ST. NECTARIOS AMERICAN CARPATHO-RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH 405 Marcum Road, Lakeland, FL 33809 • http://www.stnectarios.com Rev. Fr. Demetri Glimidakis Fr.’s Cell: (970) 620-3899 Fr. Demetri’s Email: [email protected] JULY 2019 BULLETIN From the desk of Fr. Demetri: Many faithful have an image of God in their mind, and the use of the icon in the Orthodox Church is believed to be, not an idol, but a window to something In continuing with the next two glorious. The icon is a vehicle to give us something to focus commandments, we will be looking on. Much like pulling out a photograph of someone we at commandment two and three. love from our wallets, the icon only represents the person St. Nectarios of Aegina These two commandments are depicted. Many have gone too far, and have worshiped Born: October 1, 1846 again in relationship with how we the wood and paint, and have even eaten the materials in Selymbria, Thrace relate to our Lord. in hopes that miracles would be bestowed upon them, Reposed: November 9,1920 in Aegina, Greece but the true teaching of the Church is clear: there is only Canonized: April 20, 1961 The Second Commandment one God, and idolatry is a sin. If we look closely at each Feast Day: November 9 icon, they are supposed to all look like Christ in some way, HOLY SAINT NECTARIOS, “You should not make for yourself any carved image—any PRAY UNTO GOD FOR US! because each saint is a reflection of our Lord. likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in Directory: the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; The image of God is found in each of us, and you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the often with society we find that worship is extended to Parish Council Members: LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of human heroes or stars and even ourselves with a narcis- President.......Walter Klymenko the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth gen- VP....................John G. Sennett sistic self-love. But, there is a sense in which we humans Treasurer...............Sam Gjurich erations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to are in the image of God. God does not want to be wor- Secretary..........Kendra J. Taylor thousands, to those who love Me and keep My command- shipped as pagan gods were. We are not to worship the Stewardship...Daniel Rodriguez ments.” – Exodus 20:4-6 image itself, but we are to reverence the person behind Natalie Pope Outreach & Church Activities ... it. Many Protestant churches condemn the Orthodox Arlene Tonjes & Denise Katseralis God commanded us not to make idols or any Church for the use of icons, and many times they are right representations to worship. Nothing man made could in their condemnation. If our prayers are extended toward, Sisterhood officers: Co-Chairs........ Denise Katseralis compare with Almighty God—human handiwork would or if our worship is shown toward anyone other than God Nina Klymenko only give us a false image of the true God. Many believe Himself, we walk a dangerous line between orthodoxy and Treasurer....Jacqueline Righetti that the use of pictures, icons or statues is a sinful act, and idolatry. We are not to worship the saints or angels or any Secretary..............Natalie Pope truly when we worship, we should focus our worship to- other being. When we celebrate the life of a saint, every Altar Servers: ward God alone. Before Christ came, God was someone single breath and thought should be always reflected back George only people could imagine. He was beyond anyone’s un- at Christ as God, that the saint we remember lived his life Logan derstanding. We knew that we were created in His like- to reflect Christ. God wants us to become like Him in char- Marek ness, but still many even feared even to utter God’s name. acter, love, choices, attitudes and approaches. We are to Thank you to John Bonnewitz- However, when Jesus came, He brought the intangible to let Christ live in us—to strive to live always as He lived. We Coffey & Kevin Justice who have life. He was born and lived among us as a man, and the are to live godly lives and reflect the light of God that oth- volunteered to assist in the altar as needed. chasm between God and man was filled and a new rela- ers may see our good works and glorify our Father in tionship with the Almighty was born. SAINT NECTARIOS heaven. ORTHODOX CHURCH: Andrei Rublev’s icon ‘The Trin - A Mission of the American ity’ depicts the three angels who visited Abraham at the Oak Carpatho--Russian of Mamre (Genesis 18:1–8), but Orthodox Diocese: the painting is full of symbol - His Eminence, Gregory ism and is interpreted as an icon of the Holy Trinity. At the of Nyssa, Metropolitan time of Rublev, the Holy Trinity Bishop Under the Jesus Christ Pantocrator from the was the embodiment of spiri - tual unity, peace, harmony, mu - Ecumenical Patriarchate deisis mosaic in Hagia Sophia, Is - tanbul (formerly Constantino - tual love and humility. of Constantinople . ple). How does the Second Commandment apply in our modern, materialistic The first sentence in the Lord’s Prayer says: Our Father, who art in world? Heaven hallowed be thy name. The term hallowed, as used here, means that his name should be highly respected, holy and blessed. It should be Idolatry is often connected with coveting—the desire to have more. glorified and we should praise his name for his name is greatly to be Anything that takes the place of God in our hearts and minds is idolatrous. praised. The prayer that Jesus teaches clear defines our relationship with We can break the second commandment often when we build up things our God. in our mind and seek after money, wealth or power over God or when we The name of God at one time was not even written or spoken by place our spouses, children or others above God. The only one we should many Jews because they did not feel worthy to speak or write His name strive to be like is Christ himself and no other. down. Many times, if His name was written down, it was written down with- The Third Commandment out vowels so that God could remain in a place that was set apart from every other name. The name that is used in the scriptures should be Yahweh, in “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD fact most of the places where the words “the Lord” is used should have been will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” the proper name of Yahweh. Just as many other sins, we have let this com- – Exodus 20:7 mandment lax in our commitment to serving and honoring God. King David writes in many of his Psalms, that the Lord’s name, Yah- The third commandment is one of God’s instructions that is often weh’s name, is excellent in all the earth, that His name is above every other taken lightly in today’s modern society. Even on television they still will not name and that we are to glorify Him. That the mighty ones are to give unto use the “f” word, but will use what we believe to be God’s name in vain. the Lord glory and strength. How is it that we have forgotten the fact that This commandment is broken by people without a second thought, but Jesus’s name is powerful enough that when we ask anything in His name God’s instructions were clear. He did not want his name used thoughtlessly that He will do what we ask? Many take this as if when we ask things Jesus or used in cursing others. The word vain is a powerfully descriptive word. In will be as a genie in a bottle and give us whatever we want. We are not to this instance, the word means: to have no real value, idle or worthless. In use His name lightly; we are to ask of the Lord for His grace within His will, essence when we use God’s name in vain, we use it with no real power, it not selfishly for our own gain. has no ability to heal or bring any fruition. Usually when someone spouts God’s name, it is with a spirit of anger and rage. The Apostle Paul clearly In truth, many of the profanities that are used today were a direct teaches in his letter to the Colossians that we should not have anger, wrath, reflection back on God. The words we use are something that we will be malice, be blasphemous or use filthy language. weighed by. Every word we use will be judged. How many words have we used thoughtlessly and without worry to their None of us would want our own names accompanied by a vulgarity, outcome? so why do we use our Savior’s name in a such a way? Jesus is our Savior, our Redeemer, and so many use His name cursing and while doing so de- If you are one that invokes God’s name in vain, I urge you to re- fame His name. In reading the scriptures we learn in Romans that: "As I consider what consequences there is for us in doing this.