As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia.
To all of you who “put on Christ” peace and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
This Sunday we will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. It is called Trinity Sunday and the Feast of the Holy Spirit. We are all given the Holy Spirit when we were baptized and anointed with the Holy Chrism. This prayers is said by the Priest before every Divine Liturgy: “O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.” May the Holy Spirit cleanse us from every impurity.
On Pentecost, tongues of fire came down on those who were in the upper room. I am praying for the Holy Spirit to come down on us and energize our community. I have been organizing Bible Study, and zoom meetings with all different groups in our church, but the participation has been low and poorly attended. Many people ask for Bible Study, but only 5-6 people participate. How can we reenergize our parish? I pray today for the Holy Spirit to set our hearts on fire, that the zeal with which the Holy Apostles had may be rekindled in our hearts. That we become a living members of the Body of Christ.
The season for baptisms and weddings is upon us. I am humbly asking the parents to let their children call me to plan their children baptisms. Let your children call me for an appointment if they are preparing to get married. I humbly ask the parents not to interfere in their children married lives. Let your children together with their spouses make their own decisions.
I am appealing one more time to the parents of the graduates from high schools or universities to send their children names and the name of their schools and the degree received to my email, so we can celebrate together with you.
This Sunday we will have the kneeling service and the kneeling prayers. It is the first time we kneel (not during Liturgy) but at Vespers. Here is an excerpt of the kneeling prayers:
“Hear us who pray to you, and remember us. Turn back the captivity of our souls and receive us as we return to you. We have sinned, yet we have been cast upon your mercy from our childhood. Our days have been spent in vanities and thus we have been deprived of every defense. Emboldened by your compassion, we call out: Remember not the sins of our youth and ignorance, and cleanse us of our secret sins. When our strength fails, do not forsake us. Help us to return to you before it is too late. Measure our sins according to your compassion, and look down upon all of us assembled here today. Visit us with your goodness. Deliver us from the power of the devil. Preserve our lives in your commandments. Gather us all into your Kingdom. Forgive those who hope in you. Purify us by your Holy Spirit, and destroy the traps set for us by the Enemy.”
May the Holy Spirit fill our hearts with His zeal and love for God. Amen.
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 June 4, 2020~