“Most persons are indifferent towards their most sacred duties concerning their deceased parents, brothers and sisters, owing to their ignorance of the importance and necessity of the Church’s holy memorial services… [those who pray them] are richly rewarded by God for their benevolent act for the dead, and for their prayers to God for the salvation of their parents and brothers or sisters, relatives and friends.”

St. Nectarios of Aegina (+1920)

If there is one custom of Eastern Orthodox Christianity that often amazes and many times disturbs those outside the ancient faith, it is the fact that we pray for the dead. Isn’t it interesting that this intrinsic action of Orthodox Christianity is so outside the experience (or even the taste) of much of “modern” Christianity.

One of my classmates from seminary related to me an experience within his own family that I found shocking and completely apart from my own experience as an Orthodox Christian. Within a very short period of time (weeks at most) after the death of his grandfather, his (non-Orthodox) grandmother discarded everything that belonged to her husband. She threw away all of his possessions, all pictures of him and then proceeded to move into a new apartment. His description left me with an image of a woman who wanted to wipe away all memory of a man who no longer exists or possibly never even existed. My classmate’s grandmother, though Christian, is certainly not Orthodox in her actions. Let us look for a moment at why, from the beginning, the Church considers praying for the dead “important” and “necessary.”

One of the most tragic trends of modern thought, along with an overwhelming rejection of the presence of sin, is the inability to truly accept the reality of death and, what we believe as Orthodox Christians, its eternal implications. Our youthful, health-conscious, trend-centered culture seems to view death as something that happens to “the other guy.” In one of the final interviews given by the famous actor, Michael Landon, before his death to cancer he stated, “I wish someone would’ve told me when I was young, really told me, that one day I was going to die. I probably would’ve done some things differently.” And when we do accept the reality of death a recent USA TODAY national survey concluded that 88% of the adults polled believe that they are going to heaven. The denial of death and the certainty of heaven are a lethal combination for the health of the soul struggling to seek and know God in Truth and Holiness. It is precisely against these two trends, along with a deep concern for the salvation of the departed soul alive in Christ, that the prayerful remembrance of the dead is poised.

One of the most beautiful elements of the Church’s prayers for the dead is the philosophical conclusion that the state of a soul upon death, no matter how reprehensible, is a dynamic state uncertain of the final verdict only to be revealed at the Second Coming. We believe that because there is no repentance after death, the prayers of the Church can continue to lift the soul of the reposed before the Throne of God, entreating Him for mercy. This is the benevolent act that St. Nectarios refers to in the above quote. The blessing received in return for our prayers centers on the common directive from the Holy Fathers, “Always keep your death in mind and do not forget the eternal judgement, then there will be no fault in your soul”(Abba Evagrius). In remembering others in their death it should bring to mind the reality of our own and thus help us to remember to repent and seek salvation each moment of every day.

The Apostolic Constitutions of the early Church show us that formal prayers for the dead were easily advanced by the end of the third century. This is not a new Tradition! I am sorry for my friend’s grandmother who will probably miss the blessings that come from the continued communion in Christ between those in this life and those in the next. I am sorry that this man’s name will not be lifted up again and again in the Memorial Service, in the Holy Eucharist, in the private offerings of prayer in the heart or on the Memorial Saturdays when the Church offers to God the names of the departed. I am sorry that this woman may never know the blessings of repentance that come from remembering her own in the death of her loved ones. It may sound morbid when told to remember you own death. St. John Chrysostom even tells us that, “death is not good,”but he does go on to say, “but it is good after out departure ‘to be with Christ.’” May God give all of us the wisdom to pursue and celebrate this Tradition of our Orthodoxy, and to know the rich rewards of these benevolent acts both for the souls of the departed and for our own.

“For the divine scriptures are a treasury of all manner of medicines, so that whether it be needful to quench pride, to lull desire to sleep, to tread under foot the love of money, to despise pain, to inspire confidence, to gain patience, in them one may find abundant resource.”

St. John Chrysostom

I am generally not one to support the idea or practice of “personal testimony”, especially in settings where “oneupmanship” is more important than truth. If I may be indulged, however, I would like to share a bit of my own life… a moment in time, if you will, that has rushed to my mind and memory upon reading these luminous words of our Holy Father John Chrysostom.

As a cradle Orthodox (for those of you unfamiliar with this modern term it’s one who was baptized into the Orthodox Church as an infant) my upbringing in the Church was stable and full of love. I must confess, however, that in my younger days I didn’t always “get it!” The annual rush of aesthetic emotion that occurs at the lighting of the candles on Holy Pascha… “Come, receive the light from Him who is the Light…” is probably the extent of anticipation and excitement I ever experienced in my Faith (that and the roast lamb dinner following the service at 3:00am!). The world and all of its attractions, the allure of sports and the possibility of success, popularity, entertainment, artistic interests, free-time and so on leaves me reflecting and realizing now why Saint Paul and all Orthodox spirituality guides us to view ourselves as “the foremost of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

God was most gracious in humbling this unworthy priest! The house that I was building back then was definitely not being founded on the Rock of Faith… and it did not take much for the Lord to show me (see Mt. 7:24-27) the meaning of the following verse, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Psalm 127:10). What amazes me the most, looking back at those tumultuous times, was that the Lord already had in place the safety net which was to catch me and set me on the True and narrow path back to Him and to His Kingdom.

When I graduated from High School a close friend gave me a Bible and a copy of The Way of a Pilgrim. At that time (almost 20 years ago) these books were destined to sit on my shelf. Four years later they were rediscovered to provide me with “all manner of medicine” as God granted me eyes to see and ears to hear. As I read, especially through the New Testament, the Psalms and Proverbs, the Holy Word of God pierced my heart and soul with words of mystery and reason, defeat and victory, conflict and comfort, wisdom and revelation, balance and certainty. Mostly I remember that the words just made sense. Just when my life could easily have fallen to the influences of the groundless, selfish, youth-centered culture, the Lord gave me His precious Word which became my new and holy standard of living.

How can one convince another of the abundant resource of the Word of God? How can one convince another that there is Truth and an answer to every question? OPEN YOUR BIBLES AND READ!!! May God reveal to all of us true confidence in His Word and Promise… and through His Word, His Liturgy and His Life, one day come to know the great secret spoken of by Mother Theresa of Calcutta, “Until Jesus is all you have, you’ll never know He is all you need!“

“I love to pray in God’s Church, especially in the sanctuary near the altar because then I change miraculously through God’s grace; during the prayers of repentance and moments of tender emotion my soul sheds its thorns and chains of passions and I feel elated; all the fascination and charm of passions disappear; it is as if I die to the world and the world with its attractions dies for me; I become alive in God and He permeates me and I become one with Him in spirit; I become like a child who finds consolation on its mother’s lap, my heart is then filled with heavenly peace, my soul is illuminated by heavenly light, I see everything clearly, rightly; I feel love and affection for all; oh, how blissfully happy is the soul with God! The Church, truly, is an earthly paradise.”

St. John of Kronstadt

With the celebration of Holy Pascha now complete (if that is ever possible), and the rigorous liturgical schedule of Great Lent now behind us, the words of a young teenager uttered not so many years ago come to mind; “I wish Lent could be year ’round… I miss Church once Easter is over… I love this time of the year!”

Hearing these sincere and heartfelt words was truly a blessing, as one planning on entering the Holy Priesthood! No where else, except maybe from a few faithful friends and classmates from seminary, have I ever heard such enthusiasm for the Life of the Church which is oftentimes unrecognizable in our modern society. This young person knew the spirit which St. John of Kronstadt spoke of in the above quote.

What is the miracle of repentance and tender emotion? Can I really shed my thorns and chains? Will the world and its attractions ever die to me? Oh, to be alive in God, permeated and one with Him in spirit! O Holy Mother (Church), help me to know this heavenly consolation, peace, light, clarity, correctness; help me to know true love and affection for all; help me to know the bliss of a soul with God; help me to recognize you, truly, as an earthly paradise!

Yes, in truth, the spirit of Lent is not intended only for the times of the year when the Church asks a little something extra from us. The spirit of Lent and the specific times of the year which demand our discipline (asceticism) are, in fact, revelations of the Kingdom of God in our midst. They are the opportunities which a wise Mother offers to her child again and again, to right the wrongs, to correct the mistakes, to love instead of hate, to give instead of take.

Is it any wonder why this young person had such a clear vision of the life which Christ offers and reveals in the Light of His Resurrection?… The clarity of holiness and the clarity of victory in the midst of all of our falls… the surety of joy and the celebration in and through the unconditional love of community… the receiving of forgiveness and the conviction of the Resurrection! “O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?” Yes, the spirit of Lent is present “year ’round”. Great Lent and the other lenten fasts are our reminders. It’s up to us to nurture, celebrate and find that, “The Church, truly, is an earthly paradise!”

“When you are a Bear of very little brain, and you think of things, you find sometimes that a thing which seemed thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.”

The House At Pooh Corner

This last Christmas Khourii Vanessa was given a Winnie the Pooh calendar. The above quote is from January 1; isn’t it amazing just how true it is! How often have I been guilty of big “plans” or “ideas”, only to find out how incomplete or uncritical they were by not having thought them through or talked to someone about them. Maybe it was fear or embarrassment, or just plain pride of authorship. Whichever it was there is no question that at times my “very little brain” was thinking rather “thingishly!”

The aspect of community in the Church is so much deeper than simply coming together for worship or for social time. True community means that interaction exists between its members at all levels, one of which is the seeking of counsel and the sharing of ideas and support. The Book of Proverbs has many verses which support this way of thinking. The following are a few examples:

“Do not be wise in your own eyes… ” (3:7) “…but those who take advice are wise.” (13:10 [mine]) “Without counsel plans go wrong, but with many advisors they succeed.” (15:22)

Doesn’t it make sense that we should bounce ideas off one another? The bottom line weaving through Winnie the Pooh’s seemingly childish words is the concept of accountability. When we hold ourselves accountable (since we are truly the only ones who can) there is a great sense of blessing and comfort in having opened the doors of our “very little brains” to the checks and balances of the community. It’s not that we have to share every thought with every person, but rather that we are willing to turn to a place where we can expose the isolation of our minds and hearts; the isolation where sin can creep in and where there is a lack of self-criticism or objectivity.

That community must be a sincere and struggling Christian community, however, because just as it is dangerous to keep things to ourselves it is equally as dangerous to open ourselves towards wrong-thinking people. The feeding frenzy created by mass ignorance, or as author M. Scott Peck labeled in his book, People of the Lie, “group evil” can lead large numbers of people into dangerous deceptions. The abortion debate comes to mind as I wonder how our civilized, God-fearing society can be duped into allowing the legalized procedure of partial birth abortion or what was in the “little brains” of the Madison West High School students who recently attacked demonstrating Pro-Life activists and ripped and stomped on graphic posters depicting aborted human babies.

Thank God societies and groups are made up of individuals who can be taught how and towards what direction we are to open our hearts and minds. “The Light of Christ illumunes all!” declares the priest at Pre-Sanctified Liturgy; and “Come receive the light from Him Who is the Light!” proclaims the priest announcing Christ’s Resurrection on Holy Pascha. Yes, when placed in the brilliant and joy-filled Light of the Resurrected Lord the Thingish Things inside of us can never be covered or hidden. (Matt. 10:26) And thank God that we have our blessed communities! Orthodox Christianity has very little room for “rugged individualism” [only in personel discipline and in the secret place where only God and Father Confessor can see (Matt. 6:1-6)]. We believe that we need a place where we can turn for godly and objective wisdom and advice as we proceed through the decisions of our lives.

“A Christian does not control his own life, but gives his whole time to God.”

St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to Polycarp

There has been a most amazing shift in my life since I left Madison in January of 1991 to take a position as Co-Youth Director at St. George Orthodox Church in Akron, Ohio. As a single young man of thirty it was really the first time I submitted myself to routine and responsibility. Prior to this my life was more or less care-free. I could choose or not choose this or that direction, activity or expense. In the classic definition of American “rugged individualism” I was accountable to very little, my time was my own and I could hardly imagine why anybody couldn’t be where I was.

God certainly was merciful to this immature young man. His mercy graciously brought me through two years of shared living space with my brother in Christ, Rick Michaels, three years of the same with my Mom, five years of steady work throughout those five years and now marriage, ordination, a new mission, a full-time job and a first home (the only thing missing now is children… but don’t worry, Khourii and I are hoping for kids in the not so distant future!). I don’t know if there is a consistent pattern in the lives of all people. For me I am completely aware of what was and is happening to me and it is with great joy that I embrace daily growth resulting from the choices I’ve made. My question is this: Where does it begin, the acceptance of the reality that “my time is no longer my own?” In our society statistics, such as a greater than 50% divorce rate, indicate that most people just don’t get it. There seems to be a great tension stemming from the perception that freedom is lost when choices and commitments are made. Our selfish, “unfulfilled,” inclinations fall to the allure of the entertainment and advertising industry, while virtually nothing in our society supports the notion of sacrifice, obedience, the loss of self.

I bring this up now, as we enter our Church’s season of Great Lent, to emphasize St. Paul’s words from 1 Cor. 6:19b, “You are not your own.” The discipline that lies ahead, both in the life of our community’s liturgical cycle and in our personal efforts in prayer, fasting and alms giving are not to be taken lightly or to be considered as “an option.” The answer to my above question can only be found in our submission to the Authority of Jesus Christ and the Church. For those of us who have made the choice to be called “Orthodox Christian,” now is the time that God calls us to make an account for our Name. This is not the time for reason or self-determination. It is no longer a matter of personal opinion or inconvenience, but that of Revelation and obedience. Life on the fence will never bring the fullness of God’s Presence and Blessings to our lives, as a community or personally, nor will it ever convince anyone of the Truth we possess, revealed to the world through the Holy Spirit in the Church.

There is so much time available for us to accomplish everything that needs to be accomplished, especially when our priority is Christ. There are many blessings ahead when we truly die to ourselves, embrace our circumstances, and learn to love by giving ourselves to the choice we’ve made to live the Lord and the life of His Church. My only hope is to let God show us the fulfillment of His Promise by the keeping of ours.

Forgiveness Sunday

On Sunday Evening, March 9, at 6:30pm we will be celebrating the Great Vespers of Forgiveness and ushering in the beginning of Great Lent. “The triumph of sin, the main sign of its rule over the world is division, opposition, separation, hatred. Therefore the first break through this fortress of sin is forgiveness: the return to unity, solidarity, love. To forgive is to put between me and my ‘enemy’ the radiant forgiveness of God Himself. To forgive is to reject the hopeless ‘dead-ends’ of human relations and to refer them to Christ. Forgiveness is truly a breakthrough of the Kingdom into this sinful and fallen world.” (Fr. Alexander Schmemann, Great Lent, p.28.)

The service itself is the same in structure as any other Great Vespers. It is its placement in the annual cycle that makes it meaningful as the texts of her variable hymns explain, “Let us begin the fast with joy! Let us prepare ourselves for spiritual effort! Let us cleanse our soul and cleanse our flesh! Let us abstain from every passion as we abstain from food! Let us rejoice in virtues of the spirit and fulfill them with love! That we all may see the passion of Christ our God, and rejoice in spirit at the holy Pascha!”

At the conclusion of this service it is the custom for each person in the community to approach every other person of the community and, after bowing before the other, to ask for forgiveness. “Even where there is no enmity, hatred, or animosity,” Fr. Alexander continues, “the Church reveals to us that there are much subtler ways of offending Divine Love. These are indifference, selfishness, lack of interest in other people—in short, that wall which we usually erect around ourselves, thinking that by being ‘polite’ and ‘friendly’ we fulfill God’s commandments. The rite of forgiveness is so important precisely because it makes us realize—be it only for one minute—that our entire relationship with men is wrong, makes us experience that encounter of one child of God with another, of one person created by God with another, makes us feel that mutual ‘recognition’ which is so terribly lacking in our cold and dehumanized world.”

Forgiveness is truly central to all that we believe and a beginning to the Love and Thanksgiving which help us to grow in Love for God and for each other. Our community is a great gift to and from each of us. My hope is that we ALL will be there that important night to nurture, protect and enter together into our preparation to “see the Passion of Christ our God.”