My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.
ON NOVEMBER 16TH OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES AND HONORS THE HOLY APOSTLE MATTHEW THE EVANGELIST
Matthew, the son of Alphaeus, was at first a tax-collector, and it was as such that the Lord saw him in Capernaum and said to him: "Follow Me!" Leaving everything, he followed Him (St. Matthew 9:9). After that, Matthew prepared a feast in his house, and there provided an opportunity for the Lord to voice some great truths about His coming to earth. After receiving the Holy Spirit. Saint Matthew preached the Gospel among the Parthians and Medes and in Ethiopia, the land of the negroes. In Ethiopia, he consecrated as bishop one Plator, a follower of his, and himself withdrew to prayerful solitude on a mountain, where the Lord appeared to him. Saint Matthew baptized the wife and son of the prince of that land, at which the prince was greatly enraged and sent a guard to bring Saint Matthew before him for trial. The soldiers went off, but returned to the prince, saying that they had heard Saint Matthew's voice, but had been unable to set eyes on him. The prince then sent a second guard. When this guard drew near to the Holy Apostle, he shone with a heavenly radiance so brilliant that the soldiers were unable to look at him, but threw down their weapons in terror and returned home. The prince then went himself. When he approached Saint Matthew, such radiance shone forth from the Saint that the prince was blinded on the instant. But the Holy Apostle had a kind heart: he prayed to God and the prince's sight was restored--unfortunately, only on the physical plane, his spiritual eyes remaining closed. He seized Saint Matthew and put him to harsh torture, twice lighting a fire on his chest, but the power of God kept him alive and unharmed. Then the Holy Apostle to God, and gave his spirit into His Divine hands. The prince commended that the martyr's body be put into a leaden coffin and cast into the sea. The Saint appeared to Bishop Plato and told him where to find his body in its coffin, and the bishop went and brought them back. Seeing this new marvel, the prince was baptized and received the name Matthew. He then set aside all earthly vanity and became a priest, serving the Church in a manner pleasing to God. When Plato died, the Holy Apostle Matthew appeared to this Matthew and counseled him to accept the episcopate. So he became a bishop, and was a good shepherd for many years, until God took him to His immortal Kingdom. Saint Matthew the Holy Apostle wrote the Gospel in Aramaic, and it was very soon translated into Greek. It has come down to us in Greek, the Aramaic original being lost. Of this Evangelist, it is said that he never ate meat, but fed only on vegetable and fruit. (Source: The Prologue from Ochrid)
The Gospel According to SAINT MATTHEW [Date: A.D. 50-75]
Theme: Immanuel, "God With Us."
Major Theme: Christ, the Incarnate God, Immanuel, has inaugurated the Kingdom of God and the New Covenant, which is realized in the True Israel, the Church.
Background Information: (1) Matthew's personal background. Matthew (meaning "gift of God") is identified as a tax collector (9:9; 10:3). In the other accounts of his meeting with Jesus (St. Mark 2:13, 14; St. Luke 5:27-29), he is called Levi. This use of two quite different names has led some scholars to argue for two different persons, due to the absence of Levi from the Apostolic lists. Others, however, have argued that Matthew had a double name, because the Jews frequently carried two names--such as Simon/Peter and Saul/Paul. When he was called by Jesus (9:9), Saint Matthew renounced the position of tax collector and became a disciple. According to Christian Tradition, after Pentecost Saint Matthew, filled with the Holy Spirit, preached the gospel in many places, especially to the Jews. He is commemorated in the Orthodox Church on November 16th.
(2) The Gospel to the Jews. The Gospel of Saint Matthew, though it has come down to us in Greek, has a Jewish/Hebraic flavor, which is evident in its Aramaic expressions and forms, and its use of numerous quotations and arguments from the Old Testament. Furthermore, Saint Matthew gives details on Jewish religious observances, and often uses Jewish style and techniques of argument. God's Final Judgment, pictured in apocalyptic images common in Jewish writings, is also emphasized. (Papias, a second-century Christian author, preserves the tradition that Saint Matthew wrote the sayings of Christ in Aramaic, the common language of the Jews at the time of Christ, and that others later freely translated this work into Greek.)
FOR CONSIDERATION
Does the Lord's commandment about unceasing prayer (St. Luke 18:1) apply only to monks, or to all Christians? If it applied only to monks, the Holy Apostle would not have written to the Christians in Thessaloniki: "Pray without ceasing" (I Thess. 5:17). The Holy Apostle, then, reiterates the Lord's command word for word, and gives it to all Christians without distinction of monk or layman. Saint Gregory Palamas lived for some time as a young man in a monastery in Veroea. There lived in those parts a well-known ascetic, the elder (geronda) Job, who was venerated by all. It happened at one time that Saint Gregory, in the elder's presence, quoted the Holy Apostle's words, asserting that unceasing prayer was a necessity for all Christians, not only for monks. The elder Job replied to these words, saying that unceasing prayer was a necessity for all Christians, not only for monks. The elder Job replied to these words, saying that unceasing prayer was a necessity for monks, and not for all Christians. Saint Gregory Palamas, being a young man, ceded the argument, not wishing to quarrel, and withdrew in silence. When Job had returned to his cell and was standing in prayer, an Angel of God appeared to him in great heavenly glory, and said to him: "Old man, don't doubt the truth of Gregory's words; he spoke truly. So, hold your peace and advise others to do the same." Thus, then, both the Apostle and the Angel underlined the commandment that all Christians must pray to God without ceasing. If not unceasingly in church, then unceasingly in every place and at every time, in the depths of your heart. If God does not for a moment tire of giving us good things, how can we tire of thanking Him for these good things? If He is constantly thinking of us, why do we not think constantly of Him?
With faith, Christ comes into the heart, and with Christ comes love, and thus a man is rooted and grounded in love. First, faith; then, with faith, the presence of Christ in the heart. With the presence of Christ comes the presence of love and, with love, inexpressible good things...The beginning is faith and the end is love (agape)..." (The Prologue from Ochrid)
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November 16th Divine Services:
Orthros at 9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.
Place of Worship: Saint Andrew
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!"--Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George