St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

God Bless!

The time has come. The hour has been received. The opportunity to respond to our Lord’s gift of salvation is at hand. Beginning with this Sunday evening, The period of Great Lent will begin for 2019. Let us not be like the foolish virgins referenced in the 25th chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel; locked out, unrecognized; discarded. They were late to the celebration for they were ill-prepared and while leaving to find oil for their lamps, the Bridegroom came, welcomed in the wise women, shut the door of the feast, then found those who wandered through the dark streets in vain, to be unworthy of entry.

Great Lent is the exact time to think of such a message. What shuts us out of the kingdom? What removes us from the sight of the Lord? Are we counted among those whom He does not recognize? Entering into an ascetic struggle, a heightened spiritual awareness, a stricter discipline of prayer, a more conscious awareness of needs around us, and committing to a deliberate attempt at the Fast will allow us to begin the process of attaining wisdom. The wise are saved. The foolish parish. Of course I don’t speak of the wise and foolish as pertaining to the intellect, but rather to the maturity of the soul.

The wise, in this sense, are aware of God’s gracious and longsuffering love towards them. And they respond in kind and with prayerful humility. The foolish depend on only themselves, not realizing that their every accomplishment is actually a blessing from the Lord. Their strengths are freely-given gifts from the hand of their Creator and their successes are allowances from above.

The wise are brought in. The foolish are left out. The wise are welcome. The foolish are sent away. The wise are beloved of the Lord. The foolish, though pitied, are rejected.

The rich and beneficial days of the Fast shape and contour our character, resolve, self respect and dedication. This is the process towards wisdom. This is the rejection of foolishness.

The foolish Virgins were shut out of the celebration for they did not demonstrate a true desire to be in the presence of the Bridegroom. Their words did not match their actions and their efforts fell short of their intentions. Please, as your pastor and spiritual father, I implore you not to make the same mistake as we approach our own entrance into the eternal celebration that is the Kingdom of Heaven.

This Kingdom is re-opened to us by a Savior who died for our sake, rose from the dead and lead us back through the gates of Paradise. This same Savior, before His glory is made manifest before the entirety of the world, will be rejected, convicted, violated, mutilated, humiliated and sentenced to an inhumane death. These are the days when we soberly account for all He came to remove and all He took on for Himself. Our sins placed Him in the Cross. His love keeps us from the jaws of death. His love is sacrificial. Our love towards Him, often times is superficial. We can use the days of the Fast to reverse the course of our stubbornness towards Him, the Gospel, and an actual relationship with Jesus Christ.

The foolish women were kept from joining the party perhaps because they did not keep the commandments, observe the Law, love as He loves serve as he serves. They neglected the weighty and important aspects of life. They were flippant and casual. Now is our chance to not imitate those qualities and suffer a similar fate.

On a practical front, how is this going to be made possible? Will reading more spiritual books during Lent save our souls? No. But it will help. Will fasting allow for life everlasting? No, but it will prepare us for the rigors that will. Will praying more often lead us to Heaven? Well, perhaps no if we are praying for the wrong reasons, asking the wrong questions, blaming the wrong persons and not repenting for the sins committed. These days allow us to put all of these, and other practices to the test. And when observed for the singular purpose of glorifying God, we are seen through the eyes of mercy and judged through the process of forgiveness. That said, during Lent:

Pray more often and come to the Services of the Church. Not for your own sake, but because you love the Lord and desire to encounter Him in His House.

Feed the poor. Not for an eternal reward, but because people are hungry.

Give alms and demonstrate selfless generosity. Not because it makes you feel good, but because it will make someone feel valued.

Visit those who are sick. Not because you need something to do, but because they need someone to see.

To that end, we are in the process of working towards a stronger ministry towards our St. Anna Shut-Ins. If you are aware of someone in your family or a friend who is unable to get to church, please send their information to Gary Barker at gbarker10@msn.com. He is the chairman of our Men’s Ministry Visitation Ministry. And together with our St. Anna Men, I would like to greatly enhance this much-needed and too often neglected ministry.

God bless you in this journey. God strengthen you in the task ahead. God inspire you in the process that awaits. Please be aware that I have received the second shipment of the book Tending the Garden of our Souls, and they will be available for purchase this Sunday. Please purchase this Lenten Meditation book and, as I wrote about last week and have been preaching about for a while, share the daily devotionals with your family and dedicate a deliberate amount of time to contemplation and study. It will be a tremendous addition to your Lenten plans.

And lastly, as you gaze upon the above referenced icon and ponder its theological truths, doctrinal message and Scriptural basis, please also pay attention to the obvious. Read the message and remember we lose an hour this Sunday with Daylight Saving Time.

With Much Love in Christ,
Fr. Anthony

Special Reminder: This Sunday, following the Divine Liturgy, the 2019 St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will take place in the church. Please join us as we listen to what these brilliant, young people have to share about their vibrant faith.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Christ is in our Midst!
He is and Ever Shall Be!

The time is at hand, the hour has nearly arrived. The fruitful, contemplative, reflective, penitential, ascetic and productive days of Great Lent are upon us. In little more than a week; one precious week, we will immerse ourselves in the most valuable time of the church calendar – the days that will prepare us for the richest and most profound celebration in the history of creation. Great Lent is a time when our spiritual disciplines are intensified and the loving, ever-present Lord is given a greater portion of our every day, in every way. We are called to pray more intently, worship more frequently, fast more diligently and give more generously. That, my Beloved, is the standard and the blueprint for Lent. Follow those guidelines, and your relationship with Christ will be more vibrant than ever before.

It’s simple. It’s just not easy.

Of course, if it were easy, then there would be no value, no purpose, no challenge. Great Lent is a challenge; it is a collective challenge and indeed, a personal challenge. Everyone of us will approach these days differently. Some of us will have a history of Lenten journeys behind us, having build up a multitude of experiences. For others, we are delving into uncharted waters. We may be new to Orthodoxy. We may be new to fasting. We may be new to an intimate and complete relationship with Christ. Perhaps in the past, we were afraid to fully commit. Perhaps we were too lazy or distracted. Maybe we are still lazy and distracted, but let’s be a little less lazy and a bit less distracted today. And let’s do it together.

As I announced last Sunday, I am presenting a lovely opportunity to the good people of St. Anna’s that will enrich and bless us. Through the years, there have been many Lenten Meditation books that are designed to create a consistent and measured approach to our Lenten readings and devotions. A new book has been recently published that is refreshing, practical, rewarding and motivational. The cover of this book is above and is the center of my challenge to you.

This year, I propose that we begin a new tradition at our beloved St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church. While I encourage you to participate in everything, like our increased worship schedule, parish retreats, and Wednesday-evening guest speakers. But these experiences all take place at the church. How can I, as your pastor, support and encourage you to take home the principals and lessons that are acquired within the sanctuary and lecture hall, and put them to use in your living rooms?

Using this book will help. And next year, we’ll use another book for the same purpose. What is the purpose? Two fold:

To learn something each day that you might not have thought about before.

And to commit to a disciplined regiment of a spiritual nature.

If you have children, participate with them, and use the ideas that were created for Orthodox young people to guide them through Lent.
If you are a couple, read, pray and discuss these meditations together. If you live alone, this gentile read will guide you, no differently.

We will have these books available this Sunday in the Narthex at a discounted rate of only $15.00. If I see that we have or will run out, I’ll order another case on Monday. We will have them in time for everyone to begin.

To add to the accountability and motivational factors, I will be preaching from this book each Friday evening of Great Lent at the Salutations Services. I will also have a special receptacle placed inside the church in front of the icon screen. Here, you are encourage to write down your own, personal and private thoughts on the lessons and meditations. Treat them as a journal entry; articulating the lessons learned, the values gained, the challenges introduced and the complexities experienced. Putting your thoughts into writing will help to galvanize the effort and crystalize the purpose. I will not read these notes – these little love letters to yourselves – but I do plan on sending them to the authors after Pascha, so they can reflect upon what you say, what you write and how you think, in the hopes that Elissa and Kristina will be motivated to continue their efforts in producing tools that will help us attain the Kingdom. To be clear, they did not request this. But doing this will help us, and them.

That is my challenge to you; that is my challenge to myself. I look forward to the spiritual rewards and the difficulties that will, no doubt, present themselves. I anticipate failures mixed with successes. I suppose there will be opportunities to be proud of my accomplishments and disappointments that will stare me down. And all the while, I, together with my family, will tend to the garden that is our hearts.

During Great Lent:

Participate in Divine Services.
Pray Earnestly.
Fast with Discipline (safely and with common sense).
Be Generous Alms-Givers.
Read, Meditate, Reflect and Respond.

With Much Love in XC,
Fr. Anthony

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Though I have very much enjoyed my time spending a couple days with my brother priests of the Metropolis of Denver, I look forward to returning home. Catching up with old friends and making new ones, in Christ’s holy Name are treasured blessings. I always enjoy returning to Texas, for our two daughters were born here, and the Lone Star State holds many fond memories for our family. I thank you for the opportunity to be here at our Clergy Pre-Lenten Retreat and ask you to pray fervently for our sister parishes and His Eminence Metropolitan of Isaiah of Denver.

We are by far, the largest Metropolis in term of land mass, and very much by far, the least populated Metropolis of our Archdiocese. However, we are per capita, the most generous, prolific and growing Metropolis in America. Our thinking is progressive, our hearts are open and our love for the Lord is deep and rich. I know all this to be true, and I am reminded of these blessed truths each time I find myself with the fine people of our holy Metropolis.

St. Anna’s is a prime example of all that is strong in our regional and national church (not my words, but publicly proclaimed by our metropolis leadership). It’s easier to accomplish any sacred task when your bishop is your strongest cheerleader. As a parish – keep up the good work! As individuals, while we make our way toward the Great Fast, I ask that you maintain your spiritual preparations for a fruitful and edifying Lent.

To that end, I have a special announcement and challenge to discuss this coming Sunday following the Divine Liturgy.

And though we do our best to avoid conflicts with Holy Trinity Cathedral, our celebration of Godparent Sunday is taking place on the same day that Bill and Sophie Drossos will be honored downtown by the Hellenic Cultural Association. Mr. and Mrs. Drossos are most deserving of this acknowledgement for they represent with dignity and humility, all that is sacred; and they typify all that has ever been positive within the Salt Lake Greek Orthodox community. To them, we proclaim, Axioi! They are worthy! They are the parents of two, incredibly dedicated St. Anna parishioners: Connie Cayias and Perry Drossos. We congratulate you on the recognition of your beautiful parents.

Again, Great Lent is around the corner. There is much work to be done and preparations to be made. If called upon, please assist in any and every way to make our Lenten Journey, Holy Week experience and Pascha, truly memorable.

Lastly, I remind you that tonight, Friday evening, we will celebrate our monthly Paraklesis Service to St. Anna at 7:00 pm. Please join us.
Wishing You Well From Texas and the Gulf of Mexico…

With Love in Christ,Fr. Anthony

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Each time I write a message to you, accompanied with the Weekly Bulletin, please know that I put a great deal of prayer and anticipation into my letters. Of course, some more than others. Sometimes my messages are light-hearted, and sometimes they are more serious in tone. Still, other times they are meant to motivate in some form or another. But always…always, they are intended as reminders of Christ’s love for each of us, and how the Church expresses His love.

To that end, please consider this week’s message as extremely important. It’s not funny, or witty or quippy. It’s purely didactic to the core. The Church has entered into a very important time of year: that is when our minds, hearts, ears and souls and eyes are making preparations for Great and Holy Pascha – the Celebration of Christ’s Resurrection and Victory over death. Following are some statements from differing resources that describe the days and weeks ahead of us. They correspond with the Church Calendar as a whole, and the St. Anna’s Liturgical Schedule to be specific. If you understand the themes of these coming weeks and place these virtues in your hearts, you will be ready to comprehend the rigors of Great Lent. So, let us take our first steps toward salvation.

The Paschal Cycle

For Orthodox Christians Easter, or Holy Pascha, is actually the center of what is known as the cycle of all movable feasts. This cycle is called the Paschal Cycle.

Sunday, February 3rd marked the beginning of this year’s Paschal Cycle (2019), which invites us to be renewed spiritually on the basis of what is most central and most sacred in our faith. It began with the reading of Zacchaeus a couple weeks ago.

The Paschal Cycle gives us the opportunity to consider the sacred feasts of this period and the particular meaning they have for Orthodox Christians.

The Paschal Cycle constitutes the heart of the Orthodox liturgical year. This is because Holy Pascha is regarded as the Feast of feasts and the Festival of festivals, as it commemorates the greatest event in human history, the Resurrection of Christ, through which death has been abolished for all humanity.

Triodion

From Greek: three odes or modes. The Triodion is a Liturgical book containing the hymns, prayers and services of the movable feast before Easter, beginning ten weeks before Easter with the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, until Easter Sunday. This includes the four weeks proceeding Great Lent, Great Lent, and Holy (Passion) Week. It is also the name of the time period when this book is used in the church, primarily during Orthros, Vespers and the Divine Liturgy. This Sunday, February 17, the Triodion begins. We are on our way to the doorstep of Great Lent.

Sphere Of Virtues

The first four Sundays constitute a preparation for, or gradual entry into, the sphere of virtues (sphera ton areton), which is the primary theme of the Great Lent. The precise meaning of this is revealed in the Sunday Gospel lessons of this period.

First Sunday

On the first Sunday, the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18.9-14) teaches us about the damage which one suffers on account of pride and how delivery from pride can be obtained with the virtue of humility.

This Sunday emphasizes humility as a key attitude for repentance. The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which means a change of mind. To repent we must not boast of our spiritual feats, but humble ourselves like the Publican who longs for a change of mind. We are called to learn this secret of the inward poverty of the Publican rather than the self-righteousness of the Pharisee who is convinced of his perfectness and not open to change because of his pride. There is no prescribed fasting for this week.

In other words, THE FIRST WEEK OF THE TRIODION IS FAST FREE. IN FACT, YOU ARE NOT “ALLOWED” TO FAST. NO FASTING NEXT WEEK.

Second Sunday

On the second Sunday, the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15.11-32) teaches us about the great virtue of repentance, whereby every sinner returns to God and receives forgiveness and salvation.

This Sunday teaches us about our need to return from exile. This parable shows us the mercy of the Father who with open arms receives his son, whose behavior he does not return, but is joyous of his return home. We are encouraged to examine ourselves in the period of Lent to purge ourselves of sin and “come home.”

The week that follows is called Meat Week as it is the last week we are to eat meat. The normal rule of fasting are applied to this week, fast on Wednesday and Friday.

Saturday of this week is the first Saturday of Souls where those who have fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection and eternal life are remembered at a special service “Saturday of the Souls.” Parishioners bring small dishes of kollyva to the church and submit a list of first names of deceased ones to the priest. We commend to God all those who have departed before us, who are now awaiting the Last Judgment. This is an expression of the Churches love. We remember them because we love them.

Third Sunday

The third Sunday of the preparation is called Meatfare Sunday (Apokreos) because we eat meat for the last time until Pascha. This particular Sunday is also dedicated to the memory of the Second Coming of the Lord and the Last Judgment. This is most clearly revealed in the relevant Gospel reading (Matthew 25.31-46) which is recited during the Divine Liturgy that day.

The remembrance of the forthcoming Last Judgment teaches us that we must learn to avoid living carelessly. We should not misinterpret the longsuffering forbearance (makrothymia) of God, which makes Him delay the day of His coming. We should rather always be on the alert, working for what is good and being mindful that God is not only our Father Who loves mankind, but also the Righteous Judge.

The Thursday before Meatfare Sunday is known as Tsiknopempti, sort of the Orthodox version of Fat Tuesday, because people get together for the purpose of eating all kinds of meat delicacies.

The eve of Meatfare Sunday is known as the Saturday of Souls (psychosabbaton) because we observe a memorial service (mnemosyno) for all Christians who have fallen asleep in the Lord, since the Last Judgment is connected with the Resurrection of the Dead. Another such psychosabbaton is observed on the Eve of Pentecost Sunday.

Kollyva (i.e., boiled wheat mixed with pomegranate seeds, nuts, raisins and sugar) are also distributed on the first Saturday of Great Lent. This does not signify a psychosabbaton, however; it commemorates the miracle of Saint Theodore of Teron.

We are encouraged not to eat meat this week (after the Sunday of the Last Sunday), but we can eat fish, eggs, cheese and other dairy products.

Fourth Sunday

The fourth Sunday is known as Cheesefare Sunday (Tyrine) because we eat cheese and dairy products for the last time until Pascha. On this particular Sunday, which is the Eve of the Inauguration of Great Lent, we remember the expulsion of the Adam and Eve from Paradise. Thus, we are reminded of the terrible consequences of sin and transgression against the Divine Will, and we are encouraged to take up the battle of fasting and obedience in order to obtain spiritual renewal and blessedness.

The Gospel lesson of Cheesefare Sunday (Matthew 6.14-21) teaches us that the right way to fast is to get rid of evil intentions, avarice and attachment to material goods. It is a custom that Christians grant forgiveness to one another during the vesper service of this Sunday, so that all of them together may enter with love and unanimity into the Lenten Season.

Clean Monday

The 40 days of Great Lent begins on the Monday after Cheesefare Sunday, Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera), which this year (2019) falls on March 11th. On Friday the 15th of March we start the Service of Salutations to the Theotokos.

It is important to note that the Church leads us to this point gradually during the preparatory period of the first three weeks of the Triodion.

During the first week, She allows us to eat everything, even on Wednesdays and Fridays. During the second week, we can eat everything, except for meat on Wednesday and Friday. During the third week, we are no longer allowed to eat meat, but we can eat fish, eggs and dairy products.

The Church has thereby introduced us gradually into the more severe fast of Great Lent which begins on Kathara Deftera, when the faithful embrace a totally vegetarian diet.

The custom of preparing Christians for the celebration of Pascha through fasting and prayer is very ancient, but neither the length nor the type of fast was strictly specified during the first centuries.

For instance, Saint Irenaeus, the Bishop of Lyons at the end of the 2nd Century AD, tells us that some fasted for one day, others for two days, others for more, and still others for only 40 hours. Socrates, the 5th Century church historian, tells us that some did not eat meat while some ate poultry and fish, and while still others ate only vegetables.

In the 4th Century, however, the fast of the Paschal Cycle began to take a more specific form, at least in regard to length. It was extended to 40 days in commemoration of the 40 days, which the Lord fasted in the wilderness, hence the term Sarakoste (i.e., Lent).

Pure Monday: Great Lent Begins

Great Lent is the period that the Church has in her wisdom set aside for us to intensify our own spiritual growth through fasting, prayer and worship. If you follow the Church guidelines on fasting, make time to attend the services and intensify your own prayer life, you will be rewarded with a greater closeness to God.

As we draw closer to Great Lent, I will offer some thoughts on the themes of those weeks. For now, please pay close attention to the lessons that are directly in front of you. I am grateful that this time is at hand. Together as one Orthodox Christian Family, we will support each other, encourage one another, and be peaceful toward each other, walking the path which leads to Great Lent.

With Much Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony