My good friends in Our Risen Lord,
Chris is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
On this Memorial Day celebrated in the United States, our beloved country, we honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom, justice, and love of country. It is also a day of remembering the great courage with which they performed their duty to God and country. What a splendid example for young and old to emulate and to cherish. We are indeed inspired by their selflessness, devotion, and patriotism.
All of us need to learn from their example of courage and the willingness to sacrifice everything which they held dear and precious to defend the vulnerable and innocent from barbarism, totalitarianism, atheism, malevolent dictators, tyranny, enslavement, and executions. God created man to be free. Free to enjoy his/her inalienable rights, to worship Him without hindrance, to move freely, to be able to govern his/her life without fear of penalty, to determine his/her future according to one's ambition and ability, free to express one's political opposition and without the fear of retribution and imprisonment.
Even now, at this time, we need to have courage in the face of the threat the coronavirus brings. It takes courage to fight against the evil forces in the world and to shine a light on their evil agenda and dark plans. As Orthodox Christians, we have countless examples of true courage and sacrifice in the lives of the great martyrs of the Church. Christians that went to their martyrdom singing psalms and praising Our Almighty God. Orthodox Christians that have died in the hands of heretics which were determined to impose their heretical beliefs on our devout brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those of unbelievers and enemies of Christ and His Holy Church.
Our Church Ecumenical Councils were convened in order to defend and protect the Church from those who assaulted the authentic teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Since then the Orthodox Church has anathematized those who sought, over the centuries, to distort or corrupt Our Orthodox Christian Faith.
As long as we have God with us we should never fear anyone or anything. Above all, my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, we must never fear the Precious Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ as we approach the Holy Chalice. A believer is not afraid of any kind of virus but as the priest invites the faithful to partake of Holy Communion he says, "With the fear of God, with faith and with love draw near." Fear of God is not the same as the "fear" of a virus.
If there are any who truly fear Holy Communion then they must refrain from receiving. Receiving Holy Communion is a free and voluntary decision based on faith.
May you all have a safe and blessed Memorial Day.
With agape in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ,
+Father George