FATHER'S MESSAGE
Holy Space
“Our inner life is like a holy space that needs to be kept in good order and well decorated. Prayer is the way to make our inner room a place where we can welcome those people who search for God” (from Here and Now by Henri Nouwen)
Dear Parishioners,
As we begin a new ecclesiastical year, the above quote resonates deeply on many levels. A new year and a new beginning invites us to consecrate our lives anew by desiring, especially through prayer, to live holy lives. As the new year begins and new routines and schedules are formed, let us commit to fashioning “holy” and “sacred” spaces where we can dwell. It is a given that such “spaces” must reflect the spiritual beauty that only God can bring. Therefore, what and how we adorn such a sacred space should be a priority for in truth, it will reflect and reveal the condition of our lives and more importantly of our souls.
If we can use the above metaphor for our church families, then each time we come to Church, we should prepare to encounter our fellow Orthodox in this Holy Space we call St. Demetrios. Mind you, as we, others are not perfect! The Space is only Holy and will even become more so, if we enter it with gentleness, meekness, compassion, forgiveness, patience and love. Accompanied with such a vision and hope to discover a “Holy Space” where we are welcomed and nurtured in the faith begins with us and our desire to live in communion with Christ and as a community that is dedicated to our Lord’s principles.
As we continue to celebrate our 50th year as a church family with planned events and the feast day of St. Demetrios next month, we pause in thanksgiving for all we have. As the journey continues, we look forward to a new sanctuary that will be built to glorify God and that will welcome future generations who thirst and seek after God. The Church building that will “hold” us in the future therefore is more than just a “building”, as is our present sanctuary. It is that “Holy Space”, the House of the Lord, which invites us to come with humble hearts to discover the living God who also dwells in our hearts. It is a place that has been “consecrated” i.e. set aside, for one purpose: to worship and witness to the truths that rest in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit. It is a place, an oasis, where we can quench our thirst and embrace one another in the spirit of Christian fellowship and love. It is a place that all we do, say, teach should be an example of what we hold most sacred and wish to leave behind to the generations that follow.
I invite you all to dedicate your efforts to keeping the inner “Holy Space” of your soul and your home in “good order”. Decorate and consecrate it with the most precious memories and spirit filled desires and you have and invite Christ to not only be a guest but a treasured member of your family. Also, as we together look ahead to realizing our dream of a “new” church edifice to be “Built on our Faith”, pray that it too will become a “Holy Space” that will embrace and inspire us to grow closer to one another and to Christ our Lord.
With Love in the Lord,
Rev. Fr. Nicholas Krommydas