| Home |
| About Us |
|
News and Events
|
| Orthodox Christianity |
| Schedule of Services |
| Ministries & Organizations |
| Multimedia |
| Directions |
| Contact |
  |
April 2002
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Christ
is in our midst! He is and ever shall be!
Come unto me all ye that labor
and are weighed down with burdens,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me
for I am gentle and humble of heart
and you shall find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
We are issued an invitation to enter into the gracious life of God by the One who has the power to share it. God does not so much issue commands as He invites. The Incarnation, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ show us concretely who God is and what He desires for us. He did not send a mere man to die on the Cross, He came Himself. He did not choose a righteous man among many to suffer the torment of the Cross. He came Himself to bear the sins and death that afflict His beloved creation by laying His life down for us all. That is why we know that God is love. If you love someone, then you will bear their sorrows with them and even for them if possible. A god who keeps himself aloof from his creation is not a loving god. A hidden god who sends divine proclamations from an ivory tower is not a loving god. We do not serve a selfish and disinterested deity. We serve the God who was born for our sake, lived for our sake, suffered and died for our sake and was raised again on the third day for our sake because His love knows no bounds.
How can our hearts and minds grasp this great mystery? We certainly cannot figure it out with our limited human reason, but we can experience its power all the same. So, He calls to us, "Come unto me..." All that remains is that we accept His invitation.
As Holy Pascha draws near and Great Lent fades away, let us all reexamine our lives in the light of the Truth of God's infinite love. "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me..." Listen, pray, listen! "Draw near to God while He is near." Take the risk of believing, lay down your burdens and come close. Allow God to enter your daily existence and, like yeast in a loaf, your whole existence will begin to be transformed.
May the Unoriginate Father, the Co-Eternal Son, and the All-Holy, Good and Lifegiving Spirit lead you and guide you to everlasting life, now and ever and unto all ages. Amen.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Antony
Archives of Fr Antony's Monthly Notes
2010
August 2010
June 2010
May 2010
March 2010
2009
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
2008
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
2007
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
Summer 2007
May 2007
May 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
2006
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
2005
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
2004
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
2003
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
June 2003
May 2003
April 2003
March 2003
2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002
February 2002
January 2002
2001
November 2001
October 2001
May 2001
April 2001