A Model for Men's Fellowship and Brotherhood

 I recently came across  this posting from St. Mary Orthodox Church in Palos Heights on  Brotherhood of St. Paisios | St. Mary Orthodox Church for men. 

Mission Statement: "The Brotherhood of St. Paisios  is committed to building godly men to serve Christ in their home, church, career, and community. We understand the important leadership role God has given men in their families, and through a variety of initiatives, workshops and programs, we hope to enable men to fulfill this responsibility."

We want to ensure that the men of our community – the God-appointed leaders of their families – use their Orthodox Christian Faith with its rich Traditions, as the source and driving force behind every decision they make.

The Brotherhood Pledge

Maintain a daily rule of prayer

Daily reading of scripture and the lives of the saints

Daily reading of a spiritual book (books by modern saints recommended)

Regularly attend Saturday Vespers, Sunday Liturgy, and at least one weekly service

Regular Confession and attendance of services/reception of Communion

Participate in all the fasts of the Church

Reduce and limit screen time

What does God expect of men?

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”  1 Cor 16: 13-14

“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity.”  Titus 2:7

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Tim 5:8

“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” 1 Tim 4:12

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8

“Feeding the hungry is a greater work than raising the dead.”   St. John Chrysostom

“Do what you can, and then pray that God will give you the power to do what you cannot.” St. Augustine

“A wise son is the glory of his father.” St. Patrick of Ireland

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God crowned Man with Free Will as His greatest Gift. God granted Man Authority over Everything. God offered Man complete Freedom so as to Accept God as his Beloved, to ignore Him, or even to resist Him. 

 Homily: on Christ’s dwelling in the hearts of the faithfulby Saint Nikolai Velimirovič

  … that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye [may be] rooted and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:17).

With faith, Christ comes into the heart, and with Christ comes love. Thus man is rooted and grounded in love. First then, there is faith; then with faith comes Christ’s presence in the heart; then with Christ’s presence, the presence of love; and with love, all ineffable goodness. In a few words, the Apostle delineates the whole ladder of perfection.

The beginning is faith and the end is love; and faith and love are joined in a living, undivided unity by the Living Lord Jesus Christ’s presence in the heart. By strengthening faith, we further abolish the distance between ourselves and the Lord Jesus Christ. The stronger one’s faith, the closer one is to Christ.

Ultimately, one’s heart is filled with Christ and cannot be separated from Christ, just as one’s lung cannot be separated from the air. Then a man may, with tears of joy, communicate with Christ by the prayer of the heart-“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner”-and the heart is imperceptibly filled with light and ardent love. In this way, love is united with faith and hope; and when they are united, the boundaries between them are lost, so that man cannot even think of determining of how far faith goes, and where hope and love begin. When the living Christ dwells in a man, then he no longer perceives faith, hope or love in himself, nor does he name them. Instead, he sees only Christ and names only Him. This is just like a fruit-grower in autumn who considers the ripe fruit on the tree, and speaks no more of blossoms and leaves but of fruit, ripe fruit.

O Lord Jesus Christ, supreme height of all our endeavors and the destination of all our travels, draw near to us and save us.

To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič

- Prologue