Dear all.
Gospel Reading
Yesterday’s gospel reading of the parable of the vineyard owner (Matthew 21:33 – 42) requires much reflection. It is traditionally understood to represent the old dispensation giving way to the new. It demonstrates in allegorical form how the Jews forfeited their right as God’s chosen people and that mantle is now assumed by the followers of Christ.
Our responsibility now is to give back to Christ “the fruits in its season”. The question is: what fruit? Clearly what the Jews demonstrated was wilful disobedience and an evil mind. They identified the son as heir, determined to kill him for his inheritance and promptly killed him. This fruit of the “first tenants” is abhorrent to God. What is sought is obedience, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are the fruit of God that need to be returned by us to him by the “new tenants”
The question is how do we return these fruit? The answer is as simple as it is hard – to do these things, all these things, to our fellow human in the name of the Trinitarian God. The identifying of what we need to do is the simple bit. The hard bit is this: “love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return… Be merciful even as [God] is merciful” (Luke 6:35).
Today, the fruit of the Spirit is lacking in the world. Most of us have no thoughts other than about “number one”. Some of us have thoughts for others – but these are generally people that we can relate to. But, if you do good to those who do good to you what credit is that to you? It is a very rare person who can strengthen and help those that hate them – yet this is what we are called to do.
So, in today’s world, who can be considered a good tenant? True,today we do not kill Christ today by crucifying him but is what we do any different? Through our indifference, intolerance and disregard for others and for the word of God we are killing Christ by ” a thousand cuts”. It is not that we deliberately set out to do this but life is just so busy that most of us have no time to ourselves. It is by placing “us” in the centre of our thinking that means God is crowded out of our life and gradually God is forgotten or becomes irrelevant. Is there not a sense of history repeating itself in all of this?
Programme for the week
The programme for this week is as follows: Tuesday 28th of August 6: 45 PM adult education class continues; Wednesday 29th of August the beheading of St John from 7:30 AM : NOTE : this is a strict fast; Friday the venerable sash of the Theotokos from 7:30 AM; Saturday first of September: the commencement of church calendar year from 7:45 AM : NOTE: Divine liturgy in English. Saturday 3 PM children’s class continues.
Do not forget
- The Vema is available free to all. Please collect from the candle stand.
- The magazine Lyxnos is also available from the candle stand – there is no charge.
- Our food store need supplies. If you wish to help financially the account details are: BSB 082057 account 616004624. All contributions welcome.
Thought of the week
We are all accountable for our actions as well as our inactions; our indifference as well as our point of difference and for our acts of omission as well as our acts of commission. Responsibility is given to all and rendering of account is the responsibility of each one of us. Remember “I forgot” will not be good enough.
Till next time.
In Christ.
Father John Athanasiou 0411 061 554
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