Pastoral Message from the March Beacon
03/01/2020
Dear Parishioners of our Beloved Assumption,
Greetings in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
William Shakespeare penned “beware the Ides of March” in his play Julius Caesar. This line was said by a “soothsayer” to Caesar as a warning. The Ides of March (March 15th) was the day that Julius Caesar was assassinated by 60 senators who believed this act would restore the great republic of Rome. They were wrong and the Ides of March became a defining moment in Roman History manifesting in years of tyranny and unrest.
Christianity is full of moments that had a secular or pre-Christian context that were transformed/transcended by defining moments. The Nativity of Lord, Christmas, transformed the Winter Solstice on December 25th; Pascha, the Lord’s Resurrection, transcended Passover; Pentecost, as a Christian observance of the giving of the Holy Spirit, transcended the Jewish Pentecost of the giving of the 10 Commandments to Moses; etc., etc., etc.
I believe that the Ides of March will take on a new meaning for our Parish of the Assumption. It is this Ides of March that we will hold a Special General Assembly in which the Parish Council will present a final fellowship hall building plan and ask for a motion to build. This moment is one that will transform our parish allowing for greater ministries of fellowship, education and hospitality. It, in fact, may be the single most important event of this generation with regards to the future growth of our parish as a whole.
During these past 5 years, so many wonderful people have experienced so many moments of spiritual growth through catechism, bible study, confessions, summer camp, pastoral counseling, and the list goes on. It is these moments of spiritual growth that have built a strong foundation for our parish and will cumulatively lead to a renewed commitment in our parish home thus creating a center of ministry for future generations and a beacon for all who encounter His Church.
It is through this that the Ides of March will for us ever be remembered as a glorious defining moment!
In His Service,
Rev. Father Jon Boukis
Proistamenos
“Attract, Serve, Illuminate”