Remember Your Creator in the Days of Your Youth Ecc. 12:1

St. Philip SOYO

November T e e n V o i c e 2007

“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth…” Ecc. 12:1

Greeting to all in the name of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ!

In remembrance of the 1600th Anniversary of the Repose of St. John Chrysostom, the patron saint of Teen SOYO, we have decided to dedicate this issue of our bulletin to the teachings of this great saint.

Chrysostom On Holy Living:

The sentence, "You were bought with a price,"(1 Cor. 6:20) belongs to us peculiarly. For he reminds us of the greatness of the benefit and of the mode of our salvation, signifying that when we were alienated from God, we were "bought:" and not simply "bought," but, "with a price."

"Glorify then, take up and bear, God in your body, and in your spirit." Now these things he says, that we may not only flee fornication in the body, but also in the spirit of our mind abstain from every wicked thought, and from driving away grace. But He has spoken of these things as God's, not only because He brought them into being, but also because, when they were alienated, He won them again a second time, paying as the price, the blood of the Son. Mark how He brought the whole to completion in Christ, how He raised us up into heaven. "You are members of Christ," says he, "you are a temple of the Spirit." Become not then "members of a harlot:" for it is not your body which is insulted; since it is not your body at all, but Christ's. And these things he spoke, both to make manifest His loving-kindness in that our body is His, and to withdraw us from all evil license. For if the body be another's, "you have no authority," says he, "to insult another's body; and especially when it is the Lord's; nor yet to pollute a temple of the Spirit." For if any one who invades a private house and makes his way revelling into it, must answer for it most severely; think what dreadful things he shall endure who makes a temple of the King a robber's lurking place. Considering these things therefore, reverence thou Him that dwells within. For the Paraclete is He. Thrill before Him that is enfolded and cleaves unto you; for Christ is He. Have you indeed made yourself members of Christ? Think thus, and continue chaste; whose members they were, and Whose they have become. Erewhile they were members of an harlot, and Christ has made them members of His own Body. You have therefore henceforth no authority over them. Serve Him that has set you free.(Homily 18 on 1Cor).

Chrysostom on Jesus as the Life and the Light:

For "by Him(Jesus) were all things made, and without Him was not anything made that was made". And the Evangelist John himself was not satisfied with these words, but calls Jesus "Life" too and "Light." If now He was ever with the Father, if He Himself created all things, if He brought all things into existence, and keeps together all things, (for, this he meant by "Life,") if He enlightens all things, who so senseless as to say, that the Evangelist desired to teach an inferiority of Divinity by those very expressions, by which, rather than by any others, it is possible to express its equality and not differing? Let us not then confound the creation with the Creator, lest we too hear it said of us, that "they served the creature rather than the Creator" ( Rom. i. 25 ); for although it be asserted that this is said of the heavens, still in speaking of the heavens he positively says, that we must not serve the creature, for it is a heathenish thing. Let us therefore not lay ourselves under this curse. For this the Son of God came, that He might rid us from this service; for this He took the form of a slave, that He might free us from this slavery; for this He was spit upon, for this He was buffeted, for this He endured the shameful death. Let us not, I entreat you, make all these things of none effect, let us not go back to our former unrighteousness, or rather to unrighteousness much more grievous; for to serve the creature is not the same thing as to bring down the Creator, as far at least as in us lies, to the meanness of the creature. For He continues being such as He is; as says the Psalmist, "You are the same, and Your years shall not fail." ( Ps. cii. 27 .) Let us then glorify Him as we have received from our fathers, let us glorify Him both by our faith and by our works; for sound doctrines avail us nothing to salvation, if our life is corrupt. Let us then order it according to what is well-pleasing to God, setting ourselves far from all filthiness, unrighteousness, and covetousness, as strangers and foreigners and aliens to the things here on earth. (Homily 4 on John)

Chrysostom on the Cross of Christ:

"But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Truly this symbol is thought despicable; but it is so in the world's reckoning, and among men; in Heaven and among the faithful it is the highest glory. Poverty too is despicable, but it is our boast; and to be cheaply thought of by the public is a matter of laughter to them, but we are elated by it. So too is the Cross our boast. He does not say, "I boast not," nor, "I will not boast," but, "Far be it from me that I should," as if he abominated it as absurd, and invoked the aid of God in order to his success therein. And what is the boast of the Cross? That Christ for my sake took on Him the form of a slave, and bore His sufferings for me the slave, the enemy, the unfeeling one; yea He so loved me as to give Himself up to a curse for me. What can be comparable to this! If servants who only receive praise from their masters, to whom they are akin by nature, are elated thereby, how must we not boast when the Master who is very God is not ashamed of the Cross which was endured for us. Let us then not be ashamed of His unspeakable tenderness; He was not ashamed of being crucified for your sake, and will you be ashamed to confess His infinite solicitude? It is as if a prisoner who had not been ashamed of his King, should, after that King had come to the prison and himself loosed the chains, become ashamed of him on that account. Yet this would be the height of madness, for this very fact would be a special ground for boasting. (Homily 6 Gal.)

Troparion to St. John (Tone 8)

“Grace like a flame shining forth from thy mouth has illumined the universe, and disclosed to the world treasures of poverty and shown us the height of humility. And as by thine own words thou teachest us, Father John Chrysostom, so intercede with the Word, Christ our God, to save our souls.”

SOYO NEWS AND UPDATES:

Activities

·  We started off the year with the beginning of our “Teach to Outreach” theme for Teen SOYO by making a poster with each of our handprints on it, followed by the signing of the dedication form to commit ourselves to a new year of outreach.

·  On Saturday October 13, Teen SOYO served the Divine Liturgy in the church. We then went bowling at ED’s and had a great time together.

·  The T-Shirt sale was a great success! We do still have some leftover so if you have not picked one up yet and are interested in doing so, please contact Michelle Salloum or Gaby Ferzli to purchase one.

Accomplishments

·  Thanks to all who supported The Food Drive campaign! We went as a group to the nearest food bank and dropped it all off together. Also, from the Teen SOYO fund, we wrote a $200 cheque to the Mustard Seed Church.

·  Teen SOYO hosted a Lunch Fundraiser on September 30 by selling zaatar and meat pies after church. We would like to thank everyone who bought and supported us in our fundraising! It was very successful and we hope to do one every month! We assure you that we are using this money to help needy families.

·  The month of October was Youth Month. We participated in this event by helping during the services and doing tasks such as reading the epistle, collecting the trays, etc. On October 21, we partook in the fundraising for Special Olympics Awareness Day, as did all Teen SOYO’s across North America, by asking for donations and hosting a hospitality snack after church with donuts and pop. In this, we were VERY successful and are extremely grateful to all those who donated! We were able to raise a grand total of $300 to send to the NAC SOYO organization.

·  Thank you for all your generous giving!!

Upcoming Events

·  We are currently doing a Clothe the Needy campaign where all the items will go to those less fortunate than us. We ask that you please contribute as much as you can. There are many people whoare going to needwarm clothes for this winter and would be very thankful for your generosity!

·  Following the Clothe the Needy, we will be having a Christmas Toy Drive where afterwards we will be delivering the toys to Santa’s Anonymous who will give them to children whose families cannot afford to give their kids any gifts.

·  Also, Teen SOYO is planning a Lunch Fundraiser during the month of November. The date is still to be decided but we will keep you informed!

Birthdays!!!

Teen SOYO extends our Happy Birthday wishes to those who recently celebrated their birthday! Michelle Abboud on October 1st, Janel El-Hayek on October 5th, and Amanda on October 30th. May God grant you many, many, more years.

EVERYONE is welcome! Please come and join us on Sunday’s at 10am, as we continue to grow as Christians and study the Word of God, the Holy Bible. See you there!

Do you have questions or suggestions? Please E-mail us:

Pastor: Fr. Elias Ferzli Youth Director: Fady Sakkab Teen SOYO President: Michelle Salloum