For all you readers who are interested in Orthodox Christian Fellowships on
college campuses throughout North America, we recently posted the most complete
Directory of OCFs on the web. If we missed
your OCF, some of the information in the directory is out of date, or you
would like to add some additional information to one of the listings, let
us know at youth@oca.org -- we are adding updates daily! We are attempting
to provide an International Directory -- and already have one OCF in Australia!
In other news, the second set of cyberpals was sent out. We've had
requests from as diverse places as AK, CT, CA, FL, IN, IL, and OH -- just
to name a few. Matches include high school and college-age readers.
Interested in joining? Send us an e-mail with your name, e-mail address,
date of birth, parish that you attend, name and phone number of your
priest, and a list of your interests/hobbies. We'll confirm your
information and hook you up with one or more cyberpals, depending on your
request.
Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 (Epistle reading for Theophany / Baptism of Christ)
Christ came to save us from death -- the death of living only for
ourselves, depending only on ourselves, loving only ourselves. God saw
His creation literally devouring itself and sent His Son to be born, live,
die, and rise again so that anyone who identified with Him would be free
from these deadly desires and able to live forever in love.
It is an amazing and almost overwhelming thought that God did all this so
that we would be able to be His people -- not Americans, not Canadians,
not Socialists, or part of a man-made group, but to be part of a people
who identify themselves as belonging to God Himself. In this reading we
hear that Christ came not only to rescue us from our sinful and
destructive acts and thoughts, but to purify us and make us a people
"zealous for good deeds."
This phrase tells us a lot about what it means to be His people. Most of
us know that we should do good deeds. We remember the parable of the Last
Judgement with its good sheep and bad goats. Often, however, we
incorrectly think that God is just pushing us to do "nice" things that
help people. The truth is that He wants more from us. To be God's people
doesn't mean we must do this or that, regardless of how "good" it may be.
He is not as concerned with what and how many deeds we do, but that we are
truly "zealous" to do them.
Zeal implies an enthusiasm and eagerness that are powered by love. If we
are zealous to do good deeds which truly help people, then we are not
doing them grudgingly out of a sense of obligation, but out of love -
love for our God and for fellow human beings. This love urges us to do
anything that we can to help someone else. It is for this reason that
St Paul reminds us that no matter what great and or holy tasks and
accomplishments we may do, if we do not have love, they are worthless
(1 Cor 13:1-3).
There is no question that this is a difficult task. It is an olympian
effort to sustain this type of fervor every minute of every day. But if
we do have the slightest zeal and love for God, we will realize our
shortcomings and want to make things right with Him and with others.
While it is impossible to for us to make things right, He reaches out to
us when we confess our sinful and weak moments, and out of His mercy and
love, forgives us and receives us back as if we had never left.
Something to think about:
From the Office:
OCF Directory Now Online, and 2nd Set of Cyberpals Sent Out
Food for the Soul
For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men,
training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live
sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed
hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus
Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to
purify for Himself a people of His own who are zealous for good deeds
... but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior
appeared, He saved us, not because of deeds done by us in
righteousness, but in virtue of His own mercy. ..."
An Orthodox Look
Movie: At First Sight
While many of the reviews for Val Kilmer's latest film At First Sight are less than glowing, this tale of a blind man who gains his sight only to lose it is finding a number of fans among Mr Kilmer's female followers as well as couples looking for that perfect date movie.
Based upon a true story, the film explores how we must first look, if we are to see; and listen, if we are to hear.
On the up side:
On the down side:
On the positive side, the movie did reflect that it was not a casual act, but one based on love for each other. The fact that their relationship almost crumbled so easily, however, did send a warning about becoming physically intimate before making a real commitment to each other which is blessed by God and supported by those around you.
Topic: Behold the Bridegroom! The Services of Holy Week
Led by: Archpriest Paul Lazor, St Vladimir's Seminary Dean of Students and Lecturer in Liturgics and Pastoral Theology
Saturday, March 20: 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy / Brunch / 4:00 PM Conclusion
Please register by March 12 by sending name, address, and telephone number to:
St Vladimir's Seminary / Retreat Registrationor:
575 Scarsdale Rd
Crestwood, NY 10707
phone+1.914.961.8313, ext 328
send email to events@svots.edu
To advertise your event here, send information to: youth@oca.org
Associated Press journalist Deb Riechmann recently wrote an article reporting on a study which showed that Americans are questioning the credibility of the press. According to her article, the survey found that 48% of the public find misleading headlines in their newspaper more than once a week, and more than 75% seriously question articles that use anonymous stories, with 45% saying that these stories should not be reported at all if no one is going to go on the record. Interestingly, 31% said they had been the subject of a news story or had been interviewed by a reporter. Of that group, 24% said they were misquoted, and 31% found errors in the story.
Americans seem to be getting tired of the press using hyped-up stories to sell papers or increase ratings by grabbing our curiosity. When reading a newspaper, listening to a sound byte, or catching the evening news, perhaps Americans will start to realize that, while our "free" press is not captive to the agendas of current government, it is enslaved to making money by attracting an audience in any way it can.
Readers must judge for themselves what message the press is trying to sell, and what they think is the real story. It is up to each of us to pay attention to the adjectives that are being used, the angle of the camera, and the music in the background. When we really look and listen, it is easier to tell the show from the story.
Q. (from PO from WA)
Dear YO-Mail,
I am a freshman at Pacific Lutheran University and a recent convert to the Orthodox faith. Over this J-term I have been taking a class called "Philosophy: Creation and Evolution." This class has presented the biggest ever challenge to my faith. Almost all of the materials have been evolutionist in nature. The only creationist material has been the supposed "creation science" of a Dr Henry Morris and the Institute for Creation Research. He is a fundamentalist and Biblical literalist whose underhanded tactics and wacky ideas only make creationism look bad. I have to write a paper formulating my position on the issue. As always, I want my opinion to be the Orthodox opinion. The one big problem is that there is almost NO Orthodox information on the controversy. I am inclined to write in support of microevolution but against macroevolution. What am I to do?
In Christ,
Barnabas
A.
Well Barnabas,
Your question is one that just about every Orthodox Christian asks himself or herself. It is based on questions that people have asked since the beginning of time: How did the world start? and where did I come from?
The Orthodox Church does not have much to say about microevolution or macroevolution. Much of the evolution versus creation debate you mentioned is based upon atheistic rationalism reacting to fundamentalist biblical literalism. Both these movements came about in the West apart from the teachings of the Orthodox Church.
The Church, however, and therefore its Bible, does have a lot to say about Who was behind the creation of the world. This is, in fact, the point of the Genesis accounts. For centuries people believed in different gods, the most popular being the sun god. This had some logic to it since it was the sun that gave the heat and light that allowed things to grow. People and animals lived and died based upon the activity of the sun.
The book of Genesis is an argument that the sun is not a god who created the world. Rather, the Bible asserts that the true God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and that it was He Who created the world. When you read the account you will notice that light is created on the first day. God does not create the sun until the fourth day. This is to assert that the real God, Abraham's God, is not bound by anything. He can even make night and day without the sun and moon. So don't look at the Bible as a science text book. It is a theological book that tells us about Who God is and how He, out of His divine love, has continued to reach out to His us since the very beginning. As Orthodox Christians, we believe that no matter what scientific explanations we may discover about how this and that happened, it was the one true God Who was behind it.
If you want to read more on this topic check out the Questions and Answers section of OCA website. There is an interesting response to this issue under the topic:
If you have a question, or know a friend who does, send it to youth@oca.org -- we promise to do our best to answer it clearly, concisely, and honestly!
NW from MN writes about the movie Varsity Blues:
While having NO desire to see this movie, there is a line in one of the previews that really got me thinking, and I would like to know what the general thought of it is, especially among people in high school. The line is something to the effect that "You don't always have to do the right thing." That really stuck with me. What are the writers of the movie saying? Is this a common belief today? Just something to muse over.Nick Woog
Well readers, the question's been asked. What do you think? Let us know!
Don't forget to add your thoughts on some of our ongoing questions:
Have an idea for a new topic? Send it to us!
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.