The Call of Christ - Fr. George Calciu

Fr. George Calciu (+2006) was one of the great confessors of Christianity in the twentieth century. Having survived the diabolic prison experiments of Communist Romania, Fr. George went on to become an apostle to spiritual seekers in Romania and, eventually, throughout the world. He was able to speak authoritatively of God's love and forgiveness because of his own experience of God's mercy. As a priest in America, Fr. George maintained a strict ascetic life of fasting and prayer, while at the same time pastoring his flock as a joyful and loving father. This reading comes from “Father George Calciu: Interview, Homilies, and Talks” by St. Herman Press. We begin with the introduction written by Fr. Seraphim Rose followed by the first two homilies of seven that Fr. George gave in Romania in 1978 to students who had been raised and education in Communist Romania. Fr. George gave these homilies when many fellow clergy were silent about the persecution facing the Church and the restriction of freedom to teach and preach Christ to the people. 0:00 Title 0:16 Introduction by Fr. Seraphim Rose 4:32 Homily One: "The Call" 10:41 Homily Two: "Let Us Build Churches" Buy “Father George Calciu: Interview, Homilies, and Talks” here: https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/Father-George-Cacliu-p/fgc.htm --Read the seven homilies here: https://deathtotheworld.com/articles/seven-homilies-to-the-youth-part-i/ --Article about Fr. George: http://www.pravoslavie.ru/46636.html --The relics of Fr. George found incorrupt 7 years after his repose: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2013/12/the-relic-of-fr-george-calciu-confessor.html Note: A section of Fr. George's homily titled "Let Us Build Churches" was quoted by Fr. Seraphim Rose at the end of arguably his most famous talk, "Living the Orthodox World-view": https://youtu.be/UguEoHSXuCg?si=NELDWcDLLi_T_EoX _______ Fr. George teaches: The time has come, young man, for you to hear a voice which has been calling you. It is a voice you have never heard before, or perhaps, one you have heard but which you have never understood or obeyed. It is the voice of Jesus! Don’t be shocked; don’t be amazed, and don’t smile incredulously, my young friend! The voice which calls you is not that of a dead man, but of One Who has risen from the dead. He does not shout after you from history, but from out of the depths of your own inner being. Come to the Church of Christ! Only here will you find consolation for your ravished soul. Only in the Church will you find certainty, because only in the Church will you hear the voice of Jesus saying meekly to you: “Son, all your sins are forgiven. You have suffered much. Behold, I have made you whole; go and sin no more.” You are in Christ’s Church whenever you uplift some­one bent down in sorrow, or when you give alms to the poor and visit the sick. You are in Christ’s Church when you cry out: “Lord, help me”. You are in Christ’s Church when you are good and patient, when you refuse to get angry at your brother, even if he has wounded your feelings. You are in Christ’s Church when you pray: “Lord, forgive him”. When you work honestly at your job, returning home weary in the evenings but with a smile upon your lips, when you repay evil with love —you are in Christ’s Church. Do you not see, therefore, young friend, how close the Church of Christ is? You are Peter and God is building His Church upon you. You are the rock of His Church against which nothing can prevail. You are a liberated rock, a soul that is fulfilled within His Church, and not one condemned to stagnation. Let us build churches with our faith. Churches which no human power can pull down. A church whose foundation is Christ. Let us build churches in our enlightened hearts where there shines the bright Sun of Righteousness, Who is Christ Himself, He Who has told us that by faith we are free from sin.