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9:11-14) 1 2012

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- GREEK ORTHODOX COMMUNITY

& PARISH

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OF PROPHET ELIAS NORWOOD & EASTERN

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SUBURBS INC.
87 BEULAH RD. NORWOOD SA 5067 P.O. BOX 277, KENT TOWN SA
5071
ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO THE HON. SECRETARY

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: 8362 4139 . 8431 7789 . 0412 710 037
01-04-12
27 . 1393

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WEEKLY MAGAZINE

THE WORD OF GOD

PHONES: 8362 4139 H. 8431 7789 M. 0412 710 037

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DATE 01-04-12

YEAR 27 TH NUMBER 1393

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WEB PAGE: WWW.PROPHETELIAS.ORG.AU

ONLINE MAGAZINE & RADIO PROGRAM: WWW.PROPHETELIAS.BLOGSPOT.COM

EMAIL: PROPHETELIAS@ESC.NET.AU

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( .11:28-29)

We thank the Lord, Who today has given us the blessed

opportunity to examine this lofty theme; the theme that should

concern every Orthodox Christian. We are talking about the

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great Sacrament of the Church, Holy Communion, the all-holy

Body and Blood of our Christ.
Great Lent is now approaching her end.

And we are

approaching slowly- slowly the goal, which is to venerate of

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the Holy Passion and Resurrection of our Lord with abundant

humility.

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millions of contemporary- otherwise faithful - Orthodox

Christians, they will approach Holy Communion carelessly.

And we say carelessly because they do not approach with full

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self-knowledge but simply out of habit.

You see, today parents and grandparents are trying to take

the place of the spiritual father.

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And according to the currently held customs of

The sacrament of Holy

Confession is no longer taking place under Stole of the

spiritual father, but is now under the commands of the clergy
of mothers and grandmothers. And they- as though spiritual

fathers do not exist- instruct their children on how to fast and

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when to take Holy Communion. A concern that the Lord has

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never given to any woman, not even to His All-Holy mother,

but is taken now by every disobedient woman who leads her

children also into disobedience. One day I asked an 18 year-

old youth who his spiritual father is, and he answered: my

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mother. The same answer is given by many children. There

5th SUNDAY OF LENT (Heb. 9: 11-14) 1 April 2012

are a large number of so-called Orthodox Christians who justify

soul and he rushes to his spiritual father to confess them and

their actions by saying that they are simply doing the same as

to be unburdened of their weight

everybody else.

We said however, that this occurs in the person who comes to

It seems that respect towards the Church and spiritual fathers

self-knowledge, to the person who has understood who he is,

has declined to such a grave extent. This is the natural result of

to the person who has experienced the benefit of Holy

the un-God-fearing attitude that ravages the people of our time.

Confession. He has felt the unburdening of his soul occurring

if they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you, if they kept

under the Stole of his spiritual father. What happens with the

My word, they will keep yours also. (John 15:20)

person who has not come to this self-knowledge? He who

This indicates that the Divine Liturgy is no longer the centre of

does not understand who he really is? He who is like the

everyday life, and that Holy Communion is no longer for us the

Pharisee and sees only his virtues and not even one of his

true food and drink that with joy we await each time.

It is

sins? What will happen to the person who says to his spiritual

beneficial for us to accept the apostolic and fatherly teachings,

father that he is without sin, but still wants the prayer read over

which truly help the faithful to understand the lofty value of this

him?

Sacrament.

However, today our theme is Holy Communion. Saint John the

the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered

Damascene says: Communing from the Holy Chalice, I

Himself without spot to God, cleans you conscience from dead

commune with Christ and I participate in His and His Divinity.

works to serve the living God.

In other words, in His Godly energies and His Divine nature.

Todays apostolic reading, which is perfectly in accord with that

Therefore, for this reason it is called Holy Communion.

Christ said: whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood, is in

front of this salvific and redeeming gift of Holy Communion,

Me and I in him shows clearly the high value of the Sacrament.

unfortunately we are overtaken by an inexcusable immaturity,

It assures us of the active power of Holy Communion in

or rather, by an unorthodox attitude.

reference to the cleansing of the human conscience. At this

Commune once in a year entirely unprepared, and yet another

point we have to firstly say that the person who comes to self-

Commune at every opportunity, without even the slightest

knowledge, feels that he is guilty before God. He repents of his

understanding of what they are doing.

sins which like a swarm of bees buzz in the sensitive ears of his

In

You see one person

To the first type of person to which we referred to above the

impression), while the others are distanced even more so from

Lords words apply: whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood,

Him.

abides in Me and I in him which means that only through Holy

Dear brethren, today we have simply made a few small hints

Communion can he live the true life. It is because He who with

about the great and salvific Sacrament of Holy Communion,

self-knowledge communes, feels the life- giving Blood of the

and also some the challenges. The aim of our Magazine is to

Lord circulating in his veins and in his heart and in his thoughts.

challenge the reader, to bring him to his senses and to make

For this reason the Apostle Paul says: But let a man examine

him come to self-knowledge, because it is only in this way that

himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

the great Sacrament is meaningful.

For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and

punish yourself and starve your soul for an entire year as it

drinks judgement to himself, not discerning the Lords body. (1

yearns

Cor. 11: 28-29)

Unfortunately, the spiritual wretchedness and lowliness of so-

Often you see people who commune as though they are doing

called Orthodox Christians, disappoints and only shows the

some chore, they can hardly be bothered to lift their hands and

spiritual short-sightedness that attacks members of the

make the sign of the Cross. Here we must mention that Holy

Orthodox faith. It is blessed today for the Lord to give us a

Communion does not automatically confer sanctification, as we

sign for spiritual renewal.

often hear some people say: go and commune, it will do you

good. Rather, as Saint Maximus the Confessor says: the rays

of the sun shine in the same way on wax and on clay, but not

with the same results. The wax softens and can be impressed

with the royal seal, but the clay becomes even more brittle. In

the same way when we commune Christ through the Holy

Sacrament the Saint continues- the same philanthropy is

offered to all, but those who are prepared become closer to Him

(just as the wax is shaped by the seal and shows its

for

light,

truth,

honesty,

Therefore you cannot

life,

and

salvation.

5.30- 6.15. 8-11

6-7

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News from our Community-Parish

Flowers for the Epitaphios

Like every year this year there will also be a collecttion basket

at the front of the Church, whereby everyone will be given the

opportunity to donate money for the flowers of the Epitaphios.

We invite everybody to donate with their heart.

Lazarus Saturday

On the Saturday of Lazarus 7th of April and at the end of the

Divine Liturgy, the annual preparations for Palm Sunday will

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occur in our Community-Parish Hall and in our Church.

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Palm Sunday Lunch

9.00 ,

On Palm Sunday 8th of April 2012 the annual Palm Sunday

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Luncheon will be held in our Community-Parish Hall after the

Divine Liturgy. We invite everybody to enjoy the delicious fish

every Wednesday evening, 7 pm 8 pm. Everyone is

and skordalia.

welcome. The topics are very informative and are relevant to

Paschal Traditional Mageritsa

every Orthodox Christian. Programs are available at the Front

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy of Holy Ressurection the

Counter of the Church.

annual Mageritsa function will take place in our CommunityParish Hall. Along with Mageritsa there will also be delicious
Chicken soup as well. This meal is free of charge. However as
there are many people who wish to offer some money for this
meal there will also be a collection basket for whoever wants to
offer money for their meal. REMINDER: Whoever wishes to
partake and participate in the Mageritsa meal function needs to
fill out the appropriate Mageritsa meal form slips (which can be

obtained from the Pangari at the front office) and return then
ASAP to the Philoptohos.

Program for Lent

Every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening,
Great Vespers, 6.30 7.30. Every Wednesday and Friday
morning, the Hours, Beatitudes and Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified
Gifts, 7.15 9.00. Every Saturday evening Vespers, 5.30 6.15.
Every Sunday morning, Matins and Divine Liturgy, 8 11 and
every Sunday evening, Contritional Vespers, 67.

Bible Study
This Wednesday, we are focusing on the topic: The Divine
names. My dear brothers and sisters, do you sincerely want to
learn more about your faith? Come to these spiritual gatherings