The Catalog of Good Deeds

We have begun the joyous and holy Nativity Fast. The fast begins on November 28, or forty days before the Nativity in the flesh of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and ends on the feast itself or January 7, according to the secular calendar. Just as the Jews wandered in the wilderness for forty years before entering the Promised Land, the Holy Church leads us for forty days into the wilderness of the Fast before entering into God’s promise revealed on the Nativity. For the Jews, it was in order to shake off the bonds of slavery —physical, mental, and spiritual. An entire generation of people born and raised in Egyptian slavery was to die before those who no longer remembered being slaves and those who were born free were allowed to enter the “land flowing with milk and honey” (Exod. 3:8). And so it is with us: we must shake off the bonds of slavery to sins and passions—physical, mental, and spiritual. We must cease being slaves of sin and become friends of Christ by keeping His commandments (John 15:14).

There are several aspects of the fast, all of which are important and connected to each other. The first thing about which many people think are the limitations in the quality and quantity of foods that we eat. The Nativity Fast is not as strict as some other fasts—fish is allowed on all Saturdays and Sundays, except the last weekend before Nativity (January 2-3), and on several Church Feasts: The Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple (December 4) and its apodosis (December 8), the feasts of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Theotokos (December 10), Sabbas the Sanctified (December 18), the Conception of the Theotokos (December 22), and Saints Herman of Alaska and Martyr Peter the Aleut (December 25).

The Holy Church gives to us times of fasting in order to help heal and restore our corrupted nature. An athlete does not win a prize before patiently exercising discipline and “self-control in all things” (1 Cor. 9:25). And if we are to receive an “imperishable wreath” (ibid.), we must do the same and begin by taking control of that in us which is most material, restoring the divinely-ordained order and reaching to that which is the most spiritual. If we cannot control our bellies, how can we hope to control our tongues and thoughts, how can we hope to even begin to fight our passions? We must learn to discipline our bodies, because without this foundation we cannot begin to build the walls of the temple of our soul. And just as the purpose of a foundation is not in itself, but in that which can be built upon it, the purpose of taking control of our flesh is in freeing the soul from being controlled by it.

This year, the beginning of our Nativity Fast came on the day after Thanksgiving. I know that for some, the main dish was not a turkey or a pumpkin pie, but other people, whom they tore apart and devoured by gossip, judging, evil talk, and back-stabbing. What good is their fast if they continue to feast on humans? What good is their abstinence from meat if their tongue flings about like a butcher’s cleaver?

The King and Prophet David says, “Keep your tongue from evil” (Ps. 34:13), and “I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (1, 2). If we want our fast to be more than a weight-loss program, we must follow the regiment prescribed by the Prophet. We should learn to control our tongue and our thoughts by directing both to communion with God. At all times but especially during fasts, we must be “sober and watchful,” because our “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). But in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we have a sure protection from the attacks of the devil.

Run to Christ in prayer, but be watchful that your prayer does not become like “a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1). Pay close attention to the words of prayers; make them not just someone’s words repeated by you, but truly your own words that come from your whole heart, your whole soul, and your whole mind (cf. Matt. 22:37).

Run to Christ in reading the Gospels, but be watchful that it does not become a chore whose meaning is forgotten the minute that the book is closed. Ask the Most Holy Theotokos to help you keep all the things that you read in the Gospels and to ponder them in your heart (cf. Luke 2:19, 51) as you go about your day, glorifying God for his abundant mercy to us.

Run to Christ in reading the lives of His saints, but make sure that you own life follows in the footsteps of the holy men and women that came before you. We do not study the lives of the saints for their literary value or as some pastime before we go to bed. They are a living example of what it means to be a Christian, and to love God, and to love one another.

Most importantly, run to Christ in the Communion of His Body and Blood, but do so in humility and repentance, lest with the morsel Satan enters into you, as he did into Judas (John 13:27).

May the all-merciful God bless this time of our fasting. May He accept our small human efforts and by His divine grace “which always heals that which is infirm and supplies what is lacking,” receive our prayers and guide our lives toward His commandments. May He “sanctify our souls, make chaste our bodies, correct our thoughts, and purify our intentions” that together with “the assemblies of angels and the choirs or martyrs” we may always glorify the Holy Trinity.

By Fr. Sergei Sveshnikov

Source: https://frsergei.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/on-the-beginning-of-the-nativity-fast/

During the Nativity Fast the Church encourages us to intensify our spiritual lives in order to ready our souls and bodies for the Feast. We do this through fasting, prayer, alms-giving, confession and increased attention given to "preparing for His coming", to make sure we've done what we can to make a "fit dwelling place for Him" in our hearts and lives.

Bishop Thomas reminds us that during the Fast it is appropriate to:

"increase your prayer life, read more scripture and spiritual books, especially lives of the saints. A little less television, no anger, no gossiping, no laziness and let's try to avoid the Christmas parties. If we prepare in this way, God will bless us and we will find the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord to be far more spiritually rewarding than ever before. May God help us to struggle courageously."

The Purpose of Fasting

The purpose of fasting is to focus on the things that are above, the Kingdom of God. It is a means of putting on virtue in reality, here and now. Through it we are freed from dependence on worldly things. We fast faithfully and in secret, not judging others, and not holding ourselves up as an example.

- Fasting in itself is not a means of pleasing God. Fasting is not a punishment for our sins. Nor is fasting a means of suffering and pain to be undertaken as some kind of atonement. Christ already redeemed us on His Cross. Salvation is a gift from God that is not bought by our hunger or thirst.

- We fast to be delivered from carnal passions so that God’s gift of Salvation may bear fruit in us.

- We fast and turn our eyes toward God in His Holy Church. Fasting and prayer go together.

- Fasting is not irrelevant. Fasting is not obsolete, and it is not something for someone else. Fasting is from God, for us, right here and right now.

- Most of all, we should not devour each other. We ask God to “set a watch and keep the door of our lips.”

Fasting Periods

The Nativity Fast is one of the four Canonical Fasting Seasons in the Church year. This is a joyous fast in anticipation of the Nativity of Christ. That is the reason it is less strict than other fasting periods. The fast is divided into two periods.

November 15th through December 19th the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, fish, wine, and oil) is observed. There is dispensation given for wine and oil on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Similarly, fish, wine, and oil are permitted on Saturdays and Sundays.

December 20th through the 24th traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, fish, wine, and oil) is observed. There is dispensation given for wine and oil only on Saturday and Sunday during this period.

When Not to Fast

Do not fast:

- between December 25 and January 5 (even on Wednesdays and Fridays);

- if you are pregnant or nursing a newborn;

- during serious illness;

- without prayer;

- without alms-giving;

- according to your own will without guidance from your spiritual father.

Source: https://www.holycrossonline.org/nativity-fast

Speaking in Tongues, "Glossolalia," a popular practice with many Churches today, is a phenomenon which can be traced to the days of the Apostles. A decade ago, Speaking in Tongues was encountered only in Pentecostal Churches, Revival Meetings, Quaker gatherings and some Methodist groups. Today, Glossolalia is also found in some Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches.

The Greek Orthodox Church does not preclude the use of Glossolalia, but regards it as one of the minor gifts of the Holy Spirit. If Glossolalia has fallen out of use it is because it served its purpose in New Testament times and is no longer necessary. However, even when used, it is a private and personal gift, a lower form of prayer. The Orthodox Church differs with those Pentecostal and Charismatic groups which regard Glossolalia as a pre requisite to being a Christian and to having received the Holy Spirit.

Serapion of Egypt, a fourth century contemporary of St. Athanasios summarized Eastern Orthodox theology:

"The Anointing after Baptism is for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, that having been born again through Baptism and made new through the laver of regeneration, the candidates may be made new through the gifts of the Holy Spirit and secured by this Seal may continue steadfast."

Bishop Maximos Aghiorghoussis, Greek Orthodox Diocese of Pittsburgh and world-renowned Orthodox theologian on the Holy Spirit states it this way: "For Orthodox Christians, Baptism is our personal Paschal Resurrection and Chrismation is our personal Pentecost and indwelling of the Holy Spirit."

There are two forms of Glossolalia:

Pentecost Glossolalia happened this way: Fifty days after the Resurrection, while the disciples were gathered together, the Holy Spirit descended upon them and they began to speak in other languages. Jews from all over the civilized world who were gathered in Jerusalem for the religious holiday stood in amazement as they heard the disciples preaching in their own particular language and dialect (like in a United Nations Assembly). They understood!

Corinthian Glossolalia is different. St. Paul, who had founded the Church of Corinth, found it necessary to respond to some of their problems, i.e., division of authority, moral and ethical problems, the eucharist, the issue of death and resurrection and how the Gifts of the Holy Spirit operated. In chapter 12, St. Paul lists nine of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, i.e., knowledge, wisdom, spirit, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues and interpreting what another says when he speaks in tongues.

Specifically, Corinthian Glossolalia was an activity of the Holy Spirit coming upon a person and compelling him to external expressions directed to God, but not understood by others. In Pentecost Glossolalia, while speaking in several different tongues, both the speaker and the listener understood what was uttered. The Glossolalia manifested in Corinth was the utterance of words, phrases, sentences, etc., intelligible to God but not to the person uttering them. What was uttered needed to be interpreted by another who had the gift of interpretation.

When the person spoke, his soul became passive and his understanding became inactive. He was in a state of ecstasy. While the words or sounds were prayer and praise, they were not clear in meaning and gave the impression of something mysterious. The phenomenon included sighs, groanings, shoutings, cries and utterances of disconnected speech, sometimes jubilant and some times ecstatic. There is no question-the Church of Corinth had Glossolalia; St. Paul attests to that and makes mention of it. But he also cautions the Corinthian Christians about excessive use; especially to the exclusion of the other more important gifts.

It appears St. Paul was questioned about the working of the Holy Spirit through the Gifts. Corinth was greatly influenced by Greek paganism which included demonstrations, frenzies and orgies, all intricately interwoven into their religious practices. In post Homeric times, the cult of the Dionysiac orgies made their entrance into the Greek world. According to this, music, the whirling dance, intoxication and utterances had the power to make men divine; to produce a condition in which the normal state was left behind and the inspired person perceived what was external to himself and the senses.

In other words, the soul was supposed to leave the body, hence the word ecstasy (ek stasis). They believed that while the being was absent from the body, the soul was united with the deity. At such times, the ecstatic person had no consciousness of his own.

The Corinthians of Paul's time were living under the influence of Dionysiac religious customs. It was natural that they would find certain similarities more familiar and appealing. Thus the Corinthians began to put more stress on certain gifts like glossolalia. No doubt the Apostle was concerned that their ties and memories of the old life should be reason enough to regulate the employment of Glossolalia. In chapter 14, he says:

"I would like for all of you to speak in strange tongues; but I would rather that you had the gift of proclaiming God's message. For the person who proclaims God's message is of greater value than the one who speaks in strange tongues-unless there is someone who can explain what he says, so the whole Church may be edified. So when I come to you, my brethren, what use will I be to you if I speak in strange tongues? Not a bit, unless I bring to you some revelation from God or some knowledge or some inspired message or some teaching."

Apostolic times were a unique period, rich with extraordinary and supernatural phenomena, for the history of mankind. The Lord God set out to make new creations through the saving grace of His Son, and implemented into perfection through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit endowed men and women with many gifts in order to bring this about. One of its gifts during New Testament times was Glossolalia. But even from New Testament times, it would seem Glossolalia began to phase out. St. Paul, it seems, indicates later in chapter 14 that Glossolalia should be minimized and understood preaching, maximized. Justin Martyr, a prolific mid-century writer lists several kinds of gifts but does not mention Glossolalia. Chrysostom wrote numerous homilies on Books of the New Testament during the fourth century but does not appear to make mention of Glossolalia as noted in First Corinthians.

Many Christian writers, certainly the mystics, wrote about states of ecstasy during praise and worship, of seeing visions of God's heavenly kingdom, of what they perceived eternal life with Christ to be, of how the Holy Spirit spoke to them and through them, to others. But theirs was always understood, intelligible, comprehensible communication. Perhaps they could not describe in earthly and material frames of reference, what they saw and experienced, but they were conscious and fully aware of what was happening. They were not in some state of senselessness. Even the monks on Mount Athos who experience divine communication and have reached a plateau of holiness, do not speak in tongues. They speak in words that are intelligible and utter clear words in hymn and praise of God and His truth.

What then is the Orthodox Christian perspective on Glossolalia? The Orthodox Christian viewpoint on Glossolalia is based on St. Paul's words in chapter 14 of the same Epistle, "I thank God that I speak in strange tongues much more than any of you. But in Church worship I would rather speak five words that can be understood, in order to teach others, than speak thousands of words in strange tongues." (verses 18-19) In chapter 13 St. Paul says, "Set your hearts, then, on the more important gifts. Best of all, however, is the following way." Then St. Paul proceeds and shares with his readership the greatest gift of all - Love!

The Orthodox Church does not rule out Glossolalia. She simply does not regard it as one of the important ones. Better to "speak five words that can be understood ... than speak thousands of words in strange tongues." This is the Orthodox Christian viewpoint.

By Fr. George Nicozisin

Source: https://www.goarch.org/-/speaking-in-tongues-an-orthodox-perspective

Recently a letter came to Foma Magazine’s column entitled, “Questions to Priests”, addressed to priests’ wives instead of priests. It read, “I wonder if your magazine publishes articles such as, ‘I want to become a priest’s wife [in Russian: “matushka”, literally meaning “mother”]’, containing advice and recommendations of ladies who have already become priests’ wives, complete with counsel from the priests who have chosen them as their spouses. If you don’t, then it would be wonderful if publications on this theme could be written.”

We asked several pastors’ wives to answer this letter. Below is the answer of Anna Romashko, who is a priest’s wife and a mother of eight children.

***

It would be so wonderful if we could open a book, entitled “A Manual”, or even “The Ladder of Perfection”, which would describe in detail the ascent of a priest’s wife to the heights of prosperous life, providing detailed recommendations, illustrative examples, and all the qualities required for becoming a pastor’s better half. Or if we could have a sort of, “Lives of the Holy Mothers” that would provide brief and happy stories of the priests’ wives who especially pleased God, complete with their spiritual accomplishments and selected instructions.

Alas, such books do not exist. And there is a reason. A young lady’s seemingly innocent longing “to become a priest’s wife” is actually dangerous. In my judgment, a young woman who wants to become a priest’s wife is none other than an incarnation of the popular “Zhdun” [1] who, unlike the real humble and good-natured personality, will inevitably turn into a depressive and ever discontented “female Zhdun”.

Let me put it more clearly; I’d better paraphrase it. This desire should be formulated this way: “I would like to become a priest’s wife. But may Thy will be done, O Lord! I want to become a true Christian, I wish to be pure, to be a helpmate to a future pastor, I am willing to support him in any place (even in a remote village), to give birth to as many children as Thou wilt give to me, to strive for righteous life above all, to give my love to all my nearest and dearest, to be meek and patient… In a word, Lord, help me become Thy faithful lamb. And may thy will be done in all other things.”

“Yet in real life all this is very different,” some readers may argue. From an outsider’s viewpoint, life of a cleric’s wife may seem very comfortable. True, dear readers, sometimes families of priests do have material wealth. And in some cases it provokes someone’s envy.

However, we cannot judge anybody as we do not know the circumstances of people’s lives. For example, one priest’s wife is condemned for her “frequent vacations abroad”, whereas in reality she lost her long-expected baby during pregnancy, was beside herself with grief, and so the parishioners gave her a pilgrimage trip to the Holy Land to relieve her sorrow… And another priest’s wife is criticized for driving an expensive car, whereas in reality a church benefactor, an oligarch, helped them build the church and provided it with vehicles—to be used exclusively for parish needs, of course… And another priest’s wife is overweight or obese only because she has had diabetes since childhood…

These are just outward things. As for the inner life of a priest’s wife, it is visible only to God and her immediate relatives. According to my observations, people tend to change—each of us has to bear a heavy cross, and no external comfort can relieve our suffering and pain.

My husband, Priest Andrei, for five years was a confessor of the high school in honor of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in the city of Novosibirsk, and as he communicated with children he often encountered misconceptions about the life of priests’ families. In order to overcome these stereotypes Fr. Andrei suggested girls from the senior school (who wanted to be priests’ wives as well) to start a club where they could gather and talk with me and my family circle, ask questions and spend time together.

The club existed only for two years due to my difficult sixth pregnancy, but, as far as I can judge, our communication with the girls was amazing and memorable.

Here are the thoughts we once wrote down after a club meeting and discussed many times afterwards:

- The “privileged position” of priests’ wives is a mere myth;

- A future priest’s wife promises to keep chastity in order to please the Most Pure Virgin Who is the Patroness of priests’ wives in their ministry;

- Generally speaking, a priest’s wife in the Church is a simple laywoman who is not different from any other parishioner of a parish church. Her rights and responsibilities to her household and husband, to God and the Church are quite common and typical for an average married Orthodox woman.

- The status of a priest’s wife obliges her to show love for people and not to abuse her position in the Church — it is considered bad manners. It is the worst thing for a parish if a priest’s wife behaves like a “superior”;

- “A Church kopeck will burn up a whole house”. This proverb is very far-seeing. A priest’s wife should concern herself with her husband’s righteousness, but she should never goad him into vulgar “money-making” from the holy Church sacraments;

- A priest’s wife is a servant to everybody. She serves him who serves the Almighty. Therefore, she has nothing “private”. She has neither a “private” husband (he belongs to the Church), nor “private” time (all her time is devoted to the Church a priori), nor “private” things and affairs (all her actions are perfectly visible to God and people). The publicity and transparency of the life of a priest’s wife strengthens her husband’s reputation;

- As long as a family lives the churchly life, it is idyllic. But once the world with its temptations sneaks up on the life of an Orthodox family, signs of a rift between the spouses may appear (jealousy, resentment, quarrels);

- A future priest’s wife needs to walk her path in Christ (independently of her future husband) before marriage. If a priest has to “drag” her to church “at the end of a rope” (as the saying goes), and then has to “drag her kicking and screaming” in life, then it will end very badly. The burden of a priest is very heavy, and he needs the support of a faithful and pious wife. A future priest’s wife should first seek Christ before seeking a husband;

- A future priest’s wife must be prepared to live on charity—to depend on the voluntary contributions of parishioners. And she will have to give an account to God for how she has spent this money in her lifetime;

- A priest’s wife is a source of goodness and generosity;

- A priest’s wife is a woman of prayer;

- A priest’s wife is one who considers herself unworthy of being a priest’s wife.

In conclusion, returning to the comparison of a priest’s wife with the popular “Zhdun”, I would like to explain that she will have to wait all the time. A priest is not a “tame”, “domestic lion”. And unless she understands that her husband belongs above all to the Church, to his parish and pastoral duties, and only then to his family, she will become embittered and (because of her cares, imaginary loneliness, and her permanent and annoying independence) will eventually turn into a shrew, a virago, and not a priest’s wife (a matushka)… Or she will end up an unhappy woman who has proved unable to find both herself and her personal God in the Church.

By Anna Romashko

Source: http://orthochristian.com/106142.html

[1] “Zhdun” is the name given by Russian internet users to a new sculpture by the Dutch artist Margriet van Breevoort in 2016 for Leiden University. The character looks like the hybrid of an elephant, a walrus and a giant insect, and because of its ridiculous appearance it quickly became a popular Russian “meme star”. This word in Russian comes from “zhdat’” (“to wait”), and literally means “one who waits”.