Volume 18, Issue 8 August 2018

Transcription

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2 A Message from Father Peter As we approach the season of the Dormition Fast, it is good for us to reflect upon the lives of contemporary saints who were called by God to use the talents and gifts given to glorify God. The Theotokos is the example of one who gave totally of herself to God without reservation, and not knowing the suffering and sacrifice her "Yes, Thy Will be done," would entail. Let us live the life of Yes to God given to us in the lives of the Theotokos and the New Martyr, Archbishop Luke. Father Peter The harvest is plentiful, But the laborers are few. (Matthew 9:37) Saint Luke: A Biography The man, whose story I would like to share, lived his life as a genuine laborer. Valentin Voyno-Yasenetsky (April 4 th, 1877 June 11 th, 1961), a contemporary of ours, is venerated at present as Saint Luke of Simferopol and Crimea. A surgeon extraordinaire, a professor of medicine and a research scientist, he was, at the same time, an Archbishop, a Doctor of Theology, a preacher, and a martyr. As a youth, Valentin showed a remarkable creative talent, and dreamed of becoming an artist. He traveled to Germany and trained at an art school there, until the day when the words of Our Lord arose suddenly from the depths of his soul. The harvest is plentiful, but From that moment, he could not deny his principal calling - serving ordinary people. So, Valentin obtained a medical degree from the University of Kiev, which extended him an offer to stay for post-graduate studies. Instead, the young man chose to join the Red Cross, and met a nurse, Anna, who became his wife. When the Russo-Japanese war of 1904 broke out, the couple volunteered as army medics. The rookie physician performed many surgeries on lung, joint, and head wounds, and was frequently challenged by rapidly spreading infections, that caused a discharge of pus from the incisions. This forced him to investigate new 2

3 Saint Luke Continued from Page 2 methods of pain control, analgesia, and the prevention of pus development. In 1908, Valentin started an externship at the clinic of Professor Dyakonov, founder of Surgery Journal, and continued extensive research, while working on a dissertation. The product of these efforts, Regional Anesthesia, was illustrated by the author himself. His natural drawing skills had come in very handy. The monograph was published in Saint Petersburg in 1915 and earned Voyno-Yasenetsky his doctorate. He spent the next eight years working as Chief Physician in remote county and military hospitals, keeping his resolution to serve simple folk. Inconceivable as it might be, Russian provincial hospitals during that period lacked not only sophisticated equipment, but often electric power and indoor plumbing. Yet, the doctor s commitment never wavered. Once, he performed surgery by candlelight in a peasant s hut, saving his patient s eye with nothing at his disposal except a penknife. Faced with another emergency, he managed to close a deep gash in a man s arm, using human hair as a suture. The people dubbed Valentin the blessed doctor. In the meantime, Dr. Voyno-Yasenetsky s reputation as a scientist continued to grow. It was during this time that his most distinguished legacy, Essays in Purulent Surgery, was conceived. Unexpectedly, his wife Anna contracted tuberculosis. Hoping to improve her condition, the couple and their four children moved to the city of Tashkent, in the arid heart of Central Asia. Valentin took the job of Chief Physician and Head of Surgery at the local hospital and accepted an offer to train medical students. Shortly afterwards, he became one of the founders of Tashkent University. father too. Grieving over Anna s death took a heavy toll on Valentin. He secluded himself at the church more and more often, immersing his soul in prayer and his mind in theology. An old book shop owner gave him books to study. Soon thereafter, having listened to Voyno-Yasenetsky speak in front of the Diocese, Archbishop Innokenty of Tashkent observed: You ought to serve as a priest, doctor. Heeding the Lord s voice in these words, the man replied: I shall, if such is His Will, Your Eminence. In 1921, he was ordained as a deacon. Thus, his way of the cross commenced. The following eleven years were burdened by imprisonment, torture, starvation and exile. Father Valentin wore a cassock to the hospital and prayed to the Most Holy Lady Theotokos before each surgery. He was ordained to priesthood on the Day of Candlemas (commemorating the presentation of Jesus at the Temple). In the spring of 1923, Father Valentin was tonsured as a monk in his own bedroom and received the name of Luke from Archbishop Andrey (Ukhtomsky). Perhaps, this name was bestowed upon him by Our Lord Himself, for Luke the Evangelist had also been known as an artist and a physician. Soon, Archbishop Innokenty of Tashkent was forced to flee the city for fear of being arrested. Father Luke volunteered to take over his day-to-day responsibilities at the Diocese. Archbishop Andrey appointed him Rector and Archpriest of the Tashkent Cathedral, but Father Luke did not abandon his professional duties. He performed surgeries at the hospital, continued teaching at the University, and drew anatomical visual aids for his students. Also, he painted icons and conducted services at the Cathedral. From 1917 through 1919, Russia endured a devastating upheaval. Communists seized the power. A bloody civil war broke out. Political repressions loomed. The Russian Orthodox Church turned into a target of the most severe persecution. In the middle of this crisis, the Voyno-Yasenetsky family was paralyzed by sorrow. Anna died. For two nights, Valentin read the Psalms over his wife s body. One of the nurses from his clinic, Sofia Beletskaya, had agreed to look after his children. Like a guardian angel, this generous woman replaced their mother, and later their During this period in Tashkent, Professor Voyno- Yasenetsky finished writing Essays in Purulent Surgery. This fundamental work had saved countless patients from 3

4 Saint Luke Continued from Page 3 lethal post-operation side effects, as antibiotics were unavailable at the time. In May of 1923, with the approval of Holy Patriarch Tikhon, Father Luke was consecrated as a Bishop. The secret ceremony, attended by two exiled bishops, took place at a small church of Saint Nicholas of Myra in the town of Pendjekent. Shortly after that, the authorities jailed the new Bishop as a supporter of the Patriarch. In August, as he was being transported to Moscow, many of his parishioners and hospital patients laid across the tracks to prevent the train from departing the station. In Moscow, Bishop Luke was incarcerated in a detention center, alongside political prisoners and common criminals. By winter, he was sentenced to exile in the Siberian city of Yeniseysk. The authorities were aware of Dr. Voyno-Yasenetsky s exceptional surgical skills, so he was permitted work. As a Bishop, he conducted liturgical services at the small flat where he stayed. In August of 1924, Bishop Luke was transferred to Turukhansk, a place where the cold, falling to -32 degrees and below, does not let up for eight months out of a year. The locals greeted him by kneeling and asking for a blessing. Within a few months, disconcerted by this popularity, the authorities sent him further up North, to a poor hamlet above the Arctic Circle. There, he was given a cabin, furnished with a plank cot. Neighbors offered reindeer pelts for his bedding, and shared portions of their own meager rations. In turn, he encouraged them in their faith, and baptized their children. On April 25 th, 1925, the Day of Annunciation, the Bishop was returned to Turukhansk, because the town s population, armed with axes and pitchforks, had threatened rebellion, unless their beloved doctor came back. Bishop Luke happened to be the only physician in this part of the country. He helped people as a general practitioner, an ophthalmologist, a trauma surgeon, a gynecologist, and an oncologist. Meanwhile, his published writings were being read extensively both in Russia and abroad. In November of 1926, Dr. Voyno-Yasenetsky was released from exile. Back in Tashkent, his positions at the hospital and the university were not reinstated. He had to open a private medical practice and conducted liturgical services at home on Sundays and on the days of Holy Feasts. Reunited with his children, all grown up now, he grew even happier when his monograph, Essays in Purulent Surgery, were recommended for release by the State Medical publishing house. The book was most recently reprinted in Then, on April 23 rd, 1930, Bishop Luke was arrested again, on false criminal charges. During interrogations, he realized that the true objective was to force renunciation of his sacred vows. In exchange, he would be named Chief of Surgery at a large hospital in Moscow. The Bishop responded with a hunger strike, in protest. After twelve months of incarceration, Father Luke was sentenced to exile once more. He arrived in Arkhangelsk, and resumed seeing patients, sometimes forty or more a day, working in a cramped makeshift clinic which lacked gauze pads, bandages, and antiseptics. Nevertheless, the exiled Bishop considered his new sentence a reprieve. In July of 1937, the third arrest took place. Father Luke was questioned without a break for thirteen consecutive days, conveyor-belt style. The interrogators brutally beat and starved him, trying to extort a confession of having organized a clerical espionage group. At times, he lost consciousness, became disoriented. Yet, twice a day, Bishop Luke turned his face to the East, kneeling in the middle of an overcrowded prison cell, which fell silent as he said his prayers. Seasoned convicts and hardened gang members marveled at the strength of his spirit. Finally, in the spring of 1940, he was sent to a three-year exile in the village of Big Murta, near the city of Krasnoyarsk. The Chief Physician at the local hospital obtained a formal permission to employ the famous professor as a dishwasher. His co-workers secretly brought him meals. Unexpectedly, having recalled his medical reputation, the authorities allowed Father Luke a short leave to visit the library at Tomsk University. There he could read scientific publications in French, German and English, and write articles of his own. On June 22 nd, 1941, Nazi Germany invaded Russia. Dr. Voyno-Yasenetsky dispatched a telegram to the central government, stating: I can help as a surgeon on the front lines or in the rear. Please, let my sentence be suspended. I am prepared to resume my exile after the war. He was appointed Chief Surgeon of the Krasnoyarsk Evacuation Hospital, and Consultant to the rest of the military hospitals in the area, since a lot of trains, carrying 4

5 Saint Luke Continued from Page 4 wounded soldiers, were being directed to Siberia. On December 27 th, 1942, the Holy Synod judged Father Luke s medical work commensurate with a bishopric and elevated him to the rank of Archbishop of Krasnoyarsk. There, far beyond the limits of the city, only a small graveyard church could be found, which was looked after by a frail old priest. The Archbishop s ardent preaching of God s Word was confined to this place. He conducted Divine Liturgies at the church on the Holy Feasts and kept all-night vigils at his home or at the hospital. From 1944 to 1946, Archbishop Luke, who had been moved to Tambov, in Central Russia, was put in charge of one hundred and fifty military hospitals. The Soviet government awarded Dr. Voyno-Yasenetsky the Medal for Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War The Tambov Cathedral, devastated and vandalized, needed restoration, and the Archbishop took measures toward rebuilding it. A year later, Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy I awarded Father Luke the right to wear a diamond cross on his klobuk. The Archbishop had restored and consecrated several churches in the Diocese. His liturgies and sermons attracted crowds. The open and public preaching of the Lord s Word by a well-known scientist and surgeon compelled the common folk to reflect on the spiritual value of the Christian faith. In the mid-1950s, the anti-religious propaganda in Russia intensified. The Archbishop s correspondence was scrutinized by government officials. His phone calls were monitored. Despite all that, Father Luke, now completely blind, went on preaching and leading church services from memory. His last Liturgy was conducted on a Christmas Day, and on the next Forgiveness Sunday he gave his last sermon. On June 11 th, 1961, Archbishop Luke passed away. It was the Feast of All Saints whose light shone forth in the Russian Lands. Day and night, members of the clergy read the Holy Gospels over his remains. An incessant stream of people passed by the coffin, saying their last goodbyes. The road to his eternal resting place was strewn with roses. Today, a silver reliquary, containing the Imperishable Relics of Archbishop Luke, rests at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Simferopol. This reliquary had been presented as a gift from the Greek Orthodox Church. Archbishop Luke is deeply revered as a Saint in Russia, Belorussia, Ukraine and Greece, and is known to help those who pray to him, asking for a cure. Many healing miracles are documented in the official registers. During the same period, the Doctor received the USSR s State Prize for Essays in Purulent Surgery and his other scientific research. He donated most of the money to help children orphaned during the war. He was constantly sought after by the media and was frequently interviewed. On May 26 th, 1946, Father Luke left Tambov to assume the position of the Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea. The Diocese, ruined during the war, needed his attention sorely. The Archbishop s health was gravely damaged by the hardships of his life and his relentless labors. He was affected by heart disease, and his vision grew weak. Father Luke had no choice but to reluctantly retire from surgery. Yet, every day remained filled to the brim. The Archbishop conducted Divine Liturgies in accordance with his responsibilities and stayed closely involved in the problems of the Diocese. Local hospitals often invited him to consult, especially in complicated cases. In the year 2000, Archbishop Luke was glorified by the Bishops Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Assembly of New Martyrs and Confessors of the 20th century. The day of Acquisition of his Imperishable Relics is celebrated on March 18 th. The Memorial Day of Saint Luke of Crimea is June 11 th. Holy Father Luke, pray the Lord God for us! By Eleonora (Emilia) Rasshivalova 5

6 Blessing of the Cars The glorious Prophet Elias (Elijah) is a prophet in the Old Testament who ascended into heaven in a chariot of fire. On July 20th, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of St. Elias the Prophet. In honor of this feast day, the Orthodox Church has in recent history blessed cars on and around this day. Also mentioned in the prayer is the Ethiopian eunuch who is described in the New Testament book of Acts who the Apostle Philip met on the road as the Ethiopian was reading the Old Testament book of Isaiah in his chariot. Thanks, from Deacon Simon Menya and the Children of Uganda, for all of the school supplies donated by MOG. 6

7 Father Peter Receives Military Cross On July 26 th Metropolitan Tikhon awarded Father Peter the Military Cross, for his 25 years of Active Duty Service, during the 2018 All American Council held in Saint Louis, Missouri. Please save the dates for the following Services, Feasts & Special Events: Wednesday, August 1st Dormition Fast Begins Sunday, August 19th Divine Liturgy Saturday, August 4th Potluck (Observe Monday, August Parish Council Meeting Sunday, August 5th Divine Saturday, August 25th Monday, August 6th Saturday, August 11th Transfiguration of Our Lord Divine Potluck (Observe Sunday, August 26th Saturday, September 1st Divine Special Coffee Hour for Maria Fiori Jeannie s House Sunday, August 12th Divine Sunday, September 2nd Divine Tuesday, August 14th Saturday, August 18th Dormition Vespers Saturday, September 8th Sunday, September 9th Nativity of Theotokos Divine Divine View the master MOG calendar at: 7

8 Upcoming Events The MOG Parish Council and PNC bank are working together to enhance our banking experience by enabling us to send our pledge payments and/or other donations directly to the MOG account, online. Similar to using your bank s Bill Pay or to using Paypal or Amazon, this process will be simple to use and will allow for cost savings to the Church and more accurate accounting practices. A PNC representative will give a demonstration to our Church community in the near future, prior to its installation. Stay tuned for the announcement. The Sisterhood of Saints Mary and Martha Announcements: The Sisterhood has been given the blessing of running this year s Mother of God Rummage Sale, with proceeds going to support our missionary work. We will have a meeting on Sunday, August 5 th to discuss plans for the event, which will be held on Saturday, September 29 th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Details to be announced soon. Anyone who is interested in helping, please join us (men too!). The following Saturday, October 6 th, Sister Vassa Larin will be coming to Mother of God to give a talk after vespers. She will stay overnight and join us for Divine Liturgy on Sunday. Anyone interested in helping out with this event, please see Julie Stell. Sisterhood meetings are typically held on the second Thursday of the month. Our next meeting will be held on September 13 th at 7:00 p.m. at Julie Stell s house. All women are welcome! Announcements A Time to Thank. A Time to Reflect. Join us for the Retirement and Relocation celebration of Maria Fiori following Divine Liturgy on August 26, 2018, at Father Peter s and Matushka Jeanne s home: 168 Crusher Drive, Hopewell, NJ Please see Matushka Jeanne for details. HOUSEKEEPING For MOG flower sign up through Dec 2018 please use this link: In Christ, Ana Benavides Shop at Amazon; Help MOG Mother of God has signed up with Amazon.com s Associates program, allowing us to receive a minimum of 4% commission off every Amazon order placed through this link. Funds will go toward our capital campaign. Books for Sale We have books for sale on the table near the side entrance of the church. For more info, visit 8

9 Announcements Continued from Page 8 Arm in Arm Mother of God continues to support Arm in Arm with food donations, placed in the collection bin at the side entrance of the Church. Please, as you are shopping, think of those in our community who are in need and bring your offering to the Church. Crisis Ministry of Mercer County changed its name to Arm in Arm yet, the mission remains the same. Thank you for your support. News for the Mind and Soul Wisdom of Our Church Fathers How to Relate to the Sins of Others 1. Love sinners, but hate their deeds, and do not disdain sinners for their failings, so that you yourself do not fall into the temptation in which they abide... Do not be angry at anyone and do not hate anyone, neither for their faith, nor for their shameful deeds... Do not foster hatred for the sinner, for we are all guilty... Hate his sins, and pray for him, so that you may be made like unto Christ, who had no dislike for sinners, but prayed for them. (St. Isaac the Syrian, Homily 57,90) 2. Find evil in yourself and not in other people or things, were with you have not learned how to relate properly. This is how a child relates with fire or a knife: he burns himself, he cuts himself. (St. Sebastian of Karaganda) 3. A brother asked an elder: If I see my brother fall into sin, is it good to hide him? The Elder answered: When, out of love, we hide the sin of our brother, then God also hides our sins; but when we show our brother's sin before others, then God also makes our sins known to people. (Ancient Patericon, 9.9) 4. Do not lose your temper with those who sin. Do not have a passion for noticing every sin in your neighbor and judging it, as we usually do. Everyone will give an answer for himself before God. Especially, do not look with evil intention on the sins of those older than you, with whom you have no business. But correct your own sins, your own heart. (St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ, I.6) 5. If you see your neighbor in sin, don't look only at this, but also think about what he has done or does that is good, and infrequently trying this in general, while not partially judging, you will find that he is better than you. (St. Basil the Great, Conversations, 20) 9

10 Our Church Fathers Continued from Page 9 6. If you see a man who has sinned, and you do not pity him the grace of God will leave you. Whoever curses bad people, and does not pray for them, will never come to know the grace of God. (St. Silouan the Athonite, Writings, VII.4, VIII.6) 7. One who strictly prosecutes the misdemeanors of others will find not condescension towards his own. (St. John Chrysostom, On the Statutes, 3.6) Mother of God Orthodox Church Matching Gift Challenge Return to God His own Gifts: No one shall appear before the Lord empty-handed, but each of you with as much as he can give, in proportion to the blessings which the Lord, God has bestowed on you. (Deut. 16:10, 16-17) We are at 54% of the $50,000 goal. Thank you! We still have nearly $23,000 more to raise to receive the full matching gift amount of $50,000 from the special donors. Please prayerfully consider a contribution. And please spread the word to others to encourage them to prayerfully consider a contribution. We look forward to the time when Mother of God is debt-free; this is a generous offer and a blessed step in that journey. With Faith & Love, Financial Strategic Committee Deacon John, John Dragan, Terry Filippini and Stacey Gleeson (Contact: Stacey at sgleeson70@gmail.com) As of July 28, 2018 Total Pledged: $32,549 Total Received: $27,027 10

11 SPECIAL MATCHING GIFT CHALLENGE Mother of God Orthodox Church is working toward reducing our mortgage debt. We wanted you to be the first to hear about this extraordinary matching gift challenge to support this effort. We are blessed to have special donors who will donate $50,000 when donations reach $50,000 in the next 6 months. When you give to Mother of God Orthodox Church, your donation will go TWICE as far to support us in reducing our mortgage debt. Our goal for this campaign is to reach even higher. We are seeking to raise $100,000. With the match it will be a total of $150,000. CAN BECOME Your gift of $1,000 Twice as much $2,000 Your Name Your Your Total Commitment Amount Installments Over 6 Months Yes No (1 payment) Please give so we can receive the matching gift. Checks to be made out to Mother of God Orthodox Church and note in memo Matching Gift Challenge. For questions, please contact Stacey L. Gleeson at sgleeson70@gmail.com 11

12 2018 Stewardship Update 2018 Pledged Total: $ 110,905 (13% increase over 2017 Pledged) Actual received as of July 22: $ 66,990 (60% of Pledged Total) Stewardship by Pledged Members $ 63,530 Stewardship by Friends of MOG $ 3, Budgeted Expenses: $148, Stewardship Pledges Thank you for supporting our church! We are accepting pledges for 2018! For questions, please contact: Terry Filippini at tfilippini@verizon.net or (908) Consider making your stewardship payments through your online banking. 12

13 Prayer Requests and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16, NKJV: Commemoration of the Living Servants of God: O Lord Jesus Christ our God, Who for the sake of Your eternal mercy and loving kindness became man, and suffered crucifixion and death for the salvation of all; Who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father, where You hear the prayers of all who call upon You humbly and with their whole heart: incline Your ear to us, and hearken to the prayer which your unworthy servants offer as a spiritual sacrifice for all Your people. Have Mercy, O Lord, Upon Your Servants: Terry Filippini Larry Samano (Connie & Bob Abodeely's son-in-law) Sarah Thomas Perkins, Margery's stepdaughter Olga Mezina, friend of Lana Maria Rolleri (Joe Elchak's daughter) and her daughters, Carson & Addison Roger Spain (brother-in-law of Nina s brother-in-law) diagnosed with Alzheimer s May we join you in pray for all of those on your mind; all of those in your prayers, and all of those in your heart. Lord Have Mercy. Please send the names of those you would like included in the prayer requests list in the coming year to ladyofleesure@yahoo.com. Also let her know when those on the list have recovered (Praise be to God). COMMEMORATION OF THE DEPARTED MEMORY ETERNAL Thomas Raymond Komline, Jr. Daily Bible Readings For a listing and links to the daily scripture readings go to Bookmark this site for daily readings for every day of the year! 13

14 The Transfiguration of Our Lord Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica Sermon on the Transfiguration August 6 For an explanation of the present Feast and understanding of its truth, it is necessary for us to turn to the very start of today s reading from the Gospel: Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, and led them up onto a high mountain by themselves (Mt 17:1). First of all, we might start by asking when the Evangelist Matthew began his six-day count? What kind of day was it? What does the preceding statement indicate, where the Savior, in teaching His disciples, said to them: For the Son of Man shall come with his angels in the glory of His Father, and further: Again I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death, until they have seen the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom (Mt 16:27-28)? That is to say, it is the Light of His own forthcoming Transfiguration which He terms the Glory of His Father and of His Kingdom. The Evangelist Luke points this out and reveals this more clearly saying: Now it came to pass about eight days after these words, that He took Peter and John and James, and went up the mountain to pray. And as He prayed, His countenance was altered, and His raiment became a radiant white (Lk 9:28-29). But how can the two be reconciled, when one of them speaks definitively about the interval of time as being eight days between the sayings and the manifestation, whereas the other (says): after six days? There were eight on the mountain, but only six were visible. Three, Peter, James and John, had come up with Jesus, and they saw Moses and Elias standing there and conversing with Him, so altogether there were six of them. However, the Father and the Holy 14

15 Spirit were invisibly with the Lord: the Father, with His Voice testifying that this was His Beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit shining forth with Him in the radiant cloud. Thus, the six are actually eight, and there is no contradiction regarding the eight. Similarly, there is no contradiction with the Evangelists when one says after six days, and the other says eight days after these words. But these twofold sayings as it were present is a certain format set in mystery, and together with it that of those actually present upon the Mount. It stands to reason, and everyone rationally studying in accordance with Scripture knows that the Evangelists are in agreement one with another. Luke spoke of eight days without contradicting Matthew, who declared after six days. There is not another day added on to represent the day on which these sayings were uttered, nor is the day on which the Lord was transfigured added on (which a rational person might reasonably imagine to be added to the days of Matthew). The Evangelist Luke does not say after eight days (like the Evangelist Matthew says after six days ), but rather it came to pass eight days after these words. But where the Evangelists seem to contradict one another, they actually point out to us something great and mysterious. In actual fact, why did the one say after six days, but the other, in ignoring the seventh day, have in mind the eighth day? It is because the great vision of the Light of the Transfiguration of the Lord is the mystery of the Eighth Day, i.e., of the future age, coming to be revealed after the passing away of the world created in six days. About the power of the Divine Spirit, through Whom the Kingdom of God is to be revealed, the Lord predicted: There are some standing here who shall not taste death, until they have seen the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom (Mt 16:28). Everywhere and in every way the King will be present, and everywhere will be His Kingdom, since the advent of His Kingdom does not signify the passing over from one place to another, but rather the revelation of its power of the Divine Spirit. That is why it is said: come in power. And this power is not manifest to simple ordinary people, but to those standing with the Lord, that is to say, those who have affirmed their faith in Him like Peter, James and John, and especially those who are free of our natural abasement. Therefore, and precisely because of this, God manifests Himself upon the Mount, on the one hand coming down from His heights, and on the other, raising us up from the depths of abasement, since the Transcendent One takes on mortal nature. Certainly, such a manifest appearance by far transcends the utmost limits of the mind s grasp, as effectualized by the power of the Divine Spirit. Thus, the Light of the Transfiguration of the Lord is not something that comes to be and then vanishes, nor is it subject to the sensory faculties, although it was contemplated by corporeal eyes for a short while upon an inconsequential mountaintop. But the initiates of the Mystery, (the disciples) of the Lord at this time passed beyond mere flesh into spirit through a transformation of their senses, effectualized within them by the Spirit, and in such a way that they beheld what, and to what extent, the Divine Spirit had wrought blessedness in them to behold the Ineffable Light. 15

16 Those not grasping this point have conjectured that the chosen from among the Apostles beheld the Light of the Transfiguration of the Lord by a sensual and creaturely faculty, and through this they attempt to reduce to a creaturely level (i.e., as something created ) not only this Light, the Kingdom and the Glory of God, but also the Power of the Divine Spirit, through Whom it is meet for Divine Mysteries to be revealed. In all likelihood, such persons have not heeded the words of the Apostle Paul: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love Him. But to us God has revealed them through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God (1 Cor 2:9-10). showed the indwelling of God within Him. The Evangelist Luke says: And as He prayed, His countenance was altered (Lk 9:29); and from the Evangelist Matthew we read: And His face shone as the sun (Mt 17:2). But the Evangelist said this, not in the context that this Light be thought of as subsistent for the senses (let us put aside the blindness of mind of those who can conceive of nothing higher than what is known through the senses). Rather, it is to show that Christ God, for those living and contemplating by the Spirit, is the same as the sun is for those living in the flesh and contemplating by the senses. Therefore, some other Light for the knowing the Divinity is not necessary for those who are enriched by Divine gifts. So, with the onset of the Eighth Day, the Lord, taking Peter, James and John, went up on the Mount to pray. He always prayed alone, withdrawing from everyone, even from the Apostles themselves, as for example when with five loaves and two fish He fed the five thousand men, besides women and children (Mt 14:19-23). Or, taking with Him those who excelled others, as at the approach of His Saving Passion, when He said to the other disciples: Sit here while I go over there and pray (Mt 26:36). Then He took with Him Peter, James and John. But in our instance right here and now, having taken only these same three, the Lord led them up onto a high mountain by themselves and was transfigured before them, that is to say, before their very eyes. What does it mean to say: He was transfigured? asks the Golden-Mouthed Theologian (Chrysostomos). He answers this by saying: It revealed something of His Divinity to them, as much and insofar as they were able to apprehend it, and it That same Inscrutable Light shone and was mysteriously manifest to the Apostles and the foremost of the Prophets at that moment, when (the Lord) was praying. This shows that what brought forth this blessed sight was prayer, and that the radiance occurred and was manifest by uniting the mind with God, and that it is granted to all who, with constant exercise in efforts of virtue and prayer, strive with their mind towards God. True beauty, essentially, can be contemplated only with a purified mind. To gaze upon its luminance assumes a sort of participation in it, as though some bright ray etches itself upon the face. Even the face of Moses was illumined by his association with God. Do you not know that Moses was transfigured when he went up the mountain, and there beheld the Glory of God? But he (Moses) did not affect this, but rather he underwent a transfiguration. However, our Lord Jesus Christ possessed that Light Himself. In this regard, actually, 16

17 He did not need prayer for His flesh to radiate with the Divine Light; it was but to show from whence that Light descends upon the saints of God, and how to contemplate it. For it is written that even the saints will shine forth like the sun (Mt 13:43), which is to say, entirely permeated by Divine Light as they gaze upon Christ, divinely and inexpressibly shining forth His Radiance, issuing from His Divine Nature. On Mount Tabor it was manifest also in His Flesh, by reason of the Hypostatic Union (i.e., the union of the two perfect natures, divine and human, within the divine Person [Hypostasis] of Christ, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity). The Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon defined this Hypostatic union of Christ s two natures, divine and human, as without mingling, without change, without division, without separation. We believe that at the Transfiguration He manifested not some other sort of light, but only that which was concealed beneath His fleshly exterior. This Light was the Light of the Divine Nature, and as such, it was Uncreated and Divine. So also, in the teachings of the Fathers, Jesus Christ was transfigured on the Mount, not taking upon Himself something new nor being changed into something new, nor something which formerly He did not possess. Rather, it was to show His disciples that which He already was, opening their eyes and bringing them from blindness to sight. For do you not see that eyes that can perceive natural things would be blind to this Light? Thus, this Light is not a light of the senses, and those contemplating it do not simply see with sensual eyes, but rather they are changed by the power of the Divine Spirit. They were transformed, and only in this way did they see the transformation taking place amidst the very assumption of our perishability, with the deification through union with the Word of God in place of this. So, she who miraculously conceived and gave birth recognized that the One born of her is God Incarnate. So it was also for Simeon, who only received this Infant into his arms, and the aged Anna, coming out [from the Jerusalem Temple] for the Meeting, since the Divine Power illumined, as through a glass windowpane, giving light for those having pure eyes of heart. And why did the Lord, before the beginning of the Transfiguration, choose the foremost of the Apostles and lead them up onto the Mount with Him? Certainly, it was to show them something great and mysterious. What is particularly great or mysterious in showing a sensory light, which not only the foremost, but all the other Apostles already abundantly possessed? Why would they need a transforming of their eyes by the power of the Holy Spirit for a contemplation of this Light, if it were merely sensory and created? How could the Glory and the Kingdom of the Father and the Holy Spirit project forth in some sort of sensory light? Indeed, in what sort of Glory and Kingdom would Christ the Lord come at the end of the ages, when there would not be necessary anything in the air, nor in expanse, nor anything similar, but when, in the words of the Apostle, God will be all in all (1 Cor 15: 28)? That is to say, will He alter everything for all? If so, then it follows that light is included. Hence it is clear that the Light of Tabor was a Divine Light. And the Evangelist John, inspired by Divine Revelation, says clearly that the future eternal and 17

18 enduring city has no need of the sun or moon to shine upon it. For the Glory of God lights it up, and the Lamb will be its lamp (Rev 21:23). Is it not clear, that he points out here that this [Lamb] is Jesus, Who is divinely transfigured now upon Tabor, and the flesh of Whom shines, is the lamp manifesting the Glory of divinity for those ascending the mountain with Him? John the Theologian also says about the inhabitants of this city: they will not need light from lamps, nor the light of the sun, for the Lord God will shed light upon them, and night shall be no more (Rev 22:5). But how, we might ask, is there this other light, in which there is no change, nor shadow of alteration (Jas 1:17)? What light is there that is constant and unsetting, unless it be the Light of God? Moreover, could Moses and Elias (and particularly the former, who clearly was present only in spirit, and not in flesh [Elias having ascended bodily to Heaven on the fiery chariot]) be shining with any sort of sensory light, and be seen and known? Especially since it was written of them: they appeared in glory, and spoke of his death, which he was about to fulfill at Jerusalem (Lk 9:30-31). And how otherwise could the Apostles recognize those whom they had never seen before, unless through the mysterious power of the Divine Light, opening their mental eyes? But let us not tire our attention with the furthermost interpretations of the words of the Gospel. We shall believe thus, as those same ones have taught us, who themselves were enlightened by the Lord Himself, insofar as they alone know this well: the Mysteries of God, in the words of a prophet, are known to God alone and His perpetual proximity. Let us, considering the Mystery of the Transfiguration of the Lord in accord with their teaching, strive to be illumined by this Light ourselves and encourage in ourselves love and striving towards the Unfading Glory and Beauty, purifying our spiritual eyes of worldly thoughts and refraining from perishable and quickly passing delights and beauty which darken the garb of the soul and lead to the fire of Gehenna and everlasting darkness. Let us be freed from these by the illumination and knowledge of the incorporeal and ever-existing Light of our Savior transfigured on Tabor, in His Glory, and of His Father from all eternity, and His Life-Creating Spirit, Whom are One Radiance, One Godhead, and Glory, and Kingdom, and Power now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. 18

19 Sermon on the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos Saint John of Kronstadt August 15 Magnify O my soul, the honourable Translation of the Mother of God from earth to heaven. (Refrain for the 9th Ode of the Canon) Let us be happy, beloved brothers and sisters that we belong to the Holy Orthodox Church, worthily and rightly glorifying the Most Holy Sovereign Theotokos on this eminent day out of all the days of the year with special solemnity. There exists on earth many societies and entire governments that do not consider the need nor the obligation to call upon and glorify the Queen of heaven and earth, the Mother of Our Divine Lord Jesus Christ, and other saints and angels; to submissively serve Her lovingly, as the true Mother of God. Sadly, in Russia nowadays we have heretics (among us) who actively dishonor the Mother of God, the saints, their icons, their relics and their festivals. O, if only they also unanimously with us glorified the worthy Queen of heaven and earth! Today the Holy Church solemnly glorifies the honorable Dormition or translation of the Mother of God from earth to heaven. A wonderful translation - she died without serious illness, peacefully. Her soul is taken up in the divine hands of Her Son and carried up into the heavenly abode, accompanied by the sweet singing of angels. And then, her most pure body is transferred by the apostles to Gethsemane where it is honorably buried, and on the third day it is resurrected and taken up to heaven. You see this on the icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos. On it is represented the life-bearing body of the Theotokos laying on a bier, surrounded by the apostles and hierarchs, and in the center of the icon the Lord holding in His hands the most-pure soul of the Theotokos. The translation of the Mother of God is a 19

20 paradigm of the translation in general of the souls of Christians to the other world. We say that our dead have fallen asleep or passed away. What does this mean? This means that for the true Christian there is no death. Death was conquered by Christ on the cross. But there is a translation, i.e, a rearrangement of his condition, i.e. his soul is in another place, in another age, in another world beyond the grave, eternal, without end, that is what is meant by falling asleep. It is as if it were a temporary dream after which, by the voice of the Lord and the fearful yet wonderful trumpet of the Archangel, all the dead shall live and come forth each to his place: either to the resurrection of life or to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:29). This is what the Christian means by translation. We should be ready for this translation, for the day of the general resurrection and judgment, for this indescribable world event, recorded in the Holy Scriptures. This preparation for the meeting of the heavenly King before the dread judgment seat, after death, is essentially the person s preparation throughout the whole of his life. This preparation means a change in all his thoughts, and the moral change of all his being, so that the whole man would be pure and white as snow, washing clean everything that defiles the body and spirit, so that he is adorned with every virtue: repentance, meekness, humility, gentleness, simplicity, chastity, mercifulness, abstention, spiritual contemplation, and burning love for God and neighbor. Our preparation for meeting the heavenly King, and for the inheritance of eternal life in heaven, should consist of these things. The heavenly King desires souls adorned with immutable virtue, souls prepared so that the Very Lord Himself could abide in them. Do not marvel that the Very Lord wants to live in us. In fact the human soul is more spacious than the heavens and the earth, for it exists in the image of God. And if one removes sins from the soul, the Lord of all will settle in it and will fill it with Himself. We will come to him and make our dwelling with him (John 14:23), says the Lord about the souls who love Him. And so, ye participants in the Christian feasts, and especially the present feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, ye who are brightly adorned with every virtue and translated to the heavenly kingdom, to Her Son and God, proclaim to each and every one about preparing their souls to be the dwelling place of the Lord, about continual repentance, and about the incorruptible adornment of Christian virtue. Let your death also be unashamed and peaceful, serving as the pledge of a good answer at the dread judgment seat of Christ. Amen. Reprinted from the OCA website: 20

21 Please Pray for the Mother of God Joy of All Who Sorrow Orthodox Church as we move forward. May God s Will Be Done In All Things! 21

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