SS PETER AND PAUL CHURCH. g THE ENLIGHTENER

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1 SS PETER AND PAUL CHURCH 401 Hamilton St Syracuse NY g THE ENLIGHTENER AlfPHIfA January Vol 39 No 1 A New Year! A New Beginning! Dear Broers and Sisters in Christ, We have just completed a memorable and glorious year in e history of our Church years of witness to e Glory of God. Wiin is same year we have also observed e 50*^ year of Fr John's life and service in e Vineyard of Christ. On June 27*^ we began our hundred and first year as a parish, and on Dec 25^^ Fr John began his fifty-first year as a priest. What does is recording of time mean to us? The marking of milestones means only one ing - it is a tremendous gift from God, e Giver of Life. Broers and sisters, in my years, e Lord has blessed me wi much understanding. Yet, I have still made mistakes along e way. HIS understanding however, corrects ose mistakes and helps us to be drawn to e reading and understanding of e Holy Scriptures, e words of The Word. I love e story of Saul's conversion (Acts Chapter 9). Why? Because he ought he was defending God's teachings by bringing e "followers of e Way" (Christians) to trial and persecution and yes, even dea. However, his ineffable conversion on e road to Damascus by THE LIGHT Himself, made him realize at he did not understand e Scriptures as well as he ought, Saul came face to face wi THE TRUTH - Christ. Because his heart was genuinely open to doing God's work, he was able to accept e Good News and become one of e greatest preachers and Apostles - St Paul. I encountered a similar event involving a well-known doctor of medicine. She was well educated, compassionate, and very set in her ways and beliefs, much like Saul. Unfortunately, some of her beliefs were incorrect as far as e Church was concerned. The good doctor and I were on a collision course - she, wi her traditions, and I, wi my understanding of Tradition. This conflict caused her to become so upset wi me at she did not speak to me for some time, actually years. This also caused her to fall away from e sacramental life of e Church, from which she could have benefitted from e Grace of healing of her cancerous ailment. A few years later, she called me to come and visit her. It was very early on Pascha morning. During is "visit", we sang, togeer, e beautiful Paschal Canon, after which she communed, and fell asleep in e Lord, claimed by e Risen Christ! Our merciful God gave her e time she needed to repent and fullv embrace e understanding of e Holy Spirit in e Holy Church. Now, as we begin a new period of time, let us return to God. One of e Old Testament readings from e Nativity can lead us to a better understanding of our place in God's plan. The ird chapter from e book of Baruch (found in e Orodox Study Bible), shows us who God is. The chapter is a lamentation of e Israelites who are in exile in a foreign land because eir grandparents failed to seek and find "Wisdom", God Himself. This short chapter may be outlined in is way: The

2 The Enlightener January 2017 Lament (3:1-8); e Way of Wisdom (3: 9-28) e description of e Wisdom of God (3:29-36) and Wisdom and e Law of God (3:36-4:4): "This is our God, no oer shall be compared to Him. He found e whole way of l(nowledge and gave it to Jacob His servant and to Israel His beloved. She (Wisdom, Sophia in Greeic) is e book of e commandments of God and e law at endures forever. All ose who Iceep her will live, but ose forsaking her will die. Return, O Jacob, and take hold of her. Walk toward e radiance of her light. Do not give your glory to anoer or e ings at are of advantage to you to a foreign nation. "O Israel, we are blessed, for what is pleasing to our God is known to us." Here is e lesson for us today. Our grandparents left eir roots in e old country and came here for a better life for eir posterity. They brought wi em e knowledge of e Word and Wisdom of God, even ough by modern standards ey were uneducated. They knew Wisdom and held to e Traditions God had given em. They built magnificent Churches and furnished e Altars to give wory praise and worship to God, just as e prophets and Israelites of Abraham. Let us worship God in His Holy Church wi e greatest attention and participation. If we have fallen away, let us return. This is not a recommendation, it is a true practice, shown to us by Christ Himself Who "worshipped in e Temple every Sabba, as was His custom" (Lk 4:16). If we rarely ever worshipped or kept e Lord's Day holy, let us willingly push ourselves to do e right ing. The first time will be e most difficult, e second time, a little easier, and so on. Soon we will be comfortable and at home in e Presence of God in His Holy House. After all, is is what we live for - to attain Holiness from God; to receive e Holy Spirit who makes us holy; to partake of e Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ "unto remission of sins and unto life everlasting". This is Salvation - e very reason Christ became incarnate (took on flesh) from e Virgin Mary and "became man, and was crucified for us... and suffered and was buried, and e ird day He rose again according to e Scriptures..." He did ese ings to cleanse us from our sins - e impediment to union wi God. In light of is great gift bestowed on us, slo, laziness or indifference are unacceptable behaviors, especially on e Lord's Day. Let us now, as we begin 2017, recommit ourselves to God, His Church, His Family and faifully and joyfully worship Him in Spirit and in Tru, to e ages of ages. Amen. In Christ our loving Lord, A true Christian is simply one who believes in Jesus Christ and imitates Him in all ings; e spirit of Christianity is pure, unselfish, spiritual love love which only e Holy Spirit can give. St. Innocent, Enlightener of Nor America

3 The Enlightener January 2017 Meditation on Epiphany by a Monk of e Eastern Church Epiphany is e first manifestation of Christ. It is made up of two aspects, on e one hand, ere is e aspect of humility represented by e baptism to which our Lord submits: on e oer hand, ere is e glory represented by e human witness at e Precursor (St John) bears to Jesus, and on an infinitely higher plane, e divine witness which e Faer and e Spirit bear to e Son. Bear is in mind: every manifestation of Jesus Christ, bo in history and e Inner life of each man, is simultaneously a manifestation of humility and glory. Whoever tries to separate ese two aspects of Christ commits an error which falsifies e whole of spiritual life. I cannot approach e glorified Christ wiout at e same time, approaching e humiliated Christ, nor e humiliated Christ wiout approaching e glorified Christ. If I desire Christ to be manifested In me, In my life, is cannot come about except rough embracing Him, and In e same upsurge, worshipping Him Who is also Cod, King and Conqueror. This is e first lesson of Epiphany. The aspect of humility in Epiphany consists of e fact at Our Lord submits to John's baptism of repentance. John himself refuses to begin wi It, but Jesus insists: "Suffer it to be now, for us it become us to fulfill all rigtiteousness"( Mt 3:15). Obviously Jesus had no need to be purified by John, but is baptism for e remission of sin was a preparation for e messianic kingdom; and Jesus, before proclaiming e coming of His Kingdom, wished to go rough all ose preparatory phases which He Himself was to 'consummate'. Being Himself e fullness, he wished to take into Himself all at was still incomplete and unfinished. He who was wiout sin made Himself e bearer of all our sins, of e sin of e whole world; and It Is in e name of all sinners at Jesus made a public act of repentance. Moreover, Jesus wished to teach us e necessity of penitence and conversion, at means we have to go rough a change of spirit, experience a real contrition for our sinfulness. Christian baptism has washed and purified us. It abolished original sin in us and made a new creature of us. This baptismal grace was en In some way provisional and conditional; it needed us of our own free choice, as we grew up and became conscious, to confirm e act of our baptism. Epiphany is, above all, e feast of baptism, not only of Jesus's baptism, but also of our own. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to renew In spirit e baptism at we received and to revive e grace which was conferred on us. For e sacramental graces, even If interrupted and suspended by sin, can become alive in us again, if we turn sincerely to Cod. At is feast of Epiphany, let us ask God to wash us again in e waters of baptism; let us drown e old, e sinful creature in em, for baptism Is a mystical dea; let us immerse ourselves wi Jesus in e Jordan to be washed not by e Precursor, but by Jesus Himself. The glorious aspect of Epiphany consists of e divine testimony of e Faer, e voice at came from heaven and said: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased" and e testimony of e Spirit is e descent of e dove: "The Spirit of Cod descending iilce a dove" (Mt 3:16-17). The Faer and e Holy Spirit are alt ree revealed to e world in e relationship of love which unites em to e Son. We touch here on what is deepest and most Intimate in e mystery of Jesus. However great is e redemptive ministry of Christ towards men, e life of intimacy of e Son wi e Faer and e Spirit remains still a greater reality. This feast brings us not only e grace of purification, but also e grace of illumination. God Is e lord and has revealed Himself to us!

4 January Bulletin Board READERS SCHEDULE January 1^* Hours: Peter McElvein/Rachel S Epistle: Bill Helwig Januarys*^ Hours: Scott Anderson/Sophia S Epistle: Scott Anderson January 15**' Hours: Bill Helwig/Larissa F Epistle: Adam Kantor January 22"^ Hours: Larissa S/Elena K Epistle: Tim Chupecic January 29*^ Hours: Peter McElvein/Rachel S Epistle: Bill Helwig February 5*^ Hours: Scott Anderson/Sophia S Epistle: Adam Kantor February 12'^ Hours: Bill Helwig/ Larissa F Epistle: Scott Anderson February 19^^ Hours: Larissa S/Elena K Epistle: Tim Chupeck February 26'^ Hours: Peter McElvein/Rachel S Epistle: Bill Helwig FEAST DAYS The Holy Theophany Thursday Jan 5*^ - Vesperal Liturgy w/ Blessing of Water 6 pm - VIGIL of Theophany Friday Jan 6*^ - Blessing of Homes: Anyone desiring to have eir home Blessed, please call e Rectory and leave a message, (315) Thank You! Three Hierarchs Monday Jan 31^* - Department of You Ministry Upcoming Events 2017 Annual Diocesan Altar Server Retreat Friday Feb 10-Sunday Feb 12 St Basil's Academy. Garrison NY COFFEE HOUR HOSTS Janf^- JanS'^- Jan 15 Jan 22 Jan 29 Feb 12 Feb 19 Feb 26 Nadia,Becky& Kara nd Kondakoff/Sweet Dotterers Eatons -Symanlaks Swifts - Ellingwors - Griggs/Curtis - Daniels Next Parish Council Meeting Jan 15^h^ 2017 Maines Shoppers Sign up wi Christine Sahm for e GIVE BACK PROGRAM to benefit our Church Bottie and Can Drive is on-going to benefit our Church You Programs i THANK YOU! 0 I When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in e Jordan e worship of e Trinity was made manifest, for e voice of e Faer bear witness to Thee and called Thee His Beloved Son. And e Spirit in e form of a dove confirmed e trufulness of His word. O Christ our God Who hast revealed Thyself And hast enlightened e world, glory to Thee! ^ 0 mo Annual Parish Mqgtinq Sunday January 29'',2017 in e Church Nave after Liturgy/

5 Saint of e Mon Martyr Tatiana of Rome, and ose who suffered wi Her- January 12*^ The Holy Virgin Martyr Tatiana was bom into an illustrious Roman family, and her faer was elected consul ree times. He was secretly a Christian and raised his daughter to be devoted to God and e Church. When she reached e age of maturity, Tatiana decided to remain a virgin, betroing herself to Christ. Disdaining early riches, she sought instead e imperishable weal of Heaven. She was made a deaconess in one of e Roman churches and served God in fasting and prayer, tending e sick and helping e needy. When Rome was ruled by e sixteen-year-old Alexander Severus ( ), all power was concentrated in e hands of e regent Ulpian, an evil enemy and persecutor of Christians. Christian blood flowed like water. Tatiana was also arrested, and ey brought her into e temple of Apollo to force her to offer sacrifice to e idol. The saint began praying, and suddenly ere was an earquake. The idol was smashed into pieces, and part of e temple collapsed and fell down on e pagan priests and many pagans. The demon inhabiting e idol fled screeching from at place. Those present saw its shadow flying rough e air. Then ey tore holy virgin's eyes out wi hooks, but she bravely endured everying, praying for her tormentors at e Lord would open eir spiritual eyes. And e Lord heard e prayer of His servant. The executioners saw four angels encircle e saint and beat her tormentors. A voice was heard from e heavens speaking to e holy virgin. Eight men believed in Christ and fell on eir knees before Saint Tatiana, begging em to forgive em eir sin against her. For confessing emselves Christians ey were tortured and executed, receiving Baptism by blood. The next day Saint Tatiana was brought before e wicked judge. Seeing her completely healed of all her wounds, ey stripped her and beat her, and slashed her body wi razors. A wondrous fragrance en filled e air. Then she was stretched out on e ground and beaten for so long at e servants had to be replaced several times. The torturers became exhausted and said at an invisible power was beating em wi iron rods. Indeed, e angels warded off e blows directed at her and turned em upon e tormentors, causing nine of em to fall dead. They en rew e saint in prison, where she prayed all night and sang praises to e Lord wi e angels. A new morning began, and ey took Saint Tatiana to e tribunal once more. The torturers beheld wi astonishment at after such terrible torments she appeared completely healy and even more radiant and beautiful an before. They began to urge her to offer sacrifice to e goddess Diana. The saint seemed agreeable, and ey took her to e heaen temple. Saint Tatiana made e Sign of e Cross and began to pray. Suddenly, ere was a crash of deafening under, and lightning struck e idol, e sacrificial offerings and e pagan priests. Once again, e martyr was fiercely tortured. She was hung up and scraped wi iron claws, and her breasts were cut off. That night, angels appeared to her in prison and healed her wounds as before. On e following day, ey took Saint Tatiana to e circus and loosed a hungry lion on her. The beast did not harm e saint, but meekly licked her feet. As ey were taking e lion back to its cage, it killed one of e torturers. They rew Tatiana into a fire, but e fire did not harm e martyr. The pagans, inking at she was a sorceress, cut her hair to take away her magical powers, en locked her up in e temple of Zeus. On e ird day, pagan priests came to e temple intending to offer sacrifice to Zeus. They beheld e idol on e floor, shattered to pieces, and e holy martyr Tatiana joyously praising e Lord Jesus Christ. The judge en condemned e valiant sufferer to be beheaded wi a sword. Her faer was also executed wi her, because he had raised her to love Christ, (oca.org)

6 January 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 7 Circumcision of our Lord, St Basil, Sun before Theoptiany 5 Vesperal Liturgy w/blessing of Water 6 pm VIGIL 6 THEOPHANY Zsynaxis of St John e Baptist 8 29tli/Sun 10 St Gregory of Nyssa /Sun Parish Council Meeting pm 18 Ss Aanasius & Cyril of Alexandria st/Sun St Gregory e Theolgian 6 pm Zaccheus Program ANNUAL PARISH MEETING 50 Three Hierarchs: Basil e Great, Gregory e Theologian & John Chrysostom 'Tf God is love, charity should know no limit, for God cannot be confined. Any time is e right Ume for works of charity.... A generous spirit is itself great weal. There can be no shortage of material for generosity where it is Christ who feeds and Christ who is fed." ^ ^aint Leo of Rome