January
8, 2010
Theophany
Postfeast
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Christ
is Baptized in the Jordan!
I
greet you all in the light of Christ's Baptism in Jordan; the same
Holy Spirit that rests on Christ, He now sends us, making us His
Church, the Spirit-filled
community which has become Christ's body through Baptism into His
Life-giving Death and Resurrection. Our own Baptism, as we saw this
week at our first bestowal of the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and
Chrismation on baby Samuel Parnell, is activated anew each time we
partake of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Indeed, Baptism has no meaning
apart from constant Communion: the lives of our souls are sustained
by His Body and Blood – and without them, we cease to have any life
at all.
As
a worshiping Orthodox community, we call ourselves Protection of the
Holy Virgin Mary because we have sought refuge together under the
veil of the All-Holy Mother of God, who implores her Son's compassion
for us in our need. She is our Protectress, our Directress, our
spiritual Mother who opens our way into heaven through her effectual
prayers as the very Mother of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. We should
ask for her intercession in all matters, knowing that she is faithful
in her love for our community called by her name.
As
a faithful Orthodox parish we have completed our celebration of the
year of grace 2009 and have begun 2010 with an infant Baptism; God
has favored us through the addition of several families to our
community; we have been edified by the preaching of a fruitful
missionary Priest visiting from the far side of the Pacific; and we
now contemplate real hand-painted icons standing in our temple. But
in order to do well by all these blessings, we need to commit
ourselves to His service: in Divine worship; in learning the faith;
in stewardship for the upkeep and growth of our church and in acts of
charity. He has given us His all, pouring out His life to save us
from gehenna – from despair of death, from meaninglessness and
dissolution. He has gathered us together to the bosom of the Father –
what is our response to this limitless Love?
Ways
to return His love are manifold, but all begin with the simple, pure
intention to place Christ first in our lives. If we orient ourselves
aright, dedicated sacrifice comes naturally and we are responsive to
the needs of ministry in His Holy house. To this end I write to you
as pastor, asking each one of you to recommit to full, sacramental
membership in this parish of the Protection, which is nothing
less than the mystical Body of Christ. In Christ, there are no
half-measures. We cannot belong to both Him and the world. In His
love for us He must leave us free to choose either to have all of
Him, or none of Him; but we must make
the choice.
In Christ,
Fr. John Beal, Pastor
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