Reflection: Where and when did Jesus say those words? He said them when He was dying on the cross, in the last hour of His life. Who did He speak to? He spoke to the disciple standing by the cross whom Jesus loved (with divine love – agape). The disciple also loved Jesus, and so he overcame fear of death and stood by the cross. The other disciples were overcome by fear and so they did not stand by the cross.

Jesus wants us too to be disciples standing by the cross and united by love to Jesus crucified. A disciple forsakes everything for the sake of Christ, even his fear of death, because he knows that Jesus conquered death. In reward for faithfulness in the following of Christ, which is a demonstration of practical love, Jesus gives eternal life.

Jesus “saw the disciple”, “said to the disciple” and “the disciple received” the last will, or testament, of Jesus. He received the mother of Jesus. He is an example to us. Let us be Jesus’ disciples. Let us receive the mother of Jesus too.

+ Elijah
Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

2 August 2015

To Orthodox priests

This year is the year of St Vladimir. Saint Vladimir broke with paganism, threw Perun into the Dnieper and adopted the one true faith which leads to salvation. The Christian monarchy in Russia was replaced by an atheistic regime and 25 years ago this regime was replaced by so-called democracy according to the Western model. Such democracies today are a transition period to US-promoted globalization. The atheistic regime was followed by a kind of revival of the Orthodox Church in Russia. However, American pastors took far greater advantage of religious freedom. They managed to establish their communities in almost all cities within a few years. Baptist and Pentecostal Churches are supported by USA. The fact is that US policy seeks to paralyze the authority of the Orthodox Church and works towards globalization not only in Ukraine but in Russia too. If Baptist and Pentecostal Churches or even some Orthodox ones are supported by USA, who are they beholden to? NWO architects and USA promote destruction of Orthodoxy in Russia and autogenocide of the nation for Judas money!

6 September 2015

Theodore II, Patriarch of Alexandria, visited Russia (18-29 August 2015). He and Patriarch Kirill celebrated the liturgy in the Kremlin, and Theodore II gave an interview to RIA Novosti. At every step during his visit he emphasized how much he loves the Russian people and appreciates the Russian Orthodox Church… He spoke so in order to gain popularity with the public. He radically condemned fanatical Islam which, he said, creates problems wherever it exists. But then, surprisingly, he added: “I would like to emphasize that it is necessary to distinguish between the traditional orthodox Islam and fanatical Islam… Muslims are the true fountain of nobleness and goodness.” After the visit of Patriarch Theodore, most of the Russian media carried a bold headline: “Patriarch Theodore II does not see a problem in Islam as such but rather in fanatics.”

Jesus baptizes us with fire too so that this fire will burn up all dirt of moral impurity in us. If there are some impure images in our mind, let the fire burn it up. Our eye, the inner eye, must be clear. Everything must be brought to light. We need to repent time and again. We must call a lie a lie, evil evil, just as it is. This is repentance. God will then work. Do not seek help from psychoanalysts but come to Him who is the Physician of both the body and soul – to Jesus. He heals us wholly. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. And when should you come to Him? Immediately when a speck of dust – e.g. an impure image – gets into your eye: Stop! Get out! Lord, let Your fire burn it up! This is a lie!

1 September 2015

Pseudo Patriarch

Theophilos

Jerusalem

Dear pseudo Patriarch Theophilos!

You have committed a number of crimes against God and the Church, and occupied the office of Patriarch of Jerusalem illegitimately for 10 years. You have kept the legitimate Patriarch Irenaeus in prison until this day. It is only by a miracle that he has not yet been poisoned or killed in another way.

Who took a chief interest in removing Patriarch Irenaeus and why?

It was the chief interest of globalists (NWO architects). Why? Because Patriarch Irenaeus is not in unity of spirit with them. Who was and is in unity with them is Bartholomew, the Patriarch of Constantinople, and Kirill, the present Patriarch of Moscow. In 2005, Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop of Kaliningrad, Kirill Gundyaev joined hands with the Greek government and staged a coup. Within two days they summoned a synod where some representatives of the Orthodox Churches did not even manage to come. They overthrew the legitimate Patriarch on a fabricated charge of selling the Church’s hotel to the Israeli government. However, the hotel is the property of the Church up to this day and there is no evidence to support the accusations against the Patriarch. After Kirill helped in this cunning crime and You occupied the office, he returned to Russia on that very same day. Soon afterwards, in reward for this and other services of his, he was promoted to the post of the Patriarch of Moscow.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt 6:24)

God gives us His Word. It is the lamp for our life paths. The light of God’s Word must be the norm for us. Here it says to us that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve God and mammon. What is mammon? We suppose it to be money but it is not just money. There are a lot of things which can become mammon. Mammon is all that we prefer to God whom we should love with all our heart. In other words, it is all that our heart clings to and we then serve it. We unite to it in our spirit, open ourselves to it and then we are no longer able to serve God.

“When Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple

whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother: “Woman, behold your son!”

Then He said to the disciple: “Behold your mother!”

And from that hour that disciple received her spiritually into himself.”

Let us serve God. Yes, we are weak, but the Apostle Paul says: “When I am weak, then I am strong.” (2Cor 12:10) I keep falling but I must repent. Do not say: “Only when I become better, I will be a true Christian.” Let us come to God as we are, wretched and miserable. Jesus is waiting for us to give Him our weakness, our sin, because He wants to give us His forgiveness and peace. He wants to teach us through situations, through repentance, so that we may change our way of thinking.

What is love? It is no sentimentality. Love for Christ means to keep His commandments. It means to have a personal relationship with Christ, i.e. to be personally aware of the following truths: “You died for me. You love me. You suffered for me, You sweated blood in Gethsemane, You were scourged, crowned with thorns, covered with spittle and humiliated, You carried a cross, fell down, humbled among criminals and murderers as if You were one of them, like a beggar – You who worked miracles allowed to be humiliated and ridiculed for my sake. Finally, You were crucified at Calvary. I am ready, too, to suffer or even to lay down my life for Your sake.

Jesus tells us to put all our trust in God. He tells us to look at birds and lilies to see how God cares for them. We cannot make one hair white or black by our endeavour. We cannot add a single day, hour or second to our life by worrying or keeping our nose to the grindstone. When we will be dying, we will see if we were wise or unwise, but it will be too late then and we will have no more time to change it. So let us be wise today! In other words, let us rely on God, let us be mindful of eternal life. Our life is in God’s hands. Why should we worry?

“I revealed to them Your name, and I will continue to reveal it,

that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

These words are the conclusion of Jesus’ prayer for the unity of the disciples with Him as well as for unity with the Father and for the knowledge of God’s love and Christ’s presence in us.

Jesus says that He revealed to the disciples, and to no one else, the mystery of the name of God the Father, which is also the name of Jesus. The Father loves the Son from eternity. He gave Him His name, and Jesus reveals this name to those who are His. This name is Yehoshua – Lord is salvation – Jesus.

Jesus says to the apostles several times: “Do not be afraid!” The Scripture says in many places: “Do not be afraid!” When we are afraid, let us face the truth. And where to get the courage and strength? In prayer. In God’s presence. When you pray, do not talk to yourself, for such prayer will not give you strength. First realize: Where is Jesus? He is here and He is waiting for you. He is waiting for you to come into contact with Him, to give Him your sin and your problems. These two things. Your sin first and then your problems. We fail to do so. It is a very simple thing, but we not only need to know about it, we need to put it into practice. Practice! Then we will experience that Jesus is with us in every problem, we only need to be aware of it. We will experience that He gives us the strength, relieves us from our fear and makes us see things in a completely different light.

God’s almighty power is connected with obedience to the Word of God, as we can see it in the case of the prophet Elijah: I have done all these things at Your word. God sent him to the Brook Cherith, so he did go there; when God sent him to Zarephath, he did go to Zarephath; when God told him what to do on Mount Carmel, he said: Let this people know that I have done all these things at Your word! So the essence of the prophetic spirit is the obedience of faith and obedience to the Word of God. God wants us all to be prophets. He wants to speak through every one of us. We should learn, too, the obedience to God’s Word so that we may unite to the almighty power of God in a prayer of faith.

What does every nation need most? It needs the Spirit of prophecy, the Spirit of truth. It needs prophets. And who is to be a prophet? In chapter 14 of the Epistle to the Corinthians, we read clearly that we should earnestly pray for the gift of prophecy. All of us. And who is behind the gift of prophecy? The Holy Spirit. We confess in The Creed that the Holy Spirit worked through the prophets – through the prophet Elisha who followed the prophet Elijah and through other prophets of those times, but He worked most through John the Baptist who came before the first coming of Christ in the power of Elijah.

“Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. …behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!’” (Mt 17:1-5)

Three disciples, Peter, James and John, were witnesses of Jesus’ transfiguration on Mount Tabor in Galilee. The light of Jesus’ Divinity shone on them. It was a great experience for them. At the close of chapter 16, Jesus says: “Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (Mt 16:28) On Mount Tabor, they saw a flash of Jesus’ glory.

You think to yourself: If I had a vision, my faith would deepen. But we can see what an impact that vision had on the apostles. After a few days these three disciples were on the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed: “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Mt 26:39)