2004

No other church in the world has written about prayer like ours, starting from the ascetic fathers, passing by the theologian ones and continuing generation after the other. As if the main interest of the Orthodox Church is prayer, its performance and meanings in a way that it can carry all our belief through the divine services that it performs and through individual prayers. All this seems to be an obedience to what Paul said: “pray without ceasing” (1Thessalonians 5: 17) or to what the Lord said: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Matthew 26: 41). We have what’s called the continual prayer or the prayer of Jesus or the prayer of the heart: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”. But if we looked at the regular worship, we have the prayers of the first, third, sixth, and ninth hour, and the vespers, the midnight office, and the orthros. This means that we have seven prayers daily, and in the ecclesiastic organization some of them are grouped together in monasteries and sometimes in parishes; this is without mentioning the Small or the Great Compline which is considered an individual prayer though in our churches in the Antiochian Patriarchate we do have the Great Compline during the Great Lent. And the peak of all this is the Divine Liturgy, therefore we actually have nine prayers.

If we study the content of these prayers we see that some of them are request prayers i.e. when we ask from the Lord our need especially graces as the Lord said: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”. Another kind is the thankful prayer where we thank for what the Lord gave us (we give thanks unto thee). Finally, there is the praising prayer where our mind is directed towards the glory of God without requesting anything and thanking for anything.

The Holy Book considers the prayer to be normal for the believer; it even contains a special book for it in the Old Testament which is the book of Psalms. The church recites this entire book every week and quotes a whole psalm in some services or more than one in others or some verses from the book here and there. The Old Testament mentions some of those who prayed (Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Job, Jonah… etc.), until the New Testament comes and mentions the prayer of Jesus to his heavenly Father. The book of Acts mentions that the church used to pray as a whole. The Disciples of Christ were convinced in prayer so they asked Lord Jesus to teach them how to pray, so he said the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father who art in Heaven,…).

The spirit of the Gospel is to pray individually all the time so that our prayer is raised automatically from the heart. Our fathers have defined prayer to be the elevation of the heart to God. If your heart is filled with his presence, you make all your free time a time of prayer so that only God dwells in your heart, and no other worthless or evil thoughts dwell there. You cannot remove this thought except by mentioning God, this way you taste that God is all your life.

One of the most important things in your personal life is to pray for those who irked you; you mention their names so that hatred would vanish from you and them. Also, one of the most important things is to ask forgiveness from your Lord so that the sin won’t breed inside you. Do not sleep before asking for forgiveness, because you might not wake up in the morning. And for you not to just be a requester concentrating on the ego, thank God for what he gave you, and if you carried on in the divine love praise your Lord a good praise that contains all the joy so you feel then that you are God’s companion and associate as if you became for him like his angels.

Pray in any position; standing or kneeling or lying on your bed. And before everything, pray in the hour of temptation because you cannot push the temptation of the sin away from you except if you called the Lord and he comes and becomes a shield between you and the evil tendency. We do not have a way to remove the wrong corruptive thought from us except if we asked God to come himself and keep the temptation away from us.

If you intensified the prayer day after day, you feel that your thought has become a divine one, in harmony with what God said in his Gospel, and the Gospel is God’s speech to you. If his words dwelled in your heart, then the latter will know how to address the Lord. Let God speak in you then return his words to him through prayer. The Prayer is knitted with the words of the scripture; it is the returning of the scripture to the scripture.

Translated by Mark Najjar

Original Text: “الصلاة” – 7.3.2004

A Follower of Church issues would think that we will reach unity soon, and suddenly his hopes vanish; once it feels like it’s a short period and then it feels like a long period. We are passing through a crazy storm because the official dialogues between us and Rome are cut on the level of the mutual committee. The conflict increased because of the increasing Catholic activity in Orthodox countries such as Russia and Ukraine. The problem between us was based on the presence of Eastern Catholics in Eastern Europe; the Orthodox considered that those do not have an ecclesiastic legitimacy until the mutual committee that was held at Balamand in 1993 admitted that those were a historical mistake and that they do not represent a model for unity.

However, they increased their activity in Eastern Europe except in Romania where they became weak. The crisis increased between the Russian Church and the Vatican for two reasons: The first is that Rome established four archdioceses in Russia and prepared around forty priests that are fluent in Russian to preach in Russia. Moscow considered that establishing these archdioceses shows Rome’s will to expand on the Russian lands and believed that when a Russian person believes, even if that was through a Latin preacher, he must join his Russian Church, the Church of his fathers and ancestors. This is why the Pope’s visit to Moscow right now is impossible.

However, the cease of the dialogue didn’t stop the dual relations between the Vatican and some Churches including the Russian Church. It is believed now that Rome is willing to continue the dialogue; however we don’t know whether the Orthodox world, as a whole, is ready to accept this idea.

In addition to these practical difficulties, there are theological ones. The texts that were issued from the Vatican, starting from the document called “the Lord Jesus document” and the most recent letter of the Pope on the Eucharist (communion), seem to be an obstacle in front of an agreement. The Document called “the Lord Jesus” states that Christ’s Church is present as a whole in the Catholic Church. This is the strongest statement that isolates the Orthodox Church from being the Church of Christ itself too. As for the Papal letter on the Eucharist, it says that the offering must be done by a bishop that is united with the Pope. This suggests that the Orthodox Liturgy has a defect in it as it is done by a bishop that isn’t united with the pope. In addition to this, the meeting that was held by the “Papal council for Christian unity” on the “Service of St. Peter” was disappointing because the Roman documents in it didn’t contain anything that shows a change in the Catholic position that is related to the status of the bishop of Rome.

All of these issues show that the Church of Rome is in an intellectual status that isn’t moving towards us.

On the other side, there are some clashes between some of our spiritual leaders. The Russians and the Greeks disagreed on who must lead the Church of Estonia and then found a way for agreement. Also the Ecumenical Patriarchate is in conflict with the Church of Greece over who must reign over the Church of Thessaloniki. Moreover, the Ecumenical Patriarch insists on the fact the he must watch over the diaspora and in this issue he disagrees with most Orthodox Churches. The Orthodox world doesn’t form today a monolith to confront the Western Church with one tongue. Yes, if we agreed to meet Rome in new discussions we would be united doctrinally while facing Rome. However, I sense that not all Orthodox Churches will meet this invitation.

The global Christian situation is in crisis and needs a big divine grace to be changed. However, I don’t think that right now Rome would soften its position and that the shaky trust between the East and West would be strengthened.

In the midst of this, it doesn’t seem that someone is working on the issue of Pascha because it is a secondary issue for the spiritual leaders in comparison to the doctrinal situation that is in crisis. Also, it doesn’t seem to me that important Orthodox nations such as the Russians, Greeks and Serbs are ready to go into this issue even if the spiritual leaders wanted to look into it.

While waiting for a solution, we must love each other and cooperate in practical issues each in his country in a way that we don’t clash but let hearts become closer to each other while hoping for God to “make mountains move”.

Translated by Mark Najjar

Original Text: “أين نحن من التقارب مع الغربيين؟” –Raiati 6- 08.02.2004

“The week of prayer for unity” just ended. Studying the issue needs a theoretical approach that I might come back to. However, I would like today to look at the practical situation between the Catholic and the Orthodox. I hope that the reader would have lenience to be able to understand that I am aiming to build and not to criticize our brothers because we want sincere rapprochement. However, rapprochement has conditions so that the trust could become complete between us.

The first among these conditions is for each one of us to join his parish Church on Sundays. This comes from knowing that lots of our Churches are empty because some believers prefer Churches that are closer to their homes regardless of their doctrines. I know that we don’t cover all coastal areas in Beirut’s suburbs. However, distances are not far from your house to Sin El Fil, Antelias, Jal El Dib, Mtayleb or other regions. Perhaps this problem exists in mountainous villages. It is an issue of belonging and identity to commit to your Church and also an issue of participating in the Holy Sacraments. Our Church and the Catholic Church have the same position and confirm that each person must have communion in his Church. Whoever does the opposite would be behaving according to his own mind. If a priest gave communion to such a person, he might be doing this to show that his Church is open and we are not. I believe that it is the Catholic priest’s duty to tell the Orthodox believer that practices in the Catholic Church to go back to his original Church especially that we have signed with the Catholic Church the Balamand document in 1993 and said in it that the pastor must look after the flock that God gave to him and consequently he mustn’t look after another flock. Brotherhood starts by treating each other on earth.

In the same sense, if the priest visited his parish’s houses after Theophany to sprinkle Holy Water, he must only visit the sons of his parish: i.e. a Catholic priest must not knock on an Orthodox door and volunteer to sprinkle water saying that we have become united. Actually, we didn’t become united yet and none of us is delegated from God to give others Holy services. And if, for a certain reason, one of us had to contact a house from another Church, he must tell the priest of this family unless it was for friendship relationships or dining. A normal Orthodox Christian feels shy to reject another priest; this priest must not surpass the service of his parish. This is called “snatching” and we have agreed with Other Churches’ authorities that this violates the Lord’s will.

Also, our Orthodox and Catholic patriarchs agreed that the First Communion must be done in parishes and not in schools. We understood that this will be practiced honestly and with brotherly sincerity and that no one shall find a gap in the decision. Catholic schools are asked not to give parents any works, such as books, that talk about the issue of the First Communion and where it should be done. It is asked not to talk with any Orthodox student, directly or indirectly, about this issue and not to give them education that prepares them for the first communion. The child had this communion in his Baptism.

Is it impossible for Catholic Churches to adopt the common Christian education program that we agreed on for public schools, in which all children study one text and are not separated? Children receive one Christian education that is not controversial supposing that all teachers have the spirit of rapprochement and lenience in order not to prefer a Church over another and give it more importance than the other. The defenses that we used in the past to show that we are right and the other is wrong must disappear; this makes the Christian education session a time for provocation and differentiation.

There is also the issue of prayers in educational institutions. What does it mean to oblige everyone to attend a liturgy in which some people have communion and others are forbidden? Is it necessary to have a liturgy on week days or is it enough to say prayers that are accepted by all Churches in which we stand together without disturbance or reservation? The issue of common prayers could be solved with a brotherly spirit. Schools administrations must understand that their love for their students means respecting their doctrines in all school life daily details. They must return the students to their parents staying on their doctrine and full of the Gospel and of Christian ethics. The Bible and its ethics are enough material to feed all students; the bible doesn’t teach us to violate.

Translated by Mark Najjar

Original Text: “خواطر رعائيّة” –Raiati 5- 01.02.2004

Religious arguments are difficult because only few people have a true religious knowledge while those who are invited to achieve knowledge are many. A person that doesn’t know a lot might find a conflict where there isn’t any. Before arguing, you must read to support your faith with reason or else stay silent as this protects you and protects others. However, if you were asked about your faith, answer as much as you know or ask someone who knows and then come back with an answer.

The fact that discussions always come along with emotions and nervousness makes them more difficult. If you were unable to repress your anger, don’t say anything because emotions creates crisis in the relationship between you and the person that you are negotiating. Controversy requires a lot of tranquility and a heart that is healthy and away from all hatred and ignorance. If you weren’t able to have internal peace and a chaste tongue, don’t go into this adventure. Chastity spares you from the big challenges that carry a trespass over the other’s belief and harm towards your negotiator.

If you were among Christians, defend the Orthodox faith and clarify what we believe in through our common sources such as the Holy Scripture and that mutual ancient heritage. The first millennium is the same for us and Western Christians. For example, if a Catholic asked you: How can your Church be united without having one head? You answer: “Unity could come in the individualistic form such as the Papal form or in a communal form. For us, the head of the local Church is the bishop and the community with its bishop, form a catholic (universal) Church. Bishops together form the Holy Synod and all bishops in the world are together in their synods and Patriarchs. On the global level, we have unity through coordination and the decisions of synods; Churches also communicate with each other.” You must clarify our form without offending the Pope of Rome because this is the method of the weak. A Catholic Christian might not know that there is a different system in the Church than his; and that this system might be the most ancient and consequently that his Church must make steps towards an undivided Church by doing a renewing or reformative move. By such a behavior, you be remaining a brother for the Catholic believer and you would be preserving the solidity of your opinion and the hope for unity.

As for Muslims, don’t argue with them about their religion. If they knew their religion, they would recognize that it invites them to argue with us in a gentle way. They might ask you: Do you believe in Muhammad’s mission? Don’t say: “No, I don’t believe”. He might find this answer very awful. You could answer for example by saying that God gave us his final words through Jesus Christ; and these words are enough for our salvation and were written in the New Testament which was ended with the Book of Revelation. As for what the Quran says about the “Nazarenes” and blaspheming them, don’t get into this argument because we are not the “Nazarenes” that the Quran is talking about. We are Christians and this is our only name, and therefore we are not concerned in blaspheming the “Nazarenes”. Confirm your faith in Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection because this is written in the Bible and most of those who have written it were eyewitnesses to the incident or knew people who were eyewitnesses. There are precise things that are known by Christians who are specialized in Islam. You could ask such people about things that you were asked to clarify.

The most difficult argument is with Jehovah’s Witnesses and the different sects of the Baptists. We have enough books against Jehovah’s Witnesses and we are preparing a team to examine their teachings and refute them. We are also preparing a study for the various Evangelical heresies that don’t come from the traditional known Protestant Churches. Those don’t look for the truth, and they rarely surrender to invulnerable arguments. They have a narrow and literal interpretation to the Holy Scripture and have closed and tough personalities. Apostle Paul ordered us to be careful and avoid such people. However, you must be fortified against them through knowledge.

Regardless of the side that is arguing with you, you must be humble and strict at the same time. However, you must get a lot of knowledge through study sessions and Orthodox books that have become numerous.

Translated by Mark Najjar

Original Text: “الجدل الديني” –Raiati 4- 25.01.2004

A simple question: Could a man know an event before happening? The answer is no because God denied humans from seeing this. Before happening, it doesn’t have an entity, it is found in the freedom of those able to make it happen, and it might not be their plans to transfer it from their mind to ours. Nothing exists before actually existing.

According to this principle, incantations are part of wizardry. A wizard is the fortune-teller that claims to know the unseen, which is the thing only God knows. We can say the same thing about telling the fortune based on a cup of coffee; as if the threads and lines drawn in the cup resulting from the movement of the lips indicate anything. The Scripture has called divination a sin in 1 Samuel 15: 23; the Book also made it a synonym to false visions in Jeremiah 14: 14 and also in Ezekiel. The Book of acts also said that Paul took spirits out of a fortune-teller (16: 16–18).

Moreover, Horoscopes, which are wide spread in newspapers and other publications, give you a specific character and predict events related to your birthday, birth hour, and a specific astronomic situation. Stars might have a certain influence on your character, but you are a free person and there is no destiny that tells you how to be. Some people tried in Sorbonne, France to make astrology a science; however our religious belief is that you are not a machine and that there is nothing destined for you and that you have “the freedom of the sons of God” as Apostle Paul says. Palm reading falls into the same category: Your age is a result of your health condition, and this could be recorded in your genes or genetics which predicts your willingness to catch a disease and especially cancer. There is an interference that comes from genetics and this has become a very developed science in recent years. You are born with a genetic program, and none of that is engraved on your palm.

Nevertheless, predicting your character from your handwriting is a possible thing because categorizing you into a specific character might affect your handwriting of letters and words. However, this doesn’t reveal the knowledge of the future, and I don’t think that if someone experiments your handwriting, he would be searching for something else.

“Talking to spirits” falls in the same sense, and it is completely prohibited by the church. For us, you can talk to saints through prayer but you can’t control someone’s spirit and you have no authority over any spirit for spirits are under God’s power only. In addition to that, exercising this thing made it in some countries like Brazil an independent religion and made it in other places a kind of drunkenness or anesthetization. Talking to spirits is a kind of magic because magic is to attribute to yourself a power that only God has. God’s book has said: “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18: 10–12). The New Testament supports this as the book of Revelation counts murderers alongside with magicians and idolaters (21: 8).

The main idea in the New Testament is that magic is when you think that if you said some words and did some actions, something you want to happen will automatically happen. This opposes our faith that only the Lord can change something in the nature through his word. Praying is different than magic, because it carries hope and because it cannot do anything except through God’s grace. Nothing is sanctified simply when a priest reads a prayer or a text from the Bible. He calls the Holy Spirit over the bread and wine to be transformed into the Lord’s body and blood through the grace of the Spirit and not simply through reading the prayer. This is the main difference between magic and religion.

With this logic, there is no evil eye that can harm you, and this is why putting a blue bead in your neck or a horse shoe on the door of your house opposes our faith because these things cannot prevent you from getting harmed. And if you put a cross in your neck this would be a testimony of your belonging to Jesus, but this has no automatic effect because the sign of the cross must be accompanied by prayer. There is no miracle except through your faith in the Lord Jesus.

There is also another thing not considered as magic and it is telepathy. Telepathy is exchanging thoughts, feelings and images between minds at distance. As an example we mention a British woman that saw (or thought that she saw) her husband, who was an officer in India, being stabbed in the back by an Indian’s dagger. After a few days, the military authorities told her that this incident occurred at the same time that she felt it happening. These are natural powers; something like television transmission. Some people have the power to receive images at distance; some people also have the power to make a grape cluster fall down by simply looking at it. This is not a miracle. Anything other than telepathy, i.e. every action from those we mentioned before is magic, sorcery, or a lie; and all of these carry spiritual harm.

Translated by Mark Najjar

Original Text: “الشعوذة، السِحْر” –Raiati n^o3- 18.01.2004