The Catalog of Good Deeds

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. (Luke 1:30-31).

Finally, the event that prophets had predicted and ancient patriarchs had anticipated came true: God visited his people. All of those who expected the coming of Messiah died with the hope that He would come eventually. The righteous men of Old Testament hoped that their children or great-grandchildren will have the chance to live in Messianic era. Finally, that time came. The Messiah was born of the Most Holy Theotokos and brought peace and grace to the world, not just for the Jews but also for Gentiles.

The Most Pure Virgin spent her entire childhood in the Temple, praying, fasting, and getting ready for the great calling that she couldn’t even dream of. At last, the Angel of God announced the Good News to the Blessed Virgin, and She became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women (Luke 1:28).

What do we see in this passage? An incorporeal angel talks with Virgin Mary and tells her something no-one had ever heard since the Fall of our forefathers—words that startled the Pure Virgin. There had been another ethereal being who had talked with a different woman, and we feel the consequences of their conversation even now. Eve heard strange words, too: ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5). Our foremother fell out of unity with God and trusted the words of satan, God’s adversary, more than God’s words In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:17).

According to God’s plan, the Second Eve, the Most Holy Virgin Mary, was to correct the failure of the first Eve. She was to fulfil God’s will about her and thus restore the honor of all women. Mary’s noble action and her dialog with Archangel Gabriel is remarkably well described in worship books of the Orthodox Church.

Orthodox worship is a very profound, lively, and prayerful way of reading the Holy Scripture. This way of reading the Bible is so creative and so deeply rooted in the Word of God that the holy creators of church hymns even went so far as putting words you cannot find in the Holy Scripture into the mouths of the Theotokos and Archangel Gabriel.

Ode 3 of the Canon contains a very interesting and profound prayerful contemplation on this passage. The Most Holy Virgin replies to the Archangel, My foremother followed the serpent’s advice and lost the divine food of the Paradise, therefore I am afraid of your strange greeting, ashamed of the fall (cf. Ode 3 of Annunciation Matins Canon). If only Eve had reacted in the same manner. She had to be afraid to fall. She had to be afraid of that strange promise, ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5). Eve failed that test, and the very beginning of human history is marked with the Foremother’s fall. However, at the dawn of the New Testament era at the time when the human race was about to be restored, Mary, the chosen Mother of all Christians—the best that human race could give God—says yes to God and submits herself to his will, saying, Behold the handmaid of the Lord (Luke 1:38).

St. Theophanes the Branded, the author of this canon, puts even more amazing words into Archangel Gabriel’s mouth, I stand in the presence of God and I was sent to announce God’s decision to you. Why are you afraid of me, O All-Immaculate, for I tremble in your presence? Why are you in awe, O Queen, when I revere you even more? (Ode 3 of the Annunciation Matins Canon). The words of the Archangel reveal an astonishing but delightful fact about the Christian faith: humans are more honorable than angels! Humans are the pinnacle of creation. We are those called to sanctify and transform the material world with our labor and prayer. It was human nature that the Word of God acquired. It was human nature that sits to the right hand of God the Father in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s the honor bestowed on us humans. That mind-boggling aspect of our faith is illustrated by the iconostases of Orthodox churches where Theotokos and St. John the Baptist are always closer to Christ than Archangels Michael and Gabriel.

The Mother of God will accomplish her mission. Nine months after the Annunciation, the One who is incessantly praised by angels and archangels will be born as a human baby. The Theotokos will hold in her arms the One who cannot be contained by the entire Universe—the One at whose sight all creation trembles. She will give birth to the Son whom the Father loves; the Father’s Chosen One who is pleasing unto Him.

I have put my spirit upon him:

he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

He shall not cry, nor lift up,

nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

A bruised reed shall he not break,

and the smoking flax shall he not quench:

he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

He shall not fail nor be discouraged,

till he have set judgment in the earth:

and the isles shall wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:1-4)

By John Nichiporuk,

a Bachelor of Theology,

specialized in Biblical Studies.

The Catalog Of Good Deeds, 2018

See full Nativity infographics here.

I imagine that very few Orthodox have ever observed the rite for the tonsuring of a monastic. The first time I observed the rite was during my stay at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Seminary in Pennsylvania, where a priest who had been recently elected bishop was being tonsured a monk prior to his episcopal consecration. The Orthodox Church has for many years held to the practice of only choosing its bishops from among the monks, doubtless on the basis that only those who have proven themselves humble in their monastic life should be trusted to exercise authority over their fellows. Our present practice of hustling episcopal candidates from the monastery altar to the episcopal throne without their having actually spent any real time in the monastery doesn’t quite fulfill the rationale for choosing only monastics as bishops, but that question cannot be examined here. Here we simply look at the rite of monastic tonsure and the life to which it was meant to lead.

In the beginning, there was no specific rite of tonsure or liturgical way to make a monk. A monk (from the Greek monachos, or “solitary”) was anyone who had left the world to dwell apart. There were no promises made or formal clothing given. Monasticism consisted simply of the individual’s choice to depart from society and live on its fringes, either completely alone or in the company of a few like-minded solitaries. This occasional choice soon grew into a movement, as men came flooding into the deserted fringes of the world in enough numbers so as to constitute a kind of desert city. These men came with all kinds of motivations, and from all kinds of backgrounds. To avoid chaos and catastrophe, the flood needed to be organized and institutionalized, which it was. In this process of institutionalization, several names tower above others—names like Anthony, Pachomius, and Euthymius. One liturgical fruit of this long process of institutionalization is our present Orthodox rite of monastic tonsure.

The present Orthodox rite of the little schema—what in the West would be “final vows” wherein the novice pledges himself to permanent monasticism—begins with the candidate prostrating himself (or herself) before the abbot (or abbess). As befits such an occasion, the abbot offers many words of caution, warning the candidate against taking such a momentous step impulsively or casually, for there could be no turning back if the candidate later changed his mind the next morning. The candidate was regarded as dying decisively to the world, and being born again to a new life, which is why the newly-tonsured monk was given a new name. Dying is for keeps, and so is monastic commitment—hence all those long exhortations from the Abbot.

In the service, the abbot next questions the candidate, asking what he wants, in order to elicit the reply that the candidate wants to live a life of asceticism among the monks, and that he is choosing this life freely. The candidate pledges himself to sobriety, chastity, poverty, piety, and obedience, and to stay in his monastery to the end of his days. After another long exhortation, the time for the actual tonsure arrives. Tonsure (or the cutting off of one’s hair) since ancient times has signified consecration to God. As long ago as the giving of the Mosaic Law, Nazirites offered their hair to God as a sacrifice, an image of offering their entire bodies to Him. The new monk therefore is shorn as a sign that he now belongs no longer to the world of men, but to God alone, sitting in solitude before Him. Nowadays, the actual shearing is minimal, a snipping of a few token hairs, rather than a full cropping, but the intention remains the same.

Before cutting the candidate’s hair, the abbot places the scissors on the Gospel Book. He then points to the scissors and instructs the candidate to take the scissors and give them to him. Having received them, the abbot then throws them back down on the Gospel Book and repeats the request another two times. By insisting that the candidate give him the scissors not once but three times, the Church makes clear the candidate’s determination to become a monk. And by taking the scissors from the Gospel Book (and not simply from a table), the Church expresses that the new monk is receiving the scissors and his new monastic life from the hand of Christ Himself. It is a wonderful bit of imagery.

After the tonsure, the new monk is dressed in the clothing of his new state: a long robe, a paraman (a square of cloth on which the cross is represented), a riassa or long-sleeved robe, a leather belt, a long mantle, a monastic veil, and a prayer rope. The service concludes with the other members of the monastery giving the kiss of peace to the new monastic, each one asking the newly-tonsured monk his (or her) name. The monk’s new life of solitude and struggle has begun.

It is fair to say, I think, that the secular world has little appreciation for Orthodox monasticism. Buddhist monks seem to be admired, and certainly the Dalai Lama is always sure to make the Best Sellers List, but in general, the world is somewhat perplexed by what seems to them to be a spectacular waste of time and talent. All those young and gifted people vanishing from the world into a monastery, like stars sliding into a black hole—what’s the point? Wouldn’t it be better for everyone if they remained in the world and offered their time and talents for the good of society? An older and angrier generation of Marxists denounced the monks as parasites on society (part of the bourgeoisie). In our day, the critics of monasticism may not go that far, but they do a fair bit of head-scratching trying to figure out how the people under the monastic veils could sensibly choose such a seemingly non-productive life. Certainly there is more than enough work to go around if we would help our suffering world. Shouldn’t the monks come out and lend a hand?

In fact, the monks are lending a hand through their prayers. I pray regularly every day, but my little rule of prayer is nothing compared to the exertions going on behind the high walls of Mount Athos, as they pray not only for themselves but for all the world. Of course, if one doesn’t believe that prayer “works”, then one must regard those exertions as futile. But Christians do believe that prayer works, and that our merciful Lord hearkens to the prayers offered in faith. Indeed, if the fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (see James 5:16), then the monks are offering an incalculable service to the world as they ceaselessly intercede for it.

Also, monks provide a service for the Church at large, for they help preserve its saltiness, and without them, the Church would be in perpetual danger of losing its saving savour (see Matthew 5:13). God calls His Church to be in the world but not of the world, and the long history of Byzantium proves that this is a tall order. The Church often finds itself functioning as an established State-church, working hand in glove with Caesar, and enduring all the temptations to moral compromise which have always attended such a working relationship. The monks in their monasteries form a counter-balance to Caesar, a standing reminder that the Church belongs ultimately not to this age, but to the age to come. Monasticism thus represents the institutionalization of the Church’s eschatological nature, an in-your-face witness that we are all just sojourners in this world, and that we are just visiting this planet.

We may not often see the monastic rite of tonsure, and in North America, Orthodox monks are comparatively few and far between. But this tonsure and the life it represents are crucial to the health of the Church. If the Church here is to thrive, we need to see this rite used even more than it is now.

By Fr. Lawrence Farley

Source: http://myocn.net/tonsuring-monks/

By Fr. Andrew Lemeshonok

Fidelity is the greatest family value. If a partner cheats on another partner, family disappears. It is a breach of trust. People can continue to coexist, sleep in one bed and eat at the same table but it won’t be a family if they don’t trust one another.

You’ve got to fight for your love and for family values. You’ve got to humble yourself down and bear one another’s burdens. Let me give you an example. An individual might think, “I like having fun but my spouse isn’t as lively and energetic as I am. I would like him or her to be more entertaining. See how that other person is having fun! I wish s/he was mine! I’m out of luck…” That’s all, the family is devalued and starts to cringe at the edges. All it takes was one thought, just one thought! If one doesn’t confess it, that thought will stuck in his or her head. And then a Mr. Perfect or Ms. Perfect will appear out of the blue. The person will look at him/her and think about him/her all the time. As far as the former partner is concerned, his or her attraction dissipates, and everything about him or her becomes gray and bland. How horrible it is: just one thought, just one crack, just one brick out of the wall—and that’s the end.

Or take a person who has a certain job. He is satisfied with his work. He is paid and treated well enough, too. Accidentally, that person happens to see a list of his colleagues’ salaries. What does he see? It turns out that he earns less than everyone else. There are other people who work less and earn more. Imagine that?! Just a day before, that person was satisfied and said, “Praise the Lord, I’m so lucky.” Now, he can’t sleep nor eat. He complains that he doesn’t want to work there any longer because he doesn’t get the reward he deserves. See what envy does, even if nothing has changed, in fact.

That is why it is so important to examine ourselves, to control our own minds, and by no means allow sins to nest inside us for a long time. We should go and confess immediately. We should realize that it is wrong. Praise the Lord that others earn more money. Praise the Lord that they are treated better than we are. Praise the Lord that they have better working conditions. I shall thank God for what I have. A grateful person always has enough, believe me.

November 30, 2018

St. Elisabeth Convent

Our father among the saints, Nicholas, was the only child born to wealthy parents, and was instructed in the Christian faith by his uncle (also named Nicholas), who was the bishop in the town of Patara, where St. Nicholas was born. When his parents reposed, Nicholas gave away his considerable inheritance to help the poor, and entered the monastery his uncle had established. It was his uncle who tonsured Nicholas as a monk, and who ordained Nicholas a priest. Throughout his life, Nicholas was known for his love and mercy, and for miracles worked both before and after his repose. Part of his legacy can be seen in his presence in our midst even today. Many nations, including Russia, look to him as a protector of their land and people, and more than 1,200 churches are named in his honor, including 400 in Great Britain – more than any other saint. It is estimated that western artists have depicted him more frequently than any other saint, apart from the most holy Theotokos. Many people don’t realize that the “right jolly old elf” dressed in red and driving a sleigh with reindeer has his origins in this saint: “Santa Claus” is the anglicized version of “Sinter Klaus” – Dutch for, “St. Nicholas.”

Most of us are familiar with certain aspects of the life of St. Nicholas. Probably the most well-known story is how the saint secretly provided gold coins to a family where poverty threatened to cause the sale of three daughters into prostitution. The gold – in some stories, it is dropped down a chimney to land in the stockings of the daughters, which had been hung by the fire in order to dry – spared the family from such a terrible decision. Many of us also know, and, in a way, sort of enjoy, the story of how St. Nicholas, enraged by the heretical teachings of Arius, struck Arius – according to some accounts, he punched Arius in the nose – at the Council of Nicaea in the year 325. Perhaps you even know how, on two separate occasions, St. Nicholas intervened to spare three men who had been wrongfully sentenced to be executed: once, when he confronted a regional governor who had taken a bribe to find three men guilty; and again when he appeared in a dream to the Emperor Constantine to tell him that three officials of the imperial court were innocent of the charges that had been brought against them. In each case, the condemned men were set free.

While these stories are familiar to us, we seem to be less familiar with the deeper details of the life of the saint, the details that make such actions as are celebrated in these stories possible. What power makes it possible to confront a government official, risking imprisonment or even death – and St. Nicholas certainly suffered for the faith during the persecutions under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian – to save innocent lives? What power makes it possible to stand up against popular false teachings to defend the Christian faith? What power – and this is particularly crucial in our world today – makes it possible to break the grip of wealth and possessions, and to give away a fortune? There is only one power capable of doing these things: the power of the love of God in Jesus Christ, that flows through those who love God above all else, and whose love flows to everyone made in the image of God, making them sources of God’s love for each one of us to everyone around them. If we do not love God, we will not put ourselves at risk to protest injustice and unrighteousness, to spare others from suffering or to save innocent lives. If we do not love God, we will not take a stand against false teachings; and we will even make compromises with teachings and practices that do not agree with those of the Orthodox Church and faith. If we do not love God, then we cannot truly love each other as we should; and the things of this world that attract and hold our attention – wealth, fame, honor, power, pleasure – these will capture us and keep us from rising toward heaven, as St. Nicholas rose, living as an angel on the earth in the midst of others.

St. Nicholas is loved by many because he loved so richly. His love for God caused him to turn his back on the world, giving away his worldly possessions, and not seeking any worldly honors. His love for God led him to be obedient when, in pursuing a solitary life, he was instructed by God to live his life in the midst of the people around him. His love for God led him to love every one of us – and in his love for us, to seek justice and righteousness for us, and to give gifts of love.

Brothers and sisters, let us love one another as Christ loves us – for He went to His passion and death through the power of His love. Let us love one another as St. Nicholas loves us, and ask for the grace to follow the example of his life.

Holy hierarch, father Nicholas, pray to God for us!

By Fr. John McCuen

Source: http://orthodoxsermonsonline.blogspot.com/2009/12/saint-nicholas-power-of-love.html

Commemoration of Holy Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky

It happens that we have to meet people who bring us nothing except troubles and sorrows. Of course, we are beleaguered by fear and sadness, haunted by despondency and anguish.

What do we make out of it? What can we do?

When Russia was under the Mongol yoke, Batu Khan sent his envoys to Holy Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky who was in Suzdal at that time. The envoys announced the following on behalf of the Khan, “I have conquered many kingdoms and peoples. How dare you not recognize my power, like all other Russian princes?” Alexander realized that it meant an invitation to the capital of the Golden Horde. He was sad and didn’t know what to do. He shared his doubts and sorrows with Bishop Kirill and asked him for advice. The holy hierarch listened to Alexander and told him, “You have to go to the Horde but first of all, you must fast, remember God at all times and, if necessary, be adamant in your decision to suffer for His sake.” Alexander promised to follow the bishop’s instructions, took communion of the Holy Mysteries, and then went to Batu Khan. When he arrived in the Horde, he was first of all requested to worship idols. Alexander declined and was ready to die as a result of that. He was amazed, though, when, in spite of his refusal to worship idols, the Khan met him amicably, praised him, and bestowed great honors on the prince! It turned out that where he had expected death, he encountered happiness instead. Where he had thought he would find trouble, he found joy instead.

In view of this, brethren, if you sometimes have to go to a place where you expect to have sorrows and misfortunes, do what Alexander did before going there: fast, promise God to remain honest and incorruptible, and entrust your fate to God’s hands. Hopefully, the anticipated sorrow will transform into joy, and grief will turn into happiness. This hope isn’t futile: here is what the Lord says about people who face sorrows and trust God nevertheless, Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. (Ps. 91:14-15). Amen.

By Archpriest Viktor Gurev

Source: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Viktor_Gurev/prolog-v-pouchenijah-na-kazhdyj-den-goda/95

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Annunciation as the Beginning of the Nativity Story

Becoming a Monk: a Closer Look at Monastic Tonsuring in Orthodoxy

What Epitimia Is and What We Should Do with It

The Importance of Preserving Family Values and Gratitude

The Power of Love of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

What to Do When We Have to Meet Unpleasant People Who Bring Us Nothing but Trouble and Sorrow

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