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Holy Myrrhbearers Feast Day

The Holy Myrrhbearers: Saints Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Salome (daughter of Joseph), Mary (Joseph’s sister) the wife of Cleopas, Susanna, Mary and Martha (Lazarus’s sisters), Obedient to the observance of the Sabbath, the women waited until the following sunrise after the Sabbath to launch their plan into action. They were going to do something costly, something dangerous, something maybe even foolish in the eyes of many others, but they knew in their hearts that it was the right thing to do.
The Holy Myrrhbearers were poor peasant housewives with the exception of St. Joanna, who was the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza. Yet the Evangelist Mark tells us they purchased large amounts of pricey myrrh, ointments, and perfumes with which to anoint the body of the Lord. These humble servants sacrificed the little they had saved up for their own families for ‘a rainy day’ because they realized they could not put a value on God’s love. Christ’s presence in their lives had been priceless and they were not going to spare any expense to anoint the body of the One who loves without measure.

The Holy Myrrhbearers literally put their lives at risk to accomplish their goal. Cities in the ancient world were walled for good reason – the territory outside the walls was an unsafe area and the domain of wild animals and thieves, especially after dark. Since our Savior’s tomb was in the garden near Golgotha, it was beyond the safety of the city walls. The women deliberately and knowingly stepped out into this vulnerability in order to express their love, in order to do what their heart commanded of them. Even more, assuming if they made it safely to the tomb, the elite Roman guards would certainly have used any force necessary to prevent them from entering the tomb. But the lovers of Christ were not paralyzed with the danger and great risk, and they took action!

There is a powerful lesson here for all of us. For all of us profess our faith in Christ, do we possess the fearless, trusting, unhesitating faith of the Holy Myrrhbearers? Too often, despite our initial good intentions, we allow ourselves to be discouraged from expressing or acting out our faith. We fear the COST of living as Christians, whether in actual financial terms, or in terms of the time and energy or emotion it takes to sacrificially offer ourselves to others, out of love for Christ. We fear the DANGER of living as Christians – it always seems so much easier to maintain the status quo, so much safer to keep doing the same old things in the same old way, even if it means passing up the opportunities to allow Christ to manifest in our little corner of the world. We fear looking FOOLISH by living as Christians, in a world that holds values and priorities that too often are very different from the teachings of the Gospel.

Pride, Vainglory and Perversion of our created sexuality have been the demise of many great civilizations and have now seemed to be the most sought out activities here in this once great nation. No, the love of Christ is not always a yes with wide open arms, it is a yes we love you but we must separate ourselves from marinating in Lucifer’s sewage and placing our youth on a path of self-destruction. We need to speak out loudly and we need to speak out now. Do not hide your light under a bushel but be the salt of the earth, seasoning everything you encounter with the teachings of the Holy Church!

Pray to God for us, Holy Myrrhbearers!

Fr. Gabriel Weller 5-15-16

PRO-LIFE SUNDAY (Palm Sunday)

“And on the morrow, after they came out from Bethany, He hungered. And having seen from afar a fig tree having leaves, He came, if perhaps He might find something on it. And after He came to it, He found nothing except leaves; for it was not the season of figs. And Jesus began to speak and said to it, “May no one any more eat fruit of thee forever.” [Mk. 11:12-14]

I start here with this Gospel reading hopefully placing our feet on the road from Bethany as we make our way to Jerusalem, the Great City of Peace. Jesus comes upon a fig tree along the trip and Saint Kyril of Jerusalem writes: “The first act after the fall was that of Adam and Eve clothing themselves with fig leaves [Gen. 3:7]. So now Jesus is making fig tree the very last of His wondrous signs. Just as He was headed towards the Cross, He cursed the fig tree—not every fig tree, but that one alone for its symbolic significance—saying, ‘May no one any more eat fruit of thee forever’. In this way the curse laid upon Adam and Eve was being reversed.” [Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 13(18), in FC, 64:16.] .

And in the Gospel today, we hear more about Lazarus. He had been dead for four days. His body was decaying and then Jesus said: “Lazarus, come forth”. And the one who was dead came forth. “Jesus saith to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” [Jn. 11:43-44] Christ has power over life and death. Just as Christ restored to life Lazarus, so too can he also heal our deadness in sin, just as he withered up the dormant fig tree.

We heard in the vigil service last night: “And when they drew near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, toward the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent forth two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village, the one opposite you; and straightway ye shall find an ass which hath been tied, and a colt with her.”… Now all this came to pass in order that it might be fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Sion, ‘Behold thy King cometh to thee, meek, and mounted on an ass, and a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” And the disciples went and did even as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass and the colt, and put their garments upon them, and He sat down upon them. And the greater part of the crowd spread their garments in the way; and others were cutting branches from the trees and were strewing them in the way. And the crowds, those going before and those following, were crying out, saying, “Hosanna, to the Son of David; blessed is He Who cometh in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” And after He entered into Jerusalem, all the city was shaken, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds were saying, “This is Jesus the Prophet, the One from Nazareth of Galilee.” [Mt. 21:1-11]

The very One who walked in the garden with Adam and Eve, fasted for 40 days in the wilderness, healed and restored life to Lazarus is now coming to Jerusalem as a sacrificial lamb. “As a sheep He was led to slaughter; and as a lamb dumb before him who sheareth him, thus He openeth not His mouth. In His humiliation, His judgment was taken away; but who shall describe His generation? For His life is being taken away from the earth” [Acts 8:32-33]

On Palm Sunday, we use palm branches and pussy willows to signify a great victory. So what is this great victory? We will hear later this week on Great Friday: “You transform the mortal by death, and the corrupt by burial; for as befits God, You have made incorruptible and immortal the nature you assumed; for Your body, O Master, did not see corruption, nor was Your soul abandoned as a stranger in Hades.” (Great Friday Evening Service, Fifth Ode) And Saint John writes: “And the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness overcame it not.” [Jn. 1:5]

“When You, the Immortal Life descended to Death, it was then, that You put Hades to death by the lightning of the Godhead; and when You raised up the dead from the infernal depths, all the Heavenly Powers cried aloud: “O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to You.” (Matins of the Resurrection) Death can no longer restrain mankind! Jesus conquers death by death!

Jesus is on His way to free us from death! We will hear later this week about the suffering he endured for us! Notice how I use the word us? You say that was over 2000 years ago, how could it be so personal? Jesus Christ knew us personally and chose to be crucified for me, and for you! You see we hear the Creator telling the prophet Jeremiah in Chapter one: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee!” That is why you should be PRO-LIFE because it is not the man and woman that make a baby, it is the Creator! Now I can take lumber and build a deck but I did not make the trees! I can take flour and water and make communion bread, but man did not create water or wheat! God knew us before we formed! He chose us! And the Lamb knew that I would have a tendency to be attracted to sin like a big magnet at the metal-scrap yard and yet He loves me so much that He gives His life for me!

Dearest Lord, is this soul of such a sinful man really worth your absolute love and your long-suffering? “Hosanna, to the Son of David; blessed is He Who cometh in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.”Glory to Thee, oh Lord, Glory to Thee!

Fr. Gabriel Weller 4/24/16

Cracker Jacks

Back in the days before I could grow a beard, I use to enjoy a tasty snack known as Cracker Jacks. Now there are two reasons why I yearned for this succulent treat, there was a prize in every box and my taste buds were addicted to the sugary taste, and did I mention there was a prize in every box!

In every box I opened, the prize was always in the bottom of the box. The prize was never anything great but it still was a prize! I won!! So I had to ingest the 420 calories of sugary delight quickly or share with my sister or best friend to uncover the treasure buried in the bottom of the box. I always offered my accomplices the following disclaimer, “the prize is mine”!

Today as I continue on in life in pursuit of the American Dream, “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” I sometimes find myself more attracted to the sugary instant rewards in life rather than the prize in the bottom of the box. After all, it takes so much work and patience to retrieve the great prize of life and I have so little time! Saint John Climacus said: “Let us seek to discover the things of heaven through the sweat of our efforts, rather than by mere talk, for at the hour of death it is deeds, not words that must be displayed.” The prize that I am digging for is a one way ticket to rest in the bosom of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. At the end of our time in this life that prize is salvation.

The sugary distractions in life are not healthy for me and separate me from the work I must do to be more virtuous. And we all know that too much sugar leads to decay. “For, as St John Climacus said, God reveals Himself, not in response to our exertions, but in response to the humility and simplicity that come through faith, that is, through the contemplation of the Scriptures and of created beings.” (St. Peter of Damaskos, THE PHILOKALIA, Kindle Loc. 32216-20) And we read this in the letter to the churches in Philippi, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about those things “ (Phil 4.8).

My American dream has been fulfilled! The life I seek is not of this world! The liberty I seek I submit to God and the pursuit of happiness I find is in the joy that comes from loving and serving others. To God be the Glory, Amen!

Fr. Gabriel Weller 4-10-16

Paralyzed In Sin

I am paralyzed in sin! Things I should do, I don’t. Things I shouldn’t do, I do. Holy Father in Heaven, heal this corpse from within the darkened depths of my soul!

Today in the reading from Mark, we here the story of how the man who was paralyzed was seeking to be healed. This took some effort on his part. First, he believed that Christ could heal him. Second, he found four men, whom also believed that Jesus could remove the physical impediment from this man, and those same four men agreed to carry the paralyzed man up to the roof, pealed open the roof and lowered him in.

We all have impediments that need the touch of God. We have to understand that if we are trying to overcome these sins alone by our own efforts and with only our limited strength that we cannot and will not succeed. We have to recognize our inability to be holy and pure by just our own efforts and that we have to seek help. Just as the paralytic men found assistance, we also have helpers! We can seek aid from the four Gospel writers as a means to move closer to Christ and we can practice the church disciplines to lower ourselves in humility helping us remove layers of sin, as we try to become a servant of all, a God-Seeker. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. […] Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does Christ does not belong to Him. But if Christ is in you, although your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness.” (Romans 5:5, 8:10)

St. Gregory Palamas affirmed that man carries in himself two tendencies, one for good, the other for evil. However, the tendency for good can only be developed in man through acquiring the grace of God, the divine energy sent to us from God, accessible insofar as our hearts and minds are pure enough to receive that grace. But this grace which enlightens and brightens us can only come to us if we repent, if we accept the process of fasting and prayer, tears and self-sacrifice.

And in the book of Jeremiah where hear these instructions: “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”(Jer 29:13) St. Irenaeus of Lyons stated that God: “became what we are in order to make us what He is” or God remains what He is when we are united to Him, but we become what we are not, yet what we were created to be! Let us ask for grace to repent and confess; let us ask Him to forgive and heal us; and let us then take up the labor of living the life of Christ for all to see, to the glory of God, and for the salvation of our souls.

“Light of Orthodoxy, Teacher of the Church; its Confirmation! Ideal of monks and invincible champion of theologians. Wonder-working GREGORY, glory of Thessalonica and preacher of grace. Always intercede before the Lord that our souls may be saved.”

Fr. Gabriel Weller 3/27/16

SPLINTER

[Rom. 13:12] The night is far spent; the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

When you work with wood you enviably get splinters in your flesh. I have been working on our log home frequently and have come to know this all too well. I keep plenty of Band-Aids and electrical tape in my truck for administering first aid.

In order for me to remove the splinter I need plenty of light and a knife or pair of tweezers to aid me in digging the splinter out of my flesh. I also need plenty of light and I now, with my failing eyesight, need my reading glasses to magnify the injury!

If I can’t see the splinter, I can feel that there is something foreign under my flesh. Sometimes I realize this immediately depending upon the size and nature of the splinter. However, sometimes I am unaware that I have acquired a splinter until an infection sets in and my skin turns red and it becomes tender to the touch.

I also suffer the effects from another type of splinter, but this one lodges in my heart and adheres to my soul. These splinters are foreign objects and should not be found in my temple of God, but I have even grown accustomed to their existence and chose to continue on in life ignoring the soreness and the infections they have caused.

These splinters are sin and they hide in the darkness of my self-justifying intellect. I like to feel good about myself and my actions and therefore ignore their existence! I allow the sinful splinters to separate me from the loving embrace of my creator which is the beginning of a life-threatening infection. Their existence distracts me from the light of Christ and I cling to the darkness seeking a place to hide them.

Saint John Chrysostom says: “As a wound, so long as it is embedded and concealed, running beneath the surface, it enjoys not a bit of attention, so also sin, as long as it is hidden, being as it were in darkness, is daringly committed with full license. But as soon as it is made manifest, it becomes light; not indeed the sin itself—for how could that be?—but the sinner. For when he has been brought out to light, when he has been admonished, when he has repented, when he has obtained pardon, hast thou not cleared away all his healed darkness? Hast thou not then his wound? Hast thou not called forth his unfruitfulness into fruit? For no one hides a blameless (irreproachable) life; whereas things which are hidden are hidden by darkness covering them.” [Hom. 18, P.G. 62:127 (col. 122); cf. Bl. Theophylact, P.G. 124:408 CD (col. 1108).]

When I realize I have caused someone pain, I need to examine my flesh for the splinter. Seeking Christ’s-aid by self-examination and exposing the splinters to the Light by study, confession, prayer and fasting, and then applying a heaping amount of the antibiotic of heartfelt forgiveness frequently.

Fr. Gabriel Weller 3/13/16

I LOVE PIE!

My favorite dessert is pie. I love pie! Of all the different varieties of pie, I prefer some type of berry although there was a time when you couldn’t pull me off of a piece of chocolate pie! However too much pie, in general, is not a healthy staple for my diet but it is certainly acceptable as an occasional treat!

Nevertheless, there is one kind of pie that is very healthy but I rarely consume it even though I recognize that a large and frequent helping of this dessert would increase my health and even improve my social behavior! The only drawback is that this type of pie has a bitter taste and it is very messy!

This healthy pie is known by its name, Humble Pie. Most folks are like me and don’t seek it and they are more than satisfied with overlooking that bitter flavor on the menu! A piece of humble pie takes some work to digest and doesn’t melt in my mouth like a berry pie. No matter how much sugar you add, humble pie does not attract folks and it is not a popular choice.

Now I am usually a much focused man. That is partly so I can accomplish many things even when my mind tends to wonder, and now as I struggle with Some-Timers Disease, my centered focus even helps me complete a task before I forget what I was supposed to be doing! I tend to shun distractions to stay on task. I usually do not have time for a piece of humble pie!

In our Gospel reading today, our Lord says: “I say to you, this one went down to his house having been justified rather than that one; for everyone who exalteth himself shall be humbled, and the one who humbleth himself shall be exalted.” [Lk. 18:14] If I continue in life loving my tasty desserts and myself and ignoring my surroundings and actions, I will be rejecting Christ! And by rejecting Christ and not loving my neighbor I will continue to add pounds of unhealthy weight to my stressful body that is supposed to be a temple and not a storehouse of gluttony, selfishness and denial!

How can we improve our health and humility? As we start our day, we must all admit that we are sinners in need of a Savior! We must seek God in all our daily choices! As our Father told the prophet Isaiah, “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2)

Perhaps Humble Pie should not be left to be last as a dessert but moved to our appetizer selections in our daily choices in life. And although Humble Pie may taste bitter at first, I know the aftertaste is divine and quite a life-saver!

Fr. Gabriel Weller 2/21/16

Attracted To Distraction

It’s fourth and ten with a minute to go and you’re down by seven. The very next play, the next snap of the ball will determine if your year was a success or a failure. Yes, it is time for the Super Bowl. If only life were a game and a great big pay check awaited us despite the outcome of our next decision, win or lose.

After church today, Super Bowl 50 is expected to generate some 620 million dollars in revenue. And according to the American Gaming Association, people will gamble away 4.2 billion dollars on Super Bowl wagers. That’s a lot of dough for entertainment!

The events held in the coliseums offer us a fresh bouquet of life in the midst of our grey day to day struggles with health, wealth, happiness and purpose. And let us not forget the advertisements that tempt us and seduce us into wanting things we don’t need and can really live without!

We are all attracted to distraction. And as for me, even when I’m not being entertained by sports, my mind often leaves reality behind in pursuit of dream weaving. I find myself struggling throughout the day reflecting upon my woundedness rather than counting my blessings, or I use my vivid imagination entertaining myself in the land of “what ifs”.

All of our senses gather information from our surroundings and send that information to our brain for processing. This information can be vital for our survival and makes us want to seek out new information or makes us attracted to distraction and new surroundings. And it seems these days with our new electronic gadgets; we are allowing ourselves to be seduced more and more away from reality and away from God.

And then there is my prayer time when my need to center myself on God is interrupted with an attack of distraction. As long as my brain is healthy, it will continue to generate thoughts and ideas and it will seek out distractions. But I can dismiss them by turning my attention back to my prayer offering and making the sign of the cross from the top of my brain to the bottom of my heart to reapply my attention.

When most folks go to sleep they turn off the light and turn off the distractions. We need a time of quiet and peace. We need a time to turn off the world! To continually allow ourselves to be distracted is choosing to separate ourselves from God. Saint Gennadius of Constantinople wrote: “Do not forsake prayer, for just as the body becomes weak when it is deprived of food, so also the soul when it is deprived of prayer draws nigh to weakness and noetic death.” (St. Gennadius of Constantinople, The Golden Chain, 44)

Before the age of the Super Bowl, Facebook and the internet, Saint Paul’s warns the folks in a letter to Corinth: “And this I say for your own profit, not that I might cast a noose upon you, but for that which is seemly, and for constant waiting on the Lord without distraction.” [1 Cor. 7:35] And we hear from the words of our Lord: “Without Me you can’t do anything.”(John 15:5) I pray in this New Year we can all seek out the Kingdom of God firstly and be less attracted to distractions in our hot pursuit of the Kingdom of God.
Glory to Thee!

Fr. Gabriel Weller 2/7/16

Can You Keep A Secret?

Some folks have said that they would lay down their life for their best friend. What is the definition of a best friend? Is it someone who enjoys the same things as you? Is it someone who is has always been there for you? Is it someone who can keep a secret? Or is it someone who will try to defend you against insults? Perhaps an inclusive definition of a best friend would be someone who loves you and truly cares about you?

At a time when being a follower of Jesus was not popular and accepted, Christ charged his friends with the following command: “The harvest indeed is great, but the workers are few. Entreat therefore the Lord of the harvest that He would send out workers into His harvest. Go; behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves.” [Lk. 10:2,3]

Today, your good friend Jesus is asking you to share His love with others. But not only that, He has asked to you leave your walls of protection behind, lay aside your body piercing armor and go as a defenseless sheep amongst the starving unbelievers, the clever protesters and the infidels of deception. Everything you need will be provided! Christ is your great Shepherd and He says: “I will be with you and aid you, and deliver you from all evil. I will tame the savage beasts; I will change wolves into sheep. I will make the persecutors become the helpers of the persecuted….For I will make and unmake all things, and there is nothing that can resist My will.” [Saint Kyril: Hom. 61, Commentary, Ch. 10, 264.]

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). A true friend is someone you will share a secret with. As we share our woundedness and failures and our living faith with someone it will create a bond and allow Christ-like love to blossom. My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) St. John Chrysostom says: “That is to say, it is I that have made you to be what ye are.”

If you have felt the love of Christ, you cannot keep it a secret! Our faith walk in life must be shared! There is so much brokenness and suffering in this world and the great Sheppard needs you! A sheep by itself is vulnerable to the trickery of the savage beast so it is important that we all cling together. A good sheep follows his Sheppard, giving up this life in the world for the everlasting life in Christ!
How many best friends do you have? Perhaps the measure will be how many friends we have, not on Facebook, but friends recorded in the Book of Life!
He said to him, “Feed My Lambs.” He said to him, “Tend My Sheep.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My Sheep.” (John 21:15-17)

Fr. Gabriel Weller 1-17-16

NEXT OF KIN

Folks say that blood is thicker than water. I am reminded of this with each feast day or each holiday as we gather with the fruit of our an
cestor’s lineage. As branches of our family tree, we are here today because of the successes and failures of our kinfolk. We are connected and bound to their history and in the old days even our surname identified us as having a skill or a particular lifestyle.

And as we near the manger the church reminds us of where this Child, this Messiah, this King, this Great Servant of all came from. Today, the Apostle Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage with a focus on His Jewish heritage. This lineage includes kings, scholars, prophets, warriors, and patriarchs. But His kinfolk also include prostitutes, fornicators, murderers, liars, and charlatans. Much of Jesus’ next of kin loved God and God’s mercy and grace was bestowed upon them.

The infant was born in a town named Bethlehem and its’ name was derived from Arabic meaning “house of flesh.” This week, we will travel vividly chanting and reading the Holy Scripture with Joseph and Mary to this town of Bethlehem where once Samuel anointed (1 Sam. 16:1-13) Israel’s first kings, Saul and David, (1 Sam. 9:1; 1 Sam. 16:1-13) who were born there, and this town where Jacob’s wife Rachel was buried.

Our Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem in meekness. His family tree was not one full of nobility but one balanced with folks that struggled in life just like you and me. He was not born in a castle fit for a king but rather in a cave where animals lived. He was bound in swaddling clothes instead of fine silk and laid in a manger, used to feed the animals.

An obedient lowly virgin had a temple formed in her womb. This temple encompassed the Alpha and the Omega! Our Creator was contained in the “house of flesh” and then thrust into the darkness of the night and into the world strangling in the darkness of sin. Our Light and our salvation were born unto us!

And as for your next of kin, every saint has a past and every sinner has a brighter future! The salvation of mankind cannot happen against our own will. It cannot be forced upon us. But when we allow Christ to dwell in our hearts, He cannot be contained. Just as yeast rises, our hearts overflow with radiance and love oozes out and consumes our surroundings! Our future becomes brighter and the darkness of our past is loosed and by the birth of this little one, we have inexhaustible hope! We are loved! God has chosen you, won’t you chose Him? Glorify Him!!!

Fr. Gabriel Weller 1/3/16

ONE FIST OF IRON, THE OTHER OF STEEL

“If you see me comin’, better step aside A lotta men didn’t, a lotta men died
One fist of iron, the other of steel If the right one don’t a-get you, then the left one will”

In 1994, Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded a song titled Sixteen Tons. This song spoke about becoming hardened and calloused in the rivers of life. With one fist of iron and the other of steel, Tennessee Ernie became tough after being bumped and bruised along the path of life, and fightin’ and trouble became his middle name.

Saint Paul gives us a different example to follow than the one Tennessee Ernie spoke of. And let the peace of God be presiding in your hearts, to which also ye were called in one body; and keep on becoming thankful. [Col. 3:15] That is much easier said than done. When the bumps and bruises of life inflict pain and suffering, it usually takes our minds away from being peaceful and thankful. We find ourselves entrenched in a state of panic and despair, gasping for help.

How many times I have longed to alleviate the suffering I see other folks going through or I hear of in the confessional. And in my limitations as a man, sometimes the best I think I can offer is a tear or an encouraging word. For alone, we are helpless! But as a family, hand in hand, we are strong! And as God’s church, we are unbreakable!

When someone in a family or group catches a cold, everyone gets sick. The sick person spreads their germs just as we the church share our struggles and failures, our dust of the Earth sharing in life with your dust. We do not wish to infect others with our problems but to be reassured that we are not alone. We are thankful that we love people who care, and thankful that they love us enough to care, to share, to remember each other and our families in their prayers. A kind word, a hot meal, a hug or a pat on the back connect us all to the same body.

When my left eye is tired, my right eye increases, when my right foot limps, my left foot caries my load. And so it is in the body of Christ. From the dust of this earth we have been wonderfully made and to the dust of this earth we will return and what really matters is what we do in between those dots on our road map of life. Let the peace of God be still the rage of hurt and failure than rise up against us and tries to prevent us from loving His body, and loving our member that has gone limp and is sometimes prickly with pain. Don’t be offended so easily!

It takes strength to reach out. And it takes an effort to be a servant like Christ! Take up your cross and follow the great healer, the greatest lover of mankind, and the biggest servant of us all! “Come to Me, all ye who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. [Mt. 11:28] We are family, we are one body, and we are the church! Glory to Thee!

Fr. Gabriel Weller 12/20/15