Communion and the Flu

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Laura has begun a discussion on her blog about receiving communion during the flu season. I disagree with her that the media is hyping this up. I will admit the media, of which I am part of by the way, did hype up the swine flu thing last winter but by all accounts it could be serious this year. That is not the intent of this post.

For some 2,000 years the Orthodox Church has distributed Communion from a common cup on a common spoon. Now some my think this gross but allow to explain first from a practical position and then a theological one.

Wine is used and the alcohol content is such that germs will not last. We also add hot, almost boiling water, to the chalice at the time of the mingling. These two things will help prevent the spread of the germs. Like I said for some 2,000 years this is the way it has been done even during the plague period in history communion was distributed this way.

Okay now from the theological. As Orthodox and Roman Catholics, we believe that the bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us in the Gospel to do this in remembrance of me. So in theological terms transubstantiation takes place and the gifts become holy. So the question I have is why would something that Jesus Himself is telling us to do, and the Holy Spirit comes upon to change, why would it make you sick? The only way you could possibly think this to be the case is if you do not believe it is the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! Sorry to be so harsh and in your face but that is the truth! Jesus is not going to command us to do something that will make us sick, plain and simple.

Now we need to take precautions, yes. I wash the chalice, spoon and other communion implements after each Liturgy. We need to wash our hands on a regular basis, and like the little kids do we need to sneeze into our sleeve and not our hands and if we do we need to sanitize them. All good things.

This fall and winter the vaccine will be out for the flu as it is every year. The young and the old will be given fist chance to get the shot. I would recommend getting the shot as I say every year. This is a flu shot just like the flu shot you get every other year but it has the swine flu stuff, sorry for the technical terms there, in it.

Do not be afraid of communion, in fact it is in times like these that we should be receiving communion not staying away from it.

22 August ~ St. Maelrubha

Posted on by Fr. Peter
An abbot and martyr, founder of Abercrossan, b. 642; d. 21 April, 722. He was descended from Niall, King of Ireland, on the side of his father Elganach. His rnother, Subtan, was a niece of St. Comgall the Great, of Bangor. St. Maelrubha was born in the county of Derry and was educated at Bangor. When he was in his thirtieth year he sailed from Ireland for Scotland, with a following of monks. For two years he travelled about, chiefly in Argyll, and founded about half-a dozen churches then settled at Abercrossan (Applecross), in the west of Ross. Here he built his chief church and monastery in the midst of the Pictish folk, and thence he set out on missionary journeys, westward to the islands Skye and Lewis, eastward to Forres and Keith, and northward to Loch Shinn, Durness, and Farr. It was on this last journey that he was martyred by Danish vikings, probably at Teampull, about nine miles up Strath-Naver from Farr, where he had built a cell. He was buried close to the River Naver, not far from his cell, and his grave is still marked by “a rough cross-marked stone”. The tradition, in the “Aberdeen Breviary”, that he was killed at Urquhart and buried at Abercrossan is probably a mistake arising from a confusion of Gaelic place-names.

This error had been copied by several later hagiologists, as has also the same writers’ confusion of St. Maelrubha with Sts. Rufus of Capua. Maelrubha was, after St. Columba, perhaps the most popular saint of the north-west of Scotland. At least twenty-one churches are dedicated to him, and Dean Reeves enumerates about forty forms of his name. His death occurred on 21 April, and his feast has always been kept in Ireland on this day; but in Scotland (probably owing to the confusion with Sts. Rufus) it was kept on 27 August. On 5 July, 1898, Pope Leo XIII restored his feast for the Church in Scotland, to be kept on 27 August.

Is It for Oxen that God is Concerned?

Posted on by Fr. Peter

V. Rev. Fr. Nicholas Apostola
Pastor, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church

Guest Blogger

This is the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, and the reading is taken from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 9:2-12. In this excerpt, St. Paul presents an argument to affirm the authenticity of his Apostolic authority, against some in the Corinthian community who appear to have challenged it.

From what we can understand of the arguments intended on undermining his authority, one point was that St. Paul’s did not exercise the normal prerogatives of an Apostle, such as being financially supported by the community. I say ‘from what we can understand’ because we have to infer the argument of those opposing St. Paul from how he has responded. We do not have other documents, such as the original letters coming from Corinth to St. Paul, to hear precisely what they were saying. Nevertheless, we can still glean a great deal from St. Paul’s writings.

Without inflating his Apostleship, he tells them simply, “If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.” (v. 2) He doesn’t raise his other missionary work as proof; he tells them to look to themselves and their own community, at the work he has done there in Corinth. This is proof enough.

He then addresses the Apostolic prerogatives that he has not availed himself of. “Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?” (v.4-6) He is telling them plainly that just because he had not wanted to burden the community with supporting him and Barnabas, does not mean that he had forfeited this right. The Church community has a duty to support those preaching and ministering to them.

We are reminded in these verses of some historical facts. All of the original twelve Apostles, except for John, were married. Paul chose to remain unmarried, perhaps because of the arduous nature of the missionary activity he was called to, or perhaps because he felt that the Lord’s coming would be very soon and the new age would then begin. Regardless, he claims his right to be married, without feeling the need to exercise it. (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:23ff)

Similarly, we know that St. Paul was a tent maker. This is how he supported himself when he would go to a new city to preach the Gospel. He and many others sacrificed a great deal in order to bring the Good News of salvation to people everywhere.

He then begins a very down to earth way of explaining why he has a right to expect to be compensated for his ministry among them. “Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?” (v. 7) Each one of us feels that it is only fair that we receive adequate remuneration for our work. This is at the very heart of our life in common. This is the foundation of our economy. But, it is even more basic than that.

“Do I say this on human authority?” asks St. Paul. “Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.’ Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop.” (v.8-10) One of the more amazing aspects of the Law is that even three thousand or more years ago fair payment for work rendered was considered central to being in a right relationship with God. Moses tells us that God is concerned with just treatment of laborers.

All that St. Paul has said up until now was meant to prepare us for his central point: “If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.” (v.11-12)

Things are not so very different today as they were in first century Corinth. The question of clergy salaries remains lively. How much should the priest be compensated? Is he really worth it? At least in here in North America, this question still sparks a discussion.

There has rarely been a time more than our own when the “best and the brightest” were needed to devote themselves to the preaching of the Gospel. We live in an epoch of huge cultural shifts. People are searching for a way to understand the changes in society and find meaning — find God — in what they are experiencing. We need people who have more insight, more understanding, and more spiritual wisdom than the average person to help and minister to us. These persons need to be compensated at least as well as other professionals whom we regularly engage to assist us in our earthly existence. Very simply, if we ask people to help us spiritually, we need to support them and their families.

I believe that the single most important issue facing the Orthodox Church here is the adequate compensation of the clergy. If this issue is not addressed, the consequences will be dire. As St. Paul reminds us, “It is for oxen that God is concerned?” It is certainly both oxen and us.

20 August ~ St. Oswin

Posted on by Fr. Peter
King and martyr, murdered at Gilling, near Richmond, Yorkshire, England, on 20 August, 651, son of Osric, King of Deira in Britain. On the murder of his father by Cadwalla in 634, Oswin still quite young was carried away for safety into Wessex, but returned on the death of his kinsman St. Oswald, in 642, either because Oswy had bestowed upon him Deira, one portion of the Kingdom of Northumbria, himself ruling Bernicia, or, as is more probable, because the people of Deira chose him for king in preference to Oswy. Under his sway of seven years, peace, order, and happiness reigned throughout the kingdom. But in the relations between Oswy and Oswin there was apparent peace only, the former was employing every subtlety to bring about his rival’s death. At length Oswy declared an open warfare, and Oswin, unable to meet the superior forces of his adversary, disbanded his army, either from worldly prudence (Bede) or heroic virtue (monk of Tynemouth), and made his way for greater security to Hunwald an eorldoman upon whom he had lately conferred the fief of Gilling. Hunwald promised to conceal him but treacherously betrayed him to Ethelwin, one of Oswy’s officers, and he was murdered. He was buried at Gilling and soon afterwards transferred to Tynemouth, though another account says he was buried at Tynemouth. The anonymous monk of St. Albans, who in the reign of King Stephen was resident at Tynemouth, and there wrote the saint’s life, says that his memory was forgotten during the Danish troubles, but in 1065 his burial-place was made known by an apparition to a monk named Edmund, and his relics were translated on 11 March, 1100, and again on 20 August, 1103. At the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII there was still a shrine containing the body and vestments of St. Oswin. A portion of his body was preserved as a relic at Durham (cf. Smith, “Bede”, III, xiv). Eanfleda, Oswy’s queen, daughter of St. Edwin, prevailed upon him to found in reparation a monastery at Gilling, some remains of which still exist, though it was destroyed by the Danes. Bede in his “History” (III, xiv) gives a description of his character and features: “most generous to all men and above all things humble; tall of stature and of graceful bearing, with pleasant manner and engaging address”. There is now preserved in the British Museum (Cotton manuscript Galba A.5.) a psalter which until the fire of 1731 bore the inscription “Liber Oswini Regis.”

Compassion

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Compassion. Mercy. Restitution. Reconciliation. Forgiveness. Correction.

These are all words that should be very familiar to the Christian and words that we should use each and everyday in our vocabulary. I have often said that one the hardest things a Christian is asked to do is to forgive. Not an easy task.

Today Scottish officials released Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi the convicted bomber of Pan Am Flight 103. 270 people were killed on that day over Lockerbie Scotland and al-Megrahi was the only one convicted of the bombing.

al-Megrahi was given life and Scottish law allows for the Justice minister to release people on compassionate grounds. He is suffering from cancer and is sure to die. The justification of releasing him was so he could die at home. Something that he did not allow his victims to do.

I believe in compassion and I believe in forgiveness but I also believe that a sentence is a sentence and it should be carried out. He was tried and found guilty and was given a life sentence. Again I understand compassion but by all accounts he was getting fair treatment in prison and could have been made comfortable until his end.

I believe that the release of this man flies in the face of justice for the 270 people who were killed on that day. It flies in the face of the memory of the 270 and in the face of their families.

This is not justice, this is not compassion, this is just wrong.

Dave Ramsey on Health Care

Posted on by Fr. Peter
As many of you know I have been listening to Dave Ramsey’s radio program for a few months now. On the show today Dave was asked the question is health care a moral imperative. President Obama used these words yesterday in the teleconference with clergy. I do not think that health care is a moral imperative here is how Dave answered the question:

Question: Ann wants to hear Dave’s opinions on healthcare being a moral obligation.

Dave Ramsey’s advice: I think if I were arguing for government healthcare, that is the card I would play. The people who want the government to take over healthcare are playing that card because the issue is so emotional. Playing an emotional trump card is an excellent move on their part as part of a political snowjob.

But is it a moral obligation for the government to provide healthcare? Absolutely not. Healthcare is not a human right. We need to care for each other and have a process in the healthcare system for people with no coverage to be helped. But Jesus wouldn’t provide healthcare through the government. Nowhere in Scripture was the government used to help people. People helped each other.

There is nothing Christian about the government taking care of anyone. Churches can do it and have been and should do more. We should take care of each other. I think those who are ticked off about the government doing all this should start outgiving the government and put the government out of business.

Originally Posted Here

error: Content is protected !!