THE VOICE Catechism 101 February 2018 Volume No. 326 “To those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteous- ness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man TABLE OF CONTENTS who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace Father’s Article ........................... 1 to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Stewardship 2017 ................... 4-5 For there is no partiality with God.” Stewardship 2018 ....................... 6 (Romans 2:8-11) Cherubs........................................ 7 Archangels Academy ................ 8 As we prepare to the enter the period of Great and Holy Lent, we are re- Sunday School ............................ 9 minded once again of our calling as Christians to live a holy and ascetic Pansholiki ........................... 10-11 life. Orthodoxy is unique in this emphasis on asceticism revolving on the Philoptochos ............................. 12 practices of fasting, prayer, charity, and repentance. In this respect, our Parish News .............................. 13 Orthodox identity makes us unique and provides us with the full com- Liturgical Schedule ................. 15 plement of the Christian ascetical tradition as the time-tested path to ho- Community Calendar ............. 16 liness. PTA ............................................ 17 In reading the aforementioned quote from Saint Paul’s letter to the Ro- ST. SPYRIDON mans, which is the focus of our bible study this year, we can heed the HELLENIC ORTHODOX exhortations and promises as they are directed to both Jews and Greeks. CHURCH Prior to examining these exhortations, however, it is useful to under- 12307 S. RIDGELAND AVE. PALOS HEIGHTS, IL 60463 Apokreatiko Luncheon WWW. SAINT-SPYRIDON.ORG Sunday, February 11th, 2018 The Voice - H ΦΩNH stand why Saint Paul makes this distinction between Jews and Greeks. Official Monthly First of all, the term ‘Greeks’ is used interchangeably with the word Community Publication of ‘Gentiles’ because Greek speakers comprised the majority of non-Jewish St. Spyridon or gentile population. St. Paul places the Jews at the forefront of both Hellenic Orthodox Church responsibility and promise. While they enjoyed the blessing of being the 12307 S. Ridgeland Avenue chosen people of God, at the same time they bore the greatest responsi- Palos Heights, IL 60463 bility in obeying the law that was given to them. At the same time, the REV. FR. TILEMAHOS blessing of being the chosen people did not make them automatically ALIKAKOS superior to the gentiles. This blessing would only benefit them if they PROTOPRESBYTER lived up to the identity they were given. If we were to transfer Saint Paul’s words to the present, we could replace Church Office Hours: ................. Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. the word ’Jews’ with ’Orthodox’. Where Saint Paul makes the distinction Phone: ...................... 708-385-2311, 2313 or 0787 Fax: ................................................. 708-385-0166 between Jews and Greeks, today he would make the distinction between E-mail: [email protected] Orthodox and non-Orthodox, or even more aptly, he could have made a Web: www.Saint-Spyridon.org distinction between Greek Orthodox and everyone else. As the Jews of Parish Council Officers his time, we feel as Greek Orthodox a sense of being a chosen nation. James Korbakes .................................. President Konstantine Labraκis ................ Vice-President As Greek Orthodox, the combination of a glorious ethnic heritage and George Papadopoulos ............... Vice President the indisputable authenticity of our Christian confession and history, Frank Kopanis .................................... Secretary James Xeros ........................ Assistant Secretary may fill us with a sense of superiority. This historical and dogmatic real- Gus Kolyvas ........................................ Treasurer ity offers us a maximum opportunity to hope in the blessings of God’s Nicholas Chibucos ............ Assistant Treasurer grace, while at the same time, it places us in the position of maximum Auxiliary Officers responsibility and accountability at the judgment seat of Christ. Angelo Angelos .................................... Chanter Toula Georgiopoulos ................... Philoptochos Just as it was the case for the Jews then, as Greek Orthodox we cannot Tessie Jones ................................................ P.T.A. Kiki Kazazakis ......................................... Kentro rely our identity alone to automatically save us or give us a leg up on Lambrini Stavrou ..... Plutarchos Greek School everyone else. The Jews based their good standing in the eyes of God on Jan Prible ....................... Archangels Academy Zoe Kopanis ................ Sunday School Director the Abrahamic lineage. Repeatedly, Jesus criticized them for relying on Nicky Glikis ................................ Choir Director Presvytera Georgia .... G.O.Y.A. & Jr. G.O.Y.A. their lineage while they did not act in accordance to their lineage. Abra- Debbie Petrakos .................................... Cherubs ham was a man of faith and obedience. The Jews gladly called them- Demetria Papadopoulos ......................... HOPE Fr. Tilemahos .......................... Byzantine Music selves children of Abraham but did not act like Abraham. As Greek Or- Panagiotis Mihalopoulos ............. Iconography thodox, we call upon the Holy Fathers, saints of Greece like St. Har- Fr. Tilemahos ................................... Bible Study Tammy Stamus .......................... Handmaidens alamabos, St. Eleftherios, St. Nektarios, and believe that we may rely on Nick Chibucos & Labros Malfas .... Altar Boys their miraculous protection to guarantee us entrance into heaven. We Angelo Angelos ............................. Greek Dance John Farsatis & Zachary Bousies ........ Athletics carry their names, we venerate their relics and icons, we go to pilgrimag- Effie Papadopoulos ..................... Church Office es, we light big candles in their honor. All those things are wonderful Marianna Haniotakis .................. Church Office Soteria Simantirakis .......................... Custodian and sacred, but they will not make us holy if we do not live by the princi- ples of faith, obedience, asceticism and holiness by which they lived. Our Greek Orthodox identity will serve us only if its richness and sacred tradition becomes our personal way of life. It is only when we imitate the saints, learn about our identity and live by its teachings and tradi- tions that our label as Greek Orthodox will serve us well at the judgment seat of Christ. We must also realize God does not practice comparative salvation. He does not need to meet a quota of saved souls. Of course He desires that “And what does the Lord require of His Kingdom is full, but that desire does not translate into special treat- you? To act justly and to love mercy ment for people from ‘chosen’ or ‘holy nations’. God does not need to and to walk humbly with your God.” save anyone. We will not enter the Kingdom simply on the basis of our 2 The Voice background or perceived goodness relative to the general population. The bar is certainly set by God and it is God’s judgment that determines what constitutes salvation. This means that it is not based one our own estima- tion or on a comparison of ourselves to the nations around us. Salvation is determined by our individual respon- sibility of living up to our collective identity. Having established the understanding of the distinction between Jews and Greeks, or between Orthodox and non-Orthodox, we can then also understand the exhortation and promise that Saint Paul offers in these verses. God will judge us all. He will allow wrath and tribulation on those work evil, who intentionally disobey and trample upon His will. This uneasiness, this anxiety of the workers of evil manifests itself in this life. A life with- out God is like a ship without a rudder, aimlessly wandering from place to place, vainly seeking the latest ver- sion of inner peace, spiritual serenity, and a forever evolving utopia. To those who do not repent, they will find this manifestation becoming permanent as they proceed to a place without a home, eternally seeking a peace that will never come. Our hope, as Greek Orthodox Christians, is based on the promise that Saint Paul makes for those who strive to live a life of holiness and asceticism. Glory and honor to all those who work for good, to all those who avoid evil and labor to receive the grace of God. Glory and honor to those who study the goodness of God, who are aware of it, who base their lives on gratitude and awe of the Almighty. Glory and honor to those who strive to please God at all times through fear, faith and love, seeking to be one with Him, to be worthy of the name ‘Christian’, who live up to the identity of ‘Greek Orthodox’, who live as children of Abraham, children of our holy fathers and mothers, inheritors of a sacred way of life, sons of daughters of our most merciful and loving God. Amen. Fr. Tilemahos Alikakos St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 3 With Gratitude to all our Stewards for 2017 Dr. & Mrs. Chris Alemis Ms. Elena Dalleck Ms. Angela Iglesias Mr. & Mrs. Chris Korbakes Mr. & Mrs. Nika Alex Dr. & Mrs. George Danos Mr. & Mrs. Dimitrios Intzes Mr. James Korbakes Mr. & Mrs. Dimitrios Alexakos Mr. & Mrs. Dimitrios Delis Mr. & Mrs. Curtis James Mr. & Mrs. George Korbakes Mr. Panagiotis