The Second Coming of Christ

 The Second Coming of Christ

The Final Victory of Love and the Hope of the World

“And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.”

In the Creed, we confess that Jesus, who suffered, was buried, rose again, and ascended into heaven, will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. This is what the Church’s Tradition calls the “Second Coming,” distinguishing it from the First Coming, that is, the time of Jesus Christ’s life on earth.

What, then, does this faith in the Second Coming mean?

First, we must remember that faith does not seek to provide us with a detailed explanation of every mystery of the past, nor does it reveal to us how the universe came into being or how humanity came to exist. Likewise, it does not disclose every detail of the future, nor does it explain precisely how the world will come to an end or what human life will be like after death.

Rather, faith is a living relationship between the human person and God, a relationship of trust in Him and in His promise of salvation and eternal life. The believer sees God as the source, goal, and very essence of his or her existence. Christians believe that God has revealed Himself uniquely and fully in the Person of Jesus Christ, and that His saving purpose will reach its fulfilment in the last times. This is the subject of eschatology, the teaching concerning the last things and the fulfilment of God’s purpose.

For Christ has said:

“Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:12–13).

Therefore, eschatology, the teaching concerning the last things and the fulfilment of God’s purpose, begins with Christ’s First Coming. Why, then, do we speak of the Second Coming? What do we mean by this expression? What do we mean when we say that the Lord Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead? And how does Holy Scripture portray this Coming?

The Second Coming Is the Revelation of the Final Victory of Love

To understand the meaning of the Second Coming, we must recall a fundamental truth of our faith: the Lord Jesus first came, sent by the Father, to be the Saviour of the world and to deliver it from sin and death.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

The Apostle Paul confirms this, saying:

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Romans 5:8–9).

The life and death of the Lord Jesus are the decisive proof of God’s love and faithfulness. The statement “God is love” might seem to be merely a theoretical proposition. Yet Jesus, who lived among human beings, loved, suffered, endured injustice, and continued to love everyone, is not an abstract idea. He is the living and tangible revelation of God’s love for us.

When we look upon Him, the dark places of human life are illumined. Even suffering and evil, which may appear meaningless, acquire meaning in the light of Christ’s Cross.

For the God who raised the Crucified One from the dead, exalted Him to His glory, and made Him the Prince of Life and the Firstborn among many brethren is the One who proves that love is stronger than death.

Therefore, we confess that Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, is the hope of the world, the hope of history, and the hope of every believer.

Christ, the Hope of the World and of History

The Second Coming is our expectation of what God will do for the world in the future, in the light of what He has already done for it in the past.

In Jesus’ First Coming, and through the events of His life, death, and Resurrection, God revealed His love to us in a particular place on earth and in the hearts of a number of believers, although this revelation has not yet appeared in its fullness throughout the entire world.

Our faith in the Second Coming is the faith that this love will be revealed openly, definitively, and universally, and that the Kingdom of God will reach its fulfilment.

As the Lord said:

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof” (Matthew 13:31–32).

Our faith in the Second Coming is the faith that the history of the world, burdened by suffering and evil, will reach its end when the glory of God is revealed and the triumph of His love is made manifest.

This is a faith-filled understanding of history, one that is not based on arbitrary interpretation but is grounded in the reality of Jesus’ life, death, and Resurrection.

Through His death and Resurrection, Christ broke the power of death and revealed that love is stronger than death and hatred. Although evil is still present in the world, it will not have the final word.

This is the truth Christ proclaimed through His Cross and Resurrection within the pages of history: that the final victory belongs to life over death, and to love over evil and hatred.

This is the certainty that took root within us after Christ’s Resurrection, and it is what our faith in the Second Coming confirms.

Christ, the Hope of Every Believer

Jesus is the hope of the world and the future of history, and He is also the hope of every one of us.

In His life and death, we find the meaning of our existence; in His Resurrection, we place our hope in our own resurrection. In the destiny of Jesus Christ, God has shown us what awaits humanity in Christ: resurrection and eternal life.

He is our Firstborn Brother, who has opened for us the way to life without end.

The Apostle Paul says:

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Philippians 3:10–11).

Thus, the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus means, for everyone who believes in Him, the hope of victory over death and of sharing in eternal life, where the life we experience on earth will reach its fulfilment in the Kingdom of God.

In this way, our expectation of the Second Coming is not an expectation founded on fear and anxiety, but a steadfast hope in the Lord who has risen from the dead, who will come with glory, fulfil God’s purpose, proclaim the victory of life and love, and raise the dead to eternal life.

May our hope be in Him. May we live in the light of His Resurrection, preparing ourselves to meet Him and holding fast to faith and love until He comes in glory. 

Amen.

Great-martyr Artemius of Antioch

 Great-martyr Artemius of Antioch

Holy Great Martyr Artemius of Antioch was a prominent military leader during the reigns of the emperor Constantine the Great (May 21), and his son and successor Constantius (337-361). Artemius received many awards for distinguished service and courage. He was appointed viceroy of Egypt. In this official position, he did much for the spreading and strengthening of Christianity in Egypt.

Saint Artemius was sent by the emperor Constantius to bring the relics of the holy Apostle Andrew from Patras, and the relics of the holy Apostle Luke from Thebes of Boeotia, to Constantinople. The holy relics were placed in the Church of the Holy Apostles beneath the table of oblation. The emperor rewarded him by making him ruler of Egypt.

The emperor Constantius was succeeded on the throne by Julian the Apostate (361-363). Julian in his desire to restore paganism was extremely antagonistic towards Christians, sending hundreds to their death. At Antioch, he ordered the torture of two bishops unwilling to forsake the Christian Faith.

During this time, Saint Artemius arrived in Antioch and publicly denounced Julian for his impiety. The enraged Julian subjected the saint to terrible tortures and threw the Great Martyr Artemius into prison. While Artemius was praying, Christ, surrounded by angels, appeared to him and said, “Take courage, Artemius! I am with you and will preserve you from every hurt which is inflicted upon you, and I already have prepared your crown of glory. Since you have confessed Me before the people on earth, so shall I confess you before My Heavenly Father. Therefore, take courage and rejoice, you shall be with Me in My Kingdom.” Hearing this, Artemius rejoiced and offered up glory and thanksgiving to Him.

On the following day, Julian demanded that Saint Artemius honor the pagan gods. Meeting with steadfast refusal, the emperor resorted to further tortures. The saint endured all without a single moan. The saint told Julian that he would be justly recompensed for his persecution of Christians. Julian became furious and resorted to even more savage tortures, but they did not break the will of the saint. Finally, the Great Martyr Artemius was beheaded.

His relics were buried by Christians. After the death of Saint Artemius, his prophecy about Julian the Apostate’s impending death came true.

Julian left Antioch for a war with the Persians. Near the Persian city of Ctesiphon, Julian came upon an elderly Persian, who agreed to betray his countrymen and guide Julian’s army. The old man deceived Julian and led his army into the Karmanite wilderness, where there was neither food nor water. Tired from hunger and thirst, Julian’s army battled against fresh Persian forces.

Divine retribution caught up with Julian the Apostate. During the battle, he was mortally wounded by an unseen hand and an unseen weapon. Julian groaned deeply said, “You have conquered, Galilean!” After the death of the apostate emperor, the relics of the Great Martyr Artemius were transferred with honor from Antioch to Constantinople.

Saint Artemius is invoked by those suffering from hernias.

The Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion, who stood at the Cross of the Lord

The Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion, a Roman soldier, served in Judea under the command of the Governor, Pontius Pilate. When our Savior Jesus Christ was crucified, it was the detachment of soldiers under the command of Longinus who stood watch on Golgotha at the very foot of the Holy Cross. Longinus and his soldiers were eyewitnesses of the final moments of the earthly life of the Lord and of the great and awesome portents that appeared at His death. These events shook the centurion’s soul. Longinus believed in Christ and confessed before everyone, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Mt. 27:54).

According to Church Tradition, Longinus was the soldier who pierced the side of the Crucified Savior with a spear and received healing from an eye affliction when blood and water poured forth from the wound.

After the Crucifixion and Burial of the Savior, Longinus stood to watch with his company at the Sepulcher of the Lord. These soldiers were present at the All-Radiant Resurrection of Christ. The Jews bribed them to lie and say that His disciples had stolen away from the Body of Christ, but Longinus and two of his comrades refused to be seduced by the Jewish gold. They also refused to remain silent about the miracle of the Resurrection.

Having come to believe in the Savior, the soldiers received Baptism from the apostles and decided to leave military service. Saint Longinus left Judea to preach about Jesus Christ the Son of God in his native land (Cappadocia), and his two comrades followed him.

The fiery words of those who had actually participated in the great events in Judea swayed the hearts and minds of the Cappadocians; Christianity began quickly to spread throughout the city and the surrounding villages. When they learned of this, the Jewish elders persuaded Pilate to send a company of soldiers to Cappadocia to kill Longinus and his comrades. When the soldiers arrived at Longinus’s village, the former centurion himself came out to meet the soldiers and took them to his home. After a meal, the soldiers revealed the purpose of their visit, not knowing that the master of the house was the very man whom they were seeking. Then Longinus and his friends identified themselves and told the startled soldiers to carry out their duty.

The soldiers wanted to let the saints go and advised them to flee, but they refused to do this, showing their firm intention to suffer for Christ. The holy martyrs were beheaded, and their bodies were buried at the place where the saints were martyred. The head of Saint Longinus, however, was sent to Pilate.

Pilate gave orders to cast the martyr’s head on a trash-heap outside the city walls. After a while, a certain blind widow from Cappadocia arrived in Jerusalem with her son to pray at the holy places and to ask that her sight be restored. After becoming blind, she had sought the help of physicians to cure her, but all their efforts were in vain.

The woman’s son became ill shortly after reaching Jerusalem, and he died a few days later. The widow grieved for the loss of her son, who had served as her guide.

Saint Longinus appeared to her in a dream and comforted her. He told her that she would see her son in heavenly glory and also receive her sight. He told her to go outside the city walls, and there she would find his head in a great pile of refuse. Guides led the blind woman to the rubbish heap, and she began to dig with her hands. As soon as she touched the martyr’s head, the woman received her sight, and she glorified God and Saint Longinus.

Taking up the head, she brought it to the place she was staying and washed it. The next night, Saint Longinus appeared to her again, this time with her son. They were surrounded by a bright light, and Saint Longinus said, “Woman, behold the son for whom you grieve. See what glory and honor are his now, and be consoled. God has numbered him with those in His heavenly Kingdom. Now take my head and your son’s body, and bury them in the same casket. Do not weep for your son, for he will rejoice forever in great glory and happiness.”

The woman carried out the saint’s instructions and returned to her home in Cappadocia. There, she buried her son and the head of Saint Longinus. Once, she had been overcome by grief for her son, but her weeping was transformed into joy when she saw him with Saint Longinus. She had sought healing for her eyes and also received healing of her soul.

The Ladder of Ascent to Spiritual Rebirth

 The Ladder of Ascent to Spiritual Rebirth By St. Symeon the New Theologian

Above all else you should strive to acquire three things, and so begin to attain what you seek. The first is freedom from anxiety with respect to everything, whether reasonable or senseless - in other words, you should be dead to everything. Secondly, you should strive to preserve a pure conscience, so that it has nothing to reproach you with. Thirdly, you should be completely detached, so that your thoughts incline towards nothing worldly, not even your own body.

Then sit down in a quiet cell, in a corner by yourself, and do what I tell you. Close the door, and withdraw your intellect from everything worthless and transient. Rest your beard on your chest, and focus your physical gaze, together with the whole of your intellect, upon the center of your belly or your navel. Restrain the drawing-m of breath through your nostrils, so as not to breathe easily, and search inside yourself with your intellect so as to find the place of the heart, where all the powers of the soul reside. To start with you will find there darkness and an impenetrable density. Later, when you persist and practice this task day and night, you will find, as though miraculously, an unceasing joy. For as soon as the intellect attains the place of the heart, at once it sees things of which it previously knew nothing. It sees the open space within the heart and it beholds itself entirely luminous and full of discrimination. From then on, from whatever side a distractive thought may appear, before it has come to completion and assumed a form, the intellect immediately drives it away and destroys it with the invocation of Jesus Christ. From this point onwards the intellect begins to be full of rancor against the demons and, rousing its natural anger against its noetic enemies, it pursues them and strikes them down. The rest you will learn for yourself, with God's help, by keeping guard over your intellect and by retaining Jesus in your heart. As the saying goes, "Sit in your cell and it will teach you everything."

Question: Why cannot the monk attain perfection by means of the first and second form of keeping guard?

Answer: Because he does not embark on them in the proper order. St John Klimakos likens these methods to a ladder, saying, "Some curtail their passions; others practice psalmody, persevering most of the time in this; others devote themselves to prayer; and others turn their gaze to the depths of contemplation. When examining this question let us use the analogy of a ladder" (The Ladder, Step 27).

Now those who want to ascend a ladder do not start at the top and climb down, but start at the bottom and climb up. They ascend the first step, then the second, and so the rest in turn. In this way we can ascend from earth to heaven. If, then, we wish to attain the perfect stature of the fullness of Christ, like children who are growing up we must start to climb the ladder set before us, until progressing step by step we reach the level of a full-grown man and then of an old man.

The first age in the monastic state is to curtail the passions. This is the stage of beginners.

The second rung or stage whereby a person grows up spiritually from adolescence to youth is assiduously to practice psalmody. For when the passions have been curtailed and laid to rest, psalmody brings delight to the tongue and is welcomed by God, since it is not possible to sing to the Lord in a strange land (cf. Ps. 137:4), that is to say, from an impassioned heart. This is the mark of those who are beginning to make progress.

The third rung or stage in life, marking the spiritual transition from youth to manhood, is to persevere in prayer. This is the stage of those who are already well advanced. Prayer differs from psalmody just as the full-grown man differs from the youth and the adolescent, according to the scheme that we are following.

In addition there is a fourth rung or stage in spiritual life, that of the old man with grey hairs. This signifies undeviating absorption in contemplation, and this is the state of the perfect. So the journey is complete and the top of the ladder has been reached.

Since this is the way in which matters have been appointed and arranged by the Spirit, it is not possible for a child to grow up to manhood and to attain old age except by mounting the first rung of the ladder and so climbing up to perfection by the four steps in succession.

For someone who desires spiritual rebirth, the first step towards the light is to curtail the passions, that is to say, to guard the heart; for it is impossible otherwise to curtail the passions. The next stage is to devote oneself to psalmody; for when the passions have been curtailed and laid to rest through the heart's resistance against them, longing for intimate union with God inflames the intellect. Strengthened by this longing the intellect repulses all distractive thoughts that encircle the heart, attempting to get in, and it rebuffs them through attentiveness. So it applies itself assiduously to the second stage, that of attentiveness and prayer. This then stirs up the evil spirits, and the blasts of passion violently agitate the depths of the heart. But through the invocation of the Lord Jesus Christ they are utterly routed and all the tumult melts like wax in the fire. But though they have been driven out of the heart the demons continue to disturb the intellect externally through the senses. However, because they can only trouble it superficially, the intellect soon regains its serenity; none the less, it can never be completely free from the attacks of the demons. Such freedom is to be found only among those who have attained full manhood - who are totally detached from everything visible and who devote themselves unceasingly to giving attention to the heart. After that, those who have achieved attentiveness are raised little by little to the wisdom of old age, that is to say, they ascend to contemplation; and this is the stage of the perfect.

Thus if you practice all this in due sequence, completing each phase at the right time, your heart will first be cleansed of the passions, and you will then be able to concentrate wholly on psalmody; you will be able to wage war against the thoughts that are roused by the senses and disturb the surface of the intellect and you will gaze heavenwards, if need be, alike with your physical and your spiritual eyes, and will pray in true purity. Yet you should gaze upwards only occasionally because of the enemies that lie in ambush in the air.

God asks only this of us, that our heart be purified through watchfulness. As St Paul says, if the root is holy, so also will the branches and the fruit be holy (cf Rom 1 1 : 16). But if without following the sequence of which we have spoken you raise eyes and intellect to heaven in the hope of envisaging noetic realities you will see fantasies rather than the truth. Because our heart is still unpurified, as we have said many times, the first and the second methods of attentiveness do not promote our progress. When we build a house we do not put on the roof before laying the foundations - this is impossible. We first lay the foundations, then build the house, and finally put on the roof. We must do the same in relation to spiritual matters.

First we must lay the spiritual foundations of the house, that is to say, we must watch over the heart and curtail the passions arising from it. Then we must build the walls of the spiritual house, that is to say, through the second form of attentiveness we must repulse the turbulence of the evil spirits that fight us by means of the external senses, and must free ourselves as quickly as possible from their attacks. Then we must put on the roof, that is to say, detach ourselves entirely from all things and give ourselves wholly to God. In this way we complete our spiritual house in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory throughout all the ages. Amen.

From The Philokalia, vol. 4, "The Three Methods of Prayer." 

 

I simply thank Her for my illness.

 An ailing grandmother used to visit the shrine of the Virgin Mary on Tinos every year.

Many who saw her there eventually approached her and asked:

"Grandma, we have seen you coming here to the Virgin Mary for so many years while suffering from illness.

Everyone here asks Her to heal them.

Can you tell us what you say to the Virgin Mary?"

And the grandmother replied:

"I ask Her for nothing!

I simply thank Her for my illness.

I thank Her that I have not grumbled about my sickness.

I thank Her that I have not lost my mind because of it.

I venerate Her and leave..."

What a profound thing that is! To be in need yet ask for absolutely nothing!

It means you have risen above all worldly things, and the only thing you seek is for the Lord's will to be done.

☦️Elder Ephraim of the Skete of Saint Andrew.