Rich people entering tthe Kingdom

February 8, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

[James 2:1-13; Mark 10:23-32] Hearing the word of the Lord a‐bout the inconvenience rich people have in entering the Kingdom of God, the disciples thought, Who then can be saved? The Lord said to this, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. It is not possible to re‐nounce self-interest without the in‐fluence of grace on the heart; it is not possible to cope with all sorts of weaknesses for things, or with all the sin living in us and all of its con‐sequences without God’s grace. God’s grace is given, according to faith in the Lord, in the mysteries of the holy Church. Hold tightly to the holy Church of God and to all of its institutions, and the power of God, helping to bring about every good, will always abide with you. But at the same time always remember that these illuminating and life-giv‐ing institutions are a means and not the goal; that is why you should go through them only in order to enliv‐en and nourish the grace-filled pow‐ers hidden in you through their in‐fluence, and then take up your work as a strong man, ready for every good deed. If you keep what you have received to yourself and not release it through good deeds, you will not be right; just like one is not right who shuns everything belong‐ing to the church. Incorrect zealots of piety make the very structure of a pious life subject to criticism; but this does not take the significance a‐way from this structure, and does not justify philosophizers, who shun it only on these grounds.

Saint Theophan tthe Recluse

What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder

February 5, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

[Heb. 12:25-26, 13:22-25; Mark 10:2-12] What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. With these words the Lord affirms the integrity of marriage; only one lawful ground for divorce is indicat‐ed — a spouse’s unfaithfulness. But what should one do if one discovers something like this? Be patient. We have a universal commandment —to bear one another’s burdens; even more willingly should close ones, such as spouses, mutually fulfill this with respect to one another. Unwill‐ingness to be patient blows up some unpleasantness out of proportion, and trifles pile up into a dividing wall. What is the mind given us for? To smooth out the path of life. Wis‐dom will work out any unpleasant‐ness which is met. Because of lack of earthly wisdom, it not worked out; even more because of an un‐willingness to think over well the state of things, and even more from not having any goal in life other than pleasure. Pleasures cease, sat‐isfaction with one another ceases; on it goes until divorce. The more goals in life are debased, the more frequent divorces become on the one hand, and on the other — un‐lawful temporary cohabitation. The source of this evil lies in materialis‐tic views of the world and life.

Feast of Saint Sava Celebration

January 27, 2013 | Istochnik Choir, News & Events, Uncategorized

When: January 27, 2013
Where: 2148 Michelson Drive, Irvine, CA

Istochnik Choir Concert

Children’s Play – Act 1

Children’s Play – Act 2

Children’s Recitals

View Photo Gallery Children’s Play

The World Paseth Away

January 25, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

Friday. [I John 2:7–17; Mark 14:3–9] The world passeth away, and the lust thereof (I John 2:17). Who does not see this? Everything around us pass‐es away — things, people, events; and we ourselves are passing away. Worldly lust also passes; we scarce‐ly taste the sweetness of its satisfac‐tion before both the lust and the sweetness disappear. We chase af‐ter something else, and it is the same; we chase after a third thing —again the same. Nothing stands still; everything comes and goes. What? Is there really nothing constant?! There is, says the Apostle: he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (I John 2:17). How does the world, which is so transient, endure? Be‐cause God so desires that the world endure. The will of God is the world’s unshakeable and indestruc‐tible foundation. It is the same a‐mong people — whosoever begins to stand firmly in the will of God is made steadfast and firm at once. One’s thoughts are restless when chasing after something transient. But as soon as one comes to his senses and returns to the path of the will of God, his thoughts and inten‐tions begin to settle down. When at last one succeeds in acquiring the habit for such a way of life, every‐thing he has, both within and with‐out, comes into quiet harmony and serene order. Having begun here, this deep peace and imperturbable serenity will pass over to the other life as well, and there it will abide unto the ages. Amidst the general transience of things around us, this is what is not transient, and what is constant within us: walking in the will of God.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

The Meeting of The Lord

January 22, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

Tuesday. [Jude 1:1–10; Luke 22:39–42, 45–23:1] The Meeting

Lord. At this meeting the Lord is surrounded on the one side by Sim‐eon — righteousness which awaits salvation, but not in righteousness itself, and Anna — a life of strict fasting and prayer, made alive by faith; and on the other side by sub‐stantial, comprehensive and stead‐fast purity — the Virgin Mother of God, and by humble, silent submis‐sion and devotion to the will of God — Joseph the Betrothed. Transfer all of these spiritual attitudes to your heart and you will meet the Lord; not carried to you, but coming to you Himself. You will take Him into the embrace of your heart, and you will sing a hymn which will pass throughout the heavens and glad‐den all the angels and saints.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

Serbian New Year Celebration 2013

January 22, 2013 | News & Events, Uncategorized

When: January 22, 2013
Where: Parish Center @ 2148 Michelson Drive, Irvine, CA

Download Flyer

Righteous Juliania of Lazarev and Muromsk

January 17, 2013 | Saints & Martyrs, Uncategorized

Commemorated on January 2

Righteous Juliania of Lazarev and Muromsk presents an astonishing example of a self-denying Russian Christian woman. She was the daughter of the nobleman Iustin Nediurov. From her early years she lived piously, kept the fasts strictly and set aside much time for prayer. Early on having become orphaned, she was given over into the care of kinsfolk, who did not take to her and laughed at her. Juliania bore everything with patience and without complaint. Her love for people expressed itself in this manner – she often nursed the sick and sewed clothing for the poor. The pious and virtuous life of the maiden attracted the attention of the Lazarev village owner, Yurii Osor’in, who thereafter soon married her. The husband’s parents loved their gentle daughter-in-law and gave over into her hands the running of the household. Domestic concerns did not disrupt the spiritual efforts of Juliania. She always found time for prayer and she was always prepared to feed the orphaned and clothe the poor. During the time of an harsh famine, she herself remained without food, having given away her last morsel to someone begging. When an epidemic started after the famine, Juliania devoted herself completely to the nursing of the sick. Righteous Juliania had six sons and a daughter. After the death of two of her sons she decided to withdraw to a monastery, but her husband persuaded her to remain in the world, and to continue to raise their children. On the testimony of a son of Juliania – Kallistrat Osor’in, who wrote her life, at this time she became all the more demanding towards herself: she intensified her fasting and prayer, slept not more than two hours at night, and then laying her head upon a board.

Upon the death of her husband, Juliania distributed to the poor her portion of the inheritance. Living in extreme poverty, she was none the less for it vivacious, cordial, and in everything she thanked the Lord. The saint was vouchsafed a visitation by Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker and guidance by the Mother of God in church. When Righteous Juliania expired to the Lord, she was then buried alongside her husband at the church of Saint Lazarus. Here also was buried her daughter, the schema-nun Theodosia. In the year 1614 the relics of Righteous Juliania were uncovered, exuding a fragrant myrh, from which many received healing.

© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.

Original Sin

January 4, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

[James 1:1-8; Mark 10:11-16]

With what love the Lord treated children! Who doesn’t treat them with love? The longer one lives, the more one loves children. In them is seen freshness of life, cleanness and purity of disposition, which cannot but be loved. Looking at the innocence of childhood, some suppose that there is no original sin, that each person falls himself when he comes of age and meets with immoral urges, which, it seems to him, he does not have the strength to overcome. Everyone falls himself, yet the original sin nevertheless is present. Apostle Paul sees in us the law of sin, warring against the law of the mind. This law, like a seed, at first is as if not visible, but then is revealed and entices. Those who are born of lepers do not manifest leprosy until a certain age, but then it is revealed, and begins to consume them just as it did their parents. Where was the leprosy before this time? It was hiding within. So does the original sin hide until the time, and then comes out and does its business. Environment means a lot for both suppressing this sin and revealing it. If there were no sinful elements all around, there would be nothing with which to feed this hidden sin, and perhaps it would dry up of its own. But herein is our sorrow: that all around there is very much favourable food for it. There is much sin in every person as well as in society; but all of this does not necessarily determine that we will sin. Sin is always a matter of freedom—struggle and you will not fall. Only he who does not want to struggle falls. Why do we not want to struggle? There are no regulations concerning desire and lack of desire: I want to, because I want to; and I don’t want to, because I don’t want to. Self-rule is the original principle—one cannot go beyond it.

Saint Theophan the Recluse

The Veneration of the Virgin Mary in the Orthodox Church

January 2, 2013 | Books & Articles, Uncategorized

Because of recent discussions about the Catholic Church’s considering defining a new dogma concerning the Virgin Mary it might be of interest to Christians of other Churches to have some explanation of the Orthodox Church’s position concerning her.

The Orthodox Church honors and venerates the Virgin Mary as “more honourable than the Cherubim and more glorious without compare than the Seraphim …” Her name is mentioned in every service, and her intercession before the throne of God is asked. She is given the title of “Theotokos” (Greek for “Birth-giver-of-God), as well as “Mother of God”. She has a definite role in Orthodox Christianity, and can in no way be considered an instrument which, once used, was laid aside and forgotten.

Objections to the veneration of the Theotokos are based primarily on what is called “a lack of scriptural evidence to support such a practice.” While it is true that the Church depends heavily on her Tradition other than Holy Scripture (Ecumenical Councils, liturgical books, and the writings of the Fathers) for details and the precise definition of the nature of the veneration of the Virgin Mary, there are several passages of the New Testament that really form the basis for our practice.

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to announce to the Virgin the birth of the Saviour: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women.” (Luke 1:28) This angelic salutation forms a part of the hymn of the Church most frequently sung in her honor. Could we be wrong in repeating the words of the very messenger of God? Elizabeth, the Virgin’s cousin, considered it an honor for the Mother of her Lord to visit her. “And whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43) Is there any real difference between saying “Mother of God” and “Mother of the Lord”? Surely, God is the Lord! (Psalm 118:27) In the course of her visit to Elizabeth, the Blessed Virgin spoke the words that form the principal hymn sung in her honor at the Matins service.

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden, for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.” (Luke 1: 47-48)

Elizabeth had already been “filled with the Holy Spirit”, precisely that she might cry out: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” (Luke 1:41, 42) This honor given the Theotokos by her cousin is exactly what all generations of the Church do when they call her blessed. Finally, when Jesus saw His mother and the disciple John standing by the cross, He entrusted him with her care, but He also established a new spiritual relationship between them in saying to the disciple: “Behold thy Mother!” (John 19:27) What possible significance could this declaration of our Lord have except to make His Mother the Mother of all Christians? If she really had other children would she be in need of an outsider’s home?

The Incarnation of God was foretold in the Old Testament. A race was chosen for a specific purpose: to produce a holy humanity from which God could take flesh. Mary is the one who, in the Lord’s words, “heard the word of God and kept it.” (Luke 11:28) Through her personal sinlessness she fulfilled all the hopes and prophecies of Israel. She figured greatly in the very prophecies, the most important of which is that of Isaiah: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) The Church has always considered the following as prefigures or symbols of the role of the Theotokos in the Divine plan, and appoints them to be read on the eves of three of the feasts dedicated to her memory. The first is the story of Jacob’s ladder, which refers to her being the means by which God chose to enter into the world physically. “He saw in his sleep a ladder standing upon the earth, and the top thereof touching heaven, the angels also of God ascending and descending by it”. (Genesis 28:12) Then from the Prophecy of Ezekiel are the words concerning her perpetual virginity: “And the Lord said unto me: This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall pass through it; because the Lord God of Israel hath entered in by it, and it shall be shut.” (Ezekiel 44:2) The same is true of the burning bush seen by Moses: Mary contained in her womb the God-man, Jesus Christ, the God who is a consuming fire, and was not consumed.

The consequences of denying the Theotokos a part in the life of Christians are more serious than one may think in view of all its implications. Orthodox theology insists upon the two perfect natures of our Lord Jesus Christ; He was perfect God and perfect Man. The Virgin Mary communicated the humanity of the Incarnate God. The redemption of the human race was possible through the union of God and man in Christ. De-emphasis of the sinlessness of Christ’s Mother, insistence upon her having other children by Joseph (which cannot be demonstrated by the New Testament), and failure to remember her part in the history of the salvation of mankind have contributed to a general misunderstanding in some churches of the Incarnation in all its fullness and power. Very closely related to the above-mentioned things is the denial of the virgin birth of Christ, a rather popular feature of present-day liberal theology. After the virgin birth, the next basic teaching under attack is the divinity of Christ, and His resurrection, and with that, the Holy Trinity Itself.

The Virgin Mary in the Orthodox view is not regarded as a mediatrix or co-redemptress. She is an intercessor for us, and the content of prayer addressed to her is a request for her intercession. The Orthodox concept of the Church is the basic reason for the invocation of the Theotokos and all the saints. The Militant Church on earth and the Victorious Church in heaven are intimately bound together in love. If it is proper for one sinner to ask another sinner to pray for him, how much more fitting it must be to ask the saints already glorified and near the throne of God to pray for us. Surely, they know something of what goes on here, for else how could there be rejoicing in heaven over the conversion of one sinner? (Luke 15:10) The saints in heaven are equals of the angels (Luke 20:36), who are used by God in the accomplishment of His purpose (Acts 12:7)

There is scriptural evidence to support the traditional Orthodox attitude toward the Virgin Mary and the saints. The other equally valid parts of Tradition also afford abundant evidence of its soundness and importance.

Archbishop Dmitri (Royster)

From The Dawn
Newspaper of the Diocese of the South
Orthodox Church in America

Source

All Things New

January 2, 2013 | Saint Theophan, Uncategorized

New Year’s Day. The Circumcision of the Lord. Saint Basil the Great. [Col. 2:8–12; Luke 2:20–21, 40–52]. Since New Year’s Day is the begin‐ning of the days of the year, we ought to gather in our soul those thoughts, feelings and dispositions that would direct our affairs throughout the year in a Christian way. We will find this the moment we bring to mind what New Year’s Day is in the spiritual life. In the spiritual life, New Year’s Day is when one who has been living care‐lessly becomes zealous about salva‐tion and pleasing God. When one makes this resolution, then all is re‐built afresh both internally and ex‐ternally, upon new beginnings —the old passes away and all is new. If you have this, renew it; if not, ac‐quire it — and for you this will be New Year’s Day. A worthy celebrati‐on of the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and of the commemora‐tion of Saint Basil the Great are also tied with this. The essence of this change we have mentioned is that a person begins from this moment on to live solely for God, for his salva‐tion; whereas previously he lived exclusively for himself, preparing destruction for himself. Now he abandons former habits, all com‐forts and all in which he found plea‐sure; he cuts off passions and lustful dispositions and takes on works of strict self-denial. Such a change pre‐cisely represents what, according to the Apostle, the circumcision of the heart should be. The celebration of the circumcision of the Lord re‐minds us of this and obligates us to do it, while St. Basil the Great pro‐vides us with an example to follow. So all the themes which crowd our consciousness on New Year’s Day come together into one — our inner renewal through the circumcision of the heart. If it pleases the Lord to give someone this mindset on New Year’s Day — that is, not only to think in such a way, but also to bring all of this into his life — he will celebrate New Year’s Day in a most perfect Christian manner, and will prepare for a Christian passing of the whole year. On the following New Year’s Day he will only have to renew and enliven what he has now taken on.

Saint Theophan the Recluse