The Catalog of Good Deeds

Though your sins be like scarlet, they may be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).

O, the boundless mercy of God! In His greatest wrath upon the faithless and ungrateful people, upon the people “laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters” (Isaiah 1:4), as “princes [rulers] of Sodom” (Isaiah 1:10) and upon the people who have become as the “people of Gomorrah” (Isaiah 1:10) – in such wrath, the Lord does not abandon mercy but rather calls them to repentance. Just as after terrible lightnings, a gentle rain falls. Such is the Lord long-suffering [patient] and full of mercy and “neither will He keep His anger forever” [Psalm 102:9 (103:9)]. Only if sinners cease to commit evil and learn to do good and turn to God with humility and repentance they will become “white as snow.” The Lord is mighty and willing. No one, except Him, is able to cleanse the sinful soul of man from sin and, by cleansing, to whiten it. No matter how often linen is washed in water with ashes and soap, no matter how often it is washed and rewashed, it cannot receive whiteness until it is spread under the light of the sun. Thus, our soul cannot become white, no matter how often we cleanse it by our own effort and labor even with the help of all legal means of the law until we, at last, bring it beneath the feet of God, spread out and opened wide so that the light of God illumines it and whitens it. The Lord condones and even commends all of our labor and effort, i.e., He wants us to bathe our soul in tears, by repentance to constrain it by the pangs of the conscience to press it, to clothe it with good deeds and in the end of ends, He calls us to Him: “Come now,” says the Lord, “and let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18). That is, I will look at you and I will see if there is Me in you and you will look upon Me as in a mirror and you will see what kind of person you are.

O Lord, slow to anger, have mercy on us before the last wrath of that Dreadful Day.

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich,

Homily for August 5 in The Prologue of Ohrid Volume II

Source: http://www.orthodoxchurchquotes.com/2015/08/19/st-nikolai-velimirovich-about-how-god-whitens-the-repentant-sinners/

So, you’re exploring the idea of joining the Orthodox Church?

Relax! It is a joyful and well worn path, with many souls who have made this journey before you, and many more will come after you.

Therefore, let’s start with the basics.

Step One: Conversion to Christ

St. Paul himself tells us what this Gospel – which means ‘Good News’ – consists of:

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

That is the Gospel.What is so ‘Good’ about it? This is the Good News preached to all nations. Is it really Good News? Let’s have another look at what the Gospel actually is;

That Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He arose on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and appeared to many.

Christ died for our sins. We have freedom in the Living God if we accept Him! We become inheritors of Eternal Life! What could be easier! Acceptance of the Gospel of Christ is what we call conversion. It seems elementary, but sometimes we forget what the Gospel is, and why we convert. Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. Orthodox Christians believe you must be converted every day- every day – and everyone must start with this step if they desire to make spiritual progress and be saved.

Step Two: Repentance

There is no salvation without repentance. One must repent of our sins, both voluntary and involuntary, of word, deed, and even thought! Repentance is the gateway to forgiveness and the Kingdom of heaven. After this, one must find a local Orthodox Church. There is an ancient Christian saying;

One Christian is no Christian.

To become a member of the Body of Christ means connection with other believers. Without this vital connection, Christianity becomes an interesting study or personality cult. We believe that Christianity is a living faith, and therefore must be received from living persons. St. Paul says as much;

And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. (2 Corinthians 8:5)

Your introduction to the local clergy and community will enrich you and benefit you in many ways. It will be a time of learning how the Church does Scripture reading, prayer, fasting, tithing, almsgiving, charity, interior life and evangelism.

You will make new friends, acquire new disciplines and skills that will make you a better and more loving Christian.

Step Three: The Catechumenate

When one desires to become a member of the Body of Christ, a period of instruction is necessary. From the earliest days of the Church, this was called the Catechumenate, and those wishing to join were called catechumens. One must know the Gospel (see above). One must know what the Church is, and isn’t; what membership in the Church means, responsibilities and expectations for members, benefits of membership, and what discipleship means to believers in Christ Jesus. Sometimes a local Church has a New Members Class, sometimes they have a series of classes for inquirers like yourself.

Your situation is not unique. You may be making this journey of faith alone. You may be coming with your family, or with friends. You may be a clergyman, leading your flock to the Safe Haven. You may be part of a large group yearning for inclusion in the Church. Whatever your situation is, you can be assured that many of come that way before you.

The time you spend as a catechumen is time well spent. You’ll not only have the chance to learn more about the Orthodox faith, but you’ll also have the chance to immerse yourself into the Orthodox way of life. You may get impatient (many of us did!) for your entrance into the Church, but make no mistake, in no time, your catechumenate will have come to an end, and you’ll be a member of the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church once and for all!

Source: http://journeytoorthodoxy.com/welcome/how-to-become-an-orthodox-christian/

This interview comes days after His All Holiness paid a visit to Bulgaria for the opening of new churches in the Burgas region where he was welcomed by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. Shortly after that, on May 24, 2010, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was in Moscow where he performed a service together with Russian Patriarch Kirill on the occasion of the Day of St. Cyril and St. Methodius, the authors of the Slavic script.

What would you say are the major, basic characteristics that continue to distinguish today Eastern/Greek Orthodox Christianity from the other Christian churches?

It is sometimes best to discern similarities and common ground, rather than differences and distinctive features among Christian Churches. There is often more that unites us than separates us, and we should not be complacent in a defensive presence of Orthodox Christianity in the world.

Nevertheless, the Orthodox Church has a profound wealth in its spiritual tradition, which retains a more cosmic, liturgical and mystical world view.

This is why current issues of global concern, such as the ecological crisis, are of utmost importance to us inasmuch as they underline how doctrine and ethos are integrally related. The way we worship and pray to God reflects the way we lead our lives and treat our planet.

What is the most unique thing about the tradition of Eastern/Greek Orthodox Christianity? What should members of the other Christian churches or other religions know about it?

The Orthodox Church is often seen as a traditional Church. And, while it is true that we preserve many elements from the early Apostolic community, which witnessed the Resurrection of our Lord and the Pentecost of the Church, we are also a Church that seeks to dialogue with the present.

In this regard, we are a Church that looks both to the past (with the treasures of the Church of the Fathers) as well as to the future (with an expectation of the heavenly kingdom, as we profess in the Nicene Creed). This all-embracing theology and all-encompassing spirituality is “always prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that lies within us.” (1 Peter 3.15)

There is a widespread impression that Western churches are generally more pro-active with respect to social causes and initiatives. What is the main attraction and the main message of the Eastern Orthodox Church in the 21st century, the rapidly changing time of the Global Age?

In many ways, there is truth in that widespread impression, and it would be helpful for us as Orthodox Christians to be prepared also to learn from our Western brothers and sisters.

As we observed earlier, it is more helpful and beneficial for us to work together in a spirit of healthy ecumenism, rather than work in an isolation that resembles a closed ghetto-like community. From as early as the third century, the West emphasized the role of the Church in the present world, excelling in law, ethics, and the worldly institution.

By contrast, the East stressed the heavenly (or eschatological) dimension of the Church, presenting unparalleled models and examples of mysticism and spirituality. So both East and West can learn from one another.

The Orthodox Church can reveal how the Holy Spirit and the Divine Liturgy are able to inspire all aspects of the earthly Church – including the organizational leadership of the Church and the social standards of the people.

Is it correct to say that the Orthodox Christian religion is a key trait of a Greco-Slavic Civilization, as it is often described by western scholars?

While it is true that Orthodox Christianity was the cradle of civilization on the Eastern world – both Greek and Slavic – the unfortunate truth is that the Western world has neglected its Byzantine roots.

It is a sad reality that Western historians have been dominated by the importance and influence of the Renaissance, while overlooking the fact that Constantine the Great moved the capital of the Empire to New Rome, Constantinople, in 330AD as well as the fact that all seven Ecumenical Councils of undivided Christianity were held not in Greece or Rome, but in the East, in what is now Turkey.

Nevertheless, more recent scholarship has embraced a more comprehensive view of history. As shown in Dr. Runciman’s great books, the memory preserved by the Mother Church of Constantinople through the centuries was the memory of an Orthodox ecumenical civilization. However, it is not easy to turn around a tide of historical prejudice.

Greeks and Bulgarians used to have more powerful medieval empires, which boosted Orthodox Christianity. What is the role of these two nations today as far as Orthodox Christianity is concerned? Is it fair to say that Russia is the leading Orthodox nation nowadays?

We should remember that the situation of the first millennium no longer prevails in our world, and we should not live in such a manner that reflects those circumstances. Moreover, while the original system of Pentarchy emanated from respect for the apostolicity and particularity of the traditions of these ancient Patriarchates, the autocephaly of later Churches grew out of respect for the cultural identity of nations.

Thus, today, we have reached the perception that Orthodoxy comprises a federation of national Churches, frequently attributing priority to national interests in their relationship with one another. Yet, secular forces have never been the primary focus or foremost definition of Orthodox ecclesiology.

Our criteria of ecclesial identity and unity are not the measures of this world – of numbers and wealth – but derive instead from the Holy Spirit, as this is revealed in the Church Councils and the Holy Eucharist.

We do not, as during Byzantine times, have at our disposal a state factor that guaranteed – and sometimes even imposed – our unity. Nor does our ecclesiology permit any centralized authority that is able to impose unity from above.

Our unity depends on our ecclesial conscience. The sense of need and duty that we constitute a single canonical structure and body, one Church, is sufficient to guarantee our unity, without any external intervention.

This is precisely why we have to date convened five meetings (Synaxes) of Heads of Orthodox Churches throughout the world, while we have at the same time insisted on advancing preparations for the Holy and Great Council of our Orthodox Church.

We have been blessed with a recent official visit to Russia at the invitation of His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and we have, therefore, witnessed the vital rejuvenation as well as the complicated adversities of the Russian nation.

From your position as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople you have sought to promote peace among Christians, Muslims and Jews. What are some of your successful initiatives in that respect? In an age of rising sectarian violence, what can religious figures of your rank do to help bring about peace and understanding?

In addition to the bilateral academic dialogues that we hold on a regular basis with both Jews and Muslims (since the early 1970s), the initiatives that we have promoted in recent years include: the Peace and Tolerance Conference (Istanbul, 1994); the Conference on Peaceful Coexistence between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Brussels, 2001); the Conference on Religion, Peace and the Olympic Ideal (Athens, 2004); and the second Peace and Tolerance Conference (Istanbul, 2005).

These gatherings, and others like them, have proved both pioneering in purpose and historical in substance. For they opened our eyes to the diversity of cultures and religions that comprise our fragmented global world. It is our firm conviction that all religious leaders can benefit from such meetings inasmuch as they widened people’s appreciation of racism and fundamentalism, while assisting in distinguishing between religious tolerance and religious absolutism.

Source: http://stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/orthodoxy/articles/2010-bartholomew-interview

When people meet me, they are usually surprised to learn that not only am I an Orthodox Christian priest, but that I also work as a Computer Network Consulting Engineer. The term for what I am is “bi-vocational.” It is not a term that I invented, or which was even created in reference to Orthodox priests, but rather has its roots in Protestant thought, to describe a minister that works a secular job while also preaching in and pastoring a local Church.

Most Orthodox priests are full-time, being compensated financially by their parish and not holding any other employment. However, in America, there has been an increased number of priests who hold down part-time or even full-time jobs while serving as priests, owing to the difficult circumstances for Orthodoxy in this country. In this article, I will share a few reflections on the experience I have had so far, both to satisfy curiosity, appeal to others to support missionary work with their financial resources to reduce the necessity of priests to work in secular employment, and encourage others to follow in my footsteps.

I was not born into an Orthodox family, but instead became Orthodox as a result of several years of intense research and experiences. During my teenage years, I became increasingly interested in the Church, its history, and exploring my Christian faith more deeply. As I discovered new facts and insights, I became more excited and wanted to share the information and my experiences with others.

As I moved towards the Orthodox Church, I began to take an interest in the spread of Orthodoxy in America, including attempts to start new Orthodox parishes, especially in areas that would be considered “unlikely” candidates for a mission due to demographic trends. Some Orthodox jurisdictions have policies and plans in place where they will only open a mission if there is a guaranteed minimum number of families, and this minimum is often set rather high.

Yet I knew from my travels that there were pockets of Orthodox people scattered throughout the United States, many without parishes and some being tempted to leave the Orthodox Church and attend other Christian denominations. There is also an increased interest in converting to Orthodoxy, but many are forced to drive long distances to attend Church, and this is a deterrent for some. I wanted to help address this problem.

We began our mission in Raleigh in 2006, having our first liturgy in 2007 with visiting clergy. We are the only parish here serving according to the traditional Orthodox festal calendar. By 2008, we were being contacted by an increasing number of inquirers, and so the bishop ordained me a priest that June. We opened our mission in Greenville in the summer of 2008. Suddenly, I found myself a priest for two missions, working a full-time job.

I knew what I was getting into, having discussed with other bi-vocational priests in our diocese how they managed to do it, and thankfully, the Lord was merciful to me and eased me in gradually.

The Working ManAfter my ordination, I went to our monastery in Bearsville, New York and spent a week learning how to serve the Divine Liturgy. My teacher was my friend Fr. Savvas Anastasiou. One of our brother priests, Fr. John Somers was there, and of course Fr. Maximus, who was then a hierodeacon. For part of the week, my bishop and spiritual father Metropolitan Pavlos was there as well. This week was a blessing, a time of great peace, a provision for the journey, and a rest before great labor. Normally, an Orthodox priest would serve liturgy for forty days after ordination, but I had to return to my secular job after only a week.

It was certainly difficult to go back into work, wearing my secular attire, after a week of being in a monastery and serving the Divine Mysteries. It does feel somewhat schizophrenic, or like I am living in two worlds. Thankfully, my employer was supportive of my ministry outside of work, and never made any negative comments. I continued to accept difficult assignments, including many overnight slots, in order to demonstrate that I was not going to shirk my responsibilities at work, and to witness our faith in some small way. At some point, I was requested to join the on-call rotation, which presented a heightened challenge.

On-call meant that one week out of every seven or eight (depending on personnel availability) I would have to respond to issues and log in to the work network at any time of the night or day. Naturally, this meant that I had to coordinate my trips to Greenville, or trade on-call. As our team reduced in size, I was finding myself on-call more frequently, at some points once every five weeks. This meant that sometimes I could not trade a Sunday, and as a result, a few times I had to serve liturgy in Raleigh knowing that I might be called to work, and faced with the reality of having to delay work until finished with prayer, which could have had negative repercussions for my career! However, God never allowed me to be paged while celebrating liturgy, even though I was paged in the middle of the night before liturgy and soon after liturgy on a few occasions. I had faith that God would not put me to a test I could not endure, yet as a fallen human, I did worry quite a bit. Thankfully, I moved out of the position which required on-call recently.

Another drawback is time for study. A priest should study diligently, to always be obtaining more information and knowledge to help his ministry. Likewise, an engineer must always keep abreast of the latest technological advancements. There is a sense of urgency and dynamism in both roles, where one either goes forward or backward, but cannot remain stagnant. Sometimes I have felt I am a mediocre engineer and a mediocre priest as a result! But I carry on, and I surprisingly have continued to find success in my secular career (although I am not climbing the corporate ladder as rapidly as some of my co-workers) and I find time to nurture my own spiritual life and study and progress in knowledge which helps my ministry. Often I read late at night when everyone else has gone to sleep.

Sometimes, I have to refocus myself in order to pay enough attention to my wife, who is supportive of my work, but like any other normal person, does not want to be ignored. It would be a big mistake to not pay as much attention to her as I do to work and the Church. She helps me keep balance in my life, and for that I thank her. God gave her to me before he gave me the priesthood, and marriage is a sacrament just as ordination is. Therefore, maintaining a good family life is the first act of my ministry, and is important for setting the example for my parishes.

As a mission priest, I have not had any deaths in the parish yet, but I have been called out in the night to visit someone in the hospital, and often I am on the phone late at night trying to give counsel to those seeking it. It can be difficult when someone calls during the day, because I am faced with the prospect of ignoring the call—which could be urgent—or answering it and then seeming inattentive as I deal with other issues. Thankfully, most of my parishioners understand my situation, and are quite forgiving. Sometimes, I do take the call as my lunch break, or resolve to work a little later in the day. Thank God I have a flexible schedule.

Yes, it can be stressful to do this work, but what else would I be doing if not this? Many people my age are still getting in to trouble, yet the Church keeps me grounded. From time to time, when I feel overwhelmed or down, the Lord extends a small blessing to me, in various forms, such as a gift received, a spiritual consolation, a success, a new parishioner (those are the best blessings!). Then I am able to pick up and get going again. My life is blessed because of this work, and I encourage other young men to follow in my steps and discern the ordained ministry, specifically in establishing missions. I also encourage young women to be open to becoming the wife of a priest, a Sunday school teacher, a youth group leader, or any of the other important roles that women fill in a parish. There are so many people who would become Orthodox Christians if they knew about it, and I hope that my example will contribute in some small way to others following the command of Christ to evangelize.

I also find that by living in two worlds, I am exposed to people who might not otherwise meet an Orthodox priest. I have been able to encourage co-workers who are searching for God. When appropriate, I mention how Orthodox might view a certain situation or issue. Seeds are being planted, and awareness of our holy faith is spreading. The fact that I do not accept a salary at this time makes a positive impression on some who have come to view the Church as a money-making enterprise more than a place of salvation. While Scripture is clear that a minister may be compensated for his work, it is also the case that through history, some have tarnished the priesthood by abusing this privilege. I want my missions to grow, and so I cannot take money from them and expect them to grow at this time, let alone function well or engage in charitable works. I also am not tempted to compromise on teaching for the sake of not offending the hand that feeds me.

Certainly, if our missions blossom into full parishes, I may receive the opportunity to be a full-time priest, and I would do this because of how much more work could be accomplished. However, at this time, being bi-vocational has been a blessing for our work, and I believe it can be in other places as well.

While serving bi-vocationally has been a positive experience for me, I do wish to encourage laypeople with means to support our mission work, and I hope that in the future, more mission societies will be formed that sponsor priests who are doing domestic missions from scratch (and not just filling vacancies in already-existing parishes or missions). We need to continue to reach out to those Orthodox who are isolated, and those who wish to become Orthodox, even if there are only small numbers in the target area. In fact, I am finding that some of the smaller areas in which I minister yield greater “results”! For instance, Greenville is much smaller than Raleigh, but we have a free-standing Church building in Greenville and more parishioners, engaging in more charitable projects, whereas Raleigh is still meeting at my home chapel. Perhaps the smaller towns have a greater sense of connectedness. I do not have the answer to that, but regardless I see the evidence before me. It would be a mistake not to target an area because there appears to not be enough potential core members. If we really believe that we are offering the Truth, then will not people who seek the Truth be attracted?

In this essay, I have offered a background to my work, and some concrete examples of the interplay between my secular job and my mission work. I have also encouraged the establishment of further missions, even in “unlikely” areas. I have asked that those with means prayerfully consider supporting mission priests and perhaps establishing mission societies to help us, so that we can dedicate more time to our ministry. I will close by inviting those so inclined to join us in our work. We need both lay and clerical assistance in our efforts! Some may be called to relocate to North Carolina to help us as we spread the Orthodox faith to increasingly smaller towns and rural areas. From this there potentially could come priestly and diaconal candidates. Others may be called to establish missions in their own areas of the country, and perhaps our work can assist them and be a guide. If you have an interest in missions and evangelism, please do not keep it inside, but rather ask the Lord in prayer to guide you and develop you, and allow yourself to be filled with Divine Grace to empower you to join the effort. The blessings you will receive are great; the friendships you will make are many and beautiful. You can directly touch the lives of many. Contact me with any questions and I will do whatever I can to help you get started.

Finally, I ask for your prayers, without which, I surely could not survive.

By Fr. Anastasios Hudson

Source: http://goodguyswearblack.org/2011/07/04/tentmaking-today-the-bi-vocational-priest/

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