Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,
Christ is in our midst! He was, is, and ever shall be.
Once a year the local Orthodox parish commemorates, celebrates, and honors its Patron Saint. It is a solemn Christian festival at which time the members of the local church express their devotion and thanksgiving to their beloved Saint who intercedes and protects them throughout the year.
Visiting our Women's Monastery of Saint John Chrysostomos in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin sometime ago I saw a number of our Greek Orthodox Christians working very hard throughout the Monastery. Some were working inside the kitchen, others in the church and still others the grounds. I approached one of them and thanked him for his kindness to the nuns of the Monastery. The man turned to me respectfully and said, "Father thank you for your kind words, however, although I love and respect Gerondisa Melania and our dear nuns the work that I do is not for them but for the Saint, the Patron Saint of the Monastery, Saint John Chrysostom."
On the way home I kept on thinking of his words. I thought how many of my parishioners back at Saint Andrew think and feel the same way. How often do they think of the Holy Apostle Andrew and what he does for all of us? The name of the church is not just a label on the building. Our Saints, "the friends of Christ" are living Saints who are constantly praying to our heavenly Father for our salvation, guidance, and protection. "Since we surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).
We all know that on the 30th of November we commemorate the holy Feast of the Holy Apostle Andrew. But how do we honor our beloved Saint? How do we prepare to celebrate this holy day? Our Orthodox Tradition calls that we, the faithful, assemble with fervent faith, with humility, and with a contrite heart to worship our Lord and thank Him for blessing us with one of His greatest Apostles, and keeping us safe from evil, sickness, and suffering.
A person of faith feels deep down the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ when we worship as well as our beloved Saint Andrew. We are never alone to face the spiritual battle and threats against us.
The feast-day luncheon is more of an opportunity for us to share with each other the many blessings of God. To recall the many miracles which we have witnessed over the years performed by the Holy Apostle Andrew. To feel the brotherly and sisterly love which we share throughout the year. The wonderful days of working together as friends of Christ and of one another. As an Orthodox Christian family, we have much in common spiritually and our bond is strong and real.
Let us prepare spiritually through the Mysteries (Sacraments) to celebrate this most holy day, the feast of our beloved Saint, and let us continue with devotion, love, reverence, and humility to honor him by remaining faithful to the One and Only Savior of the world.
With agape in His Divine Diakonia,
+Father George