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.

THE HOME (DOMESTIC) CHURCH OR E KAT' OIKON EKKLESIA

The Christian home, according to our Holy Tradition, is a sacred place. It is a holy place where God dwells and protects us. It is where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is present and guides and leads the members of the family to ever greater spiritual heights. The Christian family is Christ-centered for everything revolves around our Savior. A Christian home is a place where the family prays together daily in front of their holy icon corner. The Christian parents teach their children by example and lead their children closer to our Christ God.

The Orthodox Christian home is blessed at least once a year by the local parish priest. The priest is not only the parish priest but a member of each and every family in his community. The Orthodox Christian home is a place of love. Christian parents rule their families with righteousness and self-sacrifice. The children are taught that our Lord Christ is their Savior as well as the Savior of the world. They are taught how to serve Him, to obey Him in everything, to trust Him, to see Him as their best friend, to turn to Him first but especially when they are faced with personal problems and/or temptations. The Christ-centered family is strong because they are united in Christ.

There should be no doubt that a Christian family is very different than a non-Christian family. Why? Christ! The secular or Gentile family is lead by different rules. The 'modern' or 'secular' family is guided by a materialistic society with worldly objectives and goals. In most cases, one can see that there is no real family unity. Each member, of the secular family, claims to be independent of each other, including parents. In general, they may not even believe in the existence of God, to belong to a religious community, to feel any need to adhere to any ethical rule or precept. It is very possible that they do not believe that there is after-life, that there is the existence of good and evil, that there is such a thing as sin, and that there is an accountability to God for all of our actions. The ambitions of the secular family are all about achieving and fulfilling their materialistic goals in life. In attaining a lucrative position or profession which will help them to have a 'good life', a life which will provide them with every good thing with little or of any personal effort or sacrifice. The secular family believes in material wealth and privilege. It is a Godless existence.

Christianity is not 'a religion'. Christianity is an apocalypse, a Divine revelation. Jesus Christ is not another religious leader and/or the founder of another of the thousands of world religions. For the Christian, our Lord Jesus Christ is the True and Only God. He is the Son of God and the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. He is the Savior of the world. His Divine word and His Divine Teachings are the absolute Truth. By His coming into the world, He reveals to all of humanity the path to salvation and His Heavenly Kingdom. He teaches that God is love and that we should love Him and love one another. He teaches that He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things. Through His Sacrifice on the Cross, death, and Resurrection, He saved mankind. Jesus Christ is the only hope of humanity. He is the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep and goes after the one that is lost. No matter how often we sin against Him He forgives those who repent. Jesus Christ is the Godman, perfect God and perfect man. He desires the salvation of all men. He has promised to come again and on that Final Day to judge the living and the dead whose Kingdom shall have no end. He taught us of the existence of evil, of Satan, the Adversary of mankind whom He defeated, and whose power over humanity was destroyed by Him and rendered powerless.

The 'kat' oikon ekklesia' ('Domestic church') must be protected at all costs. When an Orthodox couple marries in the Church the couple is crowned by our Lord as the king and queen of their new royal realm, their own little kingdom. They are to rule with love and justice and when blessed by Him with children to raise them in our Christian faith. They are to instill in them the love of God, their neighbor; and when older to live virtues and holy lives. They are to teach them how to implement the teaching of our Lord Christ in their lives, to be kind to others, to have self-respect and respect for their fellow-man, to be compassionate and to give of themselves to those in need. To respect their parents, their teachers, their priest, those in authority over them, and to avoid selfishness and self-centeredness.

We live in very difficult and challenging times. All of our beliefs are constantly challenged by others who do not believe in God. We must remain strong and resolute in everything that we believe in. We must not make concessions or compromise who we are and to remain steadfast in our personal convictions. Christians throughout history would rather die than to betray Christ and/or their Christian faith. We, in the Orthodox Church, call them holy Martyrs, holy Fathers, holy Mothers, holy Confessors, and Saints. Their holy and righteous lives serve as an example for us to follow and to emulate it to the best of our ability.

Maintain the integrity of your Christian identity no matter what the circumstances. The Christian is focused on Christ always and He remains constantly in our sights. Know the value of prayer and worship. Do not allow anyone to dictate to you whether you should believe or not believe. Ignore the worldly enticements and trappings. You are a child of God and your allegiance is to Him and Him alone. Be a good and positive force in the world. A Christian is someone who constantly gives and contributes towards the general welfare of the world he lives in. Know that you have been given God-given talents to use them wisely and make a real difference in the world. Always stay alert and informed of what is happening around you.

May God bless all of you and may He bring this deadly pandemic to its end soon. Stay well and be strong in your faith. Be assured that I love you and that all of you are in my prayers.

"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!"--Saint John Chrysostomos

With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George