Crucea.ro

« Liée à la contrition, se trouve l’affliction qui est également une peine imparfaite du cœur ; elle advient non parce qu’une personne a déçu Dieu par ses péchés, mais parce que cette personne a été privée de la grâce divine, parce qu’elle a perdu le Paradis et gagné l’enfer. Cette affliction est celle de ceux qui ne sont pas parfaits, c’est-à-dire des ouvriers et des esclaves, car elle ne provient pas de l’amour de Dieu, mais de la crainte et de l’amour de soi-même ; ainsi un ouvrier se repent car il craint de perdre son salaire et un esclave se repent car il redoute la punition de son maître. [...]
Alors, Frère, afin d’acquérir aussi l’affliction, vois combien de mauvaises choses les péchés t’ont apporté.

Vois comment ils t’ont fait perdre les grâces surnaturelles que Dieu t’a accordé en cette vie : la grâce de la justification, la grâce de la filiation, celle d’être le lieu où Il demeure, et toutes les autres; une seule d’entre elles est plus précieuse que tous les titres de noblesse, que toutes les sagesses, que toutes les beautés, et que tous les pouvoirs. En bref, même un seul degré de ces grâces est plus précieux que tous les dons de la nature, plus précieux que les biens ayant le plus de valeur au monde, comme le dit Salomon : « car tout l’or du monde n’est auprès d’elle qu’un peu de sable, et l’argent, à côté d’elle, doit être estimé comme de la boue. » (Livre de la Sagesse 7 :9).

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Saint John Maximovitch on The Exaltation of the Precious Cross

Before the time of Christ, the cross was an instrument of punishment;
it evoked fear and aversion. But after Christ’s death on the Cross it
became the instrument of our salvation. Through the Cross, Christ
destroyed the devil; from the Cross He descended into hades and,
having liberated those languishing there, led them into the Kingdom of
Heaven. The sign of the Cross is terrifying to demons and, as the sign
of Christ, it is honored by Christians.

“O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance. Grant victory
unto Orthodox Christians over their adversaries, and by the virtue of
Thy Cross, preserve Thy community.”

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Exista multe motive de bucurie pentru un roman (in plus, moldovean la obirsie) la implinirea a 150 de ani de la Mica Unire. In chip minunat, ele au ramas in inima mea desi nu le-am hranit si respectat cu deceniile. O astfel de bucurie este chiar Imnul tarii noastre, Desteapta-te, Romane!

Exista insa si motive de tristete adinca, fiindca am sentimentul ca de atunci, Romania a intrat intr-un fel de tunel al secularizarii (de inspiratie masonica) din care nu a mai iesit niciodata, iar cutremuratoarele intimplari din viata Bisericii care aveau sa urmeze nu s-au mai oprit nici o clipa.

Romania a praznuit Unirea Principatelor sub domnitorul Alexandru Ioan Cuza acum doua saptamini (calendarul civil), cu parade militare si cum s-a mai priceput. Sa multumim lui Dumnezeu si pentru asta.

« La contrition est la peine parfaite du cœur qui envahit la personne qui, à cause des péchés commis, a déçu Dieu et transgressé Sa loi divine. Cette contrition ne vient qu’à ceux qui sont parfaits et à ceux qui sont enfants de Dieu, car elle provient uniquement de l’amour de Dieu, tout comme un fils se repent simplement parce qu’il a déçu son père, et non parce qu’il a été déshérité ou chassé de la maison paternelle. Au sujet de cela, le divin Chrysostome dit : « Gémissez après que vous ayez péché, non pas parce que vous serez puni (car cela n’est rien), mais parce que vous avez offensé votre Maître, celui qui est si gentil, qui est si bon, celui Qui vous aime tant et désire ardemment votre salut au point d’avoir donné Son fils pour vous. En raison de tout cela, gémissez » [Homélie de Saint Jean Chrysostome sur II Corinthiens]. [ ...] Afin d’acquérir la contrition, considérez combien vous avez traité Dieu de façon injuste par vos péchés. [...]
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The Wait Is Over: Jews’ Messiah Now Kosher
Vatican affirms Jewish position; scholars scramble to decipher new doctrine.

The Jewish Week/Jan 25, 2002
By Eric J. Greenberg

In 1967, during the early thaw of Catholic-Jewish relations, Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg addressed a Catholic audience about the conflicting Messiah beliefs.
The Orthodox rabbi noted that one difference between Jews and Catholics is whether the Messiah is coming for the first or second time. Christians believe the Messiah — a Jew from Nazareth called Jesus — came 2,000 years ago, and after dying and being resurrected, will someday return to redeem the world.
Jews say the Messiah has yet to arrive — a belief that led to centuries of Christian anti-Semitism and killings of Jews who refused to accept the Christian view.
Rabbi Greenberg suggested the dispute be tabled until the Messiah arrives. When the Messiah comes, Jews and Christians “can ask him if this is his first coming or his second,” finally putting the issue to rest.
But this week, the Messiah debate suddenly took center stage in Jewish-Catholic relations, in an appropriately bizarre and mysterious manner.
It follows the revelation last week that the Vatican’s top biblical scholars recently issued a report that for the first time in nearly 2,000 years apparently validates as legitimate the Jewish wait for the Messiah.
A 210-page document titled “The Jewish People and the Holy Scriptures in the Christian Bible,” by the Pontifical Biblical Commission and authorized by the Vatican’s top theologian, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, reportedly states that “the Jewish messianic wait is not in vain.”
It reportedly says Jews and Christians share their wait for the Messiah, although Jews are waiting for the first coming and Christians for the second.
The new document also reportedly contains an apology to the Jewish people for anti-Semitic passages contained in the New Testament, and also stresses the continuing importance of the Torah for Christians.

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Russian Orthodox Church
Holy Synod, Department for External Church Relations, Danilovsky Monastery

No. 16/72 01-08-2006

To The President of the Russian Federation, Putin, V.V.

Most Highly Esteemed Vladimir Vladimirovich!

In violation of the prohibition of the Holy Patriarch, and of the memorial society “Primirenie”, monuments to the White leaders and to the Cossack Atamans, bearing the names of the accomplices of the Fascists have been erected without authorization on the territory of the Patriarchate’s metochion of All Saints at Sokol [in Moscow] by the followers of the heresiarch of the Diaspora, Lavr, and his false pastors.

No contacts whatsoever are permitted with the schismatic collaborationist Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, which has not repented publicly before us for the great sin of blessing the stooge of the Fascists by her heresiarch and collaborator of Hitler, Anastasy.
We confirm the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate which excommunicated from our Church the false Metropolitan Anastasy and the schismatics of the ROCA during the years of the holy war [WWII] of the Soviet people under the leadership of our great Orthodox leader, Joseph Stalin, against the fascist enslavers. This verdict against the criminal was pronounced by the State Court. [Emphasis in original.]

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Noua Ordine, care lucreaza pentru a contura o comunitate universala de oameni terorizati, incearca sa submineze institutiile si valorile care alcatuiesc fundatia spirituala a unui popor, dimpreuna cu unitatea sa culturala. Sfantul Munte, ca stat monahal autoguvernat care sustine libertatea spiritului – o valoare pivotala a Ortodoxiei – nu poate fi decit o disonanta nedorita in corul unei societati omogenizate si manipulate, care va fi la discretia absoluta a unui mic numar de potentati, cei care acum acumuleaza capitalul si orice forma de putere in miinile lor. In acest curs dirijat al evenimentelor, Muntele Athos trebuie compromis, trebuie impins spre prabusire atit din exterior cit si din interior, cu ajutorul multor forte ale stricaciunii. Tot ce nu va fi obtinut prin presiunea financiara, va fi obtinut prin interpretarea corupta a Istoriei, prin ascunderea adevarului, prin exploatare sau orice alt mijloc consacrat de propaganda populista.

Adaptare dupa mesajul manastirii Cutlumus din Sfantul Munte al Atonului, disponibil in engleza si greaca.

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ
ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΜΟΝΗΣ ΚΟΥΤΛΟΥΜΟΥΣΙΟΥ
ΑΓΙΟΥ ΟΡΟΥΣ

Η Ιερά Μονή μας, ανταποκρινόμενη στο επίμονο αίτημα πολλών προσκυνητών και αναλογιζόμενη την πονηρία των καιρών, λύει προς στιγμήν τη σιωπή της και προβαίνει στις ακόλουθες γενικές εκτιμήσεις, με αφορμή τον σκανδαλισμό που για πολύ καιρό ταλανίζει τις συνειδήσεις του κόσμου εξαιτίας του θορύβου που δημιουργήθηκε στα ΜΜΕ για δραστηριότητες μοναχών Αγιορείτικου καθιδρύματος. Σήμερα που η καπηλεία θεσμών, αρχών και αξιών αποτελεί προυπόθεση κοινωνικής ανόδου και καταξίωσης, με θλίψη συνειδητοποιούμε ότι πρέπει να μιλάμε για όσα κάποτε ήταν αυτονόητα.
1. Μοναχισμός είναι αποταγή του κόσμου και των πραγμάτων του κόσμου, γι’ αυτό και μία από τις μοναστικές υποσχέσεις είναι η ακτημοσύνη. Όπου και να βρίσκεται ο μοναχός, οφείλει να καλλιεργεί μέσα του τη συνείδηση ότι δεν κατέχει τίποτε, ότι δεν κατέχεται από τίποτε, και ότι κάθε ατομική ιδιοκτησία αποτελεί σοβαρό παράπτωμα. Κοινοβιάτης μοναχός και ατομικός τραπεζικός λογαριασμός προς ιδίαν χρήση αποτελεί αντίφαση στους όρους και στην ουσία.
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In response to the persistent request of many pilgrims and with full
awareness of the evils of our times, our Sacred Monastery has decided
to break its silence temporarily and announce the following general
estimations, on account of the scandalization that has been
persevering for a long time in the people’s conscience because of the
turmoil caused by the Mass Media regarding the activities of certain
monks of a Holy Mountain monastic institute. At a time when the
exploiting of institutions, principles and values is a prerequisite
for social rise and acceptance, it is with sorrow that we realize we
need to speak of things that once used to be self-evident.
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