Newsletter October 26, 2023

The Church as Institution and the Church as Spirit

The Church has two imperative dimensions: institutional and mystic. Through them, she lives by the Holy Spirit and bears witness to Him in the world. The mystic dimension corrects her structure, drives her mission and purifies her institutions. In return, the institutional dimension communicates her spirit and mission to the world, and through it, God extends His gifts to His creation.

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The mystical dimension protects the institutional church from deviating into the trap of worldly institutionalism. It reminds her of her essential vocation, her gospel and her only Master, lest she be unjust, cruel, passionate, volatile, subordinate and materialistic.

If the Kingdom of God is within us, and if the call of the Gospel is to seek the Kingdom of God first and foremost, how greatly must we focus on the mystical dimension to be a Church whose Lord looks at her and smiles and blesses! What can the hands offer if the heart is empty of God’s mercy?

Read the entire article:
https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/1777

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 2023 web.pdf

Full schedule:
https://stjfc.org/Pages/Ministries/Altar/Docs/epistle readers for 2023.pdf

Epistle: ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS 2:16-20

Brethren, knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Gospel: LUKE 8:41-56

At that time, there came to Jesus a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus’ feet he besought him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As he went, the people pressed round him. And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter and those who were with him said, “Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!” But Jesus said, “Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well.” And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Who says God exists?

Saint Nicholas Velimirovich

Both you and your elderly mother are interested in the Orthodox faith. Since you began to fulfil the commandments of fasting, prayer, charity and communion, the secrets of the truth have become ever more apparent to you. And this, indeed, is the proper path: by practicing what we know, we arrive at the unknown.

Silent prayer over long years reveals the truth. But your heart is burning with the desire to direct many others onto the path of truth. People are people, however: in one, the mind is darkened by lies; in another, the heart is hardened by the passions; and what you desire won’t come easily. It requires much cleansing, many washings in holy water, seven-fold immersions in the Jordan. So, a worker from Vanati surprised you with the question: ‘Who says God exists?’. And you’re at a loss to reply to him. First of all, pray to God about it, and then answer as follows:

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Silent prayer over long years reveals the truth. But your heart is burning with the desire to direct many others onto the path of truth. People are people, however: in one, the mind is darkened by lies; in another, the heart is hardened by the passions; and what you desire won’t come easily. It requires much cleansing, many washings in holy water, seven-fold immersions in the Jordan. So, a worker from Vanati surprised you with the question: ‘Who says God exists?’. And you’re at a loss to reply to him. First of all, pray to God about it, and then answer as follows:

This is a way in which you can respond to that poor soul who is thirstily seeking after God and wanting to see and to hear him. But that isn’t all that can be said. That’s just one sheaf in God’s huge field, in which whatever grows is testimony to the Creator. And it grows for no other reason but to give its testimony, and then is gone forever!

For your part, my daughter, continue to grow in virtue. Look neither left nor right; just follow the path of salvation. Soon we’ll have to die. And after death, God’s judgment awaits us regarding how we, as the closest to God, bore witness to him. And at the judgment, there’ll be two ranks of people: the one, on the right of the Lord of glory, will be those who weren’t ashamed of Christ; and, on his left, there’ll be those who, in this life, ‘in this sinful and adulterous generation (Mk. 8, 38), were ashamed of Christ.

Read the entire article:

Who says God exists?