Beginning the Holyday Season

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Christ is in our midst! He is and ever shall be! Let us take great joy in this most beautiful season set before us, given to us by our Lord Himself. This time is an abundant feast for our eyes–with the change of seasons, our appetites–with the harvest of produce and the celebration of Thanksgiving, and our souls–with anticipation of the celebration our Lord’s Nativity. Truly we have much for which to thank our God! (I Thess. 5:16-18)
So, as we begin this season of Holydays, let us passionately entrust ourselves to the care of our Lord, Who has taken on our life that we may become like Him. Let us take courage in the fact that He is with us, Emmanuel, and therefore nothing can be against us (Romans 8:31-39). The Church inaugurates this season with the Advent Fast, also called St. Philip’s Fast, that we may properly prepare for the coming of Christ in a more intensely personal way. During this Advent season, may each of us invite our Lord “to come, come now, here, to me in this situation,” so that He Who Is the Light of the World would bring about the change that we seek and need for our growth in Him.

Jesus Christ said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We need not be anxious or fearful of anything: cultural sanctions of Halloween, celebration of Thanksgiving, pagan-like secularization of Christmas, the swine flu, finances, health, etc. (Matt. 6:25-34 and Phil. 4:6,7). God has given us our minds and our senses, so that with His good Grace and All Holy Spirit we can wrestle with these things and know how we are to participate in and respond to them. We, too, now are the “light of the world” and bear the responsibility to shine brilliantly for Christ and for the salvation of our brothers and sisters.Let us resist the tidal wave of the holiday season by riding in the Ark of Salvation, Who neither crushes nor drowns us. From November1 through January 1, the Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of those great saints whose lives shone brilliantly for the love of Christ and His Church. Let us draw deeply from their examples and honor God by remembering them and seeking their intersession:

November1, Saints Cosmas and Damian, the Unmercenary Healers

November 8, Archangel Michael and the Archangels

November 13, Saint John Chrysostom

November 14, Saint Philip the Apostle

November 15, The beginning of the Nativity Fast

November 21, The Presentation of the Theotokos into the Temple

November 30, Saint Andrew, the First-Called

December 4, Saint John of Damascus and Saint Barbara

December 5, Saint Sava

December 6, Saint Nicholas

December 11, The Sunday of the Forefathers

December 18, The Sunday of the Genealogy

December 25, The Nativity of our Lord

January 1, The Circumcision of Our Lord and Saint Basil

Finally, let us embrace the true meaning of Christmas: to receive Jesus Christ our Lord and King, Who brought us peace and became poor to love and serve the poor. “Be joyful all the earth: behold, Christ draws nigh to be born in Bethlehem! Be glad, O sea; dance for joy, thou congregation of prophets, seeing the fulfillment of your words; rejoice all you righteous!”(Advent Paraklesis)

 Kh. Christina Reimann, Church School Director