Met. Herman of OCA Condolences to Vatican

[Joseph]

From Met Herman, head of OCA, to Vatican Sec. of State:

"I greet you with brotherly love in Christ and extend the condolences of the Holy Synod of Bishops, Hierarchs, Clergy, Monastics, and Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America," Metropolitan Herman wrote. "Throughout the many years of his service as spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, he was a shining example of dedication to the episcopal ministry and to the high office to which he was called and a 'good steward of the manifold grace of God' [1 Peter 4:10]."

My question:
How can someone be a shining example of the episcopal ministry and a good steward of the manifold grace of God if he rejects the Orthodox Faith and teaches another gospel? This can only be said by one who himself no longer holds the Orthodox Faith. Such words, in the past, would have been spoken only of an Orthodox bishop. How can anyone continue to recognize Met. Herman as an Orthodox bishop?

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

The modern Pharisee or the "Orthodox" buerocrat will say this was not an "official" statement of faith, that the OCA recognizes heretic churches as real Churches - what else is this?

My Roman Catholic friend (people may find it amazing that I have a good friend whose RC) sent me a list of names of all the "princes and kings" of the world who are attending the funeral. He seemed very pround of this. He said to me in his email that the pope "changed the course of history by transcending all Faiths, Nationalities and Race".

I responded and said that the Antichrist would do this to, and he would also be recognized and given authority by all the "princes and kings" of the world. Clearly as the world moves closer and closer to One economy, One religion, and One society, we are getting closer to having One ruler. And I feel that people like the pope are forerunners of the Antichrist.

From the link below: "In this period of his activity, the Antichrist will not use any force and will try to win men's trust and affection with his deceitful and hypocritical public mask of virtue. He, according to the expression of Vladimir Soloviev, "will throw a gleaming veil of kindness and truth over the mystery of iniquity." "He will come," said St. Ephrem the Syrian, "in an image which will seduce everyone. He will come as a humble, kind, hater of falsehood (as he will say about himself), rejecting idols, preferring piety and kindness, loving the poor, bearing extremely handsome features, constant, sweet to everyone, respecting especially the Jewish nation because they will be awaiting his coming...He will take sly measures to please everyone, will not accept gifts nor speak in anger, will not show an overcast countenance, but will entice the world with a decorous exterior until he is enthroned."

Scroll down 2/3rds of the way...
http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/theantichrist.htm

[Stepanov]

Good post, OOD.

I cannot believe some of the stuff that is being said about the Pope by the supposed Orthodox.

I think it is perfectly fine to say of JPII, "May God have mercy on his soul."

We should pray for the departed. That's a good thing to do.

But I have seen ostensible Orthodox Christians on another web site refer to the man as a "saint" and "one of the greatest popes ever."

I have cautioned them against letting sloppy sentiment lead them astray into falsehood, but few have listened.
If these people cannot see through John Paul II the Koran Kisser, how will they recognize the Antichrist when he comes?

[priestmark]

I think it is perfectly fine to say of JPII, "May God have mercy on his soul."

Careful! What we think and feel is perfectly fine is not a good barometer of what we should believe and do.

"Orthodox Christians may indeed pray for the non-Orthodox, both living and dead—in private prayer at home; but here we repeat again and again, not in prayers according to one's own designs, not in such as might come into one's head, but according to the direction of persons experienced in spiritual life." from http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/prayer_nonorth.aspx

One such prayer is published in the back of the book "The Elder Joseph" .

We must make even our private prayers for the non-Orthodox conditional on it being God's Will to have mercy on those who have left this life separated from the Church. And if it be His Will, then who can oppose Him?

"Have mercy, O Lord, if it is possible, on the soul of Thy servant (Name), departed this life in separation from Thy Holy Orthodox Church! Unfathomable are Thy judgments. Do not account this prayer of mine as sin. But may Thy holy will be done!"

priest Mark
www.stjamesok.org

[TomS]

One such prayer is published in the back of the book "The Elder Joseph" -

"Have mercy, O Lord, if it is possible, on the soul of Thy servant ...

"If it is POSSIBLE?"

[joasia]

priestmark,

Thank you, thank you, thank you, so much. I have been racking my brain all day about the prayers for heretics. I remember reading it somewhere, but, for the life of me, I couldn't remember the source. I read alot and I didn't remember the source. But, now you have reminded me. I have the book of the life of St. Joseph of Optina. At the end of the book, he explained the way of prayer. And he explained that those who are apostasized from the true faith, must come back in repentence. And we can pray for them when they are alive, but not when they have died. Because they have died in their apostacy. For the prayers when they are alive, is for their converstion to the Orthodox faith. But, when they have passed on, they will have to face their judgement. Their choice has been made. All we can say is God have mercy on his soul, by Thy will.

I could reprint his writing, but it would be too long. Just the same, St. Joseph was a true servant of Christ. He had a spiritual unity with God. Like St. Seraphim of Sarov. I wish we had saints like that today. Because we need alot of guidance.

[Jean-Serge]

priestmark,
And he explained that those who are apostasized from the true faith, must come back in repentence. And we can pray for them when they are alive, but not when they have died.

Strictly speaking, an apostate is someone who abandons the Orthodox faith... Most heterodox are not apostate since they never received an orthodx baptism...