THE LIGHT JANUARY 2014 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 32 The Navity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church 12326 Spotswood Furnace Road Fredericksburg, VA 22407 540-548-2665 www.navity.va.goarch.org Office Email - navityoſt[email protected]FROM THE DESK OF FATHER JOHN Why Do We Have Our Homes Blessed? Back to "The Fall" From Scripture we know that whatever God created was good, but with "the Fall", evil entered the world, corrupting the creation. God the Father sent His Son Jesus to save it by effecting a "new creation". This is celebrated at Theophany, specif- ically with the Great Blessing of Water. "The consecration of the waters on this feast places the entire world - through its 'prime element' of water - in the perspective of the cosmic creation, sanctification, and glorification of the Kingdom of God in Christ and the Spirit." (The Orthodox Faith, Vol. II, Worship, by Fr. Thomas Hopko, p.127.) All the readings, hymns, prayers, and actions of the day speak of God's presence in our entire world and universe, His creation. Through water all of the creation is once again sanctified by God, becoming good again, the way God had intended. The Feast of Theophany The Feast of Theophany (or Epiphany) commemorates the Baptism of our Lord in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. We know from the troparion of the day that "the Trinity was made manifest" to us. But there's more to it than this. "When Jesus descends into the depths of the river, there occurs a profound upheaval. It is not the one baptized who is purified, for he is spotless; but it is the water that is transfigured and illumined. This water, which was believed to be transparent and purify- ing, is in fact polluted, inhabited by evil spirits, servants of the old gods. … By purifying the elements, by sanctifying mat- ter, Jesus frees the cosmos from the powers of evil." ( The Incarnate God, Vol. I, Catherine Aslanoff, French edition editor, translated by Paul Meyendorff, p.163.) The Great Blessing of Water and the Home There are few things more vital to our lives than our homes. In our homes we pray, we work, we talk to others, we order our lives, we work out our marriages, etc. What more important place to reclaim for the Kingdom of God - or is it better to con- tinue living in a place which is occupied by the enemy. For the most effective working out of our salvation, we must drive the enemy out of our homes, and keep him at bay by our prayers, our righteous life, and the annual sprinkling by Holy Wa- ter at Theophany. The Great Blessing of Water takes place at the end of that day's Liturgy. Since our homes cannot be brought to the Church, the Church - through the priest - goes to the homes. There the service of blessing, which began in the church, is finished with the sprinkling of water in the home. Traditionally, in most Orthodox parishes, the priest personally visits all his parish- ioners to pray with them in the place where they live, and to bless their surroundings with the newly sanctified water of Theophany (January 6/13). By sanctifying our living quarters, our private place, we extend the grace of God to our individ- ual dwellings. See Father, page 6
8
Embed
THE LIGHTVOLUME 3 ISSUE 32 JANUARY 2014nativity.va.goarch.org/assets/files/New_jan2014.pdf · THE LIGHTVOLUME 3 ISSUE 32 JANUARY 2014 ... by sanctifying mat-ter, Jesus frees the cosmos
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
THE LIGHT JANUARY 2014 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 32
The Nativity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church 12326 Spotswood Furnace Road Fredericksburg, VA 22407 540-548-2665 www.nativity.va.goarch.org Office Email - [email protected]
FROM THE DESK OF FATHER JOHN
Why Do We Have Our Homes Blessed?
Back to "The Fall"
From Scripture we know that whatever God created was good, but with "the Fall", evil entered the world, corrupting the
creation. God the Father sent His Son Jesus to save it by effecting a "new creation". This is celebrated at Theophany, specif-
ically with the Great Blessing of Water. "The consecration of the waters on this feast places the entire world - through its
'prime element' of water - in the perspective of the cosmic creation, sanctification, and glorification of the Kingdom of God
in Christ and the Spirit." (The Orthodox Faith, Vol. II, Worship, by Fr. Thomas Hopko, p.127.) All the readings, hymns,
prayers, and actions of the day speak of God's presence in our entire world and universe, His creation.
Through water all of the creation is once again sanctified by God, becoming good again, the way God had intended.
The Feast of Theophany
The Feast of Theophany (or Epiphany) commemorates the Baptism of our Lord in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. We
know from the troparion of the day that "the Trinity was made manifest" to us. But there's more to it than this. "When Jesus
descends into the depths of the river, there occurs a profound upheaval. It is not the one baptized who is purified, for he is
spotless; but it is the water that is transfigured and illumined. This water, which was believed to be transparent and purify-
ing, is in fact polluted, inhabited by evil spirits, servants of the old gods. … By purifying the elements, by sanctifying mat-
ter, Jesus frees the cosmos from the powers of evil." (The Incarnate God, Vol. I, Catherine Aslanoff, French edition editor,
translated by Paul Meyendorff, p.163.)
The Great Blessing of Water and the Home
There are few things more vital to our lives than our homes. In our homes we pray, we work, we talk to others, we order our
lives, we work out our marriages, etc. What more important place to reclaim for the Kingdom of God - or is it better to con-
tinue living in a place which is occupied by the enemy. For the most effective working out of our salvation, we must drive
the enemy out of our homes, and keep him at bay by our prayers, our righteous life, and the annual sprinkling by Holy Wa-
ter at Theophany.
The Great Blessing of Water takes place at the end of that day's Liturgy. Since our homes cannot be brought to the Church,
the Church - through the priest - goes to the homes. There the service of blessing, which began in the church, is finished
with the sprinkling of water in the home. Traditionally, in most Orthodox parishes, the priest personally visits all his parish-
ioners to pray with them in the place where they live, and to bless their surroundings with the newly sanctified water of
Theophany (January 6/13). By sanctifying our living quarters, our private place, we extend the grace of God to our individ-
ual dwellings.
See Father, page 6
P a g e 2 T h e L i g h t
Father John C. Katsoulis, Parish Priest 540-645-1427 [email protected] FATHER’S OFFICE HOURS—TUESDAY—FRIDAY 9 A.M.—3 P.M. OTHER HOURS BY APPOINTMENT
PARISH COUNCIL PHILOPTOCHOS AHEPA Carl Fulmore, President Maria Yiasemides, President John Manolis, President Dr. Bill Kaltsounis, Vice President Dr. Paul Fallon, Secretary SUNDAY SCHOOL GOYA Jim Malamas, Treasurer Yvonne Rigopoulos, Director Christine Fulmore, Advisor Maxine Calamos, Assistant Treasurer Anthony Hatzis FUND RAISING COMMITTEE DANCE Dennis Makrinos Judy Marrs, Chair Danny Kartoudi, Judy Marrs Kiki Georges STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE BUILDING/MAINTENANCE CHOIR Michael Euripides, Chair Harry Yiasemides, Chair Mary Moody
SACRAMENTS IN DECEMBER
MEMORIALS Georgia Kapataidakis, wife of George Kapataidakis
Metropolitan Silas, beloved Hierarch of New Jersey
Rita Marie Rafael, beloved sister of Fr. Nicholas Rafael, Jr.
Theodore Guvelis, beloved cousin of James Malamas
PASTORAL GUIDELINES
WEDDING Marriages are not performed on fast days, during fasting seasons, or on the feasts of the church, spe-
cifically September 14 (Exaltation of the Holy Cross), December 13-25 (Nativity), January 5 & 6 (Theophany),
Great Lent and Holy Week, Pascha (Easter), Pentecost, August 1-15 (Dormition Fast and Feast), and August 29
(Beheading of St. John the Baptist) Exceptions can only be made with the permission of the respective hierarch.
BAPTISM A person who wishes to sponsor a candidate for Baptism or Christmation must be an Orthodox
Christian in good standing and a supporting member of an Orthodox parish. A person may not serve as a godpar-
ent if the Church has not blessed his or her marriage, or, if civilly divorced, he or she has not been granted an ec-
clesiastical divorce, or for any other reason he or she is not in communion with the Orthodox Church. Baptisms
may not be performed from Christmas Day through the Feast of Theophany (December 25-January 6), during
Holy Week, or any of the great feast days of the Lord.
FUNERAL Funeral services are permitted on any day of the year, except for Sundays, and Holy Friday, unless
permission is granted by the Archbishop or Metropolitan.
MEMORIAL Memorial services may not be chanted from the Saturday of Lazarus through the Sunday of
Thomas, or any Feast days of the Lord or the Theotokos.
Please contact Father if you wish to schedule a sacrament, or know of a parishioner who is sick or in the hospital.
THE LIGHT PAGE 3
In case of inclement weather announcements will be posted on the website, email, NTGOC Facebook page, the church phone, & B101.5.
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
9 A.M.
Liturgy
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
9 A.M.
ORTHOS
10 A.M.
LITURGY
PHILOPTOCHOS
MTG.
9 A.M.
Liturgy
9 A.M.
Liturgy
11 A.M.
FRC MTG.
10 A.M.
ZUMBA
11 A.M.
ATHENIAN
DANCE
12 P.M.
GOYA
DANCE
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 A.M.
ORTHOS
10 A.M.
LITURGY
GOYA MTG.
BUDGET
GEN. ASSEM.
PHIL. LUNCH
7 P.M.
SPIRITUAL
DISCUSSION
GROUP
7 P.M.
Festival
Committee
Mtg.
9 A.M.
Liturgy 10 A.M.
ZUMBA
11 A.M. ATHE-
NIAN DANCE
12 P.M. GOYA
DANCE
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
9 A.M.
ORTHOS
10 A.M.
LITURGY
AHEPA MTG.
Stewardship
Sunday
7:30 P.M.
PC MTG.
9 A.M.
Liturgy 10 A.M.
ZUMBA
11 A.M. ATHE-
NIAN DANCE
12 P.M. GOYA
DANCE
26 27 28 29 30 31
9 A.M.
ORTHOS
10 A.M.
LITURGY
7 P.M.
SPIRITUAL
DISCUSSION
GROUP
9 A.M.
Liturgy
Page 4 the light
ATTENTION STUDENTS
Mathematics, French, Greek tutors for middle, high school,
and college students. Cost: free will offering to benefit