Verse for the day: I Corinthians 16: 13, 14
Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.
Reflection:
St Paul is reminding the church in Corinth to be on their guard spiritually. He wanted them to wake up, to pay attention to their spiritual lives and their knowledge and devotion to God. Their lack of spiritual watchfulness was the foundation of the Corinthian church’s sinful condition. Most of the time spiritual indifference and spiritual ignorance are the root problems in our lives. This Lent, we need more than merely changing our behavior. We must be on our guard, with a focused awareness of His care and protection and His love for us as His children.
We live in a culture in which truth is regarded as relative. Our society waffles at the concept of objective, unyielding spiritual truth. It is dedicated to spiritual and ethical pluralism. If we are to be the witnesses God wants us to be, and if we are to have the relationship with God that He wants for us, then we must follow Paul’s admonition to stand firm in the faith. It is when we live out the Gospel of Christ in our daily lives, through the discipline of prayer, fasting and almsgiving that we become more Christ like. God wants us, in the midst of our spiritual watchfulness and our commitment to stand firm in the truth of the faith, to act courageously as Christians. To be men of courage spiritually would be unpopular, perhaps even unacceptable, behavior in society. It could mean loss of stature in with our peers, perhaps loss of jobs and economic opportunities, and loss of friends.
We are in this world to achieve the standard that God has set. Spiritual maturity demands courageous application of the truth, unfettered support of what we know is spiritually true and the standards that are true, and bold opposition to what we know is false. This maturity comes through our indulgence in the fast rigorously. God showers His grace and strength on us when we give ourselves completely to God’s will. We cannot do anything by our own strength, only by God’s might and support. We need to submit to the strengthening power and work of our Savior. When we submit ourselves to God, He fulfills His promise to strengthen us. And what is the strength He gives us? It is the strength to stand firm in spiritual knowledge and truth and to courageously apply spiritual truths in our lives. Today, we must stand firm in spiritual knowledge and truth and apply them with courage. Our part is to be on guard, to recognize and know what is spiritually right and wrong, and to act with courage. God’s part is to strengthen us.
Christ likeness is the solution to our problems as individuals and as a church. Do everything in love, incorporates the Christian’s life of serving God unreservedly and putting others above ourselves. Applying this principle of love for Christ and love for each other meant a radically different church, sold out to Christ and untainted by the world. Our goal is to be like Christ!
Prayer:
Help us, Lord, with the grace of your Holy Spirit to be witnesses for Jesus Christ through our lives, our words and the opportunities you set before us each day. Amen.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
"In Silence Our Hearts Becomes Attentive To The Voice Of God"
“Be still and know that I am God!” is the first part of Psalm 46:10. The command to “be still” comes from the stem of the verb (רפה) rapha (meaning to be weak, to let go, to release), which might better be translated as, “cause yourselves to let go” or “let yourselves become weak.” But to what end are we to “be still,” “let go,” “surrender,” and even to “die to ourselves?” We surrender in order to know that God is in control as Ribbono Shel Olam – the Master of the Universe. We “let go” in order to objectively know the saving power of God in our lives. We give up trusting in ourselves and our own designs in order to experience the glory of God’s all-sufficiency (Exodus 14:14). Christ teaches us in the Gospel of Matthew, “when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father Who is in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you. And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask them.”(St. Matthew 6: 6-8). In this short article I want to focus on silence in two areas. First, silence as part of one’s prayer life and second, silence in relationship to one’s liturgical life.
Metropolitan Hilarion says; “It is not out of words that prayer is born: prayer is not merely the sum of our requests addressed to God. Before being pronounced, prayer must be heard within one’s heart. All true masterpieces of music and poetry were not simply composed out of disconnected letters or sounds: they were first born in the depths of their authors’ heart, and were then incarnate in words or musical tones. Prayer is also creative work, born out of a deep stillness, out of concentrated and devoted silence. Before embarking upon the path of prayer, one must inwardly fall silent and renounce human words and thoughts.” In prayer we encounter the personal God Who hears us and responds to us, Who is always ready to come to our assistance, Who never betrays us, even if we betray Him many times. We know God only through an intimate relationship with Him. That does not come from knowing about God, but rather getting to personally know Him by what He says in His Holy Word, the Bible, recognizing the things He does in our lives, and by way of His Holy Spirit who comes to guide and comfort us. Saint Isaac of Nineveh said, “More than all things love silence: it brings you a fruit that tongue cannot describe. In the beginning we have to force ourselves to be silent. But then there is born something that draws us to silence. May God give you an experience of this “something” that is born of silence. If only you practice this, untold light will dawn on you in consequence . . . after a while a certain sweetness is born in the heart of this exercise and the body is drawn almost by force to remain in silence.” It is in the womb of silence that we can grow ideas for the best course of action to take. Abba Joseph said to Abba Nisterus, “What should I do about my tongue, for I cannot control it?” The old man said to him, “When you speak, do you find peace?” He replied, “No.” The old man said, “If you do not find peace, why do you speak? Be silent and when a conversation takes place, it is better to listen than to speak.”
St. John of the Cross wrote, “The Father spoke one word from all eternity and he spoke it in silence, and it is in silence that we hear it.” This suggests that silence is God’s first language. One of the problems we have in our society today is that we don’t value silence. Our lives now tend to be so busy that we have become accustomed to a constant barrage of tasks, inputs, and general noise. It’s not just an American thing; it’s a global phenomenon. Silence often makes us feel uncomfortable in our personal relationships. We always believe we should be saying something so as to avoid that “awkward moment of silence.” Sometimes we talk constantly because forcing conversation means we won’t be required to confront other issues in our relationships.
When did we begin to believe that moments of silence in our lives are a bad thing? When did we begin to believe that silence was good for monks, but not applicable to the lives of everyday folks? Silence is of particular importance for us Christians and our spirituality. Silence is probably the most important aspect of our spiritual lives. Silence is our admission that we are in communication with God, willing to listen. In our prayer life we are often so busy asking God for things, thanking Him for things, or praising Him, we forget that He wants to say something to us, too. We think that prayer means we must say something, but a prayer relationship with God is a dialogue, a conversation. We talk to Him, but we need to listen, too. We frequently are so busy talking to God that we forget to listen…sometimes we should just be quiet and let Him do the talking.
The purity of silence before God is profound. It is the most difficult, yet the most rewarding form of prayer. Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia says: “To achieve silence: this is of all things the hardest and the most decisive in the art of prayer. Silence is not merely negative — a pause between words, a temporary cessation of speech — but, properly understood, it is highly positive: and attitude of attentive alertness, of vigilance, and above all of listening.” It’s much easier to read prayers, or to try and pray extemporaneously. The ability to be silent is almost trained out of us by today’s society. Silence has a significant part to play in the spirituality of Orthodox Christian Churches. Silent prayer or contemplative prayer must be taught. It’s not something we ordinarily would naturally do. It must also be practiced. Like any other relationship, silence with God takes some work and time. We cannot expect to just sit or kneel and be quiet for a little bit and all of a sudden have amazing moments of insight and a quick connection with God. It takes learning some personal control and techniques that will facilitate the experience.
Silent prayer also takes commitment. It is not something that you can do one day and then pick up a few days later. You must work at it daily for it to be effective in your prayer life. The best way would be to set aside a specific period in the day when you will choose to pray in silence and stick to that if possible. Focus on the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Say it over and over until you find that you are praying it without saying it. Saying the Jesus Prayer does not disturb your inner silence, but rather it sustains and nourishes it.
Silence is not only a question for our personal prayer lives, but also for our liturgical experiences as well. We do not often consider the importance of silence in the liturgy, but it is a very key consideration. Since the word “liturgy” comes from a Greek word “leitourgia” which means “public work” and has also been translated as “people’s work,” it seems logical that liturgy should be busy, full of people working; and it is. The congregation has their part, the priest has his part, and it builds from the beginning with something constantly happening. You may ask how anyone can experience any silence at all with all that is going on. That is one of the beautiful characteristics of the liturgy. Even though there is usually something happening all the time, there are moments where we can all experience a bit of silence. In fact, the celebrant is often engaged in prayers silently during the Holy Qurbono. Silent prayer in one’s private prayer life and silence in the liturgy can be, and often are, two different things. They should be appreciated and experienced as such.
For an Orthodox Christian the Liturgy is ‘Heaven on Earth’ and as one participates in the Eucharistic liturgy one experiences a profound peace; a true silence in the soul. In silence, we journey toward God, becoming aware of His presence, leaving behind all the cares of this world. In silence we prepare the gifts, and encounter God in communion. The beauty of the Holy Qurbono is that it lifts us up out of our narrow sphere and lets us have a glimpse of the glory of God.
The Eucharistic liturgy allows us to participate in that greater world that is God’s Kingdom. And what do you do when you come before a king? You become silent. That is why we hear in the divine liturgy the deacon asking the congregation at various times to attend in silence and reverence, to stand well and in awe at the Liturgy. During the Liturgy, we need to be able to “tune out” everything else that is going on and feel as though it’s just us alone with Christ in this Holy Mystery. If we choose to experience silence in the liturgy, it provides a profound spiritual connection with Christ that will grow in us.
Silence is the perfect statement of faith. It is the perfect prayer. Silence allows a connection to God beyond what words can express. It is a special gift to us if we will only cultivate it and use it. Silence allows us to allow God to reach out to us and hold us in His arms. Silence is that perfect path to peace in Him. “For God is silence, and in silence is he sung by means of that psalmody which is worthy of Him. I am not speaking of the silence of the tongue, for if someone merely keeps his tongue silent, without knowing how to sing in mind and spirit, then he is simply unoccupied and becomes filled with evil thoughts: … There is a silence of the tongue, there is a silence of the whole body, there is a silence of the soul, there is the silence of the mind, and there is the silence of the spirit.” It is in profound silence that we truly experience God and it is in silence that our hearts become attentive to the voice of God.
Metropolitan Hilarion says; “It is not out of words that prayer is born: prayer is not merely the sum of our requests addressed to God. Before being pronounced, prayer must be heard within one’s heart. All true masterpieces of music and poetry were not simply composed out of disconnected letters or sounds: they were first born in the depths of their authors’ heart, and were then incarnate in words or musical tones. Prayer is also creative work, born out of a deep stillness, out of concentrated and devoted silence. Before embarking upon the path of prayer, one must inwardly fall silent and renounce human words and thoughts.” In prayer we encounter the personal God Who hears us and responds to us, Who is always ready to come to our assistance, Who never betrays us, even if we betray Him many times. We know God only through an intimate relationship with Him. That does not come from knowing about God, but rather getting to personally know Him by what He says in His Holy Word, the Bible, recognizing the things He does in our lives, and by way of His Holy Spirit who comes to guide and comfort us. Saint Isaac of Nineveh said, “More than all things love silence: it brings you a fruit that tongue cannot describe. In the beginning we have to force ourselves to be silent. But then there is born something that draws us to silence. May God give you an experience of this “something” that is born of silence. If only you practice this, untold light will dawn on you in consequence . . . after a while a certain sweetness is born in the heart of this exercise and the body is drawn almost by force to remain in silence.” It is in the womb of silence that we can grow ideas for the best course of action to take. Abba Joseph said to Abba Nisterus, “What should I do about my tongue, for I cannot control it?” The old man said to him, “When you speak, do you find peace?” He replied, “No.” The old man said, “If you do not find peace, why do you speak? Be silent and when a conversation takes place, it is better to listen than to speak.”
St. John of the Cross wrote, “The Father spoke one word from all eternity and he spoke it in silence, and it is in silence that we hear it.” This suggests that silence is God’s first language. One of the problems we have in our society today is that we don’t value silence. Our lives now tend to be so busy that we have become accustomed to a constant barrage of tasks, inputs, and general noise. It’s not just an American thing; it’s a global phenomenon. Silence often makes us feel uncomfortable in our personal relationships. We always believe we should be saying something so as to avoid that “awkward moment of silence.” Sometimes we talk constantly because forcing conversation means we won’t be required to confront other issues in our relationships.
When did we begin to believe that moments of silence in our lives are a bad thing? When did we begin to believe that silence was good for monks, but not applicable to the lives of everyday folks? Silence is of particular importance for us Christians and our spirituality. Silence is probably the most important aspect of our spiritual lives. Silence is our admission that we are in communication with God, willing to listen. In our prayer life we are often so busy asking God for things, thanking Him for things, or praising Him, we forget that He wants to say something to us, too. We think that prayer means we must say something, but a prayer relationship with God is a dialogue, a conversation. We talk to Him, but we need to listen, too. We frequently are so busy talking to God that we forget to listen…sometimes we should just be quiet and let Him do the talking.
The purity of silence before God is profound. It is the most difficult, yet the most rewarding form of prayer. Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia says: “To achieve silence: this is of all things the hardest and the most decisive in the art of prayer. Silence is not merely negative — a pause between words, a temporary cessation of speech — but, properly understood, it is highly positive: and attitude of attentive alertness, of vigilance, and above all of listening.” It’s much easier to read prayers, or to try and pray extemporaneously. The ability to be silent is almost trained out of us by today’s society. Silence has a significant part to play in the spirituality of Orthodox Christian Churches. Silent prayer or contemplative prayer must be taught. It’s not something we ordinarily would naturally do. It must also be practiced. Like any other relationship, silence with God takes some work and time. We cannot expect to just sit or kneel and be quiet for a little bit and all of a sudden have amazing moments of insight and a quick connection with God. It takes learning some personal control and techniques that will facilitate the experience.
Silent prayer also takes commitment. It is not something that you can do one day and then pick up a few days later. You must work at it daily for it to be effective in your prayer life. The best way would be to set aside a specific period in the day when you will choose to pray in silence and stick to that if possible. Focus on the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Say it over and over until you find that you are praying it without saying it. Saying the Jesus Prayer does not disturb your inner silence, but rather it sustains and nourishes it.
Silence is not only a question for our personal prayer lives, but also for our liturgical experiences as well. We do not often consider the importance of silence in the liturgy, but it is a very key consideration. Since the word “liturgy” comes from a Greek word “leitourgia” which means “public work” and has also been translated as “people’s work,” it seems logical that liturgy should be busy, full of people working; and it is. The congregation has their part, the priest has his part, and it builds from the beginning with something constantly happening. You may ask how anyone can experience any silence at all with all that is going on. That is one of the beautiful characteristics of the liturgy. Even though there is usually something happening all the time, there are moments where we can all experience a bit of silence. In fact, the celebrant is often engaged in prayers silently during the Holy Qurbono. Silent prayer in one’s private prayer life and silence in the liturgy can be, and often are, two different things. They should be appreciated and experienced as such.
For an Orthodox Christian the Liturgy is ‘Heaven on Earth’ and as one participates in the Eucharistic liturgy one experiences a profound peace; a true silence in the soul. In silence, we journey toward God, becoming aware of His presence, leaving behind all the cares of this world. In silence we prepare the gifts, and encounter God in communion. The beauty of the Holy Qurbono is that it lifts us up out of our narrow sphere and lets us have a glimpse of the glory of God.
The Eucharistic liturgy allows us to participate in that greater world that is God’s Kingdom. And what do you do when you come before a king? You become silent. That is why we hear in the divine liturgy the deacon asking the congregation at various times to attend in silence and reverence, to stand well and in awe at the Liturgy. During the Liturgy, we need to be able to “tune out” everything else that is going on and feel as though it’s just us alone with Christ in this Holy Mystery. If we choose to experience silence in the liturgy, it provides a profound spiritual connection with Christ that will grow in us.
Silence is the perfect statement of faith. It is the perfect prayer. Silence allows a connection to God beyond what words can express. It is a special gift to us if we will only cultivate it and use it. Silence allows us to allow God to reach out to us and hold us in His arms. Silence is that perfect path to peace in Him. “For God is silence, and in silence is he sung by means of that psalmody which is worthy of Him. I am not speaking of the silence of the tongue, for if someone merely keeps his tongue silent, without knowing how to sing in mind and spirit, then he is simply unoccupied and becomes filled with evil thoughts: … There is a silence of the tongue, there is a silence of the whole body, there is a silence of the soul, there is the silence of the mind, and there is the silence of the spirit.” It is in profound silence that we truly experience God and it is in silence that our hearts become attentive to the voice of God.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Facing Your Everyday Battles
CHOSEN BY GOD
God’s Training Method
Solitude – Alone with his father’s sheep
Obscurity – Not a prominent son
Monotony – Enjoyed his simple life
Reality – God became real everyday
Qualities God Saw in David
Spirituality – Active Faith
Humility – Serene Patience
Integrity - Zeal
“Man After God's Own Heart”
Loved the Word of God
Loved Prayer
Loved Praise
Loved Unity
Battle Belongs to the Lord
The Battle is the Lord’s
David had impossible odds against Goliath
David says "No, it will not be me fighting. God will defeat him."
“You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD (Exodus 14:13)
Dealing with Our Problems
Do you try to tackle your problems alone or with God?
You need to strengthen yourself in the LORD
Peter once walked on water, and then began to sink, and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt. 14:31)
David Sins Against the Lord
The Sin of David
David was needed in the battle but he stayed home from this battle
David saw Bathsheba and lusted after her
David used his position as king to get whatever he wanted
David tried to cover up his sin
David made sure Uriah was killed in battle
Nathan's Rebuke
David's Repentance
Falling upon the mercy of God
Acknowledging of sin
Recognizing God as your only hope
Prayer for cleansing
David's Prayer - Psalm 51
Prayer for change
Prayer for restoration
Prayer for deliverance
Repentance/Confession
Repentance/Confession is a heartfelt recognition of what we are. It is important to God because it indicates that we take seriously our mistakes and failures. Of course, God does not ask us to confess our sins because He needs to know we have sinned, but because He knows that WE need to know we have sinned.
Repentance/Confession is a type of spiritual surgery, “Repentance works healing to the wound incurred in the heart. Just as the surgeon bursts a wound to permit the infection to drain and to heal from the inside, so confession opens the sore, drains the poison, and heals from within.”
God in Our Heart & Soul
Three Effects of the Life of God in the Soul
A New Relationship
A New Leadership
A New Freedom
Final Thoughts
“The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime.”
Questions for Discussion:
1. How do you deal with the stress and strains of daily life?
2. Do you feel that you are tempted to go after what belongs to somebody else?
3. What are the key lessons you learn from David's life?
God’s Training Method
Solitude – Alone with his father’s sheep
Obscurity – Not a prominent son
Monotony – Enjoyed his simple life
Reality – God became real everyday
Qualities God Saw in David
Spirituality – Active Faith
Humility – Serene Patience
Integrity - Zeal
“Man After God's Own Heart”
Loved the Word of God
Loved Prayer
Loved Praise
Loved Unity
Battle Belongs to the Lord
The Battle is the Lord’s
David had impossible odds against Goliath
David says "No, it will not be me fighting. God will defeat him."
“You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD (Exodus 14:13)
Dealing with Our Problems
Do you try to tackle your problems alone or with God?
You need to strengthen yourself in the LORD
Peter once walked on water, and then began to sink, and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt. 14:31)
David Sins Against the Lord
The Sin of David
David was needed in the battle but he stayed home from this battle
David saw Bathsheba and lusted after her
David used his position as king to get whatever he wanted
David tried to cover up his sin
David made sure Uriah was killed in battle
Nathan's Rebuke
David's Repentance
Falling upon the mercy of God
Acknowledging of sin
Recognizing God as your only hope
Prayer for cleansing
David's Prayer - Psalm 51
Prayer for change
Prayer for restoration
Prayer for deliverance
Repentance/Confession
Repentance/Confession is a heartfelt recognition of what we are. It is important to God because it indicates that we take seriously our mistakes and failures. Of course, God does not ask us to confess our sins because He needs to know we have sinned, but because He knows that WE need to know we have sinned.
Repentance/Confession is a type of spiritual surgery, “Repentance works healing to the wound incurred in the heart. Just as the surgeon bursts a wound to permit the infection to drain and to heal from the inside, so confession opens the sore, drains the poison, and heals from within.”
God in Our Heart & Soul
Three Effects of the Life of God in the Soul
A New Relationship
A New Leadership
A New Freedom
Final Thoughts
“The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime.”
Questions for Discussion:
1. How do you deal with the stress and strains of daily life?
2. Do you feel that you are tempted to go after what belongs to somebody else?
3. What are the key lessons you learn from David's life?
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
OVERCOMING LIFE’S CHALLENGES: Lessons from the Life of Joseph
Joseph – “God adds"
• Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son. Jacob made a coat of many colors for him.
• His brothers hated him for this reason and would not even talk to him.
• Joseph was rather naive to tell his dreams to his brothers about his future supremacy and their submission to him.
• So, when the opportunity came at Dothan, they planned to kill Joseph. But Rueben tried to rescue him by persuading his other brothers not to kill him.
• His brothers sold Joseph to the caravan of Ishmaelite going to Egypt.
Joseph at the Potiphar’s House: II – Genesis 39:1-20
• He was a good administrator.
• Faithful servant
• Fair and handsome (Gen 39:6)
• God was with him and made him successful.
• God blessed his master through him. (Gen 39:2)
• Potiphar, his master had entrusted him with charge of all of his house affairs.
Temptation of Joseph:
• He was young and handsome. He was the head of the house. None would have known if he had given in to the temptation of the Potiphar’s wife.
• He feared God. (Gen 39:9)
• He tried to resist her as much as he could, but when time came he had to flee from the place.
• Due to false accusation of Potiphar’s wife, he was cast into prison. (Gen 39:20)
Joseph in the Prison: III – Genesis 39:20 – 41:37
• One could ask, why did God not rescue him from his troubles? But God’s plan and purpose are higher than ours.
• The Lord blessed Joseph in all his work. The Jailer gave him charge of all the other prisoners.
• In prison, he helped the chief butler (cup-bearer) to restore his position in Pharaoh’s office. But the cupbearer forgot his promise to mention about Joseph’s innocence to the Pharaoh.
• After two years, when Pharaoh had two dreams, the cupbearer remembered Joseph and his skills to interpret dreams.
• So when Joseph was brought to Pharaoh, he interpreted dreams about seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.
• He suggested the preparation for the famine by storing food during the good harvest years.
Joseph: The Chief Minister (Governor) of Egypt: IV – Genesis 41:41-56
• The Pharaoh liked his proposal. And he made Joseph the Head of state to implement his plans for upcoming famine.
• He was given Egyptian name and was married to Egyptian priest’s daughter. God made him highly influential in Egypt.
• His wisdom and planning saved lives of people from not only Egypt but many other nations.
Joseph’s Life: The Unusual Family Reunion: V – Genesis 42-50
• The famine brought all people from different nations to Egypt for help, including his brothers from Israel.
• They could not recognize him, but he knew them. He remembered the dream he had, when he was a young boy.
• Joseph, after testing them in different ways, made himself known. (Gen 45:1-15)
• He forgave them and persuaded them to settle in Egypt with their father, Jacob.
• Joseph lived for 110 years. (Gen 50:26)
Lessons from Life of Joseph:
• God’s plans and purpose are greater and better than ours
• God’s providence and favor to the righteous
• Suffering to God’s people is not always bad
• Self control, patience and perseverance in the time of troubles
• Honesty, strong work ethics
• Fear of God and Faithfulness to God
FOCUS AND PERSONAL QUESTIONS
Focus Questions
1. What are the most interesting moments in Joseph’s story?
2. What were Joseph’s best qualities? What made him stand out from the rest?
3. What obstacles did Joseph face? Did he overcome them, or go with the flow? Explain.
4. How did Joseph use his abilities to do God’s work?
5. Which part of the story appeals to you the most? Why?
6. How is the story relevant to life around you?
Please include three short quotations from the Bible texts to illustrate the points you are making.
Personal Questions
1. Have you ever felt unloved by friends and family? How did you cope with it?
2. Have you had to compromise your values and morals due to peer pressure?
3. Can you think of moments when you have used your talents to help others?
4. If you are away from family for school or work, how do you accustom yourself to life in a new place?
Joseph’ life: I - Genesis 37: 1-4
• Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son. Jacob made a coat of many colors for him.
• His brothers hated him for this reason and would not even talk to him.
• Joseph was rather naive to tell his dreams to his brothers about his future supremacy and their submission to him.
• So, when the opportunity came at Dothan, they planned to kill Joseph. But Rueben tried to rescue him by persuading his other brothers not to kill him.
• His brothers sold Joseph to the caravan of Ishmaelite going to Egypt.
Joseph at the Potiphar’s House: II – Genesis 39:1-20
• He was a good administrator.
• Faithful servant
• Fair and handsome (Gen 39:6)
• God was with him and made him successful.
• God blessed his master through him. (Gen 39:2)
• Potiphar, his master had entrusted him with charge of all of his house affairs.
Temptation of Joseph:
• He was young and handsome. He was the head of the house. None would have known if he had given in to the temptation of the Potiphar’s wife.
• He feared God. (Gen 39:9)
• He tried to resist her as much as he could, but when time came he had to flee from the place.
• Due to false accusation of Potiphar’s wife, he was cast into prison. (Gen 39:20)
Joseph in the Prison: III – Genesis 39:20 – 41:37
• One could ask, why did God not rescue him from his troubles? But God’s plan and purpose are higher than ours.
• The Lord blessed Joseph in all his work. The Jailer gave him charge of all the other prisoners.
• In prison, he helped the chief butler (cup-bearer) to restore his position in Pharaoh’s office. But the cupbearer forgot his promise to mention about Joseph’s innocence to the Pharaoh.
• After two years, when Pharaoh had two dreams, the cupbearer remembered Joseph and his skills to interpret dreams.
• So when Joseph was brought to Pharaoh, he interpreted dreams about seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.
• He suggested the preparation for the famine by storing food during the good harvest years.
Joseph: The Chief Minister (Governor) of Egypt: IV – Genesis 41:41-56
• The Pharaoh liked his proposal. And he made Joseph the Head of state to implement his plans for upcoming famine.
• He was given Egyptian name and was married to Egyptian priest’s daughter. God made him highly influential in Egypt.
• His wisdom and planning saved lives of people from not only Egypt but many other nations.
Joseph’s Life: The Unusual Family Reunion: V – Genesis 42-50
• The famine brought all people from different nations to Egypt for help, including his brothers from Israel.
• They could not recognize him, but he knew them. He remembered the dream he had, when he was a young boy.
• Joseph, after testing them in different ways, made himself known. (Gen 45:1-15)
• He forgave them and persuaded them to settle in Egypt with their father, Jacob.
• Joseph lived for 110 years. (Gen 50:26)
Lessons from Life of Joseph:
• God’s plans and purpose are greater and better than ours
• God’s providence and favor to the righteous
• Suffering to God’s people is not always bad
• Self control, patience and perseverance in the time of troubles
• Honesty, strong work ethics
• Fear of God and Faithfulness to God
FOCUS AND PERSONAL QUESTIONS
Focus Questions
1. What are the most interesting moments in Joseph’s story?
2. What were Joseph’s best qualities? What made him stand out from the rest?
3. What obstacles did Joseph face? Did he overcome them, or go with the flow? Explain.
4. How did Joseph use his abilities to do God’s work?
5. Which part of the story appeals to you the most? Why?
6. How is the story relevant to life around you?
Please include three short quotations from the Bible texts to illustrate the points you are making.
Personal Questions
1. Have you ever felt unloved by friends and family? How did you cope with it?
2. Have you had to compromise your values and morals due to peer pressure?
3. Can you think of moments when you have used your talents to help others?
4. If you are away from family for school or work, how do you accustom yourself to life in a new place?
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Great Lent: ‘Restore Me To The Paradise From Which I Departed’
The center of the liturgical year in the Orthodox Church is Kymtho, the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. It is extolled in the services as the Feast of feasts and Triumph of triumphs. Justifiably so, for as the Apostle Paul declares, if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain (I Cor. 15:14). The sense of resurrection joy forms the foundation of all the worship of the Orthodox Church; it is the one and only basis for our Christian life and hope. Through His redeeming Passion, Christ freed us from the tyranny of death and opened for us the door to Paradise and eternal life. This is the goal of our life-long spiritual journey, a journey from death to life, from darkness to light – a restoration to paradise from which we have departed. It is a long journey and we travelers get weary; we get distracted and wander off or even lose sight of the road. To help keep us focused, the Church every year compresses for us this journey as it prepares us to greet the Feast of Christ’s Resurrection. This preparatory time is the joyous period of Great Lent. Without this preparation, without this expectant waiting, the deeper meaning of the Easter celebration will be lost.
The primary aim of fasting is to make us conscious of our dependence upon God. It is to lead us to a sense of inward brokenness and contrition; to bring to us, that is, to the point where we appreciate the full force of Christ's statement, `Without Me you can do nothing’ (John 15:5). During the Great Lent, we have to strip ourselves from the specious assurance of the Pharisee who fasted, it is true, but not in the right spirit. Lenten abstinence gives us the saving self- dissatisfaction of the Publican (Luke 18:10-13). Such is the function of the hunger and the tiredness: to make us `poor in spirit', aware of our helplessness and of our dependence on God’s aid. Abstinence leads to a sense of lightness, wakefulness, freedom and joy.
Lent is a time of joy. It is a time when we come back to life. It is a time when we shake off what is bad and dead in us in order to become able to live, to live with all the vastness, all the depth, and all the intensity to which we are called. We are at the threshold of the Great Lent. We have to believe the power of fasting as it relates to prayer is the spiritual weapon that our Lord has given us to destroy the strongholds of evil. Fasting might seem hard, but with each passing day, God’s call will grow stronger and clearer. Finally, we will be convinced that God has called us to fast, and He would not make such a call without a specific reason or purpose. With this conviction, enter the Great Lent with excitement and expectancy mounting in our hearts, praying, Lord, “I have walked away from You and Your precepts. But now I return, merciful Lord, and cry to You: I have sinned.”
As we begin to fast, our confidence in the Lord will help us. The longer we fast, the more we sense the presence of the Lord. The Holy Spirit refreshes our soul and spirit, and we experience the joy of the Lord as seldom before. Biblical truths leap at us from the pages of God’s Word. Our faith soars as we humble ourselves and cries out to God and rejoices in His presence. Fasting calls on the Holy Spirit and brings us to repentance, prayer and almsgiving. We need to revive our commitment to fasting and prayer and the rest of the Church will respond to this call. Spent time in reading God’s word and make your time with the Lord more spiritually rewarding. There is no point in fasting and prayer until it equips you for spiritual awakening. Hope this Great Lent will not slip by without having made a genuine effort to prepare ourselves for the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior. “Let us set out with joy upon the season of the Fast, and prepare ourselves for spiritual combat. Let us purify our soul and cleanse our flesh; and as we fast from food, let us abstain also from every passion. Rejoicing in the virtues of the Spirit may we persevere with love, and so be counted worthy to see the solemn Passion of Christ our God, and with great spiritual gladness to behold His holy Passover.”
The whole journey into the Resurrection can become our own if we are able to stand in examination of our lives, see how far we have brought ourselves from the life God intends for us, and then long, truly long to return to our true home, to paradise. We must turn with tears toward the home from which we have sinfully departed and resolutely start our journey back, begging God’s forgiveness in our return. True repentance begins with the acknowledgement of self-imposed exile. Such knowledge pains us, but it is a pain that leads to action, and action that leads to reform. And as Christ re-forms us into His heavenly life, we begin truly to live. Apart from God, there is nothing. We have each experienced this ‘nothing,’ for we have each turned from God. But now, as we prepare to enter into Great Lent, we long for the great ‘something’ that is God’s love and sanctification. Begging His mercy we strive for true repentance, that we may receive His salvation in all joy.
“Behold, O Christ, the affliction of my heart; behold my turning back; behold my tears, O Savior, and despise me not. But embrace me once again in Your compassion and count me with the multitude of the saved, that with thanksgiving I may sing the praises of Your mercy.” I end with the words of Ephrem the Syrian from his hymn ‘On Fasting’: “This is the fast of the First Born, the first of His victories. Let us rejoice in His coming; for in fasting He has overcome. Though He could have overcome by any means, He revealed for us the strength hidden in fasting, Overcomer of All. For by means of it a man can overcome that one who with fruit overcame Adam; He became greedy and gobbled it. Blessed is the First-Born who encompassed our weakness with the wall of His great fasting. Blessed is the King who adorned the Holy Church with Fasting, Prayer and Vigil.”
Rahaim ‘layn aloho abo aheed kool ethraham ‘layn.
The primary aim of fasting is to make us conscious of our dependence upon God. It is to lead us to a sense of inward brokenness and contrition; to bring to us, that is, to the point where we appreciate the full force of Christ's statement, `Without Me you can do nothing’ (John 15:5). During the Great Lent, we have to strip ourselves from the specious assurance of the Pharisee who fasted, it is true, but not in the right spirit. Lenten abstinence gives us the saving self- dissatisfaction of the Publican (Luke 18:10-13). Such is the function of the hunger and the tiredness: to make us `poor in spirit', aware of our helplessness and of our dependence on God’s aid. Abstinence leads to a sense of lightness, wakefulness, freedom and joy.
Lent is a time of joy. It is a time when we come back to life. It is a time when we shake off what is bad and dead in us in order to become able to live, to live with all the vastness, all the depth, and all the intensity to which we are called. We are at the threshold of the Great Lent. We have to believe the power of fasting as it relates to prayer is the spiritual weapon that our Lord has given us to destroy the strongholds of evil. Fasting might seem hard, but with each passing day, God’s call will grow stronger and clearer. Finally, we will be convinced that God has called us to fast, and He would not make such a call without a specific reason or purpose. With this conviction, enter the Great Lent with excitement and expectancy mounting in our hearts, praying, Lord, “I have walked away from You and Your precepts. But now I return, merciful Lord, and cry to You: I have sinned.”
As we begin to fast, our confidence in the Lord will help us. The longer we fast, the more we sense the presence of the Lord. The Holy Spirit refreshes our soul and spirit, and we experience the joy of the Lord as seldom before. Biblical truths leap at us from the pages of God’s Word. Our faith soars as we humble ourselves and cries out to God and rejoices in His presence. Fasting calls on the Holy Spirit and brings us to repentance, prayer and almsgiving. We need to revive our commitment to fasting and prayer and the rest of the Church will respond to this call. Spent time in reading God’s word and make your time with the Lord more spiritually rewarding. There is no point in fasting and prayer until it equips you for spiritual awakening. Hope this Great Lent will not slip by without having made a genuine effort to prepare ourselves for the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior. “Let us set out with joy upon the season of the Fast, and prepare ourselves for spiritual combat. Let us purify our soul and cleanse our flesh; and as we fast from food, let us abstain also from every passion. Rejoicing in the virtues of the Spirit may we persevere with love, and so be counted worthy to see the solemn Passion of Christ our God, and with great spiritual gladness to behold His holy Passover.”
The whole journey into the Resurrection can become our own if we are able to stand in examination of our lives, see how far we have brought ourselves from the life God intends for us, and then long, truly long to return to our true home, to paradise. We must turn with tears toward the home from which we have sinfully departed and resolutely start our journey back, begging God’s forgiveness in our return. True repentance begins with the acknowledgement of self-imposed exile. Such knowledge pains us, but it is a pain that leads to action, and action that leads to reform. And as Christ re-forms us into His heavenly life, we begin truly to live. Apart from God, there is nothing. We have each experienced this ‘nothing,’ for we have each turned from God. But now, as we prepare to enter into Great Lent, we long for the great ‘something’ that is God’s love and sanctification. Begging His mercy we strive for true repentance, that we may receive His salvation in all joy.
“Behold, O Christ, the affliction of my heart; behold my turning back; behold my tears, O Savior, and despise me not. But embrace me once again in Your compassion and count me with the multitude of the saved, that with thanksgiving I may sing the praises of Your mercy.” I end with the words of Ephrem the Syrian from his hymn ‘On Fasting’: “This is the fast of the First Born, the first of His victories. Let us rejoice in His coming; for in fasting He has overcome. Though He could have overcome by any means, He revealed for us the strength hidden in fasting, Overcomer of All. For by means of it a man can overcome that one who with fruit overcame Adam; He became greedy and gobbled it. Blessed is the First-Born who encompassed our weakness with the wall of His great fasting. Blessed is the King who adorned the Holy Church with Fasting, Prayer and Vigil.”
Rahaim ‘layn aloho abo aheed kool ethraham ‘layn.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple
Today we celebrate a multi-layered Festival. It is multi-layered because it is both a festival of the Church and an astronomical calendar date marking the half way point between winter solstice and vernal equinox: spring is on the way! It commemorates a scriptural event which combines the Presentation of the infant Jesus, a Christological feast; the Purification of the Virgin, a Mariological feast; and at the same it is the honoring of the temple, so it is a temple feast as well.
This feast, celebrated on February 2, is known in the Orthodox Church as The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Mayaltho in Syriac). Another name for the feast is The Meeting of our Lord. Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians call the feast, The Purification of the Holy Virgin. About 450 AD in Jerusalem, people began the custom of holding lighted candles during the Divine Liturgy of this feast day. Therefore, some churches in the West refer to this day as Candlemas.
Forty days after Jesus Christ’s birth, Mary and Joseph, brought Christ to the Temple to make the customary offering for purification; a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. According to the Law of Moses (Leviticus. 12:2-8), a woman who gave birth to a child was forbidden to enter the Temple of God for forty days. There, the prophetess Anna and the aged Simeon met them. Simeon sensed the fulfillment of Isaiah’s puzzling prophecies of a virginal birth (Isaiah 7:14), and received God Incarnate just as he was promised he would before his death. Then Simeon praised God singing a hymn now called the Nunc Dimittis: “Now let Your servant depart in peace, O Master” (Luke 2: 29-32). Also, in the Temple was Anna the Prophetess. She had been a widow for many years. Anna was about eighty-four years old and spent her time in the Temple worshiping, fasting, and praying. When she saw the Christ Child she praised God and spoke of him to all who were awaiting the Messiah. After Jesus was presented in the Temple, the family returned to Galilee to the town of Nazareth. The Bible tells us that Jesus grew and became strong, and was filled with wisdom. (Luke 2:22-40)
Egeria, writing around AD 380, attests to a feast of the Presentation in the Jerusalem Church. It was kept on February 14th. The day was kept by a procession to the Constantinian basilica of the Resurrection, with a homily on Luke 2:22-39. However, the feast had no proper name at this point; it was simply called the 40th day after Epiphany. This shows that the Jerusalem church celebrated Jesus’ birth on the Epiphany Feast (as is common in some Orthodox Churches today). In regions where Christ’s birth was celebrated on December 25th, the feast began to be celebrated on February 2nd, where it is kept in the West today. In 542, the Emperor Justinian introduced the feast to the entire Eastern Roman empire in thanksgiving for the end to a great pestilence afflicting the city of Constantinople. Perhaps this is when Pope Gregory I brought the feast to Rome. The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord is among the most ancient feasts of the Christian Church. We have sermons on the Feast by the holy bishops Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa, and John Chrysostom.
When Mary ritually presented her newborn Son in the Temple in Jerusalem, she did so in accordance with the Mosaic Law. The law provided that a woman should bring as a sacrifice a lamb and a dove. It was because Mary could not afford to bring a lamb, that she brought a pair of doves. The law also required that a first-born son should be redeemed with 5 shekels of silver, but there is no question of silver being paid in Mary’s case. Aside from the turtledoves, there was no real cost to this symbolic act of obedience and charity.
The key theme in the prayers and hymns of the feast is “datu sabro shariro, damsakyon leh beryotho datḥadeth lghenseh dodom: dḥableh bisho baḥsomeh” which translates “You are the true hope sought by the world: to renew Adam’s race that was corrupted by the Devil’s treachery.” The Scripture readings tell of the changing from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the old law becomes something new. The Son of God, giver of the law, now himself fulfills the law, being carried in Simeon’s arms as a human child.
This Feast presents the One on whom we focus, Jesus Christ, as the Redeemer of our race, the Hope of Salvation and the Light of the World, the light which no darkness can quench. God is the source and root of light and Jesus is the projection of this light to the world, even to the darkest and blackest of crevices within it. There is no-where that the light of God cannot reach. That is what this whole Church season is about: we who were once far off and distant from God were made close, by the revelation of the Light of the world to all people.
Jesus Christ came to bring life, and life to the full - for everyone. That was, and remains, His mission, and it is ours, too. Whatever is not life-giving needs to be challenged, measured against the love, truth, courage, and goodness of the Gospel. In other words, the good news is meant to enter into all aspects of society. The message of Jesus Christ is that where God reigns it is not good enough just to love our family and friends, or even those of our own nation, race or religion. The reign of God is about breaking down all barriers that stand between one person and another, all which divides between “us” and “them,” to bring all human beings into good and life giving relationship with God and with one another. Christ’s redemptive work, while essentially concerned with the salvation of men, includes also the renewal of the whole temporal order. Hence the mission of the Church is not only to bring the message and grace of Christ to men but also to penetrate and perfect the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel.
What can we present to the Temple of Christ, the Church today? In what condition do we present our souls to Christ? Have we thanked God for all that we have received? What has changed in our way of life since the Birth of Christ forty days ago? What progress has been made? The more we focus on Christ, the easier our journey becomes, that in no way means Christian life is an easy life. The closer we get to Him, the larger and more vibrant our life becomes, the distance becomes less and the connection between us and our goal becomes more apparent.
The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God and say: “dbo’eno shrin bashlomo dho ḥzay ’aynay laḥnonokh: wal furqonokh qadisho - Let me depart in peace, for my eyes have seen Your compassion and Your holy Salvation.”
This feast, celebrated on February 2, is known in the Orthodox Church as The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Mayaltho in Syriac). Another name for the feast is The Meeting of our Lord. Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians call the feast, The Purification of the Holy Virgin. About 450 AD in Jerusalem, people began the custom of holding lighted candles during the Divine Liturgy of this feast day. Therefore, some churches in the West refer to this day as Candlemas.
Forty days after Jesus Christ’s birth, Mary and Joseph, brought Christ to the Temple to make the customary offering for purification; a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. According to the Law of Moses (Leviticus. 12:2-8), a woman who gave birth to a child was forbidden to enter the Temple of God for forty days. There, the prophetess Anna and the aged Simeon met them. Simeon sensed the fulfillment of Isaiah’s puzzling prophecies of a virginal birth (Isaiah 7:14), and received God Incarnate just as he was promised he would before his death. Then Simeon praised God singing a hymn now called the Nunc Dimittis: “Now let Your servant depart in peace, O Master” (Luke 2: 29-32). Also, in the Temple was Anna the Prophetess. She had been a widow for many years. Anna was about eighty-four years old and spent her time in the Temple worshiping, fasting, and praying. When she saw the Christ Child she praised God and spoke of him to all who were awaiting the Messiah. After Jesus was presented in the Temple, the family returned to Galilee to the town of Nazareth. The Bible tells us that Jesus grew and became strong, and was filled with wisdom. (Luke 2:22-40)
Egeria, writing around AD 380, attests to a feast of the Presentation in the Jerusalem Church. It was kept on February 14th. The day was kept by a procession to the Constantinian basilica of the Resurrection, with a homily on Luke 2:22-39. However, the feast had no proper name at this point; it was simply called the 40th day after Epiphany. This shows that the Jerusalem church celebrated Jesus’ birth on the Epiphany Feast (as is common in some Orthodox Churches today). In regions where Christ’s birth was celebrated on December 25th, the feast began to be celebrated on February 2nd, where it is kept in the West today. In 542, the Emperor Justinian introduced the feast to the entire Eastern Roman empire in thanksgiving for the end to a great pestilence afflicting the city of Constantinople. Perhaps this is when Pope Gregory I brought the feast to Rome. The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord is among the most ancient feasts of the Christian Church. We have sermons on the Feast by the holy bishops Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa, and John Chrysostom.
When Mary ritually presented her newborn Son in the Temple in Jerusalem, she did so in accordance with the Mosaic Law. The law provided that a woman should bring as a sacrifice a lamb and a dove. It was because Mary could not afford to bring a lamb, that she brought a pair of doves. The law also required that a first-born son should be redeemed with 5 shekels of silver, but there is no question of silver being paid in Mary’s case. Aside from the turtledoves, there was no real cost to this symbolic act of obedience and charity.
The key theme in the prayers and hymns of the feast is “datu sabro shariro, damsakyon leh beryotho datḥadeth lghenseh dodom: dḥableh bisho baḥsomeh” which translates “You are the true hope sought by the world: to renew Adam’s race that was corrupted by the Devil’s treachery.” The Scripture readings tell of the changing from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the old law becomes something new. The Son of God, giver of the law, now himself fulfills the law, being carried in Simeon’s arms as a human child.
This Feast presents the One on whom we focus, Jesus Christ, as the Redeemer of our race, the Hope of Salvation and the Light of the World, the light which no darkness can quench. God is the source and root of light and Jesus is the projection of this light to the world, even to the darkest and blackest of crevices within it. There is no-where that the light of God cannot reach. That is what this whole Church season is about: we who were once far off and distant from God were made close, by the revelation of the Light of the world to all people.
Jesus Christ came to bring life, and life to the full - for everyone. That was, and remains, His mission, and it is ours, too. Whatever is not life-giving needs to be challenged, measured against the love, truth, courage, and goodness of the Gospel. In other words, the good news is meant to enter into all aspects of society. The message of Jesus Christ is that where God reigns it is not good enough just to love our family and friends, or even those of our own nation, race or religion. The reign of God is about breaking down all barriers that stand between one person and another, all which divides between “us” and “them,” to bring all human beings into good and life giving relationship with God and with one another. Christ’s redemptive work, while essentially concerned with the salvation of men, includes also the renewal of the whole temporal order. Hence the mission of the Church is not only to bring the message and grace of Christ to men but also to penetrate and perfect the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel.
What can we present to the Temple of Christ, the Church today? In what condition do we present our souls to Christ? Have we thanked God for all that we have received? What has changed in our way of life since the Birth of Christ forty days ago? What progress has been made? The more we focus on Christ, the easier our journey becomes, that in no way means Christian life is an easy life. The closer we get to Him, the larger and more vibrant our life becomes, the distance becomes less and the connection between us and our goal becomes more apparent.
The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God and say: “dbo’eno shrin bashlomo dho ḥzay ’aynay laḥnonokh: wal furqonokh qadisho - Let me depart in peace, for my eyes have seen Your compassion and Your holy Salvation.”
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Fast of Nineveh
In the first qolo of Thursday evening prayer, we sing:
The Ninevites trembled at the voice of Jonah, the son of Mattai, and took refuge in penitence by watching, fasting and prayer; and by tears and groans the sentence of judgment pronounced by Jonah concerning the destruction of Nineveh was annulled. Blessed be the Compassionate one who turned them from evil to good.
The three-day fast commemorates the three days Jonah spent in the belly of the fish and also the repentance of the city of Nineveh. Jonah runs away from God and from the mission that was entrusted to him. Jonah was cast into the sea and in the belly of the whale Jonah cries out to God. Jonah proclaims his message: “in 40 days Nineveh will be overthrown.” The people fast and pray. The king also prays and commands the whole city to call on God in the hopes that God would relent and withdraw his anger. God withholds his judgment due to their repentance and prayers. The Three Day Fast is in a way our preparation for the Great Lent. St. Jerome writes: “Fasting is not merely a perfect virtue: it is the foundation of all the other virtues; it is sanctification, purity, and prudence, – virtues without which no one can see God.”
The origins of the Nineveh Fast in the Syrian Orthodox Church can be traced back to the fourth century AD. This can be inferred from the memres and hymns of St. Ephrem, the Syrian. Initially the fast was for six days, but now it is only for three days starting on the third Monday before the Great Lent. The 3 days Fast had been neglected through the ages. Mar Dionysius Bar Salibi states that Mar Marutha of Tikrit was the one who enjoined it on the Church of the East first in the region of Nineveh. Armenians embraced this practice of the Syrians calling it (Sorep Sarkis). The Copts did the same during the time of Patriarch Anba Eprem, the Syrian.
Historically, this fast is one of the most rigorously observed fasts in the Church. The faithful traditionally refrain from food and drink for three consecutive days, from Monday till Wednesday. Some observe the fast by refraining from food and drink from morning till sunset during the three days. The church exhorts her faithful to at least refrain from meat, fish and dairy products during the period of fasting. The faithful are urged to go to church after this fast and receive the Holy Qurbono.
In the Old Testament, preparation for a special holy occasion included fasting and prayer. The New Testament often mentions fasting. Fasting is clearly not optional inasmuch as Jesus Christ said, regarding fasting “When you fast” (Matt. 6:16), rather than “If you fast.” Fasting is the change of every part of our life, because the sacrifice of the fast is not the abstinence but the distancing from sins. Fasting is an essential aspect of practicing the Orthodox life. You cannot be Orthodox and not fast. Unfortunately, many in the Church today do not participate in this grace-bestowing practice.
St. John Chrysostom says: “Fasting purifies the mind, calms the senses, subjects the flesh to the spirit, renders the heart humble and contrite, disperses the clouds of concupiscence, extinguishes the heat of passion, and lights up the fire of chastity.”
Fasting in the Orthodox Church has two aspects: physical and spiritual. The first one implies abstinence from food, such as dairy products, eggs, fish and all kinds of meat. Spiritual fasting consists in abstinence from evil thoughts, desires, and deeds. The main purpose of fasting is to gain mastery over oneself and to conquer the passions of the flesh. It is to liberate oneself from dependence on the things of this world in order to concentrate on the things of the Kingdom of God. It is to give power to the soul so that it would not yield to temptation and sin.
Basil the great reminds us, “As much as you subtract from the body, so much will you add to the strength of the soul. True fasting lies is rejecting evil, holding one's tongue, suppressing one's hatred, and banishing one's lust, evil words, lying, and betrayal of vows.”
God has forgiven us for running from Him and God has snatched us from death, and He has rescued us from what we deserve. May this Fast enable us to turn to God and experience His abundant grace, compassion and loving kindness. May this Fast truly prepare us for the Great Lent that will dawn upon us in a few weeks.
Mawdainan lokh moryo alohan, wyateeroeeth mqableenan tayboothokh dalwothan wethraham ‘layn. (We thank You, O Lord our God, and are grateful for Your grace toward us, and have mercy upon us).
The Ninevites trembled at the voice of Jonah, the son of Mattai, and took refuge in penitence by watching, fasting and prayer; and by tears and groans the sentence of judgment pronounced by Jonah concerning the destruction of Nineveh was annulled. Blessed be the Compassionate one who turned them from evil to good.
The three-day fast commemorates the three days Jonah spent in the belly of the fish and also the repentance of the city of Nineveh. Jonah runs away from God and from the mission that was entrusted to him. Jonah was cast into the sea and in the belly of the whale Jonah cries out to God. Jonah proclaims his message: “in 40 days Nineveh will be overthrown.” The people fast and pray. The king also prays and commands the whole city to call on God in the hopes that God would relent and withdraw his anger. God withholds his judgment due to their repentance and prayers. The Three Day Fast is in a way our preparation for the Great Lent. St. Jerome writes: “Fasting is not merely a perfect virtue: it is the foundation of all the other virtues; it is sanctification, purity, and prudence, – virtues without which no one can see God.”
The origins of the Nineveh Fast in the Syrian Orthodox Church can be traced back to the fourth century AD. This can be inferred from the memres and hymns of St. Ephrem, the Syrian. Initially the fast was for six days, but now it is only for three days starting on the third Monday before the Great Lent. The 3 days Fast had been neglected through the ages. Mar Dionysius Bar Salibi states that Mar Marutha of Tikrit was the one who enjoined it on the Church of the East first in the region of Nineveh. Armenians embraced this practice of the Syrians calling it (Sorep Sarkis). The Copts did the same during the time of Patriarch Anba Eprem, the Syrian.
Historically, this fast is one of the most rigorously observed fasts in the Church. The faithful traditionally refrain from food and drink for three consecutive days, from Monday till Wednesday. Some observe the fast by refraining from food and drink from morning till sunset during the three days. The church exhorts her faithful to at least refrain from meat, fish and dairy products during the period of fasting. The faithful are urged to go to church after this fast and receive the Holy Qurbono.
In the Old Testament, preparation for a special holy occasion included fasting and prayer. The New Testament often mentions fasting. Fasting is clearly not optional inasmuch as Jesus Christ said, regarding fasting “When you fast” (Matt. 6:16), rather than “If you fast.” Fasting is the change of every part of our life, because the sacrifice of the fast is not the abstinence but the distancing from sins. Fasting is an essential aspect of practicing the Orthodox life. You cannot be Orthodox and not fast. Unfortunately, many in the Church today do not participate in this grace-bestowing practice.
St. John Chrysostom says: “Fasting purifies the mind, calms the senses, subjects the flesh to the spirit, renders the heart humble and contrite, disperses the clouds of concupiscence, extinguishes the heat of passion, and lights up the fire of chastity.”
Fasting in the Orthodox Church has two aspects: physical and spiritual. The first one implies abstinence from food, such as dairy products, eggs, fish and all kinds of meat. Spiritual fasting consists in abstinence from evil thoughts, desires, and deeds. The main purpose of fasting is to gain mastery over oneself and to conquer the passions of the flesh. It is to liberate oneself from dependence on the things of this world in order to concentrate on the things of the Kingdom of God. It is to give power to the soul so that it would not yield to temptation and sin.
Basil the great reminds us, “As much as you subtract from the body, so much will you add to the strength of the soul. True fasting lies is rejecting evil, holding one's tongue, suppressing one's hatred, and banishing one's lust, evil words, lying, and betrayal of vows.”
God has forgiven us for running from Him and God has snatched us from death, and He has rescued us from what we deserve. May this Fast enable us to turn to God and experience His abundant grace, compassion and loving kindness. May this Fast truly prepare us for the Great Lent that will dawn upon us in a few weeks.
Mawdainan lokh moryo alohan, wyateeroeeth mqableenan tayboothokh dalwothan wethraham ‘layn. (We thank You, O Lord our God, and are grateful for Your grace toward us, and have mercy upon us).
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
THEOPHANY – DENHO DA’TLITHOYUTHO
The Feast of Theophany is a celebration of an historic event, the Baptism of Christ, celebrated each year on January 6. The Feast commemorates the divine revelation of the Holy Trinity. At the Baptism of Christ, all three Persons of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—were made manifest. Thus, the name of the Feast is Epiphany, meaning manifestation, or Theophany, meaning manifestation of God.
The Biblical story of the Baptism of Christ is recorded in all four of the Gospels: Matthew 3, Mark 1:1-9, Luke 3:21-22, and John 1:31-34. In accordance with the Gospel this is the first revelation of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - the Holy Trinity. The Father and the Holy Spirit give testimony to the appearance of the Son of God in the flesh among mankind.
The Scriptures tell us that Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. Initially, John would not do this, saying that Jesus should baptize him. Jesus said to John, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness (3:15). John consented and baptized Jesus.
When Jesus came up from the water, the heavens opened suddenly, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. The Bible records that the Spirit descended like a dove on Jesus. When this happened, a voice came from heaven and said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” This was the voice of God the Father.
Festival of Lights:
The theme of “manifestation” or “revelation” is also expressed in Scripture with the symbolism of light. In the hymn of the Feast we sing, “Christ has appeared and enlightened the world.” Thus, January 6 is also known as the Feast of Lights. The Church celebrates on this day the illumination of the world by the light of Christ.
By descending into the waters, Christ has enlightened all creation, and has crushed the heads of the serpents. And now all are glorified in Him who is the Savior, the Enlightener of our souls. “Light” is a prominent image in the service of Epiphany, and many of the hymns refer to it: “Thou, who hast created the world, art made manifest in the world, to give light to those that sit in darkness. Glory to Thee, who loves mankind.”
Prefiguration of Christ’s Death:
As Theophany is the feast of Christ’s baptism – and baptism, St. Paul tells us is a baptism into the death of Christ. His Baptism is a prefigurement of His death.
Thus the waters of the Jordan become symbolic of Hades. Christ’s descent into the waters becomes his descent into Hades where he “leads captivity captive” (Ephesians 4:8) and sets free those who have been held in bondage to death.
Blessing of Water:
By blessing the water we acknowledge that Christ in His baptism purified the nature of the waters. He came to redeem not only human beings but, through them, the entire material created world. The waters become the means of healing and grace. But not only waters-any other material thing may be a bearer of the Spirit. No matter can be excluded or considered trivial, “for the redemptive and transforming grace of the Savior extends to all things....”
The feast of Epiphany thus speaks of the restoration of the pure human image, as well as of all material nature. The true nature of water has its destiny in the salvation of man and the world. Creation “will be set free from its bondage” and will obtain “the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:20). All things are to be set aright. They are to be permeated by the light, love, grace, and glory of God. In the feast, the Church reminds its members of the historical character of the Incarnation and the goal of Christian existence: to “become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). The verb baptize “AMAD” (in Syriac) means sink, dip, wash, baptize, dye, seclude and hide. This symbolizes the burial of the dead in the tombs as the baptized are buried with Christ to rise up with him in the new life.
Road to Calvary:
The day of the Epiphany is the day when the whole world is being renewed and becomes a partaker of the holiness of God. But at the same time, it is the day when Christ enters on the way to Calvary. He came to John the Baptist on Jordan, not in order to be cleansed, because he was pure of sin. Christ did not need cleansing. But by entering the waters of Jordan, Lord Jesus Christ merges Himself on that day, taking upon Himself the mortality resulting from the sin of man. He vests Himself with the mortality of the sinful world. This is the beginning of the way to Calvary. This is a day when we marvel at the infinite love of God.
Let us therefore today wonder and marvel, and worship this love of God. kulkhun ’ammé, taw nebruk w’nesghud leh (All you people, let us bow and worship him). Amen!
The Biblical story of the Baptism of Christ is recorded in all four of the Gospels: Matthew 3, Mark 1:1-9, Luke 3:21-22, and John 1:31-34. In accordance with the Gospel this is the first revelation of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - the Holy Trinity. The Father and the Holy Spirit give testimony to the appearance of the Son of God in the flesh among mankind.
The Scriptures tell us that Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. Initially, John would not do this, saying that Jesus should baptize him. Jesus said to John, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness (3:15). John consented and baptized Jesus.
When Jesus came up from the water, the heavens opened suddenly, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. The Bible records that the Spirit descended like a dove on Jesus. When this happened, a voice came from heaven and said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” This was the voice of God the Father.
Festival of Lights:
The theme of “manifestation” or “revelation” is also expressed in Scripture with the symbolism of light. In the hymn of the Feast we sing, “Christ has appeared and enlightened the world.” Thus, January 6 is also known as the Feast of Lights. The Church celebrates on this day the illumination of the world by the light of Christ.
By descending into the waters, Christ has enlightened all creation, and has crushed the heads of the serpents. And now all are glorified in Him who is the Savior, the Enlightener of our souls. “Light” is a prominent image in the service of Epiphany, and many of the hymns refer to it: “Thou, who hast created the world, art made manifest in the world, to give light to those that sit in darkness. Glory to Thee, who loves mankind.”
Prefiguration of Christ’s Death:
As Theophany is the feast of Christ’s baptism – and baptism, St. Paul tells us is a baptism into the death of Christ. His Baptism is a prefigurement of His death.
Thus the waters of the Jordan become symbolic of Hades. Christ’s descent into the waters becomes his descent into Hades where he “leads captivity captive” (Ephesians 4:8) and sets free those who have been held in bondage to death.
Blessing of Water:
By blessing the water we acknowledge that Christ in His baptism purified the nature of the waters. He came to redeem not only human beings but, through them, the entire material created world. The waters become the means of healing and grace. But not only waters-any other material thing may be a bearer of the Spirit. No matter can be excluded or considered trivial, “for the redemptive and transforming grace of the Savior extends to all things....”
The feast of Epiphany thus speaks of the restoration of the pure human image, as well as of all material nature. The true nature of water has its destiny in the salvation of man and the world. Creation “will be set free from its bondage” and will obtain “the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:20). All things are to be set aright. They are to be permeated by the light, love, grace, and glory of God. In the feast, the Church reminds its members of the historical character of the Incarnation and the goal of Christian existence: to “become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). The verb baptize “AMAD” (in Syriac) means sink, dip, wash, baptize, dye, seclude and hide. This symbolizes the burial of the dead in the tombs as the baptized are buried with Christ to rise up with him in the new life.
Road to Calvary:
The day of the Epiphany is the day when the whole world is being renewed and becomes a partaker of the holiness of God. But at the same time, it is the day when Christ enters on the way to Calvary. He came to John the Baptist on Jordan, not in order to be cleansed, because he was pure of sin. Christ did not need cleansing. But by entering the waters of Jordan, Lord Jesus Christ merges Himself on that day, taking upon Himself the mortality resulting from the sin of man. He vests Himself with the mortality of the sinful world. This is the beginning of the way to Calvary. This is a day when we marvel at the infinite love of God.
Let us therefore today wonder and marvel, and worship this love of God. kulkhun ’ammé, taw nebruk w’nesghud leh (All you people, let us bow and worship him). Amen!
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