Keep
your eyes open!...
March 5, 2014
(Ecc
3:1-7) All things have their season, and in their times all things pass
under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and
a time to pluck up that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to
heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build. A time to weep, and a
time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to scatter
stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far
from embraces. A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a
time to cast away. A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep
silence, and a time to speak.
UPDATES: Non-subscribers can access items emailed during Lent at http://groups.google.com/group/tribulaton-times/about
VATICAN: Pope's Lenten Message 2014 focuses on poverty, sacrifice
ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: Three simple questions on the threshold of Lent
CATHOLIC WORLD REPORT: Make Your Lent Beautiful with Lent at Ephesus
INTEGRATED CATHOLIC: Why do Catholics Practice Fast and Abstinence?
MEDITATION: Thoughts
by St Theophan (1815-1894)
[Rom. 14:19–23, 16:25–27; Matt. 6:1–13. For the Fathers — Gal. 5:22–6:2; Matt. 11:27–30]
They that are Christ's
have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal. 5:24).
Nowadays, this order of things has been perverted: people crucify the
flesh, but not together with the affections and lusts — rather by means
of affections and lusts. How people now torture their bodies with
overeating, drunkenness, lustful deeds, dancing and merry-making! The
most heartless master does not torture his lazy animal this way. If we
were to give our flesh freedom and reason, its first voice would be
against its mistress — the soul; it would say that the soul has
unlawfully interfered in the flesh's affairs, brought passions alien to
it, and tortures it by carrying these passions out in the flesh.
Our body's needs are
essentially simple and passionless. Look at the animals: they do not
overeat, they do not sleep in excess, and having satisfied their
fleshly needs at the given time, they remain calm for the entire year.
Only the soul, which has forgotten its better inclinations, has by its
intemperance developed out of the body's basic needs a multitude of
unnatural inclinations, which are unnatural for the body as well. It is
necessary to crucify the flesh in every possible way, in order to cut
the fleshly passions off from the soul which the latter has grafted
onto itself. This can be done only in the reverse — that is, by not
giving it enough of what is necessary, or by meeting its needs to a far
lesser degree than what its nature demands.
REFLECTION: The Struggle to Will-the-One-Thing
LENTEN READING: The Signs of the Times the New Ark and the Coming Kingdom of the Divine Will
LENTEN SABBATICAL
The TRIB
TIMES will not
be updated again this year
during the Lenten season, extending to the first week after
Easter. My computer time will be limited to 30
minutes
each morning and evening during Lent. I will read all emails I receive,
and will answer all that I can, time permitting. I may also
occasionally
email non-reformatted news articles to Trib Times subscribers that I
find
to be of particular interest. But barring a major event (admittedly not unlikely these days), the Trib
Times
web page itself will not be updated.
I
apologize to all who have recently subscribed but
will keep your email information for use after my return. God
willing,
the next issue of the Trib Times should be shortly after Divine Mercy
Sunday, April 7, 2013. Please keep me in your
prayers, and be
assured that
I will do the same.
I recommend the
following links to keep up
with unfolding events:
Catholic
News
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/headlines.asp
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/
http://www.catholictide.com/
Signs of the Times
http://www.spiritdaily.com/
http://www.lifesite.net/
http://www.lifenews.com/
Readings & Meditations for Lent &
Holy
Week
http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/index.html
http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/lent.htm
http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/season/
Catholic Commentary
Courageous Priest
Statements of Archbishop Chaput
Crisis Magazine
Aleteia
Newer
subscribers may also be interested in a meditation
that first appeared in the Trib Times in 2004, The
Pain of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
LINK TO DONATE TO AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED: https://secure3.convio.net/acn/site/Donation2;jsessionid=1B6D0D927CE5E03CD247F9BC016AAE5D.app322b?idb=1588471532&df_id=1240&1240.donation=form1&idb=0.
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Fortitude
23. A hermit said 'We do not make progress because we do not realize
how much we can do. We lose interest in the work we have begun,
and we want to be good without even trying.'
March 3, 2014
(Rom 14:17-19) For
the kingdom of God is not meat and drink: but justice and peace and joy
in the Holy Ghost. For he that in this serveth Christ pleaseth God and
is approved of men. Therefore, let us follow after the things that are
of peace and keep the things that are of edification, one towards
another.
PATRIARCH SVIATOSLAV:
"The role of the church is consistent. During the last three months, the
church, especially the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, was with its
people. And it will continue to remain with its people. If, God forbid,
we will have to stand together on the battlefield with our soldiers,
with our army, the Ukrainian Church, especially the UGCC, is ready to
provide pastoral support.
Every citizen of Ukraine must be
prepared to defend his or her independent and sovereign state. The
church has always sought to defend peace. The church at all costs tried
to prevent bloodshed. Unfortunately, there are already victims in
Ukraine, and bloodshed was not prevented. We will continue to use every
opportunity to relieve tension in society and avoid casualties."
THE GUARDIAN: Ukrainian and Russian troops in standoff at Crimean military base - live updates
STATEMENT: COUNCIL OF BISHOPS OF THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE USA
WILL HISTORY BE REPEATED IN UKRAINE? THE PRAYERS OF ALL ARE NECESSARY
As the world was being lured by years of careful calculation,
preparation and machination, all leading up to the Winter Olympics In
Sochi, Russia, into a comfortable belief - or perhaps a desired belief
- that the great bear had finally been domesticated, the people of
Ukraine sat outdoors on cold cobble-stoned streets in Kyiv's
Independence Square - the Maidan - ready to give their lives in order
to be rid of yet another corrupt leader and to finally breathe the ever
fresh air of freedom and of a lifestyle that enables them to grow and
be productive citizens of their nation. For a brief few days it
seemed to be a dream come true when that leader suddenly packed up and
left town and those who had supported him abandoned him. Those
who remained and who had supported the Maidan were suddenly the
majority in the Verkovna Rada - The Ukrainian Parliament - acting with
solidarity in the name of Ukraine first.
Then suddenly, the mask was dropped. Without the slightest provocation
or act of aggression against any Russian speaking citizen of the
Crimean Peninsula or of any other region of the independent nation of
Ukraine, the bear's claws and fangs were no longer restrained and its
military troops invaded Ukraine. No longer was there any attempt
to "improve the image" of the bear. It would no longer remain in
its domesticated realm. Is it once again setting out to recreate
the lost empire? Will this doctrine of protecting its citizens in
Ukraine expand to other nations – even those never part of the former
empire? Regardless of the answers to these questions, once again our
beloved ancestral homeland - Ukraine - is under threat of suppression
and repression.
The world watches. The world says "Stop!" The world says
"Go home!" The world says "Ukraine has the right to
self-determination"! In reality, however, what can simple words
accomplish? Will the world find the courage to do more than
pronounce warnings? Will the world, this time, ensure that
Ukraine and her people will not again be subject to a new form of
genocide? Or will the world once again ultimately abandon what it
considers a futile effort to force the bear back into its own domain
and simply turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the situation?
Words are simply words, with no inherent authority or power. It
is what stands behind - and before - those words that matters. No one
envisions a military force entering Ukraine from the West. This
would only inflict more unnecessary damage upon the people of Ukraine -
remember the last armies that came from the West who the poor Ukrainian
people at first thought to be liberators? No, military force will not
accomplish the necessary end. The words of modern diplomacy must be
backed up with effective economic, political and social actions and
sanctions, which will convince the invaders that its efforts are futile
and counterproductive for its own welfare and the welfare of the people
subject to it.
All our lives we have studied the history of our Ukrainian nation and
throughout our ministry we have held in our arms the victims of the
bear's aggression, the survivors of the suppression, repression, family
separation, gulags, torture, Holodomor – death by starvation - looking
into their eyes as they remember the millions of their own family
members lost “for the good of the empire”. We witnessed the joy
in their faces as they thanked God for the freedom of their nation -
their whole, united nation - before independence and over the past 24
years since the referendum on independence passed overwhelmingly
throughout all the nation. As the result of this, in the face of
threats to that independence, that we must make demands of our
political leaders, here in the United States of America and throughout
the world for immediate strong, effective and honorable action before
it is too late - once again. We urge all our clergy, faithful and
parish communities to be in contact with our President, Congressional
Representatives and Senators, our state Governors and Legislators to
stand firm in support of Ukraine and her beloved people!
We remain in solidarity with our Orthodox, Catholic and other Faith
leaders in Ukraine who have proved their devotion to their flocks in
their steadfast prayer and ministry to those who sat on the cold
cobble-stoned Maidan. We have personally delivered material
support to the hospitals caring for the injured and the families of
those murdered. Today, however, we call upon all our brother
Hierarchs of Orthodox Churches throughout the world to utilize their
God-give authority, including those in Russia itself, to call for the
cessation of the attack of Orthodox brothers against their own in the
Faith! We call upon Christians of other denominations and
adherents of all religious Faiths around the world to urge their
followers to speak up and help to avoid a cataclysm for a nation that
has endured far more such cataclysms than it should have been able to
endure. But, endure it did! Only by the Grace of God was Ukraine
reborn over these 24 years - in spite of weak and fractured leadership
at all levels - political social, ecclesiastical and more. The
time has come to allow her to blossom, as she has begun to - without
being a threat to any of her neighbors and without abandoning
millennium old international relationships.
Ukraine and her people were for a significant and vital period of time,
the very epicenter of world Orthodoxy. She and her people have
proven themselves by their incredible faith in our Lord and God and
Savior, Jesus Christ. She has submitted herself to hope in Holy
Trinity and to the Protection of the Mother of God. We, as the
hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States of
America, beg for the sincere and endless prayers of all who read these
words or hear them spoken. We especially appeal to those monastic
communities around the world, who pray continuously for mankind to
place Ukraine and her people in their hearts and minds during all their
prayers.
May God in the Holy Trinity and the beloved Mother of God, the
Ever-Virgin Mary, and all the Saints and Martyrs of Ukraine hear our
prayers and protect our God-loving Nation of Ukraine and grant her
peace and the knowledge of Truth and Love at all times.
PRAYER FOR UKRAINE:
Let us Pray to the Lord - Lord, Have Mercy! Господу помолимось - Господи, помилуй!
Almighty Father, You said that when two or three are gathered in your
name – you would be among them. Remembering Your words and having
received the land of Ukraine for our heritage; We ask you today to
prove us mindful of this great blessing. Bless our ancestral homeland
Ukraine and these United States with honorable works, sound learning,
and good manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from
pride and arrogance. Defend liberty which is an expression of your
Divine Will. During this time of difficulty throughout our ancestral
homeland Ukraine fill our hearts with gratitude, and grant the people
of Ukraine, and all of us the grace to continue to trust in You and
Your mercy as we did in previous days of trouble. We ask this for we
know that you are a gracious and loving God in whom we are blessed
through the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, always now and ever
and to the ages of ages. AMEN.
RELATED
Ukraine Mobilizes Reserve Troops, Threatening War
Muscovites call for invasion of Ukraine
We already paid the ultimate price in Crimea — we must not do so again
The
Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Fortitude
21. He also said, 'Temptations come to us in all kinds of ways.
We ought to put on full armour, and then we shall seem to them to
be expert soldiers when they attack us.'
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