Saint Nicholas
Greek Orthodox
Church
San Jose, California
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1999-2006 St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of
San Jose, CA
Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
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"God's image was
perfectly preserved in you, O Mother. For taking up the Cross you
followed Christ. you taught us by example to disdain the flesh, a
passing thing, but to see the soul which is immortal. Wherefore, O Holy
Mary, your spirit rejoices with the angels." GREAT WERE HER SINS... Each year on the Fifth Sunday of the Great Fast, our Holy Orthodox Church commemorates ST. MARY OF EGYPT. The story of how she was able to cast aside a life that was consumed with immoral pleasures of the flesh and live in isolation and seclusion in the desert wilderness beyond the Jordan River for over 50 years is an inspirational lesson in repentance for us all. It is no coincidence that the Church places her example before us as we bring our Lenten journey to its conclusion. As we endure our own personal struggle to "make things right with God," it would serve us well to ponder this question: Does Christ expect US to go to the same EXTREMES as Mary of Egypt did in repenting for our own sinful ways? In THEORY, the answer is YES. The Lord wants us to forsake all of our sins. He expects us to make a "U-Turn" in our lives and follow Him without reservation or hesitation. He desires that we look at sacred images of His Blessed Mother and the Saints and realize how greatly we fall short of what we are supposed to be, and then take every measure necessary to become that person! In PRACTICE, however, we should not feel that this can be accomplished solely through some self-imposed exile from society. Truly, what we are called upon to do is, in a way, MORE DIFFICULT than the path chosen by saintly Mother Mary. We must strive to live a Christ-like life in a Godless society! We must close our eyes to the temptations that surround us and seek only God's way. Ours is not an easy route to salvation, but it is not an impossible one. May the life of Mary of Egypt inspire us to repent sincerely and to live piously in our quest for the Kingdom of Heaven. Bible Readings for |
Icon of St. Mary of Egypt Last Sunday, on March 25th, besides the celebration of The Annunciation, we observed the Fourth Sunday of Lent which is dedicated to St. John Climacus, the model of ascetics. On the Fifth Sunday of Lent, the Church celebrates St. Mary of Egypt, the model of penitents. In her youth, Mary lived in a dissolute and sinful way. After her penitence, she settled as a solitary in a remote region of the desert. Our Church invites us today to repentance and confession. Even if we have been as sinful as St. Mary of Egypt was before she changed her mind (metaniwse). we can saved through Jesus Christ. |
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St. Nicholas Greek
Orthodox Church
1260 Davis Street, San Jose,
California 95126