Message from Metropolitan Alexios
My Beloved Ones,
As we continue towards the second week of Triodion, the theme of this Sunday, the Sunday of the Prodigal Son is repentance: God, our Father, who is infinitely loving and compassionate, waits for us with a spirit of forgiveness and tenderness; just as the Father waited for His Prodigal Son, who “…was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:32).
In this week’s Letter from St. Paul’s to the Corinthians, the Apostle continues providing comfort to the persecuted Christians by reminding them that, “…it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (II Corinthians 4:6). This darkness that Paul speaks of is not just a historical reference to the persecutions I wrote of last week, it can also refer to an individual’s state in our own society.
Paul reminds them, as he did Timothy, that “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (II Corinthians 4:8-10). Like the Prodigal Son, the reality of evil in this world, is that it seeks to destroy the “earthen vessels” that are our bodies, whether through forces outside ourselves (as with the persecution in Paul’s time), or from within our own fallen natures. We too are afflicted, crushed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down in so many ways throughout our lives, as we run pridefully from God toward the passions that give us temporary pleasure, just as the Prodigal Son did.
However, St. Paul knows that all we must do is to place our faith and trust in the Lord. We, as Prodigal Sons and Daughters, must, in our weakest moments, return to Him, with the same humility of the Publican, and seek God’s loving embrace once more. We must have “…the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed, and so I spoke” (II Corinthians 4:8-13). Through this belief, we must speak to our Father as did the Prodigal Son when He said, “‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son’” (Luke 15:21). When we speak this fact—that we cannot do anything without God’s help—we are entrusting our lives to our loving Creator, who “…will raise us also with Jesus…” (II Corinthians 4:14), where we too shall be welcomed to the merry banquet that shall be experienced forever by those who enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
+ALEXIOS
Metropolitan of Atlanta
From the Chancellor's Desk
The boy watched his father cutting an expensive furnace tile. “Let me try that,” he said.
“No,” said the father, “a wrong cut will ruin the expensive tile.”
“Then I’ll watch.” He saw his father draw the line in black chalk, place the chisel carefully on the line and repeatedly tap his blows. First lightly, as he circled the tile slowly, and then heavier blows were made.
“It looks to me,” said the boy, “like you are getting nowhere. You haven’t begun to cut through.”
“Watch,” said the father. After several blows carefully repeated, the father gave one hard blow and the tile separated with a perfect cut.
“Why didn’t you hit it that hard in the first place?” asked the boy.
“It would have ruined the tile and made it worthless,” said the father. “All those earlier blows set the pattern for the final one.”
There are many things in life that seem repetitious and sometimes worthless, but they set the stage for the truly important decisions in life. Every year, we approach Great Lent by remembering in advance the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
Likewise, the Prodigal Son’s return to his father inspires us to seek to reconcile with God and one another. Its everlasting reminder summons us to seek the forgiveness of God and those we have betrayed. If we respond, we grow closer to God and cling to Him as the source of authentic and lasting healing and restoration.
Our Heavenly Father sees our sorrow and failings. He offers in exchange for our faith and repentance His peace, strength, and eternal joy. God rejoices in the growth of each human soul.
No matter where we have strayed in the past, this year’s lenten journey will bring us back home… if we dare to come forward and live with the Source and Sustainer of our lives.
Yes, we have done this before, but in our earthly life, God never tires of loving us; He patiently waits for us to live forever with Him. Let us restore our relationships by seeking His forgiveness and reconcile with Him and one another. In so doing, St. Paul assures us of the prize that awaits…
“Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (I Corinthians 15:58)
+Very Rev. Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor
The Strategic Plan
Faith Forum (6/28/19)
Want to learn the latest best practices on how to grow your parish?
How about learning to create a plan for the future of your parish?
How do I fund the essential ministries of my parish and become less dependent on fund raisers?
Have I covered all the significant risks to my parish and what risks go beyond insurance coverage?
Are my religious education programs covering all that they should and are they effective? Is leadership training important to my role in the parish?
If you and your fellow parishioners have ever discussed these topics and you want to learn more, then …
PLAN TO PARTICIPATE AT THIS YEAR'S METROPOLIS CLERGY-LAITY ASSEMBLY, FRIDAY JUNE 28.
MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW - Click here for the online portal.
Visit Click here to view a list of the completed goals.
Family Life Ministry
A growing branch of Family Life Ministry and generously powered by Leadership 100, Engage Orthodoxy is a place for anyone to find Orthodox Christian Content curated by a thoughtful and intentional administrative team.
“Engage Orthodoxy” is not only the name of this new site, but it is also the name of a movement away from division and towards unity. Engage Orthodoxy is a movement towards community, involvement, Orthodox friendships, and relationships. EO seeks to bring the the faithful, the curious, the lost, and the searching TOWARDS their faith and Christ and in turn, towards each other. Engage Orthodoxy is a movement forward into the future of the faith. Join us as we move toward Christ, toward each other, and toward the church.
For more information, or to order “Woven: An Interactive Book for the Modern Teenage Girl on Orthodox Christianity” please visit, woveninhislove.org
We also share with you helpful links from the OCN and the Family Life Ministry of the Metropolis of Atlanta.
Journey of Marriage (Pre-Marital Seminar)
All couples marrying in the Metropolis must attend a Metropolis-sponsored Journey of Marriage seminar prior to their wedding. The couple will present their certificate of completion to their parish priest after the seminar.
- May 4, 2019 - St. Andrew - Kendall, FL
To see the full list of seminars in Florida and in our entire Metropolis please visit: http://www.familylifeministry.atlanta.goarch.org/upcoming-events-2/
Registration is online. Materials costs are included in the registration.
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Amazon Smile is a program that allows for 0.5% of your eligible Amazon purchase to be donated to the Diakonia Retreat Center (No Added Cost To You). To find our Amazon Smile page, visit https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-2187047.