From the Pastor s Desk

Transcription

1 Saint George Orthodox Church Second Quarter, 2014 From the Pastor s Desk Dear Brothers and Sisters: It won t be long now until we will be exchanging the wonderful Paschal greeting Christ is Risen! Truly, He is risen! w with each other. The Resurrection of Christ, which we proclaim with this greeting, is the central mystery of our Orthodox Christian Faith. In fact, without this mystery, we have no faith at all. The Apostle Paul put it this way in his first letter to the Church in Corinth: if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:13-19) Thus, every time we exchange the Paschal Greeting Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen! we make a profound statement about ourselves and about the God who saves us. We make a statement about ourselves, because in the Paschal Greeting, we proclaim our belief that Jesus Christ died and rose again from the tomb. We make a statement about God, because it tells the world that His love for the world is so great that He was willing to send His Son into the world in order to die in the flesh and rise again giving the human race eternal life. Since the Greeting is so important and so meaningful, I urge you all to make it your usual greeting with each other during this Easter season and let it resound shout it out as we exchange it during the services of the season. In Christ,

2 Page 2 The Wonderworker Second Quarter 2014 Fr. Dennis to go on Mission Trip to Albania During the second half of June this year, Father Dennis will be in Shen Vlash, near Durres, Albania. Shen Vlash is the site of the Shen Vlash Monastery and the Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy, as well as the Children s Home of Hope, an orphanage that provides a home to more than 40 children under the age of 16. Under the direction of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), Father will be helping to conduct a summer camp program for the children. Anyone who would like to help Father Dennis finance his trip, which will cost around $3,500.00, can visit to make a donation or contact him directly. Any checks should be made out to the OCMC Relay for Life The Wonderworkers of St George will be walking in the 2014 Relay for Life of Monroe/ Trumbull, which will be held from 6:00 p.m. on Friday, June 6 th through 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 7 th at Trumbull High School in Trumbull. All proceeds from this event go to the American Cancer Society for research and also to help families dealing with cancer. For more information, to make a donation or to join the team, go to In the box marked Find Event, enter the Trumbull Zip Code (06611) and then click on the link marked 2014 Relay for Life of Monroe/ Trumbull CT. Then where it says Top Teams, click on View all and you will find our team. (I know it sounds complicated, but it s easier than it sounds!) Team Captains Sharon Buzi and Sue Galich will be giving more information and conducting various fund-raising activities. All are welcome to participate!

3 Second Quarter 2014 The Wonderworker Page 3

4 Page 4 The Wonderworker Second Quarter 2014 The World and the Flesh In the scriptures and in the spiritual tradition of the Church, the expression the world has two different meanings. In the first, the world is the expression of all of God s creation. As such it is the product of God s goodness and the object of His love. According to the scriptures, God creates the world and all that is in it. He creates the heavens and the earth as the declaration of His glory. (Psalm 19:1) He creates all living things, crowned by the formation of man in His own image and likeness. According to the scriptural record, God called His creation good very good. (Genesis 1:12,18, 25, 31) And according to the Gospel, Christ has come as the Savior of the world. (Luke 2:11, John 4:42) For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17) In addition to this positive scriptural understanding of the world, there is also a negative use of the expression which has caused confusion about the proper understanding of Christian faith and life. This negative use of the term the world is presented not as God s object of love, but as creation in rebellion against God. Thus Christ spoke: If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15: 18-19; Cf, James 4:4) Saint John continues to speak of the enmity between Christ and the world in his first letter where he gives the following commandment to Christians: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17) The same ambiguity has that concerning the world exists with the expression the flesh. In some instances the term flesh is used in a positive sense meaning the fullness of human existence, man himself. Thus it is written about the incarnation of Christ that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us; full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) It is also written that on the day of Pentecost, God poured out His Holy Spirit on all flesh. (Acts 2:17, Joel 2:28) The word flesh in this sense carries no negative meaning at all. Rather it is the affirmation of the positive character of created material and physical being, exemplified by Christ who became flesh and commands men to eat of my flesh. (John 6:53-56) In the scriptures again, particularly in the writings of Saint Paul, the expression the flesh is used in the same negative way as the world. It is employed as the catchword for godless and unspiritual existence. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God s Law, indeed it cannot please God. (Romans 8:5-8) Here, for Saint Paul, the term flesh is not a synonym for man s body which is good, and the apostle makes this perfectly clear in his writings. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ( ) Do you not know that your bodies are members of continued on page 7, column 1

5 Second Quarter 2014 The Wonderworker Page 5 Bota dhe Mishi Në shkrimet dhe në traditën shpirtërore të Kishës, shprehja bota ka dy kuptime të ndryshme. Në të parin, bota është shprehja e të gjithë krijimit të Perëndisë. Si e tillë ajo është fryt i mirësisë së Perëndisë dhe objekt i dashurisë së Tij. Sipas shkrimeve, Perëndia e krijoi botën dhe gjithçka që është në atë. Ai krijoi qiejt dhe tokën si shpallje e lavdisë së Tij (Psalmi 19:1). Ai i krijoi të gjitha gjërat e gjalla, kurorëzuar nga krijimi i njeriut në shëmbëlltyrën dhe ngjashmërinë e Tij. Sipas tregimit të shkrimit, Perëndia e quajti krijimin e Tij të mirë... shumë të mirë (Zanafilla 1:12, 18, 25, 31). Dhe sipas Ungjillit, Krishti ka ardhur si Shpëtimtari i botës. (Lluka 2:11, Joani 4:42). Sepse Perëndia e deshi aq botën, sa dha Birin e tij të vetëmlindurin, që, kushdo që beson në të, të mos humbasë, por të ketë jetë të përjetshme. Sepse Perëndia nuk e dërgoi Birin e vet në botë që ta dënojë botën, por që bota të shpëtohet prej tij (Joani 3:16-17). Përveç këtij kuptimi skriptural pozitiv të botës, është, gjithashtu, edhe një përdorim negativ i shprehjes, që ka shkaktuar një pështjellim për kuptimin e duhur të besimit dhe të jetës së krishterë. Ky përdorim negativ i termit botë është paraqitur jo si objekt i dashurisë së Perëndisë, por si krijimi në rebelim kundër Perëndisë. Kështu foli Krishti: Nëse bota ju urren, ta dini se më ka urryer mua para jush. Po të ishit nga bota, bota do të donte të vetët; por, sepse nuk jeni nga bota, por unë ju kam zgjedhur nga bota, prandaj bota ju urren (Joani 15:18-19; Kr. Jakovi 4:4). Shën Joani vazhdon të flasë për armiqësinë ndërmjet Krishtit dhe botës në letrën e tij të parë, ku ai i jep të krishterëve porositë e mëposhtme. Mos e doni botën, as gjërat që janë në botë. Ne qoftë se ndokush do botën, dashuria e Atit nuk është në të, sepse gjithçka që është në botë, lakmia e mishit, lakmia e syve dhe krenaria e jetës, nuk vjen nga Ati, por nga bota. Dhe bota kalon me lakminë e saj; por ai që bën vullnetin e Perëndisë mbetet përjetë (1 Joani 2:15-17). E njëjta dykuptimësi në lidhje me botë ekziston edhe në shprehjen mish. Në disa raste termi mish është përdorur në një sens pozitiv, duke kuptuar plotësinë e ekzistencës njerëzore, vetë njeriun. Kështu shkruhet rreth mishërimit të Krishtit se Fjala u bë mish dhe banoi ndër ne, plot me hir e të vërtetë (Joani 1:14). Shkruhet, gjithashtu, se në ditën e Rushajeve, Perëndia derdhi Shpirtin e Tij të Shenjtë mbi çdo mish (Veprat 2:17, Joeli 2:28). Fjala mish në këtë sens nuk mbart asnjë kuptim negativ. Por më tepër është pohim i karakterit pozitiv të qenies së krijuar materiale dhe fizike, ilustruar nga Krishti që u bë mish dhe i urdhëron njerëzit hani nga mishi im (Joani 6:53-56). Përsëri në shkrimet, veçanërisht në shkrimet e Shën Pavlit, shprehja mish përdoret në të njëjtën mënyrë negative si botë. Ajo është përdorur si moto për ekzistencën e pabesë dhe joshpirtërore. Sepse ata që rrojnë sipas mishit e çojnë mendjen në gjërat e mishit, por ata që rrojnë sipas Frymës në gjërat e Frymës. Në fakt, mendja e kontrolluar nga mishi sjell vdekje, por mendja e kontrolluar nga Fryma sjell jetë dhe paqe. Në fakt mendja e kontrolluar nga mishi është armiqësi kundër Perëndisë, sepse nuk i nënshtrohet ligjit të Perëndisë dhe as nuk mundet. Prandaj ata që janë në mish nuk mund t i pëlqejnë Perëndisë (Romanët 8:5-8). Këtu, për Shën Pavlin, termi mish nuk është sinonim për trupin e njeriut, i cili është i mirë, dhe apostulli e bën këtë të qartë në shkrimet e tij. Trupi nuk është për kurvëri, po për Zotin, dhe Zoti për trupin. ( ) A nuk e dini ju se trupat tuaj janë gjymtyrë të Krishtit? ( ) A nuk e dini se trupi juaj është tempulli i Frymës së Shenjtë që është në ju, të cilin e keni nga Perëndia, dhe se nuk i përkitni vetvetes? Sepse u bletë me një continued on page 7, column 2

6 Page 6 The Wonderworker Second Quarter 2014 Coming Events April May June 7: St. Tikhon of Moscow & North America 12: Lazarus Saturday 4:00 p.m. Great Vespers 13: Palm Sunday Beginning of Holy Week. See page 3 for complete schedule 20: Pascha The Resurrection of Christ 11:00 a.m. Paschal Vespers & Egg Hunt 21: Bright Monday 10:00 a.m. Paschal Divine Liturgy 23: Bright Wednesday Great Martyr George 10:00 a.m. Paschal Divine Liturgy 27: Saint Thomas Sunday 11: Sunday of the Paralytic Mother s Day 21: Saints Constantine & Helen 26: Memorial Day 29: The Ascension of our Lord 7: Memorial Saturday 8: Pentecost 15: Sunday of All Saints Father s Day 24: Nativity of Saint John the Baptist 29: Holy Apostles Peter and Paul Looking ahead July 20: August 1: August 6: August 9: August 11-16: August 15: August 24: August 29: September 1: September 4: September 8: September 14: Prophet Elijah Dormition Fast begins Transfiguration of our Lord Saint Herman of Alaska New England Youth Rally Dormition of the Virgin Mary Saint Kozma of Berat Beheading of Saint John the Baptist Church New Year Prophet Moses Nativity of the Virgin Mary Elevation of the Holy Cross September 26/27: Archdiocesan Assembly, SS. Peter & Paul Church, Philadelphia, PA. Food Festival planned Plans are being made for our fourth annual Food Festival, featuring ethnic food, baked goods, and a Take-a Chance raffle table. We are looking for volunteers to help out on the day of the event. A flyer with details and forms for placing an advertisement in the Program Book will be sent out in the near future. If you would like further details, please speak with Jim Bowe ( ).

7 Second Quarter 2014 The Wonderworker Page 7 continued from page 4 Christ? ( ) Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:13-20) In the spiritual tradition of the Church the ambiguity about the world and the flesh is treated carefully. It has been explained without confusion by the spiritual teachers and proclaimed clearly in the Church s sacraments. God s good creation is not evil. Material existence is not evil. Man s fleshly body is not evil. Only sinful passions and lusts are evil. They are evil because they treat the created world and the fleshly body of man as ends in themselves, as objects of idolatrous adoration and godless desire. They are evil because, as St. Augustine put it, they express the worship of the creature rather than the Creator. By nature the soul is without sinful passion. Passions are something added to the soul by its fault The natural state of the soul is luminous and pure through absorbing the divine light. The state contrary to nature is found in passionate men who serve passions. When you hear that it is necessary to withdraw from the world to purify yourself from what is of the world, you must understand the term world. World is a collective name embracing what are called passions. When we speak of passions collectively, we call them the world. the world is carnal life and minding of the flesh. (St. Isaac of Syria, 6 th c., Spiritual Training) from The Orthodox Faith, by Fr. Thomas Hopko continued from page 5 çmim! Përlëvdoni Perëndinë, pra, në trupin tuaj dhe në frymën tuaj, që i përkasin Perëndisë (1 Korinthianët 6:13-20). Në traditën shpirtërore të Kishës dykuptimësia rreth shprehjeve botë dhe mish është trajtuar me kujdes. Ajo është shpjeguar pa u ngatërruar nga mësuesit shpirtëror dhe është shpallur qartë në misteret e Kishës. Krijimi i mirë i Perëndisë nuk është i keq. Ekzistenca materiale nuk është e keqe. Trupi mishor i njeriut nuk është i keq. Vetëm pasionet mëkatare dhe epshet janë të këqia. Ato janë të këqia, sepse ato e trajtojnë botën e krijuar dhe trupin mishor të njeriut si qëllime në vetvete, si objekte adhurimi idhujtar dhe dëshira të paudha. Ato janë të këqia, sepse, siç e shpjegon Shën Agustini, ato shprehin adhurimin e krijesës më tepër se të Krijuesit. Nga natyra shpirti është pa pasione të mëkatshme. Pasionet janë diçka e shtuar te shpirti nga gabimet e tij... Gjendja natyrale e shpirtit është e ndritshme dhe e pastër nëpërmjet absorbimit të dritës hyjnore... Gjendja e kundërt me natyrën... gjendet në njerëzit e pasionuar që i shërbejnë pasioneve. Kur ju dëgjoni se është e nevojshme për t u tërhequr nga bota... për të pastruar veten nga ajo që është nga bota, ju duhet të kuptoni termin botë. Botë është një emër kolektiv që përfshin ato që janë quajtur pasione. Kur ne flasim për pasionet në mënyrë kolektive, ne i quajmë ato botë... bota është jeta mishore dhe përkujdesja për mishin (Shën Isaku i Sirisë, shek. 6, Stërvitja Shpirtërore). nga Besimi Ortodoks (The Orthodox Faith) i At Thomas Hopko Coffee Hour Sign-up Poster Hanging on the bulletin board in the Church Hall again this year is a poster where people can sign up to host Coffee Hour on Sunday mornings. This is a way for us all to see if there are available Sundays and to plan ahead for any special occasions we might want to share with our Parish family: birthdays, namedays, memorials, etc. Be sure to take a look at it and put your name down to host in the near future.

8 Saint George Orthodox Church 5490 Main Street Trumbull, Connecticut FORWARD AND ADDRESS CORRECTION The Wonderworker is a quarterly publication of Saint George Orthodox Church, Trumbull, Connecticut a parish of the Albanian Archdiocese of the Orthodox Church in America Archpriest Dennis R. Rhodes, Rector James Bowe Council President