Message from Metropolitan Alexios
My Beloved Ones,
This Sunday, we shall enter with our Lord into Jerusalem, joining with the joyful crowds as they wave palm branches, and as children sing, “ὡσαννά, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, βασιλεὺς τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ. Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13) However, before we begin this joyous first day of Holy Week, we would do well to ask ourselves just what this hymn of praise means.
We know that the reason for the crowd’s behavior is the report of Jesus’ miraculous raising of Lazarus, which took place in the village of Bethany, not far from Jerusalem. Through His many miraculous healings during the previous three years, our Lord had demonstrated His Father’s gracious Will. Now, in raising Lazarus from the dead, He has prefigured His own Resurrection.
And of course, we also know that many of those welcoming Christ expect an earthly Messiah, one who will drive the Roman occupation from the land of Israel. Indeed, when He will appear before them in chains five days later, these same people who chanted for Him will exclaim to Pilate, “Crucify Him!” However, I ask us to look at the children, whose joyful recognition of Christ is dismissed by the Elders of the Temple. Christ Himself quotes Scripture: “…Have you never read, 'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, you have brought perfect praise'?" Through their purity of mind and heart, these little ones can recognize that Jesus calls for a spiritual change of heart, rather the political revolution for which their elders hope. What then, do these faithful young people mean as they shout for the King of Israel, if not a literal king?
The key is to be found in the Greek word, ὡσαννά, which is taken from the Aramaic meaning “Lord, save!” The children who gratefully offer their tunics for the donkey to walk, understand that as the Messiah, the Lord has come to save us, not from any outside oppression, but from our own sinful and fallen natures. Palm Sunday is a day of great joy as we prepare for a week full of spiritual struggle, because we the Orthodox understand that through His entry into Jerusalem, the Son of God not only takes His final steps toward His voluntary and Life-saving Passion: the joy we experience as we surrender our souls to His saving work is present in every Liturgy, and in every Sacrament. We are not reenacting an event: we welcome Christ into the Jerusalem that is our Sanctuary, understanding that He is present forever in our Churches, so long as we are willing to welcome Him into our hearts, and into our lives.
My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I wish for each and every one of you a blessed Saturday of Lazarus and Palm Sunday. Truly, we shall have opportunities to reflect on the withered fig tree, on the Parable of the Ten Maidens later in the week. Let us, for now, enjoy a brief respite, as we bask in the glorious light of our Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and that it promises for that Feast of Feasts, Pascha.
+ALEXIOS
Metropolitan of Atlanta
From the Chancellor's Desk
As we proceed through Great and Holy Lent, I invite you to reflect on how to make this period a spiritually fruitful time that will lead you to the ecstasy of a resurrected life. I thank Fr. Chris Foustoukos for sharing this beautiful reflection.
- Surrender your hands to Christ. Make them the hands of His Love. Write a letter this week to a friend long ignored. Tell that person how much you appreciate him/her.
- Surrender your tongue to Christ. Make it the tongue of His love. Telephone two or three people you have intended to phone but have not. Tell them what they mean to you or to say thank you or sorry.
- Surrender your deeds to Christ. Make them the deeds of His love. Take something you have made or bought to someone who means a great deal to you, but for whom you rarely express your love – a fresh loaf of bread – a small remembrance that has your love as a wrapping.
- Surrender your feet to Christ. Make them the feet of His love. Visit someone who is shut-in, lonely, or an absentee church member. Nothing can take the place of a personal visit in the home, nursing home or hospital. Don’t expect to be rewarded. Make it a gift.
- Surrender your heart to Christ. Make it the heart of His love. Make a list of at least 10 people – friends and enemies – for whom you will pray daily. Forgive them if they have wronged you. Ask for forgiveness if you have wronged them.
- Pray daily at home. Use a devotional aid such as Daily Lenten Meditations for Orthodox Christians by Presbytera Emily Harakas.
- Bring the proceeds of your Lenten fast (the money you saved by eating more simply and eating less) to church as your Lenten almsgiving or put it in your Orthodox Christian Mission Center Bank available in the Narthex for our use during Great Lent.
- Practice metanoia, repentance. Just as a clean engine always delivers power, so a life cleansed through repentance and forgiveness allows the power of God to flow through, enabling us to live truly resurrected lives.
- Watch less TV, or not at all, during Lent to devote more time to prayer and spiritual reading.
- Worship every Sunday. Attend special church services offered during weekdays.
- Lead your family in prayer and Scripture reading. Use the Lenten family practices recommended in the book Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home, by the Rev. Anthony Coniaris.
- Read through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Meditate on one verse each day.
It is by practicing the askesis or discipline of the above that you will be able to say with Saint Gregory the Theologian at Pascha: “Yesterday, I was crucified with Him; today, I am glorified with Him. Yesterday, I died with Him; today, I am alive with Him. Yesterday, I was buried with Him; today, I rise with Him.
+Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor
Youth, Education & Hellenic Culture
St. Stephen’s Summer Camp 2019 Summer 2019 Dates are:
Week 1: June 23 -June 29
Week 2: June 30 - July 6
Week 3: July 7 - July 13
Week 4: July 14 - July 20
Week 5: July 21 - July 27
For more news, activities, and upcoming events, please click this link!
2019 OCAMPR Conference
"The Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion, an international, pan-Orthodox organization endorsed by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, welcomes presentations of Workshops and Papers at its Annual Conference, " Isolation. Violence. Hope and Communion" which will be held November 7 -9 at Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview, IL (Chicago area).
The Annual Conference offers a unique opportunity for Orthodox clergy, theologians, and healthcare professionals to come together for fellowship and to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue. OCAMPR requests that proposals for presentations reflect professional, academic discussion on critical issues regarding the helping professions and pastoral care, specifically as it relates to our Orthodox Christian faith."
For more submission infornation please click here.
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.
The Strategic Plan
Clergy-Laity Workshops (6/27 & 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, THURSDAY JUNE 27 and FRIDAY JUNE 28.
MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW - Click here for the online portal.
Visit Click here to view a list of the completed goals.
Shop with Amazon, donate to the DRC
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.