Newsletter August 27, 2026

The Laborers are Few!

A priest is an apostle; otherwise, he becomes an employee who attends to religious affairs. An apostle bears a message: he has a purpose, a consuming concern, and a determination to convey his message in the best ways possible. The priest-apostle is consumed by the word of God and the salvation of souls. He can find no rest and never ceases laboring for their sake. His love for his flock springs from his love for his Lord: “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these? … Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep” (John 21:16).

Where does a priest’s apostolic spirit come from? How does he keep it burning within him? How does he confront its hardships and temptations without allowing the coldness of his flock—or of the ecclesiastical institution in its human aspect—to seep into him? What does he need most, given that he is, in the end, a human being who bears his own sins and weaknesses, even as he aspires to overcome them through his faithful love for his Lord and his devotion to Him? How can the flock help him remain faithful? And what is required of the ecclesiastical institution in this regard?

There is yet another pressing question: Why are “the laborers” few? Where do they come from? How do they know that God is calling them to dedicate themselves to His service in His living Body, the Church?

Read the entire article: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2917

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 2026 web.pdf

Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Altar/Docs/epistle readers for 2026.pdf

Epistle: ST. PAUL’S FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS 16:13-24

Brethren, be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Now, brethren, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; I urge you to be subject to such men and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicos, because they have made up for your absence; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men. The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brethren send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Gospel: MATTHEW 21:33-42

The Lord said this parable, “There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. Afterward he sent his son to them, saying ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?'”

Christians, Let Us Follow Christ!

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

True repentance requires you to turn away from sins and worldly vanity, to turn to God with all your heart, to change inwardly and become different from what you were before, and thus to work your salvation with fear and trembling; and to care about nothing else except to please God and thus be saved. If you wish to be in true repentance and be saved in this way, change yourself, renew yourself, and become different from what you were before; and care about nothing else except to please God and be saved—and so you will become a new creation of Christ.

To amend your life and become a true Christian and Follower of Christ, take the holy life of Christ as an example before your spiritual eyes. Look at it often and imitate this example; and even if your corrupted heart does not want to, force and convince yourself to emulate Christ’s beautiful virtues.

Let the blameless life of Christ be the mirror of your soul. Look into it often and learn what your soul is like: Does it want what Christ wants, and does it do what Christ did while living on earth? Whatever is contrary to the life of Christ is seen in it; cleanse all of this away as vices through repentance and contrition of heart. If you do this, I assure you that day by day you will become better: for it is impossible for someone not to improve if he often looks into this blameless mirror.

Read the entire article: https://orthochristian.com/179717.html