“Take great care of your children. We live at a time when much freedom is given to the expression of thought, but little care is taken that thoughts should be founded on truth. Teach them to love truth.”

Elder Macarius of Optina

The Elder Macarius died in +1860. I wonder what he would think about the freedom of thought and expression given to children (and pretty much everyone) today, almost a century and a half later. The spirit of the Renaissance undoubtedly affected Russia but I doubt it took as much of a toll on the Russian culture as it has in the West and in America, where now the entitlements of personal freedom have all but rooted out Truth as “absolute” in the broader scope of societal thought. It seems as though truth only exists today where one chooses, based on emotion rather than on tradition; what is true for me today or even this very moment, based on how I feel. If I we were to translate the Elder’s final admonition into today’s language of relativism it would say, “Teach them to love themselves.” Well, I think that we as a society have come close to perfecting an adherence to the standard of self love. Sadly, the ground upon which this kind of thinking stands is as precarious as the human condition.

One of Jesus’ most difficult sayings that non-believers struggle with (and I dare say even some Christians who fall into the temptations of relativistic faith doctrines) is, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The infamous words of Pontius Pilot uttered just before “he handed [Jesus] over to [the Jews] to be crucified” echo throughout the ages even to our own day, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Simply put, Jesus is the Truth and consequently the rock upon which all of life is founded. Generally, Christians—and especially Orthodox Christians—should understand this very well, at least in theory. What it means, however, in terms of how we choose to live may be quite different from our intellectual understanding.

My wife often encourages me not to get too “lofty” in writing these little meditations. Today I really want to follow her advice and put into the simplest of words what the Elder Macarius has said in admonishing us to teach our children to “love truth”. I believe he is simply telling us to love the person, Jesus. What greater gift can we give our children, and ourselves, other than a child-like love for Jesus?“Not a far-off God, a cold abstraction, but a warm, breathing, spiritual Presence about [our Lord's] path and bed—a Presence in which he recognizes protection and tenderness in darkness and danger, towards which he rushes as the timid child to hide his face in his mother’s skirts.” (Charlotte Mason)

The time of our Lord’s Nativity is an excellent time to wisely nurture this uncomplicated love. It begins with the ease of loving the little Baby born in Bethlehem. In folk songs we sing about Him, about the angels who proclaim Him, about the world who receives Him, and about both the simplest and the wisest of men who were the first to hear the glad tidings of joy. Our church hymns portray this unpretentious love in richness and eloquence, “What shall we offer to Thee, O Christ, for that Thou didst appear on earth as a man for our sake? Verily, every individual of the creatures Thou didst create shall offer Thee thanksgiving. The angels shall offer Thee praise; the heavens, a star; the Magi, gifts; the shepherds; wonder; the earth, the cave; the wilderness, the manger; and we men, a virgin Mother. Wherefore, O God before the ages, have mercy upon us.” (From the Apostika of Christmas Vespers)

Maybe Christmas can be a time—a time simply to learn about loving Jesus. All romanticism aside one asks this question, is it possible to simply be drawn to the person of Jesus? He is the Truth, certainly theologically, but even more so in the personal way in which He intends to touch and warm the heart of every man, woman and child. His Truth is the word and action which sets us on the course of true freedom and reconnects us to our true selves, to each other and ultimately to Life itself. Nations and men, economies and commerce, families and individuals are in chaos from the horrific, post-modern advancement of the disconnect between God and man, and between men and each other. I believe this is because our society is not founded on Truth and combined with the century’s old social erosion caused by the exaltation of the self. These two ruinous indulgences have further left man isolated and paralyzed in the throws of self-love, consumed by our own consumption and filled with pride, envy, fear and anger. “A paralyzed mind will always find some foolish reason not to go after truth” (St. Nikolai Velimirovic). The answer is right before us as we ask why the Orthodox Church prepares us to celebrate our Lord’s Holy Nativity with prayer and fasting rather than with celebration and festivity; it is to help us prepare to meet Jesus by putting aside any paralysis of self-love and seek only that which is true… and simply learn to love Jesus. Beloved, Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

“The liturgical service takes place on earth, but it belongs to the realm of heavenly realities. In fact it was not instituted by a human being or an angel, but by the Spirit Himself, so that those who are still living in the flesh should think of performing the service of angels. Oh what mercy, oh what love of God for human beings! Christ, who is seated with the Father in highest heaven, is at that moment grasped by the hands of all and does not hesitate to give Himself to anyone who wants to embrace Him and be bound to Him.”

St. John Chrysostom

The word “institution” is one which arouses either feelings of security and stability or feelings of scorn and suspicion. This can be challenging for those of us who belong to the “institutional” Church of Christ; be it with our own experiences with things “institutional” or with the open ridicule we receive from cynics and critics.

Theologically it is relatively easy to discourse on heavenly realities expressed in the revealed Word: worship, hymnography, iconography, and the architecture of the Church. But because man is in the world and many times more connected to the world— even theologically—than to heaven, it seems that for many it is not only difficult to believe that God could become a man, it is consequently difficult to believe that God’s Church could be anything other than a “man-made institution”.

For practical reasons the Divine Liturgy is presided over by the local priest assigned by the bishop to represent him in his absence. (I pray that as we grow as a community in a strong diocese led by a strong diocesan bishop, we may come to know even more completely the fullness of worship when the hierarch is present.) The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy begins with the deacon saying to the bishop,

“Bless Master, it is time for the Lord to act.” With these beautiful words time as we know it is suspended and we enter the eternal, heavenly place of worship. The bishop, the icon of Christ Himself, then proclaims, “Blessed is the Kingdom” and the faithful exclaim “Amen!” This blessing is nothing other than the pronouncement that we are no longer gathered around an earthly table, in an earthly building, but rather around THE heavenly altar upon which lay the Word and Lamb of God; and together with the Angels and Saints, we too proclaim, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabbaoth, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory!”

Our “understanding” of the mystery of this worship has no bearing on its truth and power. All who are present—and one might assert even the whole world—are swept up in this Divine Action. Each of us, whether named or not, are offered to God in the action of the Liturgy. The prayers following the consecration of the Holy Eucharist state this clearly, “Furthermore we offer unto Thee this our reasonable worship on behalf of the whole world” The most powerful work of this Divine Action, therefore, is not what we are doing but rather what is being done to us in the service and participation of the Liturgy as “the work of God’s people.”

There can be no doubt that the Church is “institutional.” The worn-out question so often asked is, upon what institution is it founded: the institution of heaven or the institution of men? We have very specific instructions from Scripture in the Old Testament about how God is to be worshipped. The Old t’s Messianic fulfillment in Christ led the Apostles and their successors to the beginnings of worship as we know it today. Scripture and Tradition did not create that which is eternal; rather they harmoniously reveal that which is heavenly by the grace and action of the Holy Spirit. How could it be any other way? Would God Who loves us and offers Himself to us and Who, “is grasped by the hands of all and does not hesitate to give Himself to anyone who wants to embrace Him and be bound to Him” leave us to figure it out for ourselves?

Though it is not commonly known or practiced the following prayer is to be prayed by all who enter God’s House, “I will come into Thy house in the multitude of Thy mercy; and in fear I will worship toward Thy holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make Thy way straight before me, that with a clear mind I may glorify Thee forever, One Godhead in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.” God’s holy tabernacle is heaven itself and it is towards this that we move and enter not only in the service of the Liturgy but even as we enter the church building itself. This is God’s great love and mercy for us, and is why we must make every effort to present ourselves faithfully, regularly, timely and modestly. There are many acts of devotion that we must “again and again” put into practice if we truly care to be “bound” to Christ, but there is none like the worship we are called to in the heavenly “institution” of God’s Holy Church.

“A time of trial is beneficial to everyone: the diligent are tried so that their wealth may increase; the lax, so that they be preserved from harm; those spiritually asleep, so that they may prepare themselves for watchfulness; those who are far from God, so that they may approach Him; those who are God’s close associates, so that they may come closer to Him in freedom of speech.”

St. Isaac the Syrian

“A time of trial is beneficial” Undoubtedly there are many who view this kind of thinking as absurd, or even those who see it as just another ploy of “the church” to keep people under control. They ask why being put to the test would be considered in any way beneficial; and yet it is often these same people who trumpet the virtues of courage and perseverance in the challenges of business, academics, athletics and the like. As a priest I am blessed with the honor of helping to support and guide people during times of various testing. Because of this privilege I find myself often meditating on the meaning of trials and tests – and the hypocrisy of seeing spiritual trials as absurd and worldly trials as honorable.

I played organized sports from a young age, going on to letter in varsity athletics in high school and college. I’ve heard many “Go get ‘em!” speeches. I’ve had many victories and more losses than I care to admit. I’ve been recognized and awarded for my effort and performance and I’ve been harshly reprimanded for my failures and laziness. I value my experience, be it the conditioning of my body, the discipline of teamwork or the challenge towards personal excellence. If this was all I knew I believe I would be more impressed when I hear sports analysts tout the courage of athletes who rise above adversity. However, the world of sports is vastly bigger than my experience and I must admit how tired I get of hearing sappy praise heaped upon the athlete who leads his or her team to victory despite an injury, illness or personal tragedy. A very close friend of mine once had the opportunity to attend the alumni dinner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He was shocked to see many of those men of heroic esteem now old before their time and crippled from years of bodily abuse in pursuit of professional football excellence. These men subjected themselves to a time of trial and in one way or another they succeeded, and the athletic world has elevated them to the status of legend. These “tests” and other worldly trials are seen as completely normal and even desirable. I suppose because worldly success generally brings honor within one’s lifetime whereas the trials mentioned by St. Isaac, even if there is “success”, generally are inconvenient and do not offer “honor” in this world. I may have gleaned a few lessons from my athletic experience, but pretty much all that remains from those days is a body suffering from the chronic pain of injury and a few dusty awards and memories.

Please forgive my meandering down memory lane. The point I am trying to make is really quite simple. It is frustrating to see within myself and in many people various levels of blindness in not accepting the need and benefit of spiritual trials— of entering the arena of Christian life with the discipline of an athlete so that we might fully live God-centered lives! It is so much easier to take on an athletic challenge, or a project at work or home, or the pursuit of a diploma or degree. Consider how many of our young people “take a break” from the life of the Church during their college years and how this is somehow acceptable because of their “honorable” pursuit of education! Or how our even younger children are asked to sacrifice ongoing Sundays for the sake of athletic tournaments, again for an “honorable” cause!

St. Paul even uses the example of athletics to describe a faith-centered life. “Do you not know that in a race all runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” (1 Cor. 9:24-25).

The saddest aspect of our blindness is how often we settle for the “perishable” over the “imperishable”. When I see myself or others so eager to take on the challenges of personal interest and yet so reluctant to take on the challenges of repentance—acknowledging our failures in loving our spouses; respecting our parents; forgiving those who have hurt us; showing compassion to those who are suffering; sharing with those in need; living with strong morals; striving for regular worship, prayer, stewardship, fasting and scripture reading; and so on— I ask myself, “Can’t we see where the real challenges of life are to be found and be assured of the benefits we receive from taking them on?” Truly there is no greater challenge than that of spiritual warfare, and the true mark of a man is to forsake his natural inclination to “perishable” ambition. But this requires a willingness to see, and if we cannot see then a willingness to do the things necessary to acquire true vision.

St. Paul said, “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Tim. 2:5). As Christians we will not be crowned unless we willingly share in the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. What this means is that we must actively seek the path of our salvation and never shy away from our spiritual trials or view them as absurd or meaningless. Rather our trials to live and follow faithfully the commandments of our Lord must be seen as the way for each of us to enter into the greatest challenge of life: to die with Christ so that we might live with Him, forever.

“I think it best that a man should have a little bit of all the virtues. Therefore, get up early every day and acquire the beginning of every virtue and every commandment of God. Use great patience in the love of God, with all the fervor of your soul and body. Exercise great humility; bear with interior distress; be watchful and pray often with reverence, with purity of speech and control of your eyes.”

St. John the Dwarf

During the days immediately surrounding January 1^st much talk can be heard of making resolutions for the New Year. As with all beginnings, many resolve to better their lives in such areas as diet, exercise, relationships, finances, home organization, time management and so on. I have never been one to make New Year’s resolutions, however this season is one of my favorite times of the year. The months of December and January are filled with a special “holiday” spirit, but more importantly they are rich with anticipation and celebration of the feasts of Christmas and Theophany. Truly, it is the Church that brings lifeto this beautiful time of the year.

September 1^st is “New Year’s Day” for the Church. This year I find myself more aware than ever before of the richness of this holy season. At Christmas, we have the Nativity Fast to help us prepare for and then celebrate our Lord’s Nativity, His Circumcision (together with the feast of St. Basil the Great), and His Holy Baptism. For the Orthodox Church New Year the months of August and September provide a comparable setting of holy anticipation and celebration. In August we have the Dormition Fast, the great feasts of Holy Transfiguration and the Dormition of the Theotokos, and the feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. In September we have the great feasts of the Nativity of the Theotokos and the Elevation of the Holy Cross. These particular months certainly have a unique feeling as summer comes to end and a new school year begins, but again, it is the Church that truly brings life to this beautiful time of the year.

It is so easy to allow our senses and feelings to be governed by the more worldly sentimentalities of these seasons—but how aware are we of the holiness of these beautiful times of the year? As I myself experience a growing awareness of the Church year and her holy seasons, I hope to bring the beauty of this ecclesiastical fragrance to the sensibilities and future of this church—for it is truly life-giving!

Now at the dawn of the New Church Year, I may not be one to make “resolutions”, but I am always thankful for new beginnings! I believe each of us echoes this sentiment. As Orthodox Christians this is at the core of what we believe. In Holy Baptism and Chrismation, in Holy Confession and Communion we celebrate new beginnings in the salvific action and activity of the Church. When Jesus said from the Cross, “It is finished”, in terms of our salvation what we must also hear is, “It is begun!” And so it does begin, each new day, each moment, from the time of our God’s Passion, Death and Resurrection until today—as most beautifully expressed by St. Herman of Alaska: “For our good, for our happiness, at least let us give a vow to ourselves, that from this day, from this hour, from this minute we shall strive above all else to love God and to fulfill His Holy Will!”

St. John the Dwarf put into very plain terms the daily task set before us. It has nothing to do with how we may have succeeded or failed the day before or with worrying about what tomorrow may bring. “…get up early every day and acquire the beginning“, he says. And pay attention to what he does not say—that we need to be great at everything right now; no—only that we be consistent in seeking daily a beginning to all the virtues. St. Herman instructs us to make a “vow” with ourselves. What else is a vow but a resolution? As we proceed through the holy season of our Church’s New Year let us consider making some vows to ourselves: a commitment to daily prayer and scripture reading; being present when the Church gathers for worship (a maximum, not a minimum); a better preparation for Holy Communion and a more acute discernment of our readiness to approach the Holy Chalice; the daily practice of virtue; making our homes a godly refuge of love, joy and peace; keeping the fasts of the Church; giving attention to consistent physical activity and moral living; and being truly committed to growing in our awareness of and participation in all the seasons of our Church year. In the world the resolutions of January 1^st are a strong indication that people are usually ready to improve themselves. Let us make our vows, therefore, on September 1^st as well, as we ask God to forgive our sins of the year past and to bless us in the year to come (from the prayers of the Induction of the new liturgical year). And with thankfulness and sincerity let us be resolved to a daily commitment “above all else to love God and to fulfill His Holy Will!”

“Came then the men from the East, telling how the frontiers were closing one by one on the Christian idea. And how one by one the old missionary foundations were being destroyed while the idea of an earthly paradise took hold of the minds of men who needed it so desperately because they had so little time to enjoy it.”

The Shoes of the Fisherman by Morris West

I’m sure most of you are familiar with the expression, “The world seems to be going to hell in a hand basket.” I don’t know the origin of this saying but having heard it several times as of late I am pressed to give thought to what I’m sure we all would agree is a world in crisis. Examples of injustice, terror or moral depravity need not be cited here for each of us to be reminded of what a perilous place our world can be.

As I think about these things I am reminded of a striking passage from the Epistle of St. James, “What causes wars, and what causes fighting among you? Is it not your passions that are at war in your members? You desire and do not have; so you kill. And you covet and cannot obtain; so you fight and wage war. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Unfaithful creatures! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (4:1-4). If this is true then we must be ready to ask ourselves some very serious questions. What is it that I most treasure? Is the structure of my life built on the sole desire to fulfill the will of God? Are my soul, mind and strength set in pursuit of heavenly things? Am I thankful for my situation in life or is complaining a part of my daily routine? Am I really attending to the daily disciplines of a life of faith? Am I at all drawn to the true joy that comes from a life of sincere repentance or am I mostly drawn to the things which “the world” tells me will bring me satisfaction and pleasure? Have I ever given serious thought to what St. James wrote, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”

Morris West’s fictional character, His Holiness Kyril Lakota, often meditates on these very practical questions as he walks in “the shoes of the fisherman” as Pope and bishop of Rome. His story is set in a time of great world unrest similar to the time of the “Cold War”. Weapons of mass destruction were in the hands of a hungry world, putting mankind in great peril. Capitalism, communism, socialism, democracy, monarchy, dictatorship—all forms of social government were failing – ways which make ideological promises of happiness. China’s over-populated Marxist society was starving, Russia’s Communist society was crumbling from within, and the Capitalist West was adrift, growing wealthier and suffering from rapid moral decay. Men were looking for answers and they were desperate; a fictional world not much different from our own.

It is the “men looking for answers” that caught my attention, and the notion that man in general is still looking for that illusive “earthly paradise.” Whether obvious or subtle, what has really changed since the time of Babel when men sought to build a tower leading to heaven? The ideology of pleasure still rules the minds of so many, even to the extreme of Islamic suicide bombers who reportedly are “promised” a certain number of virgin women to enjoy in heaven should they give their life in serving the holy jihad.

This is a difficult climate in which to proclaim—and live—the Good News of Jesus Christ. In our own western society—which I believe we must be most concerned with—the ideologies of personal freedom, self-expression and the pursuit of material “happiness” often and clearly stand in direct conflict with the central Christian doctrine of joining ourselves to Christ as co-redeemers. While we must not reject the world outright there are many aspects of the world which must be viewed as anti-Christian. The ideologies of personal pleasure and self-indulgence have not created a thrifty class of spiritually motivated Christians who remember that the heaven we seek is not of this world.

I would discourage the negative view of the world as “going to hell in a hand basket.” There is so much joy in the life God intends for us. But we must never forget that heaven is not of this world, and that no system of government, personal freedom or carnal pleasure will ever satisfy our longing for “paradise.” The limited time we are given in this life is blessed for friendship with God; and when this is our pursuit we will find the one true paradise our hearts are seeking.