Food for the Soul:
God's Promise To Us
"But Mom, you PROMISED!" We have all said it at least
once. Sometimes, if we listen to ourselves very carefully, we
realize we're still saying those very same words to others,
firm in our resolve that promises are never broken and words
of intent lead to the appropriate follow-up actions. "You
promised." Small sentence, big meaning.
Our parents, teachers, friends, and coworkers all make promises
to us on a regular basis. Frequently, words of intention and promises
of good things are conditional. IF you do the work, THEN you will
be rewarded. When you don't feel like meeting those conditions -
perhaps because you're too tired to clean your room or you just
don't feel the end justifies the means - the promise becomes less
valuable since you know you will never complete the work that would
have enabled you to receive your reward. That which would be so
memorable if it came free and clear of any further involvement from
us can be forgotten in the blink of an eye if we do not want to
do the work to earn what we were promised.
But what about God's promises to us? God has made big promises
to us, and only asks us to accept them and value them. When we receive
these promises and see them fulfilled, what are we doing with them?
Are we thankful for them? Do we offer our service back to Him for
His gifts?
The feast of Pentecost is the fulfillment of one of the greatest
promises Jesus Christ has given us: the promise of the gift
of the Holy Spirit He made at His Ascension.
"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were
all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a
sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled
the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared
to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of
them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began
to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from
every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the
multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone
heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed
and marveled, saying to one another, 'Look, are not all these
who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our
own language in which we were born? … - We hear them speaking
in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.'" (Acts
2:1-8,11) "But this is what was spoken by the prophet
Joel: 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh.'" (Acts
2:16-17)
God, as always, kept His promise. This promise, however, was not
just given to the Apostles. It was given to all who follow Jesus
Christ. All who come to Him for salvation and are baptized in His
name receive the Holy Spirit. "Repent, and let every one
of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"
(Acts 2:38). The Holy Spirit was not merely bestowed
upon the Apostles so that we could hear about it once a year and
think, 'wow, that's cool that they suddenly understood all those
other languages" and then move on with our lives. Rather, this
promise and gift was meant to change our lives. The Apostles
were given the ability to spread the Word of God to us in our own
language so that we in turn could witness His Word to others. It
made us children of God and not just His creatures.
It is only by the Holy Spirit that we can even call God our Father.
When a friend promises us something and we do not value it enough
to accept it, it is as if the promise never happened. It is an unrealized
opportunity and, in many cases, that is fine for all involved. But
when it comes to God's promises, why would we ever want to waste
them? Why would we want to toss aside a gift from God as being unimportant,
especially when that gift is the Holy Spirit? Instead, we can learn
from the Apostles and follow their example, make good use of the
gifts we are given in Holy Baptism and Chrismation, and spread the
Word of God to others eagerly and willingly. God has already bestowed
His promise upon us. Now it's our turn to make sure we do not waste
what we have been given.
Some things to think about:
- Do we listen when God makes a promise to us?
- What is the difference between being simply a creation of God
and a child of God through the gift of the Holy Spirit?
- How does my response to this promise and gift compare to the
way I respond to others I receive, such as a new computer, a trip
to a fun place, going to the school I want to, etc.?
- What can we do to ensure that we are not wasteful of the
gifts God has given us?
- In our daily lives, are we witnessing God's word to others
in order to continue the work of the Apostles and allow the
Holy Spirit to touch the lives of others we know?
Blessed are Thou, O Christ Our God,
Who has revealed the fishermen as most wise
By sending down upon them the Holy Spirit.
Through them Thou didst draw the world into Thy net.
O Lover of Man, Glory to Thee!
An Orthodox Look
Movies: The Matrix Reloaded
In the original film that led to all the hype surrounding this
sequel, Keanu Reeves plays Neo, a young man who discovers that what
he believed was the real world was actually a complex computer program:
the Matrix. The Matrix is an illusion for humans who are hooked
up to machines to live as batteries for a new race of machines currently
dominating the Earth. Some humans live "free" from the
confines of the Matrix in a city close to the Earth's core called
Zion. Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss)
attempt to free others.
Once pulled from the Matrix into "reality", Neo learns
he can "upload" programs on martial arts and other things
to instantly become a deadly fighter. The major thread running throughout
both films is the belief held by Morpheus and many others that Neo
is "the One," a being that prophecy has predicted will
be the savior of the human race. And so begins The Matrix Reloaded.
What do we remember about the original Matrix? Wonderful
action sequences. Although there weren't many in the first film,
they were spectacular. The sequel quenches our thirst for more intense
and frequent action .
On the upside:
- There were several conversations about the nature of choice
and free will versus "fate" that make .
- Themes of courage, sacrifice, loyalty and faith run throughout
the film. Morpheus, in particular, embodies the concept of
faith in things unseen. Neo and many others are not so sure,
but Morpheus calmly states that their doubt does not affect
either his faith or the unseen forces at work.
- It's understood in the world of the Matrix that doing the right
thing is not always easy, but it is right.
- The movie is filled with the theme that "the truth will
make you free" (John 8:32). For Christians this echoes the
teaching that many people are imprisoned in this world and are
unaware of it, much like the people of the Matrix, and that accepting
the truth of Jesus Christ - that there is so much more to the
world than what we see, taste, touch, and hear - truly frees us
to make better decisions that have a larger benefit. For Christians
this is eternal life in Christ. For the Matrix it is a biological
life in the physical world.
- The movie also correctly portrays that being free does come
with a price and a responsibility as it shows how people like
Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, etc. are inspired by their freedom
to free others.
On the downside:
- The movie is incredibly violent. While it's generally cartoonish,
there are many, many scenes with violence.
- There is some crude language and sexual content, and though
it's not as bad as it could be, this movie is not for children.
- There is one scene in which Neo enters Zion and is greeted by
a crowd of people waiting to speak with him and asking him to
help and "pray" for their children and loved ones. This
scene attempts to paint Neo as a Christ-like figure. Neo, however,
while remaining humble about his abilities and continually trying
to "free" people from the Matrix, has no relationship
to anything greater beyond himself. There is no God or eternal
life in the story. The movie is strickly focused on the physical
world.
- There's a scene near the beginning of the movie that is truly
ugly. It cuts back and forth between Neo and Trinity engaging
in sexual relations and the inhabitants of Zion appearing to be
engaging in an orgiastic rave. It looks like a cheesy MTV video.
It is an honestly and almost laughably bad scene and adds absolutely
nothing to the plot. In fact, therein lies the biggest problem
with The Matrix Reloaded: so many scenes seem forced. Even
the action scenes serve almost no purpose except to entertain.
- The heavy-handed, "pseudo-philosophical" language
gets tiring after a while, especially from Morpheus, who makes
each phrase he utters sound as if it is the most important thing
ever said.
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne,
Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith,
Lambert Wilson, Monica Bellucci |Directed by: Andy Wachowski,
Larry Wachowski | Written by: The Wachowski Brothers |
Sci-Fi/Action; 138 min; R
In the News:
Bishop Nicholai of Serbia and North America
to be Glorified a Saint
On May 19, 2003 the hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church announced
the canonization of Bishop Nicholai Velimirovic. The Orthodox Church
in America welcomed the news, as Bishop Nicholai had served as Dean
of Saint Tikhon Seminary in Pennsylvania.
Born in 1881 as one of nine children, Bishop Nicholai became
well known as a great missionary and evangelist. Upon the conclusion
of World War I, he traveled throughout Europe, rebuilding many
churches and monasteries, and establishing orphanages for children
who had been abandoned among the carnage.
In 1941, in the middle of the Second World War, Bishop Nicholai
was arrested by the Nazis as a member of the Zica monastery
and was imprisoned. In 1944, he was taken to the Dachau concentration
camp, but was eventually released to Slovenia.
A year later, he went to America, where he served as Dean of Saint
Tikhon Seminary, while continuing to assist his native Serbia. His
writings, and particularly The Prologue from Ochrid, have
been translated into numerous languages.
In 1956, Bishop Nicholai passed away at Saint Tikhon's monastery
and was buried at Saint Sava monastery in Illinois. In 1991,
his remains were transferred to Serbia, the home that always
remained so dear to him. The dates for his liturgical commemoration
are March 18, the day he died, and April 20, the day his remains
were transferred.
Christianity Rises Again in Albania
Imagine that it was illegal to hang a cross or icon anywhere
in your home, or to utter a single word of prayer, and that
the punishment for doing so was brutal imprisonment or even
execution. Imagine that there were only twenty-two priests still
alive, and less than eighty churches and monasteries still standing
in your entire country.
Mercifully, most of us can barely imagine such an existence.
But for the people who lived in Communist Albania, this was
reality. After World War II, Albania was made into a Soviet
satellite with Enver Hoxha serving as the nation's first communist
head of government. A brutal man, who admired the likes of Joseph
Stalin, Hoxha controlled the nation until his death in 1985.
Though Albania had grown accustomed to calamity, having been
conquered by the Muslims in 1478, bullied by the Italians after
World War I, and occupied by the Fascists during World War II,
they certainly couldn't have been prepared for what occurred
in 1967. It was then that Albania became known as "the
world's first atheist country." From then to 1990, approximately
fifteen hundred Orthodox Churches, monasteries, and cultural
centers were destroyed, thousands of clergy were executed, and
thousands of Christians imprisoned.
Yet, despite this barbarity, since the fall of Communism, Orthodoxy
has witnessed a dramatic resurgence in Albania. "A crucial
factor," says Jim Forest, author of The Resurrection of
the Church in Albania, "was the hidden churches that survived
in several places - homes where, at great risk, baptisms were conducted,
confessions heard, the liturgy celebrated, and marriages blessed."
Most importantly, in 1991, the former Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios
asked the Greek Archbishop Anastasios to visit the newly democratic
state to spread the Orthodox faith. What was intended to be a visit
quickly became a permanent stay and, gratefully, Albania accepted
Archbishop Anastasios as the head of its Orthodox Church.
Since then, eighty new churches have been built, seventy-five
have been restored, one-hundred and forty have been repaired,
twenty large buildings have been constructed to house a theological
academy, an Orthodox High School, several diocesan centers,
and more. Thousands have been catechized and baptized, and liturgies
are being well attended. In fact, Orthodox Christians from around
the world will be gathering in Albania this July for the SYNDESMOS
General Assembly.
For more information about the autocephalous Orthodox Church
of Albania go to www.orthodoxalbania.org.
For more information on SYNDESMOS, the World Fellowship of
Orthodox Youth and its General Assembly, go to www.syndesmos.org.
On the Calendar:
-
FOCA Invites All Orthodox Young Adults to National Convention
in Williamsburg, VA August 28-September 1, 2003
-
SYNDESMOS Diakonia Camp on Mount Athos, August 18-28, 2003
FOCA Invites All Orthodox Young Adults to National Convention
in Williamsburg, VA August 28-September 1, 2003
Williamsburg, VA - The Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America
(FOCA), together with the Orthodox Church in America's (OCA) Department
of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry, invites you, the Young
Adults, to the annual FOCA National Convention. This year's convention
will be held in Colonial Williamsburg, VA during Labor Day weekend,
August 28 - September 1, 2003.
The FOCA is working on many exciting opportunities relating to
Young Adults. This year will mark the first time in many years a
session is held specifically for us. This is our opportunity to
meet with both OCA and FOCA representatives to discuss our thoughts
and opinions on increasing attendance and Young Adult participation,
what we would like to see out of the organization and ways we can
help to better it. Activities include:
o Young Adult breakout session on Friday morning, which will be
combined with Convention Planning. The results of this breakout
session will be discussed Saturday morning.
o Young Adult Reception on Friday night from 10:00 PM - 1:00 AM.
o Young Adult session titled "Focus - Young Adults in the
FOCA and the Church." This will be on Saturday from 2:00 -
3:00 PM. Both the OCA and the FOCA will be well represented in this
session.
o Vespers on Saturday at 4:00 PM.
o A Young Adult outing/barbeque at Busch Gardens Amusement Park
on Saturday evening.
o An informal volleyball tournament on Sunday afternoon.
o Hierarchal Divine Liturgy onSunday morning.
o Grand Banquet and Ball on Sunday evening at the Williamsburg
Lodge.
"Those of us who attend conventions regularly know what a
truly wonderful and fun organization the FOCA is, " says Lara
Herzak, longtime FOCA member and member of the OCA Department of
Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry. This organization was originally
created for Orthodox Christian young adults to have an opportunity
to create lasting friendships with others of the same faith and
to get involved in expanding the reach of the FOCA. If you have
never been to a convention, we highly encourage you to come and
experience first-hand what the FOCA is all about. The Young Adult
"regulars" promise that you will meet many new people,
have an enjoyable time and will want to get involved.
Below are a few testimonials from some convention "regulars"
on what the FOCA has meant to them:
"The FOCA has been a main ingredient in my life that has made
me who I am today. The key in this ingredient is the fellowship
with other Orthodox people. I have been all over the United States
for church services, tournaments, conventions and conferences. With
all of the traveling and events I have done through the FOCA I have
learned how to be sociable, responsible and committed to a faith
and organization. I am thankful and appreciative that I am a part
of the FOCA and truly do encourage all people to get involved!"
- Mary Woog, Minneapolis, MN
"Being brought up in a FOCA family, I was introduced to conventions
at an early age. Family vacations were planned in conjunction with
national conventions. I learned that friendships made at conventions
have become lasting friendships. Today as an adult, I also plan
my vacation so that I can attend the convention. On occasion, I
might choose to miss a family gathering so that I could attend the
convention and see people that I only get to see once a year. My
grandparents and my parents were/are convention goers and it pleases
me to be a third generation FOCA member."
- Neena Malinich, Orlando, FL
"I feel that it is crucial in today's society to be connected
to a fraternal organization where Orthodox Christians of all ages,
backgrounds, and living throughout the country can come together
and worship in prayer and participate in discussion and activities.
This absolutely helps our spiritual growth in all aspects. As I
grow in Christ, I find it absolutely necessary to reach out to those
individuals who are unaware of such a fraternal organization as
the F.O.C.A., a fellowship which is a community where their lives
can be impacted by beginning healthy friendships with new friends."
- John J. Mindala II, Long Island, NY
"When I finished college, I moved 8 hours from home. My parents
called upon their FOCA friends to help me find a place to live.
The FOCA became my family away from home. I have so many people
I can call on to pick me up for church or simply go to dinner with.
It has definitely given my parents peace of mind knowing there are
people nearby who care."
- Lara Herzak, New York, NY
We encourage you to come and help shape the future of the FOCA.
We look forward to seeing you there!
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact
Lara Herzak at lherzak@yahoo.com
or visit the 2003 FOCA Convention website at http://www.williamsburg2003.org
or the FOCA website at http://www.orthodoxfellowship.org.
SYNDESMOS Diakonia Camp on Mount Athos, Aug 18-28, 2003
An experience of Orthodox monastic life within the Athonite community
of Simonapetra monastery this August will make the 10 year anniversary
of SYNDESMOS camps on the Holy Mountain. Participants will engage
in practical outdoor work to help preserve the Holy Mountain's natural
environment, and will have the opportunity to speak with the monastics
there and to visit other monasteries nearby.
Due to the fact that no girls or women are allowed on Mount Athos,
this trip is limited to male participants.
For more information go to www.syndesmos.org
and click on their calendar of events.
Love and Dating:
Ending a Relationship Honestly
KD from the UK asks...
I read the response in last month's YO-Mail about the importance
of finding a Christian partner. I totally think that's great advice
(tough though, sometimes, when you like someone a lot), but what
if you do break up with someone because they're not a Christian…do
you tell them why you broke up with them? I mean, it seems kind
of mean to me to say to someone that that was why. I'm asking because
I recently broke up with a guy because he wasn't sure he believed
in God. He keeps asking why I broke up with him, but I don't know
what to say. Last month it said to be honest before you break up,
but I didn't say anything at the time and now I feel I can't go
back. I just don't want to sound mean or anything. I mean, he's
a great guy otherwise. Any advice?
Answer:
It's natural for you to want to take your ex-boyfriend's feelings
into consideration when trying to answer his question. None of us
want to come across as "mean" or hurtful when we are expressing
our honest feelings to someone. But, if you don't tell him, or if
you make up other reasons for why you ended the relationship, you're
not being very honest with yourself, him, or Christ.
Ask yourself this…why do you feel you would be acting in a
hurtful manner if you told someone that God was important to
your life? Why do you feel that the feelings of your ex are
more important than God? By putting aside your relationship
with God, even for that one moment when you are dishonest with
your ex-boyfriend by not telling him the real reason for the
breakup, you are placing your past relationship in a more important
position than God and His role in your life.
God's plan is not always easy for any of us to understand. If your
ex-boyfriend was important to you, perhaps he was placed in your
life for a reason. Perhaps he was meant to bring you closer to God
by putting you in the position of having to choose to put God first
in all situations. Or perhaps God wants to use you to open your
ex-boyfriend's eyes to God, through your telling him of God's role
in your life. To be dishonest with your ex is not only a lie - bad
enough in and of itself - but a contradiction to the Christian way
of living: to share God's glory with others. "For it is God
who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure"
(Philippians 2:26).
Keep trying to put Christ first in your life now, and be open
and honest with your decision. Relationships come and go, but
Christ does not. Relationships and life are full of decisions,
and you have made yours. You took that difficult step and ended
a relationship you knew would not be right for you in the long
run (because let's face it, marriage does not make any of this
any easier. If you have the problem now, try multiplying it
by ten and you'll have a glimpse of what you would have had
to deal with once married.) You've placed your beliefs, your
faith, and God as those things which are most important in your
life. Don't second-guess yourself now and start lying about
the fact that God IS more important than your ex-boyfriend.
"And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not
to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of
the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians
3:23-24).
This is your place to ask questions
on love and dating and get an Orthodox perspective. E-mail your
questions to youth@oca.org
and put "Love and Dating" in the subject line. We'll answer
your question directly and then post it later in an upcoming
issue. Don't worry. All submissions will be treated anonymously.
Real Questions/Real Answers:
Fighting Suicide with Faith
Question:
Would you have any religious articles that may help youth who
are contemplating or know others who want to commit suicide?
Thanks.
Answer:
"Our faith teaches us that, no matter how hopeless
our plight in life may seem, with God there is always cause
to have hope," states Fr. John Matusiak in his response
to a Q&A posed to him regarding suicide on the OCA website
(for full text go to OCA.org
- Suicide Q/A). Our faith is our crutch in circumstances
where things seem to be the most hopeless, and with God's help
we can overcome more than we ever thought possible.
If you know of someone who contemplates taking his/her own life,
the best advice you can give him/her is to SEEK HELP, both from
God and from others. We are often taught that the way around all
problems is to be as analytical as possible, to "think"
it through. But, when it comes to suicide and depression, self-help
books are not always the best answer. "Perhaps the most important
insight concerning depression is that it is an illness and not a
weakness," states Albert S. Rossi, PhD (full text at OCA.org
- ISSUES IN MENTAL HEALTH:
DEALING WITH DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS). When helping others,
we must be mindful of the fact that this is not something they
can just snap out of. Encourage others to pray, to ask others
to pray for them, to seek help from their priest, or if they
don't feel comfortable seeking assistance from those they know
well (priests or close members of their church), to seek help
through counseling centers or hotlines.
Renewing our relationship with Christ is the way to overcome
any difficulties we face. We are never alone when we are close
to God. Please encourage those you know who are facing this
issue to pray, both personally and with others. The comfort
that comes from just knowing that others are out there praying
for you is amazing, let alone the power God has to answer those
prayers. Let them know they are NEVER alone.
When someone asks you for help, it is an outright cry that cannot
be ignored, but what about those that don't ask? It's essential
to know the warning signs of suicidal depression if you think you
may have reasons to be concerned about someone you love. An excellent
page to visit that may help guide you through this difficult situation
is entitled “Why
have you forsaken me?”: Suicide (Session). This page wasn't
written expressly as a "how-to" for dealing with depression,
but rather as a class outline on suicide. It provides scriptural
readings that may be helpful to both parties, those who help and
those who seek help. It also offers statistics, warning signs, suggestions
on how to approach this very difficult topic with someone you love,
and how to help them renew their relationship with God.
And if you need help yourself, pray, ask God for His guidance,
and seek help. Asking for help from God or others is not a sign
of weakness; in fact, admitting our own insufficiency and throwing
ourselves upon the mercy and guidance of Christ is the only
way to salvation for us all.
Readers Write:
Don't forget!
Here is your chance! We know you have great stories to tell and
honest opinions to share. We know amazing things have happened to
you and you were just wondering, "Now, HOW can I share this with
others?" Well, the section IS entitled "Readers Write," so what
better venue than right here?
You're a reader, so…. You know
the next step. Send us something you've written and would like
to see in a future issue of YO-Mail. Commentary on YO-Mail is
welcome, as is anything that is pertinent to our lives as Christians.
Send it in to youth@oca.org
and we will put it here.
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