“None of these by itself … has a crucial significance in the spiritual makeup of contemporary man; but each one in its own way typifies the striving of men today to find a new spiritual path, distinct from the Christianity of yesterday, and the sum of them together reveals a frightening unity of purpose whose final end seems just now to be looming above the horizon.”
–Fr. Seraphim Rose
Categories: Fr. Seraphim of Platina · Seraphim Rose
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic theoria (vision) but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
And keeps going to the end.
1 Corinthians 13
Categories: Love
A REMINDER TO US THAT TRUE CHRISTIANITY IS A STRUGGLE
by Archbishop Averky (Taushev)
The Lord said: “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (St. Mark 8:34).
The Great Fast is a season of repentance; and repentance is that struggle to contend against sinful passions and lusts which is so difficult for man that the Lord, the Judge of the contest Himself, likened it to the bearing of a cross. We are vividly reminded of this at the very midpoint of the Great Fast, on the Sunday of the Adoration of the Cross. Just as the Lord bore the Cross for the sake of our salvation, so each of us must bear “his cross” in order to attain the salvation prepared for us by the Lord.
Without the cross, without struggle, there can be no salvation! This is what true Christianity teaches. The teaching on struggle, on the bearing of the cross, runs like a scarlet thread through all the Sacred Scriptures and all of the history of the Church; and the lives of those holy ones who were pleasing unto God, the spiritual athletes of Christian piety, clearly bear witness to this. The Great Fast is merely an annually repeated exercise in the bearing of one’s cross in this life, an exercise in spiritual struggle inseparably bound up with the entire life of the true Christian.
But now, in the twentieth century of the Christian era, “wise men” have appeared — “neo-Christians,” as some of them refer to themselves — who do not wish to hear of this. They preach a new sort of saccharine, sentimental, rosy-hued neo-Christian love and the unrestricted enjoyment of all the delights of this transitory earthly life. They totally ignore the innumerable passages in Holy Writ which forcefully and eloquently speak of spiritual struggles, of emulating Christ the Saviour in crucifying oneself, of the many sorrows which await the Christian in this life, beginning with the words which Christ the Saviour Himself addressed to His disciples at the Mystical Supper: “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (St. John 16:33). And this is because, as the Lord Himself explained, true Christians are not “of the world” (St. John 15:19), since “the whole world lieth in wickedness” (I John 5:19). This is why Christians must not love this world and “the things that are in the world” (I John 2:15); “the friendship of the world is enmity with God,” and “whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (St. James 4:4).
These modern “wise men” somehow fail to see the Word of God nowhere definitely promises Christians full spiritual satisfaction and paradisical blessedness in this earthly life, but quite the contrary emphasizes that life on earth will move further and further away from the Law of God; that, in respect to morality, men will fall lower and lower (see II Timothy 3:1-5); that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (II Timothy 3:12-13); and that, finally, “the earth also and the works therein shall be burned up” (II Peter 3:10). But there will appear “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (II Peter 3:13) — a wondrous “new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven” (Revelation 21:2), which was shown to John, the beholder of mysteries, during the revelation accorded him.
All of this is not to the liking of the “neo-Christians.” They want blessedness here in this world, burdened with its multitude of sins and iniquities; and the await this blessedness with impatience. They consider one of the surest ways of attaining it to be the “ecumenical movement,” the union and unification of all peoples in one new “church” which will comprise not only Roman Catholics and Protestants, but also Jews, Moslems and pagans, each retaining his own convictions and errors. This imaginary “Christian” love, in the name of the future blessedness of men on earth, cannot but trample upon the Truth.
The destruction of this earth with everything on it, although clearly foretold by the Word of God, is considered by them to be something indescribably horrible, as though it were not consistent with the omnipotence of God and, apparently, quite undesirable. They reluctantly admit the destruction of earth (for how can one not accept something prophesied in the Word of God?), but with the condition that it will take place in the far, far distant, mist-enshrouded future, not centuries, but millions of years from now. What is the reason for this? One might say, because they are weak of faith, or lacking entirely in faith in “the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come.” For them everything is in this earthly life, and when it ends for them, everything does. In a few of its points — especially in the expectation of the blessed life in this world — such a frame of mind closely resembles the widespread heresy of the first centuries of Christianity called “chiliasm.” This is the expectation of a thousand-year reign of Christ on earth; therefore the modern manifestation of this heresy may be termed “neo-chiliasm.”
One should be aware and keep in mind that chiliasm was condemned by the Second Ecumenical Council in the year 381; and therefore to believe in it now in the twentieth century, even in part, is quite unforgivable. Besides which, this contemporary “neo-chiliasm” is far worse than the ancient chiliastic heresy in that at its basis indubitably lies a disbelief in the “life of the age to come” and the passionate desire to attain blessedness here on earth, using all the improvements and achievements of the material progress of our times. This false teaching wreaks terrible harm, lulling to sleep the spiritual vigilance of the faithful and suggesting to them that the end of the world is far away (if in fact there will be an end?), and therefore there is no particular need to “watch and pray,” to which Christ the Saviour constantly called His followers (cf. St. Matthew 26:41), since everything in the world is gradually getting better and better, spiritual progress keeping step with materialism. And the terrible phenomena which we observe at the present time are all temporary; all has happened before, and all will ultimately pass away, and an extraordinary flourishing of Christianity will replace it, in which, of course, the ecumenists will occupy the principal and honored places.
Thus, everything is fine! It is not necessary to labor over oneself, and no spiritual struggle is required; the fasts may be abolished. Everything will get better all by itself, until the ‘Kingdom of God’ is finally established on earth with universal earthly satisfaction and blessedness.
Brethren! Is it not clear where the ultimate source of this alluring false teaching is found? Who suggests all these thoughts to contemporary Christians with the purpose of overthrowing all of Christianity? As an infectious plague, as fire, must we fear this “neo-chiliasm” which is so profoundly contrary to the teaching of the Word of God, the teaching of the Holy Fathers and all of the centuries-old teachings of our Holy Church, by which many, many thousands of the righteous have been saved.
Without spiritual struggle there is not, and cannot be true Christianity! Therefore, our path does not lie with all the modern movements, nor with ecumenists, nor with the new-chiliasts.
Our faith is the faith of the holy ascetics, “the apostolic faith, the faith of the Fathers, the Orthodox Faith” which, “hath made the whole world steadfast” (from the service for the Sunday of Orthodoxy). This faith and only this faith will we firmly adhere to in these evil days in which we now live. Amen.
Editor’s Note: The following was translated from Archbishop Averky: Sermons and Speeches, vol. III pp. 259-265, and appeared in Orthodox Life, vol. 31, No.2, pp. 23-25. It is included here because it concerns the true Christian attitude toward spiritual life and the future of the world, contrasting this with the false ideas and hopes found in today’s society. In addition, it offers testimony to Archbishop Averky’s pastoral zeal and Patristic outlook.
Categories: Archbishop Averky of Jordanville · Asceticism · Chiliasm · Fasting · Great Lent
St. Seraphim of Sarov’s Conversation With Nicholas Motovilov
A Wonderful Revelation to the World
“Prayer, fasting, vigil and all other Christian activities, however good they may be in themselves, do not constitute the aim of our Christian life, although they serve as the indispensable means of reaching this end. The true aim of our Christian life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God. As for fasts, and vigils, and prayer, and almsgiving, and every good deed done for Christ’s sake, they are only means of acquiring the Holy Spirit of God. But mark, my son, only the good deed done for Christ’s sake brings us the fruits of the Holy Spirit. All that is not done for Christ’s sake, even though it be good, brings neither reward in the future life nor the grace of God in this. That is why our Lord Jesus Christ said: He who gathers not with Me scatters (Luke 11:23). Not that a good deed can be called anything but gathering, since even though it is not done for Christ’s sake, yet it is good. Scripture says: In every nation he who fears God and works righteousness is acceptable to Him (Acts 10:35).
Read more here.
Categories: Almsgiving · Fasting · Holy Spirit · Prayer · St. Seraphim of Sarov
HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT PETER DAMASKENE
Damaskene numbers eight types of knowledge
For men of spiritual and divine background:
FIRST
The knowledge of sorrow and all temptations,
SECOND
The knowledge of the sum of one’s transgressions,
one’s transgressions and God’s forgiveness.
THIRD
The knowledge of horror, pain and fear,
Before death, in death and after separation,
when before the righteous judgement, the soul stands.
FOURTH
The knowledge of Christ, the Savior,
His life and all the saints,
Of the saints; their deeds, patience and words,
Which, like a silver bell resounds throughout the ages.
FIFTH
The knowledge of natural attributes,
Of physical phenomenon; variation and change.
SIXTH
The knowledge of forms and things,
Natural phantoms and all sensory beings.
SEVENTH
The knowledge of the world; rational and spiritual
The angelic world and the world of Hades; both good and evil.
EIGHTH
The knowledge of God,
The One, Holy, Mighty and Immortal.
This knowledge is called Theology
To it, few are rarely elevated;
The greatest purity, a theologian needs
For the impure heart, to heaven does not reach,
Damaskene, the seven elementary knowledges appropriates
And to the eighth, to the knowledge of God he reached.
And the eighth is given by God and by God bestowed,
This is neither learned nor deserved.
Categories: Peter Damascene · Philokalia · Prologue from Ochrid
Categories: Ancient Faith Radio · Mount Athos
Categories: Eastern Orthodox · Great Lent · Last Judgement
“For our God is a consuming fire”, (Heb. 12:29). The very fire which purifies gold, also consumes wood. Precious metals shine in it like the sun, rubbish burns with black smoke. All are in the same fire of Love. Some shine and others become black and dark. In the same furnace steel shines like the sun, whereas clay turns dark and is hardened like stone. The difference is in man, not in God.
Saint Peter the Damascene writes: “We all receive God’s blessings equally. But some of us, receiving God’s fire, that is, His word, become soft like beeswax, while the others like clay become hard as stone. And if we do not want Him, He does not force any of us, but like the sun He sends His rays and illuminates the whole world, and he who wants to see Him, sees Him, whereas the one who does not want to see Him, is not forced by Him. And no one is responsible for this privation of light except the one who does not want to have it. God created the sun and the eye. Man is free to receive the sun’s light or not. The same is true here. God sends the light of knowledge like rays to all, but He also gave us faith like an eye. The one who wants to receive knowledge through faith, keeps it by his works, and so God gives him more willingness, knowledge, and power” (Philokalia, vol. 3, p. 8).
“Do not deceive yourself,” says Saint Symeon the New Theologian, “God is fire and when He came into the world, and became man, He sent fire on the earth, as He Himself says; this fire turns about searching to find material — that is a disposition and an intention that is good — to fall into and to kindle; and for those in whom this fire will ignite, it becomes a great flame, which reaches Heaven…. this flame at first purifies us from the pollution of passions and then it becomes in us food and drink and light and joy, and renders us light ourselves because we participate in His light” (Discourse 78).
God is a loving fire, and He is a loving fire for all: good or bad. There is, however, a great difference in the way people receive this loving fire of God. Saint Basil says that “the sword of fire was placed at the gate of paradise to guard the approach to the tree of life; it was terrible and burning toward infidels, but kindly accessible toward the faithful, bringing to them the light of day.” The same loving fire brings the day to those who respond to love with love, and burns those who respond to love with hatred.
- excerpts from The River of Fire
Categories: Last Judgement · Patristic Theology · The River of Fire
As a flower withers and a dream passes away, so is each man’s flesh dissolved at death. But at the sound of the trump all the dead as in an earthquake shall rise up again to meet Thee, Christ our God. Then, Master, grant to all Thy servants whom Thou hast taken from us, that they may dwell for ever in the tabernacles of Thy saints.
Categories: Reposed
Categories: Apocalypse · Fr. Seraphim of Platina · Hieromonk Seraphim of Platina
