Patriarchal Paschal Message…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

Paschal Letter 2013 

With the Mercy of God John X Patriarch of Antioch and all the East

To all our beloved in the Lord the children of the Antiochian See, clergy and laypersons,

On the great day of Resurrection, on which Christ rose and raised us with Him, it pleases me to remember with you the meanings of Resurrection and to explain some of its aspects.

The resurrection of the Lord is the resurrection of each one of us. In the resurrection the power of the devil, our enemy, was brought to naught. Although death terrifies human beings, yet the Lord Jesus has defeated it with his life-giving resurrection. He descended in His death to the abode of death, that is, to Hades, and exploded it from within, abolishing its effects. It is true that death is still there, however it has become a mere passage to true life, a complete liberation from temporal things and a way to eternity. Resurrection gave us grace instead of sin, immortality instead of corruption, life instead of death. The rule of the evil one is gone and the kingdom of God has appeared. Darkness gives way to light.

The resurrection is a new creation, a new man, a new people. It is a proof of the power of life and the energy of renewal. It is the supremacy of light and the everlasting rule of truth “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor 5: 17). The resurrection is the victory of God over the powers of sin and death which distort creation and humankind and seek to destroy them. It is the victory which inspired the Apostle Paul to proclaim: “Oh Death, where is your victory? Oh Death, where is your sting” (1 Cor 15: 55).

In His resurrection Christ has opened to man the way of true life, the life of happiness, light, love and renewal. In His resurrection Christ renewed our old nature, and made it in the beauty of His image, enabling us to become a people of resurrection in word and deed. If we believe and truly desire it then the resurrection of Christ becomes our own personal Pascha. “Christ is buried in us as in a tomb. He unites Himself with us and raises us again in Himself.” (Saint Simeon the New Theologian) When we become pure vessels for the Holy Spirit, our celebration of

Pascha becomes a continuous celebration and “happens in us mysteriously at all times”.

True resurrection is never separated from the Cross. The Cross is the way that leads to it. The resurrection of the Lord cannot be lived without remembering His cross and carrying it. In order for us to participate personally in the resurrection of the Lord we must not forget the Cross which preceded it. Without the cross we cannot have a share in the glory of the risen Christ. If we are not aware of the Cross in our lives, from what will we be risen then? If we remain where we are now, where then are the signs of our resurrection? If the darkness of sin continues to prevail in us, how can the light of resurrection dwell in us? We cannot celebrate the resurrection of Christ if the light of the Saviour does not fully dispel from our souls the darkness of our sins.

Easter visits us now while our concerns increase, our fears grow greater, destruction expands, evil intensifies and killing is everywhere and at all times. How can we celebrate the resurrection while our country is doomed, the number of hungry and displaced people is increasing? How can we live the resurrection when the cross is always present?

This is the mystery of Christ, “Through the cross joy came to the whole world”. There, where the Cross is, true resurrection is to found too. Otherwise Pascha would only be mere poetry and chanting. The world does not like the cross. It seeks to abolish it, while it is surrounded by crosses on all sides. True believers would never have these crosses out of sight; they face them with the spirit of resurrection and take from them the new life and put on them the clothes of the light of life. The energy of the resurrection which is in Christ transforms the cross into a tool of joy, a way of life, a witness of love and a sign of communion and solidarity.

How can we live the resurrection? How can we embody it in our lives? How can we translate it from books to the reality of our life?

We celebrate the resurrection and live it when we do not allow evil to enter us and dwell within us under any circumstances whatsoever. We live the resurrection when we do not answer evil with evil. We live it when we continuously purify ourselves from all traces of hatred and rancour. We live it when we stick with constructive truth which does not separate but gathers, which does not cause grief but happiness, and which does not destroy but builds. Let us behold then the truth to which we were called, (if we know it), the truth which liberates us from all sorts of chains of evil. Let us behold the truth which is in the others and respect it, so we might truly communicate with our fellow citizens and fulfill each other, in order to build both our homeland and humanity.

Beloved, What we are saying about Cross and resurrection takes on today a deeper realistic meaning as some of our brethren have suffered the troubles connected to the painful events we are witnessing. Our brothers, that is a number of Metropolitans,

Priests and lay persons are still being held by their kidnappers. A number of priests and lay persons have been killed here and there, and thousands of believers have been displaced from their homes. We are carrying the cross of what all of them have suffered and are still suffering. We share the grief and the tragedy of the Archdiocese of Aleppo, as well as every parish. However, we should use this grief to make a way to a greater steadfastness and an occasion to proclaim our faith in the Resurrection. We have made until today every effort with international and local authorities, asking them to help in the release of the kidnapped. This is the least of what we could do. We need to work for peace to prevail in our regions and we call for an immediate cessation of violence in actions between fellow citizens. We will not surrender to these circumstances as the Lord did not succumb on the way to Golgotha. We shall continue in our way and we shall always claim the rights of man to a decent and peaceful life, mindful that the resurrection is certainly going to happen. For these reason I call upon you for more unity, more prayer, more steadfastness in your faith, more love for your homeland and more openness toward your fellow citizens. Only then can we be more powerful and more efficient in asking for the removal of oppression, a safe return of the kidnapped and the removal of every tear from the faces of those who are sad.

We become children of the Resurrection when we become bridges of communication and encounter between those who are separated, and between those who are in conflict. Let us be bridges exactly like the Lord who did not ask anything for Himself, but gave the world everything, to such an extent that He offered Himself for the salvation of the world. Let us serve as ways of rapprochement for all. Through love, sacrifice and in deeds and truth we shall build our countries.

We become children of Resurrection when we live our faith in genuineness, depth and meaningfulness. External expressions are bound to change with cultures and ways of living, but the genuine Christian content preserves the trust which has been handed down to the saints under many different circumstances,  cases and cultures. Let us imitate the courage of Christ who did not fear anything, even death. Instead He faced the cross with love and brought us to resurrection. Let us face the cross of this crucified East with overwhelming love for all those who are crucified on it, until we reach with them the resurrection we all expect. Let us live these painful days in simplicity, enjoying the bare necessities of life and experiencing the true wealth which is life with God. Let solidarity, cooperation and communion be for us a priority. Needy persons are numerous and the numbers of those affected by troubles are increasing. Let us all be one family and one household. Let us not forget the words of the Gospel, “and whoever… gives one of these little ones a cup of cold water to drink… he shall not lose his reward” (Matt 10:42).

At this stage I address our children in the diaspora wishing them blessed days and praying for their welfare and that they may receive the blessings of God, reminding them of their role and the necessity of expressing their love toward their peoples and countries and in their communion with them. You can extend to us a helpful hand in any way that would be suitable for you.

Last but not least, we do not forget that God is the Lord of history, so we may always hold to patience and hope which do not fade away. Let us remember the words of the prophets and how much they called, in times of distress, for repentance and faith, until God intervenes and removes the distress. In these troubled days we are witnessing, we are in sore need of faithful witnesses. Let us move out of our distress with more faith, more purity and greater loyalty. When we understand that we only need God and no one else, the effects of resurrection will appear in us and in all our humanity. When this happens all around us shall be transfigured.

Christ is risen! Indeed, He is risen!

The Right Side of History…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

Revelation 21 and 22

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John,saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me,“Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things,  and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

The New Jerusalem

9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me[f] and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the namesof the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

The Glory of the New Jerusalem

1 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it,  for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved  shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.  27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.

7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

8 Now I, John, saw and heard  these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

Jesus Testifies to the Churches

12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments,  that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But  outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely…

A Word…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Sometimes…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

“tradition” is just a bad habit that’s found its way into the routine. More often, though, I think tradition became tradition because it proved itself in the real world of human experience over time. There really is nothing new under the sun and more often than not tradition is the human response to that fact. New, especially as it relates to the human condition, is not always better and sometimes we forget this only to remember it again in the middle of a time of crisis.

This Statement…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

is from a man (Metropolitan Paul) who has been kidnapped by terrorists in Syria and whose whereabouts are unknown. He was kidnapped with another Bishop and their driver was killed. Please pray for the Christians of the Middle East, especially Egypt and Syria. They are being subjected to daily harassment by either their governments or insurgents, both of whom receive US taxpayer funds in aid.

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As Someone Once Said…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

“Elections have consequences” and as the majority of Minnesotans have chosen to place a single party with a distinctly leftist social policy in power in both houses of the legislature and the governor’s office we should not be surprised when those officials implement that agenda into law. Barring a miracle of sort same-sex marriage will be legal in Minnesota in the next few weeks.

Will the ground open up and swallow all of Minnesota? Probably not. To get to the point where this would even be considered let alone adopted into law has taken decades and the full effect will also take decades to become known. The immediate effect will be a resigned sadness for some and jubilation for others and then incremental changes as the new law transforms policy and practice. Time will tell. It always does.

For those of us in the observant Christian community the passage of this law will be a time of reflection. For too long we’ve sort of sat on our hands and not engaged the world around us with the beauty of our Faith and of the truth we seek to live. Now we wonder why our ideas are not taken seriously even if they do reflect thousands of years of human experience in the real world. For the most part we’ve not lived as if our “religion” matters so why should anyone else take it seriously? We have a hard road ahead of us and over time the road will get harder. Laws redefining marriage are not simply about civil rights but also about marginalizing those who dissent from the spirit of the age. We’re going to have to make hard choices. Many will wither under the increased social pressure to go along to get along. Many Christians already have.

Politics alone will not change this. We had the chance to vote on this in the last election and even people who claimed to be Orthodox Christians abandoned the clear teaching of the Church on this issue. Politics will also not succeed in redefining marriage. The law can say what it will but marriage is what it is and eventually the full ramifications of this situation will play out and the tide will once again turn. It is happening with abortion as more and more people are coming to discover the truth of what it is and the same will happen with redefining marriage. The logical consequences will work their way to the surface.  Same sex marriage, is, as the saying goes the camel’s nose under the tent and its logic is simply the first step in a process by which marriage will become a free for all with any consenting adults being given the right to define marriage based on their feelings with the state being obliged to support any and all options. There will be chaos and just like the sexual revolution has actually produced less happiness and more STDs so the marriage revolution will weave its destructive path through our culture, promoted in the public life but quietly wreaking havoc among us all. We have too long trusted in princes and sons of men and we are now coming to understand the full implications of our mistake.

Yet the situation is not without hope.

First we as observant Christians need to be reminded that the Kingdom of God is the final destiny of the world. At times the world lauds us, is indifferent to us, or even hates us but ultimately history is on our side. While we should not be arrogant or triumphal about this we can be confident. Perhaps these times are a reminder to us of who we are, who we should be, and to Whom we actually belong. The faithful Church has survived and conquered much worse than this and even if the going gets rough we will survive this as well and so will our view of the world.  As the Scripture says “If God is for us, who can be against us…”

Second, we need to avoid getting caught up in anger and violence. Anger is a wasted emotion producing enormous amounts of heat and next to no light. Anger keeps us locked in itself and in allowing it to rule our responses keeps us from taking actions that would actually make a difference. Violence is simply not our way. Even those who would seek to marginalize and harm us still bear within themselves the image of God. We can sooner desecrate that image then we would purposely burn down our church. Love, which is defined in the observant Christian understanding not as an indulgent emotion but rather the genuine desire for the good of the other,  must prevail, must be our basic motivation.

Next we need to get very serious about our faith. The cultural veneer of Christian ideas is being stripped off at a rapid pace and we have become essentially a pagan society. We need to understand this and in understanding this realize that we need to make a choice. There is no place for people who are willing to say “I’m Christian but…” because the dividing lines between in and out in regards to the Faith will become more distinct. Cooperating with a broken world’s vision is abandonment of the Faith. Because of this our parishes will be, for a period of time, smaller as the cultural tides wash away the hangers-on and social Christians. Those who choose to stay and follow the observant Christian life will need to have that path as the central definition of who they are. They will need to learn its ways in and out. They will need to practice its values to the greatest extent possible. They will be required to live in the world as a distinct people, a Kingdom not defined by any human boundaries but rather by the very life of Jesus.

Finally, when the time comes we need to proclaim this Faith in word and deed. As the world darkens people will instinctively look for some sort of light. We need to be that light, a people committed to living and being Christian in the best sense of the world. We need to be a haven for the broken, truth for a generation that has been lied to, grace in the hostile environments that inevitably result from godless culture, and the very presence of Christ for anyone who crosses our path. Old things must be put away so that all things, in God’s time, can be made new.

Our world is changing. God remains the same. Therefore we can see the times and with the eye of faith look up and see our salvation, and the salvation of the world,  because it truly is nearer to us today than ever before.

Another Reason…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

why you should visit Salvo magazine online. In this case its an article entitled “Seven Things You Can’t Do as a Moral Relativist.”

So you’ve decided to become a moral relativist. Good for you! What could be better than doing whatever feels right? What could be worse than letting someone tell you what you should and shouldn’t do? Plus, it’s one of the easiest worldviews to adopt: Just leave everyone else alone and demand that they do the same for you, and you’ll never have to worry again about whether your actions are right or wrong. In fact, there are really only seven things that you can’t do as a moral relativist. Simply follow the rules below, and you’ll be free from absolutes forever!

Some Perspective…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

on the sexual scandals related to Roman Catholic priests compared to those of school teachers. Even one is a grave sin and the cover ups make it worse but this perspective can give a larger picture, especially in regard to how the media has been covering both issues. Read more here.