The Word, June 2014
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Volume 58 No. 5 June 2014 VOLUME 58 NO. 5 JUNE 2014 editor’s letter contents COVER: Christ’s descent into Hades. “By the hand of Michael Kapeluck” www.archangelicons.com 3 EDITORIAL by Bishop JOHN Our Time of Uncertainty 4 PREACHING CHRIST CRUCIFIED ON PALM SUNDAY GOD ALREADY HAS IT FIGURED OUT by V. Rev. Steven C. Salaris, M.Div., Ph.D. 7 BISHOP JOHN ANSWERS SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Metropolitan PHILIP’s translation has left us that God created; even when that which is created 8 2014 ST. RAPHAEL CLERGY with uncertainty. Change is always difficult, espe- may be temporarily in disorder or dirtied up. BROTHERHOOD RETREAT cially in the Church. Here we have grown to rely Pascha is my justification for my rose-colored by V. Rev. Joseph Huneycutt on things continuing for the most part unchang- understanding. When we see the world through 10 FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE: THE FIRST FORTY DAYS ing. Feeling a little uncertain and afraid is at the the lens of the empty tomb, we see a world that by Christina Andersen very least understandable, but it is not a sign of is broken but saved. We see people suffering, but 12 THE DIVINE LITURGY: THE SACRAMENT OF THANKSGIVING weakness or faithlessness. How often in the scrip- with hope of eternity. We see a world temporarily Patriarchal Vicar by Metropolitan EPHREM (Kyriakos) tures does God tell us to “Fear not!”? divided, but united in Christ. We see the suffering Metropolitan SILOUAN 14 THE GREAT MAN AND THE FRIEND of Argentina by Eugene J. Sayfie, M.D. Now, I’ve been told often that I see the world and alienation of darkness, but the brilliance of The Most Reverend 17 ORTHODOX SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION through rose-colored glasses. I don’t know if this Christ’s light. We are separated from our departed, Archbishop JOSEPH RECOGNIZED AT NATION’S CAPITOL is always meant as a compliment. Nevertheless, I but already restored. The Right Reverend 18 THE ANTIOCHIAN HERITAGE MUSEUM prefer to see the world as a gift from God, with If I speak like a “crazy person,” I do so because Bishop ANTOUN ANNOUNCES TWO NEW EXHIBITS amazing opportunities and possibilities. I see the this craziness is true. Only from the empty tomb The Right Reverend 24 ON THE FOUNDING OF Bishop BASIL ST. KATHERINE COLLEGE world as the means by which we develop our re- can anything of the fallen world make sense or be by Frank J. Papatheofanis, M.D., Ph.D. The Right Reverend lationships with God and each other. This world is restored. Only the light of the empty tomb can take 26 ARCHDIOCESAN OFFICE Bishop THOMAS a place to discover and delight in God and all that away the darkness created by sin. Christ has joined 27 ARCHDIOCESE BOOK ORDER FORM The Right Reverend He creates for us. I believe that everyone in our Himself to us and gives us access to Himself. Bishop ALEXANDER 35 ARCHDIOCESE ORGANIZATIONS HOLD 2014 MIDWINTER MEETINGS lives can help us stretch and grow. That which is In the light of Resurrection, the world doesn’t The Right Reverend by Khalil G. Samara Bishop JOHN negative or challenging can help us identify areas look so bad. We stumble around and bruise our- 36 PROJECT ROOTS The Right Reverend by Nada Salem Abisamra that need attention and will profit us. I also believe selves and each other, but God has the plan to save Bishop ANTHONY 37 DAILY DEVOTIONS that, given everyone’s needs, wounds, personali- us and make things right. Rose-colored glasses The Right Reverend THANK YOU FROM THE SALIBA FAMILY Bishop NICHOLAS 39 ties and uniqueness, the world is the best it can like these are available at your local liturgy, the FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE Founded in Arabic as 40 be. I believe that God has brought every one of Scriptures in your homes, and in relationships Al Kalimat in 1905 45 THE DEPARTMENT OF us together so that together we can come to know with God’s people at your church. God will not by Saint Raphael (Hawaweeny) CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Him and return His love. The Church is a mother provide us with another Metropolitan PHILIP. Say- Founded in English as 48 ORATORICAL FESTIVAL The WORD in 1957 who fosters and builds relationships that bring us idna PHILIP was very much one of a kind. God, by Metropolitan ANTONY (Bashir) 50 COMMUNITIES IN ACTION to God. God created and gave to us our Church, however, through a process of nominations from Editor in Chief The Rt. Rev. Bishop JOHN, D.Min. which is a Divine and human organization that the people and clergy of our Archdiocese and an Assistant Editor Christopher Humphrey, Ph.D. Editorial Board The Very Rev. Joseph J. Allen, Th.D. allows us to be grafted to Christ and each other. election by the Holy Synod of Antioch, will pro- Anthony Bashir, Ph.D. Letters to the editor are welcome and should include the author’s full name and She allows us to enter into Christ’s own praise of vide us with a metropolitan to continue God’s own The Very Rev. Antony Gabriel, Th.M. parish. Submissions for “Communities in Action” must be approved by the local Ronald Nicola pastor. Both may be edited for purposes of clarity and space. All submissions, in the Father and care for His people. This action is work on this continent. Najib E. Saliba, Ph.D. hard copy, on disk or e-mailed, should be double-spaced for editing purposes. fueled by God’s Spirit and guided by the Holy Trin- God is active in our lives and in charge. Don’t The Very Rev. Paul Schneirla, M.Div. ity. This life allows us to delight in God and for God be afraid. Christ Is Risen! Design Director Donna Griffin Albert ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: U.S.A. and Canada, $20.00 to delight in us. This life allows us to discover the Member Foreign Countries, $26.00 Bishop JOHN The Associated Church Press uniqueness and beauty of everyone and everything Conciliar Press Single Copies, $3.00 Ecumenical News International The WORD (USPS626-260) is published monthly, except July and August, by the Orthodox Press Service Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America at 358 Mountain Editorial Office: Road, PO Box 5238; periodicals postage paid at Englewood, New Jersey 07631- The WORD 5238 and at additional mailing offices. 2 Lydia’s Path Westborough, MA 01581-1841 Postmaster send address changes to: The WORD, 358 Mountain Road, PO Box e-mail: [email protected] 5238, Englewood, NJ 07631-5238 ISSN 0043-7964 www.antiochian.org. Subscription Office: 358 Mountain Road Canada Post Publication Agreement No. 40043404 PO Box 5238 Return Canada address to: Englewood, NJ 07631-5238 American International Mail, STN A – BOX 697, Windsor ON N9A 6N4, Canada 2 June 2014 The Word 3 the dead. Further solidifying their belief that Jesus of God who “humbled himself and became obedi- was the Messiah, the Jews had the prophets who ent unto death, even death on a cross” (Philippians Preaching Christ Crucified foretold of this day. The Prophet Zephaniah, writ- 2:8). ing in the early 7th century B.C., proclaimed, There is another triumphant entry of Jesus. That on Palm Sunday The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a is Jesus’ Second Coming at the end of the ages. warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice Orthodox Christians believe and profess in the On Palm Sunday, Orthodox Christians around the world over you with gladness, he will renew Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed that Jesus “shall gather to celebrate Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. Hav- you in his love, he will exult over you come again to judge the living and the dead.” The ing just celebrated Lazarus Saturday the day before, the with loud singing as on a day of festival Book of Revelation gives insight into this event: Church continues to joyously sing, (Zephaniah 3:17 RSV). Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a O Christ God, when thou didst raise Lazarus from the A century later, the well-known prophecy of white horse! He who sat upon it is called dead, before thy Passion, thou didst confirm the univer- Zechariah states: Faithful and True, and in righteousness sal resurrection. Wherefore, we, like babes, carry the he judges and makes war. His eyes are insignia of triumph and victory, and cry to thee, O Van- Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout like a flame of fire, and on his head are quisher of death, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your many diadems; and he has a name in- that cometh in the name of the Lord. king comes to you; triumphant and vic- scribed which no one knows but himself. torious is he, humble and riding on an He is clad in a robe dipped in blood, and ass, on a colt the foal of an ass (Zechariah the name by which he is called is The 9:9 RSV). Word of God. (…) On His robe and on His To the Jews, Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem meant thigh he has a name inscribed, King of that their victorious warrior king/messiah had ar- kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:11 rived. The rejoicing Israelites thought the Messiah – 13, 16 RSV). was in their midst and had come to free them from At his second coming, Jesus will enter as the the tyranny of Roman rule. mighty and powerful warrior-King mounted on a Jesus, however, comes into Jerusalem riding grand white horse.