Monday Morning Meditation - The Apostles Peter & Paul - The Greatest and Most Righteous Pillars of the Church

 

Source: theorthodoxchurch.info

“During their earthly lives, all the saints are an incentive to virtue for those who hear and see them with understanding, for they are human icons of excellence, animated pillars of goodness, and living books, which teach us the way to better things.” (Homily on Saints Peter and Paul by St. Gregory Palamas)

Today we celebrate and commemorate the two great Apostles Peter and Paul. Their martyrdom in Rome is a very well-attested historical event, happening probably between the years 64-68 A.D. under the Roman emperor Nero. This is considered within the Church to be such a great Feast that it is preceded by a prescribed time of fasting, a practice only reserved otherwise for the great Feasts of the Lord (Nativity and Pascha) and the Mother of God (Dormition). This both stresses the historical greatness of these two apostles, the accomplishments of their respective ministries, their martyric ends, and the very ministry and role of an apostle in proclaiming the Gospel to the world in fulfillment of the Lord’s command to preach the Good News to “all nations.” (MATT. 28:16-20) Indeed, St. Clement of Rome in his First Epistle, referred to Sts. Peter and Paul as “the greatest and most righteous pillars [of the church].” On careful reflection, it is not simply pious rhetoric that informs some of the hymns chanted in their honor during this Feast:

What spiritual songs shall we sing for Peter and Paul? They have silenced the sharp tongues of the godless. They are awesome swords of the Spirit. They are the adornment of Rome; They have nourished the whole world with the Word of God. They are the living tablets of the New Testament written by the hand of God; Christ who has great mercy, has exalted them in Zion. (Great Vespers)

In the New Testament, fourteen of the Epistles are traditionally attributed to St. Paul and two are attributed to St. Peter. While the entire Acts of the Apostles is basically devoted to recording some of the major events in the history of these two apostles “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” (ACTS. 1:8) It may not be wholly accurate to refer to Sts. Peter and Paul as the apostles, respectively, “to the circumcised” (the Jews) and the “uncircumcised” (the Gentiles) – for St. Peter preached to the Gentiles and St. Paul to the Jews) – but this is a way of capturing the fullness of their combined ministries so that Jews and Gentiles would be united in the one Body of Christ in fulfillment of God’s design.

At Great Vespers of this Feast, three New Testament readings are prescribed, all from St. Peter’s first Epistle. We hear from the magnificent opening of I Peter, and this passage profoundly presents the essence of the Gospel as proclaimed in the apostolic age of the Church’s foundation, by the “prince of the apostles.” For those who have not heard or read this passage recently, a good portion of it deserves to be recorded here so as “to make your day:”

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious that gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.(I PET. 1:3-9)

In this passage, St. Peter reminds us that from the beginning the Gospel bestowed upon on Christians a “living hope” that was based on the fact of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. All New Testament writers establish Christian hope on the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead. (In his first Epistle to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul did not want his early converts to be “without hope” like their pagan neighbors, thus attesting to how important hope is for the believing Christian). The Apostle Peter was not offering yet another philosophy, but proclaiming the activity of God – “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” – within the realm of human history; that is that God has acted decisively on our behalf by overcoming death itself through the resurrection of Jesus. He then describes our “inheritance” in heaven in strikingly powerful images, emphasizing the eternal and unassailable reality of heaven – “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.” This is in sharp contrast to life as we now know it in this world, for all created things are perishable, subject to defilement and destined to fade away. The Apostle Paul confirms this also by saying that “the form of this world is fading away.” (I COR. 7:31) “Guarded by faith,” we await a salvation that will be “revealed in the last time,” meaning the Parousia and end of time.

Yet, the apostle knows that this gift cannot be lightly received and treated. It will only come after “various trials” that are inevitable in a fallen world. In this instance, St. Peter was most likely referring to persecution as this had already broken out against the earliest Christians. However, suffering comes in other forms. These trials will test the “genuineness”of our faith, purifying it if we emerge from these tribulations purged like gold “tested by fire.” All of this is true even though we have not seen nor “see” Jesus even now. This is true of all of Christ’s disciples through the ages, called by Jesus Himself “blessed” by believing though not actually having seen Him (JN. 20:29).

The strength of this experience is beautifully expressed by St. Peter when he confidently states that we “rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.” This is almost embarrassing when we admit dragging ourselves to church or praying as if constrained under a heavy obligation or a “religious duty” that takes us away from more “interesting” activities! A joyless Christianity is completely foreign to the New Testament. As is a “second place” (or “third” or fourth,” etc.) Christianity in the priorities of our lives. The intended “outcome” of all this is “the salvation of your souls.” Is this why every liturgical service that begins with the Great Litany has us praying to the Lord in the first full petition, for the “peace from above and for the salvation of our souls?” There is nothing “selfish” in seeking or accepting the “salvation of our souls.” This is the gift of God that is intended for all. In the assurance of this gift, we can work more steadfastly on behalf of others, and share what God has done on our behalf.

The Apostles Peter and Paul are truly “Rivers of wisdom and upholders of the Cross!” They exemplified the later teaching of St. Ignatius of Antioch of the mystery of Christ that conveys “life in death.” For they died as martyrs but are eternally alive in Christ. We can now read their epistles and their lives as “living books which teach us the way to better things” as St. Gregory Palamas said of them. We seek their prayers as we strive to be worthy of the title of “Christian.”

A Short Reflection

Source: athoniteusa.com

Where would we like members of the Orthodox Church in America to be in the next five years? We hope that we will be able to bring our Lord Jesus Christ's wisdom, compassion, and generous salvation to a world where prideful cruelty, intransigent debates, and fueled divisions - even in the name of Christianity - are now often the norm. We hope we will be able to look upon each person first and foremost as an image of God, to bear the burden of each soul's difficult spiritual journey and earthy necessities, as Christ the Good Shepherd bears ours. In 1937 Mother Maria said that the condition of the world no longer permits us Orthodox the luxury of preoccupation with peripheral issues" "Perhaps in the past, but not today".

From the Document: Defining our Moment, presented by a group of Seminary graduated with long histories of serving the OCA to the All-American Council in 2025 (My signature was attached to this document).

Coming to the Orthodox Church

Source: wikipedia.org

The following is from one of our current inquirers taking our Catechetical Class, and getting prepared to become a catechumen, and then enter the Church. Our potential catechumens are required to write an essay in answer to the question: Why Do I Desire to Enter the Orthodox Church? I found this essay most encouraging, and here are some of the key paragraphs from the essay that I would like to share with the parish.

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Orthodoxy has challenged the way I think about Jesus Christ and the significance of His death and resurrection. It has challenged me to pursue transformation of the heart and to strive to reflect Christ in my actions toward others. While my previous faith tradition emphasized Christ’s death as payment for our sins, I have come to appreciate the Orthodox understanding that Christ came to conquer death and restore humanity to communion with God. This understanding has strengthened my belief that God is loving and merciful rather than merely legalistic.

The people I have met at Christ the Savior have been kind, welcoming, and caring in ways I had not previously experienced. The prayers of the Church have also enriched my spiritual life. Their beauty and repetition have helped me develop greater consistency in prayer, especially during times when I struggle to find words of my own. Through all of these experiences, Orthodoxy has strengthened my faith in ways I never expected.

I truly believe that the Orthodox Church is the Church founded by Christ and preserved through the Apostles. I desire to participate fully in the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church, and I am committed to continuing to grow in faith, repentance, and service. While I recognize that struggles ... may at times affect my attendance, I remain committed to my spiritual growth through prayer, participation in parish life whenever possible.

A Thoughtful Response

 

Source: wikipedia.org

Some more thoughtful responses to the NYT's article about the recent conversions to Orthodox Christianity.

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Good morning, Father!

Reflecting on the line "The Church becomes monstrous when it worships itself and reduces its identity to lists of moral principles or a retro historical ideal." Two weeks after I became a Catechumen back in 2023, I visited St Gregory Palamas for the first time with a group of guys. After Liturgy, Abbot Josef was kind enough to visit with us in the guest house. Mark Phillips asked Abbot Josef if he had any pieces of advice for inquirers or catechumens, and his response was "Learn to love Christ more than you love Orthodoxy." That has stuck with me as a way to remain grounded and focused, not overemphasizing the form of Orthodoxy or entering into a "Orthodoxy vs the world" mindset, but simply to focus on Christ through the Church. I think it can be easy as a convert to see the Church as something primarily negative, as something that stands opposed to whatever ideology we disapprove of (political, religious, modernity, etc). The Abbot's reminder was that the Church belongs to Christ and points directly at Him; becoming united to the Body for any other reason than Christ is superfluous. 

Just a thought I wanted to share. I agree with you in all of this, finding the article to be dissapointing in its caricature of the Church, though unintentionally. I think it is also a reminder that to begin to understand Orthodoxy, you really have to engage in the rhythm of Orthodox life; a cursory outside look can render these flat renditions of something that is quite beautiful.

In Christ, 

Ben Linnabary

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The Church is the Body of Christ, it is about acquiring the Spirit of Christ, of overcoming prejudice and fear; to believe that love and forgiveness is the ultimate Christian message - the Gospel message, and it should not promote any ideological agenda. There is a lot of chaos on the internet and in Orthodox parishes,  as well as to unfortunately include clergy and monastics, that is, in my opinion, in direct opposition to the Gospel. 

With respect,

Presvytera Deborah

Response to an Article

 

Source: wikipedia.org

The NYT published an article the other day, entitled "Orthodox Pews are Overflowing With Converts," by Ruth Graham. I was pretty disappointed with the overall tenor of the article. It focused, if not exclusively, then primarily, on young men who are now attracted to the Orthodox Church, with the implication that it is in the Church that they can encounter a "manosphere" to their liking. In the words of the article:

"Across the country, the ancient tradition of Orthodox Christianity is attracting energetic new adherents, especially among conservative young men. They are drawn to what they describe as a more demanding, even difficult, practice of Christianity. Echoing some of the rhetoric of the so-called manosphere, new waves of young converts say Orthodoxy offers them hard truths and affirms their masculinity."

This is very misleading because of the fact that there are so many women, from many and varies backgrounds, also attracted to the Church - as in our own parish!  Be that as it may, the Orthodox scholar, Fr. Nicholas Denysenko, wrote a very thoughtful and balanced response to the NYT's article, which I am sharing here:

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Today's NYT article on converts to Orthodoxy elicited lively discussion. Some rejoiced. Others criticized the journalist for the limited scope of her presentation. One friend commented that she ignored mainstream Orthodoxy and misrepresented the Church.Peeling back the layers of the gravitation of young American men to Orthodoxy is a story that will draw readers, no matter how much of the larger picture is left out. I'm not making excuses for the journalist. I'm mentioning this because I remember what it was like to have one of the least substantive lines from a long interview used for a story. Some of those unhappy with today's story feel like most of the substance of Orthodoxy was excluded.

I don't know what is going to come of people who come to Church because they feel like it validates their political views. The people they meet in the Church might disappoint them. Maybe they'll become digital creators and use social media platforms to make their case. There are many potential pitfalls.

The one I fear the most is that the people will try to recreate the Church in the image, the name, the metanarrative that comes from some ideological platform, and not from God.The Church becomes monstrous when it worships itself and reduces its identity to lists of moral principles or a retro historical ideal. The Church betrays the tradition she has received when it delights and indulges in confessional polemics, ever seeking to mock and humiliate people who belong to other churches and religious communities. It is as if we try to unlearn the ascetical tradition the Church has us rehearse on a daily basis.

I hope that the people coming to Church will allow their ears to be opened to hear the word of God and to meet him. I hope they will stay the course and learn early on that the gifts of the Spirit received in becoming and being Christian did not include a big, red easy button.I hope that the pastors receiving new people will see the image of God in them and invite them to join a communion of saints in a civilization of priests, prophets, and kings who fail frequently but have the courage to try again the next day.

Those of us committed to the ministries to which we have been appointed are overwhelmed by this moment and many of us are learning on the job, as we go. We need a lot of grace to be the body of Christ in this moment. And maybe that acknowledgement is what can open our eyes to the reality that we are called to be gracious to the seekers and inquirers God sends us.

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This is a very exciting time for us as members of the Orthodox Church, a so many "inquirers" are finding the Church.  It demands both openness and pastoral discernment as we  encounter and greet spiritually-thirsting human beings - women and men - who are seeking entrance into the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We greet them with the love of Christ, for it is Christ - incarnate, crucified and risen - who is the ultimate goal of that spiritual thirst.

In the Life of the Church

Source: uncutmountainsupply.com

 

Dear Parish Faithful & Friends in Christ, Looking back to our immediate past, on the first Sunday of Great Lent, in the context of the Sunday of Orthodoxy, I focused on the notion of Holy Tradition in the homily. Following that homily, Presvytera Deborah reminded me of two outstanding passages on this all-important subject from Fr. John Meyendorff (+1996), both a prominent historian and theologian from the 20th c. and my professor at St. Vladimir's Seminary. The importance of these two passages is found in the fact that Fr. John both recognizes our Lord's condemnation of "human traditions" when they become an obstacle in our relationship with God; while simultaneously making it clear that there is a Holy Tradition by which the Church lives, moves and has its being. Faithful Orthodox Christians always need to keep that in mind, as small "traditions" can at times consume our attention at the expense of the  endlessly-widening expanse of Holy Tradition. These texts are equally important for our inquirers, who are coming to terms with learning about the Church's Holy Tradition from a background that either ignores or rejects the very notion of "tradition." _____ "No clear notion of the true meaning of Tradition can be reached without constantly keeping in mind the well-known condemnation of "human traditions" by the Lord Himself. The one Holy Tradition, which constitutes the self-identity of the Church throughout the ages and is the organic and visible expression of the life of the Spirit in the Church, is not to be confused with the inevitable, often creative and positive, sometimes sinful, and always relative accumulation of human traditions in the historical Church." Living Tradition, p. 21. "The very reality of Tradition, a living and organic reality manifesting the presence of the Spirit in the Church and therefore also its unity, cannot be fully understood unless it is clearly distinguished from everything which creates a normal diversity inside the one Church. To disengage Holy Tradition from the human traditions which tend to monopolize it is in fact a necessary condition of its preservation, for once it becomes petrified into the forms of a particular culture, it not only excludes the others and betrays the catholicity of the Church, but it also identifies itself with passing and relative reality and is in danger of disappearing with it." Living Tradition, 25-26.