Dear all.
Gospel reading
- Yesterday’s gospel reading of Christ healing the Gadarene demoniac (Luke 8:26 – 39), in a very real sense, goes to the heart of our faith. Christ’s casting out demons presents a huge dilemma to modern Western thinkers, steeped in intellectualism, cynicism and rationalism. This ” demon thing” really challenges us. After all, who can seriously accept their existence so we depersonalise them, allegorise them, minimise them and ultimately dismiss them from our thoughts.
- So, the temptation is to reject this gospel event because we do not believe in the existence of demons. So, the existence of demons needs to be squarely addressed. So let us begin: if Christ is the son of God it follows that he is a truth teller. It follows that we can rely upon his words because as God he tells no lies. So therefore if God tells us of the existence of demons then we are obliged, if we are Christians, to accept their existence.
- The fact that we cannot see, touch, smell or hear demons does not make Demons any less real. You know that I provide a one hour religious radio program “The Hour of Orthodoxy you” at 5 PM each Tuesday on six EBA FM. If you tune in you can hear my voice. However, you cannot see, touch or smell my voice. Further, unless you have the necessary equipment that plucks my voice from the air and converts it to sound you would not be able to hear my voice. But if you cannot listen it does not make my voice any less real. So it is with demons.
- So, if anyone seeks to ameliorate, reemphasise, or reframe the words of Christ or, says that demons are only symbols for or markers of bad things when Christ is dealing with demons you should reject such words out of hand. Simply put you cannot laugh at the notion of demons without laughing at Christ as well. And, after all isn’t this what the devil wants? For you cannot believe in someone and disbelieve what they tell you. So, by rejecting Christ you become the devil’s.
Around our church
- The program for this week is as follows: Wednesday: the protection of the Theotokos: matins from 7:30 AM; Saturday divine liturgy in English.
- We are short across the board of all food items. My preference is that you buy, you bring and we store until it is given where the food is needed. In that way your offering requires effort and time. That said we will still accept donations as some people are time poor: BSB 082057 account 616004624 if you wish to contribute financially.
- Zoom class tonight from 6:30 PM.
- On Tuesday on six EBA FM from 5 to 6 PM I present “the Hour of Orthodoxy “. The focus will be on the coming Sunday’s epistle and gospel. On Thursday from 1:30 PM to 3 PM the divine liturgy recorded on Saturday (English) will be replayed and for 4:30 PM to 6 PM the divine liturgy recorded on Sunday (Greek) will be replayed.
- Zoom class on Thursday, at 7 PM. THE BOOK OF REVELATION CONTINUED.
- On Sunday, 8 November 2020 we will be holding our Vespers for the feast day of St Nektarios – further details to follow.
- On Monday 9 November we will be celebrating the centennial anniversary of the feast day of St Nektarios the wonderworker. We will be holding a cake/savoury stall. Further details to follow.
- On Sunday, 15 November we will be holding our luncheon to celebrate the feast day of our Patronal Saint. – Further details to follow.
Thought of the week
The aim of Christian life is for inner purity at all times and in all circumstances. It matters not if we are the only ones that will never know about what we have done, or not done, as the case may be. We cannot escape judgement if we think to ourselves that we have hurt no one. How can that be true, when our actions have hurt the person dearest to you; namely you; yourself.
In Christ.
Till next time.
Father John Athanasiou 0411 061 554
