The Feast of the Holy Life-giving Cross was established by the Church, not simply to commemorate the Saviour’s sufferings. It was established so that we might become conscious of and committed to that great sacrifice which the Lord took on Himself for the sake of our sins. And if we think upon the death of the Lord on the Cross, maybe for just a few precious moments, we will chant the hymns and prayers of this great feast with love for God.

Even for those of us who do not wish to follow in Christ’s footsteps, may for an instance be pierced, however slightly, by the mystery of His suffering, even moved a fraction by Him, Who sacrificed Himself for our sins and for our salvation. Christ Himself, the Son of God, teaches us: “I will have mercy not sacrifice”. He Who accepted the great sacrifice, instructs us to not only make sacrifices in our lives but to be merciful as God is merciful, to respond to that, which by nature is ours, for we are made in the image of God. To be merciful is a part of our true divine nature.

He Who accepted the supreme sacrifice was merciful to His neighbour and to those who crucified Him. He was merciful to those who stood at the Cross, to those who were crucified with Him. He prayed for those who crucified Him: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”.

He was concerned for His Mother, who stood before Him with John. He said to them: “This is your son, this is your Mother”. And to the good thief crucified with Him, He promised that he would be with Him in Heaven.

When we do something that demands some degree of effort; when we have to make a sacrifice, however difficult the outcome might be, if we do it in God’s name, the Lord will accept it.

We as Christians are like the good Samaritan, called upon to partake in the great mystery of supreme sacrifice and mercy.

“Who was the neighbour to the man who had fallen among thieves?” asks the Lord. We know from the Gospel what the answer was “He who showed mercy.” And here is a paradox. It was the Samaritan’s obligation to pass by the Jew and not to interfere, since the Samaritans had no dealings with the Jews.

The obligation of the priest and the Levite was namely to help the wounded man. The Samaritan also disregarded his religious obligation and ignoring the law of the Samaritans, showed mercy to a Jew. The Lord not only offered Himself as a sacrifice on the Cross but He offered a sacrifice of mercy too.

The Church takes us through the first and second weeks of the fast to today’s joyful celebration of that great ascetic and spiritual teacher, St Gregory Palamas. Today our day-to-day life is interrupted, as it were, so that we may stop for a moment being concerned with earthly things and unite our lives with eternal life. Why do we celebrate this great saint on this Sunday in Great Lent?

Why does the Church choose a monk, an Athonite ascetic, a Hesychast, a practitioner of mental prayer, holding him up as an example for us today? Surely we are not thinking of becoming anchorites ourselves. We are not planning to go off and practice the spiritual art of hesychasm? We live in the world with its distractions. We have jobs to consider, families to raise – our life is very different and distant from that of those ascetics who practice mental prayer.

But nevertheless the whole Church commemorates St Gregory during Great Lent. His feast day is not solely for monastics for all of us. Although we live here on earth, the Church raises us up to the level of this saint and purifies us through repentance and reception of the Holy Mysteries. And yet there is more. Our spiritual strivings should be more than repentance and purification from the passions for the Saviour came not only “to raise the first fallen man”, but to lift us up to the similitude of God, in other words to be like God. “Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect”.

Repentance and purification are only the beginning of our spiritual growth. We need to acquire those spiritual attributes that Adam had in Paradise. Although Adam did not sin at first, he was not yet perfect. He still had to grow into the likeness of God. This is affirmed by the holy fathers who tell us that purification eventually leads to deification. In other words we don’t stop at repentance but to go on and become in reality like Christ. St Gregory tells us that through purification of the heart, through guarding the mind and constant repetition of the Jesus prayer, it is possible to reach the state of deification while still on earth – that we can be resurrected now and see God, not in His essence but in His uncreated energies. It is possible for us now in our earthly bodies to see God as light, the same that Adam saw, the same light that covered the apostles on Mt Tabor, whereby they might understand their destiny.

This light is truly the uncreated light, the grace and manifestation of God, which we receive as His energy.

Today we celebrate the memory of St Gregory and although we may not follow his path, we have nevertheless the potential to follow in his footsteps. During these days of repentance, let us remember what we have lost in Paradise and what we may regain while here on earth. St John Climacus says that wherever we are, we can serve God, whether we are in the midst of busy activities, surrounded by the vanities of life – we can live as hesychasts, despite all this. Is this really possible?

Firstly we start by guarding the tongue. Who does not suffer from saying to much? Secondly, we need to guard the mind. The holy fathers say that we should collect our thoughts and not liken our minds to a house without doors, in which anyone can enter and take away our donkey. We need to guard the heart. This is a necessary prerequisite for inner silence. All these things are necessary if we wish to be pure and to approach and know the Most Pure-One, to stand before the Throne of God. This is the activity of an anchorite, to stand before God, in other words to pray.

Holy Protection of the Theotokos

Today we celebrate our patronal feast of the Holy Protection of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos. Why do we celebrate this feast, what is its origin? In the Church in Blachanae, a suburb of Constantinople, St Andrew a fool for Christ saw the Mother of God. This took place around 4 am during the All Night Vigil. St Andrew saw the Mother of God in Heaven, praying for the world. St. Andrew asks his disciple Epiphanius – “Do you see the Queen and Lady, praying for the world?” “I see and I am stricken with fear,” answers Ephiphanius. They witness how the Mother of God prays with great fervour and tears. This continues for a long time, and then the Virgin enters the Altar of the Blachanae Church and fervently prayers there too.

The Theotokos then removes her veil, which shines like lightening and spreads it over the world. St Andrew and Epiphanius are privileged to see this wondrous vision while the other worshippers are totally unaware of what is happening. Then the vision ceases. The Mother of God and her protecting veil is no longer seen. However the grace of this vision remains. This vision although invisible to the people at that time continues to affect the lives of the believers, not only of those in the church at that time but it continues to work in us today, for the protecting veil, spiritually protects the world. Her protecting veil is a defence for every believer.

Who has not experienced the grace-filled protection of the Theotokos in his life? Can we find a believer who at least in his or her life, has not prayed with fervent tears before an icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, our protectress?

There was a man who had been brought up by his pious mother to repeat the salutation of the Archangel: Virgin Mother Rejoice! Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee… In later years he dropped this pious custom. One day he was talking with a holy monk, who asked him why he had abandoned the prayer to the Theotokos. “Well, I simply forgot about it. You know how it is …” “Well the Mother of God did not forget you,” replied the monk. He went on to relate how this man had been in danger many times, but the prayer on his lips had protected him. “You may not have been aware my son, but the Mother of God was always with you while you prayed!”

Unfortunately not every one sees the Holy Protection of the Mother of God. Not every one is aware of this protection. To feel, to know this, we need faith. We need to look up to the heavens, to engage in spiritual conversation. But for the most part we look down at the ground, at the mire of this life. We need to be able to raise our gaze upwards, to be able to see with the eyes of faith and like St. Andrew to see the grace-filled action of the Theotokos in our lives. A unintelligent person going along the muddy path of life, who fails to lift up his head, believes that there is nothing but the mud beneath his feet. To him we say: “Lift up your eyes – look up! And then you will see not mud but the shining heavens above you.”

Unbelievers think that there is nothing but the mire of this worldly life, that there is only this physical world with its corruption and death. And going along this gloomy road they refuse to see the heavens. They cannot see the protecting veil of the Theotokos which is spread over the world. We need to be able to see the heavens! We need to be able to tear our gaze from the earth and open up our heart so that grace may enter and dwell within us. Then we shall become aware of the continous protection and prayer of the Mother of God.

It would seem that we have two kinds of life – one is our secular or worldly life and the other our spiritual life. But this is a false dichotomy, for we as believers, only have one kind of life and that is our spiritual life.

If we were more perceptive we would see that our understanding and experience is not the same as those who do not believe. For instance, what appears to be good according to God’s law is considered bad according to secular society. The opposite is true – what is good in secular terms is often an abomination before God. We need to think about this carefully. Take the case of a secular person who begins to read the word of God. As he reads, the seeds of God’s word fall on rich soil and in consequence, he begins to suffer discomfort for he feels that he is being torn away from what has become habitual in his secular life. For example, he begins to lose his taste for secular interests.

His understanding begins to change from a purely secular viewpoint to a spiritual understanding of life. As he tries to follow the commandments of God, he finds that he can longer continue on the path of secular values. He becomes confused. There is discord in his soul. He finds that although former secular enticements no longer attract him, he has not yet found a spiritual substitute. He has not been able to give himself totally to the spiritual life.

He begins to question whether he has done the right thing, whether it is possible in fact to live a secular life and follow the Lord’s commandments. This concerns each one of us for how we live is not necessarily in accordance with teachings of Christ. And yet it has always been like this!

In the 1st Century, Christians lived side by side with pagans. They lived in a society (like today) where depravity, ambition and evil reigned. No doubt they asked the same questions as we do today – how to live in a secular and anti-Christian society and at the same time maintain our Christian values. The answer is to maintain an inner spiritual disposition. This is the first task of each Christian.

Our outward situation does not necessarily have to change, but inwardly we have to recognize that we are different. As Christians we hold a different attitude towards misfortunes, failure, sickness, slander, to material benefits, riches, poverty and honor. We have a different understanding of human existence. Our first task is not simply to renounce our former secular life, but to develop and cultivate an inner life too. When we turn our attention to the inner man, to the needs of our soul, then God teaches us and shows us how to live in the secular world around us. Therefore we must put all our energies into developing a spiritual life.

When we try to serve two masters all kinds of misfortunes occur for the Lord demands total commitment. We cannot serve Him in part or half-heartedly. He demands that we serve Him with all our heart and mind.

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God then all those things will be added to you”. In other words, God will provide a home, a job, food – all the necessities of life. Let us also keep in mind the other words of the Gospel that say: “Who confesses me before men, the same I will confess before my Heavenly Father”. (Matt 10. 32). When we gives ourselves fully to a life in Christ, then we can truly say (without the least trace of hypocrisy) – Thy will be done!

Divine Justice is not Human justice

What is it our saints have that distinguishes them from other people and for which they receive divine grace?

The saints possess the capability to exercise divine justice and not simply human justice – our worldly concept of right and wrong. What then is divine justice?

Let’ say two people are sitting at a table eating. On the table is a plate with 10 apricots. One of them being gluttonous, eats seven, leaving only three for the other person. This is obviously bad behaviour and the greedy person can be justifiably condemned for this. This is only fair by human standards.

However if the first person says: We are 2 and there are 10 apricots, so let us share them i.e. 5 each. This person displays human fairness and exercises human justice. Sadly for the sake of human justice we frequently take people to court.

But there is another action the first person can take. If he sees that the other likes apricots and pretends that he himself doesn’t really care for them and eats only one in order to please his brother and says: Brother eat the remaining apricots. I don’t particularly care for them and therefore it is better I don’t eat anymore – then in this circumstance he exercises divine justice.

And by this divine grace rewards his sacrifice. He in fact receives grace by the bucketful.

This is my spot. Move off! These are my things. Give them to me! If I have the gift of divine justice I agree to this 'unfair' request, not begrudgingly but with joy. However if I exercise human fairness and I want to show that I am fair and impartial – then I do not agree and begin to argue and quarrel, even taking such a person to court so that he may not have an advantage over me.

The true Christian should not however judge nor refer to the courts, although someone might take even the shirt off his back!

There is only one difference between Christians and non-believers. Christians exercise divine justice as a law while non-believers exercise human fairness.

The justice of man is however nothing before God’s justice. It was the Lord Who first showed us the nature of divine justice.

When He was accused, He did not justify Himself and when they spat on Him, He did not protest. When He suffered, He did not threaten but patiently endured all. He was silent, never becoming angry. Moreover He allowed them to divide His garments.

He was discredited before His own creation, hanging naked upon the cross. More importantly He did not seek help from the law but on the contrary justified His persecutors before His heavenly Father and prayed for them: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” – Lk 23.34.

We however ignore His example and continue to judge others. The result – our so-called justice is frequently the cause of greater injustices.

In the law of the OT, we see how human justice is administered in order to turn man away from unlawfulness and to prepare him for divine justice. Divine justice is the opposite of human fairness.

Human justice is like a measure that ensures that fairness prevails. Divine justice however is flexible and gives itself over the best spiritual solution to the situation and is never worthy of punishment but only of praise, carrying with it an abundance of blessings.
(From the teachings of Elder Paissios of Athos).

The Spirit of Discontent

The first Gospel reading on Sunday 15th January relates how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Although it is not impossible, the power of wealth is nevertheless an impediment to a healthy spiritual life and to our salvation. The young man in the Gospel says that he has kept all the commandments, including honouring his father and mother. But sadly he cannot abandon his riches and follow Christ. In today's society there appears to be a correlation between honouring one's parents and the dilemma of being rich. This is a big problem for our youth today.

All too often, our children, instead of being respectful and obedient, are disrespectful and at times often resentful. Why is this? Today our children are under attack from the spirit of discontent. In school our children are told to think well of themselves and in so doing they expect others to think well of them too, especially their parents. Being taught that one's feelings are important, places a great burden on parents who have to discipline their children. The pop-psychology of school counsellors doesn't help either.

I believe the biggest problem for our children is the need to keep up to date and the fear that we, as parents, are depriving our children of the necessities of life in a high-tech age. The moment you buy the latest gadget, whether it be a cellphone, TV, XBox or even a new car, that acquisition is soon outdated. Behind the scenes, many productions are stock-piled before release, ensuring that consumers will keep spending to get the very latest. Our children being exposed to all this are naturally discontent and soon become resentful when they can't have what others seem to be getting all the time. Rich parents, especially, do their children a disservice by catering to the wants and discontent of their children. St John Chrysostom says that spoiling our children is the same as killing them. We will stand accused before the Judgment Seat for having indulged our children unnecessarily. Let us as parents stand in prayer against this demon of discontent and by the grace of God, rescue our children from this soul-destroying demon.

The seeds of secularism

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God… nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned”. (1 Cor 2: 14).

Religion without power and mystery is not religion but philosophy. It is simply secularism with sacred rituals. For the person who has become infected with secularism, their understanding of mystery or of the supernatural tends to be psychological rather than spiritual. It is heavily dependent on their rational perception. While the intellect is a necessary partner in our quest for the truth, it has its limitations. Even in this finite universe, our reason cannot penetrate the mystery of infinity or the natural laws that govern the microscopic world of the atom. Who can understand the origin of life? What is man? Is he a naked ape or a micro-Christ?

When we study physical phenomena there is a great danger that our intellect will create fantasies, the stuff of legends and in extreme situations our own gods. Prime examples are socialism and evolutionism.

True religion is not man-made but is revealed. And revelation is accompanied by power (dynamis).

In Orthodoxy we call this power - grace.

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (2 Peter 1: 3).

Grace in this respect is the power of the Holy Spirit that penetrates the inner being of man, guiding him to spiritual perfection and salvation. This salvation cannot be achieved by self-motivation or purely rational means. Indeed many of God's mysteries remain closed for us. Philosophizing in theology inevitably stifles faith and reverence and leads in extreme instances to cynicism.

What is particularly disturbing today is the number of Orthodox Christians who have become dependent on their rational understanding, especially when approaching the mysteries of God. Infected by the secular spirit of contemporary society, the traditions of the Church are frequently challenged or are totally ignored. For example, the Virgin birth in the minds of such Orthodox, has shifted from its true meaning of Virgin birth to mean Virgin conception. While they can accept the Virgin conception by the Holy Spirit, they claim at the same time that Christ’s birth was natural rather than supernatural as understood by the Church.

Instead of putting their doubt or lack of understanding on the back burner, they strive to make sense of such a mystery in rational terms without the least concern for the consequences. Blinded by the secular spirit and accustomed to having their own way, they easily engage in blasphemous and heretical thinking. Reason like the stomach must be satisfied. There is an insatiable appetite for being in control of knowledge. The result is not Christianity but an ethical ‘feel good’ religion based on personal presumption and pride. This kind of religion is not true religion, but pious mythology. As the Holy Apostle Paul writes to Timothy: "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3: 5).

To accept the mysteries of God, we are required to take a leap of faith into another world, where - “we hear the cherubic hymn sung unceasingly (Isaiah 6…), where we see with new eyes and hear with spiritual ears.” What looks like the normal world is not this world, but is a world that has its own laws, that has its own meaning. It is a world that has spiritual power.

This is clearly demonstrated in the life of St Spyridon, bishop of Trimuthun. In 325 A.D. St Spyridon, a simple uneducated shepherd, attended the Ecumenical Council in Nicea. Certain pagan philosophers and masters of rhetoric had also been invited to the council. St Spyridon in his simplicity offered to debate with a certain master of rhetoric, who was renowned for his debating skills. The fathers of the council did not agree, thinking that the rhetorician would make a fool of the saint.

However after much persuasion, they reluctantly agreed to allow St Spyridon to enter the debate against the pagan philosopher. St Spyridon turned to his opponent and said the following words: “In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ hear what I have to say to you”. The philosopher agreed. St Spyridon continued: “We believe that the Lord who created heaven and earth, also created man and the visible and invisible world. We believe that He begot the Word, Who became flesh, lived among men, suffered, died, rose again and raised with Himself the whole race of mankind. We believe that He again will come on the great Day of Judgment to reward good and evil. We dare not reach out to this mystery with our curious minds. And do not ask how can this be, for such things exceed the power of the human mind.” St Spyridon became silent for a moment. Then turning to the rhetorician he said: “Is this not how you see it?”

To the general astonishment of all who had gathered for the debate, the philosopher, who was experienced in such matters, remained silent. And then suddenly he said: “Yes, I do see it that way”.

Turning to his fellow philosophers he said: “My friends, until now our debate has been based on rational proof and I have been able to gain the debate against anyone’s rational argument. But now out of the mouth of this elder has poured forth such power that I feel that rational argument is of no effect for no-one is able to oppose God. For those of you who are able to think this way as I do, believe in Christ and let us follow this elder for God speaks through him.” With great joy the pagan philosopher accepted the Orthodox faith.

Today we have jurisdictions that have become infected with secularism, that fill their libraries with behavioural psychology and sociology, the very tools of humanistic socialism.

A true Christian cannot be secularized, because he is not in essence the same as a non-believer. He follows the path of the Church, which in turn gives him power through the mysteries against the enemy of our salvation. He is subject to the laws of the Church, which are totally different from the laws of the secular world. Like the Holy Apostle Paul he can say: “My speech and preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit of power”. (1 Cor 2: 4).