This article will briefly look at what we are trying to accomplish in youth ministry, especially as we make the connection between what youth learn in the classroom and how they live out their lives as members of the Kingdom of God here and now on earth. We will look at youth ministry in terms of Spiritual formation and development of identity in our youth as Children of God. In doing so, we will reflect upon the Holy Scriptures and the Divine Services of the Church, examine the wisdom of the Fathers, and just as importantly, reach into layers of experience and practical expression to generate dialogue of what spiritual formation looks like in the classroom and beyond.

Today, the Church needs well-trained and well-equipped youth workers for the long term.

Too often we see youth ministry as a stepping stone to “real ministry” as a time in waiting for ordination or a secular job. We must be serious about raising-up and forming young people by training youth workers that commit their life to youth ministry. America needs educators and youth workers who know the faith, know Orthodox theology, have diverse talents, range in age, and are models of committed servants of Christ from each stage of life. In addition, it is with years of experience working with young people that we as clergy and youth workers begin to fully understand the immense task before us. With many years of ministering with and to young people in Christ, clergy and youth workers develop the eyes, the ears, and the heart that are so essential to participating with God in youth formation.

Let me dive into spiritual formation of our youth by stating that good youth work makes the connection between what the student learns in the classroom and how they live out their daily life. For the purpose of this paper, Youth Ministry often takes place outside of the classroom, while not dismissing the classroom, but rather taking what has already been taught and learned by our Christian Education Teachers, and helping the young person incorporate that information into their daily life in words and deeds.  Our young people are inundated with information – some of it very good and some of it not beneficial for their formation and salvation. Every person with whom our young people come in contact, the bishop, the priest, the deacon, the youth worker, the church school teacher, the parent, relatives, and everyone else in the community, have the task of helping youth form their identity.

The real question for the Church, parents, and those involved in youth ministry, is who is teaching and forming the identity of our young people? Who will have the hearts and minds of our youth – the world or the Church? Will they be children of this world or children of the Light^[1]^? Will they be members of the Body of Christ^[2]^ living in this world or merely members of this world lost to the Kingdom of God^[3]^? The world is continuously teaching our children through the schools and through media in its various forms of television, radio, movies, social media, and whatever new forms of media will arrive later today. As the Body of Christ, we are called to pass the faith down to our peers and to the next generation. What are we as the Church doing to excel beyond what the world is doing in teaching our youth? Some think this is a lost cause, while others think we can form young people with just forty-five minutes in the classroom each week. The reality is that the world is consuming our young people while some sit back and debate if our Church school curriculum needs updating, should we use this social media or the like for our youth group, should we hire a youth director or get by on volunteers. Yes, while all of that is very much needed, we must do so much more. The Church should not be afraid, nor stand by idly with the advances in communications. The apostles and the fathers of the Church were well trained and successful in communicating to the crowds and society of their time^[4]^. As we served at the Holy Altar together, Father Alexander Schmemann would often say, “Maranatha – Lord Come.”^[5]^ In many ways these words form my image of Youth Ministry or what stands at the heart of forming young people as children of God in His (God's) image and likeness.

Youth Ministry is about developing in our youth the yearning for the very presence of the Lord – the yearning for the full establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven here and now – the yearning for the end of the nonsense of this fallen world and the restoration of the Kingdom in all places. Not in the sense of avoiding the world, but fully engaging the world as a citizen of the Kingdom. It is the yearning for the fulfillment of the story of salvation and the end of our wandering in the desert of this world. It is not a hopelessness and a desire to end one’s life, but rather a great desire to really live as full human beings with an understanding that all that happens now is more than just preparation for our place in the Kingdom and the story of salvation. In fact, it is an understanding that this life is our very working on our own salvation, our place in the story and it is our finding our permanent place now in the story of salvation as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Without this “Maranatha – this desire for “Lord Come” there is no “Memory Eternal.”^[6]^ We can say that Youth Ministry is about guiding and helping our youth so that their names may be written in the Book of Life.^[7]^ It is in this reality that Christians can bring hope and life to our American Communities.

Youth Ministry is where theology for young people begins to come alive. It is where the theory of the classroom is opened before their eyes and their hearts and they see God in each person and in each moment of their life. Youth Ministry is about opening the hearts and minds of young people to constant prayer and a constant desire to belong – to belong as citizens of the Kingdom. Youth Ministry is where partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ opens the noetic heart and mind to see that Christ Himself dwells within each of us. It opens the way for young people to understand “that God desires mercy and not burnt offering.”^[8]^ It opens the heart and mind to see that real love for one another and for God is far more powerful than all of the kingdoms of this world. That true riches lie in relationship with God and His people and not in possessions which become obsolete in short time and rot and decay. It is understanding and living our Lord’s words, “A new Commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”(John 13:34-35). To convey, teach, and inspire this message of hope and love, we need well trained, educated, inspired youth workers who are actively working on their own salvation.

When I was a young, twenty-three -year -old priest, a ninety-six -year -old parishioner once told me that life begins at around age seventy, as it takes that long to figure out what is really important and what really matters in life. As a young priest, I wondered if this was correct. Now, over thirty-seven years later, I am convinced this saintly woman was right. We need the elders to be present in the lives of our youth and we need youth workers of all ages in order to present to our youth, people at various stages of their journey in life. Many elders have ministered in forming young people and guiding youth to Christ and their knowledge and experience can help lead our efforts to mentor new youth workers. Our elders of the Church, who have really begun to live life in full contemplation of the Kingdom of God, are essential models to our youth and young adults. St. Basil speaks to us about forming young people and the importance of our extended families. St. Basil recognizes the time of childhood and youth as the time for change and learning saying,

What clearer proof of our faith could there be than that we were brought up by our grandmother, a blessed woman, who came from among you? I have reference to the illustrious Macrina, by whom we were taught the words of the most blessed Gregory, which, having been preserved until her time by uninterrupted tradition, she also guarded, and she formed and molded me, still a child, to the doctrines of piety. But, after we received the power of understanding, and reason had been perfected in us through age, having traversed much of the earth and sea, whenever we found any who were walking according to the traditional rule of piety, we claimed them as our fathers and made them the guides of our soul on the journey to God.^[9]^

Just like in Saint Basil’s time, our youth need to be placed in front of those that walk in piety and righteousness, so that they too will know what Godly people look like and how they act, so that they may do the same.

In many ways American Society has lost the role of the Elder. The tradition of respect for our Elder, of the one who has lived life and has the wisdom of life experience, has been lost as though their days of giving are over. We know in this regard what our Lord warns of this mentality as recorded in Luke 12:16-20. The Church needs just the opposite. She needs the Elder, (men and women) who love Christ, who love His Church, who love the people of the community, to continue working and standing as witness of the presence of God in the community. This is something only the Elder can do, as the Elder is now free in personhood and in understanding of their ultimate journey, and has a fuller understanding of the necessity to “lay aside every care of life” that stands in their way to the Kingdom. ^[10]^ Many of our young people have been separated from the Elders and hence miss out on this vital gift given by God for the formation of young people. Saint Theophan the Recluse writes,

But suppose someone has turned toward God, suppose he has come to love His law. Is the very going toward God, the very walking on the path of Christ’s law, already necessary and will it be successful merely because we desire it to be? No. Besides the desire, one must also have the strength and knowledge to act; one must have active wisdom…It is necessary for someone who already has the desire to walk on the indicated path to the Lord to be shown (by someone who has already journeyed that way) in addition all the deviations that are possible on this path, so that the traveler may be warned in advance about this, may see the dangers that are to be encountered, and may know how to avoid them.^[11]^

Our methods of teaching need to become cutting edge and at the same time bring with them the wisdom of the Elders of the Church. We need to do better than the world in this regard, because we have so much more to offer and the stakes are a matter of spiritual life and death. The Good News of God is an exciting and continuously relevant message and way of life that cries out to be shared and lived by all, precisely because it is life-giving and filled with great joy. To some the Church appears to be a century or so behind the world in capturing the imagination and eyes and hearts of our young people. Yet at the same time, the Good News of Christ is needed more than any other time throughout all of human history. The message of Christ needs to be made alive today, as the Church has the most to offer young people, so that they may live and have great joy and purpose in life.

To truly care about the salvation of our youth, and really seek to form them as children of God – as disciples and leaders of the Church, we must take seriously that we are raising up a generation of disciples and leaders for Christ and His Holy Orthodox Church.  There is no greater task than raising up a generation of young people to serve and love God. No greater task exists in this world for educators and parents, and no greater reward awaits each of us in this world than to know that we have passed the faith down to the next generation intact and even greater and more alive than what we received.

In 1999, I wrote the following in my doctoral project concerning youth, Young people today are confronted with moral and ethical choices at a younger age than in past decades. They are tempted to partake of illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. They are confronted with choices of whether or not to participate in pre-marital sexual relations – heterosexual or homosexual, whether or not to view pornography in secret or on their family television or over the Internet connection from their own bedroom, [and today I would add the IPad or personal phone].

More often than not through these influences and choices, the youth are encouraged to reject and abandon their faith in God. These are among the many choices confronting young people today. Often they are encountering these issues as early as their pre-teen years. The numerous moral and ethical choices confronting pre-teens and teens leave these young people ill-prepared to make responsible and educated choices. In addition, they are confronted with these choices without the extended family surrounding them and with parents who are absent or often ill- equipped to understand the conflicting issues. Ideally, children ought to be protected from such issues until they are old enough to deal with them maturely. The reality of our time, however, is that our society is so permeated with immoral and unethical behaviors that we as the Church, and as parents, must act to equip our children to respond in a meaningful and responsible way to all of these issues.^[12]^ In many ways, these challenges are forming the identity of our young people. Perhaps we need to be more mindful of the words of our Lord, that “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:5-7).

The biblical texts of Paul’s letter to Timothy and of Jeremiah’s first chapter stand out as reminders to us of the significant impact and place that young people can and do have in the life of the Church. They also stand as examples of what we must teach and equip of young people to likewise do. St. Paul says,

Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Take heed to yourself and to your teaching; hold to that, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers (1 Timothy 4:11-16).

A similar reference is made of Jeremiah saying, “But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD” (Jeremiah 1:7-8).

Youth Ministry is helping young people understand where they fit into the story of salvation and just how important their part is in the story. It is helping young people know that they belong to the story of salvation and most importantly they are members of the Kingdom of God, members and partakers as children of the Light.^[13]^ They are seeking to be clothed with the garment of light given in the formation of Adam by God in paradise and tragically lost by Adam and Eve^[14]^. As Saint Gregory Palamas reminds us that what we lost in the garden is shown again in the Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor and in Christ’s Resurrection as a promise to come for each of us who seek and choose to truly be Children of God, as children of the Light.^[15]^ Therefore, our young people must know the story of salvation, both in and out of the classroom. They must come to know what was lost in paradise and what has been gained in the Resurrection and that they belong to that story and must be equipped to participate in that story in a positive, life-giving, Christ centered way, in everyday life, in each situation, and in each person they encounter.

To know the story of salvation means we must also be good theologians – as good theology leads to good youth ministry. Youth Ministry without a solid foundation in right theology will set our youth adrift and ultimately lead to spiritual death. Youth Ministry is about the eschaton – it is eschatological – it is about salvation. Orthodox Youth Ministry is not accidental. It is a deliberate effort to transform lives and save souls.

As a young youth worker over thirty-five years ago, I was told my job was “to keep the kids busy and out of trouble.” I quickly came to understand that youth ministry was so much more. I came to know that youth ministry was about life and death. The late night talks in the hotel lobby with groups of teens quickly led from small talk to the deep issues in life facing our young people. The questions our youth asked were often about physical life and death matters, but more important they were ultimately about spiritual life and death. I have often said that I fear not physical death – but I greatly fear spiritual death. Physical death comes with the hope of passage from this world to the Kingdom of Heaven, but spiritual death leads to darkness and oblivion.

From my early days at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, I remember the gentle, insightful woman, Sophie Koulomzin as she wrote her book Our Church and our Children. Koulomzin reminds us that teaching youth is so much more than simply conveying information, or simply filling time with them. Koulomzin reminds us that, “As our children reach adolescence, they have to come to terms with the concept of the Church as the Body, the incarnation of God in our life: (They need to ask the questions) What is the Church? What is my place in it? What does it mean for us? What is its place in the world?”^[16]^ In short youth work, teaching our children, is much more than keeping our youth busy and out of trouble, it is about helping young people form their identity.

In a document being prepared on Spiritual Formation of Youth, for the Antiochian Archdiocese, our committee struggled with the question of what does working with young people look like in terms of forming the youth of the Orthodox Church.

In general terms, our job as youth workers within the Orthodox Church is to foster spiritual formation, or growth in spiritual maturity, among our young people. In some circles, this process is referred to as “discipleship,” which is an accurate and Biblical description of the process of spiritual growth. From our perspective as we consider both the wonderful potential that our young people have in Christ, and the spiritual dangers that confront them, we are interested in producing the next generation of disciples... And of course, what we don’t want to do is to create disciples of ourselves; rather, we want true disciples of Jesus Christ, or in other words, spiritually mature men and women.

This document later goes on to discuss, as part of the formation of our young people, we are helping them form their identity:

A major part of having an identity is having a narrative. To a large degree, we think of who we are in terms of the narrative of our lives. Our lives are stories, and we are shaped by those stories, but we also try to shape the stories, and to a certain degree, we may succeed. We have a natural tendency to try to make sense of life by understanding it as a narrative. This is clearly something recognized by the Church; narrative characterizes the Holy Scriptures in general, and we might think in particular of the parables used by Christ. Narrative is present in every aspect of Church tradition, from Saints’ lives and Church history to hymnography and iconography. Therefore, a major factor in helping teens to discover their identity in Christ, is helping them to see themselves as part of the Church’s narrative, and to see Christ and His Body at work in their personal narratives.^[17]^

In forming the identity of our young people we would do well to remember the fruits of the Holy Spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”^[18]^ Saint John Chrysostom similarly reflects on the spiritual person, as he speaks on inner beauty.

Let us turn I say to the soul. Look upon that beauty, or rather listen to it: for thou cannot see it since it is invisible - Listen to that beauty. What then is beauty of soul? Temperance, mildness, almsgiving, love, brotherly kindness, tender affection, obedience to God, the fulfillment of the law, righteousness, contrition of heart. These things are the beauty of the soul. These things then are not the results of nature, but of moral disposition. And he who does not possess these things is able to receive them, and he who has them, if he becomes careless, loses them.

For as in the case of the body I was saying that she who is ungraceful cannot become graceful; so in the case of the soul I say the contrary that the graceless soul can become full of grace… You cannot alter grace of body, for it is the result not of moral disposition, but of nature. But grace of soul is supplied out of our own moral choice.^[19]^

Formation of our youth, as Saint John Chrysostom reflects, is about choosing to be formed as a beautiful person from within. The gifts of the Spirit are essential in forming the identity of Children of God. Our task is no less than to help form children who are beautiful in their identity and personhood before God and His people.

Ultimately, the Church in America needs to gather her Bishops, Priests, and Lay Leaders on the Archdiocesan and Diocesan levels, and the Parents, Educators, Youth Workers, and Young People to dive into the depths of Orthodoxy and articulate anew—based on the Scriptures, the Fathers of the Church, the Divine Services, the Holy Fathers and Mothers throughout history as well as this present day—a deliberate path forward in genuinely developing a current, effective, Orthodox approach to Youth Formation, that will address the unique needs and circumstances of Orthodoxy in America. This dialogue and direction should generate educated youth workers and present concrete material on how to deeply and broadly form the identity of our young people as Children of the Light working on their salvation here in North America in the twenty-first century. If we do this, and if we are successful, then we will be raising up strong and fervent disciples and leaders for the Holy Orthodox Church and for this great nation. Filling the Church with Children of the Light who sing in their hearts and minds “Lord Come” will show the Church as She really is—the Body of Christ—and a great beacon of light and hope to this very troubled world.

References

1 Eph 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11

2 Colossians 1:18

3 Matt. 6:10, 19:24

4 Acts 2:41

5 Cf. 1 Cor. 16:22. Father Alexander Schmemann was dean of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary during my five and a half years at the school September 1973 - December 1978.

6 Memory Eternal is a short hymn said and sung at the Orthodox Christian funeral and memorial services for the dead. Asking God to remember the person who has died, is asking God to keep the person alive in His mind and hence alive in reality. If we are remembered by the Lord we are alive with Him in the Kingdom, just as Christ promised the thief on the cross. “Then he (the thief on the cross next to Christ) said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:42). 7 Psalm 69:28, Revelation 3:5, Rev. 21:27, Luke 10:20.

8 Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13.

9 Basil, "Letter CCIV," Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, MI: WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1975), 245.

10 From the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom from the priestly prayers as the priest prepares for the Great Entrance with the discos and chalice.

11 Theophan the Recluse, Raising Them Right: A Saint’s Advice on Raising Children (Mount Herman, California: Conciliar Press, 1989), 7-8.

12 Joseph F. Purpura, “Moral and Ethical Issues: Confronting Orthodox Christian Teens Across North America” (D.Min. doctoral project, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 1999) 1.

13 Eph 5:8, John 8:12, Matt 5:14, John 3:19-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11.

14 Gen 3:8-24 The nakedness of Adam is that he lost the Clothing of Light given when God breathed life into him. After disobeying God and losing the clothing of Light God then clothed Adam and Eve with skin according to Genesis (Orthodox Study Bible).

15 Gregory Palamas, "Homily Thirty-Five Delivered on the Feast of the Transfiguration," ed. and trans. Christopher Veniamin in St Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton, PA: Mount Thabor Publishing, 2014), 275-276; Matt. 17:1- 2; Matt. 28:1-7.

16 Sophie Koulomzin, Our Church and Our Children (Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1975), 102.

17 “Working Document of Spiritual Formation,” Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese Department of Youth Ministry, Daniel Bethancourt, 2016.

18 Gal. 5:22

19 John Chrysostom, “Homily II: Eutropius having been found outside the Church had been taken Captive,” Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Vol. IV (Grand Rapids, MI: WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1975), 264.

Have you ever wondered about the process by which newborns are received into the Orthodox church?  Our rich tradition begins from the first day of a child’s life and continues with the sacraments of Baptism, Chrismation, and the reception of Holy Communion.  It is a process full of God’s grace.  Even before a child is born the parents have been blessed by God to participate in the very divine act of giving life, literally participating in God’s creation.  Once the child has been born the Church guides the parents through the first steps of the child’s entry into ecclesiastical life and participation in the sacraments and Holy Mysteries.  The following is a brief outline and commentary on these important steps.

1.  On the first day of a newborn’s life, parents are asked to call the priest to visit the hospital or home, so he may pray for their health and salvation as well as that of their newborn.  During this brief visit the priest prays, “We give thanks to Thee, for Thou has been well-pleased even now to bring to birth into the world a human being from Thy servants (the name of the mother) and (the name of the father); we pray of Thee, O lord our God, to bless this baby here present.”  In this way, the priest welcomes the child into the world with prayer on behalf of the entire church community.

2.  On the eighth day the formal prayers of naming a child occur.  Recall that, in the book of Genesis, God blessed Adam to name every creature in the world.  Likewise, parents are given God’s blessing to name their children.  The reason this short service takes place on the eighth day is because it symbolizes the first day of the new Creation.  Every week has seven days, beginning with Sunday and ending on the Sabbath (Saturday).  The Church refers to Sunday as both the first and eight day because Pascha, the Lord’s Resurrection, is the first day of the new creation in Christ Jesus.  Therefore, it is on this eighth day that the Church formally names the child with a Christian name as he or she enters as a member of the Kingdom of God, through Jesus Christ.  These prayers typically take place in the home of the parents and child. The prayers of naming state, “O Lord our God, we pray Thee and beseech Thee, let the light of Thy countenance be signed upon Thy servant, (name given to the child), and let Thy cross of Thine only-begotten Son be signed in his (her) heart and Thoughts… And grant, O Lord, that Thy holy Name may remain not denied on him (her), as he (she) is united in due time to Thy holy Church and perfected through the fearful mysteries of Thy Christ.”

3. The Churching of the child occurs on the 40th day, just as our Lord was brought to the temple by His parents on the 40th day following His birth (February 2nd).  Likewise, we bring our children to the church to offer them to God in His temple.  We offer the child and present him to God’s love, to His protection.  A promise to baptize the child is made this day and a prayer is offered that, “In due time he/she will receive Holy Illumination.”  Furthermore, on the 40th day, or the Sunday closest to the 40th day, the parents bring their child to the Church where the priest reads the prayers for the mother and child. The child is formally presented to God in His temple and Sanctuary in addition to the Church community.  This service of Churching states, “O Lord, God Almighty, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has fashioned all nature, both rational and irrational, through Thy Word and has brought all things from non-being into being, we pray Thee and beseech Thee save this Thy handmaiden (the name of the mother) by Thy will… And bless this child born of her, increase, sanctify, grant understanding, bestow wisdom, and a good frame of mind.” The Church recognizes that each new life belongs to God alone and is made in His image and likeness. As with all of creation, God literally creates and brings life from nothingness into being.  On the morning of the Churching the parents stand with their child in the entrance to the Church as the priest prays over them. Next the priest carries the child and presents him or her to God and the Church saying, “the child of God is Churched in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”  The child is then brought into the sanctuary and taken around the Altar by the priest as he recites the prayer of Saint Symeon, the one who received Christ into the temple on His 40th day.  Lastly, the priest says a closing prayer before the icon of Christ and the Theotokos prior to returning the child back to his or her parents.

Please note that Churching Service, just like Baptism, is not formally part of the Divine Liturgy on Sunday.  In our parish we do the service of Churching just before the Divine Liturgy begins, so that the mother and father may be present for the entire Divine Liturgy and partake of Holy Communion on that day.

4. Baptism is the sacrament following the 40th day Churching and takes place in our tradition anytime following the Churching and usually within the first six months of life.  Baptism is a sacrament which begins an individual’s life in the Church; it is one’s initiation into the Orthodox Faith.  We state in this service that when the child is immersed into the Baptismal waters the child dies to old and fallen Adam, and as the child rises from the water the child rises in Christ Who is the new Adam, one who is obedient and blessed by God.  It is on this day that we say this child becomes an heir of the Kingdom of God, a son or daughter of the Light – a son or daughter of the Living God.  Through the sacrament of Baptism, one participates in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. After emerging from the Baptismal waters, the priest leads the parents and the child around the font as the choir sings, “As many as have been Baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27).

Parents are urged to wisely choose Orthodox godparents who will assist them in raising the child in the Orthodox faith.  The godparents will stand and answer for the child throughout the service of Baptism and Chrismation and will bring the child to their first communion.  The godparents should be righteous faithful members of the Church who will be strong examples and guides for the child as he or she grows in the Orthodox faith, even throughout adulthood. Choosing godparents who know and live the Orthodox faith is essential for the well being of the child’s life in Christ.

5. Immediately following Baptism the sacrament of Chrismation occurs (known in the western Church as confirmation). It is a separate sacrament even though it may appear to some that it is part of the Baptismal service because it is taking place on the same day.  In the Orthodox Church, Chrismation is the sealing of the reception of the Holy Spirit. The priest anoints the child with Holy Myrrh on the eyes, ears, mouth, hands, and feet and each time he makes the sign of the cross on the child he says, “Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

6.  Following both the sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation, the child then partakes of the sacrament of Holy Communion for the first time. After having received the Body and Blood of Christ the newly illumined child is now as fully a member of the Church as you and I.  The Orthodox Church thus completes a threefold initiation process for every person in honor of the Holy Trinity.

The tradition of the Church is that the godparents, in addition to the day of Baptism, also bring the newly Baptized child to Holy Communion on the following Sunday. The newly Baptized child is the first in line for Holy Communion that day.  Thereafter, the parents or godparents bring the child to Holy Communion.

As can be seen from the above, the Orthodox Church takes seriously the life and salvation of every newborn child.  At St. George Orthodox church, we encourage all our parents to avail themselves of the prayers and blessings of the priests and the entire community for their children.  Furthermore, we encourage parents to bring their children regularly to church from infancy, so that their children will grow strong in their faith as sons and daughters of the Living God.  We pray that the youngest members of our community may come to know God’s great love and mercy, and that each child may experience true Christian life, joy, peace, and love, which come from Christ alone.

Please feel free to contact Fr Joseph Purpura with any questions you may have regarding the above sacraments or to schedule an appointment.  FrJoseph@SaintGeorgeMontreal.org 514-276-8533 ext 201

Saint George Orthodox Church
555 rue Jean-Talon Est
Montreal, QC H2R 1T8

The citations above are from the book of “Services of Initiation into the Holy Orthodox-Catholic and Apostolic Church,” published by The Antiochian Orthodox Institute, LeVerne, CA, 2017.

My dear parishioners of St. George Orthodox Church of Montreal,

In today’s modern world, humanity has access to so many luxuries and opportunities for advancement that death seems to be a distant and inconvenient matter, one that isn’t discussed in polite company. Often, death arrives unexpectedly, and for many it seems to come too soon.  This article serves as a guide for families to prepare for the death of a loved one and details the practices which are in accordance with the tradition of our Orthodox Christian Church, who views death as a sacred passage from this world to the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is with joy, not sadness, that there comes a time in each of our lives when one moves from this world to eternal life in the Kingdom.  Our faith teaches that this transition is a process, and there are many prayers along this journey, not just before or at death.  

At the Time of Death and as you Plan for a Funeral

First, please call the Church upon the death of your loved one, and the Church Administrator will assist you with planning the funeral arrangements (service, burial, and wake) Outside of regular business hours (8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.), please call the Church and dial extension 200 to be provided with the emergency contact information for the clergy.

The Wake

The wake should be a quiet and respectful time to express our sympathies to the family of the deceased and as Orthodox Christians we should be quiet and respectful to the deceased and the bereaved family. This is a time of prayer and careful thought upon the sacredness of life.  Please be sure the priest is aware of the time and place of the wake so he may come and serve the Memorial Service at the funeral home, provided the body of the deceased loved one is present.

The Funeral Service

Visitation hours may take place in the Church prior to the start of the funeral with the times being jointly arranged by the family, the funeral home, and the Church Office.  The Orthodox Church has a set funeral service which assumes and expects that the body of the deceased is present in the temple at the time of the service.  The Orthodox funeral service is one of prayers for the deceased and asks God to receive this person into His Heavenly Kingdom.  This is not the time to add in our own personal hopes, but rather it is a sacred time to seek God’s mercy, His love, His presence, His will, and His compassion.  The deceased loved one has left this world and is entering God’s Kingdom – this is the time to seek God and not the things of this world.

Music at the Funeral Service

While it is not the Orthodox practice to have a soloist and organ playing before and after the Church service, the family may choose to do so as long as the music selection meets with the approval of the pastor. There are proper Orthodox hymns which may be sung as the body is processed in and out of the Church, and it is these beautiful hymns which are encouraged to be sung at the proper time and not replaced with non-Orthodox practices. This allows for the family to not have to incur the additional expense of having musicians.

The Eulogy

If the family wishes to eulogize the deceased or to address those who have come to the funeral, this is done either in the parish hall before or following the funeral service, or even more appropriately during the Mercy Meal.  If the wake is done in the funeral home, the family is also able to eulogize the deceased at the funeral home at a time of their choosing.

The Burial of the Body

In the Orthodox Church, the body is seen as sacred and specifically part of what makes us human and created in God’s image and likeness. The Church also teaches us that the body of a deceased loved one must be treated and cared for with great love, attention, and respect. It is our faith’s practice that following the funeral service, the body is placed lovingly and with tears into the ground or a crypt. The Church and its priests are only permitted to perform funeral services with a body present but are not permitted to perform funeral services for those who choose to cremate, aquamate, or otherwise alter the body.

Commemoration of the Dead

The Church sets aside specific times of the year for us to personally commemorate our deceased loves ones with the Trisagion Prayers for the Dead.  These prayers are typically said following a Divine Liturgy on the third, ninth, and fortieth day after a loved one’s passing, and on yearly anniversaries. Families are encouraged to call the Church office to arrange for these services.

There are special days outside of the above when the whole parish is encouraged to request commemoration by the Church of those who have departed this life: Soul Saturday of Meatfare week and the Saturday before Pentecost. Remembering and praying for our departed loved ones is always a good thing, and you may call the Church office any time of year to have them commemorated at the Prothesis Service (during the preparation of the bread and wine for Holy Communion by the priest) and during the Great Entrance of Divine Liturgy – not just at a memorial service.

Remembering Family Members Who Are Not Orthodox Christians

The tradition of the Orthodox Church is that Memorial Services are only celebrated for Orthodox Christians. However, you may commemorate all your loved ones during the prayers of the Great Entrance during the Divine Liturgy.

Everyone needs prayer, especially the prayers and blessings of the Church in our daily life.  Prayer is particularly important when a love one becomes sick and near death, and it is the practice of the Church to call the priest to visit and pray and anoint the sick.

Please call the priest as early as possible (and not just for those who are dying) so the priest may visit the sick person at home or in the hospital in order that the priest may spiritually guide the ill person.  Presently, family members call the priest only at the last moments prior to death, but the Orthodox practice is for the priest to visit and pray for everyone who is sick, not just the dying.  Indeed, the Scripture says to call the presbyters so that they might come and anoint the sick with oil and prayers for healing, physically and spiritually.  St. James writes, “"Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man. And the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him." (James 5:14-15). With the prayers of the Church and the Priest our hope is that the person will receive healing and that they will live.

V. Rev. Dr. Joseph F. Purpura
Saint George Orthodox Church of Montreal
575 Jean-Talon est
Montreal QC H2R 1T8
Office 1-514-276-8533
Mobile 1-514-546-1757

]]>https://youth.saintgeorgemontreal.org/getting-married/Ghost__Post__5ff8bee245b914003955bfedTue, 12 Jan 2021 15:34:55 GMT

Getting married is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. You have already invested heavily in developing a relationship with your future spouse, and you both have made a commitment to love one another forever.  Now that you are engaged and planning to get married, what is the best way to ensure that your new life together gets off to a great start?

For Orthodox Christians it means being married in the Orthodox Church, because marriage is a sacred and holy institution designed by God for salvation.  The marriage rite is itself a sacrament, which means it must occur inside the Church, just like all of the other sacraments (e.g. Baptism, Confession, Holy Communion).  For an Orthodox Christian, any wedding that occurs outside of the Church separates that person from the sacraments of the Church.  So, as an Orthodox Christian, the correct way to begin is by celebrating your marriage in an Orthodox Church. St. George Orthodox Church of Montreal would be pleased to help you get started with your wedding plans.

Please remember

1. Your marriage is holy.

When you choose to celebrate your marriage with a religious ceremony in the Orthodox Church you and your spouse are acknowledging that your marriage is a holy union blessed by God. God designed the institution of marriage as a sacrament, which means that it is for your personal spiritual healing and salvation.  Every marriage that is celebrated at St. George is a miracle. During the ceremony two people are transformed and united together by God to have a oneness of mind and body and, “…the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh” (Mark 10:8). At marriage, a new family is created, a new home is established on Earth. This is God’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.

2. Your marriage is a lasting commitment.

A marriage celebrated at St. George takes place before a community of your family and friends who witness this sacred occasion.  You are also making a statement of your faith in Jesus Christ, and your belief in what an Orthodox Christian marriage can do for your life. Marriage is a bond, not only between a man and a woman, but also a covenant with Christ. Inviting Christ into your marriage allows Him the room to bless your new home and family life for the rest of your life.

3. At St. George you will get the help you need, when you need it.

Whether you are looking for pastoral guidance or help with wedding preparation, one call to St. George is all you need to do! St. George offers pre-marital group information sessions in addition to private pastoral guidance meetings with the priest and each couple. As your wedding date draws closer, the priest will also meet with you and your wedding party for a full rehearsal to explain the meaning of the ceremony and answer any questions you may have.  Our office administrator is ready to assist you with planning all the details to ensure you have the perfect day.

4. Love is eternal.

God is love, and His love is forever. The love you have for one another on your wedding day is only the beginning.  When you celebrate your marriage at St. George you are connecting your family life to God and His Church. You are asking for His divine protection for your new family, and you are building your marriage on the strength of the entire St. George community. God has built the Church to draw everyone nearer to Him, including you and your new family. Your decision to get married at church is only the first step in building a family life filled with love, peace, joy, and happiness.

Curious about the meaning of the Orthodox Marriage Rite? Please see below for more information:

The Lighting of the Candles: the lighted candles given to those being united in marriage symbolize the light of Christ’s presence and the purity that His presence brings to all.

The Rings: Are the symbol of the betrothal. They typify and eternal bond which cannot be dissolved.

The Crowning: symbolize the glory and the honor with which God crowns the bride and groom during the sacrament.

The Common Cup: This “Cup of Fellowship” signifies community of life, they drink form the cup of life together.

The Circling in Procession: The husband and wife are taking their very first steps as a married couple. The way is symbolized by the circle at the center of which are the Gospel and the Cross.

For more information, please see “Building an Orthodox Marriage” by Bishop John Abdalah and Nicholas G. Mamey.  All couples married at St. George Orthodox Church of Montreal receive a complimentary copy of this very practical guidebook.

In accordance with the guidelines of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, every individual who requests a Divine Service from the Church must be a member in good standing prior to marriage. Should you have any question or simply need help, please call the Church office at (514) 276-8533 ext. 200

We hear of “culture wars” as though this is a new phenomenon. It is not.  The culture war began in Paradise when Satan convinced Adam and Eve to live a life different than what God intended for them.  Satan convinced Adam and Eve to live life without God, to live in an inhumane way. Basically, Satan convinced them to live a life that is not rooted in the image and likeness of God.[1]

Time is part of the created world given to us by God. It is a gift from God and, thus, it is essential to us as we work on our salvation and as we live out our place in the story of Salvation—across the span of time we have been gifted.  Since time itself is given by God as part of creation, we would do well to be conscious of the importance of, and how to utilize, this gift of time.  As human beings we are created as physical and spiritual beings who God formed from the earth.  As part of the physical creation we take up volume, we live out our lives in the physical world, we move from place to place and time to time. Thus, understanding the beauty and meaning of time and space is critical to our understanding of who and what we are and what we are meant to be.  Although we were formed from the earth, God, most importantly, breathed Himself into physical man giving man a living soul.  We are not bodiless hosts, nor are we animals without a spiritual soul.  We are unique amongst all of creation. In many ways we live in both the physical world and the spiritual world. We are meant to live as one being intertwined in two realities—physical and spiritual—thus, adding to the complexity of understanding time and space.

Examining youth formation across time and space requires that we consider the specific Scriptural references to time and space, as well as contextualizing them within the culture upon which we find ourselves living and immersed within. Importantly, this culture varies from place to place and time to time.  As we move through this paper, I will highlight critical verses of Scripture, a few of the Fathers, as well as practical experience in youth formation designed to raise youth up as disciples and leaders in the Church—particularly focused on efforts to help youth find their place within the story of Salvation.  Though this effort and task must be more than our youth simply finding their place in the story, it must also be that they are active participants in the story of salvation, where ultimately due to their full participation, in time and in their place in human history and their life in the Church, their names may be written in the Book of Life in Heaven.

Time

Time, as we know it, starts as recorded in the book of Genesis, “In the beginning God made heaven and earth. (Genesis 1:1).

“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven for illumination to divide day from night.  Let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years.  Let them be for illumination in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth.’ It was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night.” (Genesis 1:14-16).

Thus, time as we know it begins in the physical world by the Word of God, by His command.

Understanding that God, Who is before all time, creates time for humans and ultimately for human salvation, compels us to come to an understanding of this part of creation, and prompts us to ask:  Why did God create day and night? Why did He create us to live within days and years?  Why after Adam and Eve ate of the tree of good and evil, did He cast humans into this world so man would not partake of the tree of life at that time? What is salvific about this passage of time and our utilization of each second, minute, hour, day, week, month and year within the scope of our life in this world? Why has God given me life at this moment in human history? Why during this part of the story of salvation am I living in this world, in this country and amid this culture?  What is God calling me to do within this context of this time, this space and this culture?  Why has God decided that this is the best time, place, culture and opportunity for my salvation and how do I utilize this great opportunity for salvation?

From the beginning in Paradise even before Adam and Eve disobeyed God, we read in the Scripture that God acts within time and that humans participate in its flow, “You may eat food from every tree in the garden; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you may not eat; for in whatever day you eat from it, you shall die by death”(Gen 2:16-17).  From the beginning we see a clash of cultures.  God commands humans to live a life rooted in Him. Yet, Satan persuades Eve to turn away and live a different life. Thus, the beginning of the human culture war begins, “Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You shall not die by death.  For God knows in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil’” (Gen 3:4-5).

We know the great tragedy that Adam and Eve brought upon all of mankind. We read the words from Genesis, “Then the Lord God said, ‘Behold the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil.  Now, lest he put out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever –‘ therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of pleasure to cultivate the ground from which he was taken” (Gen 3:22-23). What was the reason God did not want us to become immortal in paradise, but rather have humans wait until the appropriate time when Christ would enter into human history, become one us, destroy death, and then make way for us to become immortal in the Kingdom of heaven? Surely God’s choice to let time pass was essential to the story of salvation and its outcome for each of us.  The passage of time to this fallen world appears to be the enemy, as we try to avoid aging, yet in terms of human salvation, time becomes healing, restorative and salvific and essential to us becoming beautiful in the eyes of God.

We can bemoan the time, the place, and the culture we find ourselves, yet this is where God has placed us in His infinite wisdom.  He chose not to place us in a different time, a different country, nor a different culture, but this one.  Why?  What is so good and important about this place and time that God has decided it is the best opportunity and the best spot in the history of Salvation for me and for you?  We know that God has sent the saints and prophets to every generation—and this time and place is no different.  The Church is called to sanctify this time, this place, this culture.  The Kingdom of God is at hand now, not just in the glorious past nor just in ancient Byzantium, nor just in Jerusalem, but everywhere and at all times and in every place.  Our Lord said to the Samaritan woman,

“Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father. Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know: for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:21-24).

Our task as Orthodox Christians here in North America, is to bear witness to the Light and to live as Children of God in this context and in this time.  The task of the Church and of each of us is to rediscover the Truth of the Living God, “to worship Him in Truth and Spirit” (John 4:24) in this context and not to just transpose or impose superficially a culture, from a seemingly glorious past (that may or may not have been so) that was meant for a different time, a different place, and a different people.

Our young people find themselves in a time and culture that is at best confusing and illogical.  Amid this chaos our young people are led astray as were Eve and Adam in Paradise. Our young people are being lied to and told that there are no consequences to their actions. Yet, they discover that what the world offers as life is really death, and what the world offers as truth is distortion and misery and emptiness.  In modern culture, we have replaced the Divine Liturgy with sports, the Internet, online games, television, and general empty business.  Even parents have been deceived to think that such activities, despite their replacing the life-giving banquet, will bring their children joy, happiness, success, and prosperity.  We have replaced the Lord’s Day with work and the so-called play of this world.  Ironically man was cast out of the Garden to work the earth from which he was taken. Yet, we think it is good that our young people miss Sunday worship so they can work and build their resumes and careers.  We have elevated the very thing to which we were condemned, and which was taken away from us as we were cast out of Paradise, where we were once in the very presence of the Living God.  The Divine Liturgy is our participation and restoration to the Kingdom, being in the presence of God, partaking of His very Body and Blood, free from the toil of the soil of this fallen world, a place of peace. Unfortunately, parents often choose the opposite – they choose a life for their children that is opposite from Paradise.[2]

Ecclesiastes tells us,

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

² a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
³ a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵ a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
⁷ a time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.”[3]

We find ourselves in a culture and time that distorts this truth.  We seek ways to avoid time, to avoid the realities of this world.  We attempt to avoid death, avoid mourning, avoid weeping, we fail to plant the seeds that are necessary to life, we avoid silence, peace, and real love and in the end we are prepared for none of life here nor in the world to come and we wonder why we are in such pain and turmoil, why our children turn away from God and life itself and choose death instead.

Our task in whatever time and culture we live is to bring healing through God’s presence, through His Word, and His Truth. Saint Basil beautifully sums up the story of salvation in his priestly prayers of the Divine Liturgy.  He writes,

“When thou hast created man, and hadst fashioned him from the dust of the earth, and hadst honored him with thine own image, O God, thou didst set him with thine own image, O God, thou didst set him in the midst of Paradise of plenty, promising him life-eternal and the enjoyment of everlasting good things in keeping thy commandments.  But when he disobeyed thee, the true God, who had created him, and was led astray by the guile of the serpent, and rendered subject to death through his own transgression, though didst banish him in thy righteous judgment, O God from Paradise into this present world, and didst turn him again to the earth from which he was taken, providing for him the salvation of regeneration, which is in Christ himself.”

And most importantly,

“Yet thou didst not turn thyself away forever from thy creature whom thou made, O Good One; neither didst thou forget the work of thy hands; but thou didst visit him in divers [diverse] manners, through the tender compassion of thy mercy…”, “And when the fulness of time was come thou didst speak to us through thy Son himself, by whom also thou madest the ages…”  “to be born under the Law, that he might condemn sin in the flesh; that they who were dead in Adam might be made alive in thy Christ…” “he loosed the pains of death, and rose again from the dead on the third day, making a way for all flesh through the Resurrection from the dead…”

(Liturgy of Saint Basil p 135-137 Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Service Book, 2012)

Our youth need to know the story of salvation, what man did in paradise, and its consequences, so we do not continuously repeat this rejection of God.  Most importantly our youth need to know that God “did not forget the work of His hand” and that He has done all things to bring us back to Him and to the life that was meant for us in Paradise.  Understanding what has passed in time (The Old Testament Prophets and Saints, God Himself becoming one of us, The decent of the Holy Spirit and the establishment of the Church, the Saints and Holy Fathers and Mothers of the Church) through the ages is essential to our youth living their life today in this present age and in the life to come.  Our culture in so many ways is not different from every culture before where man rejects God and seeks life outside of God and outside of Paradise. Saint Peter reminds us as Christians, “But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may shew forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. “(1 Peter 2:9). We have been called to live as though in paradise, despite living in this fallen and broken world.  It becomes our task as Church, as a people of God to enable and equip our youth to live as Children of the Light in this current age and in this current culture that on many levels not only seems foreign to the Orthodox world but on many levels seeks to purge itself of Christ and Christians.  When asked what the Church could do for them, one of our young people who recently entered Canada seeking refuge from war torn Syria stated, “help me to keep my Orthodox Faith in this culture and new country.”  Our youth are ridiculed for their faith and love of Christ and His Holy Orthodox Church by their peers and adults in their schools and the culture at large.  Our youth are encouraged to turn away from God, to reject our Orthodox Culture and way of life, and if they do, often it is so that they may feel as though they fit in with and are accepted by their peers and to please the adults in their life of whose acceptance they crave.  Yet this attempt to fit in with those who reject God just brings more loneliness and suffering.

In so many ways this cry to preserve one’s faith and trust in God in the face of persecution and brokenness is an opening to the heart to seek and understand God.  In the forward to the book, Orthodox Spirituality by Dumitu Staniloae, Alexander Golubov writes,

“Human yearning for salvation and redemption, which springs out of knowledge of the depths of human ‘dis-integration’ and brokenness, responds to Divine kenosis, flowing out of Divine phianthropia, and comes to focus on the Person of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son and Word of God.  It is from here, in one’s personal recognition of Christ as the unique Savior and Redeemer of the world, that faith, indeed, becomes possible, and that an intentional and inspired Christian spiritualty becomes a purposeful and integrative inner journey to the ultimate healing of the ‘old’ and ‘fallen’ human nature, through perfect union with the ‘resurrected,’ hence ‘re-imaged’ and ‘glorified,’ divinely-human (theanthropic, bogochelovecheskaia) nature of Christ.”[4]

Here in so many ways lie the heart of recognizing the preciousness of time.  That time allows us to recognize our human condition, our brokenness, our sorrow and at the same time this brokenness softens our heart and opens our eyes and ears to hear and see the gentleness and mercy of the Living God who takes, “no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).  This allows for true repentance which can only take place across time and only through and because of Jesus Christ.  It is in this dying to the “old man” Adam, and rising to the “new man” Christ, that time brings about healing and life.

Time is a precious gift from God and we would do well for our youth to understand that it is finite in this world and that each of us will need to give account for what we have done with the time God has gifted us.  Saint Paul emphasizes to us the importance of utilizing and not wasting time,

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret; but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of the time, because the days are evil.”[5]

In 2 Corinthians, we are likewise called to work with God and in doing so become partakers of life everlasting gaining salvation:

“Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At the acceptable time I have listened to you and helped you on the day of salvation.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in any one’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love,truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”[6]

Time is sacred because it allows God and others to flow in and out of our lives over a span to days, weeks and months, giving us the needed time and references to open our hearts and minds to God and to others.  This process of working out our beliefs, feelings, emotions, pain, suffering and the like over a span of time (hours, days, weeks, months and even years) allows for movement from one mind set to another, from pain and sorrow, to understanding, to forgiveness, and ultimately to healing and life through God’s Grace.  One of the great gifts we can give to this generation is a restoration of the preciousness of time, its importance to us as human beings, its sacredness, its healing grace, and opportunity of moving closer to God and healing the wounds of our brokenness.

Space

Much like the loss of our understanding of the sacredness of time, our culture has lost its understanding of the sacredness of space.  When Moses approached the burning bush God reminded him of the sacred space, of holy ground,

“And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and lo, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said,

“I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here am I.” Then he said, “Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:2-5)

As I watch our youth and adults enter Church, so many enter as though it is just another place.  People enter the Church temple as though it is just a building, just a place they may go on Sunday, rather than understanding, feeling and seeing that they are entering the very temple of the Living God.  Seeing the Church as a calm harbour, as a place of peace and God’s presence has been lost in this time and culture.  The world it seems sees everything as profane, and nothing as sacred.  Such an emptiness pervades our world and leads to great poverty of mind and spirit and ultimately to death.  Yet at the same time God and the Church see the world very differently.  God and the Church offer Life, joy and hope and this is the Good News that needs to be brought to our people and lived out in our families.  We enter God’s Holy Temple as a sacred and holy place.  We enter the Church as the Temple of the Living God, as the Kingdom of God present here and now on earth.  When we enter it in humility and with awe of this sacred space, our lives are transformed.  We find peace, joy, hope, salvation, and the very presence of the Living God.

Orthodoxy has preserved this understanding of the sacredness of space, in the temple of God, in the prayer space of our icon corner at home and work, at the dinner table, and most importantly in our own bodies which are “temples of the Holy Spirit.”[7] When one walks into the Church, one should immediately know and sense, as Moses did, that something is radically different.  As one enters the Church, seeing that we are surrounded by the multitude of saints and holy ones and especially Christ and the Theotokos, this should give one a sense that they are among giants, people of great power and love of God, people for whom we would do well to place amongst our friends in working on our own salvation  As we approach and stand before the Icon of Christ and stand in His presence, in His peace, we should feel God’s love that He would send His own Son to become one of us, so that we might be saved.  We should be overwhelmed that God has kept His promise that He would not forget the work of His hand.  As we stand before the icon of the Theotokos, our hearts should be filled with grace and peace and love.  We should feel and know what she has offered in her suffering at the cross, but also her joy at the Resurrection and in her obedience and purity before God.

In the presence of Christ, His mother, the Saints, in this sacred space the outside world should melt away, giving us the opportunity to feel, see, hear and be immersed by the embrace of God Himself.  No other space can do this for us.  Our young people are robbed each time we as parents choose to bring them elsewhere.  Each empty place and promise we bring our youth to on Sunday morning and Feast days instead of God’s temple robs our young people of God’s immense strength, healing and life-giving presence.  If we fail to immerse our young people in God’s temple from the earliest days of their youth the less and less likely they will feel at home in this life-giving temple and more likely that they will prefer the darkness and sorrow of this world over the Light of and Life in Christ.

Our task in each home we dwell is to make a sacred space, an Icon corner for each person or the family as a whole, so that the grace and peace of that space permeates the entire home and lives of those who dwell within and enter that home each day.  Our dinner table likewise should be a sacred space where food is received as a gift from God in prayer and in thanksgiving.  Restoring not only the sacredness of that table and that space but all who sit around that table that they see what is laid upon and consumed upon that table as a sacred gift from God.  That we and they see upon that table that life has been sacrificed and given from the plants and animals which lay upon that table and will soon be eaten by us so that we may live.

Most importantly, that we understand that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, we ourselves are a sacred space and temple of God and a member of the “Body of Christ.”[8] We are made and formed in the Image and Likeness of God.[9]  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…”[10]  This is what sets us apart from all of creation.  Mankind alone was created to be in the image and likeness of God.  Human beings were created to be sacred, a sacred space, a sacred temple of the living God.  As beings created in the image and likeness of God we are called to become more and more like God and in so doing we are called to sanctify ourselves, all those around us, as well as our culture and our time.  We are the vehicles by which time, space and culture are transformed and sanctified.  We are not bystanders but active participants in the story of salvation that is a movement of a people towards God and with God.  As members of the Body of Christ, we are called to work on our own salvation, sanctifying the space, time and culture we touch so that we may transform and restore to God, the time, space and culture in which we live.

Conclusion

In Conclusion, the question “Why has God decided that this is the best time, place, culture and opportunity for my salvation and how do I utilize this great opportunity for salvation?” is really what lies at the heart of this topic. We would do well for our young people to ask themselves this question as they move through life.  This topic and question should urge us to ask; what God is calling me to think, to feel, to see, to hear, and most importantly to do.  The Church and each of us are tasked with fulfilling the time we have been given, making it sacred not only for us, but also for those who come into our presence.  We are called to receive and treat all that God has given us as sacred.   We must see the Church, the world as created by God, and all that is in it as sacred.  Time and Space are given to us in this culture to help us see, witness and participate in God’s work of love and salvation.  We must ask, where do we fit into this story of salvation, what is our place, our purpose, and our responsibility at this time in our life and in this time in the history of salvation.  If we live in this sacred time and space, we will transform the culture we reside in and make it more sacred and more pleasing to God.

[1] Genesis 3:1-24

[2] “So He cast out Adam, and made him dwell opposite the garden of pleasure.” (Gen 3:24).

[3] Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

[4] page 17 Forward of Orthodox Spirituality, Dumitru Staniloae, 2013

[5] Ephesians 5:11-20

[6] 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

[7] (1 Corinthians 6:19)

[8] 1 Corinthians 12:27

[9] Genesis 1:27

[10] 1 Peter 2:9

Three beautiful bells, cast in France in 1947 and hung in the Saint George bell towers, have not rung for decades.  Thanks to the generosity of Saint George Legacy Fund these bells are once again ringing at Saint George.  The bells were refurbished and all of the controls replaced by Léo Goudreau & Fils of Quebec.

You can hear these beautiful bells every day at 5:00 PM and at the start and end of each Church Service.

On Saturday, December 7^th, the young adults gathered in the kitchen of St. George Orthodox Church for a nutrition and cooking workshop. Led by parishioner and nutritionist Jana Louis, the workshop focused on how to ensure one is provided with essential nutrients during fasting periods. Eating traditional Middle Eastern cuisine is a great way to naturally obtain these basic requirements, so after a brief presentation the young adults worked in teams to prepare the evening meal using simple ingredients.  The result was a colorful, delicious, and nutritious arrangement that provided a sense of satisfaction to all participants.  

The event was sponsored by the Mentoring Program, which seeks to engage teens and young adults in activities beneficial to physical, mental, and spiritual health in addition to providing academic tutoring support and music classes.  Please be sure to mark your calendar for the upcoming Career Networking event on Saturday, January 18^th.

For more information on upcoming events, please visit https://rubix.iconcmo.com/5142768533/registration/