The fire of sin is intense, but it is put out by a small amount of tears, for the tear puts out a furnace of faults, and cleans our wounds of sin.
+St John Chrysostom
Greek Battle Over Religious Symbols
The head of the Greek Orthodox Church has warned the country’s new socialist government that it faces a major battle over removing religious symbols from schools.
The European Court in Strasbourg has ordered Italy to take down crucifixes from its classrooms, and Greece’s justice minister has acknowledged that it may have to follow suit. From Lamia in Central Greece, Malcolm Brabant reports.
The issue of ‘change’ is one that impacts all in this globalizing, fast-paced world—the question is weather or not we are willing to engage it! The Christian Church mustn’t ask Itself to rethink theology and tradition when addressing change, but rather follow the historical line of continued institutional continuity, which brings the substance of Scripture & Tradition to the people. His All-Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, touches upon this experience in the following article: http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/?ID=46363
Great article offering a Christian message in the midst of the disaster in Haiti.
University of Portland grad missing in Haiti while another survives collapse
“I did nothing to deserve to be born into such a wonderful life—none of us did,” said Prusynski, of Boise. “It was the best original birthday gift any of us could have ever received. Never forget your original birthday gift and earn it over and over every day in whatever way you are able to give back to the world.”
The horrific earthquake that has devastated the small island country of Haiti has been in the global media, and let left many asking the question, ‘What can I do to help?’ The magnitude of the disaster, combined with the lack of Haitian infrastructure prior to the earthquake, has created a situation where the majority of physical effort aimed at responding to this disaster is most appropriately coming from foreign countries and militaries. Although the media has shown limited Non-Governmental Agencies involved in Haiti, effective opportunities are currently limited the efforts of foreign governments; however, this absolutely does not mean that you can not help the people of Haiti.
First and foremost, we must pray for the souls of all those who have lost their lives in this tragedy, and the lives of all those affected either directly or indirectly. The power of pray must not be discounted, and we must actualize the reality that this is a response that we all are able to offer!
Secondly, as initial physical responses are being actualized mainly by governments, funding is continually needed to support these efforts, and the efforts which compliment them via independent non-governmental agencies. A most worthy non-governmental agency that strongly recommend all donate to is International Orthodox Christian Charities, IOCC. IOCC has already teamed with an ecumenical partner and funded an airlift of shelters and clean water to the people of Haiti! This is only the first response anticipated by IOCC, which is continuing to gather information as to appropriate short and long-term responses to this tragedy. In whatever amount you are able prayerfully offer, donate to IOCC’s Haitian Response!
Thirdly, your local church, organization, or family may assemble Emergency Response Kits. Health Kits and Baby Kits are in greatest demand currently, however, any of the emergency kits will offer relief and support to a mother, a father, or a child who is in need. The Metropolis of San Francisco is teaming with IOCC, by supporting this vital response, and encourages all parishes to act to the best of their ability in this Christian endeavor.
Do not leave a void after you ask yourself that question, ‘What can I do to help?’ Your help is needed today—You will make a difference!
After the Nativity season, it is common for us to reflect on the past month, and recognize the blessings associated with it. With a minimum level of maturity, we suddenly realize that giving is much more enjoyable than receiving, and the reminiscing of Christmas offerings turn to “what we gave others,” rather than “what we received from others.” This epiphanal realization is not only a sign of maturity, but a reflection of spiritual growth, as the act of giving is much more Godly, than the act of receiving. What do you remember more clearly - what you received from others in life or what you gave to others?
2009 was a historic year for this beloved community of Saint Basil’s, which we are all extremely blessed to be a part of! In February 2009, a relic of our Patron Saint was received, officially gifted by His Eminence in July, and enshrined within the church and community. To have been a recipient of such a profound and historic blessing is an epic event in the life of this community.
2010 provides us with an opportunity to truly honor and expand upon the blessing of having been recipients of this great gift and blessing, as we now will be benefactors of the same blessing, to a sister-parish in Northern California! His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos, will remove a piece of the relic of Saint Basil, and it will be officially gifted to the Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church, in San Jose, California, on the feast of the Three Hierarchs, Saturday, January 30.
Our Saint Basil community now completes a cycle of generosity and Christian love, as we revolve around the blessing of the relic of Saint Basil, both as recipi- ent and benefactor. Humbled to be blessed with the opportunity to experience the same blissful openhandedness as our benefactor, the pious priest-monk on the island of Cyprus. What a blessing to ‘walk in his shoes,’ if even only in this single act of generosity and love!
Once again, Saint Basil’s relic blesses us by allowing us to be benefactors of a historic, priceless connection with one of Christ’s holy saints, to a sister commu- nity of faithful Orthodox Christians.
May the holy relic of our patron, Saint Basil the Heaven-Revealer, bless the faithful of San Jose, and may it continue to extend powerful blessings to the faithful of Stockton!
Rejoice, O Basil, great and holy hierarch, universal lamp of Orthodoxy! (from the Akathist Service to Saint Basil the Great)