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1 THE SHEPHERD • APRIL 2023 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO FROM THE DESK OF FATHER ANDREW www.theshepherdnews.com The Shepherd Newsletter My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As we look forward to Great and Holy Week, three of those evenings (Great and Holy Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings) will include the “Service of the Bridegroom.” The phrase Bridegroom "suggests the intimacy of love." Christ is the Bridegroom and we, the Church (you and I) are His Bride. Like any healthy marital relationship, there must be honest communication, respect and trust, faith and forgiveness; just like all our personal relation- ships. To develop that special closeness we must communicate with, and listen to one another and place our trust in each other. However, at times, in our worldly relation- ships we can sometimes be left disappointed. However, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Bridegroom will never let us down if we are “patient and endure” with complete faith. He loves us so much that He was willing to come into the world, humble Himself, suffer the cruelty that the world had to offer and hang on a cross, in order to redeem the world, i.e., our relationships. The King of all hum- bled Himself and came to His creation as a meek lowly servant. The Loving Bridegroom allows you and I to freely make a decision to obey and follow Him. Isn't that how a healthy marital relationship works, one person allow- ing the other to thoughtfully, prayerfully, and freely make choices? During Great and Holy Week, each one of the three Bridegroom services is basically the same. However, each is different in that each recalls different parables, events, and person- alities. During Sunday evening's Bridegroom service, the Church commemorates Joseph the son of Israel, an Old Testament figure (Genesis 37-50), who was sold into slavery by his own brothers. Through the grace of God, he worked his way up to became the right- hand man to the captain of the guard (Poti- phar), one of Pharaoh's officers and worked in that man's house. The Old Testament tells us that Joseph was a very handsome man, who dangerously caught the eye of Potiphar’s wife. His wife, in her lust, went after Joseph to seduce him but Joseph quickly refused her advances. Thus, Joseph has come to be known as the “Noble Joseph.” But his nobility was a contradiction to the way the world operates and Joseph finds himself in jail. To make a long story short, Joseph is released from jail and because of his virtue, he now becomes Pharaoh's right-hand man and confidant. A great famine occurs in the land where his brothers and father live and they set out to seek relief in Egypt. Unknowingly, they find themselves on Joseph's doorstep and he has what it takes to forgive his brothers and help them from perishing. So, on Palm Sunday evening we are reminded of the Noble Joseph who has become for us a “Type of Christ.” On Great and Holy Monday evening, the Church remembers the “Ten Virgins” - five wise and five were foolish. The five wise brought enough oil to keep their lamps lit as they awaited the Bridegroom and the others were careless and forgot to carry sufficient oil with them. Those who were prepared and ready entered into the “Bridal Chamber” but the others were locked out. This parable re- minds us to be spiritually vigilant and good stewards of our time, talents, and treasures. It reminds us that we must be ready, like the wise virgins because “we do not know the time nor the hour” our Bridegroom will come to recall His bride. We must be watch- ful and prepared to do the will of God, which requires a communal and personal prayer life with Him. Then, at the appropriate time He will reveal His will to us. continues 2 IN THIS ISSUE FR. ANDREW ............................................. p. 1 PRESIDENT OF THE PARISH COUNCIL, WOMEN OF THE WORD .......................... p. 2 NEWS FROM THE LOFT, DIVINE SERVICES, HOLY SACRAMENTS, MEMORIALS, SENIORS .....................................................p. 3 YOUTH MINISTRIES ................................. p. 4 GREEK SCHOOL ........................................ p. 5 PHILOPTOCHOS, BOOKSTORE ............. p. 6 GREEK FESTIVAL SPONSORSHIPS ....... p. 7 GREEK FESTIVAL, STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE, ZATHAS FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS ....................................... p. 9 PARISH CALENDAR.................................. p. 10 PASCHA PICNIC INFORMATION .......... p. 11 CONTACT INFORMATION....................... p. 12 The Shepherd The official newsletter publication for the parish of Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church of San Diego I S S U E 3 2 3 • A P R I L 2 0 2 3