Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

        The Epistle of James (5:14-15) states: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

        This Epistle passage has tremendous depth and meaning. As we begin this journey to Pascha, keep this pericope (bible passage) in your thoughts. Many of us struggle with different illnesses, whether they be physical, familial, or emotional. The bible passage tells us that we should pray for each other, that we should gather together and offer our Christian love and compassion as a worshiping family. The service of Holy Unction during Holy Week is one of immense significance in that we pray together for healing of each other. Not only for our healing, but for the person standing next to us in church, who we may or may not know. Some of the most beautiful gifts are the ones that are given anonymously because of the purity of their intent. So to pray for someone and ask healing for them, truly expresses your unconditional love for them.

         In our Divine Liturgy we pray: “Let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.” We are expressing in this petition that not only do we dedicate ourselves to Christ, but we also bring with us each other in this beautiful expression of unity.

        As we travel through this great time of Lent, and as we continue to seek healing of all our human frailties and maladies, may we always pray for one another.

                                                 Your Brother in Christ,

                                                 Fr. Stelios N. Sitaras

read the February 2007 message

read the August 2006 message