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News From the Orthodox World

Encyclical of Metropolitan Gerasimos for Thanksgiving 2017

11/22/2017

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​Dearly Beloved,
 
"We thank you, Christ our God, for you have satisfied us with earthly gifts. Do not deprive us of your heavenly kingdom, but as you, O Savior, came among your disciples and gave them peace, come among us also and save us."
 
This prayer of thanksgiving is offered at the close of a meal in the Orthodox Tradition. Placing a word of thanks at the end of a meal, whether an elaborate feast such as that we will have on Thanksgiving Day or a simple supper with family or friends that we have most other days reminds us that all we have on this earth is a gift of the Most High God.
 
We have been blessed with many earthly gifts for which we should offer thanks to God, not just on one day of the year, but every day. Thanksgiving Day is a distinctively American holiday, and, without being overly nationalistic about it, one that sets us apart from other nations. Setting aside a day to give thanks entered our national consciousness from the very beginning. In 1777, the fledgling American nation proclaimed a day of thanksgiving so "that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor." As Orthodox Christians we will offer our words of thanks to the Triune God. But all Americans will offer a moment of thanks, no matter what religion they profess.
 
The second phrase of the prayer, "Do not deprive us of your heavenly kingdom," invites us to reflect on the purpose of these gifts: our entry into God's kingdom. Isn't this wonderful? Our loving and gracious God has given us the means to enter into a relationship with Himself and become citizens of His eternal and heavenly Kingdom. As the Psalmist says, "When you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things." The Lord's hand is continually open, providing us with all that we need, and for this reason, we offer our continual thanks.
 
Because the Lord has been so gracious and generous to us, our response should be to be gracious and generous to those around us. This generosity can overflow into our parishes and communities. This is the work of the good steward, creating and sharing abundance, so that the Kingdom of God can be within the reach of all. We are those stewards, the instruments of God's kingdom, "distributing to all, as any have need" (cf Acts of the Apostles 2:45).
 
How will we share our abundance this Thanksgiving holiday? Our Thanksgiving tables will be overladen so that our families and friends can celebrate the feast. Extending an invitation and opening our homes to those without a place to go is a first step. All of our parishes have members who live alone or far from family that we can invite. Offering even a few hours of the day to work among the poor or the homeless can make a difference. There are food banks and shelters that need our help, not just on Thanksgiving but year round. Charitable giving to support the many ministries of our Church and community that serve those in need provides them with the financial resources they need. All are acts of thanksgiving in response to what God has already done for us.
 
May our Lord grant to you and your loved ones a Blessed, Peaceful and joyous Thanksgiving holiday.
 
With Love in Christ,
 
@Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco
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Hollow Orthodoxy:  Taking Orthodoxy beyond the self-congratulatory

11/18/2017

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Archbishop Averky of Syracuse, of blessed memory, once said of converts, "they are like envelopes, they have a tendency to come unglued".

​Many a convert, once they've embraced the Orthodox Faith, mistakenly given themselves over to a zealotry that is without any form of temperance. They, in their excitement at having found "The True Faith", almost over night take on external formula that seems more "spiritual", and makes them feel they are on the fast track to sainthood.

They'll notice when another parishioner seems careless in the making of the sign of the cross, all the while demonstrating for all around them, the proper way. Making sweeping signs of the cross that are done in such a way as to be almost a caricature, they follow up with profound bows, distracting fellow worshipers in the process. They make a production of the fast periods, making sure their non-Orthodox family and friends know the seriousness of the Orthodox fasting periods. Their icon corners can be larger than the pious old woman who has been Orthodox all her life, and who is known for the sanctity of her tender care for others.

These people become spiritual gluttons, while taking their new found faith into a sensuality and pride that is miles from the holiness that comes from years of struggle. Their public displays of Orthodox, often distractions for fellow worshipers, what with all the profound bows, icon kissing, and candle lighting, can actually be diversions from the important confrontation of one's own personal sin. In their newness to Orthodoxy they throw themselves into the externals and public displays, while preventing themselves from entering into the mystery of faith that comes only with the acquisition of a humble and contrite heart.

Our longing for drama and excitement in our new found faith, can, if we let it, become a distraction, leading to spiritual pride, rather than the holiness that comes with humbly receiving the faith by following the example of holy people whose lives are often hidden from us. If our Orthodoxy is expressed primarily in the externals, we put ourselves on the fast track to becoming followers of the Pharisee, rather than imitating the humility of the Publican.

My own spiritual father, Archimandrite Dimitry of blessed memory, gave me the best of advice, when he said, "little by little". Taking little steps, with the guidance and direction that comes from one's priest or spiritual father, or by council with that pious little old lady, whose face radiates the light of Christ, we will be able to enter into the Kingdom, having gained the humility and joy that does not necessitate being extravagant with the externals.

That said, the sight of faithful coming late to Liturgy, and leaving after communion, is sad indeed. The bottom line is that everyone of us needs to personally be converted to Orthodoxy. Converts have a lot to share with those who were raised from birth in Orthodoxy, for the sight of a newly converted Orthodox Christian demonstrating his faith by external witness, should be the catalyst for those raised in the faith to make a greater effort at truly entering into the services with the historic external forms of worship.
​
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

​Taken from Abbot Tryphon's FB Page 



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The Nativity Fast

11/17/2017

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Today begins a period of preparation in our Church for the great feast of the Nativity of Christ. During this period the Church invites every human being freely and simply, saying: "We are now fasting, if you want you can come along too".
This invitation is made with love and in a mood for struggle, setting forth Christ as the "prize". In order to share in Christ, let us offer Him our own struggle and effort, showing that we want Him as our Saviour and Redeemer.
~  From Abbot Bartholomew of Mt Athos ~ 


THE CHRISTMAS/NATIVITY FAST (ADVENT) IS FROM NOVEMBER 15th THROUGH DECEMBER 24th!
​

The Christmas/Nativity fast prescribed by the Greek Archdiocese of America for the Advent period of November 15 through and including November 24 is as follows:  on Wednesdays and on Fridays no meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, fish, wine or oil are eaten as is usual during most of the year.  

On the other days of the week from November 15 through and including December 12, we abstain from meat, poultry and dairy products/eggs; but fish, wine and oil are permitted.  On the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos on November 21st, we eat fish, wine and oil no matter what day of the week it falls on but no meat/poultry or dairy eggs.  

From December 13 through December 24, the fast becomes stricter with no consumption of meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, fish, wine or oil except on Saturdays and Sundays and certain saints' feast days when wine and oil are permitted.  

Some Orthodox jurisdictions follow the stricter monastic fast in which fish, wine and oil are permitted only on Saturdays and Sundays; only wine and oil are permitted on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and a strict fast of no wine or oil is held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  

Please set up a time to participate in the Sacrament of Holy Confession which is essential for our salvation.  Thus, through fasting, prayer, acts of charity, and the Sacrament of Holy Confession may we prepare ourselves for the birth of Christ not only in Bethlehem but also His rebirth in our hearts!    ~ Father Jerry
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Encyclical of Metropolitan Gerasimos for Veteran's Day 2017

11/9/2017

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Dearly Beloved,
 
Ninety-nine years ago, the "war to end all wars", World War I, ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. A few years later, the United States resolved that the 11th of November should be "commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer . . . designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations".
 
World War I did not end war as the patriots proclaimed a century ago. Another world war - even more destructive that the "Great War" - was soon to follow, and shortly thereafter the war in Korea. So, in 1954 Armistice Day, as it had been known previously, was renamed Veterans Day, so that all American veterans of all wars would be honored. Sadly, war continued to mark the twentieth century and continues into the twenty-first. Honoring our veterans is as important as ever, if only to remind us that we have not found a way for peace to prevail.
 
Men and women who love America have served in the five branches of the military: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard. They have served throughout the world on many missions, facing danger and risking their lives. At the end of their service, they often returned home with little fanfare, except to the embrace of their families, which were grateful for their safe return. Yet, many also bore tremendous scars and wounds - physical and emotional. As a member of a team that took care many veterans who were battling many psychological traumas caused by their experience of the violence and horrors of warfare, I came to a new respect and admiration for those who were willing to take up arms and serve in the military.
 
On November 11, our nation honors the men and women who served. As the poet Maya Angelou once said, "How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes!" As a Church we too should honor publicly our brothers and sisters who served in the Armed Forces. In all of our parishes, we will find veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, down to today's conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also those who served elsewhere around the world. Included among our veterans are clergy and military chaplains. We must express our thanks to those who served because they risked all to defend the highest principles of our nation.
 
As we gratefully remember those who valiantly served our country on this Veteran's Day, let us pray to our Lord that He may keep them safe and always under His watchful care.
With Love in Christ,
  + Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco
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A Word on Giving

11/5/2017

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Beloved in the Lord,
There are only three things we can do with our money; spend it, invest it, or give it. Of the three, the
last is the most misunderstood.
First, most people believe that they are owners of their money. But the truth is that, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof”. In other words, God is the owner and we are simply asset manag- ers a.k.a. stewards. This is what the word “Stewardship” means. It is not a Christian term really. It comes from an Old English term for “one who manages another’s financial affairs”. The steward of the castle didn’t own any of it, but was responsible for all of it, because the Lord of the house en- trusted it to him.
The second misunderstanding is that God doesn’t care about our giving. The truth is that the Bible talks about money more often than about love and grace. The Bible tells us about giving because giving makes us more Christ-like. A spiritually mature Christian gives. Giving helps us become less selfish and less selfish people tend to prosper in relationships and wealth. Because we are made in God’s image, and God is a giver, we are happiest and most fulfilled when serving and giving.
A third misunderstanding is that to have more we have to hold on more tightly and so we make a fist around our money. But there’s a problem with that. Yes it’s true, with a clenched fist we can hold on to our money, but at the same time, a clenched fist can’t receive any more money. When no money is flowing out (giving), no money can flow in.
The final misunderstanding is the meaning of the word “tithe”. The word “tithe” isn’t a spiritual word either. It’s simply a math term meaning a tenth. The instruction to give a tenth of your income is biblical dating all the way back to Genesis where Abram felt God’s call to give the priest Mel- chizedek a tenth of everything he had. There are many examples of tithing in both the Old and New Testaments. The tithe was given as the “first fruits’ meaning right off the top, not whatever is left over. And the tithe is a tenth of everything, not just one thing.
Today the average Christian gives less than 3% of their money to the church. Only about 3% of Christians today tithe. Saddest of all, that means that only a few will be changed, only a few will be- come less selfish, only a few will mature spiritually, and only a few will become Christ-like.

We ask you to prayerfully consider giving a tithe of your time, talent and treasure to the work of the Church as a cheerful giver and a member of the Body of Christ. I am excited to see what God will provide us with in return for our faithfulness! 

~ Fr. Jerry,  the AGAPE, (the newsletter of St George, Eugene)  November, 2017
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  • Home
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