Newsletter October 19, 2024

The Mother of All Vices, Part Two

The danger of arrogance is that it is a snake with many heads. Each time one head is cut off, another one grows. Arrogance is a disease that creeps stealthily into everything, just like the sunlight flows quietly everywhere. If I fast, I will brag about my fasting. If I do a good deed, I will praise myself and tell others what I did to receive praise. Sometimes I may remain silent during a discussion, not out of humility or to be attentive, but rather to draw attention to myself with the aim that others might urge me to speak!

Inferiority complexes fuel pride. Persons in need of attention, affection and care seek them in the wrong sources. They tend to prove themselves and accentuate their presence by all possible means. This tendency may go against norms and standards to attract attention. Aren’t “trends” of fashion, beautification and changing one’s appearance – to have the “look” or become eye-catchers – all self-affirmations of one’s existence and a hidden cry that says, “I am here”? Don’t some people distort their appearance to attract attention, even if in a negative way? What is the purpose of the dreadfulness we sometimes see in fashions?

Pride begins when complete arrogance grows to disdain one’s neighbor, yet brazenly boasts and praises oneself. It avoids any criticism or rebuke and refuses to hear what is not self-pleasing. It is fulfilled by rejecting God and His help, and by being sufficed with one’s self and abilities, thus imitating the demons.

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Live with the gospel and examine yourself in the light of its commandments. You will then uncover the number of vices nesting within you.

Hold yourself accountable and make Christ your example, then you will be able to let go of pride, and instead love humility and find the peace you seek.

Read the entire article: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2212

We will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Baptism next Sunday for the newly born handmaid of God Adelaide G. in place of Sunday Orthros. The Batism will begin at 8:45 AM. All are encouraged to attend!

Our patronal feast day is Wednesday Oct. 23. We will celebrate Orthros at 5 PM and Liturgy at 6 PM. We will also (tentatively) be joined again by Gabriel’s dad: Fr. Christopher!

Afterwards, let’s have a community dinner together! Bring something celebratory to share!

Some people have inquired about the type of food to bring on Wednesday, since it is a fast day. Since it is our Patronal Feast day, let’s make that the emphasis and have a celebratory non-fasting meal.

Thank you!

Due to some personal considerations, Dr. James has determined to cancel the rest of his Saturday morning History and the Bible classes.

Please remember that our full calendar continues to be available at our parish web site. Here is a link:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Calendar/calendar.php

Full schedule: https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Prosphora/Docs/prosphora sched 2024 web.pdf

Full schedule: https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Altar/Docs/epistle readers for 2024.pdf

Epistle: ST. PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS 6:16-18; 7:1

Brethren, you are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

Gospel: LUKE 8:26-39

At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me.” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

The Gates of Hell Shall not Prevail

Archbishop Averky

“We celebrate the feast of Pentecost and the coming of the Spirit” – the Church joyfully sings on the great and glorious day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. The Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles, and on earth appeared “the Kingdom of God, coming in power”, about which the Lord Jesus Christ predicted at the time of His earthly life (Mark 9:1), – the Kingdom of God’s Spirit, the Church of Christ, to which the Lord gave the great promise, that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

The Church of Christ is founded on earth, but it is not of earthly origin, but of heavenly origin.

The Church of Christ is composed of men, but it is not a human organization, but a divine one.

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For many, the Church has now become a purely earthly organization, to serve earthly ends, and it is attempted to be made an obedient instrument by men of “this age,” all the way down to the obvious ministers of Satan. But the most terrible thing is that this service to earthly ends is veiled and often disguised by lofty evangelical slogans, the sayings of Christ, the apostles, and that saints, which mislead many, and the naive, who yield to this dishonest deception, this truly diabolical lie which has artfully concealed its essence.

But let us remember, brethren, that wherever there is a lie, no matter how it appears, no matter how it is disguised, there is no true Church.

There is a false Church!

For the True Church of Christ is “the pillar and the ground of truth.“ “Be taking heed then how exactly you walk, not as unwise ones, but as wise ones” (Eph.5:15)!

Read the entire article: https://inklesspen.blog/2023/04/29/the-gates-of-hell-shall-not-prevail/