Mysteries – Page 2 – The Tao of Holy Orthodoxy

April 20, 2018April 20, 2018

58. The Mystery of Holy Communion

After Adam and Eve fell into the experience of death, God exiled them from Paradise so that they would not take and eat from the Tree of Life. Why did God make them leave the Garden? The Creator did not want human beings, the pentacle of His creation, whom He loved, to live forever as mortals in a perpetual condition of disease, afflicted by sin and death. In order to save us, God set in motion His plan to heal us from death and reopen the Gates of Paradise so we could live forever as immortals in the eternal heavenly Kingdom.

To accomplish our salvation from death, the God-Man Jesus Christ took the Cross upon which He was crucified and turned it into the Tree of Life. Hanging upon the Tree, His Body and Blood became the Fruit of the Tree, the Divine Medicine of Immortality. Having established His Church as the Garden of Paradise on Earth, Christ planted the Tree of His Cross in the midst of the Church. Now, through the ministry of the Church, God calls every human being back to the Garden of Paradise through the waters of Holy Baptism so that everyone may take and eat the Fruit of the Tree of Life and live forever with Him.

The Mystery of Holy Communion is also called the Holy Eucharist, which means thanksgiving. The Eucharist lies at the center of our primary worship service, the Divine Liturgy. Prior to the Divine Liturgy, we take elements of the creation which God has given us – wheat, water, and grapes – and use our human energy to make something – bread and wine – to be offered to God with thankful hearts in the Liturgy. In return for our simple gift of love and thanks to God, He lovingly gives us the Holy Gift of Himself. This is an exchange of love. We give God created gifts of bread and wine, which symbolize that we are offering God our whole lives, and God gives us in return greater Gifts from heaven. Every time we enter into this heavenly worship of the Divine Liturgy, we experience a miracle. We not only see Jesus Christ and touch Him, but we receive Him into ourselves as Medicine. By partaking in the Holy Body and Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we experience the Uncreated Energy of the Holy Trinity. As I have explained, the Uncreated Energy is the Living Presence of the God Himself, what we also call the Divine Grace. Through Holy Communion, we are each united in communion with Christ Himself and are united in communion with each other as the Church, which is mystically the pure Body of Christ.

In short, Jesus Christ is both our Great Physician and our Divine Medicine. His Church is the Hospital where the Divine Medicine is administered and the Garden of Paradise in which the Fruit of the Tree of Life is consumed. Since you have become a natural-born citizen of the heaven, you need to nourish your soul and body with the healing, strengthening, and transfiguring Divine Food.

In preparation for the reception of Holy Communion, completely abstain from all food and drink from midnight until the time that you receive Holy Communion the next morning. This is called the Eucharistic fast. If the Divine Liturgy is celebrated in the evening, you may begin the fast after your noon-hour meal. If you are sick, you do not need to fast since your body is already humbled. If you need to take medicine, take your medicine and only as much of water or food as necessary. If you are pregnant or nursing, you do not need to fast since your body is humbled and you require nourishment for the sake of your child. In addition to keeping the Eucharistic fast, pray the Pre-Communion prayers in order to prepare your soul to receive the Divine Gifts so that the Medicine may effectively heal your soul. These are not Pharisaic requirements, but helpful therapeutic practices.

When you approach the Chalice, keep your arms crossed over your chest. (Remember the Seraphim, who cover themselves with their wings in humility before God.). Allow the Priest’s assistants to place the communion cloth under your chin. Open your mouth to receive the Divine Gifts on a spoon from hand of the Priest. When the spoon is in your mouth, close your mouth and lips so that nothing remains on the spoon when the Priest withdraws it. If necessary, you may then very carefully wipe your lips with the communion cloth before you step away.

If you are partaking in one of the Western Rite Divine Liturgies of the Orthodox Church (that is, the Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist or the Liturgy of St. Tikhon), the Priest will place the Holy Gifts on your tongue with His hand instead of by spoon. In such a case, observe the same reverence and care.

Read: Genesis 3.1-7; 4.1-5; 8.18-21; 9.1-4; 14:18-20; 22.1-19; 28.10-22; Exodus 12; 13.3-10; 20.22-26; 24.7-8; Leviticus 16-17; John 6; Luke 22:7-38; 24.30-32; John 19.17-37; Hebrews 5-10; Colossians 1.1-23; 1 John 1.5-7; 1 Corinthians 11.23-32; Revelation 19.6-9; 22.1-3

April 2, 2018

54. The Mystery of Holy Baptism

water with flower

I have said that the Holy Mysteries will be open to you after you enter into Christ’s Holy Church. More accurately, you will be joined with Christ and initiated into His Church through one of the Mysteries – Holy Baptism.

Sickened by sin and burdened by your past wounds, you will be washed clean by the healing, Grace-indwelling waters of purification. Your Baptism is your personal participation in the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Baptism, you will die with Christ, be buried with Him, and be raised with Him to newness of life – life as an Orthodox Christian. Through Baptism, you will be reborn.

You will be immersed three times in the sacred waters in the Name of the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Once enslaved to darkness, you will die to sin and death through Baptism and emerge as child of God within His family, a member of the Body of Christ, and a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. United with the Tao, you will be one of the Faithful within His own Church. Your journey as a catechumen ends with Holy Baptism, yet Holy Baptism is just the beginning of your life – your new life – on the Way.

Having been purified, reborn, and clothed in the Light of Divine Grace, dedicate yourself to growing that Grace given to you. Fulfill your calling to live as one dead to sin and alive in Jesus Christ. Remain faithful to the Way so that you may keep the bright illumined robe of your soul pure and radiant.

Read: Genesis 1.1-10; 6.1-8.19; 17-1-14; Exodus 14-15;17.5-6; 30.17-21; Psalm 50 (51); Isaiah 1; Luke 3.1-20; John 1.1-13; 3.1-21; 4.1-15; Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 8.26-40; 22.1-16; 2.37-41; Romans 6.3-11; 8.13-17; 1 Corinthians 12.12-13; 2 Corinthians 5.14-21; Galatians 3.23-29; Ephesians 4.3-5; Colossians 1.3-18; 2.1-15; 3.1-17; 1 Peter 3.13-22; Revelation 22.1-5, 14-15

March 19, 2018

53. Holy Mysteries & Unity of the Church

hands unity

When you are brought into union with Christ and into communion with His Church, you will enter into a kind of spiritual marriage. You will be integrated into His faithful Bride, the Church. As physical marital union between a husband and wife is only permissible, pure, and blessed between two who have united together through marriage, sharing in the Holy Mysteries is only permitted, pure, and blessed by those who have entered into union with the Holy Orthodox Church.

In right order, a marriage between a man and woman should be established first, then the benefits of marriage, including physical marital union and having children, are enjoyed. To use the image of the Hospital again, only individuals who first have been admitted to the Hospital under the care of the Physician receive the benefits of being patients, that is, receiving the full medical treatment, including the prescribed Medicines. Therefore, those outside of the Orthodox Church are forbidden from receiving the Holy Mysteries of the Church. They are neither the Bride nor patients in the Hospital. They are not yet ready to enjoy the benefits of the spiritual marriage nor the benefits of a patient by receiving the Medicine. As Adam and Eve, those separated from the Holy Orthodox Church are not yet ready to partake of the fruit of the Tree.

Likewise, Orthodox Christians refuse to participate in the rituals or sacraments of heterodox (non-Orthodox) religious groups that are separated from the Orthodox Church. As a pure Bride, always reject spiritual adultery, instead remaining faithful to Christ and in unity with His Holy Church. The Mystery of the Church holds everything you need for your salvation.

March 15, 2018April 27, 2018

52. Divine Medicine: The Holy Mysteries

Life medicines

As a catechumen, you have been engaged in a period of intensive training to prepare you for entrance into the Holy Orthodox Church, the Hospital established by Christ, our Physician. Only when you are admitted to the Hospital under the care of the Bishop and Priests will you receive the full treatment to cure your soul.

When you have been received into the Church, the Divine Medicines will be open to you. We call these various Medicines the Holy Mysteries. They are also called the Holy Sacraments. We list these seven Mysteries, but we do not limit their number:

Holy Baptism
Holy Chrismation
Holy Communion
Holy Confession
Holy Marriage (Matrimony)
Holy Unction (Anointing of the Sick)
Holy Ordination

Through the Holy Mysteries, your body and soul will encounter the Divine Grace, that is, the Life-Giving Presence of God. Each of the Holy Mysteries works effectively, not because it contains an active ingredient derived from the creation, but because God works through the Mystery to heal us. See in the Holy Mysteries how the Uncreated One works through His human creatures and simple components of His creation, like water and oil, to touch us, change us, and unite us with Himself.

You can only really know the Holy Mysteries with the heart by experiencing them. Medicines are meant to be taken by the sick. They are not objects of curiosity. Yet, your rational mind can learn about the meaning and use of the Holy Mysteries by reading Holy Scripture and the history of the early Church. Since the Mysteries are inseparable from our prayer and worship, the liturgical services and prayers can likewise help you reach a basic understanding of those Divine Mysteries beyond comprehension.

Most importantly, continue to repent and prepare yourself for receiving the Life-Giving Medicines. May God give you good strength!

February 7, 2018March 17, 2018

48. The Three Aspects of Your Cure

pexels-photo-771149 bicycle

When you fall ill, your physician may prescribe a comprehensive treatment plan for recovery that includes three basic components:

A healthful daily lifestyle: Avoid foods that contribute to poor health. Drink plenty of fluids to remain hydrated. Eat more nutritious vegetables and increase protein consumption. Lose fat and build muscle. Walk or bike more and drive your car less. Make sure you get adequate sleep every night.
Corrective therapy: Work to cut out addictive habits, like smoking and excessive drinking. Keep certain dietary restrictions. Submit to surgery to fix the root internal problem causing your symptoms. Actively engage in physical therapy to build strength, increase flexibility, and improve mobility after surgery or injury. Exercise rigorously to improve your cardiovascular health.
Medicine: As prescribed, take your medications, including vitamin supplements, that effectively promote normal, healthy functioning of all your body’s systems.

In order to improve your health, you must follow all aspects of the treatment plan your physician has handed you. If you only take your prescribed medications, but neglect the plan as a whole, refusing to eat well, sleep well, exercise well, stop smoking, or engage in any difficult strenuous activity, your health may not improve. Similarly, if you follow the first two aspects of the plan, but refuse to take necessary medications, your health may further deteriorate rather than improve.

As a physician of the body might provide a comprehensive treatment plan so that your physical health would be fully restored, our Divine Physician has provided a comprehensive treatment plan for the healing of your soul within His Church. The life of the Church cannot be neatly divided in separate categories, but for the sake of simplicity think of your treatment as having these three aspects:

A healthful daily lifestyle: Live a virtuous life. Obediently follow the commandments of Christ. Love God and your fellow human beings. Keep the Orthodox Faith in your mind, heart, and action. Be patient. Cultivate humility. Stay watchful. Remain within the stream the the Divine Will rather than being distracted and yanked around by the passions. Maintain chastity in the soul and body. Be good. Do good. Always pray.
Corrective therapy: The spiritual life is a Way of both spiritual therapy and training. In other words, the Orthodox Way involves ascetic effort. Though sometimes difficult, actively engage in the ascetic effort through self-denial and repentance. Practice abstinence. Keep the fasts. Cut out bad habits and turn away from sin through repentance. A patient engaged in physical therapy must sometimes endure demanding and painful exercises to heal. The difficulty you experience through your ascetic effort proves necessary for the strengthening, healing, and transformation of your soul.
Medicine: Receive the Holy Mysteries. the Divine Medicines of the Church.

The difference between the first two aspects, living a virtuous life and practicing the ascetic effort, is difficulty. If you were not afflicted by death, you would easily live a healthful lifestyle. It would be natural for you to follow the Way of Life. Since you possess illness in your soul, however, the Way will not always seem natural. What is natural for the healed person may be difficult in your present condition. On the other hand, that which is unnatural and harmful, may seem or feel natural to you. No matter how hard and exhausting, reject the temptations to give up and to take the easy path toward death. Keep your heart focused on Christ and your feet on the the Way that leads to Life. Your daily dedication to a healthful lifestyle (a virtuous life in harmony with the Way) and commitment to corrective therapy (ascetic effort) prepares your soul and body for reception of the Divine Medicines (the Holy Mysteries) you need.

Listen to the instructions that the Divine Physician has given you and faithfully carry them out. Carefully attend to all these aspects of your cure. Follow the guidance of your Priest-physician so that you may be healed and continue on the path of growth and transformation. To experience the fullness of salvation, dedicate yourself to the complete treatment plan of the Church – the whole Way.

Read: Luke 6.45-49