Launching Into the Deep

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The Gospel of Luke 5:1-11

At that time, Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he was astonished, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

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Very often in the Gospels Jesus would use images that his listeners would understand, or at least he would hope they would understand.  In this pericope used on the 18th Sunday after Pentecost the image of fish and fishing is employed to make a point about what we are all supposed to be doing.

Jesus has just finished teaching and he asks Peter, and a few others, to get in their boats and to “put out into the deep” and drop their nets.  At first they protest as they had been out all night and were understandably tired but Jesus asks them to trust Him and so they do as He directed.  Eventually they pull in more fish than one boat can handle and they need assistance from others to help them pull in the nets.

St. Ambrose viewed this image of putting out into the deep as the call for all of us to put out deeper into our lives with Christ.  As Christians we are required to do something, to take action, not only in the world but in our own lives.  It has been described as a Christian walk and as such we need to keep moving.  Sure we stop and dwell from time to time, but the essence of our Christian life is movement and growth.  We are constantly being called to move deeper and deeper in our relationship with Jesus because if we don’t we have stopped walking and we are standing still.

We do not live our lives in isolation we live them in community be it family or be it the Church community.  As Christians we cannot walk our walk alone, we need the support of the community and the support of a Spiritual Father to help us along the path we are on and if need be, put us back on the path.

Peter has the realization that he has come face to face with the Divine Power, mush as Moses did when he came into the presence of the Burning Bush.  He fell to his knees and asked Jesus to depart from him because of this realization that he was unworthy.  How many of us have felt that way?  Peter came to the realization that he is not worthy but we, who know the end of the story, know that God can use us worthy or not, for great things if we have the willingness to say yes and to launch out into the deep and cast our nets.

The glory of our Christian life and walk, if we are in fact walking and standing still, is that little by little we do become worthy if we want to become worthy.  Thanks be to God He can use me even when I am at my weakest and when I am broken.  God used Peter, who denied Christ, God used Paul, who persecuted and killed multitudes of Christians for good even in their brokenness.  They were willing to be used and that is what need a willingness.

The fisherman had worked a long had night and they were tired all they wanted was to fix their nets and go home and get some sleep.  They were beaten down physically by their hard work and emotionally by the fact that they did not catch anything.  Jesus asked them to trust Him and to try again and because of that trust and obedience to the will of God, they caught more than they could handle.  They were willing and obedient and were used for great things.  The great catch of fish is symbolic of the work that they would do for the kingdom of God.  Simple tired and worn out fisherman set the world on fire because they were willing and obedient.

The Dash

If you have been following these pages for the last few months you know that I have begun working as a chaplain for a local hospice provider.  This work has added a dimension to my ministry that I never thought I would have.  Helping people, both patients and their families, during their last days has many rewards and I am glad I decided to pursue this work.

At a recent meeting of the hospice team, one team member mentioned the Poem The Dash.  I had never heard of this poem before so I did a quick Google search to find it.  The poem is about the dash that lies between your birth date and the date of your death and represent your entire life.  This has taken on a new meaning for me as I listen to the life stories of those on my hospice service.

The author of the poem, Linda Ellis, has asked that a link is posted to her website rather than copying the poem and placing it on mine so I will honor her request.  Please do take a few moments to follow the link below and read The Dash and think about your dash.

The Dash

The Face Of Evil

Over the last few weeks the world has come face to face with an absolute evil known as the group ISIS or whatever it is we are calling it now.  As I write this, word has come that another person has been beheaded by this so-called group of religious fighters.  I have not watched, nor do I recommend that you watch, the videos of these three murders, as they are very gruesome.  It is very difficult to not hate the people who are doing this but, as Christians, that is exactly what we are called to do, not hate.

In a recent speech, Vice-President Biden spoke of these “evil people” and that we have to follow them to hell because that is where they belong.  I can certainly understand the sentiment and I support the effort to fight back, but Mr. Vice President…people are not evil – their actions are – but people are not evil.

I have written of this countless numbers of times but it bears repeating.  All of humanity is created in the image and likeness of God and as such humanity is created fundamentally good because God is good.  Evil is not something that comes from God but is a creation of this fallen world and the sinful nature and corruption of humanity.  I am not writing this to excuse the behavior of people – far from it – but to show that at our core we are good people and that evil is something that we are taught.

I cannot begin to understand the mind of people who are willing to do this but it all stems from a corruption of, and a zealous belief in, a religious thought.  It seems to be the right thing to do, in some minds, to brand all followers of Islam as terrorist and radicals and that is simply not the case.  I do believe, as an Orthodox Christian, that Islam is wrong and that Jesus is the only way, but the corruption of religious thought for evil purposes, any religious thought, is just simply wrong.

This radicalization of religious thought comes from hatred and intolerance of people who are and believe differently than they do.  They see it as their job to rid the world of this “wrong belief” and purify the earth.  The only place that this comes from is from the evil one.  Every life is sacred and the taking of a life, for any purpose, goes against the plan of God so the cleansing of the infidel cannot be from God.

Hatred is, plain and simple, evil, and we have to be ever-vigilant to not let it invade our spiritual lives.  What we are witnessing in the Middle East is the direct result of what hatred can do to a person on a physical and spiritual level.  Hatred blinds us to the truth and to the ultimate goodness of humanity and causes us to act in an irrational way.  We have to be on guard against hatred less we fall into the same trap.

However, with that said, there is a difference between hating the sinful actions of people and hating the people who are perpetrating the sinful acts and this is true with any sinful action.  I do not think that the members of the Westboro Baptist Church rise to the level of ISIS but they have been used as an example of Christian radicalism and a misapplication of Christian teaching and I will use them as an example as well.

What we see in these protests is a complete misunderstanding of the message of Jesus to love your neighbor as yourself.  They have taken the message of love and turned it to a message of hate.  The venom that is spewed is the same venom that was spewed at Christ as He was led to His crucifixion. It is very easy to point your finger at someone else all the time missing the sins in our own lives.  It is easy to engage in hate speech, be it white supremacy, anti-Semitism, anti-Arab or whatever it might be rather than engage in conversation that could lead to an understanding.  Tolerance is a funny word that extends in both directions and what we are called to is a sense of toleration, not acceptance, of other people and their behavior.  Jesus was very tolerant of everyone, even those who eventually crucified Him, but He was not accepting of their behavior and He never hated and that is the message of the Gospel – love.

Love of one’s enemy is one of the hardest things we are called to do as Christians but it is necessary for our spiritual well-being and, I believe, the mark of a mature Christian.  It is not easy, and takes much prayer and guidance from a spiritual parent, but if we hope to live a balanced spiritual life then we have to do it.  It is time that we as a Christian community turned our attention toward prayer and away from hate; hate is easy – love is difficult.

We as a nation have to act. We have to protect ourselves and others from evil and sometimes that means the use of our military to do so.  My prayer is for those who will be sent into harm’s way and for those who will be caught in the middle.  May we use our military might for justice and for protection of the innocent.

Fr. Mychal Judge, Saint of 9/11

On September 11, 2001 Fr. Mychal Judge was going about his daily routine when he heard that a plane had struck one of the buildings of the World Trade Center.  Fr. Mychal had the honor of being the Chaplain for the New York City Fire Department and when the call went out, he grabbed his gear and went right to the scene.

The Chaplain usually stands at the Command Post to be available to the scene commander and also to be available if he is needed by one of the guys working the fire ground.  Fr. Mychal was in the lobby of the North Tower of the World Trade Center giving last rites to many of the dead.

At 9:59 am when the Tower collapsed, debris went flying through the air and Fr. Mychal was hit in the back of the head and killed instantly.  His body was found by a NYPD Lieutenant and 2 fire fighters, and they carried his body to nearby St. Peter’s Church and placed there before the altar.

Fr. Mychal died doing what he loved, “Serving Those Who Serve” and he is the main reason I am a fire chaplain today.  2001 was my first year in the seminary and I made the decision that I would, one day, serve those who serve.  In October 2004 I was appointed the first Department Chaplain for the Dudley Fire Department and since 2016 I have been Chaplain to the Quincy Fire Department and I am proud to serve.

The Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains created an award given to a Fire Department Chaplain “In grateful acknowledgement of the time, energy, and faithfulness given to the men and women of the Fire Service.”  I was honored with this award in 2008.

I wear a small metal bracelet on my wrist each and every day that bears the name of Fr. Mychal.  It is a constant reminder to me of why I do what I do and I pause on this day and think of Fr. Mychal and how he died doing what he loved.

There is a short prayer that is attributed to Fr. Mychal and I try to remember to say it each time I head out the door on a call,

“Lord take me where you want me to go:
Let me meet who you want me to meet:
Tell me what you want me to say:
And keep me out of your way.”

Fr. Mychal Judge, Pray for us!

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Preparedness Month 2014

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by Fr. John A. Peck ~ Guest Blogger

National Preparedness Month is almost upon us, and in light of that, I thought a quick look at why being prepared makes sense, and can, in fact, be a fun activity for yourself and your family. Why should you do it at all?

Let’s quickly review a few things we’ve seen in the past few months.

Believe me, I could easily go on. Being prepared is not just a Boy Scout motto, but an American way of life. The CDC wants you to be ready for a Zombie Apocalypse(the idea being, if you are prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse, you’re prepared for anything). For the person who believes you have never done any ‘preparing’ – you actually have!

 When you go to the store before a storm to pick up a few extras, when you buy to keep yourself going until the next paycheck, when you just have a little extra medicine, in case of an emergency, you’ve been preparing.  It does not require a complete change of life, buying bunkers, gas masks and exotic items for survival. For most folks, it means having more than three days worth of  necessities. If you have three days, work on three weeks. If you have three weeks, work on three months. It’s not as hard as you think.

This episode of “Surviving Disaster” describes in simple detail what it actually takes to survive three months at home. Enjoy the show, and take a few notes.

The IOCC Preparedness Recommendations

For years now, the IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities) has recommended that Americans, wherever they live, should make preparations for unexpected natural disasters or serious civil problems, such as terrorist attacks, which can make getting supplies almost impossible. By preparing yourself, no matter where you are, you take the burden off of emergency responders to get to folks who need help – who did not prepare.

Here is the link to the IOCC Preparedness Emergency Kit Flyer. I recommend you download it and get to work!

According to the 2009 Citizen Corps National Survey, only 36 percent of individuals believed there was a high likelihood of a natural disaster to EVER happen in their community. Many people think they have everything they need in the event of an emergency at hand, and can simply “grab and go.” It’s called a 72 hour bag, but goes by many other names (i.e., BOB – Bug Out Bag).

Your Family’s First Responder

You are your family’s first responder, and in many ways you are your neighbor’s first responder. All of us as participants in our communities and members of our families need to take concrete steps to proactively prepare for emergencies and disasters. Local, state, and national authorities are going to help, but they may not be able to get to you right away.

We all need to be prepared for those first 72 hours before help can reach us.

September is the perfect time to take action and get your family Ready. Readiness comes in many forms and preparedness is everyone’s responsibility. We have to work together, as a team, to ensure that our families, neighborhoods, and communities are Ready.

  1. Get an emergency supply kit.
  2. Make a family emergency plan.
  3. Be informed about the risks in your area.
  4. Work with your neighbor and know who might need just a little extra help.

To help get your family started, Ready Kids is a family-friendly, children-oriented tool to help parents and teachers educate children, ages 8-12, about emergencies and how they can help families better prepare. The Ready Kids Web site at ready.gov features fun activities such as a Scavenger Hunt, Pack It Up Matching game, crossword puzzles and coloring pages, as well as age-appropriate, step-by-step instructions on what families can do to better prepare for emergencies and the role kids can play in that effort.

It’s important to explain to your children that families can prepare for emergencies before they take place and that they can help, too. By doing so, you can alleviate anxiety if an emergency does occur and help to nurture a more prepared society for generations to come.

Visit Ready.gov to get a kit, make a plan, and stay informed.

Visit ready.gov/kids today and help your kids get ready.

Visit the Arizona Emergency Preparedness Page at Ready.gov.

Again, here is the link to the IOCC Emergency Preparedness Kit Flyer.

Patriarch Bartholomew On The Present Violence In Iraq

GREEK ORTHODOX ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW CONDUCTS EASTER MASS IN ISTANBULThe recent wave of violence against innocent families and children in Iraq has rendered the world shocked and horrified. We will not remain indifferent or silent before such irrational persecution, cultural intolerance and appalling loss of life, especially when it is caused by religious hatred and racial hostility.

The targeting of tens of thousands of Christians (including Arameans, Chaldeans, and Assyrians) and other religious minorities (including Turkmens, Yazidis, and Kurds) can never be justified in the name of any religious creed or conviction.

What we are witnessing before our eyes in Iraq is the uprooting not simply of a religious minority – in this case the Yazidis, whose very existence is being threatened – but of an entire civilization. The victimization and extermination of women and children, as well as of the elderly and disabled, for any reason whatsoever – much more so in the supposed name of religious conviction – is a repudiation of our own future. Such calamity and cruelty of adherents to one religion can never be defended by cowardly and falsely invoking another religion. Such brutal acts are categorically unacceptable and unjustifiable before both God and humankind.

Violence never is pacified by violence, and hatred is only overcome by tolerance. Knowing that true and lasting peace only comes to pass through genuine encounter and dialogue, we call upon religious leaders and political authorities in this wounded region to promote conversation to resolve dispute, and to support peaceful means to overcome conflict.

We implore the same of all leaders in other parts of the world, especially in Gaza and Israel, in order that those conflicts, too, may not further escalate at the expense of more human life. It is precisely for this reason that, at the invitation of Pope Francis, we gathered in Rome for an interfaith summit of peace with Presidents Peres and Abbas last June.

The situation in Iraq is especially critical. The humanitarian predicament is more urgent than ever. Our response must be immediate and tangible. Therefore, we appeal to every responsible organization and every person of good will – beyond any support through perpetual and persistent prayer – to assist with material and humanitarian resources so that these innocent victims may no longer endure hunger, suffering, and death.

It is our wholehearted hope and fervent prayer that the God of love – worshipped by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike – may prevail over the false idols of fanaticism and prejudice. May the compassionate Lord grant peace to all.

 At the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the 13th of August, 2014

Orthodoxy and Suicide

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Like many of you, I was shocked and saddened by the suicide of Robin Williams.  This illustrates that we never really know what is going on in a person’s life and one might appear, on the surface, like everything is fine, when deep down inside their life is in turmoil.

Depression, like all mental illness, is very complex and is not always the same for each person living with it.  There are many unanswered questions but the questions need to be asked.

For clergy it is even more complex.  I learned a long time ago that I have limitations in my ability to help someone when they come to see me and I am not afraid to refer someone to a professional.  Just a side note here, I do not counsel as that has a legal definition to it and I am not licensed by any state to provide that service to others.  I am a spiritual father and provide what assistance I can and I feel an obligation to refer people when it is above what I can handle.  Yes, many things are spiritual in nature but not all are.

There have been many discussions in social media regarding the suicide of Robin Williams and many of the positions that Orthodox Christians take on this do not fall in line with what the Hierarchs of our church have stated.  As Orthodox Christians we look to our Hierarchs as the authentic teachers of the faith.

In 2007 The Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops (SCOBA) now the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops, released a pastoral letter on the subject of suicide.  I think it helpful for all of us to take a few moments to read this letter and for those of us involved in pastoral ministry this is a good reference point.

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May 25, 2007

The following “Pastoral Letter on Suicide” was adopted by the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) at their May 23, 2007 Session held at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Crestwood, NY. The document was prepared by the SCOBA Social and Moral Issues Commission (SMIC). The Letter offers pastoral perspectives, consistent with both Holy Tradition and current medical and psychological thought, to clergy and laity alike on this human tragedy and how best to minister to those whose lives are so deeply affected by it.

A Pastoral Letter on Suicide
5/23/07

The tragedy of suicide has been a part of the human story from very early on, and it continues to affect the lives of our faithful today. As Hierarchs of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, we are asked frequently to clarify the Church’s teachings on this critical issue. Our desire is to offer a pastoral perspective that is consistent with both the Tradition of our Orthodox Church and our improved understanding of the medical and psychological factors that might lead one to take his or her life.

The Sacredness of Life

As Orthodox Christians, we believe that life is a gift from God. The All-Holy and Life-Giving Trinity created all things and granted life to all living creatures. Out of His love, God made us, human beings, in His own divine image and likeness, entrusting us as stewards – not owners – of our lives, blessing us with the capacity of freedom, and calling us to a life of loving communion.

Our ancestors’ original rebellion against God was a misuse of freedom, which ushered in the reality of both spiritual and physical death. Throughout history, God has acted to redeem the fallen race and to restore the communion and life that had been forfeited. Indeed, our Lord Jesus Christ identifies the very purpose of His incarnation and earthly mission with the gift of life, proclaiming, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Remaining faithful to the Lord’s Gospel, the Orthodox Church invites all human beings to enter into the living body of Christ, to be sustained through the life-giving sacraments, and to preserve and perpetuate both spiritual and physical life.

Suicide and the Orthodox Tradition

While a precise and unproblematic definition of “suicide” is difficult to articulate, we can say that the type of suicide here being addressed pertains to the intentional causing of one’s own physical death through a decisive act. Understood in this way, suicide is regarded generally within the Orthodox Tradition as a rejection of God’s gift of physical life, a failure of stewardship, an act of despair, and a transgression of the sixth commandment, “You shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13).

Historically, the Church was called upon to address the issue of suicide from the outset. When the Gospel was first being preached, philosophical and religious teachings prevalent in the Greco-Roman world tended both to disparage the body and to endorse suicide in circumstances of severe hardship. The Cynics, Epicureans, Stoics, and Gnostics, for example, all endorsed voluntary death for reasons consistent with each group’s broader ethical vision. The early Church’s condemnation of suicide, as reflected in the teachings of Clement of Alexandria, Lactantius, St. Augustine, and others, thus served to affirm teachings that were sharply different from those of the broader culture: the sacredness of each human being, the holiness of our bodies as Temples of the Holy Spirit, and, especially, the call for each one of us to maintain faith and hope even in the midst of extreme adversity. While these core teachings provided a Christian witness to Greco-Roman society, they also were reflected internally, to the members of the early Church, through the condemnation of all attempts to hasten one’s entry into the Kingdom by self-sought martyrdom. Clement of Alexandria, for instance, condemns both suicide and such martyrdom when he writes, “He who presents himself before the judgment-seat becomes guilty of his own death. And such is also the case with him who does not avoid persecution, but out of daring presents himself for capture. Such a person…becomes an accomplice in the crime of the persecutor” (Stromateis 4.77.1).

Notwithstanding its strong general stance against the moral permissibility of suicide, the Church, historically, has offered a balanced teaching on this issue. On the one hand, the Church has maintained the normative position described above by condemning acts of suicide and by declining to offer a funeral service and burial to suicide victims. This dimension of the Church’s teaching has underscored the sacredness of physical life and the responsibility of human beings to express proper self-love, gratitude, and hope. This dimension has also served as an intended deterrent for those suffering suicidal thoughts.

On the other hand, in her wisdom, the Church has acknowledged the complex etiology and emotionally charged character of a suicide. The corruption of human nature, brought about by the ancestral sin, carried profound implications for both the spiritual and physical dimensions of the human person. While human freedom was not annihilated in the fall, both spiritual factors, like acedia (spiritual torpor), and physical factors, like depression, can severely compromise a person’s ability to reason clearly and act freely. In regard to suicide, the Church has taken very seriously such spiritual and physical factors, and has responded pastorally by offering a funeral service and burial to suicide victims whose capacities for judgment and action were found to be significantly diminished. Thus, Canon 14 of Timothy of Alexandria states that liturgical services should be offered, “if a man having no control of himself lays violent hands on himself or hurls himself to destruction.” And the patristic interpretation of this teaching states that services should be offered when a suicide victim “is not of sound mind, whether it be as a result of a demon or of an ailment of some sort.” Question XIV of the 18 Canons of Timothy, Archbishop of Alexandria. Pedalion, p. 898

Suicide and Science

Through advances in science we now have a better understanding of the relationship between suicide and depression, as well as a more accurate account of the causes of depression. Depression is an illness caused by both medical and psychological factors. It is characterized by feelings of marked worthlessness and hopelessness and is often accompanied by physical changes such as loss of appetite, weight loss, or in some cases, weight gain. Both insomnia and hypersomnia are common symptoms.

Current medical knowledge helps us to understand that all depressions are multi-factorial. Genetic, hormonal, neurochemical, environmental, and psychological contributions can combine to create a depressive picture. Furthermore, depression can present as the only expression of an underlying physical illness such as occult cancers, thyroid dysfunction, and drug reactions.

Sometimes depressions are very severe and psychotic in nature. These can be accompanied by delusions, hallucinations, and an altered sense of reality. In most instances, the depressed person is less impaired. Nonetheless, in all cases, depression is determined by non-rational psychological and physical internal events. Even an apparently rational and clear-thinking person may have his or her outlook and choices strongly affected by those non-rational internal events.

Pastoral Recommendation

In light of the above theological and scientific reflections, it is clear that the articulation of a proper Orthodox response to the tragedy of suicide is both acutely needed and particularly challenging. We are sensitive to the difficulty of maintaining a balance between the call of every human person to responsible stewardship of his or her physical life and the call of the Church to consider how advances in medical knowledge impact Orthodox pastoral ministry. Conscious of this need for discernment, we offer the following guidelines for ministering in the wake of a suicide.

First, we must remain mindful that the primary focus of the Church and its pastoral ministry in cases where a suicide has taken place is on the living, the family and friends of the deceased. We should maintain a certain humility while remembering that the state of the suicide victim is and must remain in the hands of God. Those left behind carry a great burden – of hurt, guilt, and often shame – with the realization that their loved one has taken his or her own life. They look to the Church and, especially, to the parish family, for strength and hope regarding the deceased, and for the support and love they themselves so urgently need. In addition to their personal pastoral response, clergy should direct grief-stricken family and friends to crisis counseling resources in the area, which can complement the healing ministry of the Church.

Second, as we have studied this issue, it has become clear to us that far more cases of suicide than have previously been recognized involve spiritual and/or physiological factors that significantly compromise a person’s rationality and freedom. While not removing moral culpability from all suicide cases or changing our general stance against suicide’s moral permissibility, we affirm the deep relationship between physical and spiritual factors in human agency and we acknowledge that, in most instances, the complex web of causes contributing to a suicide lies beyond our full understanding.

Finally, because of the complexity of suicide, both in terms of determining causes and in terms of ministering to those most affected, the parish priest should always consult with his diocesan hierarch in order to discern the proper course of action, the general pastoral recommendation being that a church burial and memorial services could be granted unless there were an absence of significantly diminished capacities.

CONCLUSION

In his beautiful description of the Church as the “body of Christ,” St. Paul writes, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Cor 12:26) The suicide of an Orthodox Christian is a tragedy that is suffered by the entire Church. As hierarchs of the Orthodox Church, we are acutely mindful of the need to maintain a perspective on suicide that is consistent with our identity and mission as the unified body of Christ. We believe that the perspective outlined in this statement, which reflects our common mind, accomplishes this purpose by drawing from our Holy Tradition as well as our deepened understanding of suicide’s causes.

We extend our fervent prayers for the victims of suicide and for all whose lives and faith have been shaken by the suicide of a loved one. Furthermore, as Orthodox bishops and members of SCOBA, we affirm that we will work together rigorously in order both to prevent suicides from occurring and to provide a unified pastoral response when they do, one characterized by the faith, hope, and love made possible by God, in Whom “we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

Pastoral Letter Concerning Violence and Extremism in the Middle East

The Most Blessed Tikhon Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada
The Most Blessed Tikhon
Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada

Pastoral Letter from His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon to the Clergy, Monastics and Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America Concerning Violence and Extremism in the Middle East

“We have preferred profane and material things to the commandment of love, and because we have attached ourselves to them we fight against men, whereas we ought to prefer the love of all men to all visible things and even to our own body.” (St Maximus the Confessor, The Ascetic Life, 7)

Beloved in Christ,

Our hearts have been deeply wounded by the stories and images of war and fighting throughout the world. The recent incidents of violence in the Middle East loom as tragic examples of an increasing disrespect for humanity and disregard for human life and dignity. The Orthodox Church in America joins those in the Middle East, in North America, and around the world who have raised their voices against the inhumane actions we are witnessing. We join all who condemn this blatant disregard for human dignity and life.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, whose ministry in the Middle East consistently witnesses to the Gospel of love of Jesus Christ and the Gospel’s command to adhere to peace and non-violence, has issued a strong statement condemning the attacks against Christians in Mosul, expressed in “coercion forcing them to change their belief, pay a tax or leave their homes, while having their property confiscated.” The statement calls on “states that provide fundamentalist groups with any direct or indirect foreign support to immediately stop all forms of material, logistic, military and moral support.”

The Orthodox Church in America expresses its solidarity with the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch in its striving for non-violence and peace. We also express our solidarity with all the suffering Christian communities of Mosul, whose expulsion is ending the Christian presence there after nearly two thousand years.

Another story of violence is unfolding yet again between Israel and the Hamas organization in Gaza. In this violence hundreds of innocent civilians have already died, some of them Israelis, most of them Palestinians. This humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is overwhelming; hundreds of thousands of innocent people are losing their homes and struggling to survive without electricity and water.

Yet another narrative of violence continues in Syria. Many innocent people not involved in the fighting have lost their lives. A large proportion of the Syrian population has taken to flight, forced to live in refugee camps in the region. Millions have lost their homes, their livelihoods and their loved ones.

Those of us living in North America may feel a sense of helplessness when seeing and hearing of these tragedies. We ought to remember the words of St John Cassian, who writes that the “goal of peaceful improvement cannot be reached through the decisions of others, which is forever beyond our control, but is found rather in our own attitude. To be free from wrath is not dependent on the perfection of others, but stems from our own virtue, which is acquired through our own tolerance, not other people’s patience.” (Institutes, VIII.17)

St John is pointing to a fundamental spiritual principle: that real change only begins when we look within our own hearts. Rather than feeling helpless in the face of world tragedies, we need to recall our unity with all of mankind and to respond with prayer for the suffering and the departed. In addition, just as the ascetic struggles of the great saints, in their own time and place, have a cosmic effect, so our own effort to purify our own hearts will have an effect on the rest of the world.

Thus, a very concrete and practical way that we in North America can respond to the violence in the Middle East is to commit ourselves to establishing peace in our own families and communities. When the Holy Apostle James posed the question: “What causes wars, and what causes fighting among you?”, he immediately answers with a challenge for us to consider: “Is it not your passions that are at war in your members?” (James 4:1).

If we are truly concerned about the strife in the world today, let us begin by overcoming anger in our own hearts by striving for meekness and humility. If we are upset by the violence and destruction in the Middle East, let us direct our energy to bring peace to the conflicts within our own families. If we are horrified by images of human beings injuring and killing one another, let us offer an image of Christ by giving alms to those in need in our own neighborhood.

In this way, our deeds will be joined to our prayers, and by the action of divine grace, we will have the assurance that our merciful Lord will grant consolation to those who are suffering, will provide a place of rest for those who have departed and will bestow upon the world the peace that passes all understanding.

With love in Christ,

+Tikhon
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada

Those wishing to assist International Orthodox Christian Charities in its ongoing humanitarian efforts across the Middle East may do so by logging onto www.iocc.org.

Prayers for Enemies

St.-Nikolai-VelimirovicIn 1941, with the German occupation of Yugoslavia, Bishop Nikolai, together with Patriarch Gabriel Dozhich, was arrested and sentenced to imprisonment in the infamous Dachau Prison Camp in Germany. He spent two years in Dachau, witnessing and suffering some of the cruelest torture of human beings the world has known.

Prayers for Enemies

by St. Nicholas Velimirovich

 Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Enemies have driven me into Thy embrace more than friends have.

Friends have bound me to earth, enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.

Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.

Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath Thy tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world.

They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself.

They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments.

They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish.

Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were small.

Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background.

Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.

Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened me from sleep.

Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life,they have demolished it and driven me out.

Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of Thy garment.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me:

so that my fleeing to Thee may have no return;

so that all hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs;

so that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul;

so that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger;

so that I might amass all my treasure in heaven;

ah, so that I may for once be freed from self deception, which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.

Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows, that a person has no enemies in the world except himself.

One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize that they are not enemies, but cruel friends.

It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies.

Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies.

A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand.

But a son blesses them, for he understands. For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life. Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Amen

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