Christ is in our Midst

To live a life of holiness and piety, according to the mind of the Church, is nothing less than to set the whole of one’s existence upon the path of deification—the process by which human beings, created in the image of God, are brought by grace into His likeness. Holiness is not an abstract notion, nor a privilege for the few, but the lived reality of communion with Christ in His Body, the Church. This communion is expressed most fully in the Holy Mysteries, through prayer both personal and corporate, and through the works of mercy which manifest the love of God to our neighbour. The Apostle exhorted the faithful, saying, “For this is the pleasure of God, your sanctification…” (1 Thessalonians 4:3) Sanctification is not restricted to moral improvement alone, but is a participation in the divine energies, a transformation of the entire person by the indwelling Spirit of God. The faithful must therefore understand holiness as the foretaste of the Kingdom, begun here in this age and brought to perfection in the unending vision of God’s glory in eternity.
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The Holy Church confesses that in the Divine Liturgy the Holy Gifts truly become the Body and Blood of Christ, and that, in every consecrated temple, the Lord abides among His people in a manner at once mysterious and real. His presence is a living reality that summons the faithful to reverence of mind, word, and deed. Our Lord Himself assures us: “For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

If His nearness is promised wherever the faithful assemble, how much more should we employ a sober and devout bearing in the holy temple, wherein the Church ascends mystically to the heavenly altar and where the Holy Mysteries are offered for the life of the world. The Apostle also directs attention to the ecclesial character of the temple as “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).
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Living with hope is at the heart of the Christian life as the Church understands it. In our tradition, hope is a theological virtue given by God and received in freedom, binding the soul to the promises already inaugurated in Christ and yet to be fully revealed in the age to come. It is inseparable from faith and love, and it matures within the life of the Church as we are led towards theosis—the healing and elevation of the human person by grace. St. Paul teaches, “We are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he hope for?” (Romans 8:24). This saving hope fixes the heart on Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension, on His promised appearing in glory, and on the inheritance of incorruption. The Orthodox mind therefore treats hope not as an inward mood but as a steady participation in the divine life, a stance of filial trust fostered by the Holy Spirit, an “anchor of the soul” that holds fast amidst the tides of time (cf. Hebrews 6:19).
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The Christian life takes its shape from the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who took our flesh and healed our nature. The Apostle sets a clear pattern for us: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). In the Church this call draws us into the life of Christ that is given in worship, in daily prayer, and in steady obedience to His teaching. The Fathers call this end theosis. It is the sharing of our life with God’s life by grace. The Bible gives the same hope, specifically that through God’s promises we “may become participants in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). This is not copying the outside of Christ’s life. It is a real change within us as His grace works in our minds, our wills, and our habits.

To grow in this way, we learn the mind of Christ. St. Paul speaks plainly. “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). This mind shows itself in humility, patience, and a steady desire to do the Father’s will. It also teaches us to speak truth without harshness and to serve without looking for praise. The Lord sets the path when He said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Self-denial is not a dramatic gesture. It is the daily choice to turn from selfish impulses and choose the good. In parish life this looks like keeping the fasts, guarding the tongue, showing up for prayer, and helping those who need care.
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