God Hears and Listens (6-2-2019)

   We often focus on what we can see. I love the view. I like the look. He’s handsome. She’s pretty. The central act of today’s Gospel is on the man born blind receiving his sight. However, sometimes, in our desire to see things, we forget to listen. In our desire to be heard, we forget to hear what others say. And that is perhaps why the forgotten theme of today’s Gospel from the Sixth Sunday of Pascha (John 9:1-38) is about hearing and listening.

   The first aspect of hearing and listening is between human beings—person to person. After the man born blind was healed by Jesus (vv.6-7) an extensive dialogue takes place. His neighbors questioned him about how it happened (v.10). He told them it was Jesus (v.11) and they asked him where He was (v.12). It’s not clear why but the neighbors then bring the blindman to the Pharisees, who then question him in the same manner (v.15). The blindman gives the same simple answer: "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." Ignoring the miraculous sign, the Pharisees judge Jesus a sinner because He supposedly doesn’t observe the Sabbath (v.16).

   Because they don’t want to hear the blindman’s answer, they begin to undermine his credibility (vv.17-18) and call in his parents to question them if he really was blind in the first place. The parents’ answer is also simple: Yes, this is our son; yes, he was born blind; yes, he now sees but we don’t how nor do we know who did it (vv.20-21). Thus, the Jewish leaders question the blindman again (v.24) but they don’t want to hear the truth. They want to illicit a response that fits their narrative which is revealed in verse 22: the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.

   Is this not the problem in society? Seemingly, everyone has a competing narrative they want to put forth as the only true story. We see it especially in political discourse. People talking at one another, not with each other. Simultaneous monologues but no real dialogue. We hear, but we don’t listen. And thus, we hear the blindman say to the Jews: "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? (v.27).

   The second aspect of hearing and listening is still person to person, but it is between us human beings and the person of God Himself. The blindman makes a startling statement: ³¹We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships Him and obeys His will. Is the first part really true, that God does not listen to sinners? Aren’t we all sinners? Does that mean God doesn’t listen to any of us? Well, let’s test this one man’s words against the rest of Scripture. I researched and the evidence is overwhelming. There are numerous verses, but I will share only a select few that exemplify the teaching.

   The Prophet Isaiah says, When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood (Isaiah 1:15). But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear (Isaiah 59:2). One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination. (Proverbs 28:9)

   We cannot live our lives apart from God or in opposition to His teachings and then expect Him to do something for us when we feel we need Him. It would be like one of our own children, and I will pick on the teenagers for a moment, who don’t help around the house, who don’t listen to what they’re told, who speak disrespectfully to their parents and siblings, who constantly disregard the rules. And then they come to mom and dad saying: Can I take the car tonight? As a parent, what would you say? What do you think God is going to say to His children when they act like that?

   If we want God to hear us and listen to us, then we must align ourselves with His teachings and commandments. We must be obedient and not rebellious. It is the embodiment of “Your will be done!” (Mt.6:10). A second set of Scripture passages illuminate this principle:

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. (1Peter 3:12). [Quote of Psalm 34:15]

¹⁷ I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue. ¹⁸ If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. ¹⁹ But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me! (Psalm 66)

¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. ¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. (Psalm 145)

   And our petitions to the Lord cannot be lukewarm and half-hearted.

¹² Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29)

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7)

¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5)

   When the blindman says: ³¹We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships Him and obeys His will, the implication is that our petitions to the Lord cannot be private and individualistic. They must also be communal and corporate, joining ourselves to the Ekklesia, the Body of Christ is worship.

   Let us close today with a quote from the Apostle James/Iakovos that encapsulates the problem of hearing and listening to God and each other.

     ¹ Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4)

   Must we be perfect and sinless for God to hear our prayer? No. Must we be striving for perfection? Yes.

It is not the sinner whom God necessarily ignores. Rather, it is the unrepentant sinner that God does not listen to. It is the person who thinks they are without sin that is in trouble. It is the person who believes that change through repentance is not important or necessary. He or she says, “Yeah, I am a sinner but God loves me just the way I am.”

   Think again of parents and children. Do mom and dad expect their child to never make a mistake? Unfortunately, some do, and they are exceedingly harsh and critical of their children. But most parents just expect their kids to learn from their mistakes and not repeat them. Moms and dads want to forgive their children. All they are looking for is a simple “I’m sorry,” so they can start pouring out all their love and forgiveness on their child. That’s the way God works too. Amen! Christ is Risen!

ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

 Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter

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

June 9, 2019                                                                                       7^th SUNDAY PASCHA – HOLY FATHERS

TODAY’S EVENTS: Welcome & Outreach lunch 12pm;Greek Dance practice 6:30pm.

Memorial: George & Timothy Glaros(1 yr)     Prosfora: Rita Kanavati     Greeters: Jon Kennedy, Joe Weiser

Epistle Reader: Stephen Kanavati                     Fellowship: John & Carol Alexis

Tuesday       06-11     Nameday for Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Nathanael

Thursday     06-13     Investment Committee meeting                                                                          6:30PM

Saturday     06-15     Deadline for Scholarship Contest

                                   Prison Ministry reunion breakfast                                                                       10:00AM

Sunday        06-16     ORTHROS (8:15am) &LITURGY- HOLY PENTECOST                                             9:30AM

                                   Father’s Day

                                   Choir Practice                                                                                                  12:00PM

Monday       06-17     Strategic Planning committee meeting                                                                6:30PM

Tuesday      06-18     Parish Council meeting                                                                                       6:30PM

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Welcome! to Fr. Perikles Kallis who is serving Divine Liturgy today. Metropolitan Nathanael is strongly considering Fr. Perry to be assigned as our new priest. All feedback should be given to the parish council.

Welcome & Outreach Lunch Today: everyone is invited to a light lunch following Divine Liturgy, provided by the Welcome & Outreach committee.

Fr. Rick on Vacation: till Saturday June 15^th. For any pastoral emergencies, please contact St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church 612-825-9595. For other needs, call the church office.

Think About It: Silence is the cross on which we must crucify our ego.       St. Seraphim of Sarov (+1833)

Fr. Rick Transfer: Fr. Rick announced on May 26 that he will be transferred to the Saints Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview Illinois near Chicago. The approximate timing will be sometime in July.

Metropolis Clergy Laity Update: Metropolitan Nathanael was in town last Monday for a lengthy meeting with the local committee. We reviewed the proposed schedule and registration in detail with him. We are excited about all the content and speakers, especially related to strategic planning. It will be both stimulating and engaging. The St. George and St. Mary Church communities are co-hosting here in September 25-29, 2019.

Office Closed: through Tuesday, June 11 while Julie is on vacation. The office will re-open on June 12. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Many Years! Xronia Polla! to Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Nathanaelthis Tuesday.Everyone is invited to the Great Vespers on June 10 followed by an open house at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine, IL. Divine Liturgy on June 11 followed by a luncheon at the Annunciation Cathedral in Chicago.

Bible Study: we will not meet this week but the next bible study will be Wednesday June 19^th in the conference room at church. RSVP or questions to Kathy Ryan 651-292-9948 or Kathy.aeiou@gmail.com. All are welcome!

Help the Cash Flow this Summer: please continue to make stewardship contributions now and throughout the summer so that we don’t have to use our savings to pay our bills. Costs associated with fulfilling our mission and ministries remain constant throughout the summer. Please don’t wait until the end of the year to make stewardship contributions. Thank you to everyone for your generous support!

College Scholarship Contest:college students and graduating high school seniors are invited to apply for 2019-2020 academic year by submitting an essay discussing the topic: “How does the liturgical/worship life of the Greek Orthodox Christian Church help you draw/grow closer to God?” Awards:1^st place $1000 by John Pitsavas Memorial Scholarship; 2^nd place $500 and 3^rd place $300 by Missions & Benevolence Ministry Scholarship. Deadline is June 15, 2019. Applications and guidelines are available in the church office.

Wisdom from the Fathers: The words of God refresh the heart of the soul. Suckle the words of God like an infant so that you may grow.                                            St. Ephraim the Syrian (+373)

Families Moving Forward: Friday June 21^st our parish hosts an entire evening for 4-5 homeless families at Saint Mary's GOC in Minneapolis. We need volunteers for childcare, overnight supervision and general hosts. Contact any member of Missions & Benevolence for details. Please support this thoughtful ministry.

Strategic Planning Update: based on everyone’s input, the mission statement was recently finalized "St. George Greek Orthodox Church: A Christ-centered community that inspires faith and worship, cultivates spiritual growth and fellowship and encourages benevolence and outreach.” We now move into our next phase, which is called a SWOT survey. We invite your feedback about Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats regarding our parish community. Complete survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J9LH9FG

Patristic Wisdom: Physical war begins with thoughts. First, people cannot stand each other; then they begin destroying one another…Let your thoughts become quiet and peaceful, to see how people change around you.         Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica (+2003)

Stewardship 2019: Theme is “All things are possible to the one who believes in Christ” (Mark 9:23). 110 pledges have been received averaging $1,571, total $172,829. 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!

Exterior Restoration- Brick, block and tuckpointing have been completed. Cost of project is $118,647. We have raised over $92,281 from our parishioners and friends. Please join us in this important work. Thank you!

2020 Basketball Tourney: will be hosted by our parish here in Saint Paul, MN on February 7-8-9, 2020. The parish council approved at February meeting and planning committee is formed. The last time we hosted was 2012. For more info or to volunteer, contact tournament co-chairs Milam Paraschou and Dan Simon.

Roselawn Cemetery Lots: 2019 prices are: $6,120 for a Monument Lot (2 graves); $3,825 for a Flat Lot A (2 graves); $2,167.50 for a Flat Lot B (1 grave). Single graves have limited availability. Contact church today!

Church Fathers Speak: Practice self-observation. And if you want to benefit yourself and your fellow human beings, look at your own faults and not those of others.                          St. Arsenios of Paros (+1877)

Youth Minister Position Open: applications are now being accepted for this part time position. To apply, email a resume, cover letter and two references to Fr. Rick at fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org.

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. (Note: there is no July issue; deadline for August issue is July 10)  Glad Tidings email: gladtidings@stgeorgegoc.org  Sunday Bulletin Deadline: Wednesday Noon each week.  Email: office@stgeorgegoc.org