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By the Grace of God my beloved, here we are once again, at the threshhold of a New Year. Normally, on January first, we celebrate the 8th Day of the Lord's Birth, when by tradition in the Jewish Faith the infants were circumcised. Also, it is the notable Day of St. Basil the Great, one of the most illustrious, and important Fathers of the undivided Christian Church. St. Basil has the distinction of being known as the Father of Philanthropic Institutions. He created Havens for every need of the suffering humans. These separate Havens, gradually developed into a small city, named Vasilias in his honor, where everyone could find solace, and the help needed. We feel especially close to St. Basil, because of a centuries- old tradition of baking the Vasilopitta, or the St. Basil's cake, in which a coin is inserted. When the cake is cut into slices and given to the members of the Family, the one who finds the coin in his or her slice, is the fortunate person of the year. Normally, for our Mission, we would bless and cut the Vasilopitta the first Sunday after the New Year, but this coming Sunday, the 7th of January, we are going to celebrate the Epiphany Service following the Divine Liturgy. Therefore the Vasilopitta is postponed, and will be blessed and cut on Sunday, January 14th. Tomorrow, as we know, is the dawning of the New Year 2007. Since we cannot celebrate the Liturgy on New Year's Day, our prayers abounded today, and should privately abound by all, --to glorify the Lord's Name, and ask Him to bless us, --- our beloved Mission, and the whole world, to learn to live in peace and harmony. There is no question, but that the swift currrent of materialism, and that of personal enjoyment has taken its toll. We have just celebrated another Christmas. Have you noticed, that as each year goes by, we see fewer and fewer Christmas-oriented programs on TV, and we hear less and less Christmas music. Santa Claus has completely taken over. People have become absorbed in the purchasing and the exchanging of gifts. Christmas, a major Religious Holy Day, literally opened the Gates of Paradise for all. Unfortunately though, too many have capitulated to the material frenzy, by having become totally absorbed in the purchasing, and the exchanging of gifts. But the fact remains, that the real essence of Christmas is the acceptance of God's greatest Gift to humanity for all time, through the Birth of our Lord Jesus. So many Christians go through the motions of going to Church, just because it's Christmas, perhaps even receiving Holy Communion. But this is nothing more than a routine custom for them. Thus, there is no recharging, nor any spiritual uplifting, commensurate with the regenerating spirit of Christmas; to personally sense a rebirth of our total being, ---- and to sense the becoming true children of God. So now. just one day away from the New Year, the Church universally continues to herald Her message, which is a continuous invitation saying: "Come, offer your total being for a new spiritual beginning, especially now, as the New Year dawns, so that it may become a symbol, for all the days of the year, which will follow!" Routinely celebrating the Holy Days, is like placing God in the back seat, as it were. We seem to take comfort, that He is always there. We truly are not very involved with Him, and cannot say as St. Paul did: "I live; --- yet not I, --- but it is Christ, Who lives within me!" St. Paul's life and mission proved through his 'action, these very words he professed. Christians must pause at sometime, and question themselves: "Are we in the category," which St. Paul describes in Romans 10:2, "of Christians, who have a zeal for God, but without having any true knowledge or foundation?" We all seek opportunities in life. I ask you, is there a greater opportunity, than choosing to be fully united with the Lord? Still further, I ask you, is not the New Year an opportunity for all people, older and younger to fully respond to our Lord's invitation? We all seek happiness in life. But happiness, does not mean the same thing to all people. Somehow, people have to come to grip with themselves, and at some time take life more seriously. When this happens, they will be convinced, that happiness does not come from the externals, --- from things that we can acquire, --- but happiness, has its roots from deep within our soul. It has to source from within the soul. Proof of this is, that as a person matures and approaches the riper years in life, he or she realizes and believes, that the things we felt were so important during our younger years, are now so incidental and unimportant. Also, the realization comes, that the things we took for granted, and to which, we didn't give very much importance, these are the things that really counted, and finally they become very precious to us. I will always remember the title of a popular song in the 40's; titled, "The best things in life are Free!" Even a superficial thought on this title, will convince us, that the title of this song is so true and lasting. The tangibles of this life may bring momentary happiness, but the intangibles, do give us true, and lasting happiness. A person will never be completely happy, unless he or she frees himself or herself from the belief, that the material things of themselves only, will bring the desired happiness. The late President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in one of his Christmas Messages, re-iterated the words of President Washington, when he said: "That our Country long ago had rejected the exclusive dependency on materialistic values!" However, as noble and idealistic as this phrase is, and of course being so applicable and achievable, it has long been covered over, by the ashes of sheer materialism in our present world. As a result, spiritual fulfillment, and true happiness has suffered at the expense of the tempo, which our society has set. Truly, it is difficult to comprehend, as to why so many people are so willing to follow anybody or anything! Some, even become so blinded, and devoted to certain leaders, that they remind me of a servant in days of old. When his master was mortally wounded in battle, he commanded his servant to go ahead of him, and tell the dead, that he was soon to arrive. The devoted servant pierces his , heart with a dagger, believing, that he would be able to execute the command of his master. We've seen this blind following in the lives of Jonestown, Waco, Texas and other places, which is nothing less, than total catastrophe. Our Lord Jesus does not command us. But, He is forever reaching out, and inviting us to follow Him. He asks us to unload our hearts from the heavy burden we often carry, --- to deny our old selves --- to pick up our cross and follow Him. Free from the heavy burden of our sins and faults, our Lord assures us, that He will give us the strength and the power to overcome life's difficulties. When the Lord is with us, and we firmly believe this, to be sure, no earthly burden will ever be too heavy for us to bear! For this reason, we must become more conscious of the great privilege we have, to be known as Christians, and to believe, that to grow in Christ, requires a steady and systematic process. Flowers do not bloom in one day; nor do the fruit of the trees ripen in one week! In a comparable manner, -- step by step, we can choose to ascend the steps on the ladder of Christian perfection, so as to sense the real happiness and fulfillment. Beloved Friends. People must finally awaken from their spiritual lethargy, within the confines of family, of work, of Community and of the Church. This is the great opportunity offered to all of us, on New Year's Day. Will we grasp the opportunity, and give our faith real substance? The choice is always ours; and when this does happen, we shall be worthy to repeat the words of St. Paul in Romans 8:36-39. "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, --- nor angels, --- nor principalities, --- nor the present, --- nor the future, --- nor evil forces above or beneath, --'nor anything in creation, shall be able to separate me from the love of God, as shown in Jesus Christ our Lord." Amen. + Fr. George Papadeas
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