Guest Film Review: 'MAN OF GOD'

Dear Parish Faithful and Friends in Christ,

Here is a guest review of the film, 'Man of God', which we recently saw on March 21 & 28.

Man of God

Settling into my seat, I anticipated a good, but lengthy film of just under two hours. Knowing the general premise for the film and having read a few excellent reviews, I knew it would be a positive experience. However, I could not have prepared for the impression it continues to leave on me.

The film, Man of God, is a poignant portrayal of a holy man whose singular desire was to live unto the Lord. Yet for all his purity, we witness the many obstacles in the form of other persons — many identifying as godly, themselves, who collectively beat down this innocent man. As a viewer, I feel frustrated and even angry at seeing this injustice. But what surprises me is how I cannot stay that way because of the way St. Nektarios responds. His calm demeanor — part personality but more spiritual development — neutralizes those natural human reactions with those that are driven by the Holy Spirit. I was left ignorant of what to feel, but given a clear example of how to act.

Without guile this film holds before the viewer the mirror of seeing certain characters in our own face. I could not help but see myself in Mr. President (his need for authority), in Kostas (his vicarious ambition), and even the mother of one of the young nuns (her need for control). There are many others, to be sure, I could identify with... and it left me with the sad realization that the person with whom I could see least resemblance to was the man of St. Nektarios. But I was left wanting to be more like him! Constant in prayer and fasting... never yielding to anger due to the slanderous comments or even physical assaults of those who sought to humiliate, hurt, and destroy him.

St. Nektarios’ humanity is relatable in his desire to know what he had done to deserve the treatment he received from those who professed to love him. Yet, sometimes there are no answers. And he reminds us that if our faith is based on the actions of men... there is no hope. Our hope must be in God for He will never fail us if we persist in trusting Him.

I was moved at seeing St. Nektarios tell others in a few scenes the truth that God loves them. How often have we heard these words told to us? How deeply do I believe them? How truly has the person who has said those words to us actually believe this truth themselves so that they are convincing to the hearer? I left the film convinced that if I could allow myself to believe undoubtedly the incomprehensible truth that God, indeed, loves me, a sinner, then my entire life would be completely transformed. But even to acknowledge a little that we are lovable by the Holy God means to feel the gravity of our brokenness.... and it hurts. It is a process, however, in which we can make progress.

The film credits were rolling before I could process the ending. Though I was tired from a long day, I couldn’t believe two hours had flown by. I wanted more. It wasn’t enough. I needed to learn more from this man, from this holy father.

Few films are worth our time and entertainment, and even fewer those that would seek to elevate our lives by the message it conveys. This is one of those few. Like a great classic book which is a “must read,” this film is a “must see.” Yelena Popovic, the director and producer (along with several others) of the film has given us an early Paschal basket of holy virtues in the life of St. Nektarios on which to feast. Let us attend! And eagerly desire the table of the Lord!

'Cross-bearers' - Not Simply 'Cross-wearers'

 

Dear Parish Faithful & Friends in Christ,   At the very midpoint of Great Lent we venerate the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. If we have in any way taken up the cross of asceticism in obedience to the Church and in reaction to our over-indulgent surroundings, then by the Third Sunday of Great Lent the purpose of our ascetical efforts - and the very goal of our journey - are brought to our attention: to stand by the Cross of the Lord as we journey toward Jerusalem and Holy Week.  The timing is perfect, for by this third Sunday of Great Lent we begin to tire, if not "wear out" with our lenten effort to this point. However, in our weakness we can find the strength and resolve to continue our journey with enthusiasm, and not simply obligation. This is made possible by the presence of the Cross, not only at the heart and center of Great Lent, but at the heart and center of the biblical revelation; of the entire historical process; of the cosmos; and at the heart and center of the Trinity, as the Lamb of God is slain before the foundation of the world.  With that in mind, we can chant and sing the appointed hymns cited above, not only as fine examples of Byzantine rhetoric, but as profound insights into the meaning and purpose of the Cross.  What may appear at first sight as hyperbole or exaggeration in the Church's hymnography, is discovered, upon deeper meditation, to be the search for words and images adequate to the great mystery of the Cross, in itself the inexhaustible wisdom of God as the "breadth and length, and height and depth" of that wisdom which will fill us "with the fulness of God"(EPH. 3:18-19). The only response to this Mystery once we begin to assimilate it, is to "bow down" in worship before the Master's Cross in awe and adoration.  In our liturgical tradition we decorate the Cross with flowers in order to enhance and reveal its inner beauty, as we bring the Cross in solemn procession into the midst of the church for veneration. The decorated Cross is one way of trying to capture the paradoxical nature of the Cross. For in no way is the Church trying to cover up the horror and brutality of crucifixionas one of the most perverse and twisted means of humanity's sinful capacity to inflict pain and humiliation on others. Here is the dark side of human nature at its most lethal. This is all clearly beneath the surface in the Gospels and their restrained and sober narrative of the Lord dying on the Cross. And it is on Golgotha "when they had crucified him" (MATT. 27:35) that we can begin to understand why the Lord "cried with a loud voice, 'Eli, Eli, la'ma sabach'-tha'ni' that is 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (MATT. 27:46). It is in and through this cry of solidarity with suffering humanity while lifted up on the Cross that we never soften or "sing away" the horror of the Cross. We respect what it meant for the Lord to ascend the Cross. A clear-sighted realism demands that of us. Yet, Christ is our Passover, the Lamb of God "who takes away the sin of the world"(JN. 1:29). On the Cross, as the sinless Son of God, Christ absorbs and takes upon Himself all of that sin in order to overcome it from within. He died on the Cross, but death had no hold over Him. He died for the life of the world and its salvation. By His obedience to the will of the Father, Christ destroys death by death. For this reason, when we venerate the Cross we simultaneously glorify the Lord's "holy Resurrection." It is on the Cross that Christ is victorious, not in spite of the Cross. The Son glorifies the Father precisely while lifted up on the Cross. "I call Him King, because I see Him crucified," said St. John Chrysostom.  As we sing at every Liturgy after having received the Body and Blood of Christ: "for through the Cross joy has come into the world." That is an incredible claim, but through faith we understand that claim as the very heart of the Gospel, the "good news" that life has overcome death "once and for all." Whenever we taste of that joy, we taste of the glory of the Kingdom of God. Perhaps here we discover the paradoxical nature of a decorated Cross: the ultimate sign of defeat and death has become the "unconquerable trophy of the true faith." Or, as the Apostle Paul has declared:  "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (I COR. 1:18). The Lord taught us:  "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (MK. 8:34). These words challenge us to never be content with being passive observers of the Cross, but rather active participants in the life of self-denial and co-suffering love that are implied in taking up the Cross. This further means that by our very vocation as Christians, we are "cross-bearers" and not simply "cross-wearers." It is one thing to wear a cross, and another thing to bear a cross.  Of course it is a good thing that Christians do wear a cross. This is something of a identity badge that reveals that we are indeed Christians, but this worn cross is certainly not another piece of jewelry - Byzantine, three-barred, Celtic or Ethiopian! By wearing a cross we are saying in effect: I am a Christian, and therefore I belong to the Crucified One, who is none other than the "Lord and Master of my life." My ultimate allegiance is to Him, and to no other person or party. With the Apostle Paul, I also confess:  "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith ..." (ROM. 1:16).  Such a confession already takes us way beyond passively being a "cross-wearer" to actively being a "cross-bearer." Dying to sin in Baptism makes the impossible possible. And with a faith in Christ that is ever-deepening in maturity, we can further exclaim with the great Apostle:  "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (GAL. 5:24). The Third Sunday of Great Lent - The Adoration of the Life-Giving Cross - reveals, I believe, that here is something that makes Lent potentially great. Here are reasons that make taking Lent seriously a worthy and noble endeavor. We are slowly learning to be Cross-bearers, and in the process transforming the simple profession "I am a Christian," into a powerful confession of Faith.

The Announcement of the Incarnation

Dear Parish Faithful & Friends in Christ,

Today, March 25, we celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos. This great feast always falls during Great Lent, and when it falls on a weekday, is the only instance of having the full eucharistic Liturgy served for its commemoration. Clearly a sign of the feast’s significance. Thus, the Annunciation is something of a festal interlude that punctuates the eucharistic austerity of the lenten season. So, on this Friday, as we prepare for the Sunday of the Cross, we rejoice in this festal celebration.

Yet, because it does occur during Great Lent, this magnificent feast appears and disappears rather abruptly. It seems as if we have just changed the lenten colors in church to the blue characteristic of feasts dedicated to the Theotokos, when they are immediately changed back again! This is so because the Leavetaking of the Annunciation is on March 26. If we are not alert, it can pass swiftly by undetected by our “spiritual radar” which needs to be operative on a daily basis. 

This Feast has its roots in the biblical passage in St. Luke’s Gospel, wherein the evangelist narrates that incredibly refined dialogue between the angel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary (LK. 1:26-38). The angel Gabriel will “announce” the joyful news of the impending birth of the Messiah, and hence our English name of “Annunciation” for the Feast. However, the Greek title of Evangelismos is even richer in that it captures the truth that the Gospel – evangelion – is being “announced” in the encounter between God’s messenger and the young maiden destined to be the Mother of God. Her “overshadowing” by the Holy Spirit is “Good News” for her and for the entire world! 

Even though the Feast of the Lord’s Nativity in the flesh dominates our ecclesial and cultural consciousness, it is this Feast of the Annunciation that reveals the Incarnation, or the “becoming flesh” of the eternal Word of God. It is the Word’s conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary that is the “moment” of the Word’s enfleshment. Hence, the Church’s insistence that a new human being begins to exist at the moment of conception. The Word made flesh – our Lord Jesus Christ – will be born nine months later on December 25 according to our liturgical calendar; but again, His very conception is the beginning of His human life as God-made-man. The troparion of the Feast captures this well:

Today is the beginning of our salvation; the revelation of the eternal Mystery! The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin as Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos: Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you.

 

Was the Virgin Mary randomly chosen for this awesome role? Was she compelled to fulfill the will of God regardless of her spiritual relationship with God? Was she a mere instrument overwhelmed or even “used” by God for the sake of God’s eternal purpose? That the Virgin Mary was “hailed” as one “highly favored” or “full of grace” (Gk. kecharitōmenē) when the angel Gabriel first descended to her, points us well beyond any such utilitarian role for her.

On the contrary, the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary is understood and presented by the Church as the supreme example of synergy in the Holy Scriptures. The word synergydenotes the harmonious combination and balance between divine grace and human freedom that can occur between God and human beings. God does not compel, but seeks our free cooperation to be a “co-worker” with God in the process of salvation and deification. In this way, God respects our human self-determination, or what we refer to as our freedom or “free will.” 

It is the Virgin Mary’s free assent to accept the unique vocation that was chosen for her from all eternity that allows her to become the Theotokos, or God-bearer. This is, of course, found in her response to the angel Gabriel’s announcement, and following her own perplexity:  “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” 

This teaching on synergy finds its classical expression in a justifiably famous passage from St. Nicholas Cabasilas’ Homily on the Annunciation. The passage itself is often cited as an excellent and eloquent expression of the Orthodox understanding of synergy:

The incarnation of the Word was not only the work of the Father, Son and Spirit – the first consenting, the second descending, and third overshadowing – but it was also the work of the will and faith of the Virgin. Without the three divine persons this design could not have been set in motion; but likewise the plan could not have been carried into effect without the consent and faith of the all-pure Virgin. Only after teaching and persuading her does God make her his Mother and receive from her the flesh which she consciously wills to offer him. Just as he was conceived by his own free choice, so in the same way she became his Mother voluntarily and with her free consent.

We praise the Virgin Mary as representing our longing for God and for fulfilling her destiny so that we may receive the gift of salvation from our Lord who “came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man” (Nicene Creed):

Rejoice, thou who art full of grace: the Lord is with thee. 
Rejoice, O pure Virgin; Hail, O Bride unwedded. 
Rejoice, Mother of life: blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
(Dogmatikon, Vespers of the Annunciation)

 

The Annunciation - 'Oh, what a mystery!'

 

Dear Parish Faithful,

 

This text of an Annunciation hymn "snuck out" before I could provide any context. As  you know, we celebrate this Feast on March 25. This year, we will serve Great Vespers on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. and the Divine Liturgy on Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. 

The rather long hymn below is from the Vespers service. It beautifully expresses the theology behind the Annunciation - basically and marvelously, that the eternal Son of God became, in time, the Son of the Virgin. Thus, the Incarnation is the feast of the Incarnation. Here is an excellent example of how our liturgical life expresses out understanding of the Gospel.

I hope to see many of you at the Great Vespers and/or the Liturgy!

 

Today the good tidings of joy are proclaimed,

today is the festival of the Virgin;

things below are joined together with things on high.

Adam is made new;

Eve is freed from the primal grief;

and by the deification of the human nature that the Lord assumed,

the tabernacle of our substance has become a temple of God.

Oh, what a mystery!

The manner of His emptying cannot be known;

the manner of His conception is beyond speech.

An angel ministers at the miracle; a virginal womb receives the Son;

the Holy Spirit is sent down; the Father on high is well pleased,

and according to their common counsel, a reconciliation is brought to pass

in which and through which we are saved.

For this reason let us unite our song with Gabriel’s,

crying aloud to the Virgin:

“Rejoice, O Lady Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee!

From thee is our salvation, Christ our God,

Who, by assuming our nature, has led us back to Himself.//

Humbly pray to Him for the salvation of our souls!”

'MAN OF GOD' - Film Review

 

Dear Parish Faithful,

 

Yesterday evening (Monday, March 21), fifteen members of our parish sat in a relatively empty cinema and together watched an amazing film - 'Man of God'.  Everything about the film was of the highest quality - the script, the acting, the recreation of late 19th - early 20th c. Egypt and Greece, the musical score, and a fine eye from the director for the larger narrative and those details that leave a lasting impression. The director, by the way, is Yelena Popovich, a Serbian-American, who is an Orthodox believer. She has made a film unapologetically focusing on a "holy man" (the actual meaning of the word "saint") of deep faith and piety - St. Nektarios of Aegina (+1920) The Orthodox scholar, Constantine Cavarnos has described St. Nektarios in the following manner: "Metropolitan of Pentapolis, great Theologian, Philosopher, Moralist, Educator, Ascetic, Mystic, Miracle-Worker and Healer." His written legacy is quite prolific.

St. Nektarios was a Greek Orthodox bishop (Pentapolis in Egypt) who was mercilessly mistreated and slandered by his fellow hierarchs in both Egypt and Greece. His life as a bishop became almost a struggle for survival as he never received a diocese once he was expelled from Egypt by Patriarch Sophronios in the late 19th c., still a relatively young man. This broken relationship between St. Nektarios and the patriarch was especially painful to him, as the patriarch was his "spiritual father." Slander followed him to Greece and the wheels of the ecclesiastical bureaucracy never moved in such a way that would soften his initial fall from grace, thus leaving him not only unrecognized, but isolated and humiliated. 

He eventually became the rector of a prominent theological school, however, building it up as young men were trained for both service in the Church and in the world. Even here there were real tensions with more secularly-minded authorities. His approach was to find the right balance between "kindness and authority." His last great vocation was to establish a group of young nuns in an independent monastery on the lonely island of Aegina. (Today, this is a large and thriving monastic community and complex.)  But he died misunderstood and isolated from the wider life of the Orthodox Church in Greece. In his lifetime, there was no final reconciliation between the saint and the Church hierarchy. (This was the fate of St. John Chrysostom from the fourth and fifth centuries). Duriing his lifetime, he was a prolific writer of theological and pastoral literature that is in wide circulation to this day. His holiness could not remain hidden, and he was numbered among the saints of the Church in 1961. The Patriarchate of Alexandria issued a formal apology a few decades after his death, and this flowery apology scrolled down across the screen right before the final credits. Often, the Church is too hesitant to admit a mistake and repent, so this was a fine example of breaking through such self-defensive posturing.

The film's focus was on the interior life of St. Nektarios as he absorbed blow after blow that would have totally diminished a man of lesser integrity and lesser faith. It was precisely the depth of his faith, his acceptance of whatever cross that came his way - uninvited though it may have been - and his acceptance of any and all life-constricting situations always as a hidden and providential means of strengthening his sense of total dependence on God. This was overwhelmingly impressive as the film unfolded. He always exhorted those around him to resort to faith in God in trying circumstances. 

The lead actor playing St. Nektarios did bring a genuine sobriety and dignity to his portrayal, never falling into the level of pietistic sentimentality. The dialogue was sharp and focused and the saint showed great restraint when verbally - and once even physically - assaulted by his detractors. St. Nektarios leaned on the Gospel image of Christ, turning his other cheek at times, but as Dostoevsky once wrote: "Humility is a powerful force." One touching element is that his supporters were far more troubled at the indignities that he suffered, than St. Nektarios himself was. They wanted justice on his behalf, but he realized that it was not forthcoming. Of particular interest is that the only time St. Nektarios was willing to "fight" the authorities, is when his spiritual children - a group of young nuns - were under attack. 

The atmosphere of his time period was nicely brought to life, from late 19th c. sensibilities - both ecclesial and secular - to the speech patterns and clothing different people wore. The film was made in English and at times the accents were (attractively) heavy! There was some nice interior shots of what were clearly Byzantine-era churches. The saint's practice and dependence on the Jesus Prayer was also periodically highlighted. On the whole, this film was a very professional production, and not a film that could only aspire to playing time on "religious media channels."  The question may arise: Can genuine holiness - or an actual historical saint - be depicted in a film, itself a construct that is ultimately imaginative? That is a legitimate question, indeed. But here was an honest attempt that did strive to remain within realistic boundaries and discernible facts from the life of St. Nektarios - with what I would again call a certain "sobriety" - without straying into the excesses of romanticized religiosity.  


Following the film everyone seemed a bit stunned, trying to process what we had just seen in the life of this remarkable man. To a person, everyone from the parish seemed quite moved and impressed. (The near-empty theatre was a bit disconcerting. I had expected a different response from the Orthodox Christian community). We had some lively exchanges before we left the theatre. Someone even suggested a "road trip" to Aegina one day! That is where the relics of St. Nektaroios are resting and widely venerated to this day. His feast day is November 11, and is on the OCA ecclesiastical calendar. 

I know that "The Man of God" will be shown next Monday, March 28. I am aware of other parishioners who intend on viewing the film. I would strongly recommend it to anyone else. It is a good choice for a "lenten-time film." Actually, presvytera and I saw the film in the summer. We missed the first twenty minutes or so, and on a small computer, we did not have the same viewing experience as this time. We thought it was "good" but nothing exceptional. This second viewing was quite a different experience. 

If you saw it yesterday evening at a different theatre - I believe four different cinemas are presenting it - please share your impression with me. I ask the same if you view it next Monday. I am also thinking of an upcoming zoom session after next Monday, in which we could have a lively group discussion.

*** You can learn more about the film, its director, Yelena Popovich, and St Nektarios of Aegina, on this special page on our parish website.

 

Dedicating our Lenten Effort

 

Dear Parish Faithful & Friends in Christ,

As we start upon the third week of the Fast, O faithful let us glorify the Holy Trinity and joyfully pass through the time that still remains. Causing passions of the flesh to wither from our souls, let us gather divine flowers, weaving garlands for the Queen of day, that with crowns upon our heads, we may sing in praise of Christ the Victor!

Third Week of Great - Vespers on Sunday Evening

 

 

I am simply putting in written form a few of the points that I made in the homily at yesterday's Divine Liturgy on the Second Sunday of Great Lent. Depending upon our experience and perspective, we could either think that the Fast is moving along swiftly ("already the second Sunday"); or dragging along with no end in sight ("only the second Sunday"). Whatever the case may be, this well-known passage from the Epistle to the Hebrews may provide some inspiration:

 

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. (12:12-13)

 

Of course, "warfare against the passions" is an integral part of the Orthodox spiritual life. As St. Gregory Palamas said, "for the impassioned intellect cannot unite with God." The Fathers teach that the passions of gluttony, lust and avarice are struggled against through the ascetic discipline of fasting. Yet, fasting must be sustained through prayer and charity toward others.

As we begin the third week of the Fast, I made the suggestion that we - as a parish or as individual households - "dedicate" our remaining lenten efforts to the suffering people of Ukraine. Many of them, actually the majority, are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We share the same Orthodox Christian Faith, and we receive Christ from the one chalice that unites all Orthodox believers throughout the world. Are the churches in Ukraine even open for worship in some of the cities that are targets of intense bombing? I do not know. What I do know is that the Ukrainian people have had their lives turned upside down with the flash, detonation and deadly explosion of a missile aimed at crushing both their lives and their spirits. So many innocent people are now without shelter, electricity, and food and water are probably in short supply. Children have become orphans and parents have become childless. Seeking shelter, and the basic commodities of life are hardly the types of experiences that we have had in our comfortable lives. We can be deeply empathetic, but we struggle to relate. As I asked yesterday, what does Great Lent even mean in the context for a primal struggle for survival? All I could come up with is that it most certainly means bearing an unbelievably heavy and burdensome cross. We pray and hope that there is a real resurrection for Ukraine and its peoples in a brighter future that is difficult to envision today.

I will admit, that having made that pastoral suggestion, I am rather uncertain as to how exactly "dedicating" the remainder of our lenten fast to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine would manifest itself. Is it an interior attitude of solidarity in spirit? The Apostle Paul did write: "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." (I Cor. 12:26) Or, again: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ." (Gal. 6:2) As we watch this tragic drama unfold before our eyes in "real time," we need to remain vigilant in spirit as we pray for these suffering members of the Body of Christ. Perhaps as our commitment to Great Lent wanes, and our dependence on the comforts of life proves to be too entrenched within us, then our awareness of the deprivations of others and the necessary perseverance they must sustain just to keep alive, may inspire us to dig a bit deeper into our own hidden resources. On a practical level, we can make donations to those sources we believe are most credible and which are effectively bringing relief to Ukraine through necessary supplies, including food and water. The IOCC is very much engaged in this "on the ground" type of activity and ministry. 

However we choose to do it, our goal is to express a sense of solidarity with our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ in Ukraine, as we "dedicate" our lenten efforts that will lead all of us to praise Christ the Victor. 

 

Hymns to the One Triune Divinity

 

Dear Parish Faithful,

GREAT LENT - The Fifth Day

Spare the work of Thine hands, O Savior, and as the Shepherd, seek the lost sheep that has gone astray. Snatch me away from the wolf and make me as a lamb, safe among the sheep of Thy pasture. 

- Canon of St. Andrew, Thursday of the First Week, Ode 8

 

Yesterday evening was rather extraordinary in that I think there were between fifty and sixty worshipers present at the fourth and final part of the Canon of Repentance. At the end of the service, the line of everyone waiting to venerate the icons seemed to keep growing and stretching for a very long time. And, as presvytera Deborah commented to me afterwards, it struck her how everyone seemed very focused and attentive to the singing and chanting of the Canon, together with the other powerful prayers throughout the Compline Service. It was the culmination of a week-long response to the Canon by the parish. In other words, a very good beginning to our collective lenten effort. I hope to see many of the parish faithful present this evening for the first of our Presanctified Liturgies that are so crucial to the lenten journey. The Presanctifed Gifts are the Manna from heaven - the Bread of Life - that sustains through the "desert of the Fast."

Perhaps a component of the Canon that we can "take for granted" as a usual feature of many canons are the hymns to the Trinity that come after the various troparia of the Canon and which always follow the Glory ... Now and ever ...These are some of the Church's most expressive trinitarian hymns, their placement, and the setting and atmosphere of this service - a kind of prayerful stillness that allows for deeper concentration - have a deep effect on the praying heart as we glorify the life-giving Trinity. The paradox of the Three-in-One is thus prayerfully manifested throughout the service. These examples hopefully reinforce the point:

I confess Thee as undivided in Essence unconfused in Persons, One Triune Divinity, co-reigning and co-enthroned! And to Thee, I raise the great Thrice-holy hymn that is sung on high. (Ode 4)

O Trinity, simple and undivided, consubstantial and of One Nature. We praise Thee, Light and Lights, One Holy and Three Holies, God the Trinity! Sing, O my soul, and glorify the Life and Lives, the God of all. (Ode 7)

O Eternal Father, Co-eternal Son and Gracious Comforter, the Spirit of Righteousness, Father of the Divine Word, Word of the Eternal Father, and Living and Creating Spirit. O Trinity, One in Unity, have mercy on me! (Ode 8)

Truly, we are Trinitarian Monotheists!

 

A REFLECTION ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE

 

Dear Parish Faithful,

The situation in Ukraine is desperate and worsens by the hour. The unprovoked attack on this sovereign country by Vladimir Putin and the Russian military is already a humanitarian crisis unknown to Europe since WW II. There are over a million refugees fleeing Ukraine as of now, and the number grows daily. It is very difficult to find the words to fully express the murderous devastation unleashed by Putin upon an innocent people that he claims, as a Russian, to have such close historical, cultural and religious ties with. Perhaps we can say there is something deeply sinister and even hideous in Putin's willingness to slaughter the Ukrainian people in order to fulfill his fantasy of restoring the former Soviet Empire. As the death toll rises among innocent men, women, and children, it is deeply troubling to sit back and watch this in the comfort of our homes. 

 

Ukraine's largest flag flies over Kiev

 

How can we fathom the horror of having a sick tyrant do whatever is necessary to destroy Ukraine - a free, democratic country. For that is clearly his goal, as Kremlin watchers inform us. There is no "off ramp" at this point in time for Putin to exit onto. This is not the time to call Putin a "genius," or tell us how "sophisticated" he is. Vladimir Putin is a corrupt, autocratic thug, and he has made himself a pariah in the eyes of the civilized world. It is clear that many Russian people are vehemently opposed to this war, and I can only hope that their numbers increase to the point that he cannot jail or silence them all. As a ray of light, we are deeply moved by the courage and resolve of the Ukrainian people as they offer their lives in defense of their homeland. What a contrast between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin!

On the "spiritual level," Putin poses as an Orthodox Christian. Meaning, we can assume that he was baptized as an Orthodox Christian (as was Joseph Stalin); and he appears publicly in church either venerating an icon, crossing himself, lighting a candle, or receiving a blessing from the patriarch. As I have said to others, as Orthodox Christians this can only embarrass us and fill us with shame. His actions are not only "un-Christian," they are completely anti-Christian. (If a Ukrainian considered him to be an antichrist figure, who will argue against that?). Would a Christian leader unleash his war machine against his fellow innocent Orthodox Christians on the eve of Great Lent? Is Putin aware that Forgiveness Sunday is fast approaching? Ukrainian Christians are taking up their personal crosses as Great Lent guides them to Golgotha and the Cross of Christ. Is Putin aware that by next Monday Orthodox Christians across the world enter into the "School of Repentance?” These questions may seem naive in the world of realpolitik, but there are Orthodox Christians - including here in America - who commend Putin for his piety and visibility in the Church. This is profoundly misguided and misleading.

Are his actions what we would want or expect from an Orthodox Christian leader supposedly defending traditional Christian values? I just saw a video of a young evangelical Christian woman praise Putin as a "Christian nationalist" who protects Christian values. What values would those be? I have no idea as to whether or not Putin approaches the Chalice for Holy Communion. If so, and if Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow had any courage, shouldn't he excommunicate Putin? Just one example: We tell young people in love that if they choose to have sex outside of marriage then they should not approach the Chalice. Can the Church, then, with any integrity, allow a mass murderer guilty of war crimes to receive the Eucharist? 

Here is a powerful critique, if not a rebuke, of those members of our hierarchy, beginning with Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow and All Russia, who have responded with bland admonishments to "seek and pray for peace" over the war in Ukraine. None of these hierarchs here criticized by Archdeacon John Chryssavgis have denounced Putin's actions for what they are: The immoral and sinful actions of a twisted mind that should be denounced by the Church with the same vehemence as secular writers denounce him. Pious phrases and appeals to humility cannot mask outright evil. Once we realize that that is what we are dealing with, we will then be able to appreciate the victory of Christ over all evil and death itself.

https://publicorthodoxy.org/2022/02/27/orthodox-christian-standing-with-ukraine/

Fr. Steven & Presvytera Deborah