If someone is teaching you outside of the
things which the holy catholic Church received from the Holy Apostles, Fathers
and Synods and preserved up till now, do not listen to him..., close your
ears." (St. John Damascene)
We as Orthodox Christians must return towards
the path of righteous faith, as well as fully spiritually participate in it
with all our minds, hearts, and souls. I
would like humbly to make the following suggestions to you that would help all
of us be most faithful Orthodox and pious Christians as we all ourselves
struggle for our salvation and that we will indeed have a good and great
defense before the great judgement seat of our Christ our Lord:
1) Participate in loving prayer of the Divine Services of your parish Church,
attend frequently Vespers, Matins, and the Holy Divine Liturgy, and when the
Church calls you for further prayer.
2) Prepare
yourself to go frequently to Holy Confession with your local parish priest, and
read the prayers before Holy Communion, and give Thanks to our Lord God
afterwards.
3) Live
up to the prescibed fasting rules during the weekdays as we fast on both
Wednesdays, and Fridays, as well as of midnight the night before the Holy
Divine Liturgy. In addition follow the fasting periods in which the Orthodox
Church has offered. We fast for forty
days in preparation for the birth of our Lord, we fast for forty days for our
Lord's Holy Resurrection, we fast for a period of time for the Apostles, and
for the Mother of God for fifteeen days.
Follow your Orthodox Church calendar in this regards to note when you
should fast, and when you are free from fasting.
4)
Acquire to understand fully the teachings of our Holy Orthodox Faith from the
teachings of the Holy Apostles, and the early Holy Fathers of the Church, and
live within these guidelines to defend and share with others this loving faith.
Seek out those who lived and struggled a most ascetical life and who have given
us guidelines on the path towards our salvation. Find out what would the Holy
Fathers say about the life of our Church, and about the issues we face from day
to day. It's spiritually impossible to
live a full Orthodox life without the Holy Fathers of our Church. Learn who they were, how humbly they
lived, and what they taught us!
5) Learn
about the lives of the saints of our Church, as well as the holy martyrs, and
the ascetics of our faith. Read as
frequently as possible (almost daily) about these lives, as a means of
spiritual guidance for you and a means for you to follow their loving example
for us all!
6) Study
the teachings of the early Seven Ecumenical Councils, and the lesser councils,
as to what has been expressed and taught to us about the teachings about our
Saviour Jesus Christ, both His divine and human nature, as well as the
teachings of the Mother of God. Learn how these Ecumenical councils developed
the guide lines on the books of Holy Scripture, and the Nicene Creed we
confess, and other teachings of our Church.
Or take a
walk by yourself through the woods and pray. Do this often as possible. Weep in
your prayers, and learn about tears, keep your head bowed down and fold your
hands cross wise in humility before our Lord God. Fold your hands to pray,
pray, and pray.
8) Find
time within your busy day to try to learn more about your faith and search out
the many books now available that can quide you on the right path of your Holy
Orthodox Christian faith. Read humbly about those who have confessed our faith,
and lived it daily, read frequently about the lives of the Saints and you will
be spiritually rewarded. Know the life
of your loving patron saint, and be an expert in this regards to tell others
about this precious God-loving life and good works. Share this information with others, and teach
your children about the faith in a childlike manner.
9) Know
that the Ten Commandments are important for us to live and to follow. Read what
the Holy Fathers had written about these Ten Commandments and seek from an
Orthodox point of view their meanings for not only yourself but also for your
beloved children.
10) Pick
up and read Holy Scriptures daily, and struggle to read both the Old and New
Testament and the books of the Apochraphal.
11) Make
a pilgrimage to either an Orthodox monastery or a convent. Make a serious decision to visit the Holy
Land, or to go to Holy Mt. Athos. When
you travel make plans to visit the local Orthodox Church's and monasteries in
the area, and call the monastery and parish that you would like to stop and
pray.
12) Seek
out the teachings of our faith about the virtues and the teachings that lead
you on your path towards salvation, in both seeking your salvation on a daily
basis and living your faith as a good example.
Seek truth, and learn that truth will guide towards your salvation. Remember
humbly truth is bitter, but it's truth!
Have hope, and above all have faith in our Lord God and Saviour Jesus
Christ. Remember to endure, and learn more about endurance, as did the lives of
the Holy Martyrs of our loving Church.
13) Love
your children, respect your parents, and be honorable to your relatives, as
well as your Godparents. Love your neighbor and care for their needs. Judge no
one, and let our Lord God take care of this for all you have to do is pray for
those in desperate need of your loving prayers.
14)
Forgive, forgive, forgive and learn how to forgive!
15)
Struggle, struggle, and struggle with love for God and His Church!
16) Roar
like a lion, but be mostly meek as a lamb!
17) Pray
for the living, and pray for the departed in the Lord! Keep list of these names, and bring it often
to the priest to pray with you.
18) Seek
to be saintly and prepare yourself spiritually.
Love peace and seek spiritually inner peace with our Lord Jesus Christ.
When war is at our door step and destruction, cry out for peace, peace, and
never cease in this regards in spite of what might seem a failure at that time.
Keep knocking on the door for peace again and again!
20) Learn
about the inner peace of our Lord God and live for this peace.
21) Live
the pious Christian life of Beatitude!
Remember almost by heart in remembrance of these spiritually rewarding
Beatitudes. "Blessed are the meek...." Learn to be meek also.
22) Feed
the homeless and help the homeless in any way to get on their feet to lead a
productive life. Learn that your
responsibility is not to convert them, but to live a true Christian life. Reach
out in caring for others when they ask for your help. Be a volunteer, and do it
with Christian love and expect no reward. The poor and most unfortunate need
food, a warm blanket, and shelter, as well as your love, give one of your
blankets away, give some of your extra food to someone else, and suggest where
one can find shelter and assist in this on a temporary basis. Pray for them and
do not cry out that it's their fault, as being poor is a horrific struggle to
be what all human beings desire to get back on their feet once again. Aren't we
all ourselves at the door step at times in being homeless? Afterwards do not seek any rewards, and deny
you did anything before man, as our Lord God will reward you most humbly. Help
sponsor a dinner in your local parish and remember to when it's Wednesday or
Friday prepare fasting foods. When it's not a fasting day remember that those
who are homeless and hungry do not eat as often as yourself.
23) Avoid
pride and be humble!
24) Do
nothing for honor, and when you are caught doing something good express the
following: It's all for the Glory of our God!
Or say: Glory be to God for all things!
25) Pray
for all and judge no one, leave that up to God!
26) When
you pray learn to weep in these humble prayers with all your mind, heart, and
soul!
27) Struggle
and learn to struggle more!
28) Look
for Christ our Lord in others, and speak from the heart to the heart before
you!
29) Seek
to cleanse your sins, and weep before our Lord God that you desire not to sin
in the same manner again.
30) Pick
up your Cross, and then pick it up again!
31) When
you are ill seek out your parish priest to anoint you with the gift of the Holy
Spirit that was performed on Holy Wednesday at the Holy Unction services.
32) Be
forbearing always!
33)
Listen to the truth as it might at times seem bitter to you.
34) Learn
about the Creed we confess during the Divine Services and in your daily
prayers, seek to fully understand the Creed, and learn that it's a confession
of our Holy Orthodox Faith and it's teachings.
If anyone ask you about our faith refer to this Creed frequently.
35)
Establish icon corners and places for your holy icons in your home. Keep a
vigil light burning fervently before your loving icons, and take oil from it
anointing yourself and your beloved children.
36)
Respect your environment and plant a tree, and put flowers in the ground and see
the beauty of our Lord God and His creation.
Give room for nature to dwell, as we desire to dwell on this earth in
humble preparations for the Kingdom of our Lord God.
37) Have
your house blessed by your parish priest every year.
38) Go to
Holy Confession and ask your local parish priest guidelines in preparation for
this Holy Mystery.
40) Give
always Glory, Honor, and Worship to God
to the Most Holy Trinity, One in Essence, and Undivided - the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen!
"The Church of Christ is not comprised
of the many, but of those who keep the correct and saving confession of faith,
even if they are few" (St. Theodore
Studite)
Excerpt from: http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/theantichrist.htm
CONVERSATION