Comments on: Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil

By: Natalia Arzhantseva

Natalia Arzhantseva — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:55:36 +0000

Deborah, unfortunately this notion is far broader & deeper for me. I think a priest can do it, and the Holy Fathers…I even cannot find the English equivalent for this word….
If I find something explanatory enough, I’ll revert.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:59:35 +0000

“Christianity begins where actions, thoughts, intentions are enlightened by love to Christ, devotion to Him, attempts to fulfill His Commandments – humbly. For such people doctrines become alive, they themselves become alive – more & more according to their steps forward in their spiritual life. The walls of the limitations, “do nots” fall, and they see much more than other people, they become really happy. They realise, as absolutely free people in God, the “taste” of Christianity, how graceful God is – to them & to all the creatures.”

Thank you for these beautiful words, Natalia.

“prelestj” I would be interested in knowing the translation and explanation of this word.

By: Natalia Arzhantseva

Natalia Arzhantseva — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:30:37 +0000

After reading this I again thought of “Do nots”….and about the fact that many people consider Christianity as “do nots” relogion, a system of limitations & restrictions & orders. It seems to them that a Christian is a person chased within these restrictions, fearing to step beyond certain limits, step out of a cell he chased himself for the sake of some vague attractive idea…And I thought – as really are, if our behaviour is dictated by “do nots”. But there is something worse in this approach – we, following for some time these limits & obeying certain rules, tend to think that we are good, we are worthy of something, that we are on the right path, that Heaven is waiting for us, and living with a relief – thinking that a cozy place is reserved for us in Heaven – as a prize for our “good behaviour”, as a piece of sugar given to a dog after he performed a certain trick…It all leads to self-complacence. and what is called by the holy fathers – “prelestj”. As “dos” & “do nots” are actually “external” actions, having always certain limits, but mere discipline has nothing to do with love. Maybe because of this the life of such people is gloomy, hard, monotonous, joyless – as they themselves turn it into this state. How else can it be? as it is not enlightened with God’s Spirit? This “righteousness” is dangerous because if we do not think of our motives, intentions, movements of our hearts, mere “do nots” may lead to pride, self-esteem. and pride, as the holy fathers say, is the mother of all malice…Only if our intentions are pure, or better – we try to purify our hearts, we have a chance to acquire humility. Otherwise our life will turn into a set of regulations & taboos – what will make our temporary life unbearable, and which will cut us off from salvation in the future.
Christianity begins where actions, thoughts, intentions are enlightened by love to Christ, devotion to Him, attempts to fulfill His Commandments – humbly. For such people doctrines become alive, they themselves become alive – more & more according to their steps forward in their spiritual life. The walls of the limitations, “do nots” fall, and they see much more than other people, they become really happy. They realise, as absolutely free people in God, the “taste” of Christianity, how graceful God is – to them & to all the creatures.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:09:57 +0000

Pardon me for one last correction (it was really late when I was posting this, last night!):

The idea of “becoming perfect” fills me with great awe, wonder and joy.

The idea of “having to become perfect” is what fills me with fear and trembling and causes me to cry out “Lord, have mercy!”

Thankfully, He does.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:03:46 +0000

A clarification–good isn’t good enough and we do have to be perfect, but the mercy of God is that we sinners are, by the grace of God, through the power of the Body and Blood of Christ, being perfected. So perhaps I should have written ‘we have to BECOME perfect’ instead of ‘BE perfect’. Since to say that I’m not perfect is the world’s biggest understatement, that’s a bit of a relief for me, but even the idea of BECOMING perfect makes me exclaim “Lord, have mercy!”

By: Deborah

Deborah — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:44:43 +0000

Father, Bless,

Thank you very much for this strong reminder that it all comes down to my motivations and inner state of being.

We thought we were doing good by not committing adultery and murder–then Christ informs us that we are not to even have lustful or hateful thoughts. We thought we were doing good loving our neighbor, but now He tells us that this includes loving our enemies! We thought we were doing good by demonstrating our honesty with oaths and now He tells us that we must be so honest that our word of ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is sufficient. On the Sermon on the Mount Christ tells us that it good isn’t good enough–we have to be perfect!!

Lord, have mercy!