Father John's Page April 2000

Rev. Fr. John Asimacopoulos, Protopresbyter

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL FATHER JOHN
CLICK HERE FOR PAST MESSAGES FROM FATHER JOHN

April 2000 - Pascha
Message from Father John

Pascha 2000

Dearly Beloved,

The Resurrection is the story of the unexpected. On the first day of the week "Ti Mia Proti Savvaton", just as the dawn was breaking, Mary Magdalene came to the place where the body of Jesus was laid and discovered that the stone had been rolled back, the linen clothes were lying on the ground, and the body of Jesus was missing. She hurried to tell Peter and John, who were amazed at what had happened. Up until that moment, they had failed to understand the teaching of the Scriptures that Christ must rise from the dead. In the months ahead, they would recognize more and more the power of His Resurrection at work in their daily lives, calling them to live in an entirely new way. In similar fashion, we are filled with hope as we celebrate and proclaim that Jesus Christ is risen -- Oti O Hristos Anesti -- because what happened the first Pascha Day has implications for us also, the people of the new millennium. The Resurrection of Christ is hard to grasp, yet it is the central mystery of our redemption, our Lytrosin. Christ's victory at Pascha breaks all the chains of sin we have ever made for ourselves.

Pascha calls us to celebrate the fact that the light of Christ has come into the darkness of our world, providing us with hope for a future greater than we dare to believe. It challenges us to share a kind of living that goes beyond the expectations of this earth. This is not possible unless we reverse our sinful ways by rising above the things that keep us entombed and imprisoned and become people of the resurrection. Pascha has no meaning for us if Christ has emptied His tomb, and we are afraid to come forth and put the darkness of sin to flight by exposing ourselves to His light. All our hopes and happiness come from Christ's Resurrection. It announces that love is present in the world and is more powerful than the evil any individual may carry out. The good news is that in all the dark and despairing moments of life, the possibility of resurrection exists because no defeat is final and no life is written off as hopeless. We are the builders or destroyers of our own destiny so let us make use of the power of Jesus to ensure that our life grows towards God. It is through our union with Christ in baptism that we share in the glory of His Resurrection. The celebration of the Holy Liturgy -- the Eucharist -- provides us with an opportunity to renew our commitment to Christ personally by taking a fresh look at the life we vowed to lead. Baptism means letting the word of God dwell in our hearts by doing everything in our lives in the name of Jesus Christ.

Lord, we are your people, open up our hearts this Holy Week and this Pascha and increase the gift of Your life within us.

Happy Pascha to All! Kali Anastasi!

With love in the Risen Lord,

- Father John

Your priest is at his office on week days from 9:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., or by arranged appointment at other times during the day or night. If you wish to see your priest at times other than his regular office hours, kindly call the Church Office for an appointment.

Your priest has many obligations and his program is wide and varied. It is advisable to call him. He is a servant to God and duty bound to minister at any time of the day or night. In the event of an emergency, the priest can be reached at his office, at his residence after hours, or through the Church secretary.

You are encouraged to visit your priest when you are facing serious problems. He has been trained to help people with their personal, family, and even business problems. The impartial judgment of a spiritual leader, together with his prayers for Divine guidance, will help you face your difficulties with renewed confidence.