17. THE LORD’S PRAYER (6-13-2004; 3-10-2019)

   If someone asked you how to pray to God, what would you tell them? Always a good place to start is with Jesus. It’s not so much what would Jesus do, but more what did Jesus do and what did Jesus say about prayer. If you’re following the Orthodox lectionary of readings, you know that in yesterday’s Gospel, of the Saturday before Cheesefare Sunday (Mt.6:1-13), Jesus talked about this very thing—how to pray. We are to pray the same way we give alms to the poor and the same way we are to fast (as He taught in today’s Gospel for Cheesefare Sunday Mt.6:14-21)—with humility, in secret (v.6), not to be seen by others (v.5). He added that we should not pray with too many words (v.7). Jesus then gives His disciples “The Lord’s Prayer” (vv.9-13) as the model to follow. The Lord’s Prayer is today’s topic in our ongoing sermon series on Worship and Liturgy. Last week we covered the latter part of the Anaphora including the Consecration/Epiklesis of the Holy Gifts.

   After this comes the “Prayer of Remembrance” titled such because of the repeated pleas to God to remember certain things: “Remember Lord the city in which we live, every city and country and the faithful who dwell in them. Remember Lord the travelers, the sick, the suffering and the captives, granting them protection and salvation. Remember Lord those who do charitable work, who serve in Your holy churches and who care for the poor. And send Your mercy upon us all.” Why is it important for God to remember? Because God is the absolute foundation for our existence. If God forgets us, we no longer exist—we are nothing. It works the other way too. If we do not remember God, we forget the meaning and purpose of our existence. Then we become nihilists. A good example of a modern nihilist is a neo-marxist—someone who believes and/or acts as if the material world is all that exists. A materialist, implicitly and/or explicitly, does not believe in the supernatural realm.

   Basil: Remember Lord, all Orthodox bishops who rightly teach the word of Your truth.  Remember Lord, my unworthiness according to the multitude of Your mercies; forgive my every transgression, both voluntary and involuntary. Do not take away the grace of Your Holy Spirit from these gifts presented because of my sins.  Remember Lord, the presbyters, the diaconate in Christ, and every order of the clergy and do not confound any of us who stand about Your holy altar.  Visit us with Your goodness, Lord; manifest Yourself to us through Your rich compassion.  Grant us seasonable weather and fruitful seasons; send gentle showers upon the earth so that it may bear fruit; bless the crown of the year of Your goodness. Prevent schism in the Church; pacify the raging heathen.  Quickly stop the uprisings of heresies by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Receive us all into Your kingdom. Declare us to be sons and daughters of the light and of the day. Grant us Your peace and love, Lord our God, for You have given all things to us.

   Additionally, while praying for all people, this prayer also lifts up very important groups that must never be forgotten. The sick, the suffering, and the captives need our special attention, not just in prayer, but with faith in action according the words or our Lord Jesus Christ as we heard in the Parable of the Last Judgment the previous Sunday. And not only do we pray for those in need, but we also pray for the very people who help the needy and do other charitable work in and through the Church. They are strengthened by our prayers and hopefully all of us will be inspired to join in helping or if needed in receiving help.

   After this prayer, the priest gives sign of peace saying, “May the mercies of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all.” And then he recites the Litany before Lord’s Prayer (shortened in GOA practice): Having remembered all the saints, let us again and again pray to the Lord. For the precious gifts offered and consecrated, let us pray to the Lord. That our loving God who has received them at His holy, heavenly and spiritual altar, as an offering of spiritual fragrance, may in return send up on us divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray. Having prayed for the unity of the faith and for the communion of the Holy Spirit, let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.

   Now we come to the Prayer before Lord’s Prayer: “We entrust to You loving Master our whole life and hope and we ask, pray and entreat: make us worthy to partake of Your heavenly and awesome Mysteries from this holy spiritual Table with a clear conscience; for the remission of sins, forgiveness of transgressions, communion of the Holy Spirit, inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, confidence before You and not in judgment or condemnation.”

   Basil: Our God, the God who saves, You teach us justly to thank You for the good things which You have done and still do for us. You are our God who has accepted these gifts. Cleanse us from every defilement of flesh and spirit, and teach us how to live in holiness by Your fear, so that receiving the portion of Your holy Gifts with a clear conscience we may be united with the holy body and blood of Your Christ. Having received them worthily, may we have Christ dwelling in our hearts, and may we become the temple of Your Holy Spirit. Yes, our God, let none of us be guilty before these, Your awesome and heavenly mysteries, nor be infirm in body and soul by partaking of them unworthily. But enable us, even up to our last breath, to receive a portion of Your holy gifts worthily as provision for eternal life and as an acceptable defense at the awesome judgment seat of Your Christ. So that we also, together with all the saints who through the ages have pleased You, may become partakers of Your eternal good things, which You, Lord, have prepared for those who love You.

   This prayer should give us pause to consider if we truly do entrust our whole life and hope in God through Jesus Christ our Lord. From the book “Good and Faithful Servant: Stewardship in the Orthodox Church” by Fr. Anthony Scott, we learn that whatever rivets our attention, centers our activity, preoccupies our mind and motivates our action, this is our god. Does Jesus Christ and His Church get the majority of our attention? Is He the center of our activity? Do thoughts of Him fill our day? Does Jesus Christ and the Church motivate the things we do in our daily life? Or are we attentive to, centered around, preoccupied with, and motivated by other things? Luke Johnson defined idolatry as “the choice of treating as ultimate and absolute that which is neither absolute nor ultimate.”

   The prayer also anticipates our participation in Holy Communion--receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. It shows us why we receive the Eucharist—for remission and forgiveness of sins and transgressions, communion with the Holy Spirit, inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven, confidence before God.

   Finally, this brings us to the Lord’s Prayer. It’s called such because our Lord Jesus Christ taught it, not one of His apostles or disciples. It is likely the most famous and familiar prayer in all of history and it is enshrined in every corporate worship service of the Orthodox Church. It should also be the cornerstone of our daily personal prayers.

   Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven; Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

   The old English is still used and memorized by most, but it can cause us to say the words without understanding and prayerful attentiveness. Thus, we must make a concerted effort to direct our hearts and minds through the words towards God. Allow me to say this prayer in a more modern translation to emphasize its meaning. “Our Father who is in Heaven, holy is Your name; May Your Kingdom come to us; May Your will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven. Give to us today our super-essential bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us; And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.”

   Let me highlight a few themes. As we acknowledge God’s holiness, we welcome the principles of His Kingdom to be established right here and now. For this to happen we must set aside our own will and willfulness. We must submit to God’s agenda, not ours. To help us do this, we need to depend on Him more by eating the super-essential (epousion) bread. What is this bread? It is of course the Eucharist but it is also the Word of God for “Man shall not live by bread alone but be every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mt. 4:4) This is why reading the sacred Scriptures, the Holy Bible, just like prayer itself, must be a daily discipline in our life.

   In addition, the Lord’s prayer explicitly teaches us that being forgiven by God is predicated on us forgiving other people. Jesus said the same thing in today’s Gospel: ¹⁴“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Mt.6:14-15). That’s why Cheesefare is also called Forgiveness Sunday. If we continue to harbor anger, bitterness, resentment, malice towards anyone, God will not forgive our sins. Let us forgive one another!

   Finally, when we pray, “lead us not into temptation” (v.13) we’re asking God to be the parent of a little toddler, preventing those little hands from touching a hot stove or keeping those little feet from running onto a busy street. “Deliver us from evil” often is misunderstood. Evil is not some mysterious toxic cloud. The Greek (tou ponerou) means “the evil one.” Don’t let anyone fool you. Satan truly exists. He is the fallen angel Lucifer who is totally and eternally opposed to God. He will do anything in His power to throw us off the path towards holiness by pitting us against one another. We must resist Him through fasting and almsgiving, through invocation Jesus Christ and through the power of love in forgiving one another, praying the Lord’s Prayer each and every day. Amen!

ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

 Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter

1111 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, (651) 222-6220, www.stgeorgegoc.org

March 17, 2019                                                                                    SUNDAY of ORTHODOXY

TODAY’S EVENTS: Choir practice, Philoptochos meeting 12pm; Children’s dance practice 12:15pm; Pan-Orthodox Lenten Vespers at St. Mary’s OCA Cathedral 4pm.

Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati                                       Prosfora: anonymous

Fellowship: Paul & Elizabeth Poulios                                 Greeters: Joe Weiser, Jon Kennedy

Monday       03-18     COMPLINE                                                                                                    6:00PM

                                   Catechism Class “Sacraments II- Eucharist, Liturgy, Worship, Prayer”               7:00PM

                                   Choir practice                                                                                                  7:00PM

Tuesday       03-19     Parish Council meeting                                                                                   6:30PM

Wednesday 03-20     NINTH HOUR (5:30PM) & PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY                                           6:00PM

                                  Lenten Meal & Lecture: “Christian Italy: Florence- Duomo, Baptistery, Tower”     7:30PM

Thursday     03-21     Glad Tidings mailing – volunteers needed                                                      10:00AM

                                   AHEPA meeting                                                                                                7:00PM

Friday          03-22     AKATHISTOS – SALUTATIONS                                                                          6:00PM

                                   Lenten Retreat – “African Americans & Orthodox Christianity” w Fr. Moses          7:30PM

Saturday      03-23     Lenten Retreat                                                                                            10:00AM

                                    Youth Event on St. Moses the Ethiopian                                                         12:00PM

                                   VESPERS                                                                                                       3:00PM

Sunday         03-24     ORTHROS (8:15am) &LITURGY- SUNDAY of ST. GREGORY PALAMAS               9:30AM

                                     Greek Independence celebration                                                                12:00PM

                                     PAN-ORTHODOXLENTEN VESPERS at St. George Greek                                  4:00PM

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Congratulations for Oratory! Thank you to all our participants for a job well done! Junior Division: Sabrina Corbera, Emily Hattling, Manoli Mastrogiorgis & Joleh McCullough; Senior Division: Jose Corbera Andrew Hattling, Jonathan Paraschou & Parry Paraschou. Joleh, Andrew & Parry placed first in their divisions.

Think About It: When the Fathers speak of ‘thoughts’ (Greek – logismoi), they do not mean simple thoughts, but the images and representations behind which there are always inappropriate thoughts.    Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos of Nafpaktos

Lenten Retreat: our 14^th annual St. Gregory Palamas Festival of Light Lenten Retreat will be March 22-24 with Fr. Moses Berry speaking on African Americans and Orthodox Christianity. Fr. Moses will share his life journey into Orthodoxy (Friday evening), Christian History in Africa (Saturday morning) and the African American Experience & Orthodoxy (Sat. afternoon). Potluck lunch on Sat. followed by Vespers.

Good Cooks Wanted: throughout the year, we have community meals. We need volunteer cooks to help with these important events. The next one is for Lenten meal after Pan-Orthodox Vespers on Sunday March 24^th. Please contact George Mastrogiiorgis (gmastrogiorgis@yahoo.com) to volunteer. Don’t worry, you will have funds and help to organize, serve and clean-up. This is a great way to serve and share your culinary talents.

Greek Independence will be celebrated next Sunday, March 24 immediately following liturgy. The St. George Greek School will have a short program and the Greek Dancers of Minnesota will perform. AHEPA will serve lunch. $15 for adults; $10 for kids 12 and under. Proceeds will benefit the St. George Gekas Scholarship Fund.

Pan-Orthodox Sunday Lenten Vespers- All services begin at 4pm followed by a Lenten meal at 5pm. March 17^th Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon Sunday of Orthodox/Icons at St. Mary OCA, March 24^th Fr. Moses Berry at St. George Greek, March 31^st Fr. Thaddeus Wojcik at St. Mary Romanian, Fr. Richard Andrews at Holy Trinity OCA, April 14th Fr. Jonathan Proctor St. George Antiochian, April 21st Fr. Jason Houck at St. Herman OCA. Let us come together to worship God and support each other in the Journey to Pascha!

Wisdom from the Fathers: Whoever desires salvation must remain continually vigilant, not only in solitude but also under conditions of distraction. Let the fear of God outweigh all other desires upon the scale of your heart. Then it will be convenient for you to be vigilant both in silence and in the midst of noisy distractions.             St. Ignatius Brianchininov (+1867)

Lenten Lectures- Wednesday theme is Christian Italy in which Fr. Rick shares images, memories and history from his recent trip including Venice, Florence, Sienna, Pisa & Rome. Friday’s theme is Patrology and Patristics: Church Fathers in Orthodoxy with various speakers covering the Apostolic Fathers of the 1^st cent (Fr. Thaddeus Wojcik), Cappadocians of the 4^th cent (Fr. Andrew Morbey), Greek Fathers (Fr. George Dokos) and the Syriac/Desert Fathers (Fr. Paul Wesche). Each preceded by Presanctified Liturgy & Lenten meal.

2019 Lenten Meal Sign-up Sheet: please sign up in the social hall to host the 7:30pm community meals individually or with a group on Wednesdays (March 20, 27 and April 3, 10) and Fridays (March 22, 29, April 5, 12) during Great Lent. Potluck meals are scheduled for Lazaros Saturday and Holy Friday. Thank you!

Announcement: PHYLLO sales are extended to this Sunday due to weather the past couple of weekends. We are taking orders one more day. Please complete a form in the social hall today.

Church Fathers Speak: If we want to resist evil thoughts and expel them, we can do so with God’s help having recourse to unceasing prayer and other remedies. God requires us to give an account for our voluntary passions and thoughts, which we are capable of intercepting.                         St. Anastasios of Sinai (+701)

Strategic Planning Mission Statement is intended to describe why an organization exists and its purpose for being. The Strategic Planning Ministry compiled individual and organizational Word-Exercise responses to draft a mission statement. "St. George Greek Orthodox Church is a Christ-centered community that inspires faith, worship, spiritual growth, benevolence and outreach." Please give us your feedback with positive and constructive critical comments. Thank you!  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6S5CDSQ

Cliffs of Freedom, a powerful and epic film set at the dawn of the Greek War of Independence of 1821, is currently playing at Arbor Lakes 16, 12575 Elm Creek Blvd N in Maple Grove through March 20^th.

Exterior Restoration- Brick, block and tuckpointing have been completed. Cost of project is $118,647. We have raised over $78,305 from our parishioners and friends. Please join us in this important work. Thank you!

Patristic Wisdom: Marvel at fasting and receive her with open arms because she is capable of rescuing people from fire, guarding others from lions, distancing demons, overruling God’s decision, subduing crazed passions, restoring our freedom and granting peace to our soul. When she holds so many goods in her hands, isn’t it foolish for us to avoid and be afraid of fasting?                      St. John Chrysostom (+407)

Stewardship 2019: Theme is “All things are possible to the one who believes in Christ” (Mark 9:23). 80 pledges have been received averaging $1,795, total $143,635. Three things to do: 1) pray for God’s inspiration and guidance, 2) plan-budget stewardship first, 3) give generously and sacrificially, at least three percent (3%) of gross yearly income. We thank you for supporting the ministries of our parish!

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 consequence 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