The Catalog of Good Deeds

Most young people don’t know how to discover their calling in the life. Whether to dedicate themselves to monasticism or select the marriage path. Some have the feeling that monasticism is a more superior choice than marriage and that marriage represents a lower situation. Others believe that any young man who chooses to become a monk is a coward who avoids the responsibilities of citizenship.

Bishop of Nafpaktos, Hierotheos provides a warm insight and a clear view of the essence of both marriage and monastic life, based on the teaching of the Eastern Church Fathers. “Both marriage and monasticism are powerful symbolic ways of straining toward the ultimate goal of love. Celibacy and marriage are not contrasted with each other; instead, both are compared to and directed to God’s love”.

Monasticism and Married Life

Orthodox spirituality is accessible to all people; responding to its message is not associated with special groups of people. All those who have been baptised in the name of the Holy Triune God are “compelled” to uphold Christ’s commandments. There are no exceptions on the way toward theosis, which is the “journey” from the image of God to His likeness. The Apostle Paul says clearly: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3, 27).

The essence and aim of Orthodox spirituality presented in the foregoing chapters is delineated in the Word of Christ and the teachings of the Apostles. Many passages from Holy Scripture have been quoted which show that the first Christians lived the spiritual life profoundly, having attained to the illumination of the nous and unceasing prayer.

In a reference to virginity and marriage the Apostle Paul states: “He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife” (1 Cor. 7, 32-33). Yet, at the same time he stresses: “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wines be as though they had none” (1 Cor. 7, 29). Thus married people also lived ascetically and had experiences of the spiritual life.

Moreover, not to be overlooked is the fact that all of the Apostle Paul’s Epistles, sent to the various Churches, were addressed to Christians who were married and had families. And it is within these Epistles that St. Paul speaks of cleansing of the heart, illumination of the soul, acquisition of noetic prayer, of the unceasing prayer of the heart, Sonship by grace, and of life in the Holy Spirit. These epistles disclose that the Christians of the first Apostolic Churches lived as the monks live today in the holy monasteries. When the persecutions ceased, however, and Christianity became the official state religion, secularization penetrated the Church and the ascetic way of living disappeared from the cities. It was precisely during this time that monasticism developed as an attempt to preserve the essence of the spiritual life. For this reason the holy Fathers emphasize that monasticism is the continuity of the Apostolic age and the life of the first Church; and that the monks are those who live the life of the Gospel, who experience repentance to its ultimate degree and who try to observe the commandments of Christ unyieldingly. Every Orthodox monk who lives within this atmosphere is an Apostle of Christ, a Martyr and a Prophet. Monasticism is apostolic, prophetic and martyrial life.

To understand the essence of monastic life, one should read the beatitudes of Christ. The monk commences his life in profound repentance with tears of mourning and the cleansing of the heart. In the Gospel and the Apostle Paul’s Epistles all the elements which constitute the genuine monastic tradition, as proclaimed by the Fathers, can be found.

These same elements are emphasized in the service of monastic tonsuring. It states there that during the noviciate period the prospective monk passes through the stage of the Catechumen, living in deep repentance and undergoing purification of the heart.

This is the “first love” of which the Evangelist John speaks in the book of Revelation. When repentance is accomplished monastic tonsuring takes place, which is referred to as the “second baptism”.

Monastic tonsuring is called a mystery because the monk experiences the purifying and illuminating energy of God. According to St. Symeon the New Theologian the second baptism is the baptism of the Spirit, that is, the illumination of the nous and the acquisition of noetic prayer. The following is said to the monk while he is being tonsured: “You are purged of your sins and becometh son of light”, Thus, the monk experiences purification of the heart prior to his tonsure, and acquires illumination of the nous while being tonsured.

The apostolic life and the way of life of the first Christians, as described in the Pauline Epistles and the book of the Acts, is made visible.

Monasticism is apostolic and evangelical; mortification of the “old man” precedes it, though, and then the monk becomes a “temple” of the Most Holy Spirit. The prayers read by the priest are expressive of this theme.

Married Christians in their personal lives are also called to live the Gospel and the commandments of Christ. Noone is exempted from this responsibility. Every one must experience repentance; overcome selfishness; and acquire love for God and love for others.

It is apparent that the circumstances of married life are different from those of the monastery, and thus a certain adjustment is needed. Yet, what the monastery is for the monk, the family is for the married person. Family is the place for ascetic practice in married life. It is therein that a person is called to carry out the will of God.

“O God most pure … bless this marriage, and vouchsafe unto these thy servants, N. and N., a peaceful life, length of days, chastity, mutual love in the bond of peace, long· lived seed, gratitude from their posterity, a crown of glory which fadeth not away. Graciously grant that they may behold their children’s children. Preserve their bed un assailed, and give them of the dew of heaven from on high, and of the fatness of the earth. Fill their houses with wheat, and wine, and oil, and with every beneficence, that they may bestow in turn upon the needy; granting also unto those who are here present with them all those petitions which are of their salvation”. (Rite of the Holy Matrimony).

The Church has placed all of its teaching on marriage in the prayers read during the marriage ceremony. The wedded are blessed to live their lives in love and prudence, following the commandments of God.

“Be thou exalted, a Bridegroom, like unto Abraham; and be thou blessed, like unto Isaac; and do thou multiply like unto Jacob, walking in peace, and keeping the commandments of God in righteousness.

And thou, O Bride: Be thou exalted like unto Sarah; and exult thou, like unto Rebecca; and do thou multiply, like unto Rachel: and rejoice thou in thy husband, fulfilling the conditions of the law: for so is it well pleasing unto God”. (Rite of the Holy Matrimony).

The fact that women and men who had been worthy of experiencing divine vision in the Old Testament are mentioned in the prayers, demonstrates the ascetic and saving character of marriage in Christ. The holy Fathers teach that conception, gestation and birth constitute the “garments of skin” which Adam wore after the Fall. God, however, eventually blessed this way. St. Maximos writes that marriage, as we know it today, is a result of the Fall.

St. Chrysostom teaches that all of the commandments of the Gospel -except, of course, for that of marriage-are to be shared by all men -monks and married.

St. Basil discerns that both -monastics and the married-are called to uphold the commandments of Christ in the Gospel. St. Gregory Palamas, on the theme of the purity of the heart, declares that married persons can also strive to attain it.

The existence of many married Saints who possessed noetic prayer both in the Old and the New Testaments reveals that married people have the capacity to experience Orthodox spirituality in all its manifestations. The prophetess Anna kept noetic prayer within her heart and prayed unceasingly while in the midst of experiencing great pain.

Within the framework of Orthodox spirituality, therefore, Christians are not divided into categories of married and single, monastics and lay people; however they are separated into those who have the Holy Spirit within and those who do not. It is possible for all people to uphold Christ’s commandments and experience Orthodox spirituality under the guidance of a spiritual father. There are neither privileged nor non-privileged people within Orthodox tradition.

Source: http://pemptousia.com/2016/12/marriage-or-monasticism/

Before confession, each person must attempt to recall all of his sins, voluntary and involuntary, must attentively go over his life in order, to the extent possible, to recall all of his sins, not only those committed since his last confession, but also those past sins which through forgetfulness have not been confessed. Then, with compunction and with a contrite heart, approach the Cross and the Gospel, and begin to confess your sins.

1) Confess your sins honestly, remembering that you are disclosing them not to a man but to God Himself, Who already knows your sins, but wishes you to admit to them. There is no reason to feel shame before your spiritual father. He is a person just like you. Because he knows human weakness and man’s propensity to sin he cannot be your judge. Are you embarrassed before your spiritual father because you are afraid to lose his good opinion of you? To the contrary, your spiritual father will love you all the more, seeing your sincere confession. Moreover, if you are ashamed to disclose your sins to a single spiritual father, then how will you be able to bear the shame if you have not cleansed yourself of your sins through true confession, and those sins are laid open before God Himself, before the angels and before everyone, acquaintance and stranger alike?

2) Confess all of your sins in full, each sin separately. St. John Chrysostom states, "One must not only say: I have sinned, or I am a sinner, but one must declare each form of sin." I.e., one must list each sin. St. Basil the Great states, "Revelation of sins is subject to the same law as the relating of physical ills…" The sinner is spiritually ill, and the spiritual father is a physician or healer. It follows that you must confess or relate your sins to your spiritual father in the same way that a physically ill person relates his symptoms to a physician, thereby hoping to be healed.

3) Do not mention others during confession. Do not complain about anyone, for what kind of confession would that be? Instead of confession, it would be a condemnation, and thus, yet another sin.

4) In confession, do not attempt to justify yourself in any way, blaming weakness, habit, etc. The more you justify yourself during confession, the less you will be justified by God, while the more you denounce, condemn and accuse yourself, the more you will be justified by God.

5) When questioned by your spiritual father, do not say "I do not remember, perhaps I am not guilty of that." God directed us to always be mindful of our sins. In order not to justify ourselves by forgetfulness, we must confess as often as possible. Those who out of carelessness confess infrequently, and as a result forget some of their sins, are themselves to blame, and therefore cannot hope to be absolved of the sins not confessed. Thus it is imperative that we strive to remember all of our sins. If someone is in our debt, we are sure to keep it in mind. Yet we forget our own debt before God! Does this not betray on our part a lack of concern for our soul?

6) Unless asked by the spiritual father, do not talk about sins you have not committed, or about what you have not done. That is to say, do not emulate the Pharisee in the Gospel, who only praised himself, and did not confess his sins; thereby he only caused his condemnation to be greater.

7) We must confess with sorrow and a contrite heart the sins by which we have grieved our Lord God. It is not good that many relate their sins matter-of-factly, without any remorse. They speak as if engaged in some casual conversation. Even worse, some allow themselves to laugh during confession. These are all signs of a lack of repentance. By confessing in this manner, we are not cleansed of sins, but only increase them.

8) Finally, confess your sins with faith in Jesus Christ and with hope in His mercy. Only with faith and hope in Jesus Christ can we receive forgiveness of sins. Without faith, we can in no wise be forgiven. Note the example of Judas the betrayer.

Source: https://stjohndc.org/en/content/proper-confession

Many Christians are lazy to go to Church. Even on feast days, in some churches the bell rings just like in a desert, and the churches are just empty. This is why we have decided to offer the lazy ones to listen to the word of St. John Chrysostom. If they do not listen to us, then may be they will listen to one of the universal teachers.

“I am begging you, those who have come there, that you teach the lazy ones to go to church, for you have savored the beauty of the teaching, but they have not… The church is a shelter for everyone. If you are pious, then come in to preserve your holiness; if you are sinful, then hurry to come in so that you can save yourself. If a person does not hear the teaching of the Church, then how can he direct his soul to good? The word of God is called "the light", and this light is much more precious than the visible light, for it enlightens the souls. This is what Prophet Isaiah told about: people are sitting in the deadly darkness, but can see the great light, i.e. the true teaching. Those of you who go to church regularly, foster the others so that they do not say, “I am busy, I cannot come”. Think about those who were invited to the King’s supper and still did not come. One of them said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen” and another said he has bought a piece of ground, and still another said that he has got married a wife. And the king got angry at them. You do not want to devote even an hour of your time. Is it really difficult for you to go to work after you have visited the church? If anyone begins to hand out gold or silver or give some honey or beer, would you not hurry to him? But you come seldom to the church, where I hand out the word of God every day, which is better than gold, more sweet than honey and even more precious than gemstones. This is why I condemn your laziness and blame you for your negligence towards the Church of God and deprive yourself of its spiritual teaching, through which you could learn piety and save your souls”.

So, brethren, come all to the church of God. Here you will be pleased with the word of God, which is better than gold and gemstones; here during the Divine liturgy you will be pleased with the saving recalls of the life of our Savior; here you will glorify God together with cherubims and seraphims; here, finally, you will commune with God as close as possible through His Blood and Body. Amen.

Source: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Viktor_Gurev/prolog-v-pouchenijah-na-kazhdyj-den-goda/296

Our holy Father Alexis, the defender of the Orthodox Faith and zealous worker in the Lord’s vineyard, was born in Austro-Hungary on March 18, 1854 into a poor Carpatho-Russian family. Like many others in the Austro-Hungarian empire, the Toths were Eastern Rite Catholics. Alexis’ father and brother were priests and his uncle was a bishop in the Uniate church. He received an excellent education and knew several languages (Carpatho-Russian, Hungarian, Russian, German, Latin, and a reading knowledge of Greek). He married Rosalie Mihalich, a priest’s daughter, and was ordained on April 18, 1878 to serve as second priest in a Uniate parish. His wife died soon afterwards, followed by their only child—losses which the saint endured with the patience of Job.

In May, 1879, Father Alexis was appointed secretary to the Bishop of Presov and also Administrator of the Diocesan Administration. He was also entrusted with the directorship of an orphanage. At Presov Seminary, Father Toth taught Church History and Canon Law, which served him well in his later life in America. Saint Alexis did not serve long as a professor or an administrator, for the Lord had a different future planned for him. In October, 1889 he was appointed to serve as pastor of a Uniate parish in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Like another Abraham, he left his country and his relatives to fulfill the will of God (Gen 12:1).

Upon his arrival in America, Father Alexis presented himself to the local Roman Catholic diocesan authority, Archbishop John Ireland, since there was no Uniate bishop in America at that time. Archbishop Ireland belonged to the party of American Catholics who favored the “Americanization” of all Roman Catholics. His vision for the future was founded on a common faith, customs, and the use of the English language for everything except liturgical celebrations. Naturally, ethnic parishes and non-Latin rite clergy did not fit into this vision. Thus, when Father Toth came to present his credentials, Archbishop Ireland greeted him with open hostility. He refused to recognize him as a legitimate Catholic priest or to grant permission for him to serve in his diocese.

As a historian and professor of Canon Law, Father Toth knew his rights under the terms of the Unia and would not accept Archbishop Ireland’s unjust decisions. In October of 1890, there was a meeting of eight of the ten Uniate priests in America at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania under the chairmanship of Father Toth. By this time the American bishops had written to Rome demanding the recall to Europe of all Uniate priests in America, fearing that Uniate priests and parishes would hinder the assimilation of immigrants into American culture. Uniate bishops in Europe refused to listen to the priests’ pleas for help.

Archbishop Ireland sent a letter to his parishes ordering their members not to attend Father Toth’s parish nor to accept any priestly ministrations from him. Expecting imminent deportation, Father Toth explained the situation to his parishioners and suggested it might be best for him to leave and return to Europe.

“No,” they said. “Let’s go to the Russian bishop. Why should we always submit ourselves to foreigners?” It was decided to write to the Russian consul in San Francisco in order to ask for the name and address of the Russian bishop. Ivan Mlinar went to San Francisco to make initial contact with Bishop Vladimir; then in February, 1891 Father Toth and his church warden, Paul Podany, also made the journey. Subsequently, Bishop Vladimir came to Minneapolis and on March 25, 1891 received Father Toth and 361 parishioners into the Orthodox Church of their ancestors. The parishioners regarded this event as a new Triumph of Orthodoxy, crying out with joy: “Glory to God for His great mercy!”

This initiative came from the people themselves, and was not the result of any coercion from outsiders. The Russian Orthodox Church was unaware of the existence of these Slavic Uniate immigrants to America, but responded positively to their petition to be reunited to the Orthodox Church.

The example of Saint Alexis and his parish in returning to Orthodoxy was an encouragement to hundreds of other Uniates. The ever-memorable one was like a candle upon a candlestick giving light to others (Mt.5:15), and his flock may be likened to the leaven mixed with meal which leavened the whole (Mt.13:33). Through his fearless preaching he uprooted the tares which had sprung up in the wheat of true doctrine, and exposed the false teachings which had led his people astray. Although he did not hesitate to point out errors in the doctrines of other denominations, he was careful to warn his flock against intolerance. His writings and sermons are filled with admonitions to respect other people and to refrain from attacking their faith.

While it is true that he made some strong comments, especially in his private correspondence with the church administration, it must be remembered that this was done while defending the Orthodox Church and the American Mission from unfounded accusations by people who used much harsher language than Father Toth. His opponents may be characterized by intolerance, rude behaviour, unethical methods and threats against him and his parishioners. Yet, when Father Alexis was offended or deceived by other people he forgave them, and he would often ask his bishop to forgive his omissions and mistakes.

In the midst of great hardships, this herald of godly theology and sound doctrine poured forth an inexhaustible stream of Orthodox writings for new converts, and gave practical advice on how to live in an Orthodox manner. For example, his article “How We should Live in America” stresses the importance of education, cleanliness, sobriety, and the presence of children in church on Sundays and Holy Days.

Although the Minneapolis parish was received into the Orthodox Church in March, 1891, it was not until July, 1892 that the Holy Synod of Russia recognized and accepted the parish into the Diocese of Alaska and the Aleutians. This resolution reached America only in October, 1892. During that time there was a climate of religious and ethnic hostility against the new converts. Father Alexis was accused of selling out his own Carpatho-Russian people and his religion to the “Muscovites” for financial gain.

In reality he did not receive any financial support for a long time, for his parish was very poor. Until his priestly salary began to arrive from Russia, the righteous one was obliged to work in a bakery in order to support himself. Even though his funds were meager, he did not neglect to give alms to the poor and needy. He shared his money with other clergy worse off than himself, and contributed to the building of churches and to the education of seminarians in Minneapolis. He was not anxious about his life (Mt.6:25), what he would eat or drink or wear. Trusting in God to take care of him, Saint Alexis followed the admonition of Our Savior to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Mt.6:33). So he bore the tribulation, slander, and physical attacks with patience and spiritual joy, reminding us that “godliness is stronger than all” (Wisdom of Solomon 10:12).

Bishops Vladimir, Nicholas, Saint Tikhon, and Platon recognized the special gifts of Father Toth, so they often sent him forth to preach and teach wherever there were people of Slavic background. Even though he was aware of his shortcomings and inadequacies, yet he was obedient to the instructions of the bishops. He did not hesitate or make excuses, but went immediately to fulfill his mission. Saint Alexis visited many Uniate parishes, explaining the differences between Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Roman Catholicism and Uniatism, stressing that the true way to salvation is in Orthodoxy.

Like Josiah, “he behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of his people” (Sir 49:2). He was instrumental in the formation or return of seventeen parishes, planting a vineyard of Christ in America, and increasing its fruitful yield many times over. By 1909, the time of his blessed repose, many thousands of Carpatho-Russian and Galician Uniates had returned to Orthodoxy. This was a major event in the history of the North American Mission, which would continue to shape the future of Orthodoxy in this country for many generations to come. Any future growth or success may truly be regarded as the result of Father Toth’s apostolic labors.

Who can tell of the saint’s spiritual struggles? Who can speak of the prayers which his pious soul poured forth unto God? He did not make a public display of his piety, but prayed to God in secret with all modesty, with contrition and inward tears. God, Who sees everything done in secret, openly rewarded the saint (Mt.6:6). It is inconceivable that Saint Alexis could have accomplished his apostolic labors unless God had blessed and strengthened him for such work. Today the Church continues to reap the fruits of his teaching and preaching.

Father Toth’s efforts did not go unrecognized in his own lifetime. He received a jeweled miter from the Holy Synod, as well as the Order of Saint Vladimir and the Order of Saint Anna from Czar Nicholas II for distinguished service and devotion to God and country. In 1907, he was considered as a candidate for the episcopal office. He declined this honor, however, humbly pointing out that this responsibility should be given to a younger, healthier man.

At the end of 1908, Saint Alexis’ health began to decline due to a complication of illneses. He went to the seashore in southern New Jersey in an attempt to regain his health, but soon returned to Wilkes-Barre, where he was confined to bed for two months. The righteous one reposed on Friday, May 7, 1909 (April 24 on the Old Calendar), the feast of Saints Sava and Alexius the Hermit of the Kiev Caves. Saint Alexis’ love and concern for his spiritual children did not cease with his death. Before closing the account of his life, it would be most appropriate to reveal but one example of his heavenly intercession:

In January, 1993 a certain man prayed to Saint Alexis to help him obtain information about his son from whom he had been separated for twenty-eight years. Placing his confidence in the saint’s boldness before God, he awaited an answer to his prayer. The very next day the man’s son telephoned him. It seems the young man was in church when he was suddenly filled with an overwhelming desire to contact his father. He had been taken to another state by his mother, and she changed his name when he was a child. This is why his father was unable to locate him. Having learned from his mother that his father was an Orthodox Christian, he was able with the help of an Orthodox priest to obtain his father’s phone number in a distant city. As a result of that telephone call, the young man later visited his father, who rejoiced to see what sort of man his son had become. The father gave thanks to God and to Saint Alexis for reuniting him with his son.

Saint Alexis was a true man of God who guided many Carpatho-Russian and Galician immigrants through the dark confusion of religious challenges in the New World and back to the unity of the Orthodox Church through his grace-filled words and by his holy example. In his last will and testament Saint Alexis commended his soul to God’s mercy, asking forgiveness from everyone and forgiving everybody. His holy relics now rest at Saint Tikhon Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania where the faithful may come to venerate them and to entreat Saint Alexis’ intercessions on their behalf.

Source: https://oca.org/saints/lives/2018/05/07/101300-repose-of-st-alexis-toth-the-confessor-and-defender-of-orthodoxy

In 2009, the well-known Russian Protestant pastor Igor Zyryanov converted to Orthodoxy along with his entire community of neo-Pentecostals. Today Fr. Igor is the rector of the Holy Trinity Church in the village of Ust-Ordynsky in Irkutsk Province, dean of the Ust-Ordynsky region, director of the St. John Chrysostom “The Way Home" diocesan center. We spoke with Fr. Igor about his discoveries in Orthodoxy, as well as about the best way to speak with Protestants about the true faith.

—Father, it’s been four years since you were ordained a priest, and six since you became Orthodox. Tell us in a few words, what has changed for you from the time you were a Protestant?

—The main thing is that the exalted dreams and hopes I had in the past as a Protestant are now coming true. I hoped to become a missionary, I wanted to preach the Gospel to the multitudes. Now I have an enormous opportunity for this. I can labor for God full strength, from morning to evening, as much as my strength allows.

—What obstacles were there to this in your Protestant past?

—First of all, the absence of the fullness of the faith and God’s grace. Protestants have good intentions, but no strength for real action, which is something the Lord gives us through His Sacraments. For example, the Protestants have the “act” of repentance but not the Sacrament of confession, thanks to which human sin is healed, and the believer is freed from sin’s power. But most importantly the Protestants do not have the Sacrament of Communion, without which any inner transformation is basically impossible.

The second obstacle that hindered us from preaching to the masses is the cultural barrier [in Russia]. Our country is historically Orthodox and Protestant preaching is perceived by it people as something foreign, like an attempt at recruitment to some foreign cause. In talking about Jesus Christ as Protestants, we literally ran after people. We spent a huge amount of time and strength on one person, thought up various projects and programs. Nevertheless, we were always perceived inadequately.

Now it is the opposite. People are thirsting to talk with an Orthodox priest. No matter where a batiushka goes, there are always people around who want to talk with him, to ask him questions and make requests. Therefore it is easy for us to talk about faith in God, to bring them into the church, and help them in a real way. That is what we do, with God’s help.

—Fr. Igor, is there anything in Orthodoxy that turned out to be not what you expected?

—I did not experience any disappointments. It all turned out to be exactly as I imagined it to be at the beginning of my journey. Even more—I now see many aspects of Orthodoxy more deeply and seriously than I once thought, especially those of prayer, fasting, and personal human piety. I well remember the time when I had just begun to read morning and evening prayers. I prayed with great pleasure; the rich content and spiritual fullness of the prayers amazed me. I still immerse myself in that process like in an ocean. Now I read what the holy fathers wrote about the Jesus prayer. It is extremely interesting.

—When you became Orthodox, were you sure that the priesthood was prepared for you?

—I admit that I thought about this. But that was not crucial. Having understood that truth is in Orthodoxy, I was inwardly ready to become an ordinary parishioner. To me it was important to be in Christ’s Church. The capacity was not important. It seemed that everything pointed to me being a simple believer. But then I and two other of our brothers, former Protestants, were invited to receive the priesthood.

I suspect that this is an important moment that every Protestant who is thinking about converting to Orthodoxy should know. Active ministers who are used to preaching, to taking care of people, will definitely find their way of service in the Orthodox Church; this is possible. The harvest is great… But at the same time, a former Protestant should be inwardly ready to become an ordinary church-going layman. It is all in God’s hands.

—Fr. Igor, what did you unexpectedly discover in yourself when you became Orthodox?

—When I was a Protestant, I was sure that I was holy. I simply confessed the sins I had committed and went on—leading the so-called “life in triumph”. When I became Orthodox, I saw my true face. I understood that I am hypocritical, proud, deceitful, ambitious, and so on… This made me disappointed in both myself and in Protestantism in general as a teaching. In Orthodoxy I obtained a serious support, help from God in being freed from my sins—through the Sacrament of confession and Communion. The longer I am Orthodox, the more I see the corruption of my own nature. But this knowledge gives me a reason to humble myself even more before God, to seek His face, and to try to change.

—Father, an article in Orthodox media about the conversion of your community to the Russian Orthodox Church evoked broad discussion. Even the secular media published this news about you. What was the aim of publishing this?

—I by no means made the story of our parish known out of thirst for glory. The thing is that before I became Orthodox I headed the international mission called, “Every Nation”, which preached the Gospel to the native peoples of Siberia and the Far East. I had many helpers in this mission from Protestant communities in Russia, Belorussia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. I had to explain to everyone who knew me personally and distantly the reasons for my decision and the reasons why I could not continue serving as I did.

That is how the story of our conversion arose. By the way, this story is still relevant; many Protestants still read it, and they later write and call me. The majority of those who ask questions about Orthodoxy are citizens of Russia and Ukraine, but there are also Protestants who want to become Orthodox among them from Europe, Israel, and the U.S. I receive many letters, and I can’t even answer them all.

—At the blessing of Metropolitan Vadim of Irkutsk and Angarsk, a consultation center called “The Way Home” has been organized in your diocese in honor of St. John Chrysostom. Thanks to this center, 200 Protestants have already become Orthodox…

—I can’t say that these 200 people are entirely the fruit of our center’s work. In order for a person to find the true faith many conditions are needed, which are first and foremost created by the Lord Himself. A small part of this work, by God’s grace, is ours. Many Protestants come to me, mainly ministers. There are those to want to meet and talk secretly. We go to meet with them, answer their questions, and tell them about our own experience.

By the way, we now have two former pastors from a charismatic movement who serve in the altar of our church. And in Irkutsk province today there are six priests serving (including myself) who are former Protestants.

It must be said that the flood of people converting to Orthodoxy could be even larger. We are seeing how in other countries whole communities are converting to Orthodoxy, while in Russia we are not seeing such mass conversions from Protestantism.

—Why is that?

—There are several reasons. Often priests who bring Protestants into Orthodoxy are in a hurry. They relate to Protestantism as to an enemy movement, and try to yank a person out of it abruptly. This is not always beneficial. For example, if a pastor starts thinking about Orthodoxy, the whole community may become Orthodox. But the priest to whom the leader has turned tries to convince him to receive Orthodoxy quickly. The pastor follows his advice, becomes Orthodox, and… looses his authority among his parishioners who have not had the chance to understand anything yet. The leader is kicked out of the congregations, and the parish receives a vaccination against Orthodoxy.

In our case, thank God, this did not happen. Fr. Viacheslav Pushkarev, the head of the missionary department of the Irkutsk diocese, was in no rush when he began to meet with us. He came to our meetings with lectures, allowed the whole community to understand Orthodoxy, to literally be permeated with it. Therefore we were all able to come into the Russian Orthodox Church, and we didn’t lose anyone.

Clergy who are involved in missionary activities in a Protestant milieu should make contact with pastors who are open to having contact. It is helpful to tell them about the faith, to suggest some patristic reading. In this case the whole community will have the opportunity to understand the beauty of Orthodoxy, to know what the Church is. I think that after this the majority of the members of the congregation will receive Orthodoxy. There simply can be no other outcome for a Protestant who sincerely seeks God. Having learned the facts about the Orthodox Church, about the Sacraments, about apostolic succession, a person simply cannot remain a Protestant.

—And what about debates with Protestants, which were popular at one time?

—I think that this format is untenable. Let’s say we have a public debate and we win, while the Protestant leader loses. He is humiliated and insulted, and it’s highly unlikely that he’ll become Orthodox. If the Orthodox side didn’t have sufficient knowledge or good enough arguments and lost the debate, he has brought shame upon Orthodoxy. In both cases we have a fiasco.

In our work we strive to be guided by the words of St. Gregory the Theologian: “We are trying to achieve not victories, but the return of our brothers, as our separation from them torments us.”

As long as the hearts of Orthodox people are not in fact tormented by their separation from Protestants, any service to them will be unsuccessful.

If we are talking about our own personal relationships with Protestants, the Orthodox should refuse to participate in any aggressive polemics. We should gently talk about our own spiritual experience, share our experiences. We should simply sincerely show that there is something in Orthodoxy that can help our brother: the grace of God, which is almost entirely absent in Protestant congregations.

—What questions do Protestants ask when they come to you?

—First of all the ones that lie on the surface. We all know this set of questions: about icons, the veneration of relics and saints. But in fact it’s not important what questions they bring to us. We have to answer the questions, but the main thing is to bring the understanding to the Protestants about what the true Church is. We observe with regret that there are people who have become Orthodox but have become only nominal Christians. This has happened because they have not decided for themselves just what the Church is.

It is no secret that in church we can run into problems, temptations and difficulties, and the negative behavior of parishioners. But if a person has a foundation—the awareness that the Church is the ship of salvation, and its captain is Jesus Christ Himself—he will not leave when he encounters these problems in the churches. Glory be to God that I ended up on this ship, that our Lord Jesus Christ pulled me into it. And that I no longer have to try and traverse the sea on the flimsy little boat of Protestantism. I don’t care if a small board on the ship has rotted, or that there is a slight tear on the fringe of the sail, because most important is the ship’s Captain. If you understand this you are protected from temptations and problems. But if you don’t have this understanding, then all the rest—neither the beauty of Orthodoxy, nor the asceticism, nor freedom from the passions, nor prayer, the grandeur of the services and the power of Communion can keep a person in the church.

There are also examples of the opposite, when a person understands the value of the Orthodox faith and does not pay any attention to the problems.

One woman, a third generation Baptist, started thinking about Orthodoxy, came to a church and asked the grandma at the candle desk if she could speak with a priest. The grandma said, “Are you even baptized?” The woman answered that she wasn’t. The old lady told the woman off, saying that batiushka would not even talk to her in that case. The woman did not give up after one try, and wrote to our center. Finally she met with a priest in another church. And this is not an isolated incident, unfortunately. There have been cases where Protestants were ready to receive Orthodoxy, came to a priest and asked for help. In one case the priest insulted the person, in another case the priest sent him to the bishop. Happily these Protestants did not give up and became Orthodox nonetheless. Possibly this treatment was a test of their resolve. But it doesn’t at all mean that the actions of those representatives of Orthodoxy whom I just mentioned were right.

—You have already partially answered my next question about what the Orthodox Church should do so that the Protestants would come to it.

—Actually, we do not have to change anything; essentially we have everything. There are meaningful, clear, and profound answers in the Orthodox Church to the questions that Protestants have. It is only a matter of good relationships to Protestants and the knowledge of those who receive Protestants, to see the problems with which a Protestant has come.

Perhaps the very least would be to organize more centers like ours. We have already shared our experience with the Tomsk diocese, and are ready to visit other regions if we are invited.

Source: http://orthochristian.com/112612.html

Archpriest Andrew Lemeshonok, the spiritual father of St. Elisabeth Convent, answers various questions of the parishioners.

What should an ideal woman be like?

The Most Holy Mother of God must be the ideal for every Orthodox woman. Apostle Paul once uttered bold and daring words, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Cf.: Gal. 3: 28). That is, when a person is filled with the Spirit, he has all the beauty. God cannot be ugly, it’s a human being who can be imperfect—whose body, face, voice or something else can be imperfect. When he has God, everything changes, of course. That is why, in my opinion, an ideal woman or an ideal man is when you can see God in them and the light of the love of Christ in their eyes. The rest—the shapes, the curves, the eyes, and the hair—is temporary and ephemeral. When you see a person filled with love, you don’t just rejoice but also see how love acts, or to be precise, how Christ acts through that person and saves the world.

Can you name the best and the worst qualities of a woman’s nature?

Women and men are different by nature. Of course, none of us are Angels. The best women’s qualities are humility and modesty. The worst qualities are hypocrisy, insincerity, falsehood. A person may choose to imitate something in front of the others and in front of herself. As she keeps playing that role, she cannot tell whether it is fake or real any longer. Sure, I could name many other negative traits but falsehood is the worst. Other drawbacks may be overcome but when a person pretends to be not the person that she truly is, it causes aversion. I pity those who do so.

Why are there so few female saints in the Orthodox calendar?

There may be many more holy women who haven’t been canonised — women who carried out their obediences in families, hospitals, or convents but who did not demonstrate exceptional feats of faith due to lack of physical strength.

Each person has their own place, and their own level of ascetic effort and ministry. It just happened when males who were more physically robust and mentally adroit turned to God, they could do something that impressed other people and taught them a lesson. With that said, the majority of those who remained in the Church during persecutions were elderly women. The Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women were the first to come to the Lord’s Tomb, and they weren’t afraid.

Anyway, Adam, not Eve, was the first human. That is why women can’t be priests or deacons, and they cannot enter the sanctuary. Nevertheless, the Mother of God is titled more honourable than the Cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim. A woman’s heart is more responsive and faithful.

However, all are one in Christ, women and men.

April 26, 2018

St. Elisabeth Convent

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