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Is there Room in the Inn?

Posted on by Fr. Peter

nativity

We have all heard the story before, Joseph has to go to Bethlehem to be counted in the census and he takes his new wife, Mary with him.  Mary is great with child as they set off on the journey that will take several days to make.  They arrive and we hear that “her time has come” they attempt to find lodging, but because everyone, literally everyone, is in town there is no room.  Door after door, they knock and get the same answer from within; there is no room in the inn.  There is no place for a mother about to give birth and her husband.

As you can imagine, Joseph is frantic at this point, he is looking for any place for Mary to lay her head.  Finally they find room.  It is not the Ritz but he does not care.  The Inn Keeper takes him out behind his place to a cave that has been hewn in the side of the hill.  Inside are the beasts of burden, the ox, the cow, the donkey, maybe some sheep and perhaps even a pig.  But Joseph does not care, he needs a place and here is a dry place for them to get out of the weather and Mary can give birth to their child.

There is no bed, no place for Mary to lay her head, just a manger, the trough where the animals only moments ago were eating, this is the place that Mary will lay her child.  She will place him in the lowliest of places after the birth, wrap him in whatever they can find to keep him warm, and watch over him.  They both have some understanding of what is going on, but they are not quite sure.  They have both been visited by angels to assure them that all will be well, but as Joseph looks around he has his doubts.  What am I doing, the doubts start to form in his mind.  In the Icon of the feast, we see Joseph, down at the bottom all by himself talking to a little man with a confused look on his face.  Then strangers start to arrive, they say they have come to worship the child, and they have brought gifts.

But what of the Inn?  We understand that what we are talking about here is basically people’s houses that had rooms to let.  These were not hotels as we think of them today more like spaces for people to sleep and maybe get a meal in the morning.  But there was no room.

Two Sunday’s before Christmas we hear the Gospel story about people being invited to a banquet and all of the excuses they have for not coming.  One has to tend his crops, another bought a new ox and needs to care for it, and the last one says he just got married, and well, his new wife won’t let him go!  This is the reason that particular Sunday is called Excuse Sunday!

The people in this story had no room for the feast, the king was inviting them to the palace and they had no room in their busy lives for the king.  The Inn Keeps had no room for the king, they were busy with all of the guests and trade and what not, and they had no room for the King of Kings.  Tonight, this night, that same King is knocking on the door of your hearts looking for a little bit of room.

He was born into the lowliest of conditions to remind us that we need to be poor in spirit.  His birth was announced first, not to Kings, but to simple shepherds on the hill side tending their sheep.  We see in this event a lesson of humility, we need to be humble of heart and of spirit.  The Kings will come and worship him, and bend their knees, to show to the world that this little baby will be the King of the Universe.  God has bent His knee and come down to save His creation.  The creator of all has taken on the form of His creation that we might take on the form of gods!

He was born into this world in the image and likeness of God so he might renew that image that all of us have been given, that image and likeness of God that resides inside each and every one of us.

He was born to the lowliest of people to being the message of hope and the message of peace to the world.  He did not come to free us from our physical bondage as a military leader but he came to free us from the bondage of sin, the sin of our first parents, as a spiritual leader.  Jesus Christ is the first born of all, He is the ultimate High Priest and has come with open arms to welcome us home.

In the hustle and bustle of these days have we made room for him?  Have we taken time to ponder and meditate on what this season is all about, it is not about the parties and the gifts, it is about the ultimate gift, that gift that God has given us this night, the gift on Sonship, the gift of life!  God has condescended to come down to the earth, and become one of us, to free us from our sins!  He is knocking on the door of your heart, He is looking for a place to lay His head, He is looking for a place to make his abode.  Do we have room for him?  Are we willing to open the door for Him and welcome him to the party of our lives?

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shined the light of knowledge upon the world; for thereby they that worshipped the stars were instructed by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, glory be to Thee.

Christ is Born!  Glorify Him!

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Nativity Message 2012

Posted on by Fr. Peter

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The Feast of the Lord’s Nativity 2012

“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)

It is with these words that the Angel spoke to the shepherds who were keeping watch.  The Angel spoke these words to comfort them and also to announce that the long awaited Messiah had been born.  Scripture tells us that the whole of creation rejoiced when Jesus was born as the separation between God, and His creation had been fixed and, as we sing in the Troparion of the Forefeast, “Eden has been opened for all.”

Jesus Christ, the Son, the Word, the Image of God, was born to restore that Image.  He was formed in the womb of the Theotokos and become human so that He may be formed in us.  Christ is in us, and we are in Him.  We sanctify the world around us by the Spirit that flows from our hearts.  This is the true meaning of Christmas, God with us, and we are with God!

Each of us, all of humanity has been created in the image and likeness of God.  When we look at another person we have to recognize that image of God in them, we are living Icons of Christ and the love God has for His creation, is the love that we should have for that same creation.  No longer can we look upon humanity as merely objects.  We need to see Christ in everyone we come into contact with.

He was born into the lowliest of conditions, in a stable in Bethlehem to parents who had nothing but love for each other.  He was born poor to remind us to be poor in spirit.  His birth was announced, not to kings but to shepherds, those who held the lowest position in society, to teach us the importance of humility.  The kings of Asia, the Wise Men, came to worship and bend their knee before Him to teach us that He is the King of the Universe.  This little baby was born to show us that His love for us knows no bounds.  In return for this expression of endless love,  He asks only love in return.  He seeks some tiny space in the Inn of our hearts and our souls. Will we welcome Him in, or like the Inn keeps of old, tell Him there is no room?

The rich God emptied Himself and became human like us.  The God who created the heavens and the earth, through the outpouring of His Divine love for us, accepted to be born in a lowly manger.  The God who holds the world in His hands allowed Himself to be held in the arms of the Holy Virgin.  Through the Lord’s Nativity the path to salvation has been set for us, this way is through sacrifice, humility, and compassion toward others just as God Himself has sown mercy on us.  Through the Incarnation in this little baby God recreates humanity and bestows upon us the riches that had been lost.  Through the Nativity of Christ, God reveals to us the way we can truly be rich in the image of the One who is rich, that is God Himself!

I pray, at this most magnificent feast that each of us will recognize the riches that God has revealed to us.  Let us prepare our souls to receive the riches of God and be thankful that He sent His Son to be born that He might save us.

I embrace you in Christ the Lord.  May we all celebrate these Holy Days of Christmas and Theophany in the riches of peace and the love of God.

Your brother in prayer to God,

Fr. Peter

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Nativity Message of Archbishop Nicolae

Posted on by Fr. Peter
His Eminence, Archbishop Nicolae
His Eminence, Archbishop Nicolae

† NICOLAE

by the mercies of God

Archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas

To our beloved clergy and Orthodox Christians,
peace and joy from Christ the Lord,
and from us hierarchical blessings.

For unto us is born a little child,
who is God from all eternity.
(Kontakion of the Nativity)

Most Reverend Fathers,

Beloved Christians,

On this Royal Feast day, I too bring you the tidings that the God who is “from all eternity” has been born as “a little child”, bringing to each of us joy and great hope. The joy comes from that of the Holy Family and of the angels who announced the miracle in the manger of Bethlehem, and the hope is the hope of salvation through the birth of this “little child.”

The joy of the Lord’s Nativity is described in the songs of this day of great celebration: “Rejoice greatly, O Heaven! Be glad, O earth! The Lamb of God has been born on earth.” “Rejoice, holy ones; you heavens be glad; and you mountains, sing with glee, for Christ our God is born.” “The powers of Heaven rejoice, the earth and all mankind dance with glee.” This is the joy of the proclamation of the fulfillment of the prophecies, of the descent of God to earth, of the “Kingdom of God drawing near.” And it is also the joy of the birth of a child as a sign of the blessing of God.

Let us remember that the parents of the Virgin Mary, Joachim and Anna, had no children. They prayed with perseverance for many years, they had patience, and they put their hope in the help and work of God. And God listened to their prayer and blessed them more than they even hoped. For they prayed for a child that would take away the sign of infirmity and of the lack of blessing which was over their family. They received a child, the Virgin Mary, who would give the world its Savior. The blessing of God on this family represented the blessing on the human race that was awaiting its Deliverer from sin and infirmity.

Later, the joy and the blessing were poured out upon the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation: “Rejoice, you who are full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!” (Luke 1:28). Mary was in prayer, just as was her custom from the temple, but still she marveled at this news. What blessing was this that was announced? The Archangel explained to her the plan of God for this pure virgin: “Fear not, Mary, for you have found favor with God. For behold you will conceive in your womb and will bear a son, and you will call him Jesus” (Luke 1:30-31). For a human being who had dedicated her life to the service of God, this news was unfathomable. What could be the meaning of this blessing which was more appropriate for a married woman desirous of bringing children into the world? What the Virgin understood and accepted was the fact that the proclamation of the archangel was the revelation of the will of God. The salvation of mankind would be fulfilled through the blessing of God and through the response of the Virgin: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be unto me according to Your Word” (Luke 1:38). The response meant becoming pregnant in her womb and, later, raising a child as the fruit of the blessing of God. The response also meant a mysterious joy that this child was ordained by God to fulfill a mission, and not just any, but the salvation of the world. And that she, the Virgin Mary, had become the vehicle of the work of God.

Through these things that have been said, we understand that the Lord’s Nativity reveals to us the way in which God poured out His blessing and found the way by which to bring salvation to man. We also understand that every child is the fruit of the blessing of God upon a family, a blessing which brings much joy. The child that God sends into a family has a mission ordained by God. The parents become partakers in this mission by means of their bringing the child into the world, and by raising and teaching it. Joachim and Anna are called “the holy, righteous, godly parents” because they received the child Mary. She herself received the name ”Birthgiver of God” because she gave physical birth to the Son of God. St. John of Damascus says that “this name contains the whole mystery of salvation.” The mystery of the maternity of the Holy Virgin does not only pertain to the physical birth. For she was, and remained, a Virgin. The fulfillment of her maternity is sacrificial love. Through love for the one to whom one has given birth the egoism of man is conquered. In this love we can discover the image of love for our neighbor, says Father Georges Florovsky. In our love for our child we can understand the commandment to love our neighbor “as ourselves.” Therefore the mystery of the Savior’s Nativity through the Virgin Mary reveals the mystery of our salvation. Father Florovsky continues by saying that the love of the Birthgiver of God is all-embracing. It includes the Savior’s sacrifice on the Cross, and through that it includes us all who follow Him. The love of the Theotokos is perfected through the fact that she is the protector of Christians and intercessor for us.

Most Reverend Fathers, Beloved Faithful,

At the celebration of the Lord’s Nativity it behooves us to remember the significance of the birth of a child as a sign of the blessing of God which brings joy to the family. In our world, ever more estranged from God, we are tempted to forget what a child represents, and to follow the world in not desiring children. Christian parents must not forget the responsibility they have before God. St. Paul the Apostle tells us that woman is saved through childbearing, meaning not only their birth for this world, but also for the eternal Kingdom through baptism. According to the example of the Mother of God, motherhood and fatherhood mean sacrificial love for children. This means their Christian education, going together with them through the temptations of this world, the example of spiritual life in the family. The families that fulfill these things become co-laborers with God and fulfillers of the Divine will.

At this bright feast my desire for you all is that the Child Jesus will bring you blessing and joy. I desire that you rejoice in the children God has given you, both the physical and spiritual ones. I desire that you find the way of salvation in the Church, and that you hold tightly to the hands of all your loved ones on this pathway.

I enfold you in a brotherly embrace in Christ the Lord, and I wish you the Holy Feasts of Christmas, the New Year, and Theophany in health, peace, and spiritual joys.

Many Years!

Your Brother in Prayer to God and Desirer of every Heavenly Good,

† NICOLAE

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Ministering to those who Minister

Posted on by Fr. Peter

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Like all of you, I was affected by the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.  Someone on Facebook remarked that they had the same feelings on Friday as they did after 9/11.  There is something about school violence that affects everyone, even those of us not directly affected by it.

During the sermon on Sunday,  I spoke of hope, the hope that we need and that we find in the new born baby that all will be well.  We will ask questions and seek a resolution and try to make sure this never happens again.  But we move on.

This past Tuesday, December 18th, I was deployed by International Orthodox Christian Charities to connect with the Orthodox Clergy in the affected area to see what help the Orthodox church could provide.  I spent several hours with them as they told stories of what they had heard from their parishioners.  The people they had met with were friends of those directly affected the ones who knew the victims and their families, and other people.  It was a blessing to be able to minister to those who minister.

I was able to spend some time in Newtown at the various memorials just talking to people.  People had come from all over just to pay their respects and offer a prayer or two.  I was blessed to be able to pray with a few of them as they stood by the roadside trying to make sense of it all.  The amazing part of it all was silence in the Town.  It was like what you experience at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC.  The silence of respect and the silence of prayer was all over Town in an extraordinarily respectful way.  It was as if the whole Town was a memorial.

Standing and looking at the twenty-six Christmas trees that had been erected close to the school was a moment that I will not soon forget.  Reading the messages of sympathy and of hope brought both sadness and joy to my heart at the same time.  All over the town were green and white signs, the school colors, which spoke the message of hope, “We are Sandy Hook, we Choose Love.”  I asked a few people what that meant, and they all said that they were choosing not to hate, hate anyone, but to come together in love.  Love is the only thing that will see them through.

In the coming weeks the television news vans will leave, the people will stop dropping off items at the memorials, and Newtown will slowly, very slowly, return to some sense of normalcy.  Newtown will always be remembered for this, but this remarkable town in Western Connecticut, will be a little closer to each other.  The moving vans were moving the desks and chairs and other mementos out of the school and bringing them to the new school where the children will complete the school year but even with a new coat of paint, the children and teachers and staff will never be the same.  They will be forever bonded together because of this shooting.  They will struggle together to try and make sense of it all and will try to move forward.

I am blessed that I had a small part to  play in all of this, and my prayer is that I was able to bring some hope and some encouragement to the people of Newtown.  They will all live forever in my heart!

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Orthodox Christian Leaders Discuss Social Outreach At White House Conference

Posted on by Fr. Peter

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Baltimore, MD (IOCC) — More than 80 representatives of the nation’s Orthodox Christian service organizations joined together at the White House today to discuss strategic service alliances with the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The White House Conference on Orthodox Christian Engagement was hosted by the White House Office of Public Engagement in conjunction with the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and facilitated by International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC).

Present to discuss the role of Orthodox Christians in social outreach, disaster response, and community development in the United States were Archbishop Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas and liaison to IOCC from the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America. Also present were Bishop Gregorios of Nyssa of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese and Bishop Sevastianos of Zela, Chief Secretary of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Eparchial Synod, representing Archbishop Demetrios of America, a member of the Presidential Commission for Faith-Based Organizations. The Orthodox Christian hierarchs were joined by IOCC Board Chairman, Michael S. “Mickey” Homsey, along with IOCC board members and staff, Orthodox Christian clergy and leaders of Orthodox Christian service organizations.

“The opportunity for this level of discourse with the White House is an important way to build understanding between our communities and contribute toward serving needs here in the United States,” said Homsey. “The conference is an important step toward uniting the efforts of Orthodox Christians to effectively serve their communities and builds on similar service IOCC has provided in more than 50 countries around the world over the past twenty years.”

The half-day conference brought together the community’s leadership to learn more about its multifaceted ministries, and to explore potential collaborations offered by the federal government to support the Church’s service work.

“The Orthodox Christian community plays a critical role in social outreach, disaster response, and community development,” said D. Paul Monteiro, Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. The conference provided a forum for dialogue on that outreach and areas for mutual cooperation.

Preceding the White House conference was a gathering of IOCC’s Frontline, a national emergency response network comprised of volunteers trained in disaster response, organized following the events of September 11. IOCC recently deployed members of the Frontline to assist in coastal communities along the Eastern seaboard following Superstorm Sandy and seeks to expand its network of volunteers nationally to serve more communities through disaster preparedness and emergency response.

In addition to emergency response, IOCC’s efforts in the United States have focused on the provision of educational assistance to children in underserved communities throughout the country and facilitation of hands-on community outreach efforts through volunteerism and home building projects.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHARITIES
IOCC is the official humanitarian aid agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America. Since its inception in 1992, IOCC has delivered more than $400 million in relief and development programs to families and communities in 50 countries. IOCC is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of more than 130 churches and agencies engaged in development, humanitarian assistance and advocacy.

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On the 29th Anniversary of the Death of Fr. Alexander Schmemann

Posted on by Fr. Peter
V. Rev. Fr. Alexander Schmemann
V. Rev. Fr. Alexander Schmemann

SYOSSET, NY [OCA]

Thursday, December 13, 2012, the Feast of Saint Herman of Alaska, marks the 29th anniversary of the repose of Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann, Dean of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary and a leading 20th century Orthodox Christian theologian.

Born in 1921 in Estonia to a family of Russian emigres, Father Alexander spent his youth in France, where he received his secondary and university education. He also completed theological studies at the Orthodox Theological Institute of Saint Sergius in Paris, which was then the center of Russian Orthodox scholarship following the turmoil of the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Ordained to the priesthood in 1946, he taught Church history at Saint Sergius Institute until 1951, when he was invited to join the faculty of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, at that time located in New York City. He was quickly recognized as a leading exponent of Orthodox liturgical theology, which sees the liturgical tradition of the Church as a major sign and expression of the Christian faith.

He received his doctorate on July 5, 1959 from the Orthodox Theological Institute of Saint Sergius on the dissertation “Tserkovny Ustav: Opyt Vvedeniia v Liturgicheskoe Bogoslovie” [The Church’s Ordo: Introduction to Liturgical Theology]. He held honorary degrees from Butler University, General Theological Seminary, Lafayette College, Iona College, and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

Besides teaching at Saint Vladimir’s, Father Alexander held positions of adjunct professor at Columbia University, New York University, Union Seminary, and General Theological Seminary in New York and was a popular guest lecturer at many universities throughout the country. He was also active as a representative of the Orthodox Church in the ecumenical movement, and held positions in the Youth Department and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.

Dean of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary from 1962, he was instrumental in educating a generation of Orthodox priests. During his tenure, the Seminary achieved wide recognition as a center of Orthodox theological studies.

In 1970, he was active in the establishment of the Orthodox Church in America as an autocephalous Church, which at that time became officially independent from the Russian Orthodox Church, and dedicated itself to the unity of Orthodox ethnic jurisdictions in this country.

While committed to the cause of an Orthodox Church which would be united and American, Father Alexander always remained concerned with the fate of believers in the Soviet Union. For 30 years, his sermons were broadcast in Russian on “Radio Liberty” and gained Father Alexander a broad following across the Soviet Union. Alexander Solzhenitzyn, who while still in the Soviet Union was one of his auditors, remained his friend after emigrating to the West.

Father Alexander published over a dozen books which received wide circulation, including For the Life of the World; Introduction to Liturgical Theology; Ultimate Questions; Church, World, Mission; and numerous articles and tracts. For the Life of the World, a popular volume on Christian faith as reflected in liturgy, has been translated into numerous languages and remains one of the most popular works on Christianity for the general public. He completed a major study on the Eucharist only weeks before his death.

May Father Alexander’s memory be eternal!

For a wealth of additional information and links please visitwww.schmemann.org.

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Emergency Response

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Fr. Peter at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina

I will be honest and admit that most of the day, in the life of a priest, is involved in the everyday tasks of just being.  I could go on about visits to hospitals and other such pastoral things, but most of the time I am just involved in life.  The same life by the way that most of you will be involved in.

However, shortly after my ordination, I was appointed as Chaplain to the Dudley Fire Department and life has been anything but ordinary.  You never know what the day will bring.  I wear a pager on my hip each and every day and I have been called to some pretty horrific scenes and to fires where people have lost everything.  I have had the honor to serve with some very dedicated men and women who put their lives on the line each and every day for the safety of others.

I have also had the honor of serving as a Front Line Responder with International Orthodox Christian Charities.  IOCC has put together a group of professionals that are available 24/7 to deploy anywhere in the United States after a disaster to render whatever aid we can.  Within three days of Hurricane Katrina I was on a plane on my way to Baton Ruge to meet up with other responders.  We did not know what we were going to do or even where we were going to stay.  We worked as part of an Ecumenical Team that was able to bring aid and comfort to people all over the state.  I have vivid memories of the Luis Armstrong airport, which had been turned into a makeshift shelter for thousands of people, and of entering the Orthodox Cathedral and finding an Icon of the Theotokos, under water, looking up at us as we came in the door.  These are memories that I will hold in my mind and in my heart forever.

On Thursday, I will be heading to Baltimore to join with the other Front Line Responders and the support staff from IOCC for a planning meeting.  Every now and again we gather together for a time of fellowship and prayer and also planning for the future.  We review past deployments with an eye of being able to do things better.  One thing you learn very fast in the emergency response business is you cannot be afraid to talk about and learn from your mistakes.

On Thursday our group will travel to Washington, DC at the invitation of the Obama Administration for a meeting with the folks from the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.  The WHOFBNP is interested in engaging to Orthodox Community in a conversation centered on future emergency response and how to help those who have suffered trauma after such disasters have taken place.  I believe this is the first time that the Orthodox Community has been engaged on this level by the Government and I am looking forward to the discussion.

I have often said that the government cannot, nor should they be expected, to do it all.  Faith based communities and other groups, need to be part of this type of work.  Faith based communities are at the center of life in a given community and can be used for many purposes during a disaster from feeding programs, to short term sheltering, storage, parking, etc.  Clergy are trained, or can be trained, in skills like crisis counseling and trauma response two areas I have become trained in and have used not only in disaster response but in everyday ministry.

I feel so blessed that God has allowed me to serve in this capacity to serve His people.  The Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains has as its motto “Serving Those Who Serve” and I have carried that into ministry at all levels.

Pray for us as we travel from all over the United States to our Nation’s Capital and pray that we have fruitful meetings.

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Duties of a Priest

Posted on by Fr. Peter

It has been eight and a half years since my ordination to the priesthood.  I can still remember that day like it was yesterday although it seems like a blur.  The ordination took place at the Congress of our Archdiocese so all of the priests from the Archdiocese were present which made it an extra special day.

From time to time I read over the prayers that are used at an ordination, it is nice to be reminded of them and it helps to recall the seriousness of what we are about.

Today in my daily blog reading I came across this article on Fr. Ted’s Blog.  He writes about a recent ordination that he attended and he quotes one of the prayers.  It reminds all of us of what the duties of the priest are.  Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of the daily running of the Church we can forget what we are all about.

“O God, great in might and inscrutable in wisdom, marvelous in counsel above the sons of men: You the same Lord,

fill with the gift of Your Holy Spirit this man whom it has pleased You to advance to the degree of Priest;

that he may become worthy to stand in innocence before Your altar,

to proclaim the Gospel of Your kingdom,

to minister the word of Your truth,

to offer to You spiritual gifts and sacrifices;

to renew Your people through the font of regeneration,

that when he shall go to meet You, at the second coming of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Your only-begotten Son, he may receive the reward of good stewardship in the order given to him, through the plenitude of Your goodness.”

This is a serious undertaking of priest and I think Fr. Ted for the reminder of the duties that we have all been ordained for.

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Concerning the Future

Posted on by Fr. Peter

It is difficult to see from one day to the next what the future will hold for us.  For me, I have confidence in God that if I listen to His word then I will walk in His ways.  But this is not always the way.  Sometimes I want to do what I want to do and then convince myself that this is God’s plan.  Discernment is a tremendously difficult task and requires time, patience, and lots of listening.

But what of the actions that we take today, how will those shape our future, or will they?

Some time ago I happened upon an episode of Dr. Phil.  He was discussing how things we post online may or may not affect any future employment.  Several of his guests had been denied jobs because of pictures they posted of themselves in, shall we say, compromising positions.  He also had some employment specialists on the show, I think we call them headhunters, and they spoke of what they do when they receive an application.  One of the first things they do is to Google the person to see what kind of online presence they have.  What they post will, according these folks anyway, affect the outcome of their job search.

A week or so ago, there appeared an article in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette about a student at Southbridge High School who had been expelled from school for cyber bullying one of his teachers.  While all of the facts surrounding the case are unclear to me, follow the link above to read the article for yourself, I think the actions of the School System suitable.  I understand the student in question was offered several options before expulsion, and he chose none of them, so the School Department expelled him.

Some of the comments along with the story in the paper were particularly interesting, and most of them surrounded sympathy for the student. “What will his future be?”  “How will he go to college?” And other questions along those lines.  As the story reflects the bullying of the teacher was so severe the teacher is now under the care of a doctor.

One of the troubling quotes from the article speaks of his lack of remorse for what he had done;

The administration also said it was troubling that once Mr. Latour became aware of the inappropriate messages, he deliberately chose not to notify anyone because he did not think the district would be able to trace the creation of the portal to him, and he wanted to “distance himself from all responsibility.” The letter also said he lacked remorse.

Actions have consequences and those consequences can be difficult to deal with.  We never know what the consequences of our actions today might be on our future.  Is the future of this student destroyed?  It might be, but what of the future of the teacher?  Will the teacher be able to go back to work?  Bullying is something that we just cannot tolerate at any level in our society, and that is a lesson I hope this young man has learned.  He can still earn a high school equivalency and go on to college and have a bright future, but he also needs to understand that this story will now be attached to his Google profile for life and may affect his future in other ways.

I am a firm believer in reconciliation and forgiveness, I should be it is my business if you will, but with any reconciliation there needs to be an understanding of what you did was wrong and there needs to be some remorse felt by the person.  Confession and reconciliation are vital parts of our spiritual life, but we also need to understand that sometimes our actions do require some punishment.  In the Orthodox tradition,  we believe that forgiveness is given to us by God if we are truly sorry for what we have done.  There needs to be an acknowledgement of the wrong, confession, and a commitment to try and not do it again.  All of these must be present for us to receive complete forgiveness.  Acknowledgement of wrongs is difficult for anyone, no one wants to stand before another human being, the priest in this case, being honest and vulnerable and declare that they have done something wrong.  It is a difficult position to be in, but once the confession is completed a substantial weight is lifted from the shoulders of the person confessing.  The merciful arms of God have removed that wrongdoing from you, and the relationship has been restored.  But we need to take that first step, we need to confess and genuinely mean it.

My prayer is that the young man has learned a lesson here, and that others will learn the same lesson that bullying is wrong and that their actions will have long and difficult consequences.

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