A Journey to HeavenA Journey to Heaven

The Evangelist, the new believer & the Church

Sacraments

Hey my friend… I am Hey my friend… I am interested in your interested in your belief… but can’t belief… but can’t figure out what it figure out what it offers… can you give offers… can you give me a clue …me a clue …

My friend… Orthodox My friend… Orthodox Christianity gives us a Christianity gives us a chance to live in a much chance to live in a much better world while we are better world while we are on earth ….on earth ….It has its very special way It has its very special way of making you of making you taste/touch/smell heaven taste/touch/smell heaven while you are still on while you are still on earth…. earth….

Our Church offers Our Church offers believers the chance to believers the chance to live IN HEAVEN while yet live IN HEAVEN while yet on earth …on earth …

How come !!!How come !!!

Simply … by believing that Simply … by believing that our Lord God came to us on our Lord God came to us on earth … so He made sure earth … so He made sure that Heaven and earth are that Heaven and earth are ONE …ONE …But only for those who But only for those who BELIEVE …BELIEVE …

Where does this Where does this JOURNEY start?JOURNEY start?I am very anxious I am very anxious to start…to start…

Here we go … Here we go … (1B+3Cs = Salvation & (1B+3Cs = Salvation &

Heaven)Heaven)

Baptism (B) Baptism (B) + +

Chrismation (C) + Chrismation (C) + Confession (C )+ Communion Confession (C )+ Communion

(C )(C )

JourneyJourney

While While

Baptism and Chrismation happen only ONCE in a life time….

Baptism and ChrismationBaptism and ChrismationThe Evangelist RoleThe Evangelist Role

Preach the Word of God with the main goal Baptism

Follow the program set by the Church mission

Don’t hurry to advise baptism (our forefathers had a program that took 6 months – 3 years)

Seek continuous advice from the Bishop/priest, etc…

First: BaptismFirst: BaptismRebirth through Water and Spirit

So what do I have So what do I have to do to get to do to get baptized?baptized?

RequirementsRequirementsFaith in the whole Christian Belief

(may need months of “preaching” and teaching)

Repentance◦Change of Old behavior◦Decision to stop all previous bad

behavior.

Guess what …You are quite lucky … Lent is here… and the church has

a wonderful program of teaching and preaching all who wish to know more about Christ and our Orthodox belief along each of the Sundays of Lent…

Lent as a preparation for Lent as a preparation for CatechumensCatechumensRepentance:

◦1st Sunday: Look for the real treasure (Treasure Sunday

◦2nd Sunday: Once you believe, expect temptation to come your way (Temptation Sunday)

◦3rd Sunday: Once you believe, you are like the son who comes back to His Father’s house and you can now enjoy His unity (through the sacraments) (The Prodigal Son)

The Living Water:◦4th – 6th Sundays: Now you can enjoy

the sacredness of being REBORN through the HOLY WATER. (The Samaritan Woman – The invalid for 38 years – The Man born Blind)

All Three cases were given a NEW LIFE through Holy Water.

So in Baptism, we are buried inside the water three times … and then rise again just like Christ was buried in the tomb and rose after three days

We are now REBORN and REGAINED our eternal nature …

It is now possible for us to gain ETERNAL LIFE

Then what happens Then what happens after Baptism …after Baptism …

Chrismation(The Anointment with Chrism (Sacrament of Confirmation)

And what is it that And what is it that happens in this one … happens in this one … what is the difference what is the difference between Baptism and between Baptism and Chrismation Chrismation

Baptism: personal participation in the DEATH and RESURRECTION of OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Chrimation: personal participation in THE HOLY SPIRIT

After having been washed and cleansed from sin by immersion in the water in Baptism, the believer is anointed by the Holy Myron to receive

The HOLY SPIRIT …. To receive GOD inside him … to

re-unite with God for ever…

So, what does the So, what does the Holy Spirit do to Holy Spirit do to me?me?

The Holy Spirit also brings us all IN ONE BODY in HIM and makes us have holy compassion for one another.

The believer goes through the same process that the disciples went through with the Lord

And I will pray the Father and He will give you another Helper that He may abide with you forever – (John 14:16)

Once you get the Holy Spirit, it never ever leaves you … it is the SEAL of your faith…

The Holy Spirit RESIDES in you …

But What does the Holy But What does the Holy Spirit GIVE me?Spirit GIVE me? Does it give me Does it give me anything?anything?

Yea……… It surely DOESYea……… It surely DOES

GiftsGiftsPreachingProphesyingPerforming Miracles (even

moving mountains)Management

Sounds Great …. So I will always pray that I get as many GIFTS as possible!!!

No my friend….No my friend….

LOOK for the Fruits LOOK for the Fruits and don’t worry about Gifts …and don’t worry about Gifts …

The Fruits are the ones that The Fruits are the ones that will make you and all around will make you and all around you really happy ….you really happy ….Gifts are the Lord’s business Gifts are the Lord’s business … He knows best who to give … He knows best who to give which gift and for which which gift and for which purposepurpose

Our job is to keep struggling and praying every day to gain as many FRUITS as possible

So, does the Holy Spirit So, does the Holy Spirit reside in me regardless of reside in me regardless of anything?anything?

YES …. AND … NOYES …. AND … NO

Yes … no matter what you do the Holy Spirit continues being in you

ButNO … coz it may be there but

totally “silent” as if it is not

How come … I How come … I can’t understandcan’t understand

This happens if you ….This happens if you ….Resist the Spirit: not listening to

what It tells youQuench the Spirit: keep it from

being active in your lifeGrieve the Spirit: make it sad by

doing all the bad things that cannot match its Holy Nature

So your life should be a Dynamic act of refilling … of Getting closer to God …

So, then is there So, then is there anything I should do to anything I should do to keep it Active in me?keep it Active in me?

FIRST: FIRST: AS WE SAID YOU NEED TO AS WE SAID YOU NEED TO REALIZE THAT YOUR LIFE IS AN REALIZE THAT YOUR LIFE IS AN ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR FRUITS FRUITS EVALUATE YOURSELF EVALUATE YOURSELF ACCORDING TO HOW MUCH ACCORDING TO HOW MUCH FRUIT IS IN YOU RATHER THAN FRUIT IS IN YOU RATHER THAN HOW MANY GIFTSHOW MANY GIFTS

Yes …Sure

SECOND:SECOND:YOUR LIFE SHOULD BE YOUR LIFE SHOULD BE AN ONGOING PROCESS AN ONGOING PROCESS

OF REPENTANCE & OF REPENTANCE & GETTING CLOSER TO HIM GETTING CLOSER TO HIM

THROUGH …THROUGH …

TWO GREAT TWO GREAT TREASURES TREASURES

(SACRAMENTS) …(SACRAMENTS) …CONFESSION + HOLY CONFESSION + HOLY

COMMUNION COMMUNION (EUCHARIST)(EUCHARIST)

BUT WHAT IS THE BUT WHAT IS THE EUCHARIST?EUCHARIST?

IT IS THE ULTIMATE IT IS THE ULTIMATE PHYSICAL & PHYSICAL & SPIRITUAL UNITY SPIRITUAL UNITY WITH THE LORD WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST …JESUS CHRIST …

IT IS EATING HIS IT IS EATING HIS BODY AND DRINKING BODY AND DRINKING HIS BLOOD IN ORDER HIS BLOOD IN ORDER TO BE ONE WITH HIM TO BE ONE WITH HIM & WITH ONE & WITH ONE ANOTHERANOTHER

YOU SEE… OUR LORD YOU SEE… OUR LORD GOT INCARNATED GOT INCARNATED 2010 YEARS AGO2010 YEARS AGO

HE WANTED US TO HE WANTED US TO KNOW HIM IN PERSON KNOW HIM IN PERSON SO HE TOOK A BODY SO HE TOOK A BODY EXACTLY AS OURS EXACTLY AS OURS

AND LIVED WITH US AND LIVED WITH US ON EARTH … ON EARTH … LITERALLYLITERALLY

BUT THAT WAS 2010 BUT THAT WAS 2010 YEARS AGO…YEARS AGO…

AFTER HE SAVED US AFTER HE SAVED US THROUGH DYING ON THROUGH DYING ON

HE CROSS AND RISING HE CROSS AND RISING FROM THE DEATH, HE FROM THE DEATH, HE HAD TO ASCEND ONCE HAD TO ASCEND ONCE

MORE TO HEAVENMORE TO HEAVEN

HE SENT US HIS HOLY HE SENT US HIS HOLY SPIRIT THAT WE TAKE SPIRIT THAT WE TAKE IN CHRISMATION AS WE IN CHRISMATION AS WE SAID EARLIER …SAID EARLIER …

BUT … BUT … AS LONG AS WE AS LONG AS WE

ARE HUMANS WITH ARE HUMANS WITH A PHYSICAL A PHYSICAL

NATURE…. HE NATURE…. HE KNOWS THAT WE KNOWS THAT WE

STILL NEED TO FEEL STILL NEED TO FEEL HIS PHYSICAL HIS PHYSICAL

EXISTENCE EXISTENCE AMONGST US …AMONGST US …

SO, HE DECIDED SO, HE DECIDED TO GIVE US THIS TO GIVE US THIS GREAT GREAT SACRAMENT…SACRAMENT…

HE TOLD US TO EAT HE TOLD US TO EAT HIS BODY AND HIS BODY AND DRINK HIS BLOOD DRINK HIS BLOOD TO STICK TO HIM … TO STICK TO HIM … BOTH PHYSICALLY BOTH PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLYAND SPIRITUALLY

SO EVERY TIME WE SO EVERY TIME WE ATTEND MASS… WE ARE ATTEND MASS… WE ARE INVITED TO PARTAKE OF INVITED TO PARTAKE OF HIS BODY AND BLOOD … HIS BODY AND BLOOD … TO UNITE WITH HIM TO UNITE WITH HIM AND WITH ONE AND WITH ONE ANOTHER IN A UNIQUE ANOTHER IN A UNIQUE HOLY UNIONHOLY UNION

THIS IS OUR FAITH AND THIS IS OUR FAITH AND OUR EARNEST BELIEF … OUR EARNEST BELIEF … THIS IS WHY WE KEEP THIS IS WHY WE KEEP REPEATING IN MASS:REPEATING IN MASS:AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN TO ALL AMEN AMEN TO ALL THE PRIEST PROCLAIMSTHE PRIEST PROCLAIMS

BUT THAT BUT THAT DOESN’T SEEM DOESN’T SEEM LOGICAL AT LOGICAL AT ALL!!!ALL!!!

BY ALL MEANS … IT IS BY ALL MEANS … IT IS FAR ABOVE ANY FAR ABOVE ANY LOGIC … ACTUALLY IT LOGIC … ACTUALLY IT TRANSCENDS ALL TRANSCENDS ALL LOGICLOGIC

BUT IF YOU DO BUT IF YOU DO BELIEVE THAT OUR BELIEVE THAT OUR LORD COULD TAKE A LORD COULD TAKE A HUMAN BODY, HUMAN BODY, LIVE LIKE A HUMAN, LIVE LIKE A HUMAN, BE TEMPTED, BE TEMPTED, SUFFER, SUFFER, DIE DIE AND RISE FROM THE AND RISE FROM THE DEATH ….DEATH ….

THEN SURELY YOU THEN SURELY YOU WON’T HAVE ANY WON’T HAVE ANY PROBLEM PROBLEM BELIEVING THAT BELIEVING THAT HE IS GIVING US HE IS GIVING US HIS BODY AND HIS BODY AND BLOOD TO EAT BLOOD TO EAT AND DRINK EVERY AND DRINK EVERY MASS … RIGHT!!!MASS … RIGHT!!!

HOWEVER …HOWEVER … THERE ARE STRICT THERE ARE STRICT RULES IN ORDER TO BE RULES IN ORDER TO BE WORTHY OF PARTAKING WORTHY OF PARTAKING IN THE LORD JESUS IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST BODY AND CHRIST BODY AND BLOOD…BLOOD…

WE NEED YET WE NEED YET ANOTHER CRUCIAL ANOTHER CRUCIAL HOLY SACRAMENT….HOLY SACRAMENT….

CONFESSIONCONFESSIONConfessionConfession

CONFESS WHAT CONFESS WHAT … AND CONFESS … AND CONFESS TO WHO?TO WHO?

WE NEED TO WE NEED TO CONFESS OUR FAITH CONFESS OUR FAITH …. (AS WE REPEAT …. (AS WE REPEAT THE WORD “AMEN” THE WORD “AMEN” IN MASS)IN MASS)

WE NEED TO WE NEED TO CONFESS OUR LOVE CONFESS OUR LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER TO ONE ANOTHER (KISS ONE ANOTHER (KISS ONE ANOTHER WITH A HOLY KISS … WITH A HOLY KISS … IN MASS)IN MASS)

WE NEED TO CONFESS WE NEED TO CONFESS OUR GRATITUDE AND OUR GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING THAT THANKSGIVING THAT OUR LORD DID ALL OUR LORD DID ALL THAT AND PREPARED THAT AND PREPARED ALL THAT FOR USALL THAT FOR US

& WE NEED TO & WE NEED TO REPENT AND REPENT AND CONFESS OUR SINS CONFESS OUR SINS TO OUR FATHER IN TO OUR FATHER IN CONFESSIONCONFESSION

HOW IS IT THAT I HOW IS IT THAT I CAN REPENT?CAN REPENT?

You need to follow those 5 You need to follow those 5 stepsstepsARRSCARRSCAdmit to yourself that you sinnedRegret and prayerRenounce sin and decide to

changeStart the struggle against sinConfess in front of your Father in

confession

But Why should it be But Why should it be through a priest?through a priest?

LISTEN TO OUR LORD LISTEN TO OUR LORD JESUS AS HE SAYS:JESUS AS HE SAYS:“ASSUREDLY I SAY TO “ASSUREDLY I SAY TO YOU WHATEVER YOU YOU WHATEVER YOU BIND ON EARTH WILL BIND ON EARTH WILL BE BOUND IN HEAVEN BE BOUND IN HEAVEN AND WHATEVER YOU AND WHATEVER YOU LOOSE ON EARTH WILL LOOSE ON EARTH WILL BE LOOSED IN BE LOOSED IN HEAVEN” (MATHEW HEAVEN” (MATHEW 18:18)18:18)

BESIDES … THE ROLE BESIDES … THE ROLE OF THE FATHER IN OF THE FATHER IN CONFESSION IS VITAL…CONFESSION IS VITAL…HE DOESN’T JUST HE DOESN’T JUST LISTEN TO YOUR SINS LISTEN TO YOUR SINS AND GIVES YOU AND GIVES YOU ABSOLUTION…ABSOLUTION…

You see my friend you You see my friend you should be aware that Our should be aware that Our Christian life is a wonderful Christian life is a wonderful ongoing process that never ongoing process that never stops as long as we are stops as long as we are alive … it’s a struggle … it is alive … it’s a struggle … it is hard … but our Lord hard … but our Lord promised to be with us all promised to be with us all along … that’s what makes along … that’s what makes it real fun and a lot of it real fun and a lot of excitement…excitement…

WE WANT TO UNITE WE WANT TO UNITE WITH OUR LORD JESUS WITH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST COZ HE IS THE CHRIST COZ HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL GRANT ONE WHO WILL GRANT US THE POWER TO US THE POWER TO STRUGGLE AND GAIN STRUGGLE AND GAIN MANY FRUITS …MANY FRUITS …

DON’T YOU THINK DON’T YOU THINK OUR CHRISTIAN OUR CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX FAITH IS ORTHODOX FAITH IS JUST AWESOME!!!JUST AWESOME!!!

IT SURE IS MY IT SURE IS MY FRIEND.... SOUNDS FRIEND.... SOUNDS ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!!AWESOME!!!