New Year's Resolutions -- We, as Orthodox Chrsitians, Resolve...

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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NEW YEAR'S "RESOLUTIONS" WE, AS ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS RESOLVE...

The majority of people have made a number of New Year's resolutions throughout their lives. Yet, practically every resolution is broken a short time after being made--less than 20 percent are successful in attaining success in even one of their resolutions.

One cannot help but ask, "What is the harm in wanting to change negative aspects of my life?" There is nothing wrong with aspiring to improve oneself. As Orthodox Christian believers we should make every effort to change. The Greek word for repentance is "metanoia" which means change. A change of heart, of mind, of life, of attitude, of practice, a total change so as to conform to the Commandments and teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The desire to overcome the passions, evil thoughts (logismoi), injustices, anger, hatred, abuse, weaknesses, spiritual complacency, and temptations that the Evil One casts against us.

Change is difficult. Why is it so hard for Christians to change their destructive habits and attain success in their resolutions? Because change is difficult!  

Our Savior explained, "for wide is the gate, and broad (easy) is the way, that leads to destruction, and there are many be who go in by it : because strait (difficult) is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it" (Saint Matthew 7:13-14). Again, change is difficult. That is why so many avoid trying to change their attitude and behavior.

At some point, everyone has had to address a bad habit. Most understand how difficult it can be to overcome such habits. Often, the individual will not even recognize the habit until someone, a friend or relative, brings it to his attention--and removing these subtleties from one's routine is b.  However, as Orthodox Christians, whatever we encounter in our lives we don't face it alone. We recall the Divine words of our Lord Who reminds us constantly that "without Me, you can do nothing." Therefore we turn to Him for everything and we seek His inspiration, wisdom, and Divine guidance. We resolve all our personal and family problems together with Him through prayer. A prayer that is based on faith, patience, trust, humility, and conviction.

Resolutions can come in many forms and resolutions can be goals we want to accomplish over a short period of time (short-term goals) or goals we want to accomplish over a year or many years (long-term goals).

We, as Orthodox Christians and stewards of our Greek Orthodox parish of Saint Andrew, ought to have certain specific goals for the new year. Personal spiritual resolutions to:

be kinder,
be gentler,
be considerate,
be loving,
be compassionate,
be more forgiving,
be more merciful,
be more prayerful,
be more generous,
be more committed,
be more faithful,
be more giving,
be more positive,
be more useful,
be more humble,
be more active in my church.

And as a parish, we should be:

be a welcoming church,
be a loving community,
be more philanthropic,
be spiritually strong,
be committed to Christ,
be an environment of peace,
be a place of inspiration,
be a community Spirit-filled,
be a God-fearing parish,
be a place of true worship, 
be a place of prayer guided by the Holy Spirit.

"For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of agape and of sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). The holy Apostle Paul also wrote, "my brethren be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might" (Ephesians 6:10).

I pray that the year 2020 will be a blessed year filled with God's grace and peace for all.

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things! - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

January 7 - The Synaxis of Saint John the Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of Christ

\ My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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ON JANUARY 7TH OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE SYNAXIS OF SAINT JOHN, THE HOLY GLORIOUS PROPHET, FORERUNNER AND BAPTIST OF THE LORD

On the day following the Holy Feast of Theophany, in accordance with ancient tradition, the Church of Christ convenes her children for the Synaxis of the holy, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John. The word synaxis means an assembling or an assembly, in this case, a convocation in church, at which God is hymned and praised and the great John, the Forerunner and Baptist is lauded. Truly it is fitting that, immediately after celebrating the Lord's Baptism, we should gather to glorify by a special commemoration the steward of the Divine Mystery, who placed his hand upon the Master's head.

The Synaxis is the gathering of God's people to listen to Saint John preaching repentance for forgiveness of sins. He was the last of the Old Testament Prophets and the only one able to point to Jesus of Whom some had prophesied saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God." Saint John's diakonia began about two years before Jesus began His. The holy icon portraying him is always next to the holy icon of Jesus Christ on the Iconostasion (icon screen) in Orthodox churches. Saint John's finger is portrayed unusually long in Byzantine icons to express that his principal purpose was to reveal Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. The more significant moment of his ministry was Epiphany. Following his beheading in the prison of Machaeros, his venerable head was buried deep in an unclean place, and soon after reburied by a devout Christian woman at the Mount of Olives. His holy body (holy relics) was buried at the location where he had died in Sevaste. The Evangelist Luke was able to take Saint John's hand to Antioch, where a small church was built. Countless Christian faithful came to venerate and to witness to the numerous wonders and healings also. It remained at that site for 800 years until the Emperor translated it to the Queen city of Constantinople. It was reported that on every anniversary of Saint John's feast day, the holy hand would either be open, meaning it would be a fertile and good year or close, predicting a disastrous year and severe famine.

Although observed in all churches throughout the world, the Synaxis of the Baptist is celebrated with particular solemnity in those dedicated to the Saint. Impressive ceremonies were held on this day at the church alongside the Jordan where Christ was baptized; in Sevaste, where Herod beheaded the Forerunner; in Antioch, where the Baptist's right hand was taken by the holy Evangelist Luke; and in Constantinople, whither the sacred hand was transferred from Antioch. The Forerunner's hand arrived in the Imperial City on the eve of Theophany, so that it seemed the Baptist himself had come to bless the water. The Emperor and all the people rejoiced greatly and returned on the day after Theophany for the Synaxis. We also celebrate the Synaxis of the Great Forerunner and Baptist John with spiritual joy and beseech him to pray the Master Christ to assemble us again with the Church Triumphant (The Heavenly Church) in the temple not made by man's hand, "eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians Ch. 5), where the voices of those who celebrate God's perpetual self-manifestation are forever heard. There Christ reveals Himself clearly to His Saints, sustaining them by the vision of His countenance. May He be glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit by the celestial choirs unto the ages. Amen. (Source: The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints)

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THE DIVINE SERVICES FOR JANUARY 7th:

Orthros (Matins) at 9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

Jesus Christ is the Living Water

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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JESUS CHRIST IS THE LIVING WATER

"Jesus answered and said to her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. The woman said to Him, 'Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep, Where then do You get that living water?

Jesus answered and said to her, Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into ever-lasting life.'

The woman said to Him, 'Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.'" (St. John 4:10-15)

Living Water in the ordinary sense means fresh, flowing water, from a stream or spring rather than from a pond or cistern. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ uses the term to mean the grace of the Holy Spirit that leads to eternal life (7:37-39). This gift not only remains in the believer but is so abundant it overflows to others.

The Holy Apostles of Christ were twelve fountains of spiritual water, which quenches the thirst of those who seek the True God. Saint Cyril states that the beginning of the world was water, and the beginning of the Gospel was the river Jordan when the Holy Trinity was revealed to the senses.

Water is one of the most ancient religious symbols and has a key role in Holy Scripture. At the very beginning of the Creation of the world, formless matter is referred to as water. "In the beginning," after God created Heaven and earth, "The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." According to the Biblical account of the creation of the world, it was out of the waters that the first living creatures came--"the moving creature that hath life," fish, "every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly." Water also plays a very important role in the life of man, created "from the dust of the earth."

Man cannot live without water. Water is life. On the Day of Theophany, the Day of the Lord's Baptism, every year a great miracle is performed. The Holy Spirit descends upon the water, changes its natural properties. It becomes incorrupt, not spoiling, remaining transparent and fresh for many years. This Holy Water receives the grace to heal illnesses, to drive away demons and every evil power, to preserve the faithful and their dwellings from every danger, to sanctify various objects whether for church or home use. Therefore, Orthodox Christians with reverence drink Holy Water--a Great Agiasma. Every Orthodox Christian believer ought to have always at home Holy Water from the Great Feast of Theophany to last the entire year and to use it for every physical and spiritual need.

The proper way of partaking of Holy Water is to do it before eating anything and after your prayers. It is should be done with reverence, humility, trust, contrition and deep faith. The Holy Water possesses sanctifying grace and has the power to strengthen the powers of the soul.  

Both the Holy Water blessed on the Eve of Epiphany and on the Day of the Epiphany are referred to as Great Agiasmos and can be used for all purposes by the Orthodox Christian. There is no difference between the Holy Water or Epiphany Eve and the one on the Day of the Epiphany. There is no limitation in its use. The Lesser or "Small" ("μικρός") agiasmo or Holy Water is the service of Holy Water which the priest conducts on the 1st of the month, as well as the service for blessing the foundations of new homes and new businesses, the beginning of the school year, etc. The Lesser or Small agiasmo can also be used for all spiritual needs of the faithful.

Holy Water must not be given to children who may not understand and show proper respect and know how to use it properly. Some parents unfortunately in order to please their children allow them to drink it as though it is regular water or to even play with it.

The Great Holy Water from Theophany should be placed at the home icon corner along with all other blessed items where there is also a vigil light and where the Orthodox Christian family offers their daily prayers at.

Through all things sanctified by God, we are reminded of His constant presence in our lives and of His unconditional love for us. No one should marginalize our Holy Orthodox Tradition. 

Those of you who will be present at the Divine Liturgy and the Blessing of Waters will be blessed and will receive a holy water bottle to take home. Everyone else will be blessed and given Holy Water the following Sunday following the Divine Liturgy.

Please remember that there is a Divine Liturgy on Tuesday to commemorate the Synaxis of Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner.

God bless all of you and Chronia Polla!

With agape,

+Father George

Homily on the Day of Holy Illumination (Theophany)

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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HOMILY ON THE DAY OF HOLY ILLUMINATION (THEOPHANY)
By Saint John Chrysostom

Beloved, I wish to celebrate and exult, for the Holy Day of Illumination is both the portal of jubilation and the seal of feasts. It is the culmination of the appearance of the Ancient of Days (Jesus Christ) in the cave in Bethlehem, for the Suckling Who lay in the manger now releases the streams of Jordan, in which He is baptized with sinners. By touching His immaculate members, Jordan's waters have gained the power to remit the whole world's iniquities. Coming forth from the womb of the Most Pure Virgin, Christ appeared as a babe among babes, a man among men, as a son to His Mother, and as a King to the Magi. He manifested Himself as the Good Shepherd, Who "giveth His life for the sheep" (John Ch.10), in the words of Divine Scripture. Today the same Jesus has appeared on the riverbank to cleanse publicans and sinners. Astonished by the unprecedented occurrence, the divine Paul cries, "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men" (Titus Ch.2). Everything existent is brightly illumined, beginning with heaven, whence sounds the voice of the Father. The sky is hallowed by the descent of the Spirit; the nature of water is sanctified and calls men to wash their souls and bodies. The whole of creation makes merry, except for the devil, who knows that the font is his destruction.

How does the Gospel describe the events we celebrate today? "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him", it says. "But John forbade Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?" What this means is this: that the Master stands before the servant. Who ever saw a king bowing his head before his soldier? Who ever witnessed a shepherd asking a sheep to trace out a path? Whoever beheld the ruler of the contest awaits crowing by one of the athletes? Rightly does Saint John protest, "I have need to be baptized of thee". "Grant me, O Master," he exclaims, "the Baptism Thou dost grant the whole world! "I have need to be baptized of Thee", for I bear the yoke of ancestral sin ("original sin") and I am poisoned by the serpent's venom. I need to be washed of the defilement of the ancient transgression, but why dost Thou ask cleansing? The Prophet of old said of Thee, "He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth" (Isaiah Ch.53). How is it that Thou, the Deliverer, seekest purification? By custom he who is to be baptized confesseth his sins, but Thou art utterly blameless: what hast Thou to confess? Why do Thou demand that which I know not how to give? I am not so presumptuous as to attempt what lies beyond my power. I am at a loss how to shed rays of light upon a day; gold cannot be made whiter than tin; clay is not used to clean a pot; the sea depends not upon a spring; a river is not filled by a drop; purity has no need of purging by foulness; a judge is not commonly set at liberty by the condemned. "I have need to be baptized of Thee". A corpse does not resurrect the living; the ill do not heal physicians. I know well the infirmity of my nature! "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord" (Matthew Ch. 10). Cherubim approach me not in fear; Seraphim neither bow down before me, nor chant to me the Thrice-Holy Hymn. Heaven is not my throne; a star did not announce me to Magi; no voice bears witness to me from the cloud. Moses, Thy favorite, was scarcely able to endure the sight of Ty back parts (Exodus Ch.33). How shall I dare touch the Most Pure Crown of Thy head? Why do Thy demand what is beyond my power? I have no hand capable of baptizing God; rather, "I have need to be baptized of Thee". My mother was well stricken in years when she bore me, for nature cannot gainsay Thee. While in the womb I was unable to speak, so I borrowed my mother's lips; now I bless Thee myself, O Thou Who did make an ark of the Virgin and take up Thy dwelling therein. I am not blind like the Jews, I know that though Thou has assumed the form of a servant to heal mankind, Thou are the Master. I know that Thou hast come to serve us. I know that Thou art the stone cut from the mountain not by the hand of man. I know that whoever hopes in thee will never be put to shame. I am not confused by Thy self-abasement, for my spirit knoweth the majesty of Thy divinity. I am mortal; Thou art immortal. I was born of a barren woman; Thou was born of a virgin. I was born before thee, but Thou art greater. I preach first, but am not fit to baptize thee. I know that thou art "the axe laid unto the root" (Matthew Ch. 3) of the fruitless trees of the Jewish corpse. I behold the sickle ready to cut down the passions and proclaimed that streams of healing are about to pour forth everywhere. The Jews will witness Thy miracles throughout their land. Thou wilt cleanse lepers by a word; the fringe of Thy garment will staunch a flow of blood; by Thy command, a paralytic will walk. Thou wilt cast a crumb from the table of Thy marvels to the daughter of a woman of Canaan, healing her; Thou wilt open the eyes of the blind man with clay made of spittle...

"...Oh, new wonder! Oh, ineffable condescension! Christ contends and I am crowned. He wrestles with the devil, and I am triumphant. He crushes the head of the dragon in the water, and a wreath of victory is placed upon my head. He is baptized, and I am cleansed. The Holy Spirit descends on Him, and my sins are remitted. The Father declares that He is the Beloved Son, and I become a child of God for His sake. Heaven opens for Him and I enter. The Kingdom is revealed and I inherit it. The Father speaks to Him, and I am called. He is approved, and I am no longer cast out. For all this I glorify the Father, Whose voice was heard from on high; the Son baptized below; and the Holy Spirit, come down in the form of a dove: the one God in trinity, to whom be all worship forever. Amen. (Source: The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints)

(To be continued)

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DIVINE THEOPHANY SERVICES ON THE 6th of January:

Orthros at 9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

Great Blessing of the Waters immediately following and distribution of holy water to the faithful.

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

January 6 - The Theophany of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ

Beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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ON 6th OF JANUARY OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH OBSERVES THE HOLY AND DIVINE THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD, GOD, AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

When He returned from exile in Egypt, our Lord Jesus Christ took up His abode in Nazareth of Galilee with His Most Pure Mother and Joseph the carpenter, with whom He worked. After His supposed father's death, Jesus continued working as a carpenter, supporting Himself and His Mother by His own labor and providing us an example of diligent toil. He concealed His wisdom and the might of His Divinity, neither revealing Himself as the Son of God and the Great High Priest come down from heaven, nor preaching since it was forbidden for anyone younger than thirty to assume the responsibilities of teacher or priest. Then the time came for His Divine manifestation to Israel, and as the Gospel says, "The word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness" (Luke, Ch. 3), instructing him to baptize the repentant and revealing how he would recognize the Messiah sent by God to the world. Of this, the Baptist testified, He "that sent me to baptize with water, the same said to me, Upon Whom thou shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Spirit" (John, Ch.1).

Obedient to the word of God, John the Baptist and Forerunner went about the valley of Jordan, "preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Luke, Ch.3). Long before, the Prophet Isaiah had written of the "voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a way for our God" (Isaiah, Ch. 40); now his words were fulfilled. The inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem went to John and were baptized in the river, confessing their sins. Christ the Lord also came from Galilee to be baptized, just after St. John had announced to the people, "There cometh one mightier than me after me, the latchet of Whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit" (Mark, Ch. 1). Although He is the Source of all purity and holiness, was born of the immaculate and Most Holy Virgin Mary, and is without fault of any kind, Christ chose to take upon Himself the iniquity of the whole world. By descending into the water of Baptism, He Purified us and also the very nature of water, making it capable of cleansing not only our bodies but our souls as well. He came to John so that the Prophet and Forerunner so that the Prophet, seeing the Holy Spirit descend and hearing the voice of the Father sound on High, might serve as a faithful witness. 

At first, Saint John did not wish to baptize Jesus, as the Scripture relates: "John forbad Him saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?" (Matt. Ch.3). Being under the curse of disobedience, conveyed from Adam to the entire human race, he begged Baptism for himself. But the Lord reassured him, "Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness" (Luke Ch. 1). By righteousness, Saint John Chrysostom understands God's Commandments, as though Jesus had said, "It is fitting that I should fulfill the Commandment regarding Baptism since I have carried out all the others." It was God Who ordained the baptism of Jesus, as John makes clear: "He that sent me to baptize with water, the same spake unto me" (John Ch. 1). "The word of God came unto John" (Luke Ch. 3), it is written, and it was God Who sent John to baptize.

Jesus was baptized at thirty (30) because man at that age has been prey to all the passions, as John Chrysostom and Saint Theophylact teach. First comes childhood, a time of ignorance and foolishness; then youth, when carnal desires burn fiercely. Finally, at thirty (30), man is fully an adult (according to Saint John Chrysostom) and inclined to vainglory, anger, indignation, and every offense. Christ the Lord waited till He reached this age to be baptized, fulfilling the Law and sanctifying our nature at every stage of life; granting us victory over base inclinations and protecting us from mortal trespasses.

The Lord, "when He was baptized went up straightway out of the water" (Matthew Ch.3). It said that Saint John would immerse to the neck every person who came to be baptized, holding him thus until he had confessed all his transgressions. Only after this was the penitent released and allowed to leave the water. Christ, however, knew no sin, so Saint John did not detain Him in the river. This is why the Gospel says that Christ "went up straightway out of the water."

As the Lord emerged from the Jordan, the heavens opened above Him, Light more brilliant than lightning, flashed, and the Spirit of God descended in the form of a dove. Once, in the days of Noah, a dove heralded the recession of the waters; now the Spirit in the form of a dove announced the turning back of the flood of sin. The Holy Spirit is the Fount of purity, an abyss of love for mankind, the Teacher of meekness and Source of peace, Who maintains a distance from those who sully themselves with the filth of transgressions; therefore, He deigned to appear in the form of a dove, because this bird is clean, friendly to man, gentle, never becomes angry, and avoids everything foul.

At the descent of the Holy Spirit, a voice could be heard coming "from heaven" and "saying, This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased." Unto Him be glory and dominion forever. Amen. (Source: The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints)

(To be continued)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things! -- Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

The Value of Time (Part II)

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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THE VALUE OF TIME (Part II)
By Metropolitan Augoustinos (Kandiotis), of blessed memory, Florina, Greece (+ 2010), from the weekly bulletin "Kyriaki"

This year's 8,760 hours are rapidly coming to an end. During this time, were there any hours or days of fasting? There are certain days such as Wednesdays and Fridays, and others that are even more significant, such as Holy Friday, that must be days such as Wednesdays and Fridays, and others that are even more significant, such as Holy Friday. A politician dedicated 15 straight days for his campaign and visited several towns. When he returned to his office, he pridefully announced: "I traveled for 15 days straight and toured 15 different towns, in every single one I was treated and fed as royalty; freshly slaughtered meat every single day..." And one of the villagers that heard him, a shepherd, asked him in a soft tone: "Your Excellency, how can there be no Wednesday and no Friday for 15 days straight? Was every day a Pascha?..." You see, my brethren, fasting is nowadays not even a "custom" among many of our faithful--there is no desire or will to fast even on Great Friday! Satan has gotten hold of the special eraser and wiped out fasting from the daily lives of Christians.

This year's 8,760 are ending. Among these hours was time set aside for repentance and confession? These hours would have been the year's most blessed ones for that is the time that we placed the devil on the ground and stampeded him while Angels in Heaven are singing divine victory hymns. It was during those hours that we the sinful ones, full of contrition and in utmost humility, knelt in front of our spiritual father and opened up our lips to whisper not words of criticism and condemnation but the one that our Lord thrives to listen to: "I sinned my Lord, please, grant Your mercy upon me the wretched one..." and all of us have so many sins to repent for and confess...So, I ask all of us, during this last year, did we manage to spend time with our father confessor, to open our heart, to tearfully confess our sins and then say "God be merciful to me a sinner" and "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom"? (Luke 18:13; 23:42).

Did we do this? If not, we better ask ourselves why not.

This year's 8,760 hours are rapidly coming to an end. Is it possible that we might have also forgotten the other golden hours of the year that are coming to a close? Which hours are these, you ask? These are the hours of almsgiving and mercy (charity) toward our fellow man. Did you reach into your pocket and silently, secretly, and with as little attention as possible place a few crumbs from your many blessings into the hands of a less fortunate man? Did you dedicate a few moments of prayer for a neighbor or a colleague who was in a moment of crisis? Did you spend a few dimes from your earthly blessings towards a Christian mission or cause? Never forget that the hands that spread goodness and alms (philanthropy) are the hands of God, the hands of Christ!

This year's 8,760 hours are rapidly coming to an end. During these hours were any of the most significant and spiritually highest moments, the moments of receiving Holy Communion, our Lord's Holy Body and Most Precious Blood? These are indeed blessed moments once we repent and confess our sins, once we are cleansed with tears of true repentance, once we embrace and make peace with our enemies, we approach the Royal Gate with the look of the thief on the cross and receive the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments): "Take, eat this is my body...Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the New Testament (Covenant), which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (St. Matthew 26:28). These are the moments that carry a unique and incomparable weight and significance; there is no price for them and can neither be purchased nor sold. They are truly above all other hours of our life.

So now we all need to ask: Were there such hours for any of you my brethren, and most pointedly for me the wretched one? I am greatly afraid that in reality, we have no such hours. Our hours are almost exclusively hours of sin, the devil's hours; they are everything and anything except one thing: hours of God. Let us not kid ourselves; we waste each year's hours like all those who threw gold coins into the river. (Source: Orthodox Heritage)

(To be continued)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George