Third Sunday of Matthew

Transcript

1 Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church 8306 NC HWY 751 Durham NC News & Announcements July 7, 2019 Third Sunday of Matthew Thomas the Righteous of Malea 7/7/2019 Kyriake the Great Martyr 7/7/2019 Akakios of Sinai 7/7/2019 Willibald, Bishop of Eichstatt 7/7/2019 NEWCOMERS AND VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME Sunday Worship Schedule: Matins 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. To Our Visitors and Guests We welcome you to worship with us today, whether you are an Orthodox Christian or this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us. Although Holy Communion and other Sacraments are offered only to baptized and chrismated (confirmed) Orthodox Christians in good standing with the Church, all are invited to receive the Antidoron (blessed bread) from the priest at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. The Antidoron is not a sacrament, but it is reminiscent of the agape feast that followed worship in the ancient Christian Church. After the Divine Liturgy this morning please join us in the Church Hall for fellowship and refreshments. Please complete a Visitor s Card before you leave today and drop it in the offering tray, or give it to one of the parishioners after the service, or mail it to the Church Office. 1

2 The Sunday Epistle Reading The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-5 Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. Πρὸς Γαλάτας 3:23-29, 4:1-5 Ἀδελφοί, πρὸ τοῦ δὲ ἐλθεῖν τὴν πίστιν, ὑπὸ νόμον ἐφρουρούμεθα, συγκεκλεισμένοι εἰς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι. Ὥστε ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γέγονεν εἰς Χριστόν, ἵνα ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῶμεν. Ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς πίστεως, οὐκέτι ὑπὸ παιδαγωγόν ἐσμεν. Πάντες γὰρ υἱοὶ θεοῦ ἐστε διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθητε, Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε. Οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην, οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος, οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ, ἄρα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα ἐστέ, καὶ κατʼ ἐπαγγελίαν κληρονόμοι. Λέγω δέ, ἐφʼ ὅσον χρόνον ὁ κληρονόμος νήπιός ἐστιν, οὐδὲν διαφέρει δούλου, κύριος πάντων ὤν ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ ἐπιτρόπους ἐστὶν καὶ οἰκονόμους, ἄχρι τῆς προθεσμίας τοῦ πατρός. Οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἦμεν δεδουλωμένοι ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον, ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον ἐξαγοράσῃ, ἵνα τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπολάβωμεν. 2

3 The Sunday Gospel Reading The Gospel According to Matthew 6:22-33 The Lord said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well." Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ματθαῖον Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα 6:22-33 Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος Ο λύχνος τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν ὁ ὀφθαλμός ἐὰν οὖν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἁπλοῦς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου φωτεινόν ἔσται ἐὰν δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου πονηρὸς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου σκοτεινὸν ἔσται. εἰ οὖν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ σκότος ἐστί, τὸ σκότος πόσον; Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε Θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ. Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε καὶ τί πίητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστι τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος; ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν; τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν μεριμνῶν δύναται προσθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ πῆχυν ἕνα; καὶ περὶ ἐνδύματος τί μεριμνᾶτε; καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ πῶς αὐξάνει οὐ κοπιᾷ οὐδὲ νήθει λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδὲ Σολομὼν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ περιεβάλετο ὡς ἓν τούτων. Εἰ δὲ τὸν χόρτον τοῦ ἀγροῦ, σήμερον ὄντα καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον, ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσιν, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι; μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε λέγοντες, τί φάγωμεν ἢ τί πίωμεν ἢ τί περιβαλώμεθα; πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ἐπιζητεῖ οἶδε γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων. ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. 3

4 Today s Memorial: Christodoulos Messis (Panos Father) Elena Messis (Panos Mother) Christalleni Messis (Panos Paternal Grandmother) Panos Messis (Panos Paternal Grandfather) Sofia Erodotou (Panos Maternal Grandmother) Erodotos Erodotou (Panos Maternal Grandfather) Kallistheni Sella (His Mother s Godmother) Today s Memorial & Coffee Hour Is Being Provided for by, our Choir Director, Panos Messis July rd Sunday of Matthew - 9 am 14 - Sunday of the Fathers of the 4 th Ecumenical Council - 9 am 20 Saturday - Elias the Prophet - 9 am 21 5 th Sunday of Matthew - 9 am 26 Saint Paraskevi - 9 am 28-6th Sunday of Matthew - 9 am 4

5 May 23, 2019 Dear Parishioners. Last summer the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America approved new Policies for the Safety of Youth and Children. St. Barbara must comply with these new policies by September 1, 2019or we will no longer be allowed to have any youth ministry programs or events. Compliance is a fairly simple process. First, all youth works must complete a registration form (and re-register each year). Second, all youth workers must complete online training each year. This training course will be provided by the Archdiocese and will be released soon. Finally, all youth workers must complete a background check every two years. The background check will be performed by the Archdiocese safety vendor, Praesidium. Youth Workers include anyone working in a youth ministry program or event such as Sunday school, Greek school, HOPE/JOY, youth choir and Greek dance. Parents supervising their own children in the Preschool Sunday school class are not considered youth workers. Although the training isn't available, I would like to go ahead and start collecting registration forms from our youth workers. If you are a youth worker or are interested in becoming a youth worker, please contact me for the registration form. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions concerning the policies, compliance or whether you are considered a youth worker. I am also including this blog post from GOARCH which has more information about the policies and compliance. Kerri Zaferatos PC Member of St Barbara Durham The Parish Directories Have Arrived! The new church directories have now arrived and are now being distributed to the stewards of our community at the table located just outside by the church double doors of the hallway which leads towards the playground area. Please stop by the table and pick up your copy. Someone will be there to check off your name when you take your directory. Helen Paliouras, Co-Editor ( or

6 Parish Financial Summary Note: The Operations Fund income above is the total of Sunday offering and Stewardship; it excludes the Greek Festival. The Operations Fund pays all Church expenses except for the mortgage payment. The Building Fund includes all Building Fund donations and fundraisers (e.g., Taste of Greece, Gyro Feast). The Building Fund pays our mortgage which is $12,713.36/month. WHAT IF? Everyone increased their giving by half of a percent of income? Stewardship would increase to $210,000 meeting our goal and taking pressure off of our Festival. Everyone increased their giving by one percent of income? Stewardship would increase to $262,604 covering our entire Operations budget and allow us to use the Festival for the mortgage. Everyone increased their giving by one and a half of a percent? Stewardship would increase to $315,125 covering our entire Operations budget, allow us to use the Festival for the mortgage and make some very needed repairs. 6

7 Stewards as of July 1, 2019 Our 2019 Stewardship drive is off to a great start. We have 131 Stewards as of July 1, 2019, over 80% of our goal of 160 for the year. Thank you. Please help us meet our goal very soon by pledging your support. Your time, talents and treasury are critical to the success of our Ministries. Please give prayerful consideration to your 2019 contribution as soon as possible. Stewardship is the primary source of the funding for our Ministries and operating obligations. John & Elly Ackerly George & Helen Dais Johnny & Catherine Mariakakis Keith & Alexia Rheinhardt Susan Alexander John & Ana Dates Dr. Pete & Joan Marinos Al & Christine Safarikas Alec and Frances Alexiades Gus & Vanessa Demetriades Azeb Martin Peter Saloupis Matt & Vickie Amos Anne Dennos Dr. Nikolaos Maurogiorgos & Vaia Sigounas & Adam Silverstein Alexander & Laurel Arapoglou George & Patricia Dennos Dr. Marjory Charlot Nick Simos Dr. Marina Arvanitis Betty Bouchlas Dorton Panayiotis Mavroidis & Dr. Charles Stamitoles Basile & Mary Bakis Brian & Maria Easton Dimitra Sakellaris Mattheos & Marika Stavrakakis George & Marie Bakis Laurice Ferris Rodney & Katharine Meadows Andrea Stoney Nicholas & Eugenia Balafas Dimitra Fitzherbert Gus & Yael Megaloudis William & Jennifer Sullivan Effie Barbee David Flynn & Sabina Borza Flynn Matthew & Tina Megaro Marian P. Sunas Lance & Maria Barton Dr. Crist & Maria Frangakis John & Dawn Mehalek Senait Tesfatsion Thalia Becak Socratis & Aliki Gerondelis Nicholas Mermigas Rebecca Theophanous Tamar Beridze Dr.George & Dr. Amy Glekas Davis & Courtney Napier Charalmbos & Cathy Tragas John Biggs & Diana Dobrica Jim & Evy Glekas Larry & Hope Odzak Donna Trohanis Agape Blackley Christopher Goodwin Richard Oladipo Tryphon & Suzanne Tryphonos Barbara Bonfiglio Leonard & Elaine Goodwin Cindy Paliouras Lou Tsipis Marilyn Boska Paul Kacoyanis Jim & Helen Paliouras Dr. Dimitrios Varelas Nick Bourbous Ed & Eve Kantner John & Dena Paliouras Georgina Varellas Peter Bourbous Antonios & Claire Karamalegos Niko Paliouras John Varelas Katherine Marie Callahan George & Karen Karas Peter & Evelyn Panos Janetis Vassiliades Manuel & Carole Capsalis Dr. Thomas Kash & Yuri & Elena Panov Demi Vlachos Sophie Carr Dr. Zoe McElligott James & Stella Pantelidis Helen Vurnakes Andrew & Cheryl Christakos Dr. Kenneth & Karen Korach George & Janet Pantermakis James & Frances Vurnakes Dr. Arthur Christakos Helen Koutouzakis Kleanthis & Angeika Papanickas Ray & Eleni Walter Eleni Christakos James Koutsis Matina Papazoglou Alexa Waters Lia Christakos Dr. Andrew Kuyper Katherine Pappas Preston & Catherine Wilson George & Deborah Christie Dr. Lee & Pauline Kuyper Dr. Ted & Theky Pappas Diane Winans Dr. Bessie Chronaki Elias & Madeline Lambiris George Pashales Robert & Roberta Wippich Erie Cocolas Catherine Lewis Wes Platt & Catherine Constatinou Grace Witham & Nick Brantley Costa Constantinou George Livanos & Renee Lisander Henry & Judith Presler Jonathan & Maria Wood Lou Constantinou Katherine Livas Daniel & Lori Przybyl Betsy Xenakis Dean Costas Thalia Lyras Olgha Qaqish Dino & Kerri Zaferatos Sharan Dababnah Fr. Stavroforos Mamaies Angela Quint Christina Zehia Daniel & Hrisavgi Mangum Tony & Evelyn Zehia 7

8 Hello, St. Barbara Parents and Supporters! I hope that your summer is off to a great start. I know that many of you will be traveling at different times, but when you are in town don't forget that we are continuing Sunday school this summer. It's going to be a more laid back format, focusing on the the amazing world that God created and our responsibility to take care of it. Costa is also working with the kids in our music program, including liturgical singing for the kids' choir this fall. We are also preparing a master calendar of events for this summer and fall, including some upcoming Hope/Joy gatherings, which we'll be sharing soon. In Christ, Catherine W. Reading for Saint Kyriake Saint Kyriake was the daughter of Christian parents, Dorotheus and Eusebia. She was given her name because she was born on Sunday, the day of the Lord (in Greek, Kyriake). She contested in Nicomedia during the reign of Diocletian, in the year 300. After many bitter torments she was condemned to suffer beheading, but being granted time to pray first, she made her prayer and gave up her holy soul in peace. Kontakion of Great Martyr Kyriake Second Tone The Martyr of Christ hath called us all together now to praise and acclaim her wrestlings and her godly feats; for possessed of manliness of mind, she hath proved to be worthy of her name, being lady and mistress of her mind and the passions of unseemliness. 8

9 Στις 7 Ιουλίου η Εκκλησία εορτάζει και τιμά την ιερή μνήμη της αγίας μεγαλομάρτυρος Κυριακής. Η αγία Κυριακή είναι από τα ιερά θύματα των τελευταίων αρχαίων διωγμών της Εκκλησίας. Μαρτύρησε στα χρόνια του Διοκλητιανού, που βασίλεψε από το 284 ως το 305. Οι αρχαίοι διωγμοί είναι από τις ενδοξότερες ημέρες στη ζωή της Εκκλησίας, αλλά και κάθε διωγμός, γιατί είναι αλήθεια ότι η Εκκλησία πάντα διώκεται. Η αγία Κυριακή ήταν θυγατέρα ευσεβών γονέων. Ο πατέρας της Δωρόθεος κι η μητέρα της Ευσεβία δεν είχαν παιδιά. Προσεύχονταν και παρακαλούσαν το Θεό να τους δώσει ένα παιδί και να του το αφιερώσουν. Ο Θεός άκουσε την προσευχή των ευσεβών γονέων, και μια Κυριακή γεννήθηκε ένα ωραίο κοριτσάκι. Ο Δωρόθεος και η Ευσεβία, πιστοί στην υπόσχεση τους, το ονόμασαν Κυριακή και το ανάθρεψαν με κάθε φροντίδα και επιμέλεια, ως αφιερωμένο στο Θεό. Η ατεκνία πάντα είναι μεγάλη λύπη για τους συζύγους και μάλιστα για τούς Χριστιανούς, αλλά και η χαρά τους πάλι πολύ μεγάλη, όταν αποκτήσουν παιδί. 9

10 Γι αυτό με κάθε τρόπο, και πρώτα με το όνομα που δίνουν στο παιδί, δείχνουν την ευγνωμοσύνη τους στο Θεό. Στο διωγμό που κήρυξε ο Διοκλητιανός εναντίον των χριστιανών, η Κυριακή θα ήταν μια παιδούλα ούτε ως είκοσι ακόμα ετών. Τότε και οι γονείς και η θυγατέρα κατηγορήθηκαν και πιάστηκαν ως χριστιανοί. Και το πιο σκληρό ήταν ότι χωρίστηκε το κορίτσι από τους γονείς του το Δωρόθεο και την Ευσεβία τους πήγαν προς την Αρμενία και την Κυριακή την οδήγησαν στη Νικομήδεια. Εκεί ο ηγεμόνας, ανακρίνοντας την παιδούλα και βλέποντας τη σταθερή της πίστη, έδωκε διαταγή να τη μαστιγώσουν σκληρά. Η Κυριακή σε κάθε ερώτηση απαντούσε- «Είμαι χριστιανή». Και σε κάθε απειλή του ηγεμόνα έλεγε «Μην πλανιέσαι και μη σε ξεγελάει ο λογισμός σου με βοηθάει ο Θεός και δεν θα με νικήσεις». Ύστερα από εξαντλητική ανάκριση, οδήγησαν την αγία Κυριακή στο ναό, για να θυσιάσει στα είδωλα. Εκείνη, μπαίνοντας στο ναό, παρακαλούσε μέσα της το Χριστό να τη βοηθήσει. Ένας δυνατός τότε σεισμός κατατρόμαξε τους δημίους και τα αγάλματα του ναού έπεσαν κι έγιναν κομμάτια. Άναψαν ύστερα φωτιά για να την κάψουν ζωντανή, μα όπως τη βάτο του Μωυσή, την κύκλωσαν οι φλόγες, μα δεν την έκαψαν. Την έρριξαν ύστερα στα θηρία, μα κι εκείνα δεν την πείραξαν, παρόμοια όπως το Δανιήλ, όταν τον έρριξαν στο λάκκο των λεόντων. Θα περίμενε κανένας ο ηγεμόνας να ανοίξει τα μάτια του και να δει το θαύμα του Θεού, μα έξαλλος και τυφλωμένος από οργή έδωκε διαταγή να αποκεφαλίσουν το αθώο κι αγνό κορίτσι. Η αγία Κυριακή, πριν ο δήμιος εκτελέσει τη διαταγή, ζήτησε να την αφήσουνε να προσευχηθεί. Γονάτισε τότε κι άρχισε να προσεύχεται. Κανένας δεν άκουσε τα λόγια της, γιατί σε τέτοιες στιγμές η καρδιά του ανθρώπου, προσεύχεται «στεναγμοίς αλλαλήτοις». Δεν κινούνται τα χείλη, δεν ακούεται φωνή. Κι όμως ο Θεός ακούει, κι είναι σαν και να ρωτά τον προσευχόμενο, σαν και τότε το Μωυσή στην Ερυθρά θάλασσα «Τι βοάς προς με;». Η αγία Κυριακή προσευχήθηκε για ώρα πολλή κι ύστερα έγειρε στη γη. Όταν ο δήμιος πλησίασε για να εκτέλεσει τη διαταγή, είδε πως η αγία Κυριακή ήταν νεκρή. Η ψυχή της παιδούλας πέταξε σαν μικρό πουλί, και φωτεινός άγγελος την πήρε, για να τη φέρει στο Νυμφίο Χριστό. Ας μείνομε στο όνομα της αγίας Κυριακής, στο γεγονός δηλαδή ότι οι ευσεβείς γονείς της την ονόμασαν έτσι, επειδή γεννήθηκε σε ημέρα Κυριακή. Το όνομα συνδέεται στενά με το πρόσωπο και τη συνείδηση του άνθρωπου. Ενώ το όνομα είναι έξω από τον άνθρωπο και προστίθεται σ αυτόν ύστερα, όμως συνδέεται τόσο μαζί του, που γίνεται ένα μ αυτόν. Έτσι καταλαβαίνουμε την καλή συνήθεια των ευσεβών χριστιανών να δίνουν στα παιδιά τους ονόματα Αγίων της πίστης. Με αυτό τον τρόπο και με την ευκαιρία που η Εκκλησία κάθε χρόνο εορτάζει τα ιερά της πρόσωπα, ο κάθε χριστιανός στο όνομά του έχει μια συνεχή υπόμνηση της ευσέβειας. Ο άγιος Ιωάννης ο Χρυσόστομος λέγει πως με το όνομα εισάγει «εις την οικίαν έκαστος την εαυτού τον άγιον». Αμήν. (+ Μητροπ. Σερβίων και Κοζάνης Διονυσίου Δ. Ψαριανού, Εικόνες έμψυχοι, Εκδ. Αποστ. Διακονίας, σ.93-95)\ 10

11 Save the Date: Saint Barbara Day of Baseball Norfolk Tides at Durham Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham, NC NEXT Sun, Jul 14, 5:05 PM Section # 213 Durham Bulls Athletic Park 409 Blackwell St, Durham, NC Website open for Ticket Purchases up to July 13th Please go to our website stbarbarachurchnc.org and click on the tab to purchase your tickets so that we can sit together and so that your purchase can benefit your Church. For every $12 ticket purchased the ballpark will donate $6 to Saint Barbara. At the End of the game our youth can run the bases. 11

12 This Summer Soak Up the Sun of the Son Fr. Demetrios Kazakis It s a play on words, but I m not playing around. As a priest, there is nothing more depressing than seeing the joyous faces of our youth in Church one week, and then NOT seeing them the next simply because Sunday school has ended for the school year. There is no such thing as a vacation from Church! There is the old adage, Children are like sponges; they soak everything up! This is true! What is a sponge? A real sponge is a multi-cellular organism with pores and channels, so when it s dried, any liquid or dry material will be naturally soaked up into its crevices. A sponge will forever maintain the elements of that with which it first comes into contact. If our children are sponge-like, they will soak up the first thing they are exposed to, and it will remain with them for the rest of their existence. Can we look at our children and be satisfied with that which they have been soaking up? What have they been exposed to? What is the first thing with which they may have come into contact? We are products of our own environment. Our main environment should be our Church! Like the sponge, we must soak up Jesus Christ and His Church to our full capacity! Our entire lives should be immersed into the Church and we will maintain its elements, properties and fragrances. When we are surrounded by the beauty and love of Christ, we will be changed and affected for the better! There is a danger when people want their Church only when it s to their convenience. This inconsistency is a detriment to ourfaith and our growth towards Christ. The Church is constant and will last forever but just because the Church is always available to us, does not mean that we should stroll in haphazardly. Summer vacation, for 12

13 example, may be a time of rest and relaxation, but does not mean that we take a vacation from our faith and prayer life in the Church. Vacation means the action of leaving something which preoccupies. Does church preoccupy you? Is it something that causes stress? Our faith cannot stop or take a break! Imagine if God took a break from answering our prayers and blessing us! Imagine if the Holy Spirit took a vacation from carrying out God s will. Where would we be? Why do we come to church in the first place? People say, I come because I was baptized in this church. I come to church because I like seeing people. I come to church because I have nothing better to do, etc. There are many misguided reasons for coming to church. The correct reason we come to church is because the Church is the Body of Christ! The Church is our liturgical family. St. Paul says to the Corinthians: When one suffers, the whole body suffers. You (the Church) are the Body of Christ! (1 Cor. 12:26-27). You should not leave this body! Even if it s during summer vacation, our place is to be in Divine Liturgy. The Divine Liturgy is the work of the people and therefore when someone is missing the work is not complete! Our priorities are often ill advised and incorrect. Sports, school, career, so-called family functions all replace the Divine Liturgy throughout the year, and when it comes time for vacation, Divine Liturgy makes its way to the lowest point in the priority pole -- if it wasn t there already. We are all sponges in the presence of Jesus Christ, through His Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We are products of His Church. We are a result of the work and sacrifice of the Saints. We are the continuation of this ministry and faith! As parents, it is our responsibility to expose our children to our precious Orthodox Faith but exposure is not enough. Our children will also be soaking up our attitude towards our faith and Church. If our opinion of the church is that it s only a place to congregate socially and something that we can take vacation from, our children will grow up with the same mindset. This summer, SOAK UP JESUS, AS THE SON. I m not saying don t enjoy the time with family, enjoy them and thank God for blessing your with this precious time together. I m not saying you will be in church every waking second of the summer, but I am asking you to make it the foundation on which your summer is planned. Church attendance should be constant, meaningful and prayerful whether we are at our home parish or an Orthodox Christian parish where we are vacationing (see to find canonical Orthodox Christian parishes throughout the United States). Surround yourself with the beauty that is the Orthodox Church! Be a part of the Body of Christ s Church and grow in the Church as part of your parish family! Be in the presence of Christ and His Church and soak up the SON! Fr. Kazakis is the presiding priest at St. Nicholas Church in West Babylon, N.Y. 13