SSCORRE!

If the threat of coronavirus has made you think about your own mortality, you are not alone. What is this temporal life for? Our eternal salvation! What things are important in this life for that end? We may have concentrated much of our time and energy on worldly things, but hopefully we have learned from this pandemic to concentrate more on eternal things. “Brethren, it is later than you think. Hasten, therefore, to do the work of God.” -Father Seraphim Rose

June 19, 2020

SSCORRE!
Saint Sophia Cathedral
Online Resources for our Religious Edification

TOPIC OF THE WEEK:

If the threat of coronavirus has made you think about your own mortality, you are not alone. What is this temporal life for? Our eternal salvation! What things are important in this life for that end? We may have concentrated much of our time and energy on worldly things, but hopefully we have learned from this pandemic to concentrate more on eternal things. “Brethren, it is later than you think. Hasten, therefore, to do the work of God.” -Father Seraphim Rose

On Things We Possess and Things That Are On Loan From God

“Do I possess the house in which I live? No. It is on loan from God, while I remain in that place. Do I possess the clothes that I wear? No. They are on loan to me, until they wear out or until I give them away to someone in greater need. Do I possess this body that you see before you? No. It was lent to me by God when I was born, and He will take it back when I die. Do I confess the mind that is composing the words that I speak? No. That too was lent by God at my birth and will go when I die.”

“So do I possess anything? Yes. I possess the virtues that, during my life, have grown and flourished within my soul. Inasmuch as I have grown in love, I possess love. Inasmuch as I have grown in faith, I possess faith. Inasmuch as I have grown in gentleness, I possess gentleness. These things are immortal; they are divine gifts that God will not take away, because He wants heaven itself to be filled with virtue. And, of course, I possess my soul, in which these virtues have their roots.” (From On Living Simply; The Golden Voice of John Chrysostom)

Spiritual Resources for the Pandemic

Coping with COVID-19 for Orthodox Christians

Adult/Family:

“…Let everything take second place to our care for our children, our bringing them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. If from the beginning we teach them to love true wisdom, they will have greater wealth and glory than riches can provide. If a child learns a trade, or is highly educated for a lucrative profession all this is nothing compared to the art of detachment from riches; if you want to make your child rich, teach him this. He is truly rich who does not desire great possessions or surround himself with wealth, but who requires nothing.

This is how to discipline and teach your child; this is the greatest of riches. Do not worry about giving him an influential reputation for worldly wisdom, but ponder deeply how you can teach him to think lightly of this life’s passing glories; thus he will become truly renowned and glorious. Whether you are poor or rich, you can do this; these lessons are not learned from a skillful professor but from divine revelation. Do not ask how he can enjoy a long life here, but how he can enjoy an infinite and eternal life in the age to come. Give him the great things, not the little things. Do not strive to make him a clever orator, but teach him to love true wisdom. He will not suffer if he lacks clever words; but if he lacks wisdom, all the rhetoric in the world cannot help him. A pattern of life is what is needed, not empty speeches; character, not cleverness; deeds, not words. These things will secure the Kingdom and bestow God’s blessing. Do not sharpen his tongue but purify his soul. I do not mean that worldly learning is worthless and to be ignored, but it should not be an exclusive preoccupation…” (from Lessons by Our Holy Father John Chrysostomos on Raising Children)

Pre-school:

How do we get to the Kingdom of Heaven?

Listen to The Suitcase; A Story About Giving here. There is a Discussion Guide here.

Elementary:

“For their hearts were not centered on praise, nor worldly possessions, but on Christ that through their love and obedience to him, they may instead store up treasure in heaven.”

Watch 0.01-3:41 Was Melania generous with her money? Being generous is a virtue, right? What was the problem with how she gave her money away? How did Abba Pambo show her that seeking praise for her generosity was wrong? If you were Abba Pambo would you have kept the money for your own monastery? Why did he say he was going to give the money away?

Middle School:

“For their hearts were not centered on praise, nor worldly possessions, but on Christ that through their love and obedience to him, they may instead store up treasure in heaven.”

Watch 0.01-1:20 and then 3:42-7:27 Why did Abba John give away all of his flax? If it was your flax and you had just gotten it to do your own work, would you have given it all away when people asked, or would you have refused and used it for your own purpose? Why didn’t Abba John pick up the coin from the ground at first? What did he do instead? Why? Did God reward him for his generosity and virtuousness?

High School:

“The same Abba Macarius while he was in Egypt discovered a man who owned a beast of burden engaged in plundering Macarius’ goods. So he came up to the thief as if he were a stranger and he helped him to load the animal. He saw him off in great peace of soul, saying, ‘We have brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of this world.‘ (1Timothy 6.7) ‘The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ (Job 1.2 1) (From The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, pp42-43)

What did Abba Macarius do when he discovered the man stealing what little he had? Why did he do this? How would we react if we found someone stealing our own things?

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A Message from Maria Spanos

I am passionate about our Orthodox Christian faith and seek to help others learn as much as they can about it. My purpose here is to share online resources that help strengthen our relationship with Christ and bind us closer to His Church. I believe they are invaluable in learning about our precious Orthodox Tradition, and are a great aid for teaching family members, friends and others about Orthodoxy. ~Maria

Two of my favorite quotes:

“A true Christian behaves in this life so that it may be a preparation for the future one and not only a life here below. In his actions, he does not think what will be said of him here but of what will be said there in heaven; he represents to himself that he is always in the presence of God, of the angels and all the saints, and remembers that someday they will bear witness of his thoughts, words, and deeds.” — Saint John of Kronstadt

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“Of all the holy works, the education of children is the most holy.”
— St. Theophan the Recluse