“Πρέπει να ασχολούμαστε μόνο με την ψυχή μας κι όχι με τους άλλους…”

Υπάρχει μια λανθασμένη αντίληψη σε μερικούς Χριστιανούς, που αποτελεί εμπόδιο της ιεραποστολικής εργασίας. Η αντίληψη ότι «πρέπει να ασχολούμαστε μόνο με την ψυχή μας και όχι με τους άλλους. Για τους άλλους θα φροντίσει ο Θεός. Εμείς πρέπει να βλέπουμε την αμαρτωλότητα και αναξιότητά μας. Να κοιτάξουμε πως θα διορθωθούμε εμείς οι ίδιοι. Να μελετούμε πνευματικά βιβλία, να προσευχόμαστε, να καταρτιζόμαστε. Όσο για τους άλλους… δε μας πέφτει λόγος».

Η αντίληψη αυτή στη βάση της είναι ορθή, αλλά μονομερής. Ναι, πρέπει να καλλιεργήσουμε πρώτα τον εαυτό μας. Και το είπαμε αυτό στο κεφάλαιο των προσόντων που πρέπει να έχει ο ιεραποστολικώς εργαζόμενος. (Σ.Σ.: Αυτό το κεφάλαιο θα το παρουσιάσουμε προσεχώς.)

Να προσέξουμε όμως μήπως πίσω από την άποψη αυτή κρύβεται κάποια δειλία και ατολμία ομολογίας ή η ραθυμία μας και η αμέλειά μας για τους άλλους. Ασφαλώς ωραίο πράγμα είναι να μένεις κλεισμένος στο σπίτι σου, να μελετάς, να προσεύχεσαι, να αισθάνεσαι κατάνυξη πνευματική. Αλλά δεν πρέπει να αρκείσαι σ’ αυτό μόνο. Είπαμε ότι η αγάπη προς τον πλησίον, που είναι μεγάλη και θεία εντολή, πρέπει να σε κινητοποιεί, για να μεταδώσεις αυτός που εσύ απόλαυσες κοντά στο Χριστό. Διαφορετικά αμαρτάνεις.

Εάν πάλι ισχυριστεί κανείς, ότι θέλει προηγουμένως να διορθωθεί ο ίδιος και έπειτα να εργαστεί για τους άλλους, θα του απαντήσουμε, ότι ο άνθρωπος που βρήκε μια πηγή δροσερού νερού και ξεδίψασε ο ίδιος, χωρίς χρονοτριβή καλεί σ’ αυτήν την πηγή και τους άλλους συνοδοιπόρους του, που υποφέρουν από δίψα. Τους δείχνει την πηγή αμέσως. Δεν τους αφήνει να ταλαιπωρούνται…

Όταν ο Φίλιππος γνώρισε το Χριστό, δεν κράτησε τη χαρά της γνωριμίας για το άτομο του. Αλλά έσπευσε αμέσως προς το φίλο του Ναθαναήλ και τον κάλεσε κι αυτόν. «Ευρήκαμεν τον Μεσσίαν… έρχου και ίδε» του είπε (Ιωαν. α΄ 46-47).

Αυτό πρέπει να κάνουμε κι εμείς μιμούμενοι το φλογερό ζήλο των πρώτων και αγνών εκείνων του Κυρίου μαθητών και να αφήσουμε κατά μέρος κάθε πρόφαση και δικαιολογία.

Εκείνοι που ισχυρίζονται ότι είναι ανάγκη να κοιτάξουν τον ατομικό τους καταρτισμό και γι’ αυτό δεν αισθάνονται ότι είναι ώριμοι να εργαστούν ιεραποστολικώς για τους άλλους ως δήθεν ανάξιοι, ας έχουν και το εξής υπόψη: Ο άγιος Ιωάννης της Κλίμακας, που ήταν μεγάλος δάσκαλος του μοναχισμού και της ορθόδοξης πνευματικότητας, γράφει τα εξής:

«Εκείνος που κρατεί τον ωφέλιμο και διδασκαλικό λόγο και δεν το μεταδίδει στους άλλους, … ούτε ποτίζει ώσπερ δροσοβόλος και ιαματική πηγή τας διψώσας ψυχάς, μέλλει να τιμωρηθή».

(Λόγος ΛΑ΄ § οστ΄)

Επίσης ο ίδιος τονίζει:

«Δεν είναι κανένα άλλο δώρο άξιο, που να το δέχεται παρ’ ημών ο Θεός με περισσότερη χαρά, όσο το να ελευθερώνουμε ψυχές εκ των δαιμόνων και να τις φέρνουμε σ’ Αυτόν (το Θεό) διορθωμένες με τη μετάνοια. Γιατί όλος ο κόσμος δεν είναι αντάξιος να αλλάξουμε μια ψυχή με αυτόν».

(Λόγος 31ος 90)

Και ο άγιος και Μέγας Αθανάσιος, απευθυνόμενος προς κάποιον όσιο άνδρα, το Δρακόντιο, που είχε εκλεγεί Επίσκοπος, αλλά από ταπεινοφροσύνη δεν ήθελε να δεχτεί την επισκοπή του, του έγραφε:

«Ω αγαπητέ Δρακόντιε… οι λαοί προσδοκούν να τους φέρεις τροφή, τη διδασκαλία των Αγίων Γραφών. Όταν λοιπόν οι προσδοκώντες λιμώττωσι (υποφέρουν από την πείνα), εσύ όμως τρέφεις μόνο τον εαυτό σου και έλθει ο Κύριος Ιησούς και θα παρουσιαστούμε ενώπιόν Του, ποια απολογία θα έχεις να του πεις;»

(Μ. Αθανασίου, Επιστολή 49η, προς Δρακόντιο § 2)

Από το βιβλίο “Εκστρατεία Ιεραποστολής” του Αρχιμανδρίτου Γρηγορίου Π. Χαραλαμπίδη, θεολόγου – ιεροκήρυκα, το οποίο κυκλοφορεί από τις εκδόσεις “ο Σωτήρ”.

Πηγή:diakonima

Saint Theophylact of Ochrid-The Healing of the Woman with a Spirit of Infirmity

 Twenty-seventh Sunday after Pentecost
The Healing of the Woman with a Spirit of Infirmity

Luke 13:10-17

From The Explanation of the Gospel of St. Luke

by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria

10-17. And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over, and could in no wise straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And He laid His hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead it away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when He had said these things, all His adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. The woman suffered from this affliction as a result of demonic assault, as the Lord Himself says, This woman,  whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years. Perhaps God had departed from her on account of certain sins, and as a result Satan was punishing her. For Satan is in part the cause of all the hardships which afflict our bodies, when God on high permits him. From the very beginning it was Satan who brought about our fall by which we lost the incorruptibility in which we had been created; it was Satan who caused us to be bound to diseased bodies prone to suffering, symbolized by the garments of dead skins in which Adam and Eve were wrapped (Gen. 3:22). But now the Lord, with the majestic voice of the Godhead, full of power, drives out the infirmity of this woman. He places His hands on her, so that we might learn that His holy flesh imparted both the power and the energy of the Logos. For His flesh was His own, and not that of some other human person alongside Him, separate from Him in hypostasis, as the impious Nestorius thinks. (1) So great is the goodness of the Lord, Who in this manner took mercy on His own creation. But Satan, who had bound the woman in the first place, was vexed at her deliverance because he desired her continued affliction, and so he bound the ruler of the synagogue with spite, and through the mouth of this man, Satan reviled the miracle. This is how he always attacks the good. Therefore the Lord uses the apt example of irrational animals to rebuke the man who was indignant that a healing had taken place on the Sabbath. And thus not only this man, but all the other adversaries of Jesus as well, were put to shame by Christ's words. For it was insane to hinder the healing of a man on the Sabbath using as a pretext the commandment that the Sabbath be a day of rest. So it was, that even while the people were rejoicing at the Lord's deeds, His adversaries were put to shame by His words. For these adversaries, instead of joining in the jubilation which followed His work of healing, burned with rage that He had healed at all. But the multitude, because they derived benefit from His signs, rejoiced and took pleasure in this healing. You must also understand these miracles to refer to the inner man. The soul is bent over in infirmity whenever it inclines to earthly thoughts alone and imagines nothing that is heavenly and divine. It can truly be said that such a soul has been infirm for eighteen years. For when a man is feeble in keeping the commandments of the divine law, which are ten in number, and is weak in his hope of the eighth age, the age to come, it can be said that he has been bent over for ten and eight years. (2) Is not that man indeed bent over who is attached to the earth, and who always sins in disregard of the commandments, and who does not look for the age to come? But the Lord heals such a soul on the Sabbath in the assembly of the synagogue. For when a man assembles together within himself thoughts of confession (Judah means "confession") and keeps the Sabbath, that is, he rests from doing evil, then Jesus heals him, not only by word when He says to him, Thou art loosed from thine infirmity, but also by deed. For when He has placed His hands on us, He requires that we accept the energy from His divine hands to do in collaboration with Him the works of virtue. We must not be satisfied to receive only that healing which comes by word and by instruction.

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1. The heretic Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428 to 431 A,D., taught that the co-unoriginate Logos was not conceived and did not take flesh in the Virgins womb, but instead was united to Christ the man at some later time. This implied that the two natures of Christ, the divine and the human, were not united in one hypostasis, that is, in one person, but in two, and therefore were not truly united. If this were so, Christ would not have accomplished the salvation of the human race. As a result Nestorius called the Virgin Mary Christokos, that is, the Birthgiver of Christ, but refused to call her the Theotokos, the Birthgiver of God. This false teaching was condemned as heresy at the Third Ecumenical Council held in Ephesus in the year 431, and from that time Nestorius and all who follow his teaching have been outside the Church.

2. The Greek text of the Gospel expresses the number of years in this fashion: ete deka kai okto, "ten and eight years."

Τό μυστήριο τοῦ Εὐχελαίου. Τί εἶναι τό ῞Αγιο Εὐχέλαιο;

Ἐπισκόπου Ἀνδρέου Ἀράντ καί Χουνεντοάρας

 

Τό ῞Αγιο Εὐχέλαιο εἶναι τό Μυστήριο μέ τό ὁποῖο παρέχεται ἡ σωματική καί ψυχική ὑγεία σέ ἀσθενεῖς, πού ἐπαλείφονται μέ ἁγιασμένο λάδι, ἀφοῦ διαβάζονται καί ὡρισμένες εὐχές. Τό ῞Αγιο Εὐχέλαιο μεταδίδει τήν Θεία Χάρι στούς πιστούς καί τούς καθαρίζει ἀπό ψυχικές ἁμαρτίες καί τίς σωματικές τους ἀρρώστειες.

Πότε καί πῶς καθιερώθηκε τό Μυστήριο αὐτό;
῾Ο Κύριός μας 'Ιησοῦς Χριστός, ἔδωκε στούς 'Αποστόλους, ὄχι μόνο τήν ἐξουσία νά συγχωροῦν ἁμαρτίες, ἀλλά καί τήν Χάρι νά διώκουν ἀκάθαρτα πνεύματα καί νά θεραπεύουν άρρώστειες καί ἀδυναμίες τῶν ἀνθρώπων (Λουκ,9,1-2), «ἤλειφον ἐλαίῳ πολλούς ἀρρώστους καί ἐθεράπευον» (Μαρκ.6,7-13).

Μαρτυρία διά τό Μυστήριο αὐτό εὑρίσκομε στήν ἐπιστολή τοῦ 'Αποστόλου 'Ιακώβου, (5,14-15),«ἀσθενεῖ τις ἐν ὑμῖν; προσκαλεσάσθω τούς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς 'Εκκλησίας, καί προσευξάσθωσαν ἐπ' αὐτόν ἀλείψαντες αὐτόν ἐλαίῳ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου· καί ἡ εὐχή τῆς πίστεως σώσῃ τόν κάμνοντα, καί ἐγερεῖ αὐτόν ὁ Κύριος· κἄν ἁμαρτίας ᾖ πεποιηκώς, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ».
Αὐτό πού ἐδίδασκαν καί ἐπετέλουν οἱ ῞Αγιοι 'Απόστολοι, δέν προήρχοντο ἀπ' αὐτούς, ἀλλά ἀπό ἐντολές καί ἀποκάλυψιν τοῦ Σωτῆρος μας Χριστοῦ. Οἱ ῾Ιερεῖς τῆς 'Εκκλησίας δέν κάνουν τίποτε ἄλλο παρά αὐτά πού ὁ Κύριος καί οἱ ῞Αγιοι 'Απόστολοι τούς ἐδίδαξαν.

Ποῦ καί πῶς τελεῖται τό ῾Ιερό Εὐχέλαιο;
Τό ῞Αγιο Εὐχέλαιο τελεῖται στήν 'Εκκλησία καί στά σπίτια τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀπό ἑπτά ῾Ιερεῖς, (σέ περίπτωσι ἐλλείψεως γίνεται ἀπό πέντε ἤ ἀπό τρεῖς, ἀπό δύο ἤ ἀκόμη καί ἀπό ἕνα).'Ανάβουν ἑπτά κανδυλάκια, διαβάζουν ἑπτά ἀποστολικές καί ἑπτά εὐαγγελικές περικοπές καί ἀρκετές προσευχές γιά τήν συγχώρησι τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν καί τήν θεραπεία τῶν ἀσθενῶν, οἱ ὁποῖοι καί ἀλείφονται ἑπτά φορές ἀπό τό ἁγιασμένο λάδι (ὅταν εἶναι ἑπτά ῾Ιερεῖς).
Πρίν ἀπό τήν ἀκολουθία τοῦ Εὐχελαίου, οἱ ἀσθενεῖς ἐξομολογοῦνται γιά νά εἶναι προετοιμασμένοι ψυχικά γιά τήν λῆψι τῆς εὐλογίας τοῦ Μυστηρίου αὐτοῦ.
Μέ ῞Αγιο Εὐχέλαιο κλείνουμε ἐδῶ τήν ὀρθόδοξη χριστιανική διδασκαλία γιά τά ἑπτά Μυστήρια τῆς 'Εκκλησίας μας, οἱ ὁποῖες εἶναι οἱ ἑπτά θαυμαστές πηγές ἀπό τίς ὁποῖες ἐκχύνεται ἐπάνω στούς Χριστιανούς οἱ Χάριτες τοῦ ῾Αγίου Πνεύματος.
Θά συνεχίσωμε τήν διδασκαλία αὐτή πιό εὐρύτερα στό δεύτερο μέρος τῆς κατηχήσεως αὐτῆς, ὅπου θά ὁμιλήσωμε γιά τήν χριστιανική λατρεία
῞Οποιος δέχεται καί ἐφαρμόζει μέ εὐλάβεια τήν διδασκαλίαν αὐτή γιά τά ἑπτά Μυστήρια, σώζεται ἀπό τήν ἐνοχή τῆς ἁμαρτίας καί κληρονομεῖ τήν αἰώνια ζωή. ῞Οποιος δέν τά δέχεται τιμωρεῖται. ῾Η σωτηρία εἶναι καθαρότης, φωτισμός καί ἁγιασμός τῆς ψυχῆς μέ τήν Χάρι τῶν Μυστηρίων, τήν ἀληθινή πίστι καί τά ἀγαθά ἔργα.
῾Ο Κύριός μας 'Ιησοῦς Χριστός ἔστειλε τούς 'Αποστόλους στόν κόσμο νά διδάξουν τούς ἀνθρώπους τί νά πιστεύουν καί νά φυλάξουν τίς ἐντολές πού τούς ἔδωσε (Ματ.28,20), «ὁ δέ ἀπιστήσας κατακριθήσεται» (Μαρκ.16,16).

Are you religious or spiritual?

Our Lord didn’t directly delineate religiosity versus spirituality


While getting to know someone you might ask, “Do you go to church?” It is increasingly common to hear the response, “Oh, I’m not religious, but I am spiritual.” Your acquaintance may go on to explain he finds religion to be too hypocritical, legalistic, and full of strife. “Look at all the wars that have been due to religion!” he exclaims, “And I don’t want some preacher telling me how to live my life when he can’t follow his own rules!” When asked what he means by being spiritual, the answer is something like, “I believe there is a life-force, I meditate, and occasionally I read books about spirituality; so I don’t need religion.”

Has religion become passe? Is it valid to separate faith into two opposing camps: religious versus spiritual? Is the Church merely a religious institution? To answer these questions, it is important to: (1) define and contrast what is meant by being religious and by being spiritual; (2) look within the Gospels to see what Jesus taught and modeled; and, (3) have an appropriate understanding of the role the Church plays in our Orthodox Faith.

 Religious

A typical dictionary definition of “religious” is: devotion to a superhuman controlling power, a god, entitled to obedience and worship. You have to believe in a deity in order to be religious, and “devotion” implies having made a commitment to an ongoing relationship with that deity. Whenever there is a formal relationship there has to be “rules” (laws, disciplines, duties) to maintain a beneficial coexistence. You have to worship and obey God in a particular manner in order to receive God’s blessings. Eventually the rules get codified, and the canons by necessity become organized and institutionalized. In the process, you give up some freedom when you become religious; this is whatSt. Paul meant in being “a slave of Christ” (1 Corinthians 7:22). The antonym for being religious is “secularism:” involvement solely with the affairs of the world, the temporal, and the mundane.

Was Jesus Christ religious? He was circumcised a Jew (Luke 2:21) and received a Jewish religious education (Luke 2:46). He taught at the synagogues (Matthew 13:54) and attended the religious holidays in Jerusalem(John 2:23). He upheld the Mosaic law and prophetic teachings, and He instructed others to also keep the commandments of God (Matthew 5:17-20, 7:12). He encouraged those He healed to offer the Mosaic ritual sacrifice (Matthew 8:4). He affirmed that people must obey their religious leaders (Matthew 23:3) and pay the temple tax (Luke 20:25; 21:1-4). He was tried as a Jew (John 18:12-14, 19-24) and was buried according to Jewish religious tradition (John 19:38-42). Jesus also instituted with His followers new religious practices like Baptism (Matthew 3:13-17) and the Eucharist (Matthew 26:26-29). There should be no question that Jesus was religious.

Spiritual

A typical dictionary definition of “spiritual” is: being concerned with the spirit—the metaphysical, incorporeal, immaterial, ultimate, ideal, etc. You can be spiritual without believing in a deity; instead, you can believe in ghosts, witchcraft, ESP, reincarnation, universal love, etc. Also “concerned” in the above definition is merely an intellectual interest or awareness to something. You can acknowledge the truth of a spiritual principle but not necessarily strive to make it an ongoing rule in your life. Therefore, you do not have to follow any particular system of behavior when being spiritual; there are seemingly no set moral constraints. You may try to develop a particular lifestyle in accordance with your spiritual beliefs, but you’re accountable to no one except yourself. Consequently, there is a lot of freedom to being spiritual—believe and act in whatever way you deem is right. The antonym for being spiritual is “materialism:” involvement with the gathering of wealth, sensual experiences, and physical comfort.

Was Jesus Christ spiritual? He went beyond just keeping religious laws and taught that your attitude and character are just as important as your behavior (e.g., “You heard it said. . . , but I tell you. . . .”—Matthew 5:21-48). He said it is what is within rather than outside of us that makes us unclean (Mark 7:17-23). He taught the spiritual disciplines—like alms giving, prayer, and fasting—in ways contrary to the showy style popular amongst the religious teachers of that time (Matthew 6:1-18). He was against the idolatrous pursuit of wealth and being materialistic (Matthew 6:19-24; 8:20; 19:21), so He opposed the luxurious and comfortable life many of the religious leaders had (Matthew 23:6,25). He cleansed the temple of merchants which was contrary to what religious leaders had allowed (John 2:13-17). He spoke against the self-serving and hypocritical practices of the religious leaders in general (Matthew 23). He gleaned and healed on the Sabbath—both considered “work” and therefore contrary to Jewish religious tradition (Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:1-11). Though His primary mission was to His fellow Jews, Jesus associated with and helped: tax collectors, Romans, Samaritans, lepers, and others who were “outside” of typical Jewish religious acceptance. So, yes, by our modern definition Jesus was spiritual.

However, Our Lord didn’t directly delineate religiosity versus spirituality. It is more accurate to view Jesus as trying to reform Judaism while also establishing the kingdom of God. Yet it is instructive to see by the definitions given above that Jesus was incorporating a life where both religious practice and spiritual understanding were embraced. He never

abandoned Jewish religion for a life of pure spirituality, nor did He so toe the religious line that He exhorted external behavioral perfection (i.e., Pharisaical legalism) without internal spiritual transformation.

Religion and Spirituality Compared

The Church Fathers never separated spirituality from religion. When they used the word “spiritual” it was in reference to “life in the Holy Spirit” rather than our modern definition of being interested in the immaterial. The Church Fathers also didn’t separate religion into physical and non-physical; they thought any division of the body from the spirit was non-Orthodox as it denied the incarnation. True spirituality is always incorporated into the life of the Church; the great litany of the Divine Liturgy addresses both man’s material and immaterial needs. So up until the modern era, religion and spirituality were a mated couple. How did they become divorced? Over time, various criticisms were leveled at religion provoking people to look for spirituality apart from the Church; three of those criticisms will be discussed below. Also presented will be how practicing spirituality without religion also garners criticism.

Orthodox Church

(1) The religious hold to an institutionalized creed and canons that all within the religion are held accountable to follow. Often the religious will get criticized for having beliefs and practices that are rigidly legalistic or over-defined—seeming governing every minute aspect of life. The religious are also judged for not being able to live up to all their rules despite years of church attendance and indoctrination; therefore, sometimes the religious are seen as being insincere about their beliefs and the clergy are viewed as being hypocritical.

In reaction to the above, the spiritual want an individually defined creed that there is little or no external accountability to. They want the freedom to define their beliefs and practices as strict or loose as they deem fit. Yet in the process the spiritual are criticized for having beliefs that are poorly formulated, confusing, or contradictory. This is because their beliefs are often chosen smorgasbord style from any number of different theologies and philosophies. Also, due to the private, non-accountable creed of the spiritual, they are sometimes judged as being wishy-washy: they change their beliefs depending on the popular guru of the moment or some new discovery made from their spiritual reading.



(2) The religious are sometimes perceived as being exclusive of others who don’t share their beliefs and practices. They are seen as rejecting of, sometimes violently, those who hold to a different religion or who in some way don’t fit into their social sphere. However, moral exclusivity—intolerance to sinful behavior—is a good thing: it tends to uphold traditional or conservative values which are necessary for the well-being of families and communities.

Because the spiritual tend to believe whatever they want, they see themselves as being non-judgmental inclusive of others. They usually accept people’s differing spiritual beliefs and practices, because in their thinking “all roads go to god.” Yet, because of the freedom and inclusion orientation of the spiritual, they tend to be more morally non-traditional or liberal and so tolerate behavior that can be detrimental to the well-being of the individual or society.

(3) The religious may pride themselves in being committed to their local church, and faithfully volunteering to do charitable and educational endeavors within their community. However, they are sometimes judged as blindly doing what is religiously required of them without full understanding or conviction. Their motive may be a need for social acceptance or status. The religious are sometimes viewed as being overly concerned with raising money and increasing church attendance—horizontal growth—than the virtuous transformation of their character.

Conversely, the spiritual may pride themselves as being more active in developing their beliefs. They zealously tend to research and study information about various spiritual interests, and they are open to trying a variety of spiritual experiences. However, their motive can purely be out of a desire to achieve some type of “spiritual high”—an ecstatic, transcendent, or mystical experience. The spiritual are often seen as being overly concerned with their own enlightened knowledge—vertical growth—than directly improving their communities (i.e., “so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good”).

Both the religious and the spiritual have their pros and cons. What is needed is a balance where the benefits of religion and spirituality are reunited. Can the Church exemplify a “religious spirituality” or a “spiritual religiousness?”

The Church as both Religious and Spiritual

Ideally the Church, as the visible icon of Christ, is both religious and spiritual. She upholds both “devotion” to God as well as “concern” for spiritual matters. The Church exhorts corporate worship and obedience to religious duties, as well as encouraging individual wrestling with understanding and developing the Faith. She leads us both by consensus (corporate religious accountability) as well as by conscience (individual spiritual conviction). Growth is horizontal and vertical. Socially, She is exclusive when it comes to matters of morality and safeguarding the truth, but inclusive when it comes to caring for people regardless of race or creed. Therefore, the true Church is both conservative and liberal. The first response you give to those who are anti-religious is that when the Church is fully exemplifying our Lord and Savior, She is both religious and spiritual.

Unfortunately, over the centuries the Church has sometimes failed to accurately portray itself to the populace in the above ways. As an institution governed by the frailty of men, the Church has at times been overly religious, with all its negative connotations, rather than also being spiritual. The pharisaical religious milieu of Jesus’ time reflects an insincere, pretentious, self-righteous form of faith that is lacking in spiritual depth, grace, and humility (Matthew 23:13-36). However,

you can have profound spiritual experiences without pleasing God through keeping religious commandments.St. Paul wrote of the Israelites:

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness” (1 Corinthians 10:1-5).

Yet regardless of how imbalanced the Church may be at times, the New Testament clearly states we are not submitting to God if we do not participate in the Church (Hebrews 10:25). The Church is the “body” of Christ, and our Lord is Her head (Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:18,24). You cannot separate spirituality from religion without decapitation! The Apostle Paul united both religion and spirituality when he stated: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?” and “He who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:15,17). Your second response to those who would denigrate the Bride of Christ (Revelations 19:7-8) as a religious institution is: there is no unity, wholeness, and accountability to the Faith (John 17:20-23; Ephesians 4:1-4) if people are being spiritual without also being religious.

Finally, how do you respond to the charge that the Church is too “hypocritical, legalistic, and full of strife?” The expectations placed upon the Church needs to be more realistic. Within Scripture, religion was seen as being practical (e.g, James 1:26-27). There are two connotations to something that is practical: (1) As a tool, the Church’s effectiveness is dependent on the one who wields it. Church leaders do not always direct the Church as She was intended to be used. Tools can be abused, and in the wrong hands tools can also be weapons. (2) The Christian life is something that is practiced rather than being right every time it is applied. People grow in the Faith in the same way people grow physically. It is unrealistic to expect people going to church would automatically have perfected behavior. Would you expect a child to instantly develop a perfect athletic physique, who could seriously contend for a gold medal in the Olympic decathlon, after only a short time of competing at track and field events? Yet, even after becoming full-grown adults, people still have physical mishaps—do something awkward, clumsy, or accidental. In the same way, even the most advanced in the Faith, including our Church leaders, occasionally stumble and fall.

The third response to those that dismiss being involved in the Church is that associating with Her is not for the faint-hearted; true religion is definitely not for the cowardly or lazy. Just as in marriage, being involved in the Church can be very difficult at times; She can be exasperating and exhausting. Yet the Church is where you put all your religious behavior and spiritual principles into practice: going to church is where your faith is worked out (Philippians 2:12; James 2:14-17) and where you become trained in righteousness (Hebrews 12:7-11). Can you become a decathlete and avoid the track field? No! Neither can you persevere in winning the spiritual race (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) without attending your local Orthodox parish (Hebrews 12:1).

In summary, can you be spiritual without being religious? Not if you are an Orthodox Christian and understand the necessity for both. The true Church exemplifies both religion and spirituality: She is where we obey God’s will to be unified in the Faith, and through our relationship with Her we grow into maturity, completion, and Christ-likeness. The Church was God’s plan all along for His creation. The Apostle Paul wrote:

“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to His eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:10-11, NIV).

Source:Pemptousia.com

Γιά τήν εὐχή καί τήν ἀλεπουδίτσα.

Π. Τύχων Σεβκούνωφ 

Στην Αίγυπτο όπου υπήρχαν στη βαθιά χριστιανική αρχαιότητα πολλά μεγάλα μοναστήρια, ζούσε ένας μοναχός που ήταν φίλος με έναν αγράμματο απονήρευτο αγρότη-φελάχο. Μια μέρα ο φελάχος είπε στο μοναχό:

«Κι εγώ λατρεύω το Θεό που δημιούργησε αυτό τον κόσμο! Κάθε απόγευμα χύνω σε μια γαβάθα κατσικίσιο γάλα και το βάζω κάτω από ένα φοίνικα. Το βράδυ ο Θεός έρχεται και πίνει το γαλατάκι μου. Του αρέσει πάρα πολύ! Ούτε μια φορά δεν έμεινε κάτι στη γαβάθα».
Όταν άκουσε αυτά τα λόγια ο μοναχός, δε μπόρεσε να μη γελάσει. Καλόψυχα και κατανοητά εξήγησε στο φίλο του ότι ο Θεός δε χρειάζεται κατσικίσιο γάλα.
Όμως ο αγρότης επέμενε με πείσμα στο δικό του. Τότε ο μοναχός πρότεινε την επόμενη νύχτα να παρακολουθήσουν κρυφά  τι συμβαίνει, όταν αφήσουν τη γαβάθα με το γάλα κάτω από τον φοίνικα.
Το είπαν και το έκαναν:

τη νύχτα ο μοναχός κι ο αγρότης κρύφτηκαν κοντά και στο φως του φεγγαριού σύντομα είδαν ότι μια αλεπουδίτσα είχε πλησιάσει κρυφά τη γαβάθα κι έγλειφε όλο το γάλα ώσπου να την αφήσει πεντακάθαρη.
Αυτή η αποκάλυψη χτύπησε τον αγρότη σαν κεραυνός! «Ναι», παραδέχτηκε συντετριμμένος, «τώρα το βλέπω, δεν ήταν ο Θεός!».
Ο μοναχός προσπάθησε να καθησυχάσει τον αγρότη κι άρχισε να εξηγεί ότι ο Θεός είναι Πνεύμα, ότι είναι απόλυτα διαφορετικός σε σχέση με τον κόσμο μας, ότι οι άνθρωποι Τον γνωρίζουν με ιδιαίτερο τρόπο… Όμως ο αγρότης στεκόταν μπροστά του με το κεφάλι κάτω και μετά άρχισε να κλαίει κι έφυγε για την καλύβα του.
Ο μοναχός πήγε κι αυτός στο κελί του. Όμως όταν πλησίασε είδε με κατάπληξη έναν άγγελο στην πόρτα να του φράζει το δρόμο. Ο μοναχός τρομαγμένος έπεσε στα γόνατα κι ο άγγελος είπε:
«Αυτός ο απλός άνθρωπος δεν είχε ούτε παιδεία ούτε σοφία ούτε μόρφωση για να λατρέψει το Θεό διαφορετικά απ’ ό,τι έκανε. Κι εσύ με τη σοφία και τη μόρφωσή σου του πήρες αυτή τη δυνατότητα. Θα πεις ότι χωρίς αμφιβολία έκρινες σωστά; Όμως ένα πράμα δεν ξέρεις, ω σοφέ: ο Θεός βλέποντας την ειλικρινή καρδιά αυτού του αγρότη, κάθε βράδυ έστελνε στο φοίνικα την αλεπουδίτσα για να τον καθησυχάσει και να δεχτεί τη θυσία του».

Απόσπασμα από το βιβλίο “Σχεδόν Άγιοι”

του Αρχιμ. Τύχων Σεβκούνωβ

Ελεύθεροι… που είμαστε δεμένοι χειροπόδαρα!

Άλλο ένα πράγμα που παρατηρώ, γράφεις, είναι το πως τρέχουν όλοι με κομμένη ανάσα πέρα-δώθε, κυνηγώντας, θαρρείς, κάτι που ποτέ δεν καταφέρνουν να πιάσουν. Τί φασαρία, τί αναβρασμός, τί πήγαιν’ έλα είν’ εκείνο που βλέπω, όποτε περνάω από πολυσύχναστο δρόμο; Διαπιστώνω, όμως, ότι το ίδιο συμβαίνει και στα σπίτια, ίσως και μέσα στις ψυχές των ανθρώπων. Τα ‘χω χαμένα! Μπορεί κανείς, αλήθεια, να ζει μ’ αυτόν τον τρόπο;…

Παρατηρώ, επίσης, το πώς καταναγκάζουν και καταπιέζουν ο ένας τον άλλο. Κανένας δεν έχει τη δική του βούληση. Κανένας δεν είναι ελεύθερος. Δεν τολμάς να ντυθείς όπως θα ‘θελες, να φερθείς όπως θα ‘θελες, να πεις ό,τι θα ‘θελες. Δεν μπορείς να ξεχωρίσεις από τους υπόλοιπους. Ό,τι κάνουν, επιβάλλεται από έναν άγραφο νόμο, ένα νόμο στον οποίο όλοι υποτάσσονται, ένα νόμο, ωστόσο, που κανένας δεν ξέρει το πώς καθιερώθηκε, μα ούτε και το πώς να τον αποφύγει. Μ’ αυτόν τον τρόπο αλληλοβασανίζονται. Δεν τολμάς ν’ ακούσεις κανέναν – τί θλιβερό!

Εγώ, π.χ., τα καταφέρνω στο τραγούδι. Όταν μπορώ να τραγουδήσω, τότε το τραγούδι είναι πραγματική απόλαυση και για μένα και για τους ακροατές. Υπάρχουν όμως περιπτώσεις, που, είτε μπορώ είτε όχι, αναγκάζομαι να τραγουδήσω. Και το κάνω, γιατί το επιβάλλει ο «νόμος» της ευγένειας. Η άρνησή μου θα είναι αντίθετη σ’ αυτόν το «νόμο». Έτσι, λοιπόν, τραγουδάω, μολονότι μου είναι αφόρητο: Το στήθος μου τσακίζεται, αλλά πιέζομαι, για να δείξω ότι τραγουδάω με κέφι. Το έχω παρατηρήσει και σε άλλους αυτό. Ε, να ποιά είναι η ελευθερία μας! Εξωτερικά όλοι φαινόμαστε ελεύθεροι άνθρωποι· ελεύθεροι, που είμαστε δεμένοι χειροπόδαρα!

Με αφορμή αυτή την παρατήρηση, άρχισα να εξετάζω συστηματικά, αν οι άνθρωποι κάνουν με την καρδιά τους όλα όσα κάνουν. Και το αποτέλεσμα; Δεν ξέρω αν πέφτω έξω, αλλά τίποτα δεν είδα να γίνεται με ειλικρινή εγκαρδιότητα και αυθόρμητη διάθεση. Κενές αβρότητες, πρόθυμες τάχα εξυπηρετήσεις, εκφράσεις αλληλοθαυμασμού και αλληλοεκτιμήσεως -μα όλα συμβατικά και επιφανειακά. Πίσω από τη βιτρίνα, κάτω από την εξωτερική εμφάνιση και συμπεριφορά, την τόσο λεπτή και ευγενική, κρύβεται ένα εντελώς διαφορετικό πνεύμα, ένα πνεύμα, που, αν ερχόταν ποτέ στο φως, θα διαπιστώναμε ότι στην πραγματικότητα όχι μόνο λεπτό δεν είναι, μα ούτε καν υποφερτό.

Τελικά, λοιπόν, τί αποδεικνύεται; Ότι οι κοσμικές συγκεντρώσεις μας δεν είναι παρά συναθροίσεις ηθοποιών που υποκρίνονται. Τί κωμωδία!

Τη μεγαλύτερη έκπληξη, όμως, μου την προξενεί η γενική ψυχρότητα που βλέπω γύρω μου. Πώς μπορούν να δείχνουν όλοι ότι είναι φίλοι μεταξύ τους, έτοιμοι να προσφέρουν στους άλλους ακόμα και το πουκάμισο τους, βαθύτερα όμως να έχουν τόση ψυχρότητα;

Οι διαπιστώσεις σου είναι απόλυτα σωστές. Δεν έχω τίποτα να προσθέσω σε όσα γράφεις. Όλα τούτα, πάντως, παρατηρήθηκαν και καταγράφηκαν από πολύ παλιά, για να τ’ αντιμετωπίσουμε προετοιμασμένοι. Αιώνες πριν ο άγιος Μακάριος ο Μέγας περιέγραψε την ακαταστασία, την πολύβουη κίνηση και το μάταιο κυνηγητό της επίγειας ζωής, που το γεύτηκες ήδη. «Οι κάτοικοι της γης», γράφει ο άγιος, «και τα τέκνα του κόσμου τούτου μοιάζουν με το σιτάρι μέσα στο κόσκινο. Έτσι κοσκινίζονται και οι ψυχές με τους άστατους κοσμικούς λογισμούς, την ακατάπαυστη ταραχή των γήινων πραγμάτων και τις πολύπλοκες υλικές φροντίδες. Ο σατανάς ταρακουνάει με το κόσκινο, δηλαδή με τις επίγειες μέριμνες, ολόκληρο το αμαρτωλό γένος των ανθρώπων. Μετά το προπατορικό αμάρτημα, αφότου δηλαδή ο Αδάμ αθέτησε την εντολή του Θεού και βρέθηκε κάτω από την εξουσία του διαβόλου, ο άρχοντας του σκότους κοσκινίζει με ακατάπαυστους απατηλούς λογισμούς τους ανθρώπους, χτυπώντας τους στα τοιχώματα του κόσκινου αυτής της γης. Όπως, δηλαδή, το κόσκινο ταρακουνάει και περιστρέφει και χτυπάει το σιτάρι, έτσι και ο διάβολος, αιχμαλωτίζοντας με τα γήινα πράγματα τις ψυχές των αμαρτωλών απογόνων του Αδάμ, τις ταράζει, τις αναστατώνει, τις ξεσηκώνει και τις παρασύρει σε μάταιους λογισμούς, σε αισχρές επιθυμίες και σε κοσμικούς δεσμούς, εξαπατώντας τες και ξελογιάζοντας τες ακατάπαυστα. Ο Κύριος είχε μιλήσει προφητικά στους αποστόλους Του για τον μελλοντικό τους πειρασμό: Ο σατανάς ζήτησε να σας δοκιμάσει σαν το σιτάρι στο κόσκινο. Εγώ, όμως, προσευχήθηκα στον Πατέρα μου να μη σας εγκαταλείψει η πίστη σας. Η ρήση και απόφαση, άλλωστε, που εξαγγέλθηκε από το Δημιουργό στον Κάιν, είναι ξεκάθαρη: Θα στενάζεις και θα τρέμεις και θα χτυπιέσαι πάνω στη γη. Αυτό ακριβώς συμβαίνει, μεταφορικά, με όλους τους αμαρτωλούς. Νιώθουν ανασφάλεια και αβεβαιότητα μέσα στους άστατους λογισμούς της δειλίας, μέσα στο φόβο, τη σύγχυση, την επιθυμία, την ηδονή· γιατί ο άρχοντας του κόσμου τούτου πειράζει όσους δεν έχουν αναγεννηθεί από το Θεό, περιστρέφοντας άστατα, σαν το σιτάρι μέσα στο κόσκινο, τους λογισμούς τους, προκαλώντας τους αίσθημα ανασφάλειας και παγιδεύοντάς τους με κοσμικές άπατες, σαρκικές ηδονές, φόβους και συγχύσεις».

Να οι δικές σου παρατηρήσεις από μια άλλη σκοπιά! Εσύ περιέγραψες τον τρόπο εξέλιξης των πραγμάτων ο άγιος Μακάριος αποκάλυψε την αιτία και την προέλευσή τους. Είναι, όμως, αδύνατο ν’ ασχοληθεί κανείς μ’ αυτή την πλευρά του ζητήματος, αν δεν υιοθετήσει και την αντίστοιχη διαλεκτική μέθοδο. Σου ζητάω, λοιπόν, ν’ αποδεχθείς την αντίληψη που εκφράζει ο άγιος Μακάριος, γιατί αγγίζει την ουσία του θέματος και θα σου χρησιμεύσει ως ανασχετικός παράγοντας απέναντι στη γοητεία της κοσμικής ζωής. Για να μάθεις πιο πολλά, αλλά και για να εξοικειωθείς περισσότερο μ’ αυτή τη συλλογιστική μέθοδο, διάβασε, αν θέλεις, ολόκληρη την πέμπτη ομιλία του αγίου Μακαρίου.

Από την πλευρά μου θα ήθελα να προσθέσω τούτο μόνο: Το ασταμάτητο κυνηγητό και το ανικανοποίητο όλων απ’ όλα σχετίζεται μ’ εκείνο ακριβώς που σου έγραψα στο προηγούμενο γράμμα μου, ότι δηλαδή δεν μπορεί να ικανοποιηθεί μ’ έναν τέτοιο τρόπο ζωής κάθε πλευρά η ανάγκη της ανθρώπινης φύσεως. Σου το εξηγώ με απλά λόγια: Μια ανικανοποίητη ανάγκη, λ.χ. η πείνα, απαιτεί ικανοποίηση, κι έτσι σπρώχνει τον άνθρωπο στην αναζήτηση τροφής. Όσο εκείνος κινείται μέσα σε πλαίσια όπου δεν είναι δυνατό να ικανοποιηθεί η πείνα του, αυτή δεν καταστέλλεται. Απεναντίας, μάλιστα, θεριεύει.

Έτσι, όμως, ούτε και το κυνήγι της τροφής σταματάει. Να, κάτι τέτοιο συμβαίνει και με τούς ανθρώπους που ζουν μέσα στο πνεύμα του κόσμου τούτου. Ακατάπαυστα αναζητούν τροφή για την πεινασμένη τους ψυχή. Αλλά μάταια. Ο εχθρός τους έχει τυφλώσει, και δεν συναισθάνονται την πλάνη τους: Έχουν πάρει λάθος δρόμο, ακολουθούν λάθος κατεύθυνση. Έτσι βασανίζονται μέσα στ’ αδιέξοδα και πνίγονται μέσα στο σκοτάδι. Κανένας δεν μπορεί να τους ανοίξει τα μάτια. Τρέχουν πέρα-δώθε σαν άγρια θηρία και βρυχώνται σαν τα λιοντάρια, που τριγυρνούν στη ζούγκλα αναζητώντας κάτι να καταβροχθίσουν.

(Οσίου Θεοφάνους του εγκλείστου, «Ο δρόμος της ζωής». Ι.Μ.Παρακλήτου)

St. John Chrysostom-Charitable Works Abolish Death!

Their power is so great that they not only cleanse sins but even do away with death itself. Let me explain how.

And who, someone might claim, has become greater than death through charity? Don’t worry, my beloved. Learn, from looking at things as they actually are, that the power of charity has destroyed even the tyranny of death.

There was once a woman called Tabitha, which translates as Gazelle (Acts, 9, 36-43). It was her daily task to earn spiritual riches for herself through charitable works. She clothed the widows and gave them all her possessions. It happened, however, that she fell ill and died.

But see how these women who’d been helped by her were able to repay their benefactress at the right time. They went to Saint Peter, say the Scriptures, and showed him the clothes and other things Tabitha had made and done when she was with them. They missed their mother-figure, probably shed tears, and gave the apostle cause to feel sad on their behalf.

So what did the blessed Peter do? He “got down on his knees and prayed. Turning towards the dead woman, he said, ‘Tabitha, get up’. She opened her eyes, and, seeing Peter, sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive” (Acts  9, 40-1).

Do you see the power of the apostle, or rather of the Lord who acted through him? Do you see what a reward she received- even in this life- for her good works? Because tell me, what did she give to the widows that was as great a thing as they gave her? She gave them food and clothing, but they brought her back to life and helped her to be released from death. Or rather, not them, but our merciful Lord, because of the services she had rendered them.

Do you see the power of the medicament? Let us all prepare it for ourselves, because, even though it’s so powerful, it’s not at all expensive. In fact, it’s really cheap, so it doesn’t require any great outlay. Because the value of charitable works doesn’t depend on vast amounts of money, but on the open-handedness of the people who do the giving. This is why somebody who gives a glass of cold water is well-received: so that we’ll learn that the Lord of all asks good will from each of us. It often happens that a person will do a great act of charity, even though they haven’t actually got that much themselves. This happens when their good intentions are very firm. And, of course, the opposite occurs as well: a person may have a lot, yet, because they’re petty by nature, it appears that they have less than those who indeed have little.

So, from the good things that the Lord has given us, let’s give generously to those in need. And what He’s given us, let’s give back to Him, so that they’ll become ours again, very much multiplied. Because the noble pride of the Lord is so great that, even though He receives what He Himself has given, He doesn’t consider that He’s receiving His own things, but promises to repay us for them with even greater generosity. But only if we want to demonstrate our own [generosity]. In other words, to give to the poor as if we were putting our gift into the hand of God, bearing in mind that the hand that receives our gift will not merely return it, but will grant us a hundred times more, thus demonstrating His great kindness towards us.

And why does He multiply this gift?  Because, if we’re willing to give away something of what’s been given to us by the Lord Himself, and so long as we are willing to do that, then His hand not only returns the gift to us, but, along with it, He grants us the Kingdom of Heaven and acclaims us and crowns us and gives us innumerable good things.

So, is He asking something burdensome or difficult of us? Whatever’s uselessly and pointlessly shut away in chests and store-rooms, He wants us to  share out, as we should, we ourselves, so that from this He can find occasion to crown us with all due ceremony. Because He hastens and rushes and is careful to ensure that what He’s promised us does actually come about.

I would beg you, therefore that we should not deprive ourselves of such wonderfully good things… What we have pointlessly stored, we should share for the upkeep of the poor. In this, there’s no chance that we’ll ever miss the mark; neither need we fear failure, which is what happens here on earth. Because it says: “He scattered, he gave to the poor”. And listen to what follows: “And his righteousness endures unto the ages of ages” (Ps. 111, 3).

What a wonderful sharing! In a brief period of time He made the distribution and His love lasts forever. Is anything that might exist more felicitous than that?

This is why I beg you, let us earn the love of God through charitable works so that it might truly be said of us, too, that they scattered, they gave to the poor, their love will last for ever. Because He spoke, scattered, and gave so that you wouldn’t think that what had been scattered was lost. Because He adds immediately: “His righteousness lasts unto the ages of ages”. The righteousness of those who have shared, remains unblemished, it stretches out into eternity and never ends.

St. John Chrysostom, On the Nativity, 55.

Source:Pemptousia.com