Carrying your cross ( St. Ephraim of Katounakia )

Everyone has a cross to carry. Why? 

Since the leader of our faith endured the cross, we will also endure it. On one hand, the cross is sweet and light, but, on the other, it can also be bitter and heavy.

It depends on our will. If you bear Christ’s cross with love then it will be very light; like a sponge or a cork. But if you have a negative attitude, it becomes heavy; too heavy to lift.

- Taken from the book: Elder Ephraim of Katounakia

The Cross Preserves the Universe ( St. John Maximovitch )

In the Prophet Ezekiel (9:6), it is said that when the Angel of the Lord was sent to punish and destroy the sinning people, it was told him not to strike those on whom the "mark" had been made. In the original text this mark is called "tau," the Hebrew letter corresponding to the letter "T," which is how in ancient times the cross was made, which then was an instrument of punishment.

So, even then, it was foretold the power of the Cross, which preserves those who venerate it. Likewise, by many other events in the Old Testament the power of the Cross was indicated. Moses, who held his arms raised in the form of a cross during the battle, gave victory to the Israelites over the Amalekites. He also, dividing the Red Sea by a blow of his rod and by a transverse blow uniting the waters again, saved Israel from Pharaoh, who drowned in the water, while Israel crossed over on the dry bottom (Exodus, ch. 14, 17).

Through the laying on of his hands in the form of a cross on his grandsons, Jacob gave a blessing to his descendents, foretelling at the same time their future until the coming of the "expectation of the nations" (Genesis, ch. 48).

By the Cross, the Son of God, having become man and accomplished our salvation. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on the Cross (Phil. 2:8). Having stretched out His hands upon the Cross, the Savior with them as it were embraced the world, and by His blood shed on it, like a king with red ink, He signed the forgiveness of the human race.

The Cross of the Lord was the instrument by which He saved the world after the fall into sin. Through the Cross, He descended with His soul into hell, to raise up from it the souls who were awaiting Him. By the Cross Christ opened the doors of paradise which had been closed after our first ancestors had been banished from it. The Cross was sanctified by the Body of Christ which was nailed to it when He gave Himself over to torments and death for the salvation of the world. Then it was filled with life-giving power. By the Cross on Golgotha the prince of this world was cast out (John 12:31) and an end was put to his authority. The weapon by which he was crushed became the sign of Christ's victory.

The demonic hosts tremble when they see the Cross, because the kingdom of hell was destroyed by the Cross. They do not dare to draw near to anyone who is guarded by the Cross.

The whole human race, by the death of Christ on the Cross, received deliverance from the authority of the devil, and everyone who makes use of this saving weapon is inaccessible to the demons.

When legions of demons appeared to St. Anthony the Great and other desert-dwellers, they guarded themselves with the sign of the Cross, and the demons vanished.

When there appeared to St. Symeon the Stylite, who was standing on his pillar, what seemed to be a chariot to carry him to heaven, the Saint, before mounting it, crossed himself and it disappeared. The enemy, who had hoped to cast down the ascetic from the height of his pillar, was put to shame.

One cannot enumerate all the various incidents of the manifestation of the power of the Cross. Invisibly and unceasingly, Divine grace that gushes from it saves the world.

The sign of the Cross is made at all the Mysteries and prayers of the Church. With the making of the sign of the Cross over the bread and wine, they become the Body and Blood of Christ. With the immersion of the Cross the waters are sanctified. The sign of the Cross looses us from sins. "When we are guarded by the Cross, we oppose the enemy, without fearing his nets and barking." Just as the flaming sword in the hands of the Cherubim barred the entrance into paradise of old, so the Cross now acts invisibly in the world, guarding it from perdition.

The Cross is the unconquerable weapon of pious kings in the battle with enemies. Through the apparition of the Cross in the sky, the dominion of Emperor Constantine was confirmed and an end was put to the persecution against the Church. The apparition of the Cross in the sky in Jerusalem in the days of Constantius the Arian proclaimed the victory of Orthodoxy. By the power of the Cross of the Lord, Christian kings will continue to reign until Antichrist, barring his path to power and restraining lawlessness (St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on II Thess. 2:6-7).

The "sign of the Son of Man" (Matt. 24:30), that is, the Cross, will appear in the sky in order to proclaim the end of the present world and the coming of the eternal Kingdom of the Son of God. Then all the tribes of the earth shall weep, because they loved the present age and its lusts, but all who have endured persecution for righteousness and called on the name of the Lord shall rejoice and be glad. The Cross then will save all who conquered temptations, from eternal perdition by the Cross, who crucified their flesh with its passions and lusts, and took up their cross and followed afar Christ.

However, those who hated the Cross of the Lord and did not engrave the Cross in their soul will perish forever. For "the Cross is the preserver of the whole universe, the Cross is the beauty of the Church, the Cross is the might of kings, the Cross is the confirmation of the faithful, the Cross is the glory of angels and the scourge of demons" (Octoechos: Exapostilarion, Monday Matins).

 

St. John Maximovitch

The Cross Preserves the Universe ( St. John Maximovitch )

In the Prophet Ezekiel (9:6), it is said that when the Angel of the Lord was sent to punish and destroy the sinning people, it was told him not to strike those on whom the "mark" had been made. In the original text this mark is called "tau," the Hebrew letter corresponding to the letter "T," which is how in ancient times the cross was made, which then was an instrument of punishment.

So, even then, it was foretold the power of the Cross, which preserves those who venerate it. Likewise, by many other events in the Old Testament the power of the Cross was indicated. Moses, who held his arms raised in the form of a cross during the battle, gave victory to the Israelites over the Amalekites. He also, dividing the Red Sea by a blow of his rod and by a transverse blow uniting the waters again, saved Israel from Pharaoh, who drowned in the water, while Israel crossed over on the dry bottom (Exodus, ch. 14, 17).

Through the laying on of his hands in the form of a cross on his grandsons, Jacob gave a blessing to his descendents, foretelling at the same time their future until the coming of the "expectation of the nations" (Genesis, ch. 48).

By the Cross, the Son of God, having become man and accomplished our salvation. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on the Cross (Phil. 2:8). Having stretched out His hands upon the Cross, the Savior with them as it were embraced the world, and by His blood shed on it, like a king with red ink, He signed the forgiveness of the human race.

The Cross of the Lord was the instrument by which He saved the world after the fall into sin. Through the Cross, He descended with His soul into hell, to raise up from it the souls who were awaiting Him. By the Cross Christ opened the doors of paradise which had been closed after our first ancestors had been banished from it. The Cross was sanctified by the Body of Christ which was nailed to it when He gave Himself over to torments and death for the salvation of the world. Then it was filled with life-giving power. By the Cross on Golgotha the prince of this world was cast out (John 12:31) and an end was put to his authority. The weapon by which he was crushed became the sign of Christ's victory.

The demonic hosts tremble when they see the Cross, because the kingdom of hell was destroyed by the Cross. They do not dare to draw near to anyone who is guarded by the Cross.

The whole human race, by the death of Christ on the Cross, received deliverance from the authority of the devil, and everyone who makes use of this saving weapon is inaccessible to the demons.

When legions of demons appeared to St. Anthony the Great and other desert-dwellers, they guarded themselves with the sign of the Cross, and the demons vanished.

When there appeared to St. Symeon the Stylite, who was standing on his pillar, what seemed to be a chariot to carry him to heaven, the Saint, before mounting it, crossed himself and it disappeared. The enemy, who had hoped to cast down the ascetic from the height of his pillar, was put to shame.

One cannot enumerate all the various incidents of the manifestation of the power of the Cross. Invisibly and unceasingly, Divine grace that gushes from it saves the world.

The sign of the Cross is made at all the Mysteries and prayers of the Church. With the making of the sign of the Cross over the bread and wine, they become the Body and Blood of Christ. With the immersion of the Cross the waters are sanctified. The sign of the Cross looses us from sins. "When we are guarded by the Cross, we oppose the enemy, without fearing his nets and barking." Just as the flaming sword in the hands of the Cherubim barred the entrance into paradise of old, so the Cross now acts invisibly in the world, guarding it from perdition.

The Cross is the unconquerable weapon of pious kings in the battle with enemies. Through the apparition of the Cross in the sky, the dominion of Emperor Constantine was confirmed and an end was put to the persecution against the Church. The apparition of the Cross in the sky in Jerusalem in the days of Constantius the Arian proclaimed the victory of Orthodoxy. By the power of the Cross of the Lord, Christian kings will continue to reign until Antichrist, barring his path to power and restraining lawlessness (St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on II Thes. 2:6-7).

The "sign of the Son of Man" (Matt. 24:30), that is, the Cross, will appear in the sky in order to proclaim the end of the present world and the coming of the eternal Kingdom of the Son of God. Then all the tribes of the earth shall weep, because they loved the present age and its lusts, but all who have endured persecution for righteousness and called on the name of the Lord shall rejoice and be glad. The Cross then will save all who conquered temptations, from eternal perdition by the Cross, who crucified their flesh with its passions and lusts, and took up their cross and followed afar Christ.

However, those who hated the Cross of the Lord and did not engrave the Cross in their soul will perish forever. For "the Cross is the preserver of the whole universe, the Cross is the beauty of the Church, the Cross is the might of kings, the Cross is the confirmation of the faithful, the Cross is the glory of angels and the scourge of demons" (Octoechos: Exapostilarion, Monday Matins). 

 

St. John Maximovitch  

Shanghai Exaltation of the Cross, 1947

Bearing your cross ( St. Innocent of Alaska )

If you bear your cross with perseverance and seek comfort only from Him, then He, through His mercy, will not abandon you but will touch your heart and will impart to you the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

It is then that you will feel an indescribable delight, a wonderful inner peace and joy such as you have never experienced before, and at the same time you will feel an influx of spiritual strength. Prayer will become easier and your faith stronger. Then your heart will be kindled with love of God and all people.

St. Innocent of Alaska

On Patiently Bearing One’s Cross

And He, bearing His cross, went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst” (John 19:17-18).

The major tenet of Christian moral teaching is the teaching about the narrow path or the bearing of one’s cross. Saint Ignatius Bryanchaninov indicates that the narrow path has been established by God Himself for His true followers.


“Our Lord Jesus Christ spent His earthly life in the greatest humbleness, being subjected to constant sorrows and harassment, being persecuted, slandered, humiliated by His enemies, who finally sent Him to a shameful death with criminals. The path of salvation that leads to eternal life has been established by the Lord as a narrow way full of sorrows – established both by the Lord’s holy example and by His holy teaching. The Lord advised His disciples and His followers that they would be sorrowful in the world, i.e. during their earthly lives, that the world would hate them, would persecute and humiliate them, would put them to death. The Lord likened His disciples’ and followers’ situation among depraved humanity to that of sheep among wolves. From this we can see that a life on earth full of trials and tribulations is the Lord’s own establishment for His true servants. And being the Lord’s own establishment, it cannot be deflected by any human means, any wisdom, any sensibility, any prudence, any vigilance.”



The great Russian pastor Protopriest Valentin Amphiteatrov also paid a great deal of attention to the Holy Fathers’ teaching on the bearing of one’s cross, and provided constant instruction on the proper endurance of sorrows, unquestioning fortitude, and complete submission to the will of God.

“Let us, Christians, follow the example of the Mother of God and immerse our will in the will of the Almighty, awaiting from Him instruction and aid in all good things…” “Why does the Saviour exhibit such wondrous tranquility amid the most terrible suffering? – because of His complete submission to the will of God the Father. He suffered, He pleaded in His humanity to have the chalice of suffering pass Him by. But the moment arrived in which He ended with a prayer: not as I will, but as Thou wilt. After that the Saviour no longer prayed to have His predestined chalice of suffering pass Him by…

The Lord showed such an example so that we, too, would seek tranquility in absolute submission to the will of God. For this reason He demands self-sacrifice from us, saying: whoever wishes to follow Me should deny himself. It is as though He were saying: whoever wishes to attain the perfection prescribed in the Gospel should reject his own will and live according to God’s commandment, because without God’s will even a single hair will not fall from your head. Do not pay any attention to things that are both pleasant and unpleasant for your vanity. Do not depend on mighty protectors and do not be offended by your visible enemies. Pleasant things are given to you for you not to become despondent, while unpleasant ones are given so that you do not overstep yourself. The mighty of this world may offer support to you only if God allows it, while persecutors may torment, humiliate, and harm you only as long as God allows it. Raise you mind and heart to God, and you will easily believe that God decisively rules over everything. One can do evil without the will of God, but even evil itself leads to a point at which good becomes clearer and more precious.”

In showing that life on earth does not represent any real joy or comfort except for the hope of salvation, St. Ignatius explains that the entire Christian life on earth consists solely of repentance. “Having taken upon Himself the human flesh and all human weaknesses except sin, the Lord also took penitence upon Himself… The innocent and most holy Lord, having suffered in His humanity for the guilty and sin-infected mankind, has shown suffering to be the path of salvation for all His followers, for all those of His provenance and ancestry… The innocent and most holy Lord spent His entire earthly life in suffering: even more so should the guilty suffer in full realization that they deserve to suffer; they should rejoice that by means of short-lived suffering they are delivered from eternal torment, they enter the ranks of the Lord’s followers and intimate ones. Whoever rejects suffering does not believe himself worthy of it, – such a one does not acknowledge his fall and damnation! Whoever passes his earthly life in pleasure – such a one renounces his own salvation!”

Acknowledging oneself worthy of all manner of punishment leads to a knowledge of the Saviour, as can be seen in the example of the wise thief. Some may say, perhaps, that the thief was an obvious criminal, and thus such a repentant state was natural for him. However, the other thief who was crucified next to Christ was likewise an obvious criminal, and yet he did not arrive at a realization of his sinfulness because there was no mercy or humility in his heart, but only hardness and pride. God’s saints continuously thought of themselves as sinners despite evident gifts of grace; the greatest villains, on the contrary, justified themselves and, being up to their neck in evil deeds, did not cease to proclaim their own virtue.”

All righteous people spent their earthly lives in sorrow: “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth” (Heb. 12:6). When the Lord came across the virtuous youth in the Gospel, He offered him to follow after Him, taking up his cross. Let us not reject the summons! The summons is accepted when, upon the arrival of sorrows, a Christian deems himself worthy of these tribulations; a Christian takes up his cross and follows the Lord when he thanks and glorifies God for all the sorrows that have been sent, when he submits himself entirely to the will of God, when he fulfills the Gospel commandments, especially the commandment on loving one’s enemies.

“The cross of true crossbearers is a good-natured endurance of unmerited suffering. When we see a sick person calling upon the name of God without complaint, when we see before us widows and orphans who, having lost their dear ones, submit themselves to the will of God, – these are Christ’s crossbearers. When we see before us people who are ragged and deceived, when we see people whose honor and innocence is being trampled upon by envy, malice, and slander, – these are Christ’s crossbearers. And we ourselves are Christ’s crossbearers when we allow goodness to take over our hearts.”

The Holy Spirit Himself extends a celestial greeting to those who have been subjected to misfortunes: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations” (James 1:2). “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt. 5:11-12).

Nowadays this teaching is especially important, because, according to the prophecies of the Holy Fathers, in the end times the monastics and all Christians will be saved primarily through endurance of sorrows. Other endeavors: fasting, spiritual labors, great physical feats, nightly vigils, etc. will be taken away from us because of a paucity of spiritual and physical strength. “One time the Holy Fathers of an Egyptian skete were prophetically discoursing about the last generation. “What did we do?” – they said. One of them, the great abba Ischerion, replied: “We fulfilled God’s commandments.” They asked him: “What will those who come after us do?” “They, – said the abba, - will fulfill only half of our endeavors.” And again he was asked: “And what will those who come after them do?” Abba Ischerion replied: “They will not engage in any monastic endeavors, but they will be subjected to sorrows, and those of them who endure will have a higher standing than either we or our fathers.”



The same applies to the whole of Christendom!



Reprinted from “Orthodox Russia,” No. 17, 2004.

Our Personal Cross

Before God decided to send you the Cross

that you are now carrying,
He inspected it with His all-wise eyes,
He examined it with His divine logic,
He selected it with His infinite righteousness,
He warmed it with His loving heart,
He weighed it carefully with His merciful hands
to confirm that it is not heavier than what you can lift,
And, having taking into account your strength,
He blessed it and placed it on your shoulders.
You can carry it.
Hold on to it as you ascend
from Golgotha to the Resurrection.
Amen.

 

http://www.stnektariosmonastery.org/

Demons and the Power of the Cross ( St. Paisios )

Elder Paisios was asked the following regarding demons (called "tagalakia" by some Greeks) and the power of the Cross:

- Elder, my thoughts tell me that the devil, especially nowadays, has a lot of power.


- The devil has evil and hatred, not power. The love of God is all-powerful. Satan tries to appear all-powerful, but he does not succeed. He seems strong, but he is completely weak. Many of his destructive plans are spoiled before they even begin to be manifested. Would a very good father allow some punks to hit his children?


- Elder, I'm afraid of tagalakia(Demons).


- What is there to fear? Tagalakia have no power. Christ is all-powerful. Temptation is rotten to the core. Don't you wear a Cross? The devil's weapons are weak. Christ has armed us with His Cross. Only when we discard our spiritual weapons, then the enemy has power. An Orthodox priest showed a small Cross to a magician, which made the demon he invoked through his magic tremble.

- Why is he so afraid of the Cross?

- Because when Christ accepted the beatings, the slaps and the blows, the kingdom and power of the devil was crushed. By which way did Christ conquer? "With the rod the rule of the devil was crushed," says a Saint. That is, with the last blow of the rod to His head, then the power of the devil was crushed. Patience is the spiritual defense and humility is the greatest weapon against the devil. The greatest balm of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross is that the devil was crushed. After the Crucifixion of Christ he is like a snake with its poison removed or a dog with its teeth removed. The poison of the devil has been removed, the teeth of the dogs, the demons, have been removed, and now that they are disarmed we are armed with the Cross. The demons can do nothing, nothing, to those who have been formed by God when we do not give them the right. They only cause a commotion because they have no power.


One time I was in the Cell of the Honorable Cross, and I had a very beautiful vigil. During the night many demons had collected on the ceiling. At first they were beating heavy and making noise, as if they were dragging large tree trunks. I made the sign of the Cross towards the ceiling and chanted: "We venerate Your Cross Master...." When I finished, the dragging of the logs continued. "Now," I said, "we will form two choirs. In one you will do the dragging above and I will do the other below." When I began, they stopped. First I chanted "We venerate Your Cross...", then "Lord, Your Cross you gave to us as a weapon against the devil...." I had the most pleasant night chanting and, when I stopped for a bit, they continued the entertainment! Every time they present a different work.


- When you chanted the first time, they didn't leave?

- No. Once I was done, they began. Yes, both choirs had to complete the vigil! It was a beautiful vigil! I chanted with longing! I had good days!


- Elder, what does the devil look like?


- You know how "beautiful" he is? Something else! If only you could see him! And how the love of God does not allow people to see the devil! O, the majority would die from their fear! Imagine if they saw him act, if they saw the "sweetness" of his form! Again, some would be greatly entertained. You know what kind of entertainment? How do they call it? Cinema? For anyone to see such work, they would have to pay a lot of money, but even then they would not be able to see him.

- Does he have a horn, a tail?

- Yes, all the accessories.


- Elder, did the demons become so ugly when they fell and the angels became demons?

- Well, of course! Even now it's as if lightning struck them. If lightning strikes a tree, will not the tree immediately become a black stump? They are the same way, as if they've been struck by lighting. At one time I told the tagalakia: "Come so I can see you, that I may not fall into your hands. Now that I am looking at you, your appearance shows how evil you are. If I fall into your hands, what evil I will suffer!"

http://tokandylaki.blogspot.ca/

Has someone offended thee? Guard thy breast with the sign of the Cross; remember what took place on the Cross, and all will be extinguished. ( Saint John Chrysostom )

Has someone offended thee? Guard thy breast with the sign of the Cross; remember what took place on the Cross, and all will be extinguished. Think not of offenses only, but recall also whatever good thou hast received from the one who has offended thee, and at once thou shalt grow meek. Bring to mind the fear of God, and quickly thou shalt grow more temperate and calm. Train thyself not to offend another during offenses themselves, and then, when offended, thou wilt not feel grief. Think to thyself that he who is offending thee is in a frenzy and not in his right mind, and then thou wilt not be vexed at the offense.

Saint John Chrysostom

Carrying your cross ( Elder Ephraim of Katounakia )

Everyone has a cross to carry. Why? Since the leader of our faith endured the cross, we will also endure it. On one hand, the cross is sweet and light, but, on the other, it can also be bitter and heavy.

It depends on our will. If you bear Christ’s cross with love then it will be very light; like a sponge or a cork. But if you have a negative attitude, it becomes heavy; too heavy to lift.

Taken from the book: Elder Ephraim of Katounakia

http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2012/10/carrying-your-cross.html

When Christ enters your heart ( St. Porphyrios )

When you find Christ [in the heart], you are satisfied, you desire nothing else, you find peace. You become a different person.

You live everywhere, wherever Christ is. You live in the stars, in infinity, in heaven with the angels, with the saints, on earth with people, with plants, with animals, with everyone and everything. When there is love for Christ, loneliness disappears.

You are peaceable, joyous, full. Neither melancholy, not illness, nor pressure, nor anxiety, nor depression nor hell.

When Christ enters your heart, your life changes. Christ is everything. Whoever experiences Christ within himself, experiences ineffable things– holy and sacred things. He lives in exultation…

St. Porphyrios