Teen SOYO News
Warmest Congratulations to our Graduates:
NADIA KOBAJI
HANNAH SHAMMAS
PHILLIP HAYEK
NANCY HAYEK
TASHA DABBAGH
For a very successful High School graduation!!!
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Bible Bowl
We want to extend our prayers, support and appreciation for our 2007 Bible Bowl
Team, that God will be with them as they travel, and as they win FIRST place
In the competition(no pressure guys).
Team Members:
Nadia Kobaji – Team Captain, Gaby Ferzli, Josette Hayek, Paul Hayek, Mark
Kobaji, and Michelle Salloum.
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If you have any questions or suggestions? Please email us:
Pastor: Fr. Elias Ferzli Youth Director: Fady Sakkab
Teen SOYO President: Gaby Ferzli
St. Philip SOYO
T e e n V o i c e
“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth…” Ecc. 12:1
June, 2007
Sunday of All Saints
... Be Holy for I am Holy… (1 Peter 1:16)
Weekly meetings:
Sunday: 10:00 - 11:00 AM
... Be Holy for I am Holy… (1 Peter 1:16)
Sunday of all Saints
Honouring the friends of God with much reverence, the Prophet-King David says, "But to me, exceedingly honourable are Thy friends, O Lord" (Ps. 138:16). And the divine Apostle, recounting the achievements of the Saints, and setting forth their memorial as an example that we might turn away from earthly things and from sin, and emulate their patience and courage in the struggles for virtue, says, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every burden, and the sin which doth so easily beset us…" (Heb. 12:1).
This commemoration began as the Sunday (Synaxis) of All Martyrs; to them were added all the ranks of Saints who bore witness (the meaning of "Martyr" in Greek) to Christ in manifold ways, even if occasion did not require the shedding of their blood.
Therefore, guided by the teaching of the Divine Scriptures and Apostolic Tradition, we the pious honour all the Saints, the friends of God, for they are keepers of God's commandments, shining examples of virtue, and benefactors of mankind. Of course, we honour the known Saints especially on their own day of the year. But since many Saints are unknown, and their number has increased with time, and will continue to increase until the end of time, the Church has appointed that once a year a common commemoration be made of all the Saints. This is the feast that we celebrate today. It is the harvest of the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world; it is the "much fruit" brought forth by that "Grain of wheat that fell into the earth and died" (John 12:24); it is the glorification of the Saints as "the foundation of the Church, the perfection of the Gospel, they who fulfilled in deed the sayings of the Saviour" ( Doxasticon of Vespers).
In this celebration, then, we reverently honour and call blessed all the Righteous, the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Shepherds, Teachers, and Holy Monastics, both men and women alike, known and unknown, who have been added to the choirs of the Saints and shall be added, from the time of Adam until the end of the world, who have been perfected in piety and have glorified God by their holy lives. All these, as well as the orders of the Angels, and especially our most holy Lady and Queen, the Ever-virgin Theotokos Mary, do we honour today, setting their life before us as an example of virtue, and entreating them to intercede in our behalf with God, Whose grace and boundless mercy be with us all. Amen.
“ … Lo, we have left everything and followed Thee…”
(Matthew 19:27)
St. Simeon the Stylite
St. Simeon was a Shepherd from Turkey who devoted his life to educating other people about the Lord. At the age of thirteen, he heard a gospel reading of the Beatitudes which had a great impact on him. He decided he wanted to learn more about God and the beauty of Christianity. Shortly after, he entered a monastery where he memorized the entire book of Psalms and began to praise God extraordinarily while forming a strong relationship with Him. He isolated himself from the rest of the world and its distractions by living there for a while. In the year 423, he decided to take his spirituality to a new level by praising God upon a pillar 10 feet tall and only a few feet wide. He attracted all sorts of people who came to hear and learn the Word of God as preached by him. Bishops and Abbots came to witness his evangelism and test his virtue by demanding him to come down from the pillar. After he showed them his humble willingness to abide in their command, they immediately regretted their action. They knew that he truly was faithful to God and one Bishop even brought communion to him at his place of preaching. St. Simeon dedicated himself to prayer and God while still, twice a day, teaching others about His wonderful works. Crowds would consistently gather around to hear these words of wisdom and accept God into their lives. His words even won the conversion of pagans as he would insist his listeners pray for the salvation of souls. St. Simeon’s life was very meaningful and an important example to the rest of us because he fulfilled the purpose God put us on this earth to do. He taught others about the Lord and brought them closer to God. St. Simeon died in 459 AD, but we still remember his wisdom and teachings to this day as we celebrate his feast day on January 5th every year. Michelle
“Every one who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father Who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32)
Saint Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles
A Regular Man for an Irregular Job Saul, better known as Paul was an apostle of Christ, however unlike the rest of the twelve apostles Paul did not know Jesus personally. During the early rise of Christianity it was Paul who led persecutions against the Disciples of Christ, even to the point where he allowed the execution of some Disciples. It was only after the appearance and confrontation of Jesus Christ that Paul understood the message of Christianity and began witnessing to others. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit Paul began his mission to spread the truth among both the Jew and Gentile nations. Paul’s missionary campaign started in a city called Antioch and grew to cover most of Europe. Paul’s message was simple, and concise, preaching the atonement of sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ only through faith. In addition, emphasizing that works or actions of any individual on their own are not a means to receive salvation but it is only through the precious blood of Jesus Christ as a lamb without blemish and spot being the perfect sacrifice for mankind’s sins. Paul’s journey ended around 67 AD when he was finally executed under a heavy persecution. Truly, 1 Timothy 1:15 beautifully describe Paul’s purpose for ministering the gospel. “For Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”
Let us all learn from this great apostle the life of service and humility.
Mark
... Be Holy for I am Holy… (1 Peter 1:16)
CATEGORIES OF SAINTS
Through the work of the Holy Trinity all Christians could be called saints; especially in the early Church as long as they were baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, they received the Seal of the Spirit in chrismation and frequently participated in the Eucharist. In the same spirit St. Paul, when writing to the Churches he had visited, calls all the faithful "saints." Writing to the Ephesians, he addresses "the saints who live in Ephesus" (1:1); writing to the Corinthians he uses the same expressions (2 Cor. 1:11). St. Basil, commenting on this point, writes that Paul refers to all those who are united with God, who is the Being, the Life and the Truth (Against Eunomius, II, 19). Furthermore, St. Paul writes to the Colossians that God has reconciled men by Christ's death, "so that He may present you before Himself holy, without blemish and innocent in His sight" (1:22).
In our society, however, who can be addressed as a saint? Who are those men and women and children who may be called saints by the Church today? Many Orthodox theologians classify the saints in six categories:
The Apostles, who were the first ones to spread the message of the Incarnation of the Word of God and of salvation through Christ.
The Prophets, because they predicted and prophesied the coming of the Messiah.
The Martyrs, for sacrificing their lives and fearlessly confessing Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of mankind.
The Fathers and Hierarchs of the Church, who excelled in explaining and in defending, by word and deed, the Christian faith.
The Monastics, who lived in the desert and dedicated themselves to spiritual exercise (askesis), reaching, as far as possible, perfection in Christ.
The Just, those who lived in the world, leading exemplary lives as clergy or laity with their families, becoming examples for imitation in society.
Each and every one among all these saints has his or her own calling and characteristics: they all fought the "good fight for the faith" (1 Tim. 6:12 and 2 Tim. 4:7). All of them applied in their lives the scriptural virtues of "justice, piety, fidelity, love, fortitude, and gentleness" (1 Tim. 6:11).
“…he who does not take his cross and follow Me
is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38)
St. Stephen
St. Stephen was a very important saint in the life of the early Church as we read in the New Testament. His story is found in the book Acts. He was one of the first seven deacons of the early church, and was the first Christian martyr. He was chosen to provide help to new Christians from Greece.
Because he was preaching about Christ, the Jews accused him of blasphemy, and as a result he was brought before the Sanhedrin. When he stood before the Sanhedrin “his face was like the face of an angel.” In his defense Stephen made a long speech summarizing Old Testament teachings and showing how God had guided Israel toward knowing the savior, and showed them how Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament. The speech enraged the Sanhedrin. While they were already angry with him Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit looked up to heaven and saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look” he said, “I see heaven open and the son of man standing at the right hand of God.” Once he had said this, the crowd became angrier and dragged him outside of the city and began to stone him. As he was being stoned Stephen asked God to forgive the people of their sin.
From St Stephen we learn true forgiveness and the extent we should be willing to go for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And the rewards that awaits us when we are faithful.
Stephanie
“How precious are Thy beloved unto me, O God” (Psalms 138:17).
Father Arseny 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father
Father Arseny was a remarkable man who never wavered in his love for God even during persecution and imprisonment. Born in 1893, he lived under Stalin’s rule in the Soviet Union, and was deemed an enemy of the state and was imprisoned for preaching Orthodoxy and the life of Jesus Christ. Father Arseny was sent to “special” camps and was forced into life threatening labor; he was faced with the constant fear of death from fellow inmates and guards. Despite these unbearable conditions Father Arseny remained true to the Priesthood and to God. He continued to evangelize and counsel all those who sought his advice. He continued to practice the sacraments of Confessions, and Holy Unction while being under the constant threat of death. And he converted and saved many while always having death around the corner. These “special” camps were filled with the most ruthless criminals as well as many avid atheists. As a result, Father Arseny was surrounded by death and hatred which makes his faith and union with God so unique. With the most excruciating conditions Father Arseny survived the camps and what’s even more remarkable is that his faith endured and he kept his obligations as a Priest to his spiritual children. Despite the communist attempt to eradicate the Orthodox faith Father Arseny preached the word of God even at the threat of his own life. Finally, Father Arseny displayed a great love for God and the church even in the face of death and imprisonment. By serving his spiritual children during these horrendous times Father Arseny acted upon Jesus’ commandment of love. His love for God was strong and he always loved his neighbor and enemies even in the face of death. So let us learn from this Father and be very strong in our Christian faith and show love for all, even our enemies, and for our persecutors. Phillip F.
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect … (Hebrews 12:22)
Archangel Gabriel
Archangel Gabriel, my patron saint, is someone that I admire because of the significant role that he played in the Annunciation. The Annunciation is the time when the St. Gabriel appeared to Mary announcing “you will be with child and give birth to a Son and you are to give him the name Jesus… and He will be called the Son of the Most High (Luke: 1:31).” St. Gabriel is the angle who delivered the great news of the birth of the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ, to St. Mary. As a faithful servant and messenger of God, Gabriel obeyed and delivered news from the Lord not only to St. Mary, but also to others like Daniel, and Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. It is interesting to note that the name Gabriel means the strength and power of God. In other words, his name reminds us of the Might of his Great Creator, our Almighty God. We need to learn a great lesson from St. Gabriel, and that is to obey God’s commands and to deliver the great news of God’s salvation to the world just like Jesus commanded us to do when He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 28:19)