By their fruits ye shall know them

One thing is important: the polarization into sides is, in our time, visible. Not that the battle is close or far ahead—but that the sides are being drawn…We know the signs by which the Devil can be identified; they have been familiar for millenniums. Are these signs presently visible? Are they in evidence? We see hatred, cruelty, violence, on all sides. We see each nation preparing itself, girding its loins, to destroy whosoever stands to its left or right. Naked, brute force, the power of the armed fist, has emerged within every nation of the earth: the disguise of international law is gone. And naked force is the sign by which ye shall know him—the Evil One branded by the mark of God, cast out of Heaven, hurled into the lake of fire! Does any man in his sane mind imagine that in the Final Battle, God’s standard will be carried forward by nuclear weapons, armored tanks and strike aircraft? Does any man believe that He Who made this universe could also manufacture mustard gas and bacteriological warfare? By their fruits ye shall know them. The mark is upon them! Pretense is gone—the filthy, hairy shape stands naked for all to see. He calls them in his own name, and to that name they respond. There is no shame, no horror: they have made their choice. They will fight for him, and when he falls for the second death, they will fall beside him. - Adapted from Voice from the street by Philip K. Dick Trust, 2007.

A message for Holy Week

Great Lent has now finished. This week we take another spiritual journey, that of Holy Week. During this week we journey with Our Lord to Jerusalem where we witness in the spirit, His betrayal, crucifixion and burial. To share in Christ’s suffering we keep the fast and attend all the services. If someone dear to you were dying, you would keep vigil or at least visit them everyday. Let us not abandon Christ in His time of suffering. Do not let the affairs of the world distract you but rather put the world to one side this week and join Our Lord in His Passion. Fasting this week is a pilgrimage, a journey. Pascha is the destination. Pascha is the fulfillment of our journey, of all our efforts – it is the source and beginning of our spiritual struggle. The Kingdom of God is here and yet is to be consummated at the end of time. We partake of the Kingdom, which is still to come. We foresee and taste but still struggle on earth. On Wednesday we will commune at the Vespers of the Presanctified. We need this Holy Communion to stay alive on our journey through the spiritual struggle against evil. Our physical hunger from fasting is a reflection of our spiritual hunger. Both will be fulfilled if we share this week in Our Lord’s Passion. For the faithful that observe this Holy Week of Passion, Pascha will be the fulfillment of our physical and spiritual hunger. Then fasting will have no meaning for we will be feasting with the Bridegroom.

The Search for Truth on the Path of Reason

Pokrov Press in Moscow has recently released a book by the renowned Russian theologian Alexei Osipov in English. “The Search for Truth on the Path of Reason” is a spiritual treasure, written in a clear and concise style that speaks to us today. It is a modern classic of Christian apologetics, its main theme being “knowledge of God” and I strongly recommend it.

Osipov points out that “knowledge of God” is not an intellectual exercise but is on the contrary, a gift from God. However much we stretch our minds through scholarly study, inevitably it is God, Who opens our minds and hearts to Divine knowledge. Our knowledge of God depends on our relationship with Him, which is founded in love and humility.

The problem even with our Christian thinking is that we have been influenced by secular philosophy. We may not have read Spinoza, Kant or Hegel, but nevertheless these thinkers have affected our religious views. Osipov explains how these philosophers have turned religion into a moral belief system that has greatly influenced Christianity. He shows how religion has become an ethical philosophy –a do good religion more concerned with social justice rather than communion with God. As an antidote to moralistic religious thinking he quotes from St Isaac the Syrian: “It is not good deeds that purify man’s heart, but rather the war with the passions and the humility that comes out of it.” And again:” The recompense is not given for labor but for humility.”
Osipov also addresses the supposed conflict between science and religion. He explains the origin of pagan beliefs and how they still affect society today. He emphasizes the difference between Old Testament Religion and Judaism, which can never be compatible with true Christianity.

The more I read in the pages of Osipov, the more I find. If you consider yourself a serious seeker, this book should be a part of your spiritual library.

“The Search for Truth on the Path of Reason” is available from Pokrovpress.com

And so shall you eat: your loins girded and your sandals on your feet (Exodus 11. 11) There are numerous discussions on Internet forums about what people believe, often very heated and expressing an underlying cynicism as each person tries to rationalize their point of view. From an Orthodox view, we do not simply subscribe to a belief system but to a way of life. In the early Church, Christianity was referred to as ‘the Way’. It is how we live, how we strive to live according to the commandments. At the end, we will be judged not by our deeds, but by our intentions. This is not to underplay the importance of good works, but to put into perspective that whatever we do, we do with God’s grace. However there is a synergy between man and God. We are not totally depraved and therefore need to rely solely on the grace of God to do anything virtuous, but in our essence we are on the contrary, divine –made in the image and likeness of God. That image may be distorted but it is still there. And for those baptized in the Church as St John clearly states in his letter: “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things… you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things…” Here the Apostle refers to the chrism that is administered after Holy Baptism.

In other words we are a holy people in essence if not in deed and thought. And through the Church, the mystical Body of Christ, we receive the grace of the Holy Spirit to follow the way of Christ. In this way we live a life of preparedness –our loins girded and sandals on our feet. When the time comes for Lord to call us, we hope to be ready. We shall be taken to heaven with our shoes on, so to speak. The mercy of God will seek to find as ready and prepared.