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"Man cannot live a Christian. He can only die a daily death...
Christ is perfect God and perfect man-perfect man in the sense of ultimate perfection, of real, genuine man. Only he, the all-perfect man, drained to the depths all the fullness of human experience, while those who follow after him, led by his commandment and his Spirit, only approach this fullness, without arriving at its totality, at least in the confines of this earthly life. In writing of the fullness of universal human experience I feel convinced that it is obtainable in all circumstances, so that in this respect monasticism is not an exception to the rule. Each of us is given the same commandment - in other words, none of us is belittled in the sight of God, God has a like measure of regard for each of us. Each of us is provided with the same sum- if I may put it that way - sufficient to acquire the ultimate perfection attainable by man, the price of which is one and the same for all - to be utterly unsparing of self. Being completely unsparing of oneself does not mean just "bestowing all one's goods to feed the poor, or giving one's body to be burned, " but forsaking all that one has in the sphere of one's created being in its separateness from God, in selfish individualism and opposition to one's fellow man. This is only fully to be attained in death, and so to live as a Christian in effect is impossible - one can only die a Christian." + St Sophrony of Essex, "The Staretz' Demise" in St Silouan the Athonite, (Yonkers, NY: SVS Press, 2021) p. 215-217
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 Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Protocol No. 11/2025 CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM! Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Today I greet you with great joy and love in the Name of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let us give thanks to Almighty God, by whose grace we have been given this opportunity to celebrate the Birth of His Son. As we look around ourselves, we find mistrust, suffering, hatred, homelessness, drug overdoses, crime, and senseless killings and the absence of peace and love in our homes, neighborhoods, cities, country and in fact the whole world. This reality in our lives makes us to want to cry out for God's help, assistance and intervention. My beloved ones, despite all the suffering, sorrow and injustice in our world, today we rejoice because hope comes to us once again. This is why at this blessed time of the year we look forward to the arrival of the new born King, born in the little town of Bethlehem. Therefore, let us celebrate the miracle of His Birth. Let kindness come with every gift. Let compassion, forgiveness and love come with every greeting. Let our hearts be filled with prayer, charity, and reconciliation for one another. May all of us, Priests, Panis, Deacons, Sub-Deacons, Readers, Acolytes, Archons, Parish Officers, Teachers, Parishioners (young and old), Friends and Supporters of our God-protected Diocese experience the joy and wonders of the Shepherds and the awe and respect of the Three Wise Men at the arrival of the Messiah, our new born King. Christ is Born! +Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa https://www.acrod.org/diocesan-life/news/2024/mg-nativity-archpastoral2025  Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Once again, it is necessary to make the Body of Christ at St. Silouan Orthodox Church aware of certain current movements within our federal government that call for our thoughtful attention and prayerful engagement. There are two legislative matters presently before Parliament that raise serious moral concerns and invite our responsible participation as Christians and citizens. Bill C-9: Religious Freedom and the Expansion of “Hate Crime” Legislation Bill C-9 has now passed two readings in Parliament. It is being introduced as legislation intended to protect individuals and groups from so-called “hate crimes.” The Church unequivocally condemns all immoral behavior that seeks to harass, harm, threaten, or incite violence against any person or group. Such actions are contrary to the Gospel and to the dignity of the human person created in the image of God. We also recognize that Canada already possesses laws that protect individuals and communities from violence and genuine threats motivated by hatred. However, Bill C-9 proposes an expansion of existing legal definitions that is potentially broad and open to interpretation. There is concern that sincerely held religious beliefs particularly traditional Christian moral teachings could be mischaracterized as “hate” and thus rendered unlawful. This kind of legal overreach raises serious concerns for freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, and freedom of expression, which are essential to human dignity and a healthy society. While violence and the incitement of harm must always remain illegal and morally repugnant, attempts to legislate beliefs or thoughts move beyond the proper role of the state and are themselves morally troubling. For further information, you may read the press release from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops here: https://www.cccb.ca/media-release/proposed-restrictions-on-religious-freedom-bill-c-9/ Bill C-218: Protecting the Vulnerable from Expansion of MAiD Bill C-218 is a private member’s bill currently being introduced to place limits on euthanasia (Medical Assistance in Dying, or MAiD) by making it illegal for MAiD to be administered solely on the basis of mental illness. Any society that presents death as a form of compassion for those who suffer is, in a profound way, wounding itself. Rather than offering medically assisted suicide to those struggling with mental illness, we are called to seek truly compassionate responses. Care that accompanies, supports, heals, and restores hope. The Christian vision calls us to create spaces that do not turn away from suffering, but instead embrace the vulnerable with patience, love, and concrete support, helping them return when possible to stability, dignity, and life. The Church cannot remain silent as our country risks diving headlong into abandoning the weakest among us, the poorest of the poor, the little ones who belong to Christ. More information on the need to support Bill C-218 can be found here: https://www.catholicregister.org/item/3006-bill-c-218-supporters-fight-expanded-m-ai-d All parishioners are encouraged to prayerfully consider these matters and contact their Members of Parliament to express their concerns respectfully and thoughtfully. Find you MP's contact information here https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en May the Lord grant us wisdom, courage, and compassion as we seek to remain faithful to the Gospel while engaging the world around us.  "The human being is constituted by hospitality to other persons, and by hospitality to theophany; that is, by communion. I mean, we aren’t human until we open our hearts to other humans and to God. The two great commandments, to love God and to love others, could be expressed in another way: show perfect hospitality to God and to others. Or, in still another way, as: be yourself; be truly human, since being human is something that arises only in relationship with God and with other human beings...
And all of this must turn us towards this great issue of our lives—hospitality. Hospitality is more important than faith or works, one could say provocatively; or rather, hospitality conceals so mildly within itself the perfect synergy between true faith and true works that we call liturgy, that it overcomes the five-century-long war between faith and works. Panagia stands to us as a kind of priest, a true mystic, and a worker of mysteries because her hospitality for Christ at his conception and throughout his life meant that her life was an angelic one, ministering day and night to the Holy One of Israel, and a priestly one, because she so ministered for the benefit of the people of Israel. I tell my students that the serving tray is the foundation of human civilization, and I think that this is true. No home should be without a nice one, and we should never hand a guest a glass of water when we could instead set even the simplest tray before them. A serving tray is a kind of portable altar table, presaging the cultic centers that will give rise to the first cities. Hospitality unifies faith and works, trust and offering, and it is a liturgical act. When it is offered with philotimo, we enter theosis." +Dr Timothy Patitsas, Chapter 6 “The Mystical Architect” from The Ethics of Beauty, https://www.stnicholaspress.net/store/the-ethics-of-beauty If you are in the Toronto area or visiting Toronto find out how you can also experience and practice Christian Hospitality at Noble Joseph House, one of Toronto's Orthodox Houses of Hospitality https://www.noblejosephhouse.ca/ |
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