“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Dear members of St. George Parish,
Today in the Orthodox Church we celebrate the memory of the Forefathers. All those faithful individuals who came from Adam to John the Baptist. In the service of Matins we read: “Let us offer praise to the fathers who shone forth before and during the Law; with righteous minds they served the Lord and Master who shone forth from the Virgin, and now they delight in the unending Light”. In the book “The Winter Pascha” we read: “The life of the rightous fathers and mothers of ancient days, like that of all God’s saints, is Christ. God’s holy people live for Him alone, for the living God and for His Word. Their reason for being is to praise God, not only in words but in deeds, and so to live.” (p. 64)
Father, would like to enfesis the importance of attending the services to celebrate the Nativity (Christmas) of Christ.
The Nativity of Christ Services: The Hours will be celebrated on Thursday December 24th at 10 AM. Vesperal Liturgy on December 24th at 6 PM.
The Nativity of Christ on December 25th starting with Orthros at 9 AM, followed by the Divine Liturgy.
December is St. Ignatius month. Thank you to all the members of St. Ignatius for supporting the work of the Archdiocese.
We will have the Nativity Paraklesis chanted on both Mondays December 14th, and December 21st.
Father will be blessing homes starting on January 7th. Please, fill out the form and give it to Father or text/email Father.
We will be celebrating the Feast of the “Circumcision of Christ”, and St. Basil on December 31st in the evening at 6:30 PM Orthros followed by the Divine Liturgy. We will do a special prayer for the beginning of the civil year.
The Bible says: “God loves a cheerful giver”, don’t forget to fulfill your pledge, sign up for next year by filling out a new pledge form, and take advantage at this time for “tax credit oppotunity” to make a donation to your church of St. George.
Fr. Philip LeMaster writes: “The only way to welcome the Savior into our lives at Christmas is to offer ourselves to Him in faith and faithfulness. Like those who prefigured or foretold Christ in the Old Testament, we must remain focused on receiving Him as the fulfillment of God’s gracious purposes for all who bear the divine image and likeness. That is why we need the forty days of the Nativity Fast to focus our attention in practical ways on what is at stake in how we respond to the great calling that is ours through the Messiah born in Bethlehem. While it is possible to say that we have better things to do than to do prepare our hearts for Him, that would be a grave mistake that reveals only our own enslavement to our passions. For His birth makes possible our deliverance from bondage to sin and death and the fulfillment of what it means to be a human person in His image and likeness. As “the poor and maimed and blind and lame,” let us accept the invitation that is ours at Christ’s birth. Otherwise, we risk shutting ourselves out of the greatest banquet of all.”
In Christ our Savior,
Rev. Fr. Dr. George Dahdouh, Priest
St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
9116 Bayview Ave.,
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3M9
Office: 905/731-7210, Cell in case of Emergency: 416/937-6301
~Pastor’s Message of December 16, 2020~