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MAY PASTORAL MESSAGE
May, 2008
Christ is Risen -
CristoV Anesth,
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Christ is Risen from the dead,
by death, He has trampled upon death and on those in the tombs He
is bestowing life.
·
CristoV anesth ek
nekrwn, qanatw qanaton pathsaV, kai toiV en
toiV mnhmasi, zwhn carisamenoV.
·
Christos Anesti ek nekron, thanato thanaton patisas, ke tis en tis
mnemasi, zoen harisamenos.
Beloved,
The above hymn reverberates throughout our Churches,
homes and fellowships throughout the month of May as we continue to
celebrate Christ’s Resurrection.
The triumphant hymn awakens us not only to our anticipated
resurrection, but also to the spiritual renewal we can begin to
experience in this life.
Friends, being renewed in Jesus Christ is to have a
personal relationship with Him, as we have been saying throughout the
sacred services of Holy Week and Pascha.
Let us read His Word, let us receive His spiritual and physical
healing through the sacraments of the Church, let us speak with Him
daily through prayer, let us not hinder Christ from being part of our
lives again.
It is my prayer that we allow the joy of Pascha to
continue throughout the year as I invite each of you to celebrate it
with me at every Sunday Divine Liturgy, which is in fact, a celebration
of our Lord’s Resurrection.
Truly He is Risen -
AlhqwV Anesth
Rev. Father Christ Kontos, Protopresbyter
PASCHAL
MESSAGE
April, 2008
Friends,
There is no expression of faith more beautiful or more powerful than the
God-inspired words of St. John Chrysostom where he addresses his
faithful flock on the feast of Pascha/Easter. As the weeks and
days come to pass, we draw closer and closer to Pascha where we will
find ourselves gathered in our darkened Church, awaiting the Light of
Christ from the Holy Altar. Following the Paschal Divine Liturgy,
we will hear the clarion words of Chrysostom which will revive and
encourage our faith in Christ as we acknowledge Him as Lord and King of
all as well as the One who abolished death, giving each of us the
opportunity of eternal life.
Christ’s Resurrection is an event that took place almost 2000 years ago,
yet, as the hymns proclaim, it is a reality that takes place for us
TODAY. The meaning, reason and opportunity to change our ways and
to find new and real purpose in life rests on the Christ event. It
has made the mundane of every day life purposeful; it has made the
irrelevant, relevant; it has raised the veil of doubt and has covered
the landscape of our reality with hope, mercy, forgiveness and love.
Christ’s Resurrection has transformed our every day societal experience
into Paradise for those who are open to the words of Holy Scripture
which read “we are to be in the world and not of the world”.
Christ’s Resurrection has defined the mighty dollar (or not so mighty
for that matter) with the words “for what does it profit one to gain the
whole world yet lose their soul”. Christ’s
Resurrection has brought us peace my friends, peace to the often
complicated and sometimes out of control world we live in. His peace is
found in His Word as we read “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to
you…do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
Friends, our Lord’s Pascha is the renewal of all things. However,
we must choose to be a part of that renewal. That choice, that
decision, begins this moment. Join us for worship this Sunday;
join us for the holy and sacred services of Holy Week; join us at the
midnight hour on Pascha where we proclaim CHRIST IS RISEN!
In anticipation of His glorious Resurrection, I remain in His loving
service,
Rev. Father Christ Kontos, Protopresbyter
PASCHAL HOMILY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
If any man be devout and loves God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant
triumphal feast! If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter
into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him
now receive his reward. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him
today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let
him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth
hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in not be deprived
therefore. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near,
fearing nothing. And if any have tarried even until the eleventh hour,
let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness for the Master is
gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him
who has labored from the first hour. He shows mercy upon the last, and
cares for the first; And to the one He gives, and upon the other He
bestows gifts. And He both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the
intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering.
Wherefore, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord; Receive your reward,
both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together,
hold high festival! You sober and you heedless, honor the day! Rejoice
today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast.
The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted;
let no one go hungry away. Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: receive ye
all the riches of loving-kindness.
Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal Kingdom has been
revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth
from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us
free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it.By descending
into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His
flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was
embittered when it encountered Thee in the lower regions.
It was embittered
(It is vexed), for it was abolished. It was embittered (It is
vexed), for it was mocked. It was embittered (It is vexed), for
it was slain. It was embittered (It is vexed), for it was
overthrown. It was embittered (It is vexed), for it was fettered
in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and
encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the
unseen.
O Death, where is thy sting? O Hell, where is thy victory?
Christ is risen,
and thou art overthrown! Christ is risen, and the demons are
fallen! Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is
risen, and life reigns! Christ is risen, and not one dead
remains in the grave.
For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of
those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.
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