Jesus the Ransom for Many (4-2-2017)

   How many movies and television shows have been made over the decades that involve at an innocent person being kidnapped or taken hostage. And why did the perpetrator do such a heinous act? Unlike the many of the recent nihilistic criminals and terrorist, whose sole purpose is to kill and destroy, the kidnapper of old was seeking some sort of reward, financial or otherwise. And this reward is called a ransom. In these older movies, we see friends and family of the victim trying to gather together a large sum of money in order to pay the perpetrator to gain the release of their loved one taken hostage. Now ransom is an interesting word because it functions as both the verb and the noun. So it is both the action of paying to win the release of a captive and the payment itself.

   In today’s Gospel reading (Mark 10:32-45), from the Fifth Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, we hear Jesus mention the word ransom. In the last verse (v.45) He says, ⁴⁵For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” This one of only three times the word is mentioned in the New Testament: this one and the from the same account in Mt.20:28 and the Apostle Paul ⁵For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave Himself a ransom [antilytron] for all, to be testified in due time, (1Timothy 2:5-6).

   The Greek form of ransom is ‘lytron’ which also carries the equal connotation of ‘redemption’ (lytrosin). When we hear or use the word redeem we might think of coupons or gift certificates that we redeem to get a discounted price on goods and services. But when the words ‘ransom,’ ‘redeem’ or ‘redemption’ are used in the Scriptures, it is not usually about commercial exchange. In the Greek, both lytron and lytrosin have the same root ‘ly’ which means to loose or untie, to set free.

   During St. Basil’s Liturgy, which we celebrate on the Sundays of Great Lent, the priest prays the great High Prayer or Anaphora. This long prayer has a section which explains the dynamic of Jesus giving Himself as ransom:

   For, since through man sin came into the world and through sin, death; it pleased Your only-begotten Son, (who is in Your bosom, God and Father, born of a woman, the holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary) born under the law, to condemn sin in His flesh, so that those who died in Adam may be brought to life in Him, Your Christ….He gave Himself as ransom to death in which we were held captive, sold under sin. Descending into Hades through the cross, that He might fill all things with Himself, He loosed the bonds of death. He rose on the third day, having opened a path for all flesh to resurrection from the dead, since it was not possible that the Author of life would be dominated by corruption….Do this in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this Bread and drink this Cup, you proclaim my death, and you confess my resurrection.

   Just like God sent Moses to the Israelites in Egypt to deliver them from the captivity of slavery under Pharoah, God sends Jesus Christ into the world to deliver the whole race of humanity from the captivity of slavery to sin under the devil. Satan is the perpetrator who has taken us hostage through the deception of sin. The ransom Lucifer demanded is our loyalty and allegiance. We could not and we cannot set ourselves free. It’s like being in a jail cell without the key to the lock. Jesus came down from heaven to earth as a man, a human being to show us how to live. But He went even farther. He descended from earth to Hades through the Cross to show us how to die. Jesus is like the hero in the movies who offers himself or herself as a ransom so that hostage(s) may be set free.

   This is not really a mystery in the sense that Jesus stated His intent on the very first day of His earthly ministry. Reading from the scroll of Isaiah in the Temple, He said: ¹⁸"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; (Luke 4:18)

   The mystery is that Jesus disciples thought He was going to establish an earthly kingdom and rule as king with great power to force His enemies to bow down before Him. Instead, Jesus allows Himself to be taken captive, to be tried and executed as a common criminal. What a scandal? No wonder the disciples tried to prevent it just like in the movies, family members and friends try to prevent the hero or heroine from offering themselves as a ransom, to take the place of and become the hostage.

   As we close today we must remember that even though Jesus became a ransom for all people of all time, He must become our personal ransom. In other words, the redemption He provides cannot be imposed on any person against his or her will. Neither can it be given to people who are indifferent or lukewarm to this great gift of deliverance. It must be received and accepted willingly, earnestly. And this willingness is not a mere ascent to the idea in one’s mind but a real sacrifice of mind, body and soul. Remember, the ransom the devil wants is your allegiance and loyalty. There is no middle road. It’s a binary choice. It’s either yes or no. It’s black and white. If you don’t love God will all your heart, with all you mind, with all your strength and with all your soul, and your neighbor as yourself, your allegiance is not with God. Your loyalty is with someone else—an idol of your own making. Ask yourself, if Christ gave Himself to ransom me from death, do not I owe Him my entire life—not just part of it? Amen!

ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

REV. FR. RICHARD DEMETRIUS ANDREWS, PRESBYTER

www.stgeorgegoc.org

April 9, 2017                                                                                                                       PALM SUNDAY

TODAY’S EVENTS: AHEPA Fish Luncheon;Acolyte Training, 12pm; Pan-Orthodox Lenten Vespers and reception at St. Herman’s Orthodox Church; 4pm; Serve-a-Meal at FOCUS 4pm; Hierarchical Bridegroom Service at St. Mary GOC in Minneapolis 7pm.

Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati                                       Prosfora: anonymous

Fellowship: AHEPA Fish Luncheon                                   Head Ushers: Jon Kennedy & Alexis Bighley

Monday    04-10        BRIDEGROOM SERVICE                                                         7:00PM

Tuesday   04-11        PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY                                                      9:00AM

                                      BRIDEGROOM SERVICE                                                        7:00PM

Wednesday 04-12     HOLY UNCTION SERVICE                                                      3:00PM

                                      BRIDEGROOM SERVICE WITH UNCTION                             7:00PM

Thursday 04-13        VESPERAL LITURGY OF LAST SUPPER                                   9:00AM

                                      HOLY PASSION – 12 GOSPELS SERVICE                            7:00PM

Friday      04-14        ROYAL HOURS                                                                       9:00AM

                                      Youth Retreat incl. Palm Crosses and Church Cleaning     11:00AM

                                      DESCENT FROM CROSS VESPERS                                     3:00PM

                                      LAMENTATIONS SERVICE                                                  7:00PM

Saturday  04-15        VESPERAL LITURGY – DESCENT INTO HADES                     9:00AM

                                      ORTHROS/MATINS                                                             11:00PM

Sunday     04-16        RESURRECTION SERVICE                                    midnight 12:000AM

                                      DIVINE LITURGY & Lamb Dinner                                        12:30AM

                                      AGAPE VESPERS                                                               11:00AM

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Welcome! To His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, Chancellor of our Metropolis of Chicago. AHEPA will host their annual fish luncheon today. Tickets available at door.

Mural Icons Installed! thank you to iconographer Mother Theodora Balaban and woodcarver Doug Trail-Johnson for their beautiful work. Thank you to the four families who designated memorials and provided additional funding to complete the project. What a wonderful addition to our sanctuary. Glory to God!

Think About It: Sin is a blazing fire. The less fuel you give it, the faster it dies down; the more you feed it, the more it burns.                                        St. Mark the Ascetic (5^th cent.)

How Can I Help During Holy Week: Holy Thursday- Dying Eggs 11am (Anastasia Mastrogiorgis); Holy Friday Retreat Youth Retreat (Nathaniel Kostick). Potluck Meal (Mersina/Jason Van Cleave & Milam/Maria Paraschou). Flowers (Lisa Jordan). Myrrhbearers (Dawn Lampros). Kouvouklion bearers (Jon Kennedy & Dan Simon). Pascha Lamb Dinner (Jason Barbes). Agape Vespers Readers- (Stephen Kanavati), Egg Hunt & Piñata (Lisa Jordan). Thanks in advance for volunteering!

Pascha Flower Donations Due: Wednesday April 12 by noon. Please submit forms and payment to the church office with names of departed loved ones for Pascha bulletin insert. Forms available in social hall or narthex.

Pascha Lamb Dinner- after midnight Resurrection service and liturgy on April 16^th. Donations being received now to help sponsor the meal and drinks. Please participate and support this great fellowship event!

Youth Retreat onHoly Friday, April 14^th from 11am to 3pm. Please contact Nathaniel Kostick to RSVP. Sign up for potluck meals in social hall. We hope to see you there!

Stewardship 2017: Our theme is You are the Voice of Christ in a Changing World: As the Father Has Sent Me, So I Send You (John 20:21). We have received 95 pledge cards for 2017 with a total of $151,836 and an average of $1,598. When pledging be sure to increase your pledge, even if only a few dollars. This reflects spiritual growth and overcomes stagnation. We encourage everyone to give a minimum of 2% pledge of gross yearly income to become a self-sustaining community. This is far less than the biblical ideal of tithing, giving 10%.

Wisdom from the Church Fathers: Many, who have presumptuously rejected the Holy Fathers, and have come without any intermediary but with blind audacity, with an impure mind and heart to the hearing of the Gospel, have consequently fallen into fatal delusion. The Gospel grants access only to the humble.                    St. Ignatius Brianchinivov (+1867)

Summer Camp Early Bird Registration: will open on April 18^th at 10am. Registration fees are as follows: Early Bird Discount:  $425 from April 18- May 5, 2017; Standard Fee:  $475 from May 6-25, 2017 at 4:30pm. Please register at: www.stmaryscamp.com. Summer Camp dates are July 1-7, 2017.

Pictorial Directory 2015: is now available for $5 per copy. They can be purchased either from Julie in the office or in the bookstore (limit, one per family).

Greek Cookbooks: various vintage hardcover editions in Greek are available in the bookstore.

Save the Date! The St. George Greek Festival will be August 19-20. 2017. More volunteers are needed to serve on committees; if you are interested, please contact Jon Kennedy, Phyllis Kapetanakis or Alexis Bighley.

The Church Fathers Speak: In time of religious peace we take up our cross and follow Christ by putting our evil passions and desires to death through virtuous living. But when persecutions come, we must despise our own life, give up our soul for the sake of the Faith, taking up our cross, following the Lord, so as to inherit eternal life. “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Mt.10:39)

                                                                                                  St. Gregory Palamas (+1359)

Daughters of Penelope & AHEPA: will meet on Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 7pm.

Sixth Annual Pan-Orthodox Ladies Tea on Saturday, April 22^nd, from 3-5pm at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 1250 Oakdale Ave., W. St. Paul. The featured speaker is Doria Saros, speaking on Visitation Ministry. Please plan to join the fellowship and Vespers at 5pm; and if you would like, bring a treat to share.

Parish Feast Day! will be the weekend after Pascha. Saturday Vespers on April 22^nd starting at 5pm with dinner prepared by Jason Barbes.  April 23^rd Sunday Liturgy and luncheon hosted by Dino Contolatis. Please plan to participate for both worship services and meals. Contact Jason and Dino to help with setup and cleanup.

Patristic Wisdom: This is the great work of every human being: Always to take the blame for his/her own sins before God, and to expect temptation to his/her last breath. St. Anthony the Great (+356)

Philoptochos: will hold a combined April/May meeting on Tuesday, April 25 at 1:30pm. 2017 memberships are now due. Payments can be placed in the Philoptochos mailbox outside the conference room, or mailed to Tina Sageotis, 1000 Forest Glen Court, Burnsville, MN 55337. A reminder that a total of $25 from each membership contribution goes to the national and diocesan Philoptochos.

Welcome Visitors Thank you for joining with us in prayer and fellowship. The worship of the Orthodox Church is deeply rooted in and very similar to that of the early Christian Church. Unique sensory stimuli and mystery are elements that go back even to the liturgy of the Jewish temple. Everything in an Orthodox Christian church communicates the majestic presence of God the Holy Trinity with His Saints. It is literally heaven on earth. It is a sad aconsequence of the divisions in Christianity that we cannot extend a general invitation to receive Holy Communion. Visitors are invited to receive the blessed bread (antithoron) at the conclusion of the liturgy. We pray and work for the reconciliation and unity of all Christians. If you are interested in learning more about Orthodoxy, please contact Fr. Rick at fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org. We are proud of our Greek heritage but one does not have to be of Greek descent, nor speak Greek to be a Greek Orthodox Christian.

Note to Orthodox about Holy Communion: Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is one of the most Holy experiences for a Christian in order to be granted the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. We are never worthy to partake of Divine Nature. Yet, it is essential that we prepare ourselves for this sacred Communion by constant prayer, reading the Scriptures, regular fasting and periodic Confession. At a minimum, we should fast all morning before Communion, arrive at the beginning of Liturgy, and come for Confession at least once a year. In addition, we should not have separated ourselves from the Church through serious sin. Otherwise, please refrain from Communion to avoid “judgment…not discerning the Lord’s body” (1Cor. 11:29). Contact Fr. Rick for pastoral guidance.

Glad Tidings deadline: The 10th of each month. Glad Tidings email: gladtidings@stgeorgegoc.org  Sunday Bulletin Deadline: Wednesday Noon each week.  Email: office@stgeorgegoc.org