And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to awake out of sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is at hand. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:11-12

St. Paul encourages us to wake up! He says in Romans 13:11-12 that it is high time to awake out of sleep ... the night is nearly over and the day is at hand. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. St. Paul is urging us to wake up to the spiritual realities which direct our path. He is reminding us to live each day with a renewed sense of purpose.

It is true, that many of us go through life sleeping through some very important and vital aspects of our Christian life. Yet, our Lord and our Church are constantly reassuring us that we have a chance to be transformed and make things new.

Our Lord is always reminding us that He wants to help us write a new story of life centered in His love, His will, His purpose. Jesus Christ says to us, "Behold, I make all things new". If we give God a chance, He will transform us, renew us and help redirect our path to a new way of living. Listen again, Jesus says, "Behold, I (Jesus the Son of God) make 'all' things new. Are you able to hear this amazing proclamation?

Jesus doesn't say that "I might " make things new, that I "made things new once and stopped", Christ says that He will continue to make things 'new' in your life. He has started this process for you and will continue to recreate life with you like a life springing up within you. God does not say, " I am going to make all things new tomorrow." Nor does He limit its application by saying, " Behold, I made all things new at one point and then stopped ." He promises to make all things new.

He is speaking to each one us. He offers us transformation from old to new, from broken to whole, from sorrow to joy, from death to life. May we "show up" and "wake up" so we can become new people living out this promise. As we allow Christ to refashion us, as we cooperate in this sacred life, amidst all of our trials we will live a life that is filled with wonder, with joy, with peace, and love fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit!

Our Lord invites us to become vessels of the Holy Spirit transforming us in His image and likeness so we can take on the challenges of each day with boldness changing the way we think, act, and live. Jesus wants to make every moment new.

Elder Philotheos tells us that this present life is like the sea and we are the ships. "Just as the ships at sea, we don't encounter only peace, but many times we are met with strong winds and great storms, scandals, temptations, sicknesses, sorrows, distress, persecutions, and various dangers. We must not lose courage.

We must be bold, courageous, and faithful. If we lose courage in the face of dangers, as timid humans of little faith, let us call on Christ as Peter did, and He will reach out His hand and help us make each day new granting us grace to increase in faith to behold the possibilities in each day.

As we move closer towards purchasing a property for our new home, may we continue to be courageous and faithfully draw near to Christ our Lord. May we be open to His direction for our church community and be reminded that His hand is continually outstretched to provide us all we need.

Fr. Tom

'He who was seated on the throne said, "I made all things new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To those who are thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. They who overcome will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.' (Revelation 21:5)