: "A Christian ending to our life: painless, blameless, and peaceful; and a good defense before the dread judgment seat of Christ, let us ask of the Lord." (Litany of Supplication) Therefore, it is "meet and right" to honor that hope with all of our being when the wonderful opportunity arises to bring into the focus of our attention the "falling asleep" of the Mother of God who personally embodies and perfectly fulfills our own deepest desires for eternal fellowship with God in His Kingdom. Yet, there often seems to be a real "disconnect" between this desire and the focus and attention of our lives. We are determined - with a real passion! - to consume all of this life's earthly delights before we are called to Heaven. But in the process we can become spiritually deaf, dumb and blind to that heavenly calling. The appointed fasts of the Church are designed to protect us from that danger.
The Feasts that most manifest the response of God to the longing of the world and every human soul - the Incarnation of Christ and Pascha, to recall the two most significant examples - are always prepared for by a "time and season" dedicated to what we call "fasting," comprehensively understood. In a modest manner, this affords us the opportunity of reliving the experience of expectation with patience and trust in God's revelation. It allows us to "get ready" for the actualization of the event in the liturgical time of the Church. And thus, we "redeem the time."
As the last Feast of the liturgical year, the Dormition of the Theotokos represents the culmination of humanity's destiny, the personal actualization of the paschal mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Christ. The Dormition is, so to speak, a "summertime pascha." With beauty, power and grace it erupts into the languid time of the summer as a startling vision of "things to come." Seen in this light, the Dormition Fast can be the best conceivable antidote for the "summertime blues" that are also present just beneath the surface in the presence of boredom, repetition and the lack of the spiritually stimulating.
The "blessed inconvenience" of the Dormition Fast begins on Wednesday. What may appear to be "bad timing" on one level may, upon some meditation, be reconceived as "perfect timing" on another level, as we always and even desperately need to be called back to God and our true destiny in Him.
Fr. Steven
July 26, 2007 - Scandal and Folly, Part 2
Dear Parish Faithful,
(Continued from yesterday's Midweek Morning Meditation)
In his First Epistle to the Corinthians, which is the appointed reading during the eucharistic Liturgy on Sundays for the next several weeks, the Apostle Paul sharply contrasts human wisdom - what we may call "philosophy" - with the "wisdom of God" which is Christ crucified and risen. As already stated, this appears as "foolishness" to the world, but is actually the power of God that works unto salvation for those who believe: "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (I COR. 24) is "the secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification." (I COR. 2:7) As the biblical scholar D. M. Stanley put it:
Yet, what has been called the "shocking realism" of Christ crucified, unadorned by rhetorical eloquence or presented as a stimulating philosophy, may still prove to be a "stumbling block" or "folly" to us today. This happens whenever we seek to sustain ourselves with ideas and patterns of thought either contrary to the Gospel or that serve as distractions that absorb our interests and energies. Whenever we find room for Christ along side these other tempting ideas that we pick up here or there, we undermine the power of the Gospel to transform our lives and even show a lack of faith in God's gift of salvation in Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ does not "fit" into another so-called religious or philosophical system (such as Freemasonry, for example) that is supposedly more all-embracing than the Gospel. That is what we would call "eclecticism," the selection of various doctrines into some sort of pseudo-synthesis. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church and the Lord of the cosmos. It is in and through the crucified and risen Christ that in the end "God may be everything to every one." (I COR. 15:28)
Suppose, however, that that sort of eclecticism is not particularly tempting to us. But another lingering temptation, especially within the context of our relative affluence and ease, is to "domesticate," "naturalize," or "sentimentalize" the Gospel proclamation of "Christ crucified." This is a softening process that takes the "sting" out of the Cross rather than take the "sting" out of death, which was the purpose of the Cross. This means that the Cross somehow becomes "user-friendly." It can be worn as a decoration, used as a talisman or charm against evil influences, or be given as a gift to the "religiously-inclined." (Shouldn't the awarding of gold and jeweled(!) crosses to priests after so many years of service at least be a cause of a certain unease?) It may evoke strong emotion - perhaps even a tear or two! - on Holy Friday, but its meaning is more-or-less forgotten, or at least taken for granted the rest of the year. Then the Cross becomes an abstract symbol that is essentially "emptied of its power." (I COR. 1:17) When this happens, we fail to realize the extraordinarily radical claim of the Gospel that the eternal Son of God suffered for us as a common criminal on the Cross. That God "for our sake ... made him to be sin who knew no sin." (II COR. 5:21) I often hear how the adherents of other religions - Jews, Muslims, Buddhists - are taken aback, puzzled by, or simply put off by the image of Christ crucified. Are they understanding - even if rejecting in the process - the meaning of the Cross better than we do, as Christians?
St. Paul wrote his First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians because as a pastor he had to deal with a series of misunderstandings and misconceptions among certain members of the Corinthian church. The very nature of the Gospel was at risk. For those looking for something more than the "simple" message of Christ crucified, the Apostle was convinced that arrogance, pride and elitism were not far behind. This led to factionalism and a loss of the unity that must characterize a genuine Christian community. By forcefully taking on this challenge, the Apostle once and for all proclaimed the power of God as revealed in the Cross:
Our own Christian communities must be centered around the crucified and risen Lord. It is His life - offered to God on the Cross - that we partake of in the life of the Church and in the Eucharist. This is the only "scandal" that our churches can legitimately offer to the world.
Fr. Steven
July 25, 2007 - Scandal and Folly, Part 1
Dear Parish Faithful,
We encounter, in the opening chapter of St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians, one of the most expressive and profound presentations of the Gospel found in the entire New Testament:
Until the end of time, the preaching of "Christ crucified" will remain both a "stumbling block" or "folly to those who are perishing." (I COR. 1:18) It could not possibly be otherwise the world being what it is. Human wisdom in its foolishness (and arrogance?) would not be able to grasp the foolishness of God as true wisdom. Human wisdom could not have thought up, let alone devised, such a means of salvation - the "Lord of glory" crucified upon the Cross, thus nailing our sins to the Cross and thereby destroying the power of death. When St. Paul entered Corinth in order to proclaim the Gospel - "not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power" (I COR. 2:4) - he was not naive to the fact that the Cross was a scandal to Jewish nationalism and madness to Greek intellectualism. This was the struggle that would engage him until the end of his life. The gift of perseverance alone working within him must have been truly amazing. Yet the chosen Apostle remained confident that through the preaching of the Cross the grace and power of God are made manifest, and that there would be those who believe. As St. John Chrysostom commented:
These "believers" became the core groups that emerged as "churches" throughout the Graeco-Roman world of the Apostle's time. These churches, and the believers who comprised them, were most probably not that impressive to the eyes of worldly wisdom, but the Apostle consoled these scattered faithful with the "transvaluation of values" found in the foolish wisdom of God:
Essentially, the Apostle Paul was preaching that the center of divine revelation is the crucified Jew, Jesus of Nazareth! Besides its initial incoherence, this must have severely offended the pride of a world relatively united in a religious, philosophical and cultural heritage that was already many centuries in the making. The ancient world was being asked to humble itself before the "Nazarene." In other words, all of you (worldly) lovers of wisdom: abandon your allegiance to Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle for "Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption!" (I COR. 1:30)
We need to appreciate this aspect of the Apostle Paul's efforts and results.
(To be continued - hopefully tomorrow!)
Fr. Steven
July 20, 2007 - On The Pope's Recent Statement
Dear Parish Faithful,
I have received more than a few newspaper articles or email forwards from many of you recently concerning the "controversial" statement issued by Pope Benedict XVI concerning the Roman Catholic Church and its relationship to the other "churches" - including the Orthodox - in the world. The Roman pontiff simply restated the well-known position of Rome that the Christian "bodies" not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, and thus not accepting the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome over all Christians, are in fact not genuine "churches," but rather defective Christian communities. As one of the articles puts it:
According to the pope, the Orthodox are seen in a more positive light:
How gracious and generous of the pope! An immediate Orthodox response would be that the real "wound" or defect within Christendom is the far-from-convincing claims made about the bishop of Rome to be the "supreme pontiff" who is infallible in his ecclesiastical pronouncements.
According to the document containing this statement, Pope Benedict XVI stated clearly:
We Orthodox would, on the one hand, fully agree with that statement in principle; but, on the other hand fully disagree, countering that the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church is the (Eastern) Orthodox Church - not the Church of Rome which fell into schism precisely when and because it was making outrageous claims about the universal authority of the bishop of Rome! That is at the heart of the Great Schism usually, but rather misleadingly, dated at 1054. The truth is that we as Orthodox would say basically the same thing about the other "churches," and that those without Apostolic Succession can only be called "churches" in the loose or conventional sense of that word. Apostolic Succession and fidelity to the "faith once and for all delivered to the saints" (JUDE 3) are essential attributes of Christ's "true" Church. The Orthodox Church has maintained both of these attributes in a way that the other "churches" have not down through the centuries. There is no "judgment" in making that claim. It is simply a way of stating that we know where the Church is, without claiming to know where the Church is not.
Actually, I have no real intention of being polemical in these brief "fragments," but rather to actually praise the pope for his straightforward, clear and honest declaration of the Roman Catholic Church's position. The Ecumenical Movement has become so watered down in a search for the lowest common denominator that would allow for superficial talk of "Christian unity," that any clear statement that raises the key issues of division are now greeted with horror and rancour! Real discussion begins when positions are openly and honestly stated. The pope may have opened up old wounds, but they can only be healed when the seriousness of the wounds are acknowledged. Only then is true dialogue possible. So, I am quite glad that Pope Benedict "rocked the boat" by issuing this document. It will help to "clear the air" so that when "the dust settles" there will be a much clearer understanding as to where the various "churches" actually stand.
These are just a few preliminary comments that I hope to develop in a "meditation" next week.
Fr. Steven
July 19, 2007 - Series of Homilies on I Corinthians begins this Sunday, July 22.
Dear Parish Faithful,
If you look at your church calendars, you will notice that beginning this coming Sunday we will make the transition from the Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Romans to his First Epistle to the Corinthians, as the designated Sunday epistle reading. This will continue through August 26 and thus cover five consecutive Sundays. Following up with something that I wrote back on June 29 concerning the difficulty of understanding St. Paul's Epistles and our need to study them carefully, I will deliver a series of homilies on I Corinthians starting this Sunday. This is one of the longest of St. Paul's Epistles (sixteen chapters) and therefore I will have to be highly selective as to what I will be able to cover in five homilies. Therefore, I may choose to cover parts of the Epistle outside of the prescribed reading. If so, I hope to inform you ahead of time so that you can read the indicated passages on your own.
In fact, I believe that this will give everyone the opportunity of taking on the challenging task of working through one of St. Paul's Epistles with care and commitment. Set aside the time and make this a project that you will commit to with the same desire and effort as you would to painting a room, doing some landscaping, socializing, etc. Reading through the Epistle slowly will give you a sense of the power and depth of life "in Christ" as described by St. Paul. And there is power and depth in abundance in First Corinthians! Some of the most well-known and often-quoted of passages from St. Paul are found in this Epistle (ex. I Cor. 1:18-25; 11:17-34; 13:1-13; 15:1-11). I would again turn your attention to the Orthodox Study Bible if you own one. There, you will find a short, but excellent, introduction to the Epistle and a solid running commentary in the form of notes that accompany the text. This will provide good background, context, and illuminating insights to assist in better understanding the Epistle. (For the more ambitious, the Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on first Corinthians, is an inexhaustible treasure chest of illumination if you can come up with them).
I Corinthians is not a theological treatise written in a calm and dispassionate style. As a "letter," it is directed to a new Christian community facing some very challenging problems, based on human sinfulness and misunderstanding - often misunderstanding of what St. Paul preached to the community when he helped to establish it. St. Paul's primary concern, therefore, is pastoral - how to direct the community through some of these problems with both love and firmness "in Christ." As and apostle of God, he has the authority to do so. In so doing, he does offer great theological insights into the "mystery of Christ," and these insights have become the basis of sound Orthodox theology ever since. I will do my best to combine the pastoral issues - and in the process discover contemporary application - with some of the more important theological teaching embedded in the Epistle.
I Corinthians is a fascinating, exciting, powerful and challenging work from perhaps the greatest of the Apostles - St. Paul. It is highly "relevant" to the conditions of life that we encounter today as Christians. The many practical issues of day to day Christian living found in the Epistle will surprise you, but will also be of great assistance in your struggle to work in and through them. But you must read in order to give yourself the opportunity.
The prescribed text for this coming Sunday is I Cor. 1:10-18, and I will range around all through chapter 1.
Fr. Steven
July 12, 2007 - The Right Question
Dear Parish Faithful,
In our pretty well-attended Bible Study yesterday evening, we read through and discussed LK. 18. In this chapter, we encountered the young "ruler" (v. 18-27) who came to Jesus with a remarkably direct and profound question: "Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Even though the motives of the ruler are never revealed in his dialogue with Christ, it appears that he was serious in asking this question and hoping to gain the necessary insight into pursuing this ultimate of goals. The ruler asked the right question of the right Person. It makes me wonder as to whether or not we, as Orthodox Christians, ask this question of ourselves, our teachers, or our spiritual leaders. Christianity is about "eternal life" - the gift of everlasting and true life in the presence of God made possible and offered to our freedom through the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Christ:
Perhaps endless repetition has blunted the power of these words, but upon the slightest serious reflection, we realize that this is the reality that reveals the Gospel as "Good News." We like to ask what we consider to be "relevant" questions. But if we never ask the question about "eternal life" - or take it for granted because we are already Christians - but only ask questions that pertain to "this world" and life in this world, however necessary and important those questions may be; then our supposedly relevant questions will endlessly drift toward "irrelevance" as our lives flow on toward their inevitable end. Thus, the question "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" is the one question that is never irrelevant!
The ruler, however, was dismayed when he was told by Christ:
The ruler, however, was not prepared for so "radical" an answer from Jesus. Hence, his immediate reaction: "But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich." Of all the evangelists, it is claimed that St. Luke, more than the others, stresses the need for renunciation as a sign of true discipleship. Whatever it is that we cling to in such a way that this becomes a barrier to following Christ, must be "renounced" or all of our talk about the Kingdom of God becomes empty. "Riches" is a very relative concept. It is easy for us to claim that we are far from being rich, that we are struggling to make ends meet, etc. However, anyone can get lost in what are riches according to various levels of assessment. St. John Klimakos said he knew of monks who would fight over a rag! The grip that "riches" hold upon us would make all of us "sad" if we were asked to give them away. This is why Christ, still "looking" at the ruler said:
The whole point of these well-known, hyperbolic and troubling words is to emphasize the "impossibility" of such a "possibility." This pronouncement is impervious to rationalizing evasions. However, and hopefully without falling into the same trap of removing the sting from these words, I am not convinced that it need be read with a kind of wooden literalism; as if to mean that any person who has "money" or "assets" cannot conceivably be found worthy of the Kingdom of God precisely because of possession of such things, as if they were inherently evil. That would eliminate all genuine Christian philanthropy, well-intentioned giving, and simple generous charity on the part of pious Christians throughout the ages. But if a "rich man" cannot abandon his "riches" when called upon to, or even when forced to by circumstances, then he cannot give himself to God and thus "enter" His Kingdom either. We return to the choice between God and mammon. Contrary to our modern sense of entitlement, we cannot have the best of both worlds.
When Jesus further pronounces His well-known saying, "What is impossible with men is possible with God," I am not so certain that He is claiming that such a rich man can enter the Kingdom of God despite himself and his entrapment by his own riches; but rather that "with God" it is possible to make such an ultimate renunciation for the sake of the "treasure of heaven," impossible though it may seem to our way of thinking.
These are some of the challenging themes we discuss in our Bible Study. We cannot claim to always find the right answers or to fully understand the many-sided implications of the Lord's words. But at least we give ourselves the opportunity of asking the right questions, trusting that God will guide us if we are serious in our pursuit of His righteousness. To attend the Bible Study is to put ourselves under the bright and searing light of the Gospel. We may have to come to some uncomfortable conclusions about our own lives and priorities, though we are members of the Church. This is a good thing, because we can then begin the process of repentance and conversion, which is really a life-long process of slow transformation toward a Kingdom-oriented existence. And we also know that there is nowhere else to turn because, as St. Peter said to Christ after hearing some of His difficult teaching: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have to know, that you are the Holy One of God." (JN. 6:68-69)
Fr. Steven
