Spiritual Contemplations for those who serve the Lord |
Contemplate about the creation look above, below you, at your right and at your left. You will see various creatures and an unlimited number of beings. All these were created from nothing, and the day will come when they will all go back to nothing once more Now that you have seen these strong bodies and beautiful eyes, wise tongues and gorgeous faces, the fast-moving feet and hardworking hands, remember that all these will cease one day. They will all turn to dust, for from the earth it was taken, and it shall all turn into dust "In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread. Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19) Wherever you look, or whatever you think about, if you contemplate about everything in the universe, you will discover that nothing will ever last for long, for "vanity of vanities! All is vanity... All is vanity and a chasing after wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:2, 14). The world is but a green rod; its freshness and its beauty delight the eyes. Even if you break it. you will find it hollow and senseless - just like the empty jar: once you knock on it you will hear its emptiness, the same is true about the world; once you experience it and try it, you will see its vanity. All what's in the universe will pass away: greatness, magnificence, riches, glory splendor, and everything else that cause human beings to boast and brag. They will all come to an end because they are all chasing after wind. The world will pass away and vanish, and man has to leave it willingly or unwillingly...so everything is vain. It is vain to depend on the world. to find honor, to seek reputation. Everything existing has to vanish and go, for "the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed (2 Peter 3:10). Where are our fathers? Where are the kings that lived in palaces? Where are the philosophers and wise men? Where are the scientists and inventors? Where are the great leaders and heroes who conquered and killed? Where are the great empires and old nations? All have been grasped by the abyss and vanished. Did any of them take or carry any of their riches from this world with them? Can the king who is seated on his throne say at his deathbed, "Come with me . O my palace, which I used to live in, and let my glory and honor be my companions while traveling to the path of eternity?" Who of the rich ones took a penny with them, or one of the slaves with them? Gain what you want, and be pleased with your riches, but let it be known that one day you will leave this world with an empty hand. "Naked I came from my mother's womb. and naked shall I return there (Job 1:21). “For we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it" (Timothy 6:7) "As they came from their mother's womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil, which they may carry away with their hands" (Ecclesiastes 5:15). Time in its past, present and future does not feel its endurance, but surely it will pass away and vanish. The past was swallowed up in a big sea of vanity, where there is no existence. The future is unknown. The present is temporal, and if it lasted an hour it changes after that. Blessed are those who despise everything for the sake of Christ and seek the path of salvation! Happy is the man who keeps his hands clean of the world, and leaves everything and lives as a stranger on earth. It is beneficial for the man to be poor than rich, to be simple than great, and to be humble than boast. Those who have a clear and pure conscious are far better than those who, with pride and boastfulness, know the deepest secrets and every intricate detail, O man, why do I see you worried with things that will vanish, while being inattentive to the permanent and lasting things? Enough of his pride and slander. Open your eyes, which have been shut by sin, and wake up from the vanity of this life. Consider everything as something vain, as if it is nothing. *Adapted from an article written by St Habib Girgis
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BEHOLD a new and wondrous mystery. My ears resound to the Shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The Angels sing. The Archangels blend their voice in harmony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The Seraphim exalt His glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He Who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised. Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Sun of justice. And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, He had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things yielded in obedience to God. This day He Who is, is Born; and He Who is, becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became He God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassability, remaining unchanged. And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor Dominations, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb. Since this heavenly birth cannot be described, neither does His coming amongst us in these days permit of too curious scrutiny. Though I know that a Virgin this day gave birth, and I believe that God was begotten before all time, yet the manner of this generation I have learned to venerate in silence and I accept that this is not to be probed too curiously with wordy speech. For with God we look not for the order of nature, but rest our faith in the power of Him who works. What shall I say to you; what shall I tell you? I behold a Mother who has brought forth; I see a Child come to this light by birth. The manner of His conception I cannot comprehend. Nature here rested, while the Will of God labored. O ineffable grace! The Only Begotten, Who is before all ages, Who cannot be touched or be perceived, Who is without body, has now put on my body, that is visible and liable to corruption. For what reason? That coming amongst us he may teach us, and teaching, lead us by the hand to the things that men cannot see. For since men believe that the eyes are more trustworthy than the ears, they doubt of that which they do not see, and so He has deigned to show Himself in bodily presence, that He may remove all doubt. What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of days has become an infant. He Who sits upon the Cherubim and heavenly Throne, now lies in a manger. And He Who cannot be touched, Who is simple, without complexity, and incorporeal, now lies subject to the hands of men. He Who has broken the bonds of sinners, is now bound by an infants bands. But He has decreed that ignominy shall become honor, infamy be clothed with glory, and total humiliation the measure of His Goodness. Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Truly wondrous is the whole chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is ended, the devil confounded, the demons take to flight, the power of death is broken, paradise is unlocked, the curse is taken away, sin is removed from us, error driven out, truth has been brought back, the speech of kindliness diffused, and spreads on every side, a heavenly way of life has been ‘in planted on the earth, angels communicate with men without fear, and men now hold speech with angels. To Him, then, Who out of confusion has wrought a clear path, to Christ, to the Father, and to the Holy Spirit, we offer all praise, now and forever. Amen. *Adapted from "Homily on Christmas morning", St John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople (349 - 407 AD)
Last month’s article, the first part of this topic, included an introduction to the problem and danger of spiritual slackness on a servant’s life. The two main reasons mentioned previously were: 1. Lack of love for God. 2. Loss or Deformation of the goal This article discusses some other obvious reasons: Forgetting or Forsaking Repentance Repentance is a perpetual life fortified with the spirit of mortification, contrition and remorse before God, accompanied by perpetual remembrance of one’s weaknesses and feeling of utter need for grace, protection of the Holy Spirit and God’s defense. Despite the forgiveness procured for his renowned sin and the assurance granted by God through Nathan, “So David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' And Nathan said to David, 'The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.'” (2 Samuel 12:13). David continued to remember his sin and weaknesses saying, “For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:3), hoping for repentance, contrition, alertness and steadfastness in order not to fall again or lose his spiritual fervor. An assertion of this concept is St. Anthony’s favorable quote “if we forget our sins, God will remind us of them. If we remember our sins, God will disregard them.” Hence, it is dangerous to lose emotional sensitivity to self scrutiny as well as to the need for self reprimand. It has become essential for us to renew the feelings of repentance through atoning prayers as the ones listed in the Agpeya “Yes, Lord, grant us in that Hour to be without fear, anxiety or condemnation; and do not judge us according to our iniquities” (The Absolution of the Midnight Prayers). It is hazardous to enter into a spiritual comfortable zone that leads to feeling rich and self satisfied with our spirituality. All these are deluded and deluding feelings against which the Holy Book or Revelations warns us saying, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” (Revelation 3:17-18). It is good to recite St. Makarious' words, “Blessed is the one who sticks to Repentance until he meets the Lord.” It is strange to see people leave themselves for long periods without repentance, self search or confession. Thus the required measuring norms of self analysis will eventually lose accuracy. As a result the person will continue to do wrong, taking refuge in excuses, and justifications to errors in order to absolve the self. All these are dangerous slimy ways by Satan that lead to spiritual apathy. Loss of Discipleship A life of discipleship assists us in becoming quickly aware of the precipice and danger of gradual spiritual weakness. Adopting discipleship willingly and submissively will provide supportive and protective counseling and advice that will safeguard against slackness and the drifting away from principles. A perpetual life of discipleship can be likened to a censor full of glowingly ignited coal waiting to be fanned and incense to be added so that the coal may remain hot and the incense filling the spirit with the sweet smell of the expensive perfume of repentance. How odd it is to see a servant rejecting discipleship because his ego has been quieted with the honor of teaching. To such servants, St. James says, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body” (James 3:1-2). Discipleship is a powerful weapon against spiritual dryness. Superficiality of Worship It is dry ritualistic worship void of spirit, satisfied with to-the-letter performance and mere external movements without experiencing the fervor and awe of grace. Such type of worship creates boredom and weariness. This in turn brings about repulsion and rebellion against religious environment, spiritual values and literally all the corners of worship. Therapeutic practices for this type of spiritual sluggishness:
Appearances and Egoism The self is a big hindrance before spiritual growth. A servant might be tempted with the thought that he/she is indispensably important in church and that without them service would not advance, having forgotten that from stones God can get sons to Abraham and that he had chosen his disciples from common uneducated fishermen to make them fishers of men. A very clear example of God’s preferences is what He did with Elijah after his victory. For after he had killed the prophets of the Baal, God told him “Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place” (1 Kings 19:16). It seems that God wanted to exempt Elijah from the danger of feeling great in his own eyes. Likewise, St. Paul was given a thorn in his flesh so that he might not grow conceited because of the many revelations. We, also, if we live with God’s word as the Holy Bible says, we will arrive at implementing the words of St. Gregory’s the Great, “When you read the Word with awe, the soul will wake up to its hidden folds. Then a sword of sorrow and pinches from the conscience will pierce it leaving it with no choice but to weep and wash its sins in its tears.” …“Look into yourself to see God united in you… If you get to see Him, snatch yourself from your sight to see God alone living all the time in you.” So the essence of this truth is that you see in yourself…snatch yourself from your sight. Contrary to the life of appearances and superficiality is a life of depth, circumspection and closeness to God in the depths of the heart. That is the requirement for expelling all spiritual dryness. An outward person finds joy in external movements and appearances because this is his only measuring stick for service and activities. On the other hand, an in-depth person seeks his own salvation and that of others. * Adapted from HGBY monthly clergical spouse letters - September 2013
Spiritual tepidity and dryness is a big problem, even more serious when it finds its way to servants because it is destructive to life as well as service if succumbed and resigned to it. Spiritual indifference creeps in stealthily and gradually attacking even those who have chosen to walk the spiritual walk. The fight against it requires extra efforts, striving and repentance in order to avoid spiritual degradation and eventually loss of the crown of heaven. The Holy Book of Revelations expressed the danger of spiritual apathy in the message to the angel of the church in Laodicea. “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot] I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16). It is not an exaggeration to say that this whole present generation suffers from different forms of spiritual degeneration which have penetrated life, worship and service. It is sensed in confessions wherein individuals express their struggle against this dangerous enemy. For, there is the one suffering from tremendous weakness in prayer; another suffers from lack of enthusiasm in reading the Holy Bible. A third worships and serves in superficiality and dividedness. In this respect it is necessary to investigate the cause of this spiritual weakness and the means of combating it with the God-given weapons along with our alertness, struggling and fighting. What, then, are the causes of a lukewarm spiritual life? Lack of Love for God
Love is the source of the saying by the Fathers, “Love God and do whatever you want to do.” This saying sprang from a strong love for God from a pure heart. “ Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22). This type of love for God protects against faltering and breaking the commandment. “ There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). The Fact of the Matter: a spiritually cold person is someone who has not yet matured in his love nor does he/she proactively practice love towards God. Remedy: + Providing chances of meditating on the cross and what the Lord has done for us will fill the heart with love for God and appreciation for His initiated unconditional love. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). + Living in an environment of meditative life-giving prayers in the person of Jesus Christ and all His attributes (praises, psalms, memoirs of the saints). + Uttering frequently the name of Jesus Christ as a sweet precious melody. + Residing in a surrounding of brotherly love, hastening to do good works and merciful acts. “put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Colossians 3:12). This perpetuates the flow of love and dissipates all coldness, weakness and stiffness of feelings. + Singing to your God with psalms and spiritual songs. “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19). “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16). Loss / Deformation of Goal
If the spiritual goal gets lost, the result will be confusion in understanding and deviation away from the core of the kingdom. Turning towards self-glorification and honor causes spiritual callousness and defilement of the walk resulting in scarcity of fruit in spiritual life and service. Therefore, a servant should have a genuine spiritual goal extending its purity and clarity from heaven as expressed in St. Paul’s word, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). Thus it can be deduced that the absence of an absolute spiritual goal from a servant’s heart, mind and conscience will lead him into a distractive dilemma ending up in spiritual dryness and beating the air as St Paul said, “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air” (1 Corinthians 9:26).
Clarity of goal grants self-control. “ And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown” (1 Corinthians 9:25). Let us remind ourselves with the goal for which we were called to serve and worship. ....... to be continued. * Adapted from HGBY monthly clergical spouse letters - August 2013
Ekhristos anesti. Alithos anesti! Piekhristos aftonf. Khen oumethmi aftonf!
Consequently Jesus Christ died on the cross carrying in His body the curse that belonged to Adam and his descendents. With the thorn of death pierced deep into His forehead, the righteous Jesus Christ died on behalf of all sinners after having fulfilled the law verdict previously bestowed by sin on everybody. “if One died for all, then all died” (2 Corinthians 5:14) The death and burial of all humanity in Jesus Christ has put an end to the first humanity with all its curses preparing us for the day of the new recreation. For Jesus Christ, His resurrection accomplished in His very severely wounded, dead body and pierced open side was in itself just a mere resurrection from the dead. But, for us our human body it was an impartation of a new creation to our human body. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Resurrection as a Transition from Darkness to Light
Spirit as the giver of spiritual birth and renewal to all those who believe and get baptized transitioning them from the darkness of Satan to his wonderful light. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13). If Jesus Christ’s resurrection was essentially and primarily rising “from the dead” for the One who ascended is the one who came down (John 3:13) and the One who rose is the One who died first our resurrection must also be rising from the dead. Therefore, rising, by necessity has to be preceded by dying. Jesus Christ’s glorified, magnified resurrection had its starting point in a dark grave, with real death, total selfless submission and commitment in the hands of the father and brave, willing obedience that walked the walk in steps anchored in love till the cross! It is impossible to taste the joy of resurrection before going through death and the burial rituals. Whoever wants to rise with Jesus Christ has to be baptized to Jesus Christ’s death, be buried with Him in willful love. It is impossible for the Father to move us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love while there is still in us some darkness left. For, it is impossible for the old creation to transition to the new orbit of the resurrection because the process is exclusively spiritual. Whoever is born of the flesh is flesh; and according to the flesh he lives, thinks, and rejoices and his joy, sadness, fears, regrets and assurance are all drawn from and revolve around the flesh and the world with all its enticements and delusions. Resurrection is the beginning of the second birth by the Spirit. Whoever is born of the Spirit is spiritual and all the details of his life are according to the spirit; and according to the Spirit he lives, thinks, and his joy, sadness, fears, regrets and assurance are all drawn from and revolve around the Spirit and are done for the glory of God and according to His will. The carnal man and spiritual man both live on this planet. The former does everything in response to the flesh and dies with the flesh. The latter does everything according to the Spirit; and therefore lives above the world and will never taste death. Resurrection as a New Age and New Door
For those who are new in their walk towards the glorified kingdom, the cross seems an inevitable load wished to be removed or done without as if wanting to put on the new heavenly man over the old patched one.
Those who have preferred the road and approached the light, regard the cross as an essential inevitable necessity for which they have scented the fragrant breeze of the Resurrection from afar and heard the sound of the true Salvation hymn from behind the gates of the body. They had their spirits awakened and prepared for the coming great event. That great event facilitated the crossing from death to life, from darkens to light, from the authority of Satan to the Kingdom of God, from the bonds of the old man to the liberty of the children of God in glory. That great event granted and guaranteed the passage from death to life after it had been impossible “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection” (Romans 6:5). This verse presents the first act of unity in the likeness of Jesus Christ’s death as a past tense act. The second act is presented in the perpetual future. This means that unity with Jesus Christ in His death is one subject and unity with Him in His Resurrection is another one. In His death we were truly in Him, within His human body which is ours because through His incarnation He took what was ours and died with it. His Resurrection does not procure unity by default. For, it is essential that the risen Jesus Christ come to us. We were in Jesus Christ at His death, but after His resurrection He comes to us, and makes a dwelling. But Jesus Christ cannot make His Resurrection an act of a new life except within those who have accomplished the complete death of the old man. That is what he had taught repeatedly time and time again.
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.'” (Matthew 16:24). The third person pronoun ‘his’ reveals the experiential depth in the cross and how it varies from one person to another because each soul’s desires are differ and diverse. These desires, whether known or hidden, normally tend to recoil from God’s commandments in order to secure to the soul fake happiness; thus contradicting every truth in order to justify the resisting pride that opposes the truth. So, whoever “carries his cross” or in other words whoever “accepts willingly and wholesomely what is not acceptable here and now” will cross over from death to resurrection. For, the cross exists here and now and has to be carried at this moment with unconditional love and the self has to be crucified now in order to live in the power of the Resurrection and the perpetual joy which remains unaffected by external circumstances. For, the Christ who has revealed to us the amazing secrets of the cross and Resurrection has granted us to love the suffering therein and to decide willfully, just as He did, to die considering everything a gift from Him, being inspired by His love that pain incorporates a wonderful joy. This joy is the key to the blissful eternity. For, where there exists a “yes” to pain and death, there exists life and where there is “acceptance” of the darkness of the grave, there will be an ushering into the King’s courts. Where there is full fellowship with the mystery of the cross, genuine happiness will be found that belongs to the Resurrection. For Christ did not retreat from the cross because He embraced pain and death in order to reveal to us the light and joy hidden in them through His resurrection from the dead. How Can Death be Joyous? Love is much stronger than all that is against it. Through His love, Christ has made of death the first step towards joy and life. Through Christ death has digressed from its root and has no longer any connection with its previous hideous concept . One of the saints would call death “My brother Death”. Towards the end of his life, while waiting death, Seraphim Sarovsky said, “It is the great joy that approaches me.” We often witness some believers in their cascades seeming as if they were in a glamorous wedding. This is because the new man raised from the dead has realized when to embrace death with love and when to love while accepting in himself the sentence of his death. The saints know very well the meaning of the tradition expression “the joyful death” because in reality they have trained themselves for death by dying to the self all their life. St. Hezikus says concerning the remembrance of death, “let us remember death unceasingly because this remembrance will stop all futile pain, protect my soul, grant me the continuous prayer, keep my body alert and make me hate sin. The truth of the matter is that every virtue springs from this remembrance. Let us, therefore, guard it as much as we can.” This perpetual practice of death is in itself a practice of living life in its fullness because it is the exercise of resurrection here on earth. For as Graf Dürckheim, a current wise man says, "he who does not live with death all the days does not live at all.” Also, “The one who really lives is the one who knows how to die.” Death, therefore is only scary and an instigator of depression to those who are still captivated in the jail of the self tied with earthly ties; for God the benevolent has allowed for death to take place. Therefore death cannot be evil. Just as God did not scorn the larva while in its cocoon; but promised to make her into a beautiful butterfly; so through death He procured us resurrection and a better life. Let the Resurrection then be the window through which we look out onto all things. Only then will we discover the true secret for our life because it will be a resurrected life where joy will be around us; and we will live in a sea of love that drifts us towards heaven and “crossing over” will be our perpetual youth in this world. Let us chant always “The Christ is risen from the dead. With death, He trampled over death and granted life everlasting to those in the graves.”
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