Unbelievable!

The Holy Scriptures are filled with unbelievable acts and stories that have captured our imagination for thousands of years. Ever since God first shared His story of Creation mankind has wondered, “How in the world did He do that?!” And over and over we are told by angels, “Do not be amazed…” because the power of God is beyond our understanding. It’s why we call it faith and not fact after all…

In the opening verses of the Gospel of Luke we read, “That you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.” (Luke 1.4) Luke begins this way, unique to his Gospel, by acknowledging that not only did other versions of the Gospel exist but that many did not fully understand or believe what they had been told. Saint Luke, a doctor by education, could be trusted in his description of the story of Jesus Christ.

One such unbelievable story is told about the conception and birth of John the Baptist from elderly parents. John’s father, Saint Zacharias, was told, “’Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John’….And Zacharias said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.’” (Luke 1.13,18) This was unbelievable even for Zacharias who was made mute because he doubted God’s power.

We know the rest of the story….John was born and his father received his speech after obeying the commandment to name his son John. Zacharias doubted the power of God but eventually turned around after witnessing the power of God in the birth of his son.

God has a story for us too. He desires for us to believe in Him, follow His commandments, love and serve our neighbor and to love God will all our might and live in Communion with Him and each other. Sound unbelievable? Just follow Zacharias’ example and live the life Christ has established and witness His power….and you’ll believe too!

Fatherhood and Faith - A Divine Partnership

“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence.” (1 Timothy 3.2-5)

Summer comes along and the thought of spending time outdoors with our families and friends brings a warm feeling to our hearts. It’s no surprise that in June, then, the beginning of the “official summer season” we take time to honor our fathers since grilling and outdoor activities have come to symbolize men in general but fathers more specifically. For weeks leading up to Fathers’ Day, advertising seems to center around dad, mom and kids around the grill enjoying quality family time. My memories of spending time with my father enjoying the outdoors still bring a smile to my face. But is that all there is to honoring fathers on Fathers’ Day? Sadly, for many families, this is the limit to Fathers’ Day.

We cannot speak about fathers without also speaking of our Heavenly Father, Who loves us so much that “He gave His only begotten Son.” (John 3.16)  His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then established His Church as “His Body” (Ephesians 1.23) to be the Ark of our salvation. We were baptized into His Body becoming one with the Lord Who gave us “the right to become children of God.” (John 1.12) Our real, albeit mystical, union with God is what leads us to understand, or at least appreciate, the connection between family, church and heaven. When one is united to God, one cannot help but discuss every aspect of life from the perspective of union with God…whether we are grilling in the back yard or receiving the Eucharist in Church on Sunday.

When Saint Paul outlined the requirements for a bishop, he was expressing this truth; that leading the Church was not a separate function of men, but a function of fathers and husbands leading their families to God. Although today our bishops are ordained from within the celibate clergy, this was not always the case, but we’ll leave that topic for another day. There is much more to understanding Church polity that is beyond the scope of this article. How then is it that our fathers, physical and spiritual, lead us to God? Let us begin with the first statement of Saint Paul, by replacing the word “bishop” with “father.”

A father then must be blameless – Saint John Chrysostom said, “Every virtue is implied in this word. [The father’s] life should be unspotted so that all should look up to him and make his life the model of their own.” Rather than asking whether or not our fathers are unspotted, since nobody is without sin, maybe we should ask, “Are they striving to be blameless?” The true role model for families is a life of repentance and confession when we don’t always live up to the standards God has for us. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5.17) In Christ our fathers are constantly becoming blameless.

A father then must be the husband of one wife – In an era of “no fault divorce” and “common-law marriage” this requirement may seem antiquated or out of touch. It goes without saying that divorce has become too prevalent in our society AND Church, but “From the beginning it was not so.” (Matthew 19.8) Divorce, while being unavoidable at times, and then only for certain reasons, cannot and should not become the norm in our Churches. We must strive for marital chastity and a father must be dedicated to healing and building a marriage and family whenever possible. In fact it reveals greater character to repair a marriage than to flee from it, which serves a greater model to our children and families.

A father then must be temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach – How our fathers relate to others reveals the condition of their hearts. “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” (Matthew 7.17) Our actions reveal our nature. In fact the fruit of our behavior indeed teaches our children and others. We are all able to teach. The real issue is WHAT we are teaching in our actions. If we desire our children to be temperate, sober-minded and of good behavior, fathers must model this in their own lives and their children will follow.

These are the character traits that fathers must possess. Saint Paul then includes what fathers “must not” possess in their character.

A father must not be given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, not quarrelsome, not covetous – I have never met anyone who desires a drunk, violent, greedy, feisty, selfish father. And yet, I have met many people who are all or some of these. What happens between what we desire and what we receive? As Saint Paul reminds us that, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3.23) We each are engaged in a battle to subdue our passions. Some are more successful than others, but all fall short….all. If all continue to fall short, is there any hope for fathers and families?

A father must rule his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence – What makes a father great isn’t whether or not he has always succeeded in keeping Saint Paul’s commandments. What makes a father great is his willingness to lead his family (and therefore the Church) toward God with all reverence.

The only true model of a father is The Father, Who even though His children and His Bride (the Church) disobeyed Him and continue to disobey Him, has never faltered in His dedication to leading us toward Heaven. Since that first moment in the Garden, God has been working to restore us to Himself. Our Father in Heaven is blameless, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence…of course God is perfect…

If we, as fathers, strive to live these traits in our lives, then we shall be perfect, just as our Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5.48) And that is something worth honoring this Fathers’ Day.

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The Holy Spirit + Truth = The Church

And Jesus said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20.22)

And Jesus said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 16.13)

More than two thousand years ago, “When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2.1-4)

My dear brothers and sisters this is the month of Pentecost so it seemed only appropriate that I offer some assurance as to the claims by the Church to possess the fullness of the Truth as revealed by God. On the first Christian Pentecost, after Jesus had returned to His Throne in Heaven on the Feast of Ascension, He sent the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort the Church. This was anticipated since on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost (prior to His Passion) Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture [Old Testament] has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7.37-38) The Gospel continues by stating, “But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7.39)

It is clear from the evidence of Scripture that Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within the Church and guide and comfort the Church. This historical reality should not be taken lightly. When we speak of the Apostles and the earliest Church Fathers (those we refer to as the Apostolic Fathers) we MUST (if we are to trust Scripture and Christ’s guarantee) believe that the Holy Apostles taught from by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and not their own opinions. We must have faith that they spoke the truth…the fullness of the truth.

And what did the Holy Apostles teach? (See The Teachings of the Holy Apostles to the Nations)

1.      We must believe in Jesus Christ as the Incarnate Word of God – fully God and fully Man

2.      We must be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

3.      We must receive Holy Communion (at least) every Sunday

4.      We must fast Wednesdays and Fridays

5.      We must live according to the Commandments to love God and our neighbor

6.      We must avoid sinful actions and confess our sins when we fail

7.      We must care for the poor

8.      We must avoid false teachers

9.      We must be obedient to our Bishops

10.  We must financially support the ministers and the work of the Church

Most importantly the Holy Apostles taught: “Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ready, for you know not the hour in which our Lord comes.” This is the Truth of Orthodox Christianity and our entire Orthodox lifestyle from the Holy Sacraments to daily spiritual disciplines reflects these ten points.

I invite you to join me in a journey toward God living the Orthodox Lifestyle…the rewards of living this journey are eternal.

What Do You Drink When You're Thirsty?

We have all heard that water quenches thirst better than any other beverage. In fact, drinks like coffee, tea and soda actually makes us thirstier, so why do we still drink these drinks instead of water? Many of us, in spite of our better judgment, ignore the advice of doctors and physical trainers when it comes to satisfying our desires. The same thing is true when it comes to our spiritual desires.

The Lord said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7.37-38) The Lord is offering to quench our thirst for peace and love by coming to Him and believing in Him. In fact, just like water, the only thing that will truly quench our thirst for peace and love is being in communion with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But, in spite of our better judgment, we ignore Jesus call for communion and try to quench our desires using other resources such as fishing, hiking, camping, sports, alcohol, drugs, sex, money, power, authority, food…just about anything BUT being in communion with Jesus Christ.

Just as we find ourselves thirstier when we drink coffee or tea, we will be thirstier when we use other things to quench our desires beside Jesus Christ. If we really desire peace and love, the only way to quench this desire is to approach Jesus Christ and live in communion with Him. This is accomplished IN CHURCH for the Divine Liturgy and other Holy Services of our Church. Then He will give us His Holy Spirit that will not only quench our thirst but become a gushing fountain from our hearts. This is the promise of Pentecost.

Are you thirsty for peach and love? Then come to Church and approach Jesus Christ and live in communion with. Invite Him into your heart and welcome the Holy Spirit to gush from your heart and you will find peace and never thirst again.

Our Mother

On the second Sunday of May each year we honor mothers. We honor them with luncheons, flowers, gifts and praise for their dedication and love. But what do we offer our “common” mother, the Mother of God? The Ever-Virgin Mary whom we call Mother of God, is also our mother. This honor given to her is not just symbolic, but a real relationship she maintains with us as her children.

Consider this…

·         The Mother of God, exercising her free will, gave God permission to enter into His creation through her when she said to the angel, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1.38)

·         The Mother of God, expressing her love, asked Jesus to perform His first miracle during the Wedding in Cana when she said, “They have no wine,” and then turning to the wine steward said, “Whatever He says to you, do it!” (John 2.3,5)

·         The Mother of God, showing her devotion, became OUR mother when from the Cross our Lord said, “Woman, behold your son.” (John 19.26)

·         The Mother of God, knowing her role for future generations said, “All generations will call me blessed.” (Luke 1.48)

How will you honor our Mother for Mother’s Day in exchange for all she has done for us, most especially allowing our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ to enter into His Creation through her? Don’t you think it deserves some honor?

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With Healing Comes Great Boldness

We hear in the Gospel of John (5.1-15)of another healing by Jesus when He was in the Temple for the Feast of the Jewish Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks when the Jews celebrate the giving of the Law to Moses. We hear of a man paralyzed for thirty-eight years with nobody to assist him or care for him. As he was healed Jesus said, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” (John 5.8) This was met with very stern interrogation by the Jewish elite. “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” (John 5.10)

The man who was healed responded with great boldness, never once excusing his behavior. “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk,” and again, “It was Jesus who had made me well.” (John 5.11, 15) In both cases the man chose to stand up for the truth of Christ, even in the face of possible punishment by the Jewish elite, rather than making excuses for his breaking the law. He had been healed which was a much greater thing than to be caught carrying his bed on the Sabbath.

We have been healed by Christ’s glorious resurrection. We have been healed and allowed to walk freely rather than be chained down by sin and death. What is our response? What will we answer if someone demands a response as to why we don’t bow down to public pressure to live according to the flesh rather than living a life of peace and love, confessing God.

In the face of possible persecution by the Jewish elite, the paralytic said, “It was Jesus,” confessing his faith in the power of God. What will our confession be in the face of the American elite? Will we confess our faith and loyalty to Jesus Christ? How bold will we be?

It Requires Courage and Determination to Grow the Church

Early in the morning of the first Pascha, before the sun had risen, the Myrrhbearing Women revealing great courage and determination journeyed in the darkness of early morning to the tomb of Christ to anoint His sacred body with spices. They were courageous because, not only was it before sunrise but there was fear that after Christ had been crucified, others might also be killed by the Jewish elite. But the women did not allow fear to hold them back. They were determined to carry out their responsibility to anoint His sacred body. Their courage and determination was rewarded by God when He first appeared to them and told them the Good News of His Resurrection.

The early Christians living in Jerusalem also revealed courage and determination when they were faced with a growing Church that lacked organization and resources. “There arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.” (Acts 6.1) Because of the large numbers of believers entering the Church, some were being neglected, not intentionally we can be sure, by the Apostles. Rather than not allowing new believers to enter the Church, the Apostles showed courage and determination and GREW the ministry of the Church by ordaining the first seven deacons saying, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6.3-4) Their courage and determination was rewarded by God, “and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6.7)

Now it’s YOUR turn to show courage and determination and grow YOUR faith in Christ. If you are looking for a Church to attend google your local Orthodox Church XYZ City and make plans to visit the Church for worship or Bible study or classes or just to meet the Clergy. If you already attend a local Orthodox Christian Church, consider growing your commitment and attend a special lecture or study session. Call the priest and schedule confession. It’s only with courage and determination that you will be able to grow closer to Christ – the church in your heart.

From Fear and Doubt to Faith and Wonders

In the evening of the first Pascha, the Apostles had locked themselves in a room because they were afraid of the Jewish elite, when Jesus appeared inside the room and said to them, “’Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20.21-22) But Thomas was not there and doubted the story the Apostles told when he arrived saying, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (John 20.25) Eight days later, Thomas had his chance when Jesus appeared again in the locked room. After seeing Jesus with his own eyes, Thomas said, “’My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20.28-29)

We are those about whom Jesus speaks. We are those who have the chance to believe even though we haven’t seen with our physical eyes because we have the Church to stand as a witness as John wrote, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20.31)

In less than two months (after Pentecost) the Apostles had gained so much faith that many miracles were accomplished them and thousands of people believed in the Risen Lord. “Through the hands of the Apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people….so that they brought the sick out into the streets so that at least the shadow of Peter passing might fall on some of them…and they were all healed.” (Acts 5.12-16)

We have celebrated the Resurrection of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ less than a week ago. In our Holy Baptism (our personal Pentecost) we received the Holy Spirit. Now is our chance to reveal our faith in Jesus Christ and accomplish wonders today so that many more people can come to believe and have faith in Jesus Christ. NOW is our chance to leave doubt and fear behind and embrace faith and wonders for the glory of the Risen Lord.

Christ is Risen!

What Does is it Really Mean to Love as a Christian?

There is a lot of pain in the world and I’m not talking about physical pain, although there is that pain too. I’m talking about emotional pain mostly caused by hurt feelings and abuse by others. Today in Florence, South Carolina, it was announced that a murderer was convicted and sentenced to more than 80 years in prison. Immediately the comments on Facebook started…..by reading some of the comments you might have thought the murderer was the devil himself, but I know the comments come from pain rather than hate.

If it’s one thing I have learned, it is that pain causes us to speak out in ways we would never have otherwise commented. During labor this is called “transition” and attending fathers are warned not to take personally what their wives “say” to them during this stage because, “It’s the pain talking.” In other circumstances, like today’s murder conviction, pain breeds frustration which brings more pain and anger, both acted out with what we hear as hate speech, especially from family members and friends of the victims. Such violent crimes bring increased pain on a society if no other reason than the feeling of hopelessness for a safer neighborhood or worries that “it could have been us in the store,” etc.

But this is where the rubber hits the road for Christians. We are called by our Lord to love our neighbors as ourselves and to love our enemies. Did Jesus really mean for us to love the person who violently killed our best friend? And if He did, what is that love supposed to look like?

Now let me just say I don’t believe loving a convicted murderer means letting him run free through society. All sin carries a price, both spiritually AND in society. I think that is where we allow our anger and pain to get out of control. We represent society so we feel it is our duty to inflict pain and suffering, sometimes even death, to convicted murderers. Some people even quote the Holy Scriptures where Saint Paul said

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13)

I don’t believe it is a coincidence that Saint Paul speaks of being subject to authority in the same context as he commands us to love. If we all loved more, there would be no need for courts and prisons; that’s for sure. We return then to how this love is to look?

As an Orthodox Christian Priest I will never suggest that God desires us to be violent to each other. The commandment to love one another is clear enough. He does however expect us sometimes to show “tough love” by having consequences for our actions. In the Old Testament Law, often misquoted by the way, “An eye for eye,” was a limitation to vengeance rather than a suggested response. It was only permissible to go as far someone had done to you, but no further. The same is the basis for many criminal codes in our country.

But Jesus clarified this when He said, “You have heard it said, ‘An eye for eye and a tooth for a tooth,’ but I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” (Matthew 5.38-39) And besides....who exactly is the victim?

We tend to take on the role of victim in our day quite readily but all sin is against God. The psalmist said, “Against You only have I sinned and done evil in Your sight; that You may be justified in Your words, and overcome when You are judged.” (Psalm 50.6) If we are not the victim, then “an eye for eye” bears no weight in our defense.

So we are once again back to what does this love look like? I think the best way we can love, even the most vicious criminals is to pray for them. After all, God loves them too, and no less than He loves us. Isn’t that worthy of a little mercy? There can be no room for death sentences for a Christian. Life in prison is sufficient for the protection of society AND it gives the criminal a chance of repentance.

I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if jail wasn’t perceived as a hotel stay either. I’ve heard from prison chaplains that prison, no matter what we might hear, is not a pleasant place to be.

I’ll close by admitting that I have never lost a close friend or relative in a violent crime so I do not know that level of pain, nor do I pretend to know. I’m just a priest trying to bring a little peace to a world full of pain.

Have a blessed Pascha (that’s the Christian Passover for you non-Orthodox readers out there)

Behold, your King is Coming!

The arrival of any King or political leader is often met with fanfare and accolades from crowds of onlookers. For many people, meeting such a powerful person is an “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity and few, even when they dislike the leader, pass an opportunity to meet him or her. This was even more valid in the time of Jesus Christ. Meeting the King or Emperor was just one step below meeting God Himself.

So when Jesus rode through the gates of Jerusalem on a donkey, the people recognized Him as their King as they called out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!” (John 12.13) The people had been waiting their entire lifetime for a military king who would defeat the Romans and restore the Kingdom of Israel. For these pious Jews, the time had come to finally bring freedom. And Jesus accomplished this but many didn’t fully understand His mission as King.

In ancient times a King entered the city riding high on a white horse as a symbol of his victory and strength over the enemies. When Christ entered on a donkey, a humble seemingly weak animal, He was teaching that His Kingdom was not one of political, war-like strength, but peace and humility. Christ DID come to defeat the enemy, but the enemy was a spiritual one rather than political. And many just didn’t understand His mission as King.

Today is our chance to finally understand His mission as King. Today is our chance to declare Him as OUR King. His mission for us is to live in communion with God for all eternity in Heaven. If we declare Him as our King, He will claim us as His servants and protect us and care for us as a Good and Faithful King.

Come! And follow the King of Kings and enter Heaven! Join your voices with the voices of the crowd from so long ago…. “Save, now! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. The King of Israel!” and then let’s follow our King.

Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord

These words shouted out on the first Palm Sunday to Jesus Christ some two thousand years ago by thousands of believers, just days before He would be arrested, convicted and put to death, reflects the trend of our fallen human nature. One moment we are praising God; the next moment we are ignoring Him.

When Jesus Christ took on human flesh for our salvation that meant we no longer were held captive by the devil and his shenanigans. With the announced coming of God into the world, as we just celebrated a few weeks ago with the Feast of Annunciation, He declared war on the devil and we were freed from death. It’s no surprise that the people cried such praises to God, but something changed in the people.

On that first Palm Sunday, those believing Jews were expecting Jesus Christ to rise up and finally put an end to the Roman occupation. They were expecting a military messiah but they received a spiritual savior who would save them from eternal death, by Himself dying and raising from the dead. Suddenly when they realized the reality of His impending death, they also realized they would be required to stand up for their faith in God and live a new life even risking being shunned or killed for their belief in Jesus. Many just could not show such faith.

In 2012 we run the same risk as those first believers my brothers and sisters. Many of us have been expecting a messiah who would make life easy if we believed in Him. He would take away all sickness if we believed in Him. He would bless us with nice homes and good jobs if we believed in Him. He would protect us from suffering if we believed in Him. Some refer to this as the Gospel of Prosperity. There is only one problem…..God never promised an easy ride.

We encounter the same need to stand up for our faith in God and live a life even risking being ridiculed and persecuted by those who either don’t believe in Him or by those who believe in the messiah that would make life easy. Just days after shouting out “Hosanna in the Highest!” many turned their backs on Jesus as He ascended the Cross. On Palm Sunday we will join our voices with those of the past and cry out, “Hosanna in the Highest!” Let us not turn our backs on Him.

This year, let’s take the opportunity of Great and Holy Pascha and rededicate our lives, individually and as a Parish Community, to keeping our eyes on Christ. Let’s not just “call” Him Lord, let’s actually treat Him as Lord as we will join our voice on April 15^th with…

Christ is Risen! Χριστός Ανέστη! Христос Воскресе! Hristos a înviat! Al-Masih-Qam! Cristo ha resucitado! ქრისტე აღსდგა! Truly He is Risen!

I look forward to seeing you in Church during Holy Week!

+ Father Athanasios

Why March 25th is a Celebration for ALL Generations

Growing up Greek in America I was never without my opportunities to share with my friends what makes “us Greeks” different from the rest of the world…but it got a little old explaining why “Greek Easter” was later than everyone else’s Easter. It was refreshing as I got older and began to have a better understanding about what it meant to be Greek in America, and even more refreshing when I finally understood the importance of March 25^th – The Annunciation of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

For many Greeks in America (or Americans of Greek descent as some prefer to be known) March 25^th was, and continues to be, the celebration of Greek Independence Day when the mighty Greeks stood up to the Ottoman Turks in 1821.

But as history teaches us, the Greeks CHOSE March 25^th as the official celebration of Greek Independence because that date meant something in their lives – (as Saint Athanasios said) God became man so that man could become divine. The celebration of that “Good News” is celebrated by the entire Christian Church on March 25^th. There could be no better date to celebrate freedom from the oppressive Ottoman Empire than the same date when we celebrate freedom from the oppressive demons of hell.

For those of us Greeks who gather in Churches and Courthouse stairs to celebrate Greek Independence Day, it is our duty and blessing to share with the world the Good News and hope for ALL generations. In announcing His coming birth, God is announcing our future life with Him in heaven. Just as announcing freedom from the Ottoman Empire signaled hope for a better life for the Greeks, freedom from death and gates of hell signals our hope for our eternal future.

The Christian Way – The Original PDF

PDF is a term most people recognize as a term for a document that has been prepared to share over the internet. Long before computers or even paper and pencil, Jesus Christ established the original PDF when He said, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” He also said, “For whoever desires to save his life with lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8.34-36) The Gospel of Christ is meant to be shared with everyone who desires to know about God and how He wants us to live.

We cannot live in communion with God AND the world. We must make a choice. Either we chase after wealth and prestige which the world teaches, or we follow Christ. The way of the world is selfish and dedicated to pleasing our bodies. The way of Christ is dedicated to pleasing God. The best part is that God doesn’t force us to follow Him. It’s our choice. It’s our freedom. But we must make a choice. Do we choose wealth and prestige now or heaven later?

If you choose heaven, then it’s easy to remember….PDF

P – Pick up your cross. Every time you struggle to do the will of God you are picking up you cross. With the cross comes suffering, but the suffering is nothing compared to the joy God has waiting for us in Heaven. We learn to embrace the suffering by prayer.

D – Deny yourself. Every time you give up your will to God and His Church you come closer to understanding that life isn’t about pleasing yourself but pleasing God. We learn this by fasting.

F – Follow Me. Following Christ means ACTION. We cannot just watch Christ if we are following Him. We must be doing as He does and living as He lives. We learn this by treating others as Christ would treat them – with love and respect. This is almsgiving.

So, Whom are You Bringing to Christ?

As Christ traveled from town to town many sick and suffering were brought to Him for healing. Once in Capernaum Jesus was speaking at a home filled to capacity by listeners when four men carried arrived carrying their paralyzed friend. The house was so full of people the four men couldn’t even get in the door for Christ to help their friend. They were so dedicated to helping their friend that they climbed up on the roof and lowered their friend in to see Christ. Without the efforts of these four friends, this man would still be standing outside waiting for a chance to see Jesus. “When the Lord saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.’” (Mark 2.5)

When we take the time to bring our friends to the Church to meet the Lord, we should our love for our friend and our faith in God. During this Lenten season we are invited by the Church to strengthen our relationship with Christ. Just a few weeks ago we heard Jesus clearly state that our judgment was based upon how we treated others and cared for their needs. The best way we can care for the needs of others, whether our neighbor, friend, or blood relative, is to invite them to join us in Church so they can experience the Love of Christ for themselves.

The nice part is we don’t have to climb up on the roof and let them down on a rope. We can simply invite them to join us sitting in the pews. In Capernaum Jesus was teaching and many came to hear Him. Every Sunday in our Church Jesus speaks to us through His Gospel and the Divine Liturgy and we are gathered to listen and be inspired by His Holy Wisdom. There is only one thing missing….our friends.

What Should I Give Up for Great Lent?

I hear this discussion so often that I am more convinced that most do not understand fasting from the Orthodox Christian point of view. First and most importantly fasting should not be considered purely as an act of self-denial. “I must give up something I really enjoy. God sacrificed His life for me; at least I can sacrifice sweets for Him.” Although fasting is about our relationship with God, it is more about self-control rather than self-denial. Self-denial emphasizes the concept of punishment rather than loving control.

The central aspect of fasting is to place our will (our desires and wants) as second to the will of God. The benefit of fasting is to die to ourselves and allow God’s will to control our will. Indeed this is one element of self-denial BUT when we choose what we will “give up”, in truth we don’t release any control. WE choose what WE want to give up? How is this self-denial?

This idea, of “cafeteria style” Christianity, where we choose what we want from a menu rather than allowing the Church to guide us, is a symptom of our selfish desire to always remain in control. It is also present in our moral decisions every time we choose whether or not a teaching of the Church has any value or truth.

So if we want to give something up for God during Great Lent, we should begin by fasting according to the teachings of our Church. I assure you that if you don’t already fast, following the established guidelines of the Church will not only show God you love Him but it will also be more successful in training us to sacrifice our will for the will of God.

Remember one thing when it comes to eating….Adam and Eve chose for themselves what they would eat.

Does it Really Matter Where I Go to Church?

In our contemporary American society, with thousands of Christian Churches on every street corner, I often hear the comment, “It doesn’t matter where you go to Church as long as you go to Church.” I have heard this from many of our own parishioners so I thought it was a good time to address the question since Great Lent is again upon us and we are called to a higher level of commitment to the Church and attending Church services.

First allow me to address the most obvious error in this question. If it didn’t matter where we went to Church there wouldn’t be thousands of Churches in the first place. The fact that so many different expressions of faith in Jesus Christ exist, each declaring their own version of the truth of Christ, should cause us at the very least to question why so many versions of the truth exists – or more importantly how so many versions of the truth could exist. Truth is truth and it simply isn’t possible that everyone is correct.

This is the first truth proclaimed by the Orthodox Church on the Sunday of Orthodoxy. We believe that we are the historical Church, established by the Holy Apostles of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We know the Holy Apostles were guided in all truth by the Holy Spirit (see John 16.13). We follow a way of life taught by Christ and passed to us by the Holy Apostles. Our faith that the Holy Apostles established the Church in truth is a matter of faith in Christ’s guarantee. The Holy Apostles established the Church and spoke very strongly about remaining united to that Church.

Second allow me to comment on the general theology found in other Christian Churches. During the Divine Liturgy we recite the Nicene Creed, a doctrine of what we believe about Jesus Christ. When we enter into any other Church that does not share this same doctrine we have found ourselves in a Church that preaches a different theology than the Orthodox Church. Listen to the hymns and carefully read the prayers offered. Do the prayers express a different understanding of who God is? Do the prayers begin or end “in the name of Jesus” or, as our Holy Orthodox Tradition since the beginning, “in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit?” We must remember the importance of HOW we understand Jesus since it is Jesus who saves us from death.

Third and most important is our ability to receive Holy Communion. WE CANNOT RECEIVE Holy Communion in any other Church but an Orthodox Church for the reasons I have just stated. If we cannot receive Holy Communion then, as Jesus says in the Gospel, we have no life in us. “"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6.53)

On Sunday, March 4^th we will celebrate the Sunday of Orthodoxy with these words:

X  This is the faith of the Apostles!

X  This is the faith of the Fathers!

X  This is the faith of the Orthodox!

X  This is the faith which has established the Universe!

This is why it DOES MATTER where we go to Church. I pray I see you in Church during Great Lent as we prepare to celebrate the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Loving Father

As the old saying goes, “If you love someone, let them go. If they return to you, they are forever.” Nothing has been more true, especially in light of the Gospel and the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger son (of two brothers) demanded his early share of his father’s inheritance then went away and wasted the money on sinful living. All the while the father waited for his son to return. “He arose and came to his father. When he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (Luke 15.20)

The image of the father standing at the door morning and night waiting for the first glimpse of his son’s return is very powerful. This is the same love and devotion God has for us when we turn away from Him. He loves us enough to let us go, and then He waits for us to choose to return. When we do return to Him, He welcomes us with His warm embrace and love restoring us to our original status as His children. “The father said to his servant, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat it and be merry, for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and now is found.” (Luke 15.22-24)

This love of The Father is waiting for us to “come to ourselves” as the young prodigal son had done.  It is never too late for us to return to God in repentance for the life we have chosen to live away from Him. We may not even realize, as of now, that we are living a life away from Him, just as the prodigal son was enjoying his life. It was in the face of suffering that he realized where he was. It would be a shame for us to wait for such suffering to occur in our life. We should return now before we suffer any more.

God is standing at the gates waiting for us to turn and begin our journey toward Him. Let’s not waste another day.

To Whom is the Lord Speaking in His Gospel?

The Gospel is read aloud at every Divine Liturgy and many other services in the Church but rarely do we find the need to question to whom the Lord is speaking. But I think it is interesting that on the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, the Church excludes an important verse from the public reading. It remains in scripture of course, but for those who do not read the Holy Scriptures privately, this important verse may never be heard.

It was the sinful Publican (tax collector) who wept in shame of his sins that the Lord blessed that day in the Temple when He said, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18.14) Who is “the other” man but each one of us when we praise ourselves or elevate our own standing ahead of others no matter who the others may be.

The Pharisee lived an otherwise righteous life of prayer, fasting, and tithing, and followed the Letter of the Law. But he did so without love in his heart for his neighbor. He said, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.” (Luke 18.11) Unfortunately he was blind to the PURPOSE of the Law which was meant to shape his life more in the image of God by loving others.

What is the missing verse? You’ll  have to look that one up yourself… Luke 18.9.