Dear all.
Gospel reading
- Yesterday’s gospel reading of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11 – 16) centres around the mystery of death. Death is the natural consequence of life. All are born to die. However, to our human sensibilities we expect death to have a sense of order and justice – we expect that the parent gives birth to the child and the child, in his turn, buries his parent once they have reached a venerable old-age. But, what if, as here, the parent that has given birth to the child has to now bury the same child? Where is the order and justice in that?
- I think that if we view our children as both a gift from God and on loan from God then some sense can be made of what is otherwise an incomprehensible situation. If gift then it is freely given by God. If loan it is freely redeemed by God. Therefore, our children are not ours but Gods. It is true we bring them into the world, love them, care for them, nurture them, protect them and sustain them in their growth. But for all that we are stewards. We have been given a gift of life and Christ will ask from each one of us, once we have passed, what did we do for the loan given to us by God.
- It is in this way that we can understand the lament of Job when faced with the upmost catastrophic loss, he worshipped God and said: “naked I came from a mother’s womb, and naked shall I return; the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (1:21) . What is even more striking is the next verse immediately following: “in all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”
- Being a Christian does not guarantee that you are free from pain or suffering or illness or misfortune. That is never been the message of Christianity. The message of Christianity is this: despite the pain, despite the suffering, despite the illness, despite the misfortune, love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
- Death is a mystery which means it is incapable of human understanding. If so, why do we focus on it? Should we not focus on those things that we can understand – and what we understand is this: believe in God, love God, praise God, worship God for our purpose in life is to grow towards the likeness of God.
Around our church
- The program for this week is as follows: 6:45 PM Tuesday adult education class; Saturday morning at the church of St Constantine and Helene hierarchical liturgy with his Eminence. Saturday lunch at the Hyatt (ticket event only) Saturday afternoon Vespers 6:30 PM at the church of St Nektarios.
- Although our church looks and feels like a building site we will be having a busy bee on Saturday 19 October after the divine liturgy. All who can come to assist please do.
- On Saturday the 26 October (feast day of St Demetrius) we will have father Themi with us.
- On 3 November 2019 Geraldton will be celebrating the feast day of the archangels Michael and Gabriel. Vespers at 6 PM on Saturday (2nd) and divine liturgy on the third. Lunch following at Fitzgerald Hall.
- On 10 November 2019 will be having our lunch in honour of our Patronal Saint. Tickets will go shortly on sale.
Thought of the week
The mystery of death is conquered and assumed by the mystery of the love that God, who gave his only son for our salvation, has for us. Christ died so that we may live. Therefore death is assumed by love and love is eternal life for there is no death in Christ.
Till next time.
In Christ.
Father John Athanasiou 0411 061 554
