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Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church
Publish Date: 2017-04-23
Bulletin Contents
Weekly Events
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Sunday's Sermon
Wisdom of the Fathers
Thomsund
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Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (617) 625-2222
  • Fax:
  • (617) 628-4529
  • Street Address:

  • 29 Central Street

  • Somerville, MA 02143

Past Bulletins


Weekly Events

CHRIST IS RISEN!!

 The Coffee hour is kindly offered on Sunday by the PTO.

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  WEEKDAY SERVICES

 Thursday, April 27th— Paraklesis to the Most Holy Theotokos at 6:00 p.m.

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 ATTENTION: SPECIAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY

There will be a Special General Assembly held on Thursday, April 27, 2017, at 7 p.m.  to seek approval for the installation of a new roof for the Church.   All Parishioners in Good Standing and their families MUST participate and vote.  A light meal will be offered.

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 EASTER THANK YOU NOTE

Beloved brothers and sisters Christ is Risen!

Please accept the heartfelt thanks I send to you on behalf of the Parish Council for your church attendance and financial contributions during the Holy Week. Your presence here during the long service hours was a blessing for all of us, for we felt that we were all sharing the same purpose in life, that of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Beloved, as we move forward and sculpt the future of our Parish, we rely upon your support to help us maintain the Parish alive for many years to come, so that the Lord is glorified by your deeds.

With love in the Risen Lord,

Fr. Konstantinos and the Parish Council

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CONFESSION - Fr. Konstantinos will be available for confession every Thursday between 3 - 7 p.m.

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THE DORMITION FAMILY TABLE

  The next Dormition Family Table will be served on Wednesday May 3, 2017 from 5-7 p.m. We are looking for volunteers to help cook and serve. Cooking starts at 2:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Saints and Feasts

Thomsund
April 23

Thomas Sunday

Though the doors were shut at the dwelling where the disciples were gathered for fear of the Jews on the evening of the Sunday after the Passover, our Saviour wondrously entered and stood in their midst, and greeted them with His customary words, "Peace be unto you." Then He showed unto them His hands and feet and side; furthermore, in their presence, He took some fish and a honeycomb and ate before them, and thus assured them of His bodily Resurrection. But Thomas, who was not then present with the others, did not believe their testimony concerning Christ's Resurrection, but said in a decisive manner, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe." Wherefore after eight days, that is, on this day, when the disciples were again gathered together and Thomas was with them, the Lord Jesus came while the doors were shut, as He did formerly. Standing in their midst, He said, "Peace be unto you"; then He said to Thomas, "Bring hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not unbelieving, but believing."

And Thomas, beholding and examining carefully the hands and side of the Master, cried out with faith, "My Lord and my God." Thus he clearly proclaimed the two natures - human and divine - of the God-man (Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29).

This day is called Antipascha (meaning "in the stead of Pascha," not "in opposition to Pascha") because with this day, the first Sunday after Pascha, the Church consecrates every Sunday of the year to the commemoration of Pascha, that is, the Resurrection.

23_george4
April 23

George the Great Martyr and Triumphant

George, this truly great and glorious Martyr of Christ, was born of a father from Cappadocia and a mother from Palestine. Being a military tribune, or chiliarch (that is, a commander of a thousand troops), he was illustrious in battle and highly honoured for his courage. When he learned that the Emperor Diocletian was preparing a persecution of the Christians, Saint George presented himself publicly before the Emperor and denounced him. When threats and promises could not move him from his steadfast confession, he was put to unheard-of tortures, which he endured with great bravery, overcoming them by his faith and love towards Christ. By the wondrous signs that took place in his contest, he guided many to the knowledge of the truth, including Queen Alexandra, wife of Diocletian, and was finally beheaded in 296 in Nicomedia.

His sacred remains were taken by his servant from Nicomedia to Palestine, to a town called Lydda, the homeland of his mother, and then were finally transferred to the church which was raised up in his name. (The translation of the Saint's holy relics to the church in Lydda is commemorated on November 3; Saint Alexandra the Queen, on April 21.)

If April 23 falls on or before Great and Holy Pascha, the Feast of St. George is translated to Bright Monday.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 146.5;134.3.
Great is our Lord, and great is his power.
Verse: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11.

ABOUT THAT TIME, Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword; and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the Church.

The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, "Wrap your mantle around you and follow me." And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him. And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."

Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 146.5;134.3.
Μέγας ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν, καὶ μεγάλη ἡ ἰσχὺς ἀὐτοῦ.
Στίχ. Αἰνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον, ὅτι ἀγαθός.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 12:1-11.

Κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν, Κατʼ ἐκεῖνον δὲ τὸν καιρὸν ἐπέβαλεν Ἡρῴδης ὁ βασιλεὺς τὰς χεῖρας κακῶσαί τινας τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας. Ἀνεῖλεν δὲ Ἰάκωβον τὸν ἀδελφὸν Ἰωάννου μαχαίρᾳ. ΚαὶN ἰδὼν ὅτι ἀρεστόν ἐστιν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, προσέθετο συλλαβεῖν καὶ Πέτρον - ἦσαν δὲ αἱ ἡμέραι τῶν ἀζύμων - ὃν καὶ πιάσας ἔθετο εἰς φυλακήν, παραδοὺς τέσσαρσιν τετραδίοις στρατιωτῶν φυλάσσειν αὐτόν, βουλόμενος μετὰ τὸ Πάσχα ἀναγαγεῖν αὐτὸν τῷ λαῷ. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Πέτρος ἐτηρεῖτο ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ· προσευχὴ δὲ ἦν ἐκτενὴς γινομένη ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ. Ὅτε δὲ ἔμελλεν αὐτὸν προάγειν ὁ Ἡρῴδης, τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ ἦν ὁ Πέτρος κοιμώμενος μεταξὺ δύο στρατιωτῶν, δεδεμένος ἁλύσεσιν δυσίν· φύλακές τε πρὸ τῆς θύρας ἐτήρουν τὴν φυλακήν. Καὶ ἰδού, ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐπέστη, καὶ φῶς ἔλαμψεν ἐν τῷ οἰκήματι· πατάξας δὲ τὴν πλευρὰν τοῦ Πέτρου, ἤγειρεν αὐτὸν λέγων, Ἀνάστα ἐν τάχει. Καὶ ἐξέπεσον αὐτοῦ αἱ ἁλύσεις ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν. Εἶπέν τε ὁ ἄγγελος πρὸς αὐτόν, Περίζωσαι καὶ ὑπόδησαι τὰ σανδάλιά σου. Ἐποίησεν δὲ οὕτως. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Περιβαλοῦ τὸ ἱμάτιόν σου, καὶ ἀκολούθει μοι. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ· καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι ἀληθές ἐστιν τὸ γινόμενον διὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου, ἐδόκει δὲ ὅραμα βλέπειν. Διελθόντες δὲ πρώτην φυλακὴν καὶ δευτέραν, ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὴν πύλην τὴν σιδηρᾶν, τὴν φέρουσαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ἥτις αὐτομάτη ἠνοίχθη αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἐξελθόντες προῆλθον ῥύμην μίαν, καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέστη ὁ ἄγγελος ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὁ Πέτρος, γενόμενος ἐν ἑαυτῷ, εἶπεν, ῦν οἶδα ἀληθῶς ὅτι ἐξαπέστειλεν κύριος τὸν ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξείλετό με ἐκ χειρὸς Ἡρῴδου καὶ πάσης τῆς προσδοκίας τοῦ λαοῦ τῶν Ἰουδαίων.

Gospel Reading

Thomas Sunday
The Reading is from John 20:19-31

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them: "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him: "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them: "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe."

Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said: "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to Him: "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

Thomas Sunday
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:19-31

Οὔσης οὖν ὀψίας τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τῇ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων, καὶ τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων ὅπου ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ συνηγμένοι διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων, ἦλθεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ. ἐχάρησαν οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες τὸν Κύριον. εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς πάλιν· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. καθὼς ἀπέσταλκέ με ὁ πατήρ, κἀγὼ πέμπω ὑμᾶς. καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησε καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· λάβετε Πνεῦμα ῞Αγιον· ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφίενται αὐτοῖς, ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται.

Θωμᾶς δὲ εἷς ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος, οὐκ ἦν μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ὅτε ἦλθεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς. ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί· ἑωράκαμεν τὸν Κύριον. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὴν χεῖρά μου εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω. Καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ πάλιν ἦσαν ἔσω οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Θωμᾶς μετ᾽ αὐτῶν. ἔρχεται ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων, καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ εἶπεν· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. εἶτα λέγει τῷ Θωμᾷ· φέρε τὸν δάκτυλόν σου ὧδε καὶ ἴδε τὰς χεῖράς μου, καὶ φέρε τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ βάλε εἰς τὴν πλευράν μου, καὶ μὴ γίνου ἄπιστος, ἀλλὰ πιστός. καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου. λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· ὅτι ἑώρακάς με, πεπίστευκας· μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες. Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα σημεῖα ἐποίησεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐνώπιον τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, ἃ οὐκ ἔστι γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ· ταῦτα δὲ γέγραπται ἵνα πιστεύσητε ὅτι ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἵνα πιστεύοντες ζωὴν ἔχητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ.

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Sunday's Sermon

SERMON FOR THOMAS’ SUNDAY

Our spiritual journey through Great Lent steered us to Holy Week, where we experienced the great love of the Bridegroom Christ for us. Finally we reached the celebration of the feast of all feasts, Pascha and the Resurrection of the Lord. Pascha in the Hebrew language means a crossing, and indicates the crossing of the Jewish people from Egypt to the Promised Land through the Red Sea. This crossing was a great and wondrous event. Moses struck with his rod the Red Sea which was opened in two, the water formed a wall on both sides, the air dried the bottom, and through this opening walked an entire people. Then God closed this passage and all the Egyptian army was drowned. This event is celebrated by the Jews during their own Pascha, when they express their gratitude to God for their salvation. For us Christians Pascha is another crossing, it is the crossing from the life of sin to the life of spiritual regeneration, through the sacrament of Holy Baptism. Holy Baptism is the new miraculous Red Sea. Through church life which begins when we are baptized, we pass from death to life. As the Passover has a double meaning, namely freedom and life for the Jews and death for the Egyptians, so the Christian Pascha is the demise of sin, death and the devil, and life in Christ. It is, both a Cross and Resurrection. In the theology of the Orthodox Church, its tradition and hymnography, Cross and Resurrection are not separated because one leads to the other. There is a prayer we say this period, which begins with the words “having seen the Resurrection of Christ” and continues with “through the Cross, joy has come in all the world”. For us, cross is the fight that we, inspired by the grace of God, make to crucify the old self, to transform our passions, so that we are born again spiritually.

Today’s reading of the Acts takes us to Jerusalem immediately after Pentecost. There, we read that after receiving the Holy Spirit, the apostles were bestowed with abundant divine grace. “And through the hands of the Apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people” (Acts 5:12). The people placed the sick in the streets, so that at least the shadow of Peter passing by, might fall on some of them.  The Acts very characteristically describe “that they were all healed” (Acts 5:16). Disease, corruption and mortality in humans came after the fall as the fruit of the sin of Adam. The Holy Fathers call them leather tunics worn by man. So because now pain, disease, and death have become for us a ​​ natural condition, the way that we confront them, has a serious effect on our other life, the eternal.

Disease in general is a temptation which tests a Christian’s faith. Therefore when we are sick we need to pay a lot of attention, lest the sickness becomes a reason to grumble against God. St. John of the Ladder says that sick people deal with diseases differently, depending on their spiritual state. Some are turning against God because He consented that they become sick, and they become frustrated, blaspheming Him, losing their last traces of faith and falling into sorrow and despair. While others accept the power and consolation of Divine grace, and repel their pains not caring anymore about the disease plaguing their body.

So the issue is not the diseases, which existed and will exist, but their treatment. When there is present spiritual health and inner peace, diseases contribute to increase the mercy and love of God. Therefore the worst illnesses are the spiritual ones. A sick soul is possessed by evil thoughts, anxiety, despair, condemnation and envy. Modern medical science attributes great importance to the etiology of the so called psychosomatic diseases. It teaches that many diseases, including cancer, have as their cause stress and the poor spiritual state of man. It has been proven that if the human nervous system is not in good shape, this has a negative effect on the  strength of the immune system. Also there are many other bodily diseases resulting from the gratification of various passions. For example the passion of gluttony, makes people obese and prone to diseases of the circulatory system and diabetes. The spiritually sick soul is healed by obeying the teachings of the gospel, and with exhibiting patience to the various temptations. Patience creates spiritual health, from which is born the knowledge of God. From this knowledge is born the love of God which, as says St. Isaac the Syrian, is more powerful than life itself.

Many of us say: it is good first to be healthy, and then everything will be fine. I think we should say: may we have the grace of God, and then everything else will be fine. Health is needed to enable us, participating in the life of the Church, to buy time to save our souls, that is to transcend death. Our Lord shows us even today His love and His mercy with vivid ways, consoling us with the many miracles that He still performs. Like at the time of the Apostles, so today, a lot of healing is granted by our benevolent God to those who resort to Him in faith and eagerness. As for the rest of us, let us lovingly and in pain settle down and: for those who are sick, or suffering, or in captivity, let us pray to the Lord…

Christ is risen !

 FR. KONSTANTINOS MANETAS

    ΚΥΡΗΓΜΑ ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΘΩΜΑ

Αγαπητοί εν Χριστώ αδελφοί

Η πνευματική μας πορεία μέσα από την Μ. Σαρακοστή μας οδήγησε στη Μ. Εβδομάδα όπου ζήσαμε τη μεγάλη αγάπη του Νυμφίου Χριστού γιά μας και φθάσαμε στη εορτή των εορτών, το Πάσχα και την Ανάσταση του Κυρίου. Πάσχα στην εβραϊκή γλώσσα σημαίνει διάβαση, και δηλώνει την διάβαση του Ισραηλιτικού λαού από την Αίγυπτο στη Γη της Επαγγελίας διά μέσου της Ερυθράς Θαλάσσης. Αυτή η διάβαση υπήρξε ένα μεγάλο και θαυμαστό γεγονός. Ο Μωυσής χτύπησε με τη ράβδο του την Ερυθρά Θαλασσα, αυτή ανοίχθηκε στα δύο, σχηματίσθηκε ένα υδάτινο τείχος, ο αέρας ξήρανε το βυθό και απο΄εκεί μέσα πέρασε ένας ολόκληρος λαός. Στη συνέχεια ο Θεός έκλεισε τη δίοδο αυτή και καταποντίσθηκε ετσι ο αιγυπτιακός στρατός.

Το γεγονός αυτό πανηγυριζόταν από τους Εβραίους κατά τη διάρκεια του δικού τους Πάσχα, οπότε εξέφραζαν την ευγνωμοσύνη τους στον Θεό γιά την σωτηρία τους. Γιά μας τους Χριστιανούς το Πάσχα είναι μία αλλη διάβαση, είναι διάβαση από τη ζωή της αμαρτίας στη ζωή της αναγεννήσεως μέσω του μυστηρίου του Αγίου Βαπτίσματος.

Το Αγιο Βάπτισμα είναι η νέα θαυματουργική Ερυθρά  θάλασσα. Μέ την εκκλησιαστική ζωή η οποία αρχίζει με το Βάπτισμα διαβαίνουμε και εμείς από το θάνατο στη ζωή. Οπως το Εβραϊκό Πάσχα έχει διπλή έννοια, δηλαδή ελευθερία και ζωή γιά τους Εβραίους και θάνατο γιά τους Αιγυπτίους, έτσι και το Χριστιανικό Πάσχα είναι θάνατος της αμαρτίας, του θανάτου και του διαβόλου και ζωή κατά Χριστό. Είναι δηλαδή ταυτόχρονα Σταυρός και Ανάσταση. Στη θεολογία της Ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας, στην παράδοση και στην υμνογραφία, Σταυρός και Ανάσταση δεν ξεχωρίζονται διότι το ένα οδηγεί στο άλλο. Στην γνωστή προσευχή που λέμε αυτήν την περίοδο και αρχιζει με τα λογια «ανάστασιν Χριστού θεασάμενοι» υπάρχει η φράση «διά του Σταυρού χαρά εν όλω τω κόσμω» έγινε. Γιά μας σταυρός είναι ο αγώνας που κάνουμε και εμπνέεται από την χάρη του Θεού γιά να σταυρώσουμε τον παλαιό εαυτό μας, να μεταμορφώσουμε τα πάθη μας,  οπότε έρχεται η πνευματική αναγέννηση. Γι αυτό λέμε ότι η ορθόδοξη ζωή είναι σταυροαναστάσιμη.

Το σημερινό ανάγνωσμα των πράξεων των αποστόλων μας μεταφέρει στα Ιεροσόλυμα αμέσως μετά την Πεντηκοστή. Διαβάζουμε λοιπόν, ότι μετά τη λήψη του Αγίου Πνεύματος, οι απόστολοι έλαβαν πλούσια τη Θεία Χάρη και «διά των χειρών αυτών εγίνετο σημεία και τέρατα εν τω λαώ πολλά» (Πραξ. 5:12). Ο λαός τοποθετούσε τους αρρώστους στην πλατεία και επεδίωκε να πέσει ακόμη και η σκιά του Πέτρου πάνω σ’αυτούς. Είναι πολύ χαρακτηριστικός ο λόγος των Πράξεων ότι «εθεραπεύοντο άπαντες» (Πραξ. 5:16). Η ασθένεια, η φθορά και η θνητότητα ήρθαν στον άνθρωπο μετά την πτώση σαν καρποί της αμαρτίας του Αδάμ. Οι Αγιοι Πατέρες τις αποκαλούν δερμάτινους χιτώνες που φόρεσε ο άνθρωπος. Ετσι τώρα ο πόνος, οι αρρώστιες, ο θάνατος έγιναν γιά μας φυσική κατάσταση, και ο τρόπος που τα αντιμετωπίζουμε έχει επίπτωση στη άλλη τη ζωή μας στην αιωνιότητα, είτε αρνητικά είτε θετικά.

Γενικά η ασθένεια είναι ένας πειρασμός που δοκιμάζει τον χριστιανό. Γι αυτό όταν είμαστε άρρωστοι χρειάζεται πολλή προσοχή μήπως και η αρρώστια μας γίνει αφορμή να βαρυγκομήσουμε απέναντι στο Θεό. Ο Αγιος Ιωάννης της Κλίμακος λέει ότι οι ασθενείς αντιμετωπίζουν τις ασθένειες με διαφορετικό τρόπο. Εξαρτάται από την πνευματική τους κατάσταση. Κάποιοι στρέφονται εναντίον του Θεού γιατί επέτρεψε να αρρωστήσουν και απογοητεύονται, βλασφημούν τον Θεό, χάνουν και το τελευταίο ιχνος πίστης και πέφτουν σε θλίψη και απελπισία. Ενώ κάποιοι άλλοι δέχονται την ενέργεια της Θείας Χάριτος και την παρηγοριά της κατανύξεως και αποκρούουν έτσι με την παράκληση αυτή τους πόνους και δεν νοιάζονται πιά γιά την ασθένεια που τους ταλαιπωρεί το σώμα.

Το θέμα λοιπόν δεν είναι οι ασθένειες, οι οποίες υπήρχαν και θα υπάρχουν, αλλά η αντιμετώπιση τους. Οταν υπάρχει ψυχική υγεία και εσωτερική ειρήνη οι ασθένειες συντελούν στο να αυξηθεί το έλεος και η αγάπη του Θεού. Γι αυτό και οι χειρότερες αρρώστιες είναι οι ψυχικές. Η άρρωστη ψυχή είναι κυριευμένη από κακούς λογισμούς, άγχος, απελπισία, κατάκριση και φθόνο. Η σύγχρονη ιατρική επιστήμη δίνει μεγάλη σημασία στις λεγόμενες νόσους ψυχοσωματικής αιτιολογίας. Διδάσκει δε ότι πολλές ασθένειες, ακόμη και ο καρκίνος, έχουν σαν αιτία τους το άγχος και την κακή ψυχική κατάσταση του ανθρώπου. Εχει αποδειχθη ότι αν δεν είναι σε καλή κατάσταση το νευρικό σύστημα του ανθρώπου τότε πέφτει και η δύναμη του ανοσοποιητικόυ του συστήματος. Επίσης υπάρχουν πολλές άλλες ασθένειες που προέρχονται από την ικανοποίηση διαφόρων παθών μας. Παραδείγματος χάριν το πάθος της γαστριμαργίας κάνει τον άνθρωπο παχύσαρκο και επιρρεπή σττις ασθένειες του κυκλοφορικού συστήματος και στον διαβήτη. Η άρρωστη πνευματικά ψυχή θεραπεύεται με την υπακοή στη διδασκαλία του ευαγγελίου και με την υπομονή στους πειρασμούς της ζωής. Η υπομονή δημιουργεί πνευματική υγεία, από την οποία γεννιέται η γνώση του Θεού. Από την γνώση γεννιέται η αγάπη προς τον Θεό, που όπως λέει ο Αγιος Ισαάκ ο Συρος είναι ισχυρότερη της ζωής.

Πολλοί από μας λέμε: πρώτα να έχουμε υγεία και μετά όλα θα πάνε καλά. Νομίζω πως θα πρέπει να λέμε: να έχουμε τη Χάρη του Θεού και μετά όλα τα άλλα θα είναι καλά. Την υγεία την έχουμε ανάγκη γιά να μπορέσουμε μέσα από τη ζωή της Εκκλησίας και την καλλιέργεια της πίστης μας στον Θεό, να σώσουμε την ψυχή μας, δηλαδή να υπερβούμε τον θάνατο. Ο Κύριος μας δείχνει ακόμη και σήμερα την αγάπη Του και το έλεος Του με ολοζώντανο τρόπο παρηγορώντας μας με τα τόσα θαύματα τα οποία επιτρέπει να γίνονται. Οπως κατά την εποχή των Αποστόλων, έτσι και σήμερα, είναι πολλή η γιατρειά που χορηγεί ο Πανάγαθος Θεός σε όσους καταφεύγουν σ’Αυτόν με πίστη πολλή και προθυμία. Εμείς με αγάπη και πόνο ας αρκεστούμε να προσευχόμαστε γιά όσους έχουν ανάγκη: υπερ νοσούντων, καμνόντων, αιχμαλώτων, και της σωτηρίας αυτών του Κυρίου δεηθώμεν...

 Π. Κωνσταντίνος Μανέτας

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Wisdom of the Fathers

... but the priest even if he rightly order his own life, if he have not an anxious care for yours and that of all those around him, will depart with the wicked into hell; and often when not betrayed by his own conduct, he perishes by yours, if he have not rightly performed all his part.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 86, 4th Century

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