Christ is Baptized! In the Jordan!

Transcription

1 `Contact Information: Acting Rector: Fr James Worthington H: C: President: John Ciko Choir Director: Rdr John Hawranick, Jr Now with Coffee Cemetery: William Homyk Hour List Sisterhood: Rebecca Hawranick for 2010! This Newsletter has been donated: In Loving Memory of The Chlus and Mezick And for the Health of The Chlus Family May there memory be eternal! Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church 305 Main Rd Herkimer, NY Christ is Baptized! In the Jordan! January

2 From the Recto: Happy Holidays! I know that is something that we, as devout Christians, typically try not to say. When we go about our business, we like to say Merry Christmas. To our Orthodox friends we say Christ is Born! And they will respond, Glorify Him! This is a wonderful time of year, especially for all Orthodox Christians. December began with the celebration of St Nicholas, and was highlighted by the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord. On New Year s Eve and Day, we celebrate the Circumcision and Naming of Jesus. And on the 6 th of January we celebrate the Theophany of Jesus Christ at His baptism by St John the Forerunner. Together, all of these make up a whole series of events that are interconnected. They trace the path that we follow in our own lives. We are born, we receive a name from our parents through the Church, and we are baptized into Christ. We are illuminated by the Holy Spirit when we are anointed with the holy oil (chrism) of the Church. We put on Christ as the clothing of salvation. And pretty soon, we will go on from these feasts, and begin our journey to Pascha, where the promise made in Eden, enacted in a cave in a manger in Bethlehem, will be finalized when Christ ascends the cross for our sake. The Church is the source of all of the holidays. In fact, the very word means that they are Holy Days. Holy Days are spent in love, worshipping God, and being thankful for all that He has given us. This was something that we excelled at during the cycle of services around the Nativity of Christ. Our Church was full on the Eve of the Feast, because many knew that the feast only begins by worshipping our Creator. Even the animals and the Shepherds, the Wise Men and the angels stopped their worldly lives to be in a cave, worshipping the Christ-Child, because they knew Him to be God. And they carried within themselves the message of Christ, the healing that is offered by God for all of the sicknesses that may come our way. So what do we do in the meantime? We celebrate the feasts of the Church, and allow them to teach us how to live our daily lives. This is quite evident in our humble little parish this month. Nina Hula was born a few weeks ago, and received baptism into Christ on January 2 nd. For the next forty days we will call her the Newly- Illumined Nina, because she is brought into the same light that we all find in the Church and in partaking of the Sacraments. She is a reminder that each of us are on a similar path, from our birth to our eventual (and hopeful) heavenly reward. We who have been illumined by Christ, let us never forget Him who showed us the light. When things are challenging, we can know that God is always at our side. We heard at the Nativity that God is with us. Now, let us move forward and challenge ourselves to see what that means for the rest of the year, and for the rest of our lives. God is with us, and no one who is hungry will He deny. God is with us, and we must never forget that. When we celebrate Holy Days, it is only because He came to us so that we might make every day full of praises to God Himself. So, Happy Holidays! Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Christ is Baptized! In the Jordan! And soon we will also say, Christ is Risen! Indeed He is risen! And not one will remain in the tombs. 2

3 Thanksgivings and Celebrations Birthdays: The blessing that comes with birth is the promise that God will be faithful, and grow a community so that it will be a holy place for years to come. As you say your daily prayers, remember those parishioners who are celebrating their birthdays this month. 3 Stephanie Roback 10 Elaine Lyszczarz 11 Olga Prawlocki Alexandra Gale 13 David Keblish Virginia Shaftic Charlotte Gale 15 Stanley Danielak 22 Cindy Sue Sobolowski 23 Nicholas Keblish Jr 24 Dale Richards Randy Hula Nellie Hrynda Louisa Gale 26 Gabriel Josyula Baptism With great joy, we welcome into the Church the Newly-Illumined Child of God Nina Lynn Hula, who was baptized on Saturday, January 2 nd. May God grant her and her family many blessed years, as she begins her walk in the faith as an Orthodox Christian. Names Days: I have tried to find the Names Days for everyone. This is a very special event in a year. It connects us to a friend in Heaven, and Jesus Himself. If any of these dates are wrong, just let me know. 1 William Homyk 7 Rdr John Hawranick Jr Anniversaries: By being present at the Wedding in Cana, Jesus Christ Himself taught us about the good that is in a holy marriage. A marriage is a place of love and self-denial, to give everything for the one person in the world who loves over everything else. 26 John and Patty Penree 3

4 The Twelve days of Christmas Explained! The partridge in the pear tree is Jesus Christ. Two turtle doves are the Old and the New Testaments. Three French hens stand for Faith, Love, and Hope. The four calling birds are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The five golden rings recall the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation. Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are PROPHESY, SERVING, TEACHING, EXHORTATION, CONTRIBUTION, LEADERSHIP AND MERCY; The eight maids a milking are the eight beatitudes. Nine Ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, which are LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL.; The ten lords a-leaping are the ten commandments. The eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples. The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Creed. Our Liturgical Life As we try to bring Christ into the world, and to be fed with the Sacraments and life of the Church, we worship together often, and do many other things together to build up Christ s Holy Church. Remember: Daily Vespers is offered every Wednesday night. Take advantage of this, especially if you will be called away during Sunday Services. Friday, January 1 st : Divine Liturgy for the Circumcision of Jesus Christ Tuesday, January 5 th : Great Vespers for Theophany and Blessing of Water Wednesday, January 6 th : Divine Liturgy and the Blessing of Waters Great Vespers Thursday, January 7 th : Divine Liturgy for St John the Forerunner Catechesis and Inquirers class Friday, January 8 th : Middle School Group Tuesday, January 12 th : CFCG Thursday, January 14 th : High School Group Thursday, January 21 st : Board of Trustees Meeting Friday, January 29 th : Great Vespers Saturday, January 30 th : Divine Liturgy for the Three Hierarchs Next Month: February will be very exciting and full, with the beginning of Great Lent. A schedule is not yet ready, and will be distributed once it is finalized. Memory Eternal! Here are our brothers and sisters who have reposed during the month of January. 1 Charles Pysz (1977) 3 Anna Ostasz (2002) 6 Steve E Yaworski (2003) 7 Tekla Anthony (1970) Despo Jeffries (1978) 11 Elizabeth Spytko (1996) John Hubiak (2002) 13 Andrew Hrobuchak (1994) 14 Nicholas Kravec Sr (2007) Martha Steciak (2008) 18 John Burdick (1978) 19 Mary Nichols (2007) 20 Stephania Eskoff (2000) 21 John Kravec (1975) 22 Emelia Mildred Mamrosch (1989) Steven Hrynda (1999) 23 Philip Homiack (1976) 24 Tekla Leve (2009) 25 Steven Slenska (1996) 26 Timofei Fedorenko (1981) Chester Ptasznik (1998) Mary Sterzin (2009) 29 Anna Marochko (1986) 30 Peter Bawolak (1979) 4

5 Ss. Peter & Paul Coffee Hour Hosts for 2010 SUNDAY HOSTS January 3, 2010 Nancy & Dale Richards January 10, 2010 Debie & David Chlus January 17, 2010 Helen & John Ciko January 24, 2010 Mary Jane & Mitch Chlus January 31, 2010 Julie Todd & Family February 7, 2010 Lesia & Gary Roback February 14, 2010 Martha Mamrosch & Family February 21, 2010 Helen & John Kowansky February 28, 2010 Becky & John Hawranick March 7, 2010 Kristen & Walter Pawlusik March 14, 2010 Lyszczarz Family March 21, 2010 Sonia Buttino & John Elnicky March 28, 2010 Wayne Nuzum & Family April 4, 2010 PASCHA April 11, 2010 PASCHA DINNER April 18, 2010 Elaine Kowansky & Family April 25, 2010 Anne Gale & Family May 2, 2010 Margaret & Nick Keblish May 9, 2010 Walt Tirenin & Steve Leve May 16, 2010 Barb Daley & Cindy Sobolowski May 23, 2010 Martha Shust & Rose Gala May 30, 2010 Maria Drobot & Family June 6, 2010 Norma & John Stehnach June 13, 2010 Jean & John Rinko June 20, 2010 Anna Herko & Mark Petrochuck June 27, 2010 Nancy & Dale Richards July 4, 2010 Barb Brink & Family 5

6 July 11, 2010 Debie & David Chlus July 18, 2010 July 25, 2010 August 1, 2010 August 8, 2010 August 15, 2010 August 22, 2010 August 29, 2010 September 5, 2010 September 12, 2010 September 19, 2010 September 26, 2010 October 3, 2010 October 10, 2010 October 17, 2010 October 24, 2010 October 31, 2010 November 7, 2010 November 14, 2010 November 21, 2010 November 28, 2010 December 5, 2010 December 12, 2010 December 19, 2010 December 26, 2010 Helen & John Ciko Mary Jane & Mitch Chlus Julie Todd & Family Lesia & Gary Roback Martha Mamrosch & Family Helen & John Kowansky Becky & John Hawranick Kristen & Walter Pawlusik Lyszczarz Family Sonia Buttino & John Elnicky Wayne Nuzum & Family Elaine Kowansky & Family Anne Gale & Family HARVEST DINNER Margaret & Nick Keblish Walt Tirenin & Steve Leve Barb Daley & Cindy Sobolowski Martha Shust & Rose Gala Barb Brink & Family Maria Drobot & Family Norma & John Stehnach YOLKA DINNER Jean & John Rinko Anna Herko & Mark Petrochuck A special thanks to Rose Gala and Dale Demetrius Richards for their help for putting together the Coffeee Hour list. 6

7 Deep Theology Dept. The Knowability of God in Saint Gregory Palamas: Traditionalist or Innovator? Part IV Nevertheless, the teaching was distilled from the patristic tradition and implemented by St Gregory. It is the teaching about the role of man in the cosmos. The teaching of St Gregory and his fellow Hesychasts of the fourteenth century was based on the understanding that man, the greatest of all God s creatures, had been called to enter into direct and unmediated communion with God even from this present life. The chief manner by which this is achieved is through the grace of God and noetic prayer, that is, through the Prayer of the Heart. Through this unmitigated prayer is the attainment of Christ-like perfection. This is the purpose of our human existence to become by divine grace what Christ is by nature, and to allow God to do His work through his creature. In order to carry out this work, a union must take place between God and man. Therefore, if we wish to be with Christ, then we must become like Him We can never be God. Only God is divine by nature, but as St Maximus the Confessor says, the person who has been deified by grace will be in every respect as God is, except for His very essence. This means that we have been created to contain the very Life of the Holy Trinity. What can be achieved of the divine life will be made part of those who gain it. When man fully apprehends the energies of God, then that man is united to God. This is why it is critical to join to God and not to Creation, as Barlaam and his ilk claim. Man was created to join with God, and not every man who possesses knowledge of created things, or who sees through the mediation of such knowledge has God dwelling in him; but he merely possesses knowledge of creatures, and from this by means of analogy he infers the existence of God. He does not exist in God. Barlaam s theology depended exactly on this analogy between God and nature. All that was knowable of God could be learned from examining the secular world and seeing truths about God in the analogies that could be contrived. From this presupposition, he could not understand the practices of the Hesychasts, and he attacked their process. The hesychasts are accused (1) of making mental prayer to consist entirely in gazing at the navel ( omphaloscopy ) and (2) of believing that man s soul is situated in the navel, hence the mocking name omphaloscopoi invented by Barlaam ). It may seem that these were ad hominem attacks, but in fact they were made as a result of the West s predispositions to the relationship of God and man. Though he came from Calabria, Barlaam belonged, not to any hellenising tradition, since there is no such thing, but to the Franco-Latin theological tradition Not one of Barlaam s condemned heresies is contained in the teaching of any of the socalled Hellenising Fathers of the Church. On the contrary, all of Barlaam s heresies are found at the centre of the Franco-Latin theological tradition. The notion that man could find God by looking within was absurd for Barlaam, for Barlaam maintained that knowledge of God is not a matter of the vision of God, which takes place through transformation of the senses, but a fruit of man s understanding, a working out of reason. Reason was the goal of man, not internalization, as he saw it. Barlaam caricatured the hesychasts as people who were trying to get the essence of the intellect into the body and ridicules them on the ground that it is already united to the body. The Hesychasts were eschewing the human intellect, and were depriving themselves of the only true path to union with God. The canons of the Roman Church even state that if any one should say that the One true God, our Creator and Lord, cannot be certainly known by the natural light of human reason through created things; let him be anathema. None of this is the Orthodox teaching, however. The secular world can only reveal knowledge about the secular world. This idea that God cannot be rationally apprehended is connected with the whole of Gregory s doctrine on the divine nature. We cannot know God in His essence, but in His energy. 7