Comments Posted By PdnNJ

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Removing Metropolitan Jonah Hurt the American Orthodox Church

Your Grace, do you “speak in tongues”?
If so, you might want to refer to what St. Paul writes about that.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 4, 2012 @ 7:25 am

That’s disgusting, to say the least.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 4, 2012 @ 7:22 am

Thank you, Dorothy.
I really appreciate your reply.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 3, 2012 @ 9:14 pm

Oh my, oh my, oh my!
When dictionary definitions are more important than St. John Climacus’ counsel, we’re lost.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 3, 2012 @ 4:45 pm

ALL “CRADLE” ORTHODOX MUST BECOME “CONVERTS,” TOO!!!
All those who don’t are in danger of remaining in ignorance and darkness until their end.
The following is a conversion experience that “cradle” Orthodox go through if it is authentic.
I know its truth by personal experience.
From “The Struggle With God” by Paul Evdokimov, Paulist Press, 1966:

With rare exceptions, the spiritual life comes into being in an event called “conversion.” Its precise content is of little importance; it is a notable occasion, … . The beginning of an untried promise … . Even those who have inherited the faith in their childhood pass sooner or later through this by a conscious discovery of their faith, and by appropriating it to themselves personally; this is always an overwhelming experience. … . It is a religious springtime full of joyousness and enthusiasm. … the human being finds himself dilated by a surprising joy and spontaneous sympathy for everything. This is an unforgettable time. … . … it makes one see in God the smiling countenance of the Father coming to meet his child.
This time is of short duration. The face of the Father takes on the face of the Son, and his cross casts its shadow within us. … there is no possible return to the simple and childlike faith of former days.
God is watching us at the decisive moment. … . He asks us to assume it freely. The cross is made of our weaknesses and our failings; it is constructed by our enthusiastic impulses and especially by the dark depths of our heart where a secret resistance and shameful ugliness lurk.
“Love your neighbor as yourself” allows a certain love of self. It is a call to love our cross. It means perhaps the most difficult act of all—to accept ourselves as we are. …
“He who see himself as he is, is greater than the one who raises the dead,… . (St. Issac the Syrian, Sentences.)

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 3, 2012 @ 11:12 am

Bishop Tikhon (Fitzgerald) says:
September 2, 2012 at 9:47 pm

“Repentance, by definition, means going back.

I think this is a much, much better definition:

Repentance is the renewal of baptism.
Repentance is a contract with God for a second life.
A penitent is a buyer of humility.
Repentance is the daughter of hope and the renunciation of despair.
Repentance is reconciliation with the Lord by the practice of good deeds contrary to the sins.
Repentance is purification of conscience.
Repentance is the voluntary endurance of all afflictions.
- St. John Climacus

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 3, 2012 @ 10:02 am

Fine, your Grace.
But I’ll not take your advice as the last word on it.
From my 80 years of experience in this temporal life I’ve learned to trust my intuition and my own memory as much or even more than those persons with “encyclopedic” minds who can’t “read between the lines.”
So, as of now I’ll simply offer
“Your ways are not My ways, your thoughts are not My thoughts,” and
“the irrationality of God is greater than the rationality of men”
as pretty much revealing the same thing, the truth of which is revealed in Holy Scripture, the passion of our Lord being the prime example, and I utter that with certainty and without the need for reexamination.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 2, 2012 @ 10:47 pm

I”m all fogged up on Jonah’s situation right now.
If he only resigned as the Primate and requested a new hierarchic assignment but not retirement, can/did the Synod retire him anyway without his permission?
That wouldn’t be “legal,” would it?
And if they did, was it announced formally?
But if they didn’t, and he is just “in limbo,” can they shackle him by putting limits on where, when, and under what circumstances he can serve?
Will that all be resolved justly for the OCA and Jonah before the Nov. AAC to elect a new Metropolitan?
It all seems so very, very “muddy,” stupid, and disgusting!
“Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites.”

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 2, 2012 @ 9:50 pm

Bishop Tikhon (Fitzgerald) says:
September 1, 2012 at 3:06 pm

In my diocese, Archpriest,

Your Grace, which Archpriest are you addressing?

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 1, 2012 @ 9:21 pm

Bishop Tikhon (Fitzgerald) says:
September 1, 2012 at 3:44 pm

Patrick Henry wrote:

I don’t recall ever seeing posts on this blogsite from someone with a moniker like that.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 1, 2012 @ 6:33 pm

I’m sorry, Vladyka, but I’m not going to construct a statement by statement comparison of your conclusions about Met. Jonah above (your post of August 30, 2012 at 4:02 pm) vs. those of Fr. Hans and Veronica, also above.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 1, 2012 @ 6:22 pm

Thank you, Fr. Justin;
In the same line of thought I remember:
“Your ways are not My ways, your thoughts are not My thoughts” (or visa versa).
But I’m sure that i picked up the thought “the irrationality of God is greater than the rationality of men” from some of the sources in my my Orthodox library. (Right now it reminds me of St. Job, The Longsuffering.)

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 1, 2012 @ 6:03 pm

Vladyka:
I would not dare to make up or surmise anything about God’s ways.
So I’m sure that I ascertained it from somethings I’ve read in Holy Scripture and/or the writings of our Saints, theologians, or great authors that at least express or imply the same meaning.
When I again come across an example of that in the near future, I’ll pass it on to you, but only if you wish, of course.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 1, 2012 @ 1:23 pm

Bishop Tikhon (Fitzgerald) says:
August 30, 2012 at 4:02 pm

I say, frankly and unashamedly: the election of Metropolitan Jonah by the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America was a totally irrational act. The resignation of Metropolitan Jonah was an irrational act committed by Metropolitan Jonah, that requires extraordinary help from God to surmount.

Did I or did I not read somewhere in Holy Scripture (or maybe the writings of The Fathers) something to the effect that “the irrationality of God is greater than the rationality of men”?

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 1, 2012 @ 12:01 am

I’m totally with Fr. Hans and Veronica on this.
Where and how Bishop Tikhon (F.) came up with his contra-conclusions about Met. Jonah is beyond me.

» Posted By PdnNJ On August 31, 2012 @ 11:50 pm

Helga, one can reason only with other reasonable people.

» Posted By PdnNJ On August 31, 2012 @ 11:37 pm

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

George, according to their 2011 financial report, only 6% goes to overhead.
See http://www.focusnorthamerica.org/administrator/images/FOCUS-North-America-2011.pdf
(I have a deep affection for Focus North+America because they aid my “closest” neighbors.)

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 24, 2012 @ 3:11 pm

Dear Logan46, who says:
September 24, 2012 at 10:47 am
“now if we attempt to ameliorate any of the ills of poverty, we may endanger the impoverished from the “kingdom of heaven.”
I said, implied, meant, and believe no such thing.
And,
“So, the poor are doomed to be poor and on top of that they must be rejoice in it and not be bitter.”
Again, I said, implied, meant, and believe no such thing, except for “not be bitter.”
“Make your case for conservative political views based on facts and logic, and please leave theology out of it.”
I wasn’t speaking politically or theologically.
The point I wanted to get across is that, according to the writings of our Saints, humility trumps pride no matter what condition of earthly life one finds him/her self in.
“For those of us who may be undecided, it can be quite disheartening.”
I have no interest whatsoever in “influencing your vote.” You have your God given freedom to decide for yourself whichever you think is right.
P.S. For my personal feelings toward those in poverty for any reason, please see my post of September 24, 2012 at 8:53 am below.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 24, 2012 @ 2:46 pm

DEAR EVERYONE: In regard to the subject of this thread, please consider supporting, if you have not already done so, FOCUS NORTH+AMERICA, Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve (as well as IOCC, of course).
See http://www.focusnorthamerica.org/

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 24, 2012 @ 8:53 am

My understanding is that the poor are blessed, not simply because of their poverty (which can be poor in health, status, etc., as well as monetary), but because, when endured/accepted with spiritual humility, it “draws down” Grace. A proud poor man, ashamed/embittered for his poverty, is in the same “danger” as a rich man proud of his riches.
(Matthew 5:3 says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven;” and Luke 6:20 says: “Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.”) (Both NKJV)

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 24, 2012 @ 8:20 am

George Michalopulos says:
September 21, 2012 at 10:21 pm

poverty is best alleviated, to the extent that it can be.

Did not our Lord Himself say (paraphrased) “the poor you shall always have with you.”

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 24, 2012 @ 7:47 am

I heard that that was the reasons the Greeks started AHEPA.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 23, 2012 @ 9:23 pm

Archpriest John W. Morris says:
September 22, 2012 at 8:26 pm

the French and others who look down on us today, were quite happy for the Americans to pay to put their army between them and the Soviets.

Don’t forget the Marshall Plan by which we paid for the rebuilding of their countries, their dept to us for which, I believe, was forgiven.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 23, 2012 @ 9:16 pm

As I understand it, Gibbon considered what is now called the “Byzantine Empire” to be the “fall” of the Roman Empire, and he was part of the British culture when it thought itself to be “the light of the world.” The fact that the Eastern Roman Empire lasted for nearly 1000 years all the while surrounded by attacking enemies didn’t seem to impress him at all.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 23, 2012 @ 8:52 pm

cynthia curran says:
September 23, 2012 at 1:13 am

i think Obama … doesn’t always want to attend to matters of state.

Maybe he considers it to be “above his pay grade?”

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 23, 2012 @ 8:37 pm

See also St. Clement of Alexandria (referred to by St. Maximus the Confessor as “the great Clement of the Miscellanies”) on
“Who Is The Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?”
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/clement-richman.html

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 22, 2012 @ 7:23 am

Who were “the Greeks” in those days???

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 21, 2012 @ 10:02 pm

That brings to my mind that an African American, some years ago, wrote a book titled something like “It’s OK to Leave the Plantation.”

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 16, 2012 @ 5:35 pm

Bishop Tikhon (Fitzgerald) says:
September 12, 2012 at 11:41 am
———
George, you let that one get by – Not good!

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 12, 2012 @ 4:17 pm

It seems to me that the “successful,” “competent” ones get elected to the Fed. Gov. as aspiring poor young lawyers, and come out as millionaires with fantastic pension plans.

» Posted By PdnNJ On September 11, 2012 @ 8:15 am