TSN1219

1 THE SHEPHERD • DECEMBER 2019 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO The Shepherd I S S U E 2 8 3 • D E C E MB E R 2 0 1 9 The official newsletter publication for the parish of Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church of San Diego FROM THE DESK OF FATHER ANDREW www.theshepherdnews.com The Shepherd Newsletter IN THIS ISSUE FR. ANDREW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 1 PRESIDENT OF THE PARISH COUNCIL, WOMEN OF THE WORD, ACOLYTES, NEWS FROM THE LOFT . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 2 DIVINE SERVICES, BIRTHS, DEATHS, MEMORIALS, HOLY SACRAMENTS . . p. 3 GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL, COLLEGE CONNECTION . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4 G.O.Y.A. NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 5 PHILOPTOCHOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 6 PANARCADIANS, DANCE & CHORAL, LIBRARY & BOOKSTORE . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 8 A.H.E.P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 9 PARISH CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 10 STEWARDSHIP, SENIORS. . . . . . . . . . . . p. 11 CONTACT INFORMATION. . . . . . . . . . . p. 12 My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, From the opening chap- ter of Matthew’s Gospel (1:1-25) we read about the genealogy of Jesus Christ. is genealogy marks a new begin- ning in human history. Genealogy was im- portant to the Israelites and within its his- tory there are many genealogies o ered in the Old Testament. Genealogy helped Israel understand her roots. It allowed her to know from where she came and the attempt was to keep it as “pure” as possible. Women, “sin- ners,” and non-Israelites were not included within the list. However, in the genealogy of Jesus Christ we do hear names of women, sinners, and non-Israelites being mentioned. Christ breaks into human history and radi- cally changes things forever. e Nativity of Christ marks a new beginning. A beginning which takes into account that all people may come to develop a relationship with God. All of creation has the opportunity to li up her voice toward the Creator. No longer is the Kingdom of God limited, for with the Ad- vent of Jesus Christ, the gates of separation have been broken. is new beginning came about not through natural means, where a man and a woman co-create with God, but through the working of the Holy Spirit: For that which is conceived in her (the virgin’s womb) is of the Holy Spir- it . God chose the pious Mary to ful ll His saving plan. He chose to take on esh not through natural means, but through Divine. rough the free will consent of the Virgin Mary and the power of the Holy Spirit, all of humanity has the potential to enter into the Kingdom of God. It’s through the eyes of faith that permits us to understand the birth of Christ. To under- stand that yes indeed God did send an angel from heaven to announce the birth of Christ would come about through the working of the Holy Spirit. Faith imparts upon us the ca- pability to accept that God came to earth and took on esh. It’s this same faith that allows our limited minds the ability to comprehend that God did and does love us and cares about us. rough the Nativity of Christ, humanity experiences a radical change, a change that only God could bring about; a change that only faith allows us to understand. For those of us who have not only heard the voice of God, within the pages of Scripture, but have also seen His earthly face upon the icons of the Church, and experience Him at every Di- vine Liturgy, what must be our response to the gi of faith we have been given? Can it be any less then the response given by those in the Old Testament concisely found in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews (Heb.11:1-12:3)? As Orthodox Christians our act of faith be- gins on page one from the book of Matthew. God who is beyond time and space broke into history to take on esh through the power of the Holy Spirit, within the womb of a virgin, named Mary. He came not merely to come, but came in order to save us from sin, corruption and ultimately death. If , my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, our faith al- lows us to believe this beginning work of Christ, then our experience can, and will be, no di erent then that experienced by the Old Testament gures from the book of Hebrews. It may be one of blessing and joy or one of patient endurance. Either way, if we remain faithful until the end, both will lead us into the Kingdom of God. Christ is Born – Glo- rify Him! END NOTE – this year’s divine services for the Nativity of Jesus Christ will begin on Tuesday evening, December 24th at 6:30pm. More information to follow. + Fr. Andrew Χριστός γεννάται! Δοξάσατε! Christ is born! Glorify Him!