Orthodox Christianity

[Mrs.DanielH]

Anyone want to share what they are doing for Lent to enhance their spiritual life? I'm reading three books. One is just the daily lives of the saints with 1-3 short excerpts from saints lives. Another is a Lenten Meditations geared towards families with children, but I'm using it just to spark my own personal reflections since each day's meditation is only 2-4 pages it seems do-able. Then I'm also reading Thirty Steps to Heaven. It's my first time reading this so I'm planning on spending more time to really digest this. Last night we went to a compline service and the priest "prescribed" everyone 5 minutes of the Jesus prayer. Wishing you all a blessed journey to Pascha.

 

[messaggera]

Wishing you all a blessed journey to Pascha.

Bless you for posting this Mrs. DanielH.
The content allowed me to reflect more on my relationship with Christ.

The Lord works in mysterious ways.
At the end of last year I found a beautiful water colour calendar with gold inlay; a steal really-in the sense of price.

Then I noticed something about the calendar that was different than the Catholic calendars. The calendar listed Orthodox events. It was nice to learn when [Easter] appears in the year. As I honour Christ on Old Christmas it will be nice to share with the family what I have earned about Pascha; and express an interest to participate as a family to learn more through historical literature / and curriculum -social studies.

Your sharing, @Mrs.DanielH, has inspired me to embrace Pascha as a way to honour Christ - The King.
God Bless you.



Christ has risen!
He has risen indeed!

 

[DelMarMisty]

Hi everyone,

I am confused about confession in the Orthodox Church. No one ever mentioned it to me growing up, and I am unsure whether we approach a priest to confess? Can we confess in our prayers? Must it be to a priest?

I have been confessing my sins in my prayers, but I am unsure whether this is correct?

Can anyone assist?

God Bless.

 

[DelMarMisty]

I am just reading A Handbook of Spiritual Counsel by Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain.

A few things on guarding onself from the sense of vision:

"If ever by thought an inappropriate fantasy comes to us, it must be expelled by reason. Thus, shut your eyes to this image. Remove from it the flesh of the cheeks, cut away the lips and imagine then a mass of bones which is deformed. Think then what the desire image really is. This way our thoughts will be relieved of any vein deceits, for the desired image is nothing more than blood mixed with phlegm... From this point on the mind notes nothing about the once desired image, but foul-smelling and decaying ulcers, and soon imagines it lying dead next to the inner eyes. Thus it is possible for one to escape from sensual thought".

There is also a part in the book about avoiding mirrors, and not having big ornamental mirrors in the house a they are a vain preoccupation.

"Have nothing to do with mirrors. And if you happen to have them, please have them taken away as mirrors only only bring about many condemnable extremes, but also causes many individuals to fall into proper and ridiculous self-eroticism that have become proverbial in ancient times".

 

[NickK]

Hi everyone,

I am confused about confession in the Orthodox Church. No one ever mentioned it to me growing up, and I am unsure whether we approach a priest to confess? Can we confess in our prayers? Must it be to a priest?

I have been confessing my sins in my prayers, but I am unsure whether this is correct?

Can anyone assist?

God Bless.

It is good to confess our sins in our prayers, but then we should also confess them in front of a priest, it is paramount.

 

[OrthoLeaf]

This is my main concern with the Immaculate Conception. Christ showed us the way, conquering death, while being fully man and fully God. If he wasn't fully man, or of a different human nature than us, then like Aboulia said, his childhood was just for show; there was no point to it.

Contrast that with the Orthodox perspective that the Theotokos struggled against sin, defeating temptation every time it reared its head, and seeing her virtue, she became fit to bear our Savior, to the point that the Archangel Gabriel knelt before her and said "hail!" When my patron saint, the Prophet Daniel was visited by an Archangel, he was sick for days and was terrified. Mary earned the right through her struggle to have an angel kneel before her. She is the model of Christian living, full of Grace, humility, and love. To me, it honors Mary much more to believe she conquered sin better than anyone born of two human parents before and since than to think she never had to struggle against temptation. Even angels had to make a choice between obedience and sin - the Immaculate Conception doesn't give her a choice.

Perfectly said, brother!

"But if the Word of God is in the universe, which is a body, and has entered into it in its every part, what is there surprising or unfitting in our saying that He has entered also into human nature?" - St. Athanasius

"For that which He has not assumed He has not healed; but that which is united to His Godhead is also saved. If only half Adam fell, then that which Christ assumes and saves may be half also; but if the whole of his nature fell, it must be united to the whole nature of Him that was begotten, and so be saved as a whole. Let them not, then, begrudge us our complete salvation, or clothe the Savior only with bones and nerves and the portraiture of humanity" - St Gregory of Nazianzus

 

[Mrs.DanielH]

Spent a few hours reading the book of revelation and this article today. Good to be aware of the Orthodox viewpoint and it gave me a little hope. Even if it's really coming in our lifetime, there is hope for those of us who see it coming and can remain steadfast to the end.
https://orthochristian.com/106805.html

 

[IconWriter]

A timely quote from St. Anthony the Great: “The time will come when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad they will attack him saying, ‘you are mad, you are not like us.’”

 

[messaggera]

Admits it is tainted, but we should still partake in modern medicine because we live in a fallen world.

COVID and the Vaccines - The Spirit of Saint Tikhon's | Ancient Faith Ministries

Fr. John Parker, Dean of St Tikhon's Seminary, hosts Dr. Ryan Sampson Nash, MD, MA, in a discussion about COVID and the vaccines. Dr. Nash will discuss, from the bioethical perspective, as a faithful Orthodox Christian and physician, the nuances of the vaccines and their relationship to medicine...

www.ancientfaith.com

This is a turn off, but not to ROCOR.

Orthodox tradition, ROCOR, is very appealing as a cradle Catholic. Catholicism has always been firm on abortion, but there are other smaller issues within Catholicism that present ROCOR as the true Church.

Orthodox theology presents the strongest case for the one True Church. But leaving Catholicism is difficult when I see and hear the Orthodox denomination allowing secular progressivism to be accepted so openly - as to the point to just become a new form of Protestant behaviour, which allow these issues to go against God’s Word.

How many individuals are aware there are two paths within the Orthodox denomination?


Wish there was more one could do to bring more individuals to ROCOR. We have a ROCOR church not too far away - perhaps Reaching out to offer volunteer assistance is a start.

 

[DanielH]

Admits it is tainted, but we should still partake in modern medicine because we live in a fallen world.

COVID and the Vaccines - The Spirit of Saint Tikhon's | Ancient Faith Ministries

Fr. John Parker, Dean of St Tikhon's Seminary, hosts Dr. Ryan Sampson Nash, MD, MA, in a discussion about COVID and the vaccines. Dr. Nash will discuss, from the bioethical perspective, as a faithful Orthodox Christian and physician, the nuances of the vaccines and their relationship to medicine...

www.ancientfaith.com

This is a turn off, but not to ROCOR.

Orthodox tradition, ROCOR, is very appealing as a cradle Catholic. Catholicism has always been firm on abortion, but there are other smaller issues within Catholicism that present ROCOR as the true Church.

Orthodox theology presents the strongest case for the one True Church. But leaving Catholicism is difficult when I see and hear the Orthodox denomination allowing secular progressivism to be accepted so openly - as to the point to just become a new form of Protestant behaviour, which allow these issues to go against God’s Word.

How many individuals are aware there are two paths within the Orthodox denomination?

Important to note that with that Ancient Faith-hosted interview, Ancient Faith has a boardmember who worked for Pfizer for almost 20 years. St. Tikhon's also closed down harder than just about any church or monastery that I'm aware of. In 2020 the monastery not only closed to visitors, they also stopped their own services for a while, even though they were pretty much hermetically sealed. All this to say that that all parties in that interview are liberal for Orthodox Christians, or compromised in the case of Ancient Faith Radio. You would think if you were hosting an interview about vaccines, that it would be wise to say "hey, before we start, we have a boardmember who worked with Pfizer for almost 20 years, just FYI," but no, they never did that.

Ultimately we need to take the guidance of the saints into consideration before any of these modernists.

Something else I've pointed out elsewhere - the entire Church unknowingly condemned these vaccines two decades ago when stem cell treatments using aborted babies were a thing, at a time they didn't have a gun to their heads by big pharma and the Globohomo world government. They all condemned the use of fetuses or people's cells who did not, or could not consent, to being experimented on and replicated. the MP with their Bases of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church, The OCA's 2001 Holy Synod, the Greek Orthodox Church's 2000 press release, the Romanian Patriarchate, etc. None of these modernists will acknowledge that all American vaccines at go against those synods and publications. Even in countries where non-fetus inoculations are available, I'm not aware of a bishop or jurisdiction at least encouraging the non- dead baby "vaccine," which to me indicates they are compromised or something else.

Wish there was more one could do to bring more individuals to ROCOR. We have a ROCOR church not to far away - perhaps Reaching out to offer volunteer assistance is a start.

ROCOR is growing at an extremely fast pace, which is why I encourage people to donate to the ROCOR Holy Trinity Seminary scholarship fund (as a disclosure I am not a seminarian, or even in ROCOR, nor am I eligible to be a seminarian for now as I am still too recent of a convert, I just think it is a good cause).

 

[messaggera]

ROCOR is growing at an extremely fast pace, which is why I encourage people to donate to the ROCOR Holy Trinity Seminary scholarship fund (as a disclosure I am not a seminarian, or even in ROCOR, nor am I eligible to be a seminarian for now as I am still too recent of a convert, I just think it is a good cause).

Thank you. I will visit the site to donate for this good cause soon.

Important to note that with that Ancient Faith-hosted interview, Ancient Faith has a boardmember who worked for Pfizer for almost 20 years.

This fact you have provided is disturbing along with the obvious conflict of interest with supporting the COVID vaccine.

Ancient Faith is becoming a little to secular progressive, and from the looks of the social media accounts heavily commercialized. Something just does not feel right, but that could be because it is part of a department of The Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, which is the sole jurisdiction of the Church of Antioch

Ancient Faith Radio (AFR) is an Orthodox Christian Internet radio station, a division of Ancient Faith Ministries (AFM), which is a department of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. In addition to its two streaming stations, Ancient Faith Music and Ancient Faith Talk, as well as live church service streaming and call-in shows, AFR features more than one hundred podcasts hosted by a variety of contributors, including both clergy and laity of the Orthodox Church.

When I see the word laity used to describe contributors it sets a flag. But all denominations have issues just look at Catholicism and using laity to distribute Holy Communion.

There are some other issues seen with Ancient Faith Ministries , but I have no place to question AOCA when I am not Orthodox.

 

[Viktor Zeegelaar]

Not Orthodox Christianity per se, but a perspective from an Orthodox point of view regarding the feminine ''Godess'' archetype we've seen in history and also more recently in New Age spheres. Interesting take!

 

[Ah_Tibor]

Something else I've pointed out elsewhere - the entire Church unknowingly condemned these vaccines two decades ago when stem cell treatments using aborted babies were a thing, at a time they didn't have a gun to their heads by big pharma and the Globohomo world government. They all condemned the use of fetuses or people's cells who did not, or could not consent, to being experimented on and replicated. the MP with their Bases of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church, The OCA's 2001 Holy Synod, the Greek Orthodox Church's 2000 press release, the Romanian Patriarchate, etc. None of these modernists will acknowledge that all American vaccines at go against those synods and publications. Even in countries where non-fetus inoculations are available, I'm not aware of a bishop or jurisdiction at least encouraging the non- dead baby "vaccine," which to me indicates they are compromised or something else.

I think you hit the nail on the head pointing out that this was twenty years ago, when people actually had debates about things and there were still a few conservatives with ideas about right and wrong.

And these were the same people who encouraged their children to go to college and be "successful," which is really the key here. There have been enormous cultural changes in the past 20 years which would not have been possible without people taking on massive student debt and being brainwashed by media, internet and social media included. I think a lot of lowkey globohomo ideals make it in with religious "conservatives" because "family"-- and with it stability and comfort-- almost becomes an idol. It's like justifying a gift from the mafia because "well, I can spend it on good things."

I don't know if that made sense. Lol

 

[Oda Mae]

I think you hit the nail on the head pointing out that this was twenty years ago, when people actually had debates about things and there were still a few conservatives with ideas about right and wrong.

And these were the same people who encouraged their children to go to college and be "successful," which is really the key here. There have been enormous cultural changes in the past 20 years which would not have been possible without people taking on massive student debt and being brainwashed by media, internet and social media included. I think a lot of lowkey globohomo ideals make it in with religious "conservatives" because "family"-- and with it stability and comfort-- almost becomes an idol. It's like justifying a gift from the mafia because "well, I can spend it on good things."

I don't know if that made sense. Lol

I loved this message from Mother Christophora. She has some great advice for any woman looking for spiritual direction. I think it goes well with your post.

Women in the Church. Abbess Christophora (Matychak)

The life of a woman in the Church is the ultimate, the fullness.

orthochristian.com

 

[messaggera]

This is also a curriculum fair for homeschooling. Great topics discussed. All session topics are on the agenda.

Join FR. JOSIAH TRENHAM at the
2022 Saint Kosmas Conference
Gold Canyon, Arizona
March 16-18, 2022

[KEYNOTE] Raising Orthodox Children in a Post-Covid World

• (Session 1) Wednesday, March 16, 2022 (7:00 - 8:00 PM)

Q&A with Fr. Josiah Trenham

• (Session 2) Wednesday, March 16, 2022 (8:00 - 9:00 PM)

Fr. Josiah Trenham’s Talk with the Youth: Living the Orthodox Faith in a Post-Covid World

• (Session 5) Thursday, March 17, 2022 (1:00 - 1:45 PM)

[KEYNOTE] Seeking Purity in an Age of Impurity

• (Session 10) Friday, March 18, 2022 (9:00 - 9:45 AM)

 

[messaggera]

I have a Catholic Saint book, but would like to invest in an Orthodox Book of Saints - I keep coming across saints not listed.
If anyone would be so kind to please share the best Orthodox books on Saints.

Gabriel Białostocki is the saint of interest.

 

[ItsK]

I find the Orthodox Church extremely appealing, in so many ways, but I can't give up on the Catholic Church as much as it is tempting to turn my back on it and have nothing to do with that sordid mess. That is the rock of Peter which has to stand until the end of the world, against the gates of hell itself. So as a faithful Christian, I have to pray for it and uphold it despite my constant disappointment with her craven and evil leadership. I think that serious Catholics should be inspired by the example of St. Monica, who served her son and her wretch of a husband with such great humility and patience that they were converted in the end.

 

[DelMarMisty]

 

[Cavalier]

I find the Orthodox Church extremely appealing, in so many ways, but I can't give up on the Catholic Church as much as it is tempting to turn my back on it and have nothing to do with that sordid mess. That is the rock of Peter which has to stand until the end of the world, against the gates of hell itself. So as a faithful Christian, I have to pray for it and uphold it despite my constant disappointment with her craven and evil leadership. I think that serious Catholics should be inspired by the example of St. Monica, who served her son and her wretch of a husband with such great humility and patience that they were converted in the end.

If you research a little into the Great Schism of 1054 you may come to the conclusion that the Orthodox is the true faith and not the Roman Church. Then again you may not. But research it. It is a fact that prior to 1054 and the years leading up to it that there never was a belief among all the 5 Patriarchates of the Church that Rome and the Pope was supreme.

 

[Mrs.DanielH]

I find the Orthodox Church extremely appealing, in so many ways, but I can't give up on the Catholic Church as much as it is tempting to turn my back on it and have nothing to do with that sordid mess. That is the rock of Peter which has to stand until the end of the world, against the gates of hell itself. So as a faithful Christian, I have to pray for it and uphold it despite my constant disappointment with her craven and evil leadership. I think that serious Catholics should be inspired by the example of St. Monica, who served her son and her wretch of a husband with such great humility and patience that they were converted in the end.

Just wanted to point out that St. Monica is a saint from before the schism.
Also in bible study yesterday I found it interesting that Jesus renamed Simon "Cephas" (Translated: a rock) in John 1:42. This was their first time meeting. Jesus renamed him this as a testament to his character, not because he was bestowing a special job on him.