Some time ago, I heard a talk about the Old Testament story of the three youths who were cast into the furnace. I had read the story many times, but this Priest pointed to something that I had never considered. Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego came out of the firey furnace and the Sacred Scriptures say that they were not even singed by the fire. Even more, they did not smell of smoke.

The Priest pointed out that we all go into the furnace of tribulation This story teaches us that the Son of God will be there in the midst of the fire to protect us from destruction. Yet, even with this wonderful experience of God's help and protection, many of us come out of the furnace reeking of smoke.

In other words, we come out of trials and tribulations with the stink of bitterness, resentment, irritation, and a remembrance of wrongs.

Well, we understand how this can happen. It seems most natural that we would respond in this way. After all, in most cases, we feel that the tribulation was uncalled for, we didn't deserve it, what purpose did it really serve, etc. As William Shakespear says, we feel that we have suffered "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune." Where is God in that?

Beyond this bit of self-pity, we need to consider the impact of bitterness and resentment on our spiritual life, upon others, and upon the Church. Older readers will remember the song that includes the line "smoke gets in your eyes." Forgive my shameless use the idea.

The problem with smoke, real thick smoke, is that it will causes tears and blurs your vision. And so it is with those who come through tribulation and reek with the smoke of bitterness and resentment. They cannot see anything very clearly.

For example, those who stink of bitterness can't see that they repel people who truly want to love them. They don't know that it is their own bitterness that is causing their isolation and loneliness. Above all, bitter and resentful people can't see God clearly. Even though He met them in the midst of their trials, bitterness and resentment now make them question if God was ever with them. They begin to think of God as hard, cruel, vindictive, and capricious.

We also need to consider what a spirit of bitterness and resentment does to the fellowship of the Church. Simply, it creates small currents of discontent that eventually swell up like a tidal wave that can destroy us all. Instead of "building up one another in love", our bitterness, remembrance of wrongs, and petty resentments only tear down and destroy. People drawn to the Orthodox Tewahedo Faith will come to visit, but the smell of "smoke" (not incense), will be apparent to them. If they have any sense, they will not return.

While I will have much to answer for when I stand before the judgment seat of Christ, I determined that I would do my best to build up the Church. I prayed that I would never have to answer for schism or for dividing the Body of Christ. That meant, above other things, that I would have to come out of any trial or tribulation free of smoke. Sometimes, the tribulation came by my own foolishness. Sometimes, trials came from family. Often, tribulation came from someone in the Church that I loved and had tried to serve. My first human response was to be bitter. How I longed to go over and "tell them off" so that I could avenge my "honor" and demonstrate how right I had been in the matter (a wrong assumption, most times). But the Lord constantly reminded me of my promise to put His Church and His honor above my own. And so by His Grace, I wiped the smoke from my eyes.

How are you doing? Are you a smoke-free Orthodox Christian? One way to tell is to observe if others smell it when you are around. I've never been a smoker, not even in my youth, but most of my family smoked tobacco. I never realized the pervasive odor of smoke until I would be away from home at College. When I returned home, the house would literally stink. I would try to explain it, but the smokers would always deny it. They just couldn't smell it. In later years, after I was ordained a Priest, when I would go home to visit family, upon my return, my clothes and suitcases reeked of smoke.

Smelling the smoke is an important piece of self-discovery. I am sure that you don't want to answer for it when you stand before the Lord. Being free of smoke is both a gift of God and an act of will. Which is greater, the honor of God or your honor; your being "right", or the peace of the Church; your vengeance, or the well being of your brother/sister in Christ?

Abba Yohannes

According to Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church practice the Fast of the Apostles begins the Monday after the Feast of Pentecost. The length - observance of the Fast varies depending upon the date of Easter - Fasika, and may be a minimum of fourteen days and a maximum of forty-five days. The Holy Apostles observed this fast after the manner of the Prophet Moses and the Saviour, Christ Jesus. Moses the Prophet fasted forty days after he received the Ten Commandments, but before he preached the Law to the children of the Hebrews. The Saviour Christ Jesus fasted for forty days right after His Baptism - Timket, before He began His public ministry of preaching the Good News of The Gospel. We understand as Orthodox Christians that we must "fast and pray" before commencing any task. Another reason we observe this fast is based on the words of The Saviour when He said: "They shall fast when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them." This is the first Fast since the Ascension of The Saviour to the Right Hand of The Father. The Apostles fast will end on Sunday, July 12^th, which is The Feast of the Holy Apostles Saints Peter and Paul.

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM THE FATHER'S

...in humility A monk who lived in Holy Trinity's hermitage of St. Anne's Monastery was attacked by the demon of sloth to the point of desperation. One day in his discouragement he said, "I will climb up and sit at the edge of a cliff and swing my legs to pass the time." It was the eve of St. John the Baptist's feast day, celebrated at St. Dionysios Monastery (the next monastery down the coastline).

He climbed up and sat on the edge of a cliff and started swinging his legs while murmuring the Jesus Prayer - but not all the time, of course, just now and then, since he was full of demonic sloth. While he was sitting there in this lazy manner, a battalion of demons passed by, headed for St. Dionysios Monastery to tempt the monks there.

One of the demons said to the others: "I will mock that half dead body in black which is sitting up there."

"Don't go, he will burn you," said the other demons.

But that demon went anyway and appeared as a monk before the novice and said to him, "What are you doing here?"

"Not much," replied the young monk. "I am lazy and unable to offer anything to my Lord except to sit here and swing my legs."

Hearing these humble words, the demon left him immediately and returned to join his group. This event has been passed down by elders who advise young novices who are having difficulties keeping up with their rules of obedience.