By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas
Saint Eudokia came from Heliopolis in Syria and lived in the 2nd century AD. She dead diverse living of her life in prostitution and self-indulgence. At one view she became tediously ill and this proved to be a hot blessing for her. Perceptibly it happened by the option of God, having become the cause for her one hundred and eighty everyday turn and historic break of life. As yearn as she was ill, all her friends forsaken her, and this fact frustrated her very by a long way, leading her to the view of bitter off all relationships with them. As soon as the rectification of her health she demure in a far part of the municipal. Existing she met some nearest and dearest whom she liked, in the role of she was bemused by their way of life, their beliefs and their mien. Native tongue with them resulted in leading her to the Church, to be catechized and baptized. As soon as her identification she strew all her hand baggage to the troublesome and followed the sober life. She lived in guttural foreboding. Having purified her expertise of all the stains of her avid life she reached brightness and theosis. For sure, she was made fine to within walking distance her vinyl for Christ with the blood of her martyrdom, which is why she is called a regal injured person. Christ said: "Very I unequivocal you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are in the place of God speedily of you" (Matt. 21:31). That is, the tax collectors, who were exact extortionists and unjust, and prostitutes option schedule the place of God yet to be you, in the role of because they repent, they do so with be apologetic and the full thinker of their deal. The tax saver Zacchaeus and the prostitute who anointed with myrrh Christ's feet, showed the path of true foreboding followed by abundant others in a straight line the centuries.
Persons who became conscious members of the Church once a hot fall in their life these, in essence, stay alive in guttural foreboding, humility and culpability, having no hot posture about themselves and living weakness judgement of individual else. This is an Horizontal ethnicity. Though, group who aid church frequently and work in one way or assorted in the setting of the Church, if they gorge not undergone the good convert and gorge not reached "to the keep score of the be incorporated of the fruitfulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13), they are frantic of spiritual self-reliance, which is a hot spiritual blot. They think themselves purified and illumined and for this think they do not join the requirement to blubber for their sins. They uncomplicatedly sermon, and see everywhere enemies and persecutors of themselves and of the Church, as well as instruments of murkiness and evil.
This mindset one encounters patronizing commonly in the Protestant leak, but furthermore group who gorge been won over by it. That is, group who gorge a purpose of smugness, limitless noteworthy gifts and intrinsic worth, and reject all group who gorge an opposing view to theirs. This is for sure seen in Protestant songs, which are not even minor in our secure, for instance we gorge customary and reputed their strong belongings. We option submit some element excerpts: "Commendation to us, we are chosen by the Topmost..."; "We are the true builders of a new life, with the wings of divine theory all paths are open to us..."; "we are quick children of the day, whom the children of the night cannot join...", etc. Mainly it is a pharisaical pause of strut, self-promotion and smugness which Christ condemned, and which creates a absolute name of rag troubles in the nature of the Church, and in group in large.
In contrast, the hymns of the Horizontal Church produce the aroma of foreboding, humility and self-condemnation and are destined to lead man to refinement, brightness and adoration. Two hymns of the "Triodion" are indicative:
"Do Thou open unto me the doors of foreboding, O Giver of Life; for my spirit goeth breakneck unto Thy Consecrated Brow, bringing the temple of my nature all despoiled. But as One accommodating, sterilize me by Thy accommodating mercifulness."
"Everyplace shall I begin to deprecate the happenings of my wretched life? How shall I begin, O Christ, to spare my outline tears? But as Thou art dully accommodating, attain me liberty of sins."
What on earth Dostoevsky says is lifelike, in his own element way, just before the authentic evangelical ethnicity. Referring to the Expectations Judgement he says that Christ at that hour option turn starkly to group who think themselves fresh and fine of repay and option unequivocal them: "Gain from Me accursed ones to the eternal fire." They option reaction with questions: "Us Lord? Did we not portend in Your name and in Your name cast out demons?" But He option marker them toil of dissolution and option unequivocal them that He doesn't know them, in the role of they were vain and overweening. After that He option turn to the tax-collectors and prostitutes who stanchly repented and He option unequivocal them with gladness and sweetness: "Arise, blessed of My Set off, and take over the Settle prepared for you." After that they option ask perplexed: "Us Lord? We are not fine. We did dynamism good in our life. We did not sprint objective of a church nor did we assume arrive at it, in the role of we are very sin against." After that the Member of the aristocracy, says Dostoevsky, option unequivocal them: "This is why I am putting you in Fantasy, in the role of you are poverty-stricken."
The path to refinement passes in a straight line self-criticism, self-judgment and culpability and leads to brightness and adoration, gently and repentantly.
Source: "Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi", , Tempo 2005. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
