Orthodox Wisdom

In this short article by I. M. Andreyev, we gain a deeper understanding of the true Christian social ethic through the lens of a true and most heinous act of a mother murdering her young child, and the great evil, yet triumph, of the crucifixion of Christ. This co-suffering and self-identification with the evil in the world kills the rationalism and individualism that plagues all of us, especially in the West, and opens to us the doors of the bright sorrow of repentance.NOTE: What follows includes some rather gruesome and dreadful descriptions of a murder, and that of a young child. This may not be suitable for young children, or those whose imagination will get the best of them.I. M. Andreyev writes, “…on West 84th Street there occurred a frightening event, a horrible crime—a mother beat to death her two-year old son…. The sight of the boy was so horrible that even the police, accustomed to all sorts of crimes, ‘were not able to bear the sight of the little body’…. During the interrogation the mother-murderer, a young twenty-nine year old woman, showed no sign of repentance.His face had been so pummeled that it was hard to distinguish it from the back of his head, which was also batter and bruised…. His stomach was full of the blood he had swallowed, and so to his throat, which no doubt caused him to choke during his last shuddering wails.‘Ah, please don’t!’ ‘Don’t talk this way!’ ‘It is impossible to listen this…’ Will not many readers began to cry out with these words?Orthodox people! Compassionate Orthodox people! Do not be afraid to clearly imagine the awful reality of this infanticide, for it is a sign from Heaven! Our faith and love in our Saviour is so weak, our deep and conscious awareness of the suffering He endured for ours sins so feeble that only a very few of those who venerate the Holy Shroud of Christ on Holy Friday of Passion Week appreciate (and then only for a fleeting moment) the awesome act of redemption of Our Lord; and without this awareness it is impossible to appreciate the profound meaning of Golgotha.It is not God but we ourselves that we must reproach for the evils surrounding us. One for all and all for one we are all guilty before one another—this is the essence of the Christian social ethic. We are all guilty before the face of this little tortured lamb found on West 84th Street in New York City. Since we are all sinners we create evil and our evil becomes a part of the world’s treasury of evil. This evil coalesces into a huge energy of evil which seeks vessels of graceless bodies to pour itself into, and when it finds them, it will be incarnated in them and they will do great acts of evil. We are all brothers and sisters. All mankind is one large family and this tortured infant is our brother and his ‘mother’-killer is our sister. In her evil act is found a drop of the evil found in each one of us.Let each one of us consider himself… What were you doing on the evening when this unbelievable but very real act was carried out? Indeed perhaps it was your sin, your depravity, your malice that provided the last drop of evil necessary for this child-killer’s vessel of evil to overflow? This is how we must understand these matters if we are to call ourselves real Christians.Weep brothers and sisters! Do not be ashamed of this weeping!Weep! Let these tears be the ones to fill the font in which God will baptize the infant-martyr, who most probably was not baptized, and who was anointed not with Holy Oil but with his innocent infant blood. Weep!...Do not be ashamed to weep with tears of sorrow, compassion, and repentance!"This article was originally published in “Orthodox Life,” March-April 1993 (orthodoxlife.org). Read this article here: https://orthodoxethos.com/post/weep-b...This channel is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

“To place the hope of one's health in the hands of the doctor is the act of an irrational animal. This, nevertheless, is what we observe in the case of certain unhappy persons who do not hesitate to call their doctors their saviors. Yet, to reject entirely the benefits to be derived from this art is the sign of a pettish nature.”“The fact, also, that chronic illnesses persist over a long period and despite varied and painful remedies is a sign that we should amend the sins of the soul by assiduous prayer, prolonged penance, and the severe disciplinary treatment which reason may advise as adequate for the cure. Nor, because some sinners do not make good use of the art of medicine, should we repudiate all the advantages to be derived from it.”“There is no small danger, however, that we will fall into the error of thinking that every kind of suffering requires medical relief. Not all sicknesses for whose treatment we observe medicine to be occasionally beneficial arise from natural causes, whether from faulty diet or from any other physical origin. Illness is often a punishment for sin imposed for our conversion; 'For whom the Lord loveth,’ says the Scripture, 'he chastiseth… (Prov 3:12).”How important these words are for us today! How balanced and true!Text can be found here: https://sites.google.com/site/stbasil...This channel is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

This timely treatise addresses current issues in the Orthodox Church, including Coronavirus, closure of churches, methods of receiving the Mystery of Holy Communion, the inability of disease to pass to the recipient of Holy Communion, and the Church's weakness and need to repent and be strengthened before the coming of Antichrist. I recorded this because I believe it will stand the test of time and be a source of hope and courage for the Faithful. #Covid-19 #Orthodox #CommunionPlease share with others and help strengthen the Body of Christ.Archimandrite Gregorios Estephan is Abbot of Holy Dormition of the Theotokos Monastery in Bkeftine, Lebanon.The transcript of this recording can be at Orthodox Ethos: https://orthodoxethos.com/post/the-su...This channel is dedicated to sharing the prayers, hymns, teachings, and service texts of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Part II/II - This short treatise clearly and powerfully explains the true purpose of each and every human being: union with God, or Theosis. Fr. George (Kapsanis), former Abbot of the St. Gregorios Monastery on Mount Athos who reposed in the Lord on Pentecost 2014, presents the Orthodox understanding of Theosis and the essential path towards receiving this divine gift. In part II, he focuses on the practical matters of Theosis, what is required for attaining it, and what keeps us lost in sin. Following the advice of this spiritual father, who merely transmits the teaching of the Holy Fathers before him, will lead to a life worthy of being called successful: eternal union with God. “If man cannot be deified with divine Grace and divine energies what purpose does his life have? Only that he becomes morally better. But moral perfection is not enough for man. It is not enough for us simply to become better than before, simply to perform moral deeds. We have as our final aim to unite with holy God Himself.” -Fr. George of Mount Athos0:14 Qualifications for Theosis14:08 Experiences of Theosis24:01 Failure of many people to reach Theosis30:34 Consequences of guidance for Theosis34:52 Consequences of guidance that does not lead to TheosisThe text of this recording can be found here, and in many languages: http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/theos...A reflection on the life and works of Fr. George by His Eminence Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2014...This channel is dedicated to sharing the prayers, hymns, teachings, and service texts of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Part I/II - This short treatise clearly and powerfully explains the true purpose of each and every human being: union with God, or Theosis. Fr. George (Kapsanis), former Abbot of the St. Gregorios Monastery on Mount Athos who reposed in the Lord on Pentecost 2014, presents the Orthodox understanding of Theosis and the essential path towards receiving this divine gift of God. In part I, he explains what Theosis is and how it is the aim of our life, examines the role of the Incarnation and the Theotokos in Theosis, and summarizes the importance of St. Gregory Palamas, the essence and energies distinction, and his affirmation of the true Orthodox teaching against the heresies of the Roman Catholics, Protestants, and non-Christian traditions. This is presented in a way that Orthodox Christians, Catechumens, and inquirers will be able to understand and respond in faith to God.“If man cannot be deified with divine Grace and divine energies what purpose does his life have? Only that he becomes morally better. But moral perfection is not enough for man. It is not enough for us simply to become better than before, simply to perform moral deeds. We have as our final aim to unite with holy God Himself.” -Fr. George of Mount Athos0:14 Preface3:21 Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life9:40 The Incarnation of God: The Cause of Man’s Theosis17:08 The Contribution of the Theotokos to the Theosis of Man.22:30 The Church: The Place of Man’s Theosis29:37 Theosis is Possible Through the Uncreated Energies of GodThe text of this recording can be found here, and in many languages: http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/theos...A reflection on the life and works of Fr. George by His Eminence Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2014...This channel is dedicated to sharing the prayers, hymns, teachings, and service texts of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

“What is love? Immortalizing those whom you love, giving the divine and immortal to your beloved ones, giving eternal life to your beloved ones. That means giving the eternal Divine Truth, Divine Justice, Divine Love, Divine Eternity, and the rest of the Divine perfections to your beloved ones. This is true and divine eternal love.” -St. Justin Popović, Commentary on 1 John 3:16-17 “Man, in actuality, is in the world to solve one problem: is he with Christ or against Christ? Every man, whether he wants to or not, solves only this problem. He is either a lover of Christ or a fighter against Christ—a third does not exist.” -St. Justin Popović, Commentary on 1 John 4:2-3St. Justin Popović (+1979), the New Philosopher of Serbia, wrote his commentary of the epistles of St. John between Pascha and Ascension of 1945, with the apocalyptic backdrop of WWII. Unlike many of his commentaries written earlier in life, St. Justin did not return to this work and add further comments of his own or from the Holy Fathers. He felt perhaps that the times in which he wrote provided a discourse that was sufficient for its purposes. From the Introduction by two of his disciples, Bishop Irenej Bulovic and Bishop Atanasiju Yevtic: “Fr. Justin finishes his commentary on the Second Epistle of St. John with words dedicated to the same Apostle and Evangelist: “He is simultaneously the greatest Thunderer of New Testament Truth and the greatest Thunderer of New Testament Love…. Upon encountering him, such an extraordinary Apostle, people’s souls must have felt exceptional joy and exceptional elation.” We believe and feel through mutual love that such was the heavenly encounter of Venerable Fr. Justin, a rare Christ-lover and God-lover in our generation and age, with the First-Enthroned Apostle of theanthropic Love, in Christ the God-man—the God of Love and the Only Lover of Man. And we believe and hope that, through this encounter, the reader of these holy Epistles and this inspired commentary will experience something of this love.”1 John 1:1 – 00:17 1 John 1:8 – 04:361 John 1:9 – 07:491 John 2:6 – 11:261 John 2:16 – 12:481 John 2:17 – 16:081 John 2:18 – 18:541 John 2:19 – 22:051 John 3:1 – 23:501 John 3:6 – 27:311 John 3:16-17 – 31:121 John 4:1 – 34:401 John 4:2-3 – 37:361 John 4:18 – 41:191 John 4:19 – 43:071 John 4:20-21 – 44:551 John 5:3 – 47:001 John 5:8-10 – 48:311 John 5:15 – 53:261 John 5:20-21 – 54:28Purchase this book at any of the following bookstores. One bookstore might be sold out, therefore I have listed three that have sold it before:sebastianpress.comchurchsupplies.jordanville.org/9780971950566/hvcbookstore.com/Commentary-on-the-Epistles-of-St.-John-the-TheologianYou can find more recording of St. Justin's writings on this channel.This channel is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

“The statements of Metropolitan Joseph, it is true, are extremely outspoken, absolutely uncompromising in principle, and unsparing of persons. But those who find ‘pride’ in such words are perhaps simply unaware of the critical urgency of the issues involved. When the Church is being betrayed and the faithful led astray, it is no time for compliments and polite ‘dialogues,’ not for placing ‘sympathy’ above truth.” The bold confessor and shepherd of the Russian land, St. Joseph of Petrograd, is a witness for all who wish to live Godly in the face of persecution and secularism. His voice gave strength to many Russian Orthodox Christians who could not abide by the Soviet demands, and who opposed Metropolitan Sergius, his lamentable ‘Declaration’ in 1927, and his submission to the Soviet yoke. Metropolitan Joseph, along with a great number of Russian martyrs, was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in 1981.Memorable words from the end of this text: “The prophecy of the holy and clairvoyant Elder Ignaty of Harbin, made some 30 years ago, no longer seems remote: ‘What began in Russia, will end in America.’ But if such terrible days be truly upon us, even Orthodox America – so weak, so inexperienced, so naïve – has all that is necessary to face these days in the example of Metropolitan Joseph and the True Orthodox Christians of the first land to experience the fearful yoke of satanic atheism. Holy New Hieromartyr Joseph and all the new martyrs of the Communist Yoke, pray to God for us!”This recording comes from chapter 7 in “Russia’s Catacomb Saints” by I. M. Andreyev, published by St. Herman of Alaska Press in 1982. Fr. Seraphim Rose labored to bring this book to his fellow Americans. Download the pdf of this invaluable and out of print book here: http://russiascatacombsaints.blogspot...This channel is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

I. M. Andreyev (+1976) was an “outstanding churchman and statesman, doctor of psychiatry, pedagogue, lecturer, publicist and author of a series of theological textbooks” as was stated in the Memoriam in the publication “Orthodox Life.” As a member of the Catacomb Church he suffered five years at the Solovki Monastery, which in the 1920s operated a concentration camp, before being released and coming to America. His personal experiences shape a sizable portion of the famous book “Russia’s Catacomb Saints,” published by St. Herman of Alaska Press and co-authored by Fr. Seraphim Rose.This short recording highlights an important concept that helps guard us against snares of the enemy, and orients us toward a faithful stance as members of the Holy Orthodox Church.“Today there is not and there cannot be any separation between ecclesiastical affairs and politics. Politics pretends to universality, i.e., it wishes to take into its hands the resolution of questions concerning spiritual life also. This means that political actions cannot be indifferent for the Church as well. Furthermore, when Antichrist shall have power on the earth, he will naturally be a political figure. This means that the Church also will have to oppose his political persecution. And so as, even now, to weaken this opposition, his forerunners, taking advantage of the idea that the Church should be above politics, conceal their warfare against God under a political cloak: the martyrs are 'political criminals.' To be sure, the Church should not intrigue, but as soon as politics touches on questions of spiritual life, the Church cannot close her eyes to this.This is why the question of the battle against Communism is a question of the spirit, and not of politics. This is why the question of our jurisdictional divisions is not a question of 'quarrels of bishops over portfolios.' No, it is a question of cooperation (or tacit agreement) with the forerunners of Antichrist, or else uncompromising battle against them. This alone separates us from those who have broken away from the Truth; but it does not separate us from the Russian people, for there the soul, even if it is invisible, even if it has retreated within itself, is still alive, is not spiritually enslaved; it is drawn to the light of Truth. And a testimony of this is the existence, in the frightful conditions of the Soviet Union, where there are many Judases out of fear and others out of conscience, of a Catacomb Church that has not fallen.”Text: http://russiascatacombsaints.blogspot...This channel is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

One prayer from a collection of prayers by St. Silouan and St. Soprony the Athonites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80krK...Our Lord prayed, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” –John 17:21-23St. Sophrony's Prayer for Unity:LORD JESUS CHRIST, Thou, Lamb of God, who didst take upon Thyself the sin of the world, Who by Thine ascent to Golgotha didst redeem us from the curse of the Law and didst restore Thy fallen image; Who didst stretch Thy most pure hands on the Cross, gathering together in one the scattered children of God, and by the descent of the most Holy Spirit didst call all men to unity; THOU, THAT ART the brightness of the Father, before going forth to this great and sacred work for the salvation of the world, didst pray to Thy Father that all may be one, even as Thou art one with the Father and the Holy Ghost:Do Thou grant even unto us the grace and wisdom each day to fulfill this commandment, and strengthen us to strive for that love, which Thou didst command of us, saying: “LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.”By Thy Holy Spirit give us the power to humble ourselves, one before the other, mindful that he who loveth the more doth humble himself the more. Teach us to pray for one another, in patience to bear one another’s burdens, and unite us with the unbreakable bond of love in thy holy Name. Grant us to behold in our every brother and sister the image of Thine ineffable glory, and never to forget that our brother is our life.Yea, O Lord, Who hast gathered us together of Thy good providence, make us truly into one family, living with one heart, one will, a single love, as one man, according to Thy pre-eternal counsel for Adam the first-born. Fill our house with the spirit of Thy holy fear, and let the prayers of Thy Most Holy Mother, of Thy Forerunner John, and our hallowed Fathers Silouan and Seraphim overshadow it always, blessing and defending each one of them that dwell therein (Names), preserving us from pernicious thoughts, from unseemly words or impulses of the heart that might destroy peace and concord; that this house may be builded on the rock of Thy Gospel commandments as a place of prayer, of sanctification and salvation, for ourselves and for all who visit us, our labouring and burdened brothers and sisters, that we may all find rest in Thee, our meek and lowly King, now and for ever; world without end. Amen.This channel is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

“Do you think that Christ our God, the ocean of compassion and mercy, is incapable of lifting the weight of one sinful soul? What is a handful of sand when thrown in the ocean? It is nothing; it disappears. Does even a single grain remain visible on the surface of the water? Not at all. This is precisely what happens with all the sins of humanity. They are nothing in comparison to the abyss of God’s compassion. This is even more true with the sins of only one soul!” -Elder EphraimIn this beautiful homily given toward the end of Lent before Holy Week (it appears), Elder Ephraim of Arizona encourages us to trust in the great mercy of the divine Bridegroom and shed tears of repentance that we might receive His forgiveness. May we all, by the prayers of Elder Ephraim, have a blessed Holy Week and a bright Pascha.The homily can be found in the book “The Art of Salvation” by Elder Ephraim, available to purchase at St. Anthony’s Monastery: https://shop.stanthonysmonastery.org/...Learn more about this great Athonite Elder and Saint of America here: https://www.stanthonysmonastery.org/a...Text: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2020...This channel is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!