Well, readers we have heard your voices. We are not able to start an
Orthodox chat room yet, but we are taking email and snail mail addresses
of anyone interested in having an Orthodox pen pal.
We already have a number of people in Alaska and Australia who would like
to be hooked up with someone from the "lower 48." Most of these are snail
mail addresses.
Interested? Send an email to youth@oca.org with:
We will verify your information with your parish priest and match you up
with an Orthodox pen pal.
1 Cor 1:18-24 (from the Epistle on the Exaltation of the Cross, September 14)
Sometimes when we think of our Faith we turn it into something strictly
"mental" or "emotional." Either we want our religion to give us a
"fulfilling experience" that "feels right," or we try to put God in an
intellectual box; thinking that religion should be able to explain God
fully through reason and the acquiring of a "higher consciousness."
This, of course, is not a new thing. St Paul, in his letter to the
Corinthians, talks about the Jews during his time who couldn't believe in
Jesus because they needed a big sign or miracle that would prove to them
that He was God. Many Greeks during that time were looking for God to be
something they could reason out and explain.
The truth of the matter is that our Faith is much more than that. The God
of the Bible and the Church isn't someone Whom we can fully explain. How
does one encapsulate the One Who created the entire cosmos in a series of
sentences a human being can fully understand and remember? Likewise, what
great sign (not counting all the miracles in the Bible and lives of the
saints) could God do that would forever convince people to believe in Him,
when even rising from the dead was not enough?
Rather than looking for some great wisdom or sign to verify our Faith, we
should simply be part of it by entering into a relationship with God and
doing the things Christians do. What do we, as Christians, do? It is
very simple.
We shouldn't worry about what others think. For some people, Jesus Christ
and Christianity will always be foolish: something that "weak people need
to help them deal with their fear of death, etc." To some it will seem
ludicrous and scandalous (how can God die?). To us it is our hope, our
comfort, and our joy.
Once we recognize God acting in our life and start to get to know Him, the
Cross becomes a sign that God will stop at nothing to save us, even from
ourselves.
Something to think about:
There is little question that Steven Spielberg's latest movie -- Saving
Private Ryan -- is a contender for this year's Academy Awards. It is a
compelling portrayal of a small group of men that personify the thousands
of soldiers that fought and sacrificed for us and their country. The
character Private Ryan is a symbol for all the people the Allied Powers
fought for as they struggled to keep Adolf Hitler's influence from
sweeping over the entire world.
While, veterans' groups are debating the realism of the film and the value
of depicting extremely graphic aspects of war, we can say the following:
On the up side:
On the down side:
Orthodox Youth and Families come and see the Pirates vs. the Brewers
Labor Day, Monday September 7, 1998 at 1:35 PM:
Cost is $25.00 (includes an all-you-can-eat pre-game buffet, Pirate
gift pack and game ticket. A portion of the cost will help support
the Diocese of Pittsburgh youth programs.)
For more information contact John Schultz at 304/723-2441
National Kids Online Week (September 14-20):
To advertise your event here send information to:
youth@oca.org
School has started and we all could use all the help we can get! Here's a
sampling of some new and interesting sites to see on the World Wide Web:
Survive On Campus With Style.
A network of over 30 College Communities. A guide to help the
entering college student survive and excel. Post Your Résumé
Going to College Checklist. Dealing with your Roommate, etc. ...
Check out the Orthodox Faith section of www.oca.org for simple
explanations of various Church teachings.
The "What's New" page is full of current news on the Orthodox Church
in North America and throughout the world.
Q.
(from DE from MI)
We enjoy your newsletter very much. I have learned several things and
have had several teachings confirmed through YO-Mail. Good answers on
the sexual questions. Talking with my youngest son tonight, a
question came to us on saints.
Throughout the history of the Orthodox Church, there have been many
saints whose bodies have not corrupted. Oil/myrrh flows from some.
Is this lack of corruption and the flowing of oil/myrrh unique to the
Orthodox Church? Do Muslims/Buddhists/Hindus etc. claim such? I have
read of cases of stigmata in the Western church, but not what we have
in our Church.
Thanks for your research and answers. May the LORD bless you as you
labor in His Vineyard.
Dn Demetrius
A.
Father Deacon, it's great to know that Deacons don't always have all
the answers either!
You and your son came up with a good question. We did a bit research
on this and found out a few things. First, it's not as easy as saying
yes or no. The idea that certain people achieve a closeness to a
"higher power," which provides them with abilities of intercession and
assistance to living people is a universal religious concept. We
refer to them as saints, or "the holy ones." Muslims refer to them as
"friends of God" and certain Buddhists refer to them as the
"enlightened." Overall, however, non-Christian religions do not
have the veneration of these people's relics in the way we do and,
therefore, are not interested in issues such as incorruptibility.
Western Christianity has some diverse views on the subject.
Protestants, as a rule, do not venerate saints since they believe it
distracts from the worship of God. Therefore, the incorruption of
saints' bodies is not at issue. The Roman Catholic and Anglican
Churches, however, do venerate saints -- though they have different
methods of determining whether or not someone is a saint -- and do,
in fact, have an entire category of saints referred to as
"incorruptibles."
Even in the Orthodox Church, however, what is often referred to as
"incorruption" is not always an indication of holiness. In some
places of the world, bodies can be incorrupt simply because of local
conditions in the atmosphere and ground. For this reason, the Church
reviews many things before glorifying someone as a saint.
Next issue:
In the meantime you may like also to visit a new section on the OCA WebSite:
http://www.oca.org/Orthodox-Church-Introduction/Q-and-A
If you have a question, or know a friend who does, send it to us at
youth@oca.org. We'll give you a direct
and concise answer!
MA from PA writes:
There is a big debate going on between my friends and our parents. We
(me and my friends) say that violence in recent movies, such as the
two Scream movies, do NOT encourage kids like the kids in Jonesboro to
kill their classmates. But now I'm not sure. I would like to know
other kids' opinions on the subject.
>>
Add your thoughts on some of our ongoing questions:
In case you forgot: YO-Mail is your mail.
If you have an opinion about something in YO-mail or something going on
at school, in the Church, or in society, send it in! Send it to
youth@oca.org Don't worry! All entries
will be treated anonymously unless you tell us otherwise.
From the Office:
Orthodox Pen Pals Wanted: Email and Snail Mail
Food for the Soul
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
... For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom, but we
preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the
Greeks foolishness.
"O Lord, sometimes I find myself wondering how much I believe in You, Your
Son, and Your Spirit. Help me to believe truly in You -- not by looking
for great miracles or perfect explanations, but by seeing You acting in my
daily life. Help me to see the Cross as a sign of Your real victory over
evil and death."
Movie: Saving Private Ryan
On the Calendar
Orthodox Youth and Family Day:
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers, plus National Kids Online Week (Sep 14-20)
Check out http://www.americalinksup.org/ for information on online
events.
In the News
Cyberspace for Students
The A+ Student: Tips on How to Take Notes and Study.
Their local area networks aside, college students have a broader
on-line community available at the College Web home page. The site
was created to be "fun, cool and intelligent." College writers,
bands, fiction authors, poets and students living abroad are asked to
contribute. This is a site by the students and for the students.
Financial Aid Information Page Contains a searchable set of links to
educational resources for K-12 and early college. Includes arts,
games, reference materials, and a Techie's Corner. The web page for
Link Magazine.
Billed as "the biggest study site on the Internet," this home page is
packed with links for more than 2,000 research topics. And if you
don't find the answers there, you can e-mail a list of experts.
Additionally, the site includes databases on scholarship resources,
all the elementary and secondary schools in the United States, and
high school and college newspapers.
Beginning Web surfers will enjoy the YIL Surf School home page. This
site is loaded with helpful features. If you're a novice, start out
at "How to Surf," where you can find out about plug-ins and e-mail.
Then move on to some of the other links, such as "Surf Stories," which
relates the many diverse ways people use the Internet.
This collection of electronic resources is just for teens. Teen
Zines: fiction and non-fiction written by and for teens. Past Times:
check out what's on TV, at the movies, or on the radio. Hangouts:
places to have fun on the web. Organizations: see how you can make a
difference. Real World: find books and info to help you survive
school and the real world.
The back-to-school edition of this on-line magazine for younger teens
includes features about being nervous on the first day of school and
tales of heroic youths. Even a college kid can get a kick out of
visiting here. There's a page for sounding off and a joke of the day.
If you think the joke's funny, you can e-mail it to a friend from the
Web site.
Find two-year and four-year colleges and universities by name,
location, major, religious affiliation, and more. Search for colleges
with religious affiliations. Hot tips and sample test questions for
the SAT, ACT, and TOEFL examinations. Scholarship information. ROTC
information, and much, much more!
College Preparation & Applications provides access to Peterson's Guide
to Colleges so parents and teens can determine what college is best
for them here and abroad. There are also SAT tips, practice tests,
and registration and test dates as well as scholarship and grant
information. High school seniors can use this area to apply online to
more than 1,000 colleges.
The site features a list of OCF websites, homepages of various
Orthodox youth groups, YO-Mail back issues, information on SYNDESMOS
(the World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth), and Group Discussion guides.
Greek or English versions. The site has video coverage of various
archdiocesan events, OCF websites and information, Youth and Young
Adult News and Events, Youth Ministry Resources, and message boards.
Resources and information for Orthodox Christian youth and youth
leaders. Good links for help getting into college.
Real Questions, Real Answers!
The Incorruption of Saints' Bodies
St John Chrysostom's Comments on the Jewish People
This is a new series of contemporary Questions and Answers sent in to
the OCA Office of Communications by email. As questions of general
interest are asked, the OCA Office of Communications will be posting
answers to this section of the website while maintaining the privacy
of the questioner. New Q&A will be added weekly.
Readers Write ...
New Question: Do Violent Movies Encourage Violence?
Well readers, the question's been asked. What do you think? Let
us know! Send in your response to youth@oca.org