Orthodixie

A sermon, widely circulated on the Internet, has led to an apology (or sorts) from His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH:

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] — On Great, Holy and Good Friday, April 17, 2009, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, issued the following statement in response to recent commentary on his April 5, 2009 sermon, delivered at Saint Seraphim Cathedral, Dallas, TX.

“I greet you in a spirit of repentance and forgiveness as we celebrate the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Certain comments that were made in the course of my sermon have provoked a reaction from my Orthodox brothers that I did not intend or foresee. I regret making those comments. In particular, I realize that some characterizations regarding the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Patriarchate of Constantinople were insensitive. As the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, I am motivated only by the desire to underscore our fervent hope that future discussion about the so-called Orthodox Diaspora will include the Orthodox Church in America and other Orthodox jurisdictions in North America.

It is also my purpose to affirm our Church in the face of those who would question our presence as a local Orthodox Church in North America. “It is now clear that I made statements that were uncharitable. I do apologize to His All-Holiness as well as to others who were offended. I also hope that through personal contact and acquaintance we might be able to overcome any misunderstandings that might arise or have clouded the relationship between our Churches in the past. My hope is that we might cooperate in an attitude of mutual support in our common mission, to spread the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the spirit of this Great and Holy Friday, I sincerely pray that as we contemplate Our Lord, Who ascended the Cross to “bring all men to Himself,” we will see in His patience and long-suffering the way to continue our work together for the witness and mission of Orthodoxy in the world and for Orthodox unity in North America.”

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I posted this as a tweet, but it needs blog magnification:

“As if normal trials were insufficient, the enemy offers a magnifying glass these last days before Pascha; may it be flipped by the Resurrection.”

Lent being ended and Holy Week in swing, many feel a sense of depression brought on by dwelling on wasted time and hopes of pious preparation that never materialized.

The enemy of souls is fully aware of this, now that we’ve brought it to mind, and magnifies our short-comings all the more to bring us down, keep us down — to magnify our down-ness.

Get up.

Friends, the Light of the Resurrection even shines backward. The Light of the Resurrection shines even upon our past unworthy efforts. It does so not to further humiliate but to redeem. God can take even our unworthy efforts and fashion them to His glory.

Let Him.

Unlike those rear view mirrors claiming “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear,” the Light of the Resurrection helps reverse that phenomenon.

Let it.

There’s a journey yet to be completed. More’s to be done.

May the magnifying glass that has been used against us — to magnify our fall — be flipped so that the past may decrease that He may increase.

The Bridegroom cometh …

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FeastOfFeasts.org is co-sponsored by the communications office of the Orthodox Church in America and the Department of Internet Ministry of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.

Collected here are a selection of the best writing on Paschal themes available from the gifted writers and teachers of the Orthodox Church in America and the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese.

They’ve posted a piece of mine, The Light of the Resurrection, HERE.

Oh! Be sure to read Dr Maria Khoury’s piece, Waiting for the Miracle (about the holy fire that descends every year in Jerusalem) — HERE.

Thank God Lent’s over!

As we journey through Holy Week to the Great Feast of Feasts, PASCHA, let’s listen in on some more of the retreat — including PALE GAS — which took place just north of the border in El Paso, Texas.

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.