The life of repentance is a constant embracing of Christ’s Pascha. It is a giving of ourselves to what has been given to us. It is the rejection of every pretense that would erect a life on some other basis (as though there were another basis).
Father Stephen Freeman
Glory to God for All Things Blog
from the article “Faith, Doubt, Theology and Suspicion”
they are in the world but not of the world
they are separated from all yet united to all
We visit monasteries to leave the noise of the world and find some stillness. Especially after a tragedy it is a blessing to be in contact with monastics, better still if one has developed a relationship with them. But either way, it’s good to get away.
Despite the growth of monastic communities there still remains skepticism by some about the role of monasteries in our Faith, yet Saint John Chrysostom is clear that the health of our Churches is interrelated to the presence of monasteries. Monastics truly place themselves beneath all the people in the world and consider themselves the chief among sinners. They cultivate a patience and silence that is palpable to the souls that visit them.
They pray for the salvation of the whole world as fervently as we pray for ourselves. Their joy is not a fleeting joy but the jewel-joy forged of the pressure of the struggle. It is like a low hanging fruit, uplifting and nourishing all who gather under it’s branches.
Elder Amphilochios amplifies this interconnection between the health of the parishes in this way,
“Wherever Orthodox monasticism is absent, the Church does not exist, just as there can not be a government with out an army and a well-governed state without a national guard. The monastics guard the boundaries of our Church and protect Her from her enemies, who in or contemporary materialistic ages rush to mangle her like wolves.”
To visit a monastery is to visit a place of intensified authentic spiritual struggle. Orthodox believers should always bear that in mind when visiting monastic communities. You might walk right in to the spiritual struggle of another – but yet all of us are in a great struggle – aren’t we?
But for pilgrims with no expectation, for pilgrims seeking a good word, one finds low hanging fruit, a respite from earthly cares, and a glimpse at heaven on earth.
This Nativity night bestowed peace on the whole world; So let no one threaten;
This is the night of the Most Gentle One – Let no one be cruel;
This is the night of the Humble One -Let no one be proud.
Now is the day of joy – Let us not revenge;
Now is the day of Good Will -Let us not be mean.
In this Day of Peace – Let us not be conquered by anger.
Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake; So, rich one, invite the poor to your table.
Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask; So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us.
This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers; Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness.
Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of our humanity, In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of DIVINITY
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Saint Isaac Syrian, Nativity Sermon
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Repentance is born out of the revelation of our emptiness and the futility of life apart from God.
Father Stephen Freeman
Glory to God for All Things
We have walked almost one week in this time of the great abstinence for Orthodox Christians. Coming from a family that is not Orthodox and having many friends outside the faith, I have often been asked, why this mindless rote mechanical endeavor?” Many outside the Faith question the validity of fasting for spiritual purposes – yet embrace it for health, beauty, weight loss and the like.
My answer is, why not come, taste and see what is the Fast. I assure you that the answer is no – it is not mindless endeavor but rather the most mindful one.
Fasting is hearts seeking the God seeking our hearts.
Our fast begins with a feast of forgiveness where we literally ask forgiveness of our brothers and sisters.
The Church sets aside the fast In the understanding that life is so interrupted frenzied and discombobulated and we are easily distracted and need a time set aside for this very purpose.
Why fast? Because what nourishes the soul is just as important as what nourishes the body. I was reminded that fasting gives us greater awareness of our spiritual situation but only when balanced by prayer. The purpose of that awareness is healing – reconciliation – wholeness – ultimately Confession.
And so, we are fortified and sustained not on the little we omit but on the abundance we add.
We increase our devotion to Scripture : nourishing on the Word of God.
We add greater Almsgiving : charity nourishing the heart of the giver and feeding heart and body of the receiver.
We make every effort to immerse ourselves in the Lenten cycle of services – and expecting to be tired – we receive the healing Grace poured into our hearts expressed in the poetic hymnody of the Church and the Mysteries of the Sacraments.
Great Lent is laying aside our earthly cares. It is placing God first – where He belongs and jealously longs to be.
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“… we cross a threshold… a shift occurs, the atmosphere changes and all the essential elements are transformed. And all of this happens in order to prepare us for the greatest and most wonderful period of the year: Great Lent. The Triodion opens up a door which leads directly to heaven. The Triodion is an enchanting meadow, where Christ is the shepherd and God feeds His spiritual flock.”
Elder Aemilianos
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“Just as a child within its mother’s womb kicks and makes its presence known, so too does God move about within me. Sometimes He makes my eyes sparkle with joy, and sometimes he fills them with tears. Sometimes I cry aloud and other times I say to myself “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me”
Elder Aemilianos of Simonopetra : The Way of the Spirit
We are approaching a beautiful time of repentance set aside for us in the life of the Orthodox Church.
It is a time of reconciliation and spiritual growth
Already the Church has been priming us with the beautiful Sunday’s of preparation… the humility of the tax collector, the coming to his senses of the Prodigal Son. Judgement Sunday is a great call bringing us to our senses that we are not saved alone, our lives are not our own and the least of our brethren is Christ – the beggar, the prisoner, the crippled man. That to pass by their suffering is to pass by Christ Rejection.
These are but a little leaven softening the lump of our hearts.
It’s my favorite season of the Church – but I know I say that about all of the seasons set aside in the Church – I guess they all are my favorite, really.
As a mom I have tried to explain this word repentance to my daughters. I want them so comfortable with it that they could cuddle up with it like a blanket.
I want them to nestle in the Truth of Faith and embrace the timeless wisdom and Grace of the Church and live their lives in it. Because what I have noted is that in today’s relative everything goes world many ears have hardened to this word making it sound more like a punishment than a healing holistic way.
Repentance as a word and a way looks like an angry wagging finger rather than an inviting outstretched Hand.
The reality for most of us us that life happens. We get mired in the muck of it and the muck of it gets all over us. And so the Church guides us gently into Repentance.
The fruit of it is a heart returning to innocence – something like that of a child. Another helpful explanation I have heard is that it is a cure or return to wholeness. A monk, older than me, once told me that after years of not seeing a childhood friend who had entered Orthodox monasticism he made the journey to visit her and saw in her all of the qualities of innocence he remembered from when they were children playing together and this innocence, for me is now the image of repentance.
I suppose that’s why monastics also say that repentance is gift and our task.
It’s a heart given entirely over to Christ. A struggle.
Faith like a child, love like a child, forgiveness and innocence like a child.
I want that – I need that. don’t you?
We must begin with Thanksgiving for everything. The beginning of joy is to be content with your situation.
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Saint Ambrose of Optina
A true friend is known in misfortune. he is our true friend and one who loves us who does not forsake us in misfortune.
Likewise, the true lover of Christ is he who abides with Christ in this world, and cleaves to Him in his heart, and uncomplainingly endures the Cross with Him, and desires to be with Him inseparably in the age to come.
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
gladsomelife.com 