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Feminism and the Orthodox Church

Posted on by Fr. Peter

As someone who  is involved in Pastoral Ministry I face many questions about issues such as why doesn’t the Orthodox Church ordain women?  What about women in other roles in the Church?  On the latest edition of Ancient Faith Today host Kevin Allen talks with Frederica Matthews-Green about her sojourn from feminisim in the 1960’s and 70’s to the position she holds now.

Once again Ancient Faith Today does not disappoint.  Kevin Allen is not afraid to take on the hard topics that face all of us in the Church, and outside the Church, today.  Follow this link to the most recent episode but do yourself a favor and listen to the past programs.

Thanks to Ancient Faith Radio for all they are doing to spread the faith to a world wide audience.

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Blessing for the Romanian Orthodox Faithful Living Abroad

Posted on by Fr. Peter

Message of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church on the Immigrant Romanians Sunday, 19 August 2012:

This Sunday dedicated to the immigrant Romanians represents a new opportunity to address words of spiritual strengthening to all the Romanian Orthodox faithful living far from their country.

The Mother Church takes good care of her spiritual sons from outside the country’s frontiers and prays at every religious service for the righteous Romanian people from everywhere, wishing that every Romanian faithful, wherever he may be, have joy and spiritual fulfilment, keep the Orthodox faith and show love for Church and nation.

It is a great blessing to have more and more Romanian parishes set up abroad and organise many pastoral-missionary and cultural-educational activities. Moreover, there are projects with social-philanthropic and cultural-educational character, so that the Romanians in distress who live abroad may find support within the Church. It is a well-known fact that the Holy Synod of our Church declared the year 2012 as Homage year of the Holy Unction and looking after the sick, an initiative, which encourages the aiding of the people in distress.

In this sense, we urge all the Orthodox Romanians from Diaspora to cultivate inter-aid and mutual respect, to promote the unity of the family and fraternal co-operation with all people no matter their ethnic affiliation and social state, to help the poor, old and sick people they met in Romania, to help the parishes which build churches and to contribute to the construction of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation. We also add the words of Saint Paul the Apostle who tells us: “Warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14-18).

Besides conveying these fatherly and brotherly urges, we pray merciful God to give you peace and good health, joy and salvation, to protect you against every evil thing and strengthen you in every good thing, for the joy of our Church and of the Romanian people from everywhere!

With deep esteem, blessing and love in Christ, our Lord,

† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church

Source

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Transfiguration and the Blessing of the First Fruits

Posted on by Fr. Peter
An Orthodox Priest near the City of Minsk, blesses the Combines for the harvest

August 6th is the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  This year the feast falls on a Monday and so at the Sunday Liturgy we sang in anticipation of the feast the Troparion of the Pre Feast.

On of the traditions associated with this feast is the Blessing of the First Fruits.  In traditional Orthodox countries, August 6th would mark the beginning of the harvest season and the farmers would take a portion of their harvest to Church for a blessing.  If this was not possible, the priest would go to the farm and bless the harvest there.  We need to remember the dedicated service that farmers, large and small, serve in our community.  It does not need to be said but no farms no food.  I think we need constantly to remember those who produce our food and raise livestock that give us meat and dairy products that sustain our lives.

This year, most of the US has been hit with a devastating drought.  For the last few weeks, we have been adding specific prayers to the Great Litany of the Divine Liturgy for the relief of the drought.  All indications show that food prices will increase this fall as the full extent of the drought become known.  With all of the advancements, we have made as a society we are still subject to the weather for our food production.  We all need to pray that this situation resolves quickly.

There are two prayers for this day, one for the blessing of grapes and one for the blessing for those who provide the first fruits.  In the ancient of days, grapes were not available in all places, and so farmers would take what they could to church.  In modern times, grapes are available in most places however, the prayer is not so much for the grapes or others harvested items, but for those who produce them.

Both prayers are available in Volume II of the Great Book of Needs

Prayer at the Partaking of Grapes on the Sixth Day of August

Bless, O Lord, this new fruit of the vine, which, through the wholesomeness of the air, and through showers of rain and temperate weather, Thou art well-pleased should attain to ripeness at this time. May our partaking of this birth of the vine be for gladness, and for the offering of a gift unto Thee for the cleansing of sins, through the sacred and holy Body of Thy Christ, with Whom Thou art blessed, together with Thy Most-holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer for Them that Offer First-Fruits

O Master, Lord our God, Who commandest everyone to bring as an offering Thine own of Thine own, and grantest unto them in return thine eternal good things; Who didst favorably accept the offering of the widow which according to her ability: Do thou now also accept the things offered by Thy servant, (insert name here), and count them worthy to lay up the same in Thine eternal treasury. And grant unto him (her, them) an abundant harvest of Thy worldly good things, together with all things that are profitable unto him (her, them). For blessed is Thy Name, and glorified in Thy Kingdom: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.  Amen.

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Sermon ~ Taking a Step in Faith

Posted on by Fr. Peter

I think that the Gospel story we just heard is my favorite of all of the Gospels stories that we hear during the year.  This Gospel displays an enormous amount of faith on the part of not only Peter, but Jesus, and this is one of the reasons I chose Peter as my name in the Church.

I think I have told you the story in the past.  When someone is preparing to take monastic vows a name is chosen for them.  In the monastery I was in the Abbot asked us for input for the name that he would give us when we finally made vows.  We were to submit three names, in the order of preference, and a little information as to why you want that particular name.  It could be the name you were given at baptism or another name.  The only requirement was it could not be a name of someone already in the monastery.  So I turned in my list and Peter was on the top.  My reasons were his feast day is the same day as my birthday and like me, he always seemed to catch on just a little late, and he was always putting his foot in his mouth!  And I was given the name Peter.

We have been talking these last few weeks about the interior life and how we can become better Christians.  We have talked about forgiveness and confession.  We have discussed prayer and how to pray, and we have talked about reading the Scriptures.  This Gospel fits right in with what we have been discussing because if you do not take that first step, that step into the unknown, you will never begin the journey.

We heard in the story that the Apostles were caught in a great storm.  This storm could be anything, but for them, it was a wind storm and they were on a boat.  They were all fishermen and had experienced storms before so this one must have been a whopper for them to be nervous.  They look up and see a person walking towards them on the water.  Now I can only imagine what must have been going through their heads.  But they recognize this person as Jesus and Peter says, “if it is you Lord, command me to come to you on the water.”  So Jesus does just that.

Jesus called Peter out if you will.  Now all of the others are watching him to see what he is going to do.  Peter slowly throws his leg over the side of the boat and gets out.  I can imagine he sat on the side of the boat for a time trying to determine if this is actually what he wants to do.  I am sure the others were behind his saying words of encouragement to him and egging him on.  “Go on Pete, we are right here behind you!”

He stands up, all the time he is watching Jesus, and he begins to walk.  I can see his face, the shock and the great big smile as he gets closer to Jesus, his friend.  Then something happens, that something that happens to all of us when we are walking with the Lord the waves begin to rise, and we begin to have doubts and fears about where we are going.  At that moment, Peter takes his eyes off of Jesus, and he begins to sink.  Peter did not actually ask to walk on the water but to come to Jesus.  Peter’s desire was not to be part of this miracle, but to be close to his friend and His Lord and there was nothing that was going to stop him from obtaining that goal, that closeness with His friend.  As long as he kept his eye on Jesus Peter was able to participate in this miracle that was going on around him but the second he took his eyes off of Jesus it was game over.  The cause of Peter sinking in the water was not the storm or even the fact that Peter is heaver then the water, Peter began to sink because he started to waver, he began to hesitate, and he lost his focus.

Who are we in the story?  Are we Peter or are we the others who did not try and get out of the boat.  Are we clinging to the mast of the storm tossed ship or are we brave enough to say to Jesus, if it is you bid me walk on the water!  Are we brave enough to make that first step, a move that could cause us to sink.  Are we willing to throw our legs over the side of the boat and boldly walk toward Jesus?

We are being asked to do just that every day.  We are being asked to take a step of faith and to walk, no run, towards Jesus our salvation.  Yes, we will run into all sorts of problems along the way.  The waves of life will be crashing all around us.  The temptations of this world will be rising up all around us with all their charms to try and distract us from the mission that is at hand, and yes we will start to sink.  But we know that is not the end of the story.

What of Jesus part in all of this?  We are not told how long it took for Peter to get out of the boat.  For all we know it took several minutes or maybe a half hour or more for Peter to gain the courage needed to take that first step.  Jesus stood there and waited.  He was standing there encouraging Peter as a father would encourage a child who is waiting to jump into the pool or take their first step.  He stood there with his arms outstretched waiting to receive Peter into them and keep him from this storm.  And when Peter started to sink, he did not abandon him, as this world will do when we start to sink, no Jesus, the Savior, reached out his sacred and holy hands and raised Peter from the water.  The same hands that cured the blind man that healed the lepers, that raised his friend Lazarus from the dead, lifted Peter and all of his doubts and worries up out of that water and to safety.  He did not poke fun at him or leave him to swim back to the boat by himself, no Jesus lifted Peter out of the water and brought him to a safe place which is exactly what He will do for us.

Each time we stumble, each time we fall, each time we sin, Jesus is right there to pick us up and lead us to safety.  He is never more than an arm’s length away, and if we call upon Him he will be there to help us.  But we have to take that first step.

It has been said that a journey of a million miles begins with the first step, and that is so true in our spiritual life.  We have to be willing to take the steps that are required to begin our spiritual journey.  Maybe we are taking those steps today for the first time, maybe we have taken them before, and we need to take them again.  The key thing is that we take that first step, we keep our eye fixed on Christ, and we reach for him and for His saving arms.  If we do that He will never let us down, and it will be the journey of a lifetime.

 

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OCEC, St. Tikhon’s Seminary, to co-host Christian education conference September 15

Posted on by Fr. Peter

The Orthodox Christian Education Commission [OCEC] and Saint Tikhon’s Seminary will be co-sponsoring a Christian education conference, “Educating Our Children in Godliness: A Day of Fellowship and Learning,” on the seminary campus here Saturday, September 15, 2012.

Presenters include Matushka Myra Kovalak, Director of the OCEC Department of Teacher Training, and Archpriest George Alberts, Carole Buleza, Matushka Anna Hughes, Maria Proch, and Matthew Hatrak.

Participants may choose to participate in three of four course tracks.  Those completing all three courses within a track may receive a certificate of participation.

  • Church School Director Seminar Courses: Introduction to Church School Ministry, Curriculum and Resources for the CSD, Building Your Staff, Building Your Students
  • Teacher Training I Courses: Overview of Orthodoxy, Introduction to Teaching, Curriculum and Resources
  • Teacher Training II for Elementary Grades: Enriching the Classroom Experience, Child Development and the Exceptional Learner, Creative Expression
  • Teacher Training II for Middle and High School: Adolescent Needs, Moral Issues Overview, Creative Expression

The registration fee is $35.00.  Registration deadline is September 8.

For additional information, download the info and registration form available on-line or contact Khouriya Olga Atty at olga.atty@stots.edu or 570-561-1818.

Established in 1957 as an agency of of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, OCEC is one of several ministries of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America.  It is devoted to developing and publishing educational resources and offering support services to Orthodox Christian parishes in North America.  For additional information and/or to order educational materials, visit OCEC’s web site.

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Vocations and Sharing our Faith

Posted on by Fr. Peter

The other day I linked to an article debunking reasons for women to become nuns.  The article was written by, and for a Roman Catholic audience but there were some points that could be useful to an Orthodox audience as well.

A rather lively discussion took place following the posting of the article and that led to a discussion about vocations and sharing our faith.

One commenter took issue with what she called “advertising for vocations.”  The issue was that vocations are just that, vocations, and not careers.  I agreed but said vocations need to be nurtured not only by the parish but most importantly by the family.

We have, here in the United States, somewhat of a vocation crisis.  In my Archdiocese, I am the last home grown vocation, and I was ordained in 2004.  When a priest is needed we just bring a priest over from Romania.  The reason for this is that we need Romanian speaking priests.  I support that, for now, but what about the future.  What are we doing to support the call in young men to the priesthood?

God is constantly calling men and women to the ministry in the Church.  He is planting the seeds but those seeds need to be nourished and cared for.  Healthy parishes will produce healthy vocations to the various ministries in the Church.  I also believe that we need to stop thinking of the priesthood as the only vocation in the Church.  What of monks, nuns, teachers, missionaries, chanters, choir directors, theology professors all of these are vocations, and they all need nurturing.  The most valuable thing we can do is pray, pray for vocations every day.

The nurturing of any vocation begins in the home; parents are the first teachers of their children. When I said this on Facebook yesterday the response was, what if we do not know about our faith?  Well I certainly understand this situation.  We have done an extremely poor job of teaching the faith to the people in the Church.  In my experience, we spend far too much time on festivals and language schools and other such things and remarkably little time on any kind of religious education.  Call a meeting about fundraising and the room will be packed, schedule a Bible Study and suddenly everyone has something to do.

So I ask this question, what are you doing to teach your children the faith?  Are you attending Liturgy on Sunday, every Sunday, or do you only attend when you have nothing else to do.  I am sorry but allowing your child to play sports on Sunday morning is a heresy and not what Orthodox Christians should be doing.  Do you attend Vespers on Saturday night, or does your Church even have Vespers on Saturday night?  Do you show up late or just on time for Liturgy or do you come to Church early enough to quiet your mind and pray a little bit?  How many of you have never heard the words, “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”?

Do you pray together as a family?  Do you pray before meals, not only at home but when you are out to eat?  Do you have an Icon corner in your home and is it in a place that everyone can see and do you use it.  Praying together as a family is extremely valuable.

What about feast days?  Do you attend either Liturgy or Vespers of the Feasts of the Church?  Do you know when they are and what they represent?  Do you follow the fasting and abstinence rules of the Church?  Do you have a spiritual Father?  Do you go to confession?  Do you take communion?  I cannot count the number of time I have seen parents bring their children up to communion but then not receive themselves.  Parents you are the first and most influential teachers of your children.  They will model your behavior, and they see everything.

Parents need to talk to their children about vocations in the Church.  Parishes need to do this as well.  When was the last time your community invited a missionary or a monastic to come and visit your Church? There are a number of monasteries here in the United States with many monks and nuns.  Invite a monk or a nun to come to Church and talk about monastic life.  Does your community know about Orthodox missionaries and the countries they serve in?  The Orthodox Christian Mission Center has many resources available for free, picture of missionaries and biographies of their work and the countries they serve.  Post the photos, pray for the missionaries by name at Liturgy and when they are home, ask them to come to the Church and talk about missions.

When choosing a college for your child to attend how much of an influence is the location of an Orthodox Church or an OCF Chapter on campus.  Have you considered Hellenic College or the new Saint Catherine’s College?  All of these are crucial in fostering vocations in the Church.

The fostering of vocations is the job of all of us in the Church.  The whole Church needs to be involved in fostering vocations to all of the ministries in the Church.  The Church of tomorrow needs the vocations of today.  What are doing to ensure there will be vocations tomorrow?

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Paraclis’ service of the Mother of God is very spiritually useful

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Patriarch Daniel of Romania

On 1 August 2012, 17.00 hours, the Paraclis Service of the Birth Giver of God was celebrated at the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest, on the first day of the fasting for the Falling Asleep of the Mother of God. To end with the religious service, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania delivered a sermon in which he emphasised the significance of the Paraclis of the Most Holy Birth Giver of God for the life of the faithful. “Paraclis” means comfort, consolation, spiritual strengthening. This is why unlike Akatistos, the Paraclis is made up of condacs, troparions and complete canon, having been named comfort canon. This Paraclis service urges us to unite prayer with repentance – during the fasting period of the Falling Asleep of the Mother of God – as well as with the request of help, so that we may become obedient to God, just as she is a model of obedience, lowliness, holiness and devotion to God. When the Paraclis is read our people feel spiritual strength, help, joy and peace. Thus, the Paraclis is a source of spiritual power, strength, encouragement and victory over temptation, suffering, disease and trouble. This is why people love this Paraclis very much, which is very spiritually useful.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel showed the reasons why the Orthodox Christians worship the Birth Giver of God: “We worship the Mother of God because it was through her that joy has come to everybody. It was through her that the fallen Adam rose up and Eve’s tears were wiped. This is also because the Mother of God helps us. She is the protector of the pure girls, of the monks and nuns who live in monasteries. She is the protector of the mothers who gave birth to children and grow them up in faith, so the protector of the family. She is the protector of the deacons, priests and hierarchs because her Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord is the eternal High Priest. She is the protector of the orphans, widows and of the aged persons. This is why she is the protector of the wronged ones, guide of the confused, healer of passions and troubles, of trials and hardship. She is very merciful and helps a lot, always praying, namely never overlooked.”

At the same time, the Patriarch of Romania urged the faithful to pray Holy Virgin Mary because she is a fast helper and protector: “The Mother of God knows what every family and person needs. This is why we must spiritually strengthen ourselves, especially during the fasting period for the Falling Asleep of the Mother of God, and increase our devotion, and prayers to the Mother of God. Let us pray Mother of God to protect us, help us, and bring peace to our souls, joy in the family and give us the joy of Saint Elisabeth when Mother of God entered her house. We must always ask for her help in the morning and evening, before every activity and afterwards. The Mother of God is our prayer to God, during our lifetime, at death time and at the last judgement.”

Following the urge of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel the Paraclis service of the Mother of God will be celebrated during this fasting period in all the parishes and monasteries of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, and at the Patriarchal Cathedral every day.

Source:

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Preparing for Battle

Posted on by Fr. Peter

Today is a sad day in America for on this day the religious liberty that we have cherished for low these many years has come to an end, for now anyway.

Today is the day that the HHS Mandate that those of us who hold traditional beliefs are required to violate our conscious and pay for things that we find morally repugnant.  It is truly a sad day.

Today is also the start of the Orthodox Fast period before the Great Feast of the Dormition of the Holy Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary.  As Orthodox we are called to repentance during all of the fast periods of the Church but this one seems extremely important.  As the Roman Catholics used the days leading up to the 4th of July as the Fortnight for Freedom, we Orthodox should use these days of the fast to pray for our country and its leaders. That, as the Divine Liturgy says, “in their calmness we may lead religious and serene lives.”

Today is also the day we commemorate the Procession of the Holy Cross.  This description of the Feast is taken from the website of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese: (emphasis mine)

Because of the many diseases that occur in the month of August, the custom prevailed of old in Constantinople to carry the precious Wood of the Cross in procession throughout the city for its sanctification and its deliverance from illnesses. It was brought forth from the imperial treasury on the last day of July and placed upon the Holy Table of the Great Church of the Holy Wisdom; and beginning today, until the Dormition of the Theotokos, it was carried in procession throughout the city and was set forth for veneration before the people.

I celebrated a Divine Liturgy today and the Gospel reading assigned for this day was also very poignant for this particular day and what we as a nation and as believers are going to face:

The Reading is from Matthew 10:16-22

The Lord said to his disciples, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”

For me this reading was a battle cry for us to be prepared for what is coming.  As the Gospel says we will be hated for the sake of the Son of God but we need not fear for God will be with us and we who endure to the end will be saved.

God Bless all of you and God Bless America!

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Ministry to the Sick

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Jesus heals the Blind Man

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” James 5:14

One of the aspects of pastoral ministry is visiting people when they are sick.  The Romanian Patriarchate has designated this as one where we should focus on the ministry of the sick.  We need to study this Sacrament and teach about it because we have lost the meaning of it.

In times past when the priest came to the hospital it was because the end was near.  Sometimes that is in fact the case.  Our Orthodox spirituality has been infected by this western concept of last rites or extreme unction.  From an Orthodox perspective this is the Sacrament of the Sick or the Sacrament of Anointing if you will.  This is for all illness of not only the body but of the mind and of the spirit.

In the Scripture rom St. James I quoted above, James does not say when you are dying, or if you are critically ill call the elders, no, he says, “If anyone is sick” no other qualifiers are used.  If you are sick, or having surgery or for a spiritual matter call the elders and we will pray for you.

The healing ministry of the Church is as old as the Church is itself.  There are many examples in Scripture of Jesus healing various people and there is also the patristic tradition of praying for those who are ill.  St. Ireneaus writing the second century, tell the story of miracles during his day.  Many of the fathers and mother that followed would write about healing in their days as well.  The 18th century Russian Monk, St. Seraphim of Sarov is credited with many healings and the oil from the lamps of such saints at John Maximovitch have been known to work miracles.

When the priest prays for the person who is sick he does not pray alone but the church prays with him.  When we pray we are never alone, we are surrounded by a cloud of witness.  However when we do pray for the sick we neither command God to heal or doubt his ability to heal.  Rather we plead for his promise mercy on all who are ill.  We also pray for those who are present for the family and friends of the one who is sick for the strength they will need to sustain them along the journey.

In the Orthodox Church today there exists a prayer that can be used at any time.  There is of course the longer prayer service that is customarily used in Byzantine Churches during Holy Week when the oil is blessed and all present are anointed.  That service is much more complex.  But when the priest is called he prays for the sick person and anoints them with oil saying the following prayer:

O Lord Almighty, Healer of our souls and bodies, who put down and raise up, who chastise and heal also, visit now in Your mercy our brother or sister (N), who is ill.  Stretch forth Your arm, which is full of healing and health, and raise (him/her) up from this bed, and cure this illness.  Put away the spirit of disease and every malady and pain and fever.  And if (he/she) has committed sins and transgressions, grant remission and forgiveness, because You love mankind.

Again, we ask God we never command, and we ask that His will be done in this and in all things.  If it be His will we ask that He heals the person who is sick.  Asking for the priest to anoint a sick person does not mean that the end is near, it simply means we are following the example left to us in Scripture, If anyone is sick call the elders and they will pray and anoint with oil.

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