The healing of the paralytic described in the second chapter of the Gospel of St. Mark is extraordinary and awesome. Consider how great those four men are to go through all that trouble to get their friend into the presence of Christ. They don’t let the crowd, the terrain, or any other type of obstacle discourage the mission. They eventually rip the roof right off the house to get their paralyzed friend to Christ.
All of us have obstacles that keep us from a greater connection to Christ. Each of us has some sort of spiritual infirmity that needs to be presented to Christ. What things do we need to cultivate a deeper purpose in our lives? Essentially, what are the four friends that carry us, with our spiritual frailty, to Christ? How do we rip open the roof of our heart to engage a deeper purpose in life?
In The Purpose Driven Church, Pastor Rick Warren gives a great list of “purposes” that we should aim to accomplish. He says: “warmer through fellowship, deeper through discipleship, stronger through worship, broader through ministry, larger through evangelism.” I won’t disagree with he mega-pastor, but I will offer my modest version. As Orthodox Christians we should employ Prayer, Scripture, Community, and Sacramental living as ways to promote our purpose driven lives.
Our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese explains, “The diakonia (work, ministry, mission) of the parish will include proclaiming the Gospel in accordance with the Orthodox Faith, sanctifying the faithful through God’s grace in worship, the Divine Liturgy and the other Sacraments and Devotional Services, enhancing the Parishioners’ spiritual life; and adding to their numbers by instructing others and receiving them into the Church through Baptism and/or Chrismation, catechizing them in the Orthodox Faith and in the ethos of the Church through the establishment of programs, schools and philanthropic activities, and implementing Christian ministries.” (bold added for emphasis)
Before we decide to do an inventory of our parish and ask, “Does St. Demetrios in Camarillo hold true to the aims of the Archdiocese?” we should take a moment to reflect on our personal practices. Are we each, individually, doing our part to grow in faith? Do our personal lives echo the aims and purposes set forth from our Archdiocese?
Both Warren and the Archdiocese express that a healthy parish becomes stronger through worship and God’s grace. It is essential that we find time to pray and communicate with God daily. Prayer does not need to be long and drawn out. Simply find a quiet moment at both the beginning and the end of the day to say the Lord’s prayer. In prayer we offer thanksgiving for the blessings in our lives (note: sometimes challenges are really blessings in disguise) and to give God glory- to worship Him. Asking for what we need, and specific requests are an important part of prayer too but relying on God’s will and asking Him for the strength, stamina and patience to understand His will is crucial.
“To proclaim the Gospel,” as the Archdiocese prescribes, it is necessary to be familiar with the “GOOD NEWS.” Reading Holy Scripture daily is like eating your vegetables. It can be difficult, we would rather have something different, but the nutrients offered last for eternity. Gaining an understanding of Scripture, walking with Christ daily through the verses of wisdom provided by the Holy Spirit, provides rich nourishment for the soul.
“Receiving others into the Church and warmer through fellowship” is the discipline each of us must employ if we are to grow as a healthy parish. It makes me proud when newcomers tell me how warmly they were welcomed when they enter our church. It is a cliché, but true, we never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Every person entering our fold must be grafted into a relationship that goes beyond a mere hi and bye on a weekly passing. We must show deep concern, affection, and love for one another. Community is a strong value at our Parish. It’s not only about a warm reception for a newcomer, but it is our involvement in the life of the parish that defines community.
How do we offer our talents to the church? What service do we provide to assist in the life of the church? Think about it? If we all act as consumers, then the church loses its symbiotic energy. We are to offer back to God a portion of the blessings He has bestowed on us. We are to extend our time, talent and treasure for the benefit of the community.
“The establishment of programs and activities, and implementing Christian ministries, becoming broader through ministry and larger through evangelism” is another key to a successful community. We can’t be defined as merely having an active building project, or a healthy Philoptochos. It is not enough to say we have plenty of youth programs, an essential bible study, or an organized Parish Council. All these activities and groups must be charged with the task expanding the value and the role the church plays in our lives. We are in this together.
Lastly, it is imperative that we live a sacramental life. Sunday mornings are the traditional times in which we are called to worship, to be sanctified by “God’s grace in the Divine Liturgy.” Our society has positioned activities to compete with our desire to participate in the Eucharist on Sundays. Kids activities, weekly chores, or simply time to recuperate from an exhausting week take precedence over our call to gather as God’s people. How can we become stronger through worship, if we don’t worship? How can we be sanctified by God’s grace and enhance our spiritual lives without participation in the Divine Liturgy? To continue to develop as a healthy parish, we must commit to participating in the Holy Sacraments of the Orthodox Church.
Baptism and Christmation are the cornerstones and activators of our Faith. Partaking of Holy Communion on a frequent basis is key to piercing the heart for Christ. Confession is a lost medicine and is one that many participated in as children or have never practiced . . . ever. The role of the Sacraments in our lives is to bring us to a closer bond with Christ. If we are to take our wounded souls to Christ, rip the roof of our heart open, with the help of our four friends, confession is essential!
St. Demetrios is a growing Parish and we have a lot of great things going for us. It is not enough to just add to our numbers and the bottom line. We must “commit ourselves and one another to Christ our God!” In order for us to be a healthy parish we must all resolve to do the following:
- Participate in daily prayer
- Read and study the Holy Scriptures Participate in the Holy Sacraments of the Church
- Contribute to the benefit of the community
- Partake of the Holy Sacraments of the Church
Great Lent and Holy Week gives us the opportunity to experience the passion Christ our God has for us. The additional services, the supplemental prayers, the fasting and reflection allows for us a time to reconsider our dedication to Christ and His Church. I pray that this time be productive and allow us all the chance to find our purpose in the Orthodox Church and allow our new (old) four friends to rip open the barrier or roofs of our hearts and lower us towards the healing presence of Christ.
