repentance – The Tao of Holy Orthodoxy

June 4, 2018

78. The Butterfly

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A crawling caterpillar emerges from its cocoon as a colorful fluttering butterfly. The butterfly reminds us of our ultimate change from mortality to immortality through resurrection from the grave by the Power of God. Also, be reminded by the butterfly that the Orthodox Path is the Way of change. The Way leads to metamorphosis of the soul and body.

The Apostolic Tradition, that is, the life of the Orthodox Church, indwelled and guided by the Holy Spirit, does not change. We hold to the teachings of the Apostles and remain in harmony with the mind (phronema) of the Church. This unchanging Holy Tradition, kept whole and undefiled, has produced many varied changing expressions throughout history. Consider how the music of the Church has varied with Plainsong and the development of Gregorian Chant in the Orthodox West and Byzantine chant in the Orthodox East, each expression faithful to the Tradition. Compare Byzantine Chant to the different styles of Orthodox Church music in Russia from simple Znamenny Chant to complex Western-influenced choral music. Iconographers working faithfully within the stream of the Tradition used their creative skill in their own places and times to produce many different styles of Orthodox icons (Cretan, Macedonian, Novgorod, and others), all in harmony with the Tradition. In the early Church, a diversity of liturgical rites emerged throughout the East and West within the one single Tradition. Encompassed by Holy Tradition, a multiplicity of cultural traditions have developed. These cultural traditions reflect the particular societies and cultures where Holy Orthodoxy has taken root. The particular cultural traditions vary, but they are all within the stream of the ancient Tradition all Orthodox Christians hold in common. The same Holy Spirit which keeps the Apostolic Way unaltered in every generation is the same One Who guides the Church’s creative expressions of the Tradition. The most significant change caused by this unchanging Tradition is the change that will occur within your soul when you internalize the Tradition entirely and live it with your whole being.

Let the butterfly remind you that the Orthodox life is the unchanging Way of change. We are constantly being changed through repentance and the work of Grace in our lives. Embrace the Way entirely and fully, without change or alteration, so that you may continually experience healing and renewal in this life, and, after your participation in this life is finished, be physically resurrected to eternal life in the Kingdom which never ends.

Read: 2 Corinthians 3.18; Ephesians 4.17-24

May 9, 2018May 9, 2018

64. The Overflowing Cup

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Previously, I taught you to wash the inside of your cup. That is, cleanse your heart through repentance. You do not purify your heart so that it remains empty, but so that it may be filled. Through repentance, you make your heart hospitable to the Presence of God. By living the Way, may the Divine Grace, and everything good the Grace brings, overflow within you.

Read: Psalm 23; John 4.4-14; Romans 15.13; 1 Peter 1.8

April 20, 2018April 20, 2018

59. The Mystery of Holy Confession

Restore the purity of your Baptismal robe by entering into the Mystery of Holy Confession, also called the Mystery of Repentance. Stand before God. Your Priest will stand with you as a brother (a fellow sinner) and as a spiritual father. Confess your sins to God with honesty, humility, sincere sorrow, and a firm desire to leave your sins forever behind. Keep in mind that God already knows everything you have done. By confessing your sins, you admit your shameful failures to yourself and to God, and allow God to release you from the heavy chains that bind you and weigh you down.

During Confession, it is important that you only confess your own sins, not the sins of another. You are not responsible for someone else’s sins against you, but your own behavior. You do not need to tell a story during Confession. Simply confess the sins by specifically naming those sins that you have committed in thought, word, and deed, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Remember, you do not sin generally, but you commit specific sins.

Do not wallow in despair because of your failure, but be quick to repent. God’s love and forgiveness is always greater than your sin. God does not want to punish you for your sin, but He desires for you to be healed, for you to grow closer to Him and to become more like Him, and for you to be full of joy and peace. Turn away from your failure, leave your sin behind you in the past, and return to the Way that leads to Life. Through the prayers of your Priest, walk away from the time of your Confession purified and forgiven with the strength to make progress on the Way.

During your Confession, your Priest may offer guidance to help you heal and avoid falling into the same treacherous behaviors again. As a physician becomes acquainted with a patient through repeated clinical visits over time, the Priest can get to know you and your struggles over time. Be attentive to his spiritual guidance for the benefit of your salvation.

Read: Psalm 50 (51); 104 (103); Ezekiel 33.11; Matthew 6.14-15; Luke 11.1-4; 15.11-32; John 20.19-23; James 5.16-20; Galatians 6.1-2; 1 John 1.1-2.29

November 6, 2017February 9, 2021

32. The Eight Parables

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Living the Way of Christ means possessing a good, healthful disposition of heart that produces good, virtuous action. Read these five parables carefully, learn their meaning for your life, and strive to put them into practice:

1) The Parable of the Publican and Pharisee (Luke 18.9-14)

What does this parable teach you about pride and judgment as well as humility and repentance? What does it teach you about God, prayer, and mercy?

2) The Parable of the Sower (Luke 8.4-15)

Are you eagerly receptive to the Truth and humbly teachable or hard-hearted and unteachable, unable to grow to maturity? You choose the kind of soil your heart shall be. Which kind of soil describes the disposition of your heart? What does this parable teach you with regard to how the condition of your heart affects both the health of your soul inwardly and also your outward actions?

3) The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15.11-32)

What does this story teach you about God and His love for us? (The Father did not love the son only when he returned, but the Father always loved the son.) What does the story teach you about sin and the effects of your sin? (Who created the distance between the Father and his son?) What does this teach you about the steps of repentance toward restoration? How does the reaction of the other brother also offer you a lesson?

4) Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

What does this teach you about true love? Why must you love God first and best above all others? (If you do not love God wholly and above all, you cannot love all others fully.) Remember that this parable is also an image of the Church. What does this teach you about the benefit of the Church for you and everyone else?

5) The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7.21-27)

What does this teach you about the the necessity of obedience?

6) The Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21.28-32)

What does this teach you about repentance with regard to obedience and disobedience?

(7 & 8) The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearls (Matthew 13.44-46)

Where does this teach you place of the Way of Christ in your life, considering all your competing priorities and distractions?

November 6, 2017May 9, 2018

31. Wash the Inside of the Cup

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Wash the inside of your cup. What does this mean? Cleanse your heart. Remove the dark staining effects of sin and death. The Way of Christ is your heart’s purifying path. Wash the inside of your cup through prayer and repentance. This will open your soul to healing and your life to transformation. The cleansing of the heart sharpens your spiritual intellect and brings clarity to your spiritual eyes. Listen to Christ’s beautiful words: Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Do not cleanse the heart so that it will remain empty, but so that it may be filled with everything healthful and good. As your heart is cleansed, your outer action will be consistent with your inner condition.

Read: Luke 11.39-41; Matthew 5.8; 23.25-26