tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post7619576320353144409..comments2024-03-22T11:37:52.668-05:00Comments on Byzantine, Texas: ROCOR's midwest diocese on coronavirus - updatedByzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-18307826592303831132020-03-19T20:35:40.608-05:002020-03-19T20:35:40.608-05:00Please read again the teaching of St. Paisios. Als...Please read again the teaching of St. Paisios. Also, consider that it is a crystal clear sign of prelest when somebody will not even consider that they are at fault or on the wrong path. Conversely, in the life of St. Symeon the Stylite, we see that when his unique ascesis had scandalized his fellow monastics and a group of them told him to get down from his pillar, the saint happily complied. This proved to them that Symeon's ascesis was of God and having witnessed the saint's virtuous behaviour, they told him to continue his ascesis on top of the pillar.<br /><br />The church is all our baptized brethren for whom Christ died for. If we wish to express concern for the church, then we need to do so with love and humility instead of your "so and so has dropped the ball again" or "I would have expected this from so and so and not so and so". Christ is our only judge and not you.<br /><br />I humbly suggest that you show your posting history (on here and elsewhere) to your spiritual father.Marcelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14574713901122768231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-84140757577044737922020-03-19T13:14:48.506-05:002020-03-19T13:14:48.506-05:00His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco an...His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America has also authorized closed services and livestreaming, with private administration of communion. This is because the Bay Area has a shelter-in-place order during the duration of the disease. Archbishop Kyrill has also authorized disposable cups for post-communion wine, not kissing icons, and other temporary changes for areas where there are prohibitions of large groups, but not total shelter in place orders. <br /><br />However, the Eastern American diocese has no explicit guidance other than to "undertake reasonable precautionary measures" and to avoid going to church if one feels sick. So ROCOR is not uniform in its practices, though it does encourage people to be in church whenever possible without risk to themselves or others. Ilya Zhitomirskiyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15771379190858691422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-65498598271747297262020-03-18T19:58:05.594-05:002020-03-18T19:58:05.594-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.David B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12585542870280397211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-79968096749743430892020-03-18T19:49:11.071-05:002020-03-18T19:49:11.071-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.David B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12585542870280397211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-1040647424124086812020-03-18T07:42:56.216-05:002020-03-18T07:42:56.216-05:00Well David....there we have it. Your argument cons...Well David....there we have it. Your argument consists of being concerned that people "strut their stuff" in the Communion line?!? Lord have mercy! Now I have heard it all! But there is one statement you made that is correct. This is on the hierarchs. They will answer to God in the end.Mikailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06189539560391433081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-84358746423519963582020-03-18T07:38:15.703-05:002020-03-18T07:38:15.703-05:00My concern IS for my brothers and sisters in the O...My concern IS for my brothers and sisters in the Orthodox Church. They need the Churches to remain open. They need the Body and Blood of Christ for the healing of both soul and body. Talking about salsa and chips is not helping your argument very much.Mikailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06189539560391433081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-59930685193401664462020-03-18T07:35:04.606-05:002020-03-18T07:35:04.606-05:00Unknown,
Are you saying that I am faking my conce...Unknown,<br /><br />Are you saying that I am faking my concern for the Church to conceal wickedness? Lord have mercy!Mikailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06189539560391433081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-36705912151689209742020-03-18T06:21:53.763-05:002020-03-18T06:21:53.763-05:00I didn’t ask for that speech I asked if you (or an...I didn’t ask for that speech I asked if you (or any one on here) could cite any saints that advised avoiding the potential risk of getting sick, over liturgical life. I’ll take that as a no from you. Still legitimately interested if anyone else has any information of said nature.<br /><br />If we’re just going to work in the realm of personal opinion, you and everyone else is still going to public spaces called grocery stores, still coming into contact with other human beings, still at risk of contracting a flu virus that you have a 98% chance of surviving. <br /><br />What makes Walmart safer and more worth the risk than the Divine Liturgy? If going out for “essentials only” and then vigorously applying hand sanitizer is acceptable, why wouldn’t going out to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, and then vigorously applying hand sanitizer, be an acceptable risk? <br /><br />Why are some bishops forbidding priests from the liturgical life, even in the safety of their homes? What precedent can there be for such extreme measures?<br /><br />Priests performed services in death camps under threat of torture and execution because no risk was too great when it came to continuing their liturgical services, but suddenly a priest is told he can’t even serve it with his own family in his home under any circumstance, during Great Lent no less?<br /><br />Excuse me if I don’t see the sin in going to church or having liturgy.<br /><br />If I contract CV while I’m going to church in Washington, I happen to believe in God and I know He will decide if I’m among the 2% that die. I’m perfectly happy with meeting my maker if it’s His will. <br /><br />If I do happen to catch the flu, I’ll stay home, but until then I don’t see any reason to stop worshiping God in His temple.<br /><br />Sojournerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01283481525249234342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-73027864996420931002020-03-18T02:56:15.421-05:002020-03-18T02:56:15.421-05:00Sojourner,
Have you read the encyclicals that ha...Sojourner,<br /><br /> Have you read the encyclicals that have been issued by the different Churches? Nobody has said we should stop worship. <br /><br />Do you want to tempt God by being cavalier? There are Orthodox Christians who have the Virus right now (not just Tom Hanks and his wife). The threat is real. Italy is being decimated because they didn't respond fast enough. It is easy for us who are younger than 50 to shrug our shoulders. <br /><br />We can pray for miracles but we should not tempt God either expecting them. If I arrogantly strut my stuff in the Communion line and look down at those "lukewarm" Orthodox, God may very well reward me for my arrogance with the Coronavirus due to my folly. <br /><br />Our hardness of heart and lack of love will be to our ruin. Nobody is stopping worship, and the Divine Liturgy isn't stopping in most places either. I will commune fearlessly when possible, but I think Archbishop Elpidophoros' words on concern for others is right on as well. Each Bishop and Church will do what they think is right. Perhaps we should leave it to the Lord to judge and for us to pray for them and help each other?David B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12585542870280397211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-90332710060758590122020-03-18T02:44:31.768-05:002020-03-18T02:44:31.768-05:00Mikail,
I don't think anyone has questioned t...Mikail,<br /><br />I don't think anyone has questioned the Holy Mysteries of our Church. Every bishop is responsible before God for their flock. We don't know who has or doesn't have the virus unless they are tested. Many people will never get sick but they are carriers. There are a significant number of elderly in our parishes. As I said, in times of plague Churches have closed and adjustments have been made. Were they lacking in Faith?<br /><br />For the record, I don't agree with the 100% shutting down of Churches, but I am not going to condemn those bishops who made that decision. They have information I don't have, and have a burden to carry that I will never know.<br /><br />Maybe if you found some salsa for that chip on your shoulder (Fast friendly, by the way), you would find that you can be nicer to your brothers or sisters who are struggling.David B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12585542870280397211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-85796128657988387322020-03-18T02:43:35.533-05:002020-03-18T02:43:35.533-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.David B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12585542870280397211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-16166499237980881632020-03-18T00:53:12.971-05:002020-03-18T00:53:12.971-05:00Out of legitimate interest, can anyone name a hist...Out of legitimate interest, can anyone name a historical incident of a saint advising people to stop public and private worship out of concern for bodily health? The early Christians amazed their pagan counter parts with their lack of fear in the face of multiple legitimate plagues, their willingness to attend to the sick even at the cost of their own lives, but also the fact that they survived far more often then others. <br /><br />I don’t know of any saints speaking contrary to this precedent but if there are any I would like to read what they have to say.Sojournerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01283481525249234342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-60161580913375870182020-03-18T00:36:54.517-05:002020-03-18T00:36:54.517-05:00Please don't feign concern for the church to c...Please don't feign concern for the church to conceal your wicked ways. Your standard operating procedure involves pointing fingers and putting others down. <br /><br />In the words of Saint Paisios, "When you're in the mood to criticize, then start with your family and yourself!"Marcelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14574713901122768231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-83375773533565572902020-03-17T23:03:37.254-05:002020-03-17T23:03:37.254-05:00My oh my...now your infamous moniker of "ston...My oh my...now your infamous moniker of "stone throwers" is being attributed to those who have faith in the sanctity, grace, and trust in the holy Mysteries of our Churches and our desire to see them remain open. Pathetic.Mikailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06189539560391433081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-91182683686076889402020-03-17T19:11:54.318-05:002020-03-17T19:11:54.318-05:00If the situation deteriorates like Italy, The res...If the situation deteriorates like Italy, The rest of ROCOR will follow. Contrary to what the stone throwers are saying, Churches have closed during times of plague and pandemic. The Liturgy and pastoral care continued, of course, but "measures" were taken even in past. John Sanidopoulos on his Mystagogy website (THE place to go for translations of "Greek stuff") has posted a few articles on this point, citing the Rudder and historical precedent. David B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12585542870280397211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-7944561827058238992020-03-17T18:52:39.205-05:002020-03-17T18:52:39.205-05:00It is interesting that Archbishop Peter follows mo...It is interesting that Archbishop Peter follows more along the lines of OCA,GOA, and Antiochians, than the remainder of ROCOR.Mikailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06189539560391433081noreply@blogger.com