St Mary Egypt Craft - Turn Life Around

The powerful story of repentance that we find in the life of Saint Mary of Egypt which was recorded by the monk Zossimos, can be a memorable one for teenagers and college students. For the younger children though that you might be working with, consider this Orthodox craft:

1. Color two images of Saint Mary of Egypt
The first, from her former life possibly with brighter clothing, youthful skin, etc
and the second after her years in the desert as an ascetic. I chose these two images because one depicts the humility needed to bring about repentance, and the second with hope and stronger faith, prepared to meet God at her death.

2. Cut the images out

3. Glue those images, back to back, with a popsicle stick in between

4. Write the word "METANOIA" (or REPENTANCE) on the sticks with the definition "Turn one's life around" on the reverse side.

As I retell the story, I'll ask the children to show me which side of her we're looking at. Then, we will literally, TURN HER LIFE AROUND, but rotating our sticks to see her as a transformed woman of God, one of the most memorable Saints of our Church.

For more inspiration from her story, here is an excellent sermon in video form:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC3tEQlqdGY&feature=youtu.be

Talking Points to Remember:

• She left home at 12 years old, to a live a life of sinfulness in the city, one which would not bring her happiness, but emptiness and distance from God.
•  When God prevented her entrance into the Church to venerate the Cross of Christ, it was a BIG WAKE UP CALL, to stop and look at herself as unworthy, and in need of healing.
• She did not flee to the desert to punish herself, but TO FIND HERSELF, that is, the true self that God created her to be, beautiful in His eyes.
• She departed for the desert without much, but had one important thing: faith in God that He would provide for her daily food and shelter for 47 years.
• Lastly, the four miracles show us that she became transformed and pleasing to God: she had the gift of clairvoyance and knew Father Zossimas' name before he told her, she was seen elevated off the ground in prayer, she walked on water to cross the river to receive the Holy Eucharist, and lastly, the lion was sent by God to help bury her.

I suggest ending your lesson by reading together or silently this:



St Ephrem the Syrian, Spiritual Psalter, 120:
'How many times have I promised...'
I am unworthy to ask forgiveness for myself, O Lord, for many times have I promised to repent and proved myself a liar by not fulfilling my promise. Thou hast picked me up many times already, but every time I freely chose to fall again...If a righteous man can barely be saved, then where will I end up, I who am lawless and sinful? If the path that leads to life is strait and narrow, then how can I be vouchsafed such good things, I who live a life of luxury, indulging in my own pleasures and dissipation? But Thou, O Lord, my Saviour, Son of the true God, as Thou knowest and desirest it, by Thy grace alone, freely turn me away from the sin that abides in me and save me from ruin.

St Ephraim the Syrian resources
Quote from 120th 'Psalm' in St Ephraim's Spiritual Psalter by our Holy Father St Ephraim of Edessa, the Syrian; excerpted and arranged by Bishop Theophan the Recluse according to the manner of the psalter of the Old Testament.
 

Mona Lisa Makeover

Imagine someone walking into the art museum to do this to the Mona Lisa! They'd be arrested for graffiti, at a minimal I'm sure! Imagine the state of shock that Leonardo di Vinci would be in at such altercations to his masterpiece...., as if the way he created her is just not good enough! 

Yet everyday around the world, millions of young girls, college students, middle aged moms, and aging grandmoms apply lipstick, paint their nails, apply haircolor, enhance their body with implants, pierce their ears and endure the pain of getting a tatoo all to look more "beautiful" or just a bit younger. A little "blush" here and there....no harm done right? Besides, isn't it fun to be "girly?" Where's the harm in aiming to look 20 years younger?


Hasn't anyone ever said....you're already perfect...just the way you are! In fact, God likes you BEST without all that stuff! -You are perfect in His eyes! If He wanted our toenails purple, He would have made them that way. True beauty for the Christian is to be clothed in Christ and His Saints. looking like them! Take a look at the icons of our Church. In other words, to imitate Christ in human modesty and dress. If we are women, let us be truly women, with appreciation for our femininity and respect for our bodies. Let us reject the vanity of materialism -  and instead, teach our youth how truly attractive the Christian virtues of patience, humility and chastity are.

Let us adorn ourselves with inner embellishments of the soul, and discover beauty as God created it. Remember, our kids are watching! How will we explain that they don't need mascara, but we do?

ACTIVITY - Before revealing the lesson, pass out clear projector sheets and ask each young person to draw a self portrait of what they are wearing on that exact day. Include logos and t-shirt graphics, jewelry, make-up, hairstyles, hats, etc. Then gather them, and hold them up, one by one in front of an icon of Christ at the same approximate size 8.5x11. Ask your students.....can they see Christ through each person? Does Christ look a bit foolish with earrings? The final message is that we all bear the image and likeness of Christ and must show this to others in our appearance and very importantly, our actions. It is much easier to say we are Christians than it is to BE an Orthodox Christian.

Homosexuality & Adam / Eve

Most Orthodox Christians are unaware that Adam & Eve were created and lived in virginity. Yes. That's right. "Be fruitful and multiply" was a command that was enacted upon after the fall. (Ch 4 of Genesis, St John Chrysostom teaches that Adam "knew" Eve after) There was no marriage in Paradise. There was no hetero-sex, nor homo-sex . They lived as angels.

It can be shocking, but this is the teaching of St Chrysostom, St Gregory of Nyssa even though he was married, Saint Maximos, and St Gregory the Theologian to list a few.

If we understood our own sexuality correctly, we could see the distortions today based on purely earthly indulgences. Saint Maximos teaches that God never intended for us to live as the animals, in passionate physical rage, uniting in a beastly way flesh to flesh. Flesh itself, was given after the Fall.

Granted, God foresaw the fall of Adam & Eve and hence blessed the marriage bed between one woman and one man, however, this too has perimeters for a healthy Christ-centered relationship that ultimately leads to its' goal, the salvation of both individuals. Remember, marriage in itself is no guarantee for a place in heaven, neither is celibacy.

Consider the numerous successful attacks of the evil one today to entice and enslave mankind into sin: There are marriages of vasectomies to have as much sex as wanted, condoms and birth control, exploration before marriage, outside marriage, divorce, homosexuality, bestiality, pornography, masturbation, sex with pregnant women whose seed man has already planted...no farmer returns to the field he has already seeded, he waits patiently for the fruit to come.

Think about the self control and watchfulness that the Church advises us to... married couples are expected to abstain during fasting days, often lengthy 40-day periods and before Holy Communion. Widows are encouraged to live in celibacy, chastity is one of the greatest virtues of self control. Bishops and monastics willingly take on this vow and struggle daily to approach Christ and leave behind pleasures of the flesh. A couple who cannot procreate are no less in value before God, because lying together is not a means to an end, in otherwise this is not their salvation!

Lastly, the ultimate example, Christ came into the world thru Virginity. He himself lived in virginity and honors His holy Mother as more glorious than the angels for her virginity, as our example.

Instead, this passion has consumed our society and distracted us away from our true calling: We are called to return to Paradise, to be sanctified and freed from all forms of slavery of sin. If you are struggling against anything above, keep at it, for in this work God will be pleased! 

(I'd be happy to post additional resources from Church fathers)

Check out this link for Teenager resources on the topic, or download my workbook on VIRTUES here:

Theotokos & Teenagers

Start with an apple. A whole, clean, delicious apple without bruises or blemishes, just sweet and ripe.This apple is going to be the example. If it happens to be red, then we will liken it to she who fittingly is clothed in red, the Most Holy Theotokos, at the END of our lesson. Next, present this apple as a body, one with an inner part, the flesh which is like the soul. Ask what color this inner soul is? Of course, we all know it to be white, the cleanest and most pure of colors.

If this apple were us, we could consider the course of its' life. Let us say that when the apple was 8 years old, it began to say mean things to its sibling....(with a knife, slowly begin to take small bites from the apple)...then as the apple grew older, it experienced a fight on the soccer field, and hurt another player (another large chunk taken away) Then, at age 15, the apple began having bad thoughts everyday for a whole year about a teacher at school....(yet again, more wounds) and at age 16, the apple started to date and become intimate with other apples outside of marriage. (several wounds inflicted for each date.) But in fact, by the time the apple was 19, it had already lost its virginity outside of marriage (unfortunate vary large chunks taken away). Lastly, the apple under much stress, disrespected and abandoned the wisdom of its' parents without apologizing. (one final chunk taken away)

Now this apple is turning 21 tomorrow. It is beginning to think about leaving the supermarket one day, and desires for someone to buy it to take it to its' new home. However, compared to other apples....ours was beginning to look pretty ugly. Its' skin had faults and bruises, large scars and wounds. Slowly, its' inner soul was turning brown with each passing day. You could barely recognize it for the beautiful apple it started as.

What happened? Can you see the effect that sin has on the body and the soul? If I asked you today to think about the state of "your" apple... what do you think it would look like?

Can you image what the body and soul of the Theotokos, the Mother of God, looked like? We can see right here in the icon of the Dormition. Can you find the small child clothed in white in Christ's hands...this is the pure soul of Panagia - just like the inside of the apple! It is unblemished and has a halo of holiness. Do you remember that when the body dies temporarily the soul leaves the body and waits for the Resurrection. This is what we see happening. We see the Mother of God asleep, but the angels are present surrounding Christ to take her soul into heaven immediately!

Let's talk about her life, how she was born, her parents and how she grew up. How did she pass her time, and become a "teenager?" Even afterwards? Do you remember how she honored her son and God, and supported the growth of the Church through the spreading of the Gospel? She became the Mother of all Christians!

The difference between us and the Theotokos is that she kept herself and her life pure, just as God first created her. Of course, she could have sinned, for no one is perfect except Christ, but she was found favorable in God's eyes, and He helped to preserve her. She is an excellent example for us to follow. We call upon her with some of these titles:

• Pure One
• More honorable than the angels
• Only all blameless One
• You without corruption
• Bride of God
• Spotless One
• Ever Virgin (three stars on shoulders and head for virginity before Christ, during the birth of Christ and all the days of her life after Christ)

Finally, we believe in her as the "Protection of Christians" which means she will and does help us when we ask her to! Although an apple may be irreparable, our souls are not! God can heal our wounds, if we strive to return to our most delicious state of perfection through the Sacrament of Confession and God's great mercy. In our prayers and the hymns of the Church we desire greater strength against temptations and difficulties, to remain pure in our virginity and in our thoughts, so we too can honor God with our lives as did the Panagia.