“So also My heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Dear forgiven people of St. George,
“And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. Fr. Philip writes: “Like everything else in the Christian life, forgiveness is a process of healing as we participate more fully in the life of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit….Even as we always want God to forgive us when we sin, there is no limit to the forgiving, reconciling love that He calls us to give our enemies. When St. Peter asked how many times he was to forgive his brother who sinned against him, maybe seven times, Christ said, no, ‘seventy times seven.” (Matt. 18:22) In other words, we should always forgive; there is never a point where the Christian becomes justified in judging, condemning, and refusing to show mercy. We are instead to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect in His providential love, care, and blessing for the just and the unjust. (Matt. 5:48)”
Please, don’t leave messages at the church answering machine to reserve your seat to attend Liturgy on Sunday. Please, check our website (St.georgeto.org) for time and day of services. Please, remember that Father cell phone is ONLY for emergency. Father is overwelmed with the amount of inquires on his cell to know the time and date of services, and what time is communion. Thank you for your help. You can email me for non emergency inquires. For baptisms and weddings you can email me or leave a message at the church. Please, help me.
This Sunday we will start Sunday school registration online. You should have received an email with a link to register your children. All classes this semester will be online. You can email us at orthodoxchristianeducation@gmail.com for any further inquiry. First day of classes will be September 13th with the blessing of all children for the beginning of the new year.
I would like to thank all the teachers and the team who are assisting to make this coming school year a success. All parents are asked to assist the Sunday school so our children can learn and grow in their knowledge of God and committ to the Orthodox Faith.
The Feast of St. Kosmas Monastery located at 14155 Caledon King Townline S, Bolton is this Sunday evening and Monday morning. Vespers will be Sunday evening at 6 PM.
Donation for Lebanon will be accepted until the end of this month. I received phone calls asking me how to donate. Please, follow the usual way of donating but indicate it is for Lebanon. The fund will be send to our Archdiocese which in turn will send it to Lebanon.
Fr. Philip continue writing: “The more we participate in Him, the more we will extend His forgiveness to those who have wronged us. If we refuse to do so, however, we refuse Christ and reject His mercy. And when we refuse Him, we condemn only ourselves. In moments of anger and pain, it is usually much easier to judge, hate, and condemn than to love and forgive. Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, we humans have distorted our relationships with one another, allowing fear, judgment, and insecurity to divide us. Like any other area of weakness in the Christian life, our struggle to forgive must begin with a sincere confession that we hold a grudge against someone else. So we must ask for God’s forgiveness and help in being healed. We must also pray for those who have offended us, asking God’s blessings on them. And when we are tempted to remember what they have done or to judge them, we must immediately turn our attention to the Jesus Prayer and remembrance of our own need for forgiveness from the Lord, and from those whom we have offended throughout the course of our lives. We are not the blameless judges of others, but those who stand in constant need of grace, mercy, and healing together with those who have wronged us. It is a long struggle, but if we consistently turn away from unholy thoughts, they will lose their power over us. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) “.
Rev. Fr. Dr. George Dahdouh, Priest
~Pastor’s Message of August 23, 2020~