Daily Bread
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Grumbling is caused by misery and it can be put aside by doxology (giving praise). Grumbling begets grumbling and doxology begets doxology. when someone doesn’t grumble over a problem troubling him, but rather praises God, then the devil gets frustrated and goes off to someone else who grumbles, in order to cause everything to go even worse for him. You see, the more one grumbles, the more one falls into ruin.
Sometimes the devil deceives us and makes us unable to be pleased with anything; however, one can celebrate all things in a spiritual manner, with doxology, and secure God’s constant blessing.
+ St. Paisios of Mt. Athos, Elder Paisios of Mount Athos Spiritual Councils IV: Family Life
Daily Scripture Readings
1 Corinthians 4:9-16 (Epistle, Apostle)
9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!
11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.
12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.
15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me.
Matthew 9:9-13 (Gospel, Apostle)
9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Apostle and Evangelist Matthew
The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, was also named Levi (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27); he was one of the Twelve Apostles (Mark 3:18; Luke 6:45; Acts 1:13), and was brother of the Apostle James Alphaeus (Mark 2:14). He was a publican, or tax-collector for Rome, in a time when the Jews were under the rule of the Roman Empire. He lived in the Galilean city of Capernaum. When Matthew heard the voice of Jesus Christ: “Come, follow Me” (Mt. 9:9), he left everything and followed the Savior. Christ and His disciples did not refuse Matthew’s invitation and they visited his house, where they shared table with the publican’s friends and acquaintances. Like the host, they were also publicans and known sinners. This event disturbed the pharisees and scribes a great deal.
Publicans who collected taxes from their countrymen did this with great profit for themselves. Usually greedy and cruel people, the Jews considered them pernicious betrayers of their country and religion. The word “publican” for the Jews had the connotation of “public sinner” and “idol-worshipper.” To even speak with a tax-collector was considered a sin, and to associate with one was defilement. But the Jewish teachers were not able to comprehend that the Lord had “come to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mt. 9:13).
Matthew, acknowledging his sinfulness, repaid fourfold anyone he had cheated, and he distributed his remaining possessions to the poor, and he followed after Christ with the other apostles. Saint Matthew was attentive to the instructions of the Divine Teacher, he beheld His innumerable miracles, he went together with the Twelve Apostles preaching to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt. 10:6). He was a witness to the suffering, death, and Resurrection of the Savior, and of His glorious Ascension into Heaven.
Having received the grace of the Holy Spirit, which descended upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, Saint Matthew preached in Palestine for several years. At the request of the Jewish converts at Jerusalem, the holy Apostle Matthew wrote his Gospel describing the earthly life of the Savior, before leaving to preach the Gospel in faraway lands.
How Does One Become a True Orthodox Christian?
Experience of Faith is most important
I have been involved with the catechizing of adults for almost 20 years. In my experience there is only one way one becomes a true Orthodox Christian. It is by experience. There are seekers who long for the original historic Church, who want to gain the proper understanding of doctrine, or only are rebelling against a leader like the pope in the Catholic Church. Also, there are those who have married into an Orthodox family. Their interest is primarily to learn the traditions, both religious and cultural, of their spouse, to fit in, to support their spouse, and to become a dutiful mate. In none of these cases will one readily adopt the Orthodox way of life. To become a true believer requires an experience of God, an inner realization of our higher purpose and destiny. This may be aided and nurtured with a study of church history and church doctrine, but that is not sufficient.
Why do Children fall away when they become adults?
Likewise Orthodox parents frequently see their children fall away from the Orthodox way of life. This happens even though they have been brought up in the faith, attended Sunday school regularly and required to take communion each Sunday. Something changes when then become adults and begin to make choices based on their own will, they often do not continue in the way of life they were taught once they feel liberated from parental control.
So How can we bring one to a faith based on the love of God and a sincere desire to perfect oneself in their ability to live by everything Jesus has taught us?
Can we just explain it in clear and simple terms?
No! Faith is something that must be experienced and rooted in the heart. It is not something that can be grasped by the mind. Can you have a conversation about your sincere faith with someone who is not practicing the Orthodox way of life or not yet familiar with the way of the Church? What have you experienced as a result?
I always thought it was important for a person to understand the underlying idea behind any situation. So why is it that we can’t explain our faith using simple language, why we go to church and what for, and why we need to have Holy Communion and Holy Confession? How successful have you been even with close friends and relatives?
We can’t nurture a feeling of love of God with threats of fearful images?
We should not threaten them with stories about hell and eternal damnation or separation from God. They don’t now fear being separated from God. They are immersed in their own belief in the superiority of their own will. They don’t experience the need for God.
One needs to have a proper fear of God?
This is a feeling of awe, not being afraid. It includes a feeling of respect and of love. To have this proper fear requires a feeling of the presence of God in our life. This is different than the fear we feel when facing difficulties in life. This is often when one calls out to God for help, but how long does this last? What have you observed? When we face a dangerous or difficult situation we naturally think of God, but his is not necessarily the proper fear of God. It’s more self-centered.
The only way we can develop the appropriate fear of God is through a personal reconciliation with the eventuality of death. When we seriously reflect on our death, we become uncomfortable about what happens after death. This discomfort cannot be eliminated until we experience His presence, His love and the hope of eternal life He promises those who choose to follow Him. It is to no avail to try and scare someone telling them they will go to hell if that don’t do….
What is needed is this feeling of awe.
Awe is when we acquire a realization of God’s ever presence, when we experience His love. This only comes through a personal experience.
This is the basis of our problem in trying to bring others into the true faith for their salvation.
We can provide the context for this experience through the teaching of the Gospel, the understanding of proper doctrine, and the knowledge of the ascetic practices that open and cleanse our hearts of sin. The Church services when conducted in a mystical fashion, the hymnology when sung with angelic like voices, and the communal activities provided can all help. They alone still are not sufficient. We can pray that God will at some point awaken those we love to experience His presence. Once they have this personal experience of His presence and love all the teaching and practices will take on meaning. Then there will then be a motivation out of love to follow the way of life taught by the church.
Inspired by Archpriest Maxim Pervozvansky
https://orthochristian.com/146837.html
This week’s calendar reminders:
Monday 11/11: Matins 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday 11/12: no services or events
Wednesday 11/13: no services or events
Thursday 11/14: Matins 8:30 a.m.; Men’s Group 7pm
Friday 11/15: Matins 8:30 a.m.
Saturday 11/16: Choir Workshop 4-6 pm; Catechumen class 4:30; Great Vespers 6pm
Sunday 11/17: Divine Liturgy 9: 15 a.m.
