Promise The
Holy TriniTy Greek orTHodox CHurCH WesTfield ^ neW Jersey
FrPeter@htgocnj.org
March 2011 ^ Volume 35, Issue 2
908-233-8533
holytrinitywestfield.org
Great Lent Begins March 7 n
The ReveRend peTeR delvizis
M
onday, March 7 begins our Lenten journey. This journey leads us from desolation, found in the corrupted nature of this world, to the beautiful gates of Paradise, found in Christ’s Resurrection. The Orthodox faithful are asked to engage these special holy days to make spiritual progress in their personal passage to salvation. The formula, given to us by the Church, to accomplish this task is simple: prayer, fasting, forgiveness and charity. An increase in corporate prayer is seen with the addition of the Presanctified Liturgy, the Salutations, Compline and Lenten Vespers. Here the Church lays out its program for your spiritual edification. By attending a number of these services each week, your spirit is led by the conscious of the Church. Likewise, in imitation of the Church, our own personal prayer life increases. As we pray at home, you will see your own prayer life blossom forth bearing fruit worthy of God’s incorruptible kingdom. Fasting is self-sacrifice, a denial of the body to control carnal impulses. The body is more than food. It is spiritual and divine. We remember the words of the Saviour Himself when He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” [Matt 4:4] By denying our flesh, as the Holy Fathers indicate, our spirit feasts on God’s commandments. Forgiveness is an act of returning to the Father. The model of this is perfectly described in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. [Luke 15:11-32] Our selfish devices leave us spiritually abandoned and left to die in the corrupted nature of this world. By identifying sin that is rooted within, we are assisted by the Church, through Holy Confession, to receive healing from God. This is the Parable of the Good Samaritan. “And when he saw him (the Samaritan, who is a symbol of one afflicted by the
Commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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ev. Fr. Peter Delvizis was the keynote speaker for the Town of Westfield’s 24 Annual Interfaith Commemoration Service of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The commemoration service was held at the First Baptist Church in Westfield, NJ on January 17, 2011. The following is Fr. Peter’s edited and condensed speech: “I am honored and privileged to be with you today celebrating, not only the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but more importantly his sacrificial contributions to our nation. The theme for this year’s commemoration, In the World House, Local Actions Have Global Reactions, conveys to us an importantcontemporary message. Namely, that each of us is connected to one another simply by being members of the human race. We live together, work together, play together, and pray together in one common house – our world. As the world becomes smaller through the advancement of technology the word “ecumenical” [the coming together of people] is even more important. Ecumenical means world-wide. It is a Greek word derived from the word “oikos” which literally means “house” the place where which we all reside.
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Wait for the promise of the Father
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