Newsletter August 15, 2024

Your Grace Transforms the Universe, Part One

The Bible says, “Your spirit renews the face of the earth” (Ps. 104:30). Into what does God transform the world? How does He transform it? What is the nature of this transformation? What is its purpose? These questions and others go to the core of Christian theology, which calls for the salvation of humanity along with the universe and everything in it.

In order to approach this matter from an Orthodox perspective, we must talk a bit about the creation and fall of man, because the concept of fallenness is the point of departure in the theology of transformation—that is, “transfiguration.”

Read the entire article: https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2153

Professor Jim is offering and leading a class on the Old Testament Scriptures.

Reading the Old Testament with St Irenaeus (c. 130–c. 202)
Saturdays 9:30am-11:00am
September 7–November 16, 2024

If you are interested in participating in this class, please email Jim Lindsay JEL1451@gmail.com so he can send you PDFs of the course readings. All are welcome.

When receiving Holy Communion, please step right up to the chalice: right up close. I appreciate that, from humility, people stand back a bit. However, the further away from the chalice that a person stands, the more opportunity exists for me to spill as I reach from the chalice to one’s mouth. Also, just practically, when I need to extend and reach out my arms with every person, I grow weary and a bit shaky by the end. Please help me out.

While thinking about Holy Communion, please remember that there should be nothing on our lips when we receive: lip-stick, lip-gloss, chap-stick, lip-balm, etc. Anything on our lips gets onto the Communion spoon, into the chalice, and mixed with the Holy Gifts. That is not good. The Gifts should remain pure and Holy! For ourselves and for everyone who follows us in the Communion line…

Thank you!

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 FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS 1:10-17

Brethren, I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul, ” or “I belong to Apollos, ” or “I belong to Cephas, ” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispos and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Gospel: MATTHEW 14:14-22

At that time, Jesus saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

The Divine Liturgy – The Hymn of the Seraphim
A sermon by St. Seraphim (Zvezdenski), On the Divine Liturgy

Fr. Zechariah Lynch

“Holy, Holy, Holy,” sing the Seraphim day and night; with two of their wings they cover their faces, so reverent are they before the Almighty that they dare not count themselves worthy to gaze on the holy countenance of the Lord. With two wings they cover their feet and with two wings they fly. As the faithful in the temple are repeating the Seraphic glorification, the priest quietly prays, “With these blessed powers ….” This prayer explains why we must give thanks to the Lord and why the Seraphim unceasingly sing to Him, “Holy art Thou and All-Holy,” – The Father so loved the world to give His Only-begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish. This is the reason for such exultation in heaven and such trembling reverence.

…

My friends, my dearly loved ones, do you understand these words, “God so loved the world”? And His Son full of the same love descended to the earth, took the form of a servant, received every humiliation, and finally died a shameful death. And not only that, He, the Only-begotten Son of God, Consubstantial with the Father, on that Night took bread, broke and gave it, saying, “Take, eat;” He gave the cup saying, “Drink of it, all of you.” In this way, He communed His disciples and has also given these priceless gifts to us who believe in Him. We eat His Body and drink His Blood.

Read the entire article: https://inklesspen.blog/2023/03/25/the-divine-liturgy-the-hymn-of-the-seraphim/