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Gifts at Christmas PDF Print E-mail
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Written by Fr Matthew   

 

 

All of us enjoy giving and receiving gifts at Christmas, however we often overlook the greatest gift we receive through the incarnation of God in the Flesh. We also see this Holy Day as a prototype for life – giving of ourselves to others. As we contemplate this concept of giving and service to others we should also take note of the great shift in how this plays out in American society today, versus only a decade or so ago.

 

Only a few years ago there were many “benevolent” organizations thriving in America pooling resources to provide help, relief and societal problem solving. Organizations such as the Church, the Elks, (also Moose and others) Masons, Shriners, VFW, and so many more were the mainstay of the social safety net in this country. While these organizations are still working for the greater good, people today tend to feel the government is the one primarily responsible for social outreach, and most turn first to government for help.

 

As Christians, we have always had the life and example of Our Lord and Savior to point us to His Holy Church first for help, and for individual Christians to look for ways to help and guide others in need. This is not necessarily exclusively financial help, but rather a broad range of non-financial help and comfort. We need only study the structure of the Apostolic Christian Communities to see the communal sharing example of how these people lived. Are we doing this at St. Johns today? Yes! Could we do more? Absolutely!! We could also network with other Churches to do even more effective outreach as well. Unfortunately we may come into a mild conflict with the government types because we ARE doing this work, and that would mean a reduction in funding for these governmental bureaucracies. The best example of this is the criticism from City Officials for those groups who feed the hungry homeless around the City.

 

All over the world, especially in the Orthodox World, we see the work of IOCC, OMCC (groups which we as a Parish support) as well as entire local Churches such a s the Albanian Church, and the Russian Church stepping in after the fall of Communism to reach out in so many ways to help local populations after the governmental structure fell apart. In fact those local Churches are actually doing a better job of helping and building a better life for all people. Perhaps we are not aware of the great work being done in Albania by the Church to rebuild social infrastructure since the fall of Communism. People are in fact much better off today after a mere decade of the work of the Church than they were after decades of Communist rule.

 

What all of us should be contemplating and praying about at this Holy Time of the Nativity and post Nativity, should be the great gifts of Salvation and the very example of Our Lord’s life. This example should be a lesson to guide us in a life of our own – always looking outward towards helping others rather than ourselves. A life well spent in service and in the perfecting of our imitation of Christ in our every moment of living brings us to the ultimate gift of Eternal Salvation.
 
Gifts from God PDF Print E-mail
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Written by Fr Matthew   

 

 

St. John of Kronstadt tells us “the Holy Sacraments are called the Divine Gifts because they are given to us by the Lord freely, for nothing, undeservedly on our part. Instead of punishing us for the numberless sins we are committing every day, and giving us over to Spiritual death, the Lord, in the Holy Mysteries, forgives us, and cleanses us from all our sins, Hallows us, and grants peace to our Spiritual Powers, healing and health of Soul and body, and every Blessing, simply in accordance with our Faith”. Considering all the breadth and depth of these Blessings from God, the only stipulation or consideration to all this is the last few words – simply in accordance with our Faith.

 

What IS our Faith?  It is the priority we place God in our lives – the degree we participate in God. The priority we place on listening to God’s constant guidance and our speaking with God (prayer). Our Faith Our Faith is demonstrated in the simple way we try to perfect our imitation of Christ in every aspect of how we live. Our Faith is also manifested in the way we treat one another and the degree that we treat each other with care, love, and respect. Our Faith is manifested in how we cooperate with God in His plan for our life rather than our own agenda for life. Our Faith is shown to God in how respectful we are to God and His Holy Church. Do we arrive at Church in time for the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, participating in the Sacraments (the Divine Gifts from God) of Confession and Communion? Do we participate in Saturday Vespers and the Holy Days? Do we give of our time and treasure to God’s Holy Church lovingly and freely?

 

We are all called to freely and robustly participate in God (God Blesses us to literally share in Himself through the reception of Confession and Holy Communion). This Blessed invitation should not be ignored, or accepted in an occasional fashion, nor should we come to Church sometimes, even as the main doors are closing, but for every Divine service God provides for us. God established His Holy Church to nurture us and care for us, guiding us throughout the troubled waters of everyday life in this imperfect world.

 

In November of this year, I will celebrate forty years of ordained service to God’s Holy Church. Throughout all those years I have “lived in hope” – primarily hoping that many others would come to a much more active participation in God and His Holy Church. We should all live in the hope of God’s Love coming to us and allowing us to spread this love around to others and influence them to come to God.

 

I knew this type of influence was possible when my Father came to me after I was ordained a Deacon. He was tearful when he said that the service was beautiful and he hoped I would be Blessed in this new service to God. This came from a man who had been in Church only twice in my life. Unfortunately he passed away only a few weeks later. I have seen this change in countless hundreds of others since. I know God is leading me on a path to make positive change in the lives of others.

 

Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ built the Holy Church and handed it over to the Apostles, their successor Bishops and Priests to continue to build up the Church – the Body of Christ. All of us Clergy or Layman are responsible for this building up and can cooperate with this effort. Are you?
 
Orthodox Chanting PDF Print E-mail
Divine Liturgy
Written by Fr Matthew   

Orthodox Chanting Explained


The attached article appeared on National Public Radio (April 10) and gives a short introduction to the importance of Chanting in the Liturgical worship of the Orthodox Catholic Church. The Church, of course having been established by Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ during His earthly mission, is a "pre-book" Church. The printing press was not invented until the 1500's and books were rare and primarily in the possession of a minute portion of the population until the advent of mass production of reading material. In this way Holy Scripture and the teaching of the Faith and doctrinal issues was accomplished by what was chanted in the course of the Liturgical Services of the Holy Church.

The attached link to that program will help everyone to get a feeling about the music and chanting in the Church.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/april-10-2009/orthodox-chanting/2625/
 
 

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