The greatest revolution began on the twenty-fifth of December, over two thousand years ago! That’s right a revolution of epoch proportions where the One who suspended the earth, the One who created the Universe, the One who breathed His life into us took on our flesh on Christmas day!!  Yes, God “exchanges” his divinity for our humanity, which ultimately enables us to “exchange” our human brokeness for His divine glory!

And after we experienced the power of His birth, we are called to follow Him in every way especially to His baptism where He continues this revolution by transforming the waters of the Jordan and paving the way for our transformation.  In His humility, by being baptized by the Baptist, Jesus truly exemplifies the power and great message of His desire to restore all of His creation, not just the human person but He calls all of creation to its original beauty.  We see this mystery in the prayers found in baptism as follows.

“For by Your will, You brought all things into being out of nothingness, and in Your might You sustain creation, and in Your providence govern the universe.  Once You had shaped creation out of four elements, you crowned the cycle of the year with four seasons.

All intelligent life trembles before You.  The Sun praises You.  The moon sings Your glory.  The stars come together around You.   The lights heed Your command. You have stretched out the heavens like a tent;  You have made the earth firm upon the waters’  You have contained the seas with strands;  You have poured forth the air for breathing!” 

“Master and Lord, you shaped the human person in Your own image and likeness, enabling him to know eternal life.  When he fell through sin, you did not scorn him, but by the Incarnation of Your Anointed One You planned the salvation of the world.”  

In our baptism the priest proclaims, “having now freed this Your creature from the bondage of the enemy, will You receive her into Your heavenly kingdom.  Open the eyes of her understanding, that the light of Your Gospel may enlighten her.  Wed her in life to a radiant Angel, to safeguard her from every plot of the adversary, from every evil encounter.”

“Sovereign Master, Lord our God, call Your servant to Your Holy Illumination, and count her worthy of this great grace of Your Holy Baptism.  Strip away the old creature, and renew her for life everlasting.  Fill her with the power of Your Holy Spirit, for union with Your Christ; that she may no longer be a child of the body, but a child of Your Kingdom; through the goodness and grace of Your only-begotten Son, with whom you are blessed, together with Your most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit.”

This revolution is more powerful than any other, it is a revolution of the heart and all we have to do is to desire to participate.  You don’t have to pitch a tent like ‘occupy Seattle’ folks did.  You don’t have to go door-to-door soliciting others.  All you have to do is offer yourself to the Lord with all your heart that you want this transformation to take place in your heart. 

This revolution is about striping the old nature, striping anything that has to do with judgment, with anxiety, with fear and with anything that depresses us or gives us stress.  We are called to become renewed with power of the Holy Spirit.  We are called to be joined with Him and to become unified with His ultimate purpose of salvation, of being restored.  We are destined to be conformed to the image of His Son.  Romans 8:29.

This revolution will help you change the way you think, will help you discover who you are, will help you heal old wounds, will direct your path towards love and compassion and will heal you from the inside out. This revolution will transport you to a place of prayer. 

This revolution demands that you change the way you look at things so the things you look at will change. This revolution will direct your path towards God and the holy.  St. Paul says in Ephesians 3:19, we are called to “be filled with all the fullness of God”, we are called to participate in the pure, the excellent things in life.  Jesus, the leader of this revolution wants to ignite a thirst for God’s word, He will encourage you to pray, He will direct your path to our holy church and her teachings.

I pray as we step into this New Year that we are reminded of our own baptism and we all commit to this revolution that Christ initiated, a revolution that brings broken and hurt people together uniting us all by our desire, thirst and hunger for Christ.

I envision this revolution at Holy Apostles that frees people to fully participate in our community experiencing the beauty of the gospel that embraces people, loving and encouraging all.  I envision a time where judgment stops, a time where we can join hands in the suffering of others rather than advising them on how to feel better.  I pray that we equip each other to receive life from God and to freely share that joy and life with one another!

Become a revolutionary and help c0-create a true community as workers in God’s vineyard that transforms lives, and helps create a space where we can encounter God who promises to fill our soul with sheer delight. 

That’s my hope for 2012 and the years to come, an encounter with God that creates an Orthodox community of love that transforms lives!!

Blessings,

+fr. tom

 The Greatest Revolution!

The greatest revolution began on the twenty-fifth of December, over two thousand years ago! That’s right a revolution of epoch proportions where the One who suspended the earth, the One who created the Universe, the One who breathed His life into us took on our flesh on Christmas day!!  Yes, God “exchanges” his divinity for our humanity, which ultimately enables us to “exchange” our human brokeness for His divine glory!

And after we experienced the power of His birth, we are called to follow Him in every way especially to His baptism where He continues this revolution by transforming the waters of the Jordan and paving the way for our transformation.  In His humility, by being baptized by the Baptist, Jesus truly exemplifies the power and great message of His desire to restore all of His creation, not just the human person but He calls all of creation to its original beauty.  We see this mystery in the prayers found in baptism as follows.

“For by Your will, You brought all things into being out of nothingness, and in Your might You sustain creation, and in Your providence govern the universe.  Once You had shaped creation out of four elements, you crowned the cycle of the year with four seasons.

All intelligent life trembles before You.  The Sun praises You.  The moon sings Your glory.  The stars come together around You.   The lights heed Your command. You have stretched out the heavens like a tent;  You have made the earth firm upon the waters’  You have contained the seas with strands;  You have poured forth the air for breathing!” 

“Master and Lord, you shaped the human person in Your own image and likeness, enabling him to know eternal life.  When he fell through sin, you did not scorn him, but by the Incarnation of Your Anointed One You planned the salvation of the world.”

In our baptism the priest proclaims, “having now freed this Your creature from the bondage of the enemy, will You receive her into Your heavenly kingdom.  Open the eyes of her understanding, that the light of Your Gospel may enlighten her.  Wed her in life to a radiant Angel, to safeguard her from every plot of the adversary, from every evil encounter.”

“Sovereign Master, Lord our God, call Your servant to Your Holy Illumination, and count her worthy of this great grace of Your Holy Baptism.  Strip away the old creature, and renew her for life everlasting.  Fill her with the power of Your Holy Spirit, for union with Your Christ; that she may no longer be a child of the body, but a child of Your Kingdom; through the goodness and grace of Your only-begotten Son, with whom you are blessed, together with Your most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit.”

This revolution is more powerful than any other, it is a revolution of the heart and all we have to do is to desire to participate.  You don’t have to pitch a tent like ‘occupy Seattle’ folks did.  You don’t have to go door-to-door soliciting others.  All you have to do is offer yourself to the Lord with all your heart that you want this transformation to take place in your heart. 

This revolution is about striping the old nature, striping anything that has to do with judgment, with anxiety, with fear and with anything that depresses us or gives us stress.  We are called to become renewed with power of the Holy Spirit.  We are called to be joined with Him and to become unified with His ultimate purpose of salvation, of being restored.  We are destined to be conformed to the image of His Son.  Romans 8:29.

This revolution will help you change the way you think, will help you discover who you are, will help you heal old wounds, will direct your path towards love and compassion and will heal you from the inside out. This revolution will transport you to a place of prayer. 

This revolution demands that you change the way you look at things so the things you look at will change. This revolution will direct your path towards God and the holy.  St. Paul says in Ephesians 3:19, we are called to “be filled with all the fullness of God”, we are called to participate in the pure, the excellent things in life.  Jesus, the leader of this revolution wants to ignite a thirst for God’s word, He will encourage you to pray, He will direct your path to our holy church and her teachings.

I pray as we step into this New Year that we are reminded of our own baptism and we all commit to this revolution that Christ initiated, a revolution that brings broken and hurt people together uniting us all by our desire, thirst and hunger for Christ.

I envision this revolution at Holy Apostles that frees people to fully participate in our community experiencing the beauty of the gospel that embraces people, loving and encouraging all.  I envision a time where judgment stops, a time where we can join hands in the suffering of others rather than advising them on how to feel better.  I pray that we equip each other to receive life from God and to freely share that joy and life with one another!

Become a revolutionary and help c0-create a true community as workers in God’s vineyard that transforms lives, and helps create a space where we can encounter God who promises to fill our soul with sheer delight. 

That’s my hope for 2012 and the years to come, an encounter with God that creates an Orthodox community of love that transforms lives!!

Blessings,

+fr. tom

The Greatest Revolution!

The greatest revolution began on the twenty-fifth of December, over two thousand years ago! That’s right a revolution of epoch proportions where the One who suspended the earth, the One who created the Universe, the One who breathed His life into us took on our flesh on Christmas day!!  Yes, God “exchanges” his divinity for our humanity, which ultimately enables us to “exchange” our human brokeness for His divine glory!

And after we experienced the power of His birth, we are called to follow Him in every way especially to His baptism where He continues this revolution by transforming the waters of the Jordan and paving the way for our transformation.  In His humility, by being baptized by the Baptist, Jesus truly exemplifies the power and great message of His desire to restore all of His creation, not just the human person but He calls all of creation to its original beauty.  We see this mystery in the prayers found in baptism as follows.

“For by Your will, You brought all things into being out of nothingness, and in Your might You sustain creation, and in Your providence govern the universe.  Once You had shaped creation out of four elements, you crowned the cycle of the year with four seasons.

All intelligent life trembles before You.  The Sun praises You.  The moon sings Your glory.  The stars come together around You.   The lights heed Your command. You have stretched out the heavens like a tent;  You have made the earth firm upon the waters’  You have contained the seas with strands;  You have poured forth the air for breathing!” 

“Master and Lord, you shaped the human person in Your own image and likeness, enabling him to know eternal life.  When he fell through sin, you did not scorn him, but by the Incarnation of Your Anointed One You planned the salvation of the world.”

In our baptism the priest proclaims, “having now freed this Your creature from the bondage of the enemy, will You receive her into Your heavenly kingdom.  Open the eyes of her understanding, that the light of Your Gospel may enlighten her.  Wed her in life to a radiant Angel, to safeguard her from every plot of the adversary, from every evil encounter.”

“Sovereign Master, Lord our God, call Your servant to Your Holy Illumination, and count her worthy of this great grace of Your Holy Baptism.  Strip away the old creature, and renew her for life everlasting.  Fill her with the power of Your Holy Spirit, for union with Your Christ; that she may no longer be a child of the body, but a child of Your Kingdom; through the goodness and grace of Your only-begotten Son, with whom you are blessed, together with Your most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit.”

This revolution is more powerful than any other, it is a revolution of the heart and all we have to do is to desire to participate.  You don’t have to pitch a tent like ‘occupy Seattle’ folks did.  You don’t have to go door-to-door soliciting others.  All you have to do is offer yourself to the Lord with all your heart that you want this transformation to take place in your heart. 

This revolution is about striping the old nature, striping anything that has to do with judgment, with anxiety, with fear and with anything that depresses us or gives us stress.  We are called to become renewed with power of the Holy Spirit.  We are called to be joined with Him and to become unified with His ultimate purpose of salvation, of being restored.  We are destined to be conformed to the image of His Son.  Romans 8:29.

This revolution will help you change the way you think, will help you discover who you are, will help you heal old wounds, will direct your path towards love and compassion and will heal you from the inside out. This revolution will transport you to a place of prayer. 

This revolution demands that you change the way you look at things so the things you look at will change. This revolution will direct your path towards God and the holy.  St. Paul says in Ephesians 3:19, we are called to “be filled with all the fullness of God”, we are called to participate in the pure, the excellent things in life.  Jesus, the leader of this revolution wants to ignite a thirst for God’s word, He will encourage you to pray, He will direct your path to our holy church and her teachings.

I pray as we step into this New Year that we are reminded of our own baptism and we all commit to this revolution that Christ initiated, a revolution that brings broken and hurt people together uniting us all by our desire, thirst and hunger for Christ.

I envision this revolution at Holy Apostles that frees people to fully participate in our community experiencing the beauty of the gospel that embraces people, loving and encouraging all.  I envision a time where judgment stops, a time where we can join hands in the suffering of others rather than advising them on how to feel better.  I pray that we equip each other to receive life from God and to freely share that joy and life with one another!

Become a revolutionary and help c0-create a true community as workers in God’s vineyard that transforms lives, and helps create a space where we can encounter God who promises to fill our soul with sheer delight. 

That’s my hope for 2012 and the years to come, an encounter with God that creates an Orthodox community of love that transforms lives!!

Blessings,

+fr. tom

 The Greatest Revolution!

The greatest revolution began on the twenty-fifth of December, over two thousand years ago! That’s right a revolution of epoch proportions where the One who suspended the earth, the One who created the Universe, the One who breathed His life into us took on our flesh on Christmas day!!  Yes, God “exchanges” his divinity for our humanity, which ultimately enables us to “exchange” our human brokeness for His divine glory!

And after we experienced the power of His birth, we are called to follow Him in every way especially to His baptism where He continues this revolution by transforming the waters of the Jordan and paving the way for our transformation.  In His humility, by being baptized by the Baptist, Jesus truly exemplifies the power and great message of His desire to restore all of His creation, not just the human person but He calls all of creation to its original beauty.  We see this mystery in the prayers found in baptism as follows.

“For by Your will, You brought all things into being out of nothingness, and in Your might You sustain creation, and in Your providence govern the universe.  Once You had shaped creation out of four elements, you crowned the cycle of the year with four seasons.

All intelligent life trembles before You.  The Sun praises You.  The moon sings Your glory.  The stars come together around You.   The lights heed Your command. You have stretched out the heavens like a tent;  You have made the earth firm upon the waters’  You have contained the seas with strands;  You have poured forth the air for breathing!” 

“Master and Lord, you shaped the human person in Your own image and likeness, enabling him to know eternal life.  When he fell through sin, you did not scorn him, but by the Incarnation of Your Anointed One You planned the salvation of the world.”

In our baptism the priest proclaims, “having now freed this Your creature from the bondage of the enemy, will You receive her into Your heavenly kingdom.  Open the eyes of her understanding, that the light of Your Gospel may enlighten her.  Wed her in life to a radiant Angel, to safeguard her from every plot of the adversary, from every evil encounter.”

“Sovereign Master, Lord our God, call Your servant to Your Holy Illumination, and count her worthy of this great grace of Your Holy Baptism.  Strip away the old creature, and renew her for life everlasting.  Fill her with the power of Your Holy Spirit, for union with Your Christ; that she may no longer be a child of the body, but a child of Your Kingdom; through the goodness and grace of Your only-begotten Son, with whom you are blessed, together with Your most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit.”

This revolution is more powerful than any other, it is a revolution of the heart and all we have to do is to desire to participate.  You don’t have to pitch a tent like ‘occupy Seattle’ folks did.  You don’t have to go door-to-door soliciting others.  All you have to do is offer yourself to the Lord with all your heart that you want this transformation to take place in your heart. 

This revolution is about striping the old nature, striping anything that has to do with judgment, with anxiety, with fear and with anything that depresses us or gives us stress.  We are called to become renewed with power of the Holy Spirit.  We are called to be joined with Him and to become unified with His ultimate purpose of salvation, of being restored.  We are destined to be conformed to the image of His Son.  Romans 8:29.

This revolution will help you change the way you think, will help you discover who you are, will help you heal old wounds, will direct your path towards love and compassion and will heal you from the inside out. This revolution will transport you to a place of prayer. 

This revolution demands that you change the way you look at things so the things you look at will change. This revolution will direct your path towards God and the holy.  St. Paul says in Ephesians 3:19, we are called to “be filled with all the fullness of God”, we are called to participate in the pure, the excellent things in life.  Jesus, the leader of this revolution wants to ignite a thirst for God’s word, He will encourage you to pray, He will direct your path to our holy church and her teachings.

I pray as we step into this New Year that we are reminded of our own baptism and we all commit to this revolution that Christ initiated, a revolution that brings broken and hurt people together uniting us all by our desire, thirst and hunger for Christ.

I envision this revolution at Holy Apostles that frees people to fully participate in our community experiencing the beauty of the gospel that embraces people, loving and encouraging all.  I envision a time where judgment stops, a time where we can join hands in the suffering of others rather than advising them on how to feel better.  I pray that we equip each other to receive life from God and to freely share that joy and life with one another!

Become a revolutionary and help c0-create a true community as workers in God’s vineyard that transforms lives, and helps create a space where we can encounter God who promises to fill our soul with sheer delight. 

That’s my hope for 2012 and the years to come, an encounter with God that creates an Orthodox community of love that transforms lives!!

Blessings,

+fr. tom

 The Greatest Revolution!

The greatest revolution began on the twenty-fifth of December, over two thousand years ago! That’s right a revolution of epoch proportions where the One who suspended the earth, the One who created the Universe, the One who breathed His life into us took on our flesh on Christmas day!!  Yes, God “exchanges” his divinity for our humanity, which ultimately enables us to “exchange” our human brokeness for His divine glory!

And after we experienced the power of His birth, we are called to follow Him in every way especially to His baptism where He continues this revolution by transforming the waters of the Jordan and paving the way for our transformation.  In His humility, by being baptized by the Baptist, Jesus truly exemplifies the power and great message of His desire to restore all of His creation, not just the human person but He calls all of creation to its original beauty.  We see this mystery in the prayers found in baptism as follows.

“For by Your will, You brought all things into being out of nothingness, and in Your might You sustain creation, and in Your providence govern the universe.  Once You had shaped creation out of four elements, you crowned the cycle of the year with four seasons.

All intelligent life trembles before You.  The Sun praises You.  The moon sings Your glory.  The stars come together around You.   The lights heed Your command. You have stretched out the heavens like a tent;  You have made the earth firm upon the waters’  You have contained the seas with strands;  You have poured forth the air for breathing!” 

“Master and Lord, you shaped the human person in Your own image and likeness, enabling him to know eternal life.  When he fell through sin, you did not scorn him, but by the Incarnation of Your Anointed One You planned the salvation of the world.”

In our baptism the priest proclaims, “having now freed this Your creature from the bondage of the enemy, will You receive her into Your heavenly kingdom.  Open the eyes of her understanding, that the light of Your Gospel may enlighten her.  Wed her in life to a radiant Angel, to safeguard her from every plot of the adversary, from every evil encounter.”

“Sovereign Master, Lord our God, call Your servant to Your Holy Illumination, and count her worthy of this great grace of Your Holy Baptism.  Strip away the old creature, and renew her for life everlasting.  Fill her with the power of Your Holy Spirit, for union with Your Christ; that she may no longer be a child of the body, but a child of Your Kingdom; through the goodness and grace of Your only-begotten Son, with whom you are blessed, together with Your most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit.”

This revolution is more powerful than any other, it is a revolution of the heart and all we have to do is to desire to participate.  You don’t have to pitch a tent like ‘occupy Seattle’ folks did.  You don’t have to go door-to-door soliciting others.  All you have to do is offer yourself to the Lord with all your heart that you want this transformation to take place in your heart. 

This revolution is about striping the old nature, striping anything that has to do with judgment, with anxiety, with fear and with anything that depresses us or gives us stress.  We are called to become renewed with power of the Holy Spirit.  We are called to be joined with Him and to become unified with His ultimate purpose of salvation, of being restored.  We are destined to be conformed to the image of His Son.  Romans 8:29.

This revolution will help you change the way you think, will help you discover who you are, will help you heal old wounds, will direct your path towards love and compassion and will heal you from the inside out. This revolution will transport you to a place of prayer. 

This revolution demands that you change the way you look at things so the things you look at will change. This revolution will direct your path towards God and the holy.  St. Paul says in Ephesians 3:19, we are called to “be filled with all the fullness of God”, we are called to participate in the pure, the excellent things in life.  Jesus, the leader of this revolution wants to ignite a thirst for God’s word, He will encourage you to pray, He will direct your path to our holy church and her teachings.

I pray as we step into this New Year that we are reminded of our own baptism and we all commit to this revolution that Christ initiated, a revolution that brings broken and hurt people together uniting us all by our desire, thirst and hunger for Christ.

I envision this revolution at Holy Apostles that frees people to fully participate in our community experiencing the beauty of the gospel that embraces people, loving and encouraging all.  I envision a time where judgment stops, a time where we can join hands in the suffering of others rather than advising them on how to feel better.  I pray that we equip each other to receive life from God and to freely share that joy and life with one another!

Become a revolutionary and help c0-create a true community as workers in God’s vineyard that transforms lives, and helps create a space where we can encounter God who promises to fill our soul with sheer delight. 

That’s my hope for 2012 and the years to come, an encounter with God that creates an Orthodox community of love that transforms lives!!

Blessings,

+fr. tom

 The Greatest Revolution!

The greatest revolution began on the twenty-fifth of December, over two thousand years ago! That’s right a revolution of epoch proportions where the One who suspended the earth, the One who created the Universe, the One who breathed His life into us took on our flesh on Christmas day!!  Yes, God “exchanges” his divinity for our humanity, which ultimately enables us to “exchange” our human brokeness for His divine glory!

And after we experienced the power of His birth, we are called to follow Him in every way especially to His baptism where He continues this revolution by transforming the waters of the Jordan and paving the way for our transformation.  In His humility, by being baptized by the Baptist, Jesus truly exemplifies the power and great message of His desire to restore all of His creation, not just the human person but He calls all of creation to its original beauty.  We see this mystery in the prayers found in baptism as follows.

“For by Your will, You brought all things into being out of nothingness, and in Your might You sustain creation, and in Your providence govern the universe.  Once You had shaped creation out of four elements, you crowned the cycle of the year with four seasons.

All intelligent life trembles before You.  The Sun praises You.  The moon sings Your glory.  The stars come together around You.   The lights heed Your command. You have stretched out the heavens like a tent;  You have made the earth firm upon the waters’  You have contained the seas with strands;  You have poured forth the air for breathing!” 

“Master and Lord, you shaped the human person in Your own image and likeness, enabling him to know eternal life.  When he fell through sin, you did not scorn him, but by the Incarnation of Your Anointed One You planned the salvation of the world.”

In our baptism the priest proclaims, “having now freed this Your creature from the bondage of the enemy, will You receive her into Your heavenly kingdom.  Open the eyes of her understanding, that the light of Your Gospel may enlighten her.  Wed her in life to a radiant Angel, to safeguard her from every plot of the adversary, from every evil encounter.”

“Sovereign Master, Lord our God, call Your servant to Your Holy Illumination, and count her worthy of this great grace of Your Holy Baptism.  Strip away the old creature, and renew her for life everlasting.  Fill her with the power of Your Holy Spirit, for union with Your Christ; that she may no longer be a child of the body, but a child of Your Kingdom; through the goodness and grace of Your only-begotten Son, with whom you are blessed, together with Your most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit.”

This revolution is more powerful than any other, it is a revolution of the heart and all we have to do is to desire to participate.  You don’t have to pitch a tent like ‘occupy Seattle’ folks did.  You don’t have to go door-to-door soliciting others.  All you have to do is offer yourself to the Lord with all your heart that you want this transformation to take place in your heart. 

This revolution is about striping the old nature, striping anything that has to do with judgment, with anxiety, with fear and with anything that depresses us or gives us stress.  We are called to become renewed with power of the Holy Spirit.  We are called to be joined with Him and to become unified with His ultimate purpose of salvation, of being restored.  We are destined to be conformed to the image of His Son.  Romans 8:29.

This revolution will help you change the way you think, will help you discover who you are, will help you heal old wounds, will direct your path towards love and compassion and will heal you from the inside out. This revolution will transport you to a place of prayer. 

This revolution demands that you change the way you look at things so the things you look at will change. This revolution will direct your path towards God and the holy.  St. Paul says in Ephesians 3:19, we are called to “be filled with all the fullness of God”, we are called to participate in the pure, the excellent things in life.  Jesus, the leader of this revolution wants to ignite a thirst for God’s word, He will encourage you to pray, He will direct your path to our holy church and her teachings.

I pray as we step into this New Year that we are reminded of our own baptism and we all commit to this revolution that Christ initiated, a revolution that brings broken and hurt people together uniting us all by our desire, thirst and hunger for Christ.

I envision this revolution at Holy Apostles that frees people to fully participate in our community experiencing the beauty of the gospel that embraces people, loving and encouraging all.  I envision a time where judgment stops, a time where we can join hands in the suffering of others rather than advising them on how to feel better.  I pray that we equip each other to receive life from God and to freely share that joy and life with one another!

Become a revolutionary and help c0-create a true community as workers in God’s vineyard that transforms lives, and helps create a space where we can encounter God who promises to fill our soul with sheer delight. 

That’s my hope for 2012 and the years to come, an encounter with God that creates an Orthodox community of love that transforms lives!!

Blessings,

+fr. tom

The Greatest Revolution!

The greatest revolution began on the twenty-fifth of December, over two thousand years ago! That’s right a revolution of epoch proportions where the One who suspended the earth, the One who created the Universe, the One who breathed His life into us took on our flesh on Christmas day!!  Yes, God “exchanges” his divinity for our humanity, which ultimately enables us to “exchange” our human brokeness for His divine glory!

And after we experienced the power of His birth, we are called to follow Him in every way especially to His baptism where He continues this revolution by transforming the waters of the Jordan and paving the way for our transformation.  In His humility, by being baptized by the Baptist, Jesus truly exemplifies the power and great message of His desire to restore all of His creation, not just the human person but He calls all of creation to its original beauty.  We see this mystery in the prayers found in baptism as follows.

“For by Your will, You brought all things into being out of nothingness, and in Your might You sustain creation, and in Your providence govern the universe.  Once You had shaped creation out of four elements, you crowned the cycle of the year with four seasons.

All intelligent life trembles before You.  The Sun praises You.  The moon sings Your glory.  The stars come together around You.   The lights heed Your command. You have stretched out the heavens like a tent;  You have made the earth firm upon the waters’  You have contained the seas with strands;  You have poured forth the air for breathing!” 

“Master and Lord, you shaped the human person in Your own image and likeness, enabling him to know eternal life.  When he fell through sin, you did not scorn him, but by the Incarnation of Your Anointed One You planned the salvation of the world.”

In our baptism the priest proclaims, “having now freed this Your creature from the bondage of the enemy, will You receive her into Your heavenly kingdom.  Open the eyes of her understanding, that the light of Your Gospel may enlighten her.  Wed her in life to a radiant Angel, to safeguard her from every plot of the adversary, from every evil encounter.”

“Sovereign Master, Lord our God, call Your servant to Your Holy Illumination, and count her worthy of this great grace of Your Holy Baptism.  Strip away the old creature, and renew her for life everlasting.  Fill her with the power of Your Holy Spirit, for union with Your Christ; that she may no longer be a child of the body, but a child of Your Kingdom; through the goodness and grace of Your only-begotten Son, with whom you are blessed, together with Your most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit.”

This revolution is more powerful than any other, it is a revolution of the heart and all we have to do is to desire to participate.  You don’t have to pitch a tent like ‘occupy Seattle’ folks did.  You don’t have to go door-to-door soliciting others.  All you have to do is offer yourself to the Lord with all your heart that you want this transformation to take place in your heart. 

This revolution is about striping the old nature, striping anything that has to do with judgment, with anxiety, with fear and with anything that depresses us or gives us stress.  We are called to become renewed with power of the Holy Spirit.  We are called to be joined with Him and to become unified with His ultimate purpose of salvation, of being restored.  We are destined to be conformed to the image of His Son.  Romans 8:29.

This revolution will help you change the way you think, will help you discover who you are, will help you heal old wounds, will direct your path towards love and compassion and will heal you from the inside out. This revolution will transport you to a place of prayer. 

This revolution demands that you change the way you look at things so the things you look at will change. This revolution will direct your path towards God and the holy.  St. Paul says in Ephesians 3:19, we are called to “be filled with all the fullness of God”, we are called to participate in the pure, the excellent things in life.  Jesus, the leader of this revolution wants to ignite a thirst for God’s word, He will encourage you to pray, He will direct your path to our holy church and her teachings.

I pray as we step into this New Year that we are reminded of our own baptism and we all commit to this revolution that Christ initiated, a revolution that brings broken and hurt people together uniting us all by our desire, thirst and hunger for Christ.

I envision this revolution at Holy Apostles that frees people to fully participate in our community experiencing the beauty of the gospel that embraces people, loving and encouraging all.  I envision a time where judgment stops, a time where we can join hands in the suffering of others rather than advising them on how to feel better.  I pray that we equip each other to receive life from God and to freely share that joy and life with one another!

Become a revolutionary and help c0-create a true community as workers in God’s vineyard that transforms lives, and helps create a space where we can encounter God who promises to fill our soul with sheer delight. 

That’s my hope for 2012 and the years to come, an encounter with God that creates an Orthodox community of love that transforms lives!!

Blessings,

+fr. tom