From Jordanville Monastery, New York.
O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance! Grant victory unto Orthodox Christians over their enemies! And by the power of Thy Cross, do Thou preserve Thy commonwealth!
Lent
Archived Posts from this Category
30 March 2008
28 March 2008
It is the midpoint of Great Lent. Despite my fasting, I have not yet conquered, or even gained any ground against the passions; rather, they have steadily advances against me, routing me in certain passes and making surprise ambushes on several of my troops. This is because I have not properly prepared myself spiritually for this great endeavor, which is what a fast is. We are at war, and I am a terrible tactician. However, I came across some good rules on how to act this fasting season from the article The Orthodox Christian in the Information Age by Fr. Gregory Naumenko of the Protection of the Mother of God Church in Rochester, New York. Fr. Gregory, after analyzing the negative effect that modern mass media has on our souls, set forth several rules to follow to counteract their pernicious effect during the (in this case, Nativity) fasting season. Here are those rules (adapted for Great Lent):
1. On all days abstain from all non-fasting foods (all meat, fish, egg and milk products, plus olive oil on weekdays).
2. No parties, no nights on the town, no concerts or the like.
3. The only music to be listened to is appropriate recorded Church singing. No other music until Pascha, not even “classical.” (The only exception to this might be if practicing a musical instrument or vocals are part of your studies.)
4. Absolutely no television, radio, movies, video/computer games for these twelve days. For weather information use the free telephone weather-info-line listed in your directory under “weather.”
5. The computer is to be used only if it is part of your job, your studies, or necessary for personal correspondence. No frivolous uses.
6. Attend all the services that you possibly can that are available at your parish church during this time period. Even if it entails asking for time off from work or from school, try to make it to all the services. Arrive before the beginning of the services, and stay until the very end. Make an attempt to understand and participate in the services.
7. With the blessing of your spiritual father (usually your parish priest), prepare properly and partake of Holy Confession and Communion at every Divine Liturgy at your parish church leading up to and including Pascha.
8. Every day: get up early enough to meaningfully say all of the morning prayers printed in the prayer book. Say the Jesus prayer repetitively at every opportunity during the day: O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me a sinner. Be certain to say prayers before and after meals. Say your evening prayers immediately after the evening meal. Do not wait to say your evening prayers until you are so tired that you cannot even think.
9. Each day, following your morning prayers, read at least a little bit (5-10 minutes’ worth) of the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament (a little of the Gospel and a little of the Epistles of the Apostles).
10. Each day, find a regular time to read a measured amount (10-15 minutes’ worth) of the writings of the holy Fathers (My Life in Christ by St. John of Kronstadt is a good place to start).
11. Be extra loving to other people around you, treating them kindly, as you would like them to treat you. If anyone wrongs you in any way, be quick to forgive and forget completely and forever.
12. If at all possible, be extra charitable to the needy and worthy causes, giving not of your surplus but of your substance.
Fr. Gregory says that if we follow these twelve guidelines during the Fast (and during every fasting period), “it will utterly change your life for the better.” Pray for sinful John, that he may be able to keep these excellent counsels and keep the spirit as well as the letter of the law of fasting.
28 March 2008
It may not come to a surprise to you, but I am a sinner. I do not have the humility to whole-heartedly call myself the chief of sinners, but I’m probably close. At the same time, however, I feel, when I sin, a great alienation from my surroundings. Sin is precisely that: an alienation from Creation, from God our ever-loving Father. But when I think of alienation, I think in this case of an alienation from my fellow man, my fellow sinner. I feel divided from them: when they sin, they seem to not think anything of it, but when I sin, I cannot help but think of God, of my Lord. I feel so poignantly my separation from Him, my separation from everything that makes me feel alive. Life in Christ is replaced with a blank feeling, a dull, ephemeral pleasure that vanishes with the morning sun. The difference between the two is, pardon my strong language, like the difference between chocolate and a dog’s excrement. Once one has tasted of the goodness of the Lord, nothing quite compares in this wretched world. The saddest part about this is, that there are so many who live, who simply do not get it. May God have mercy of me, the sinner, but I feel that way about my fellow man. I do not want to judge him. He is simply ignorant about what is above and below him. But it kind of breaks my heart to see so many around me enslaved by their passions. And I, most enslaved, am in the worst position to help them with my prayers, my good works and deeds.
Pray for me, this wretch and sinner, and all those who have not tasted of the goodness of God. Pray that their eyes may be opened, and do not judge them, for God loves them more than we can ever love them. Say nothing. Just pray.
16 March 2008
As the prophets beheld, as the Apostles have taught, as the Church has received, as the teachers have dogmatized, as the Universe has agreed, as Grace has shown forth, as Truth has revealed, as falsehood has been dissolved, as Wisdom has presented, as Christ awarded, thus we declare, thus we assert, thus we preach Christ our true God, and honour His Saints in words, in writings, in thoughts, in sacrifices, in churches, in Holy Icons; on the one hand worshipping and reverencing Christ as God and Lord; and on the other hand honouring as true servants of the same Lord of all and accordingly offering them veneration.
This is the Faith of the Apostles,
this is the Faith of the Fathers,
this is the Faith of the Orthodox,
this is the Faith which has established the Universe.
Synodikon of the 7th Oecumenical Council
Today we celebrate the restoration of the veneration of Holy Icons in the Orthodox Church, after a long period of persecution in the eight century by Iconoclastic emperors. Ora et Labora has an excellent summarization of today’s significance.
14 March 2008
The Great Canon of Repentance by St. Andrew of Crete is sung over the first four days of Lent during Compline. According to my neophyte opinion, the Great Canon, starting from its beginning words “Where shall I begin to weep over the cursed deeds of my life?
What foundation shall I lay, O Christ, for this lamentation?”, is an excellent way to begin Lent and is very good at instilling a penitential mood. You can read it at Monachos.
9 March 2008
I have little to add to Elder Arsenie’s God-breathed remarks. He has explained in little over three minutes the six directions from which our enemies may attack us. Therefore, like wise tacticians, let’s watch from which direction the Evil One tries to approach us, and prevent any kind of weakness in our defenses. Three hundred Spartans held their ground against the mighty Persian army, but, because of a small mountain pass leading behind their lines, were finally defeated. Thus, even the small weaknesses need to be carefully watched, lest they be exploited by our Enemy.
Have a blessed Lent.
