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Tuesday, April 2nd 2024: 6:30pm Presanctified Divine Liturgy/Sf. Liturghie a Darurilor înainte-sfințite; 7:30pm Holy Unction/ Sf Maslu; Fellowship/Agapa
holycrossorthodoxmonastery Uncategorized
Tuesday April 2nd 2024
6:30pm Presanctified Divine Liturgy / Dumnezeiasca Liturghie a Darurilor înainte-sfințite
7:30 pm – Holy Unction/ Sf Maslu;
9:00PM Fellowship Agape Dinner/Agapa masa de seară
MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS, SAVE US!
Prayerfully yours in Christ’s service,
Fr. Hieromonk Polycarp (Athenagoras)
egumen
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2024 – Together for building the Main Church/ Împreună Ridicăm Biserica Mare a Mănăstirii – 2024
Donations Main Church/ Biserica Mare
INVITATION to Save the Dates in 2024:
- 18 mai 2024 – Hramul Mic/Annual Spring Pilgrimage Day (Sf. M. Mc. Efrem cel Nou/St. Ephraim the New)
- 27 iulie 2024 – Pelerinaj în cinstea Maicii Domnului (Icoana “Gherontissa”) / Annual Summer Pilgrimage Day in honor of our Mother of God
- 21 septembrie 2024 – Hramul Mare/Annual Fall Pilgrimage Day (Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci/Exaltation of the Holy Cross)
Programul Liturgic / Liturgical schedule
Aprindeți o lumânare / Light a candle
Donations Altar de Vară/Pavilion
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Mănăstirea Ortodoxă Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci și Sf. Efrem cel Nou
The Orthodox Monastery Exaltation of the Holy Cross and St. Ephraim the New
308328 Hockley Rd., Mono
Orangeville, Ontario L9W 6N4
Cell: 226.200.1074
New Website: www.monasterymono.org
Join our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OrthodoxMonasteryMono/
Episcopia Ortodoxă Româna a Canadei / The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada
The Orthodox Monastery “Holy Cross” is under the spiritual and ecclesiastical authority (omofor) of His Grace, Bishop Ioan Casian, of The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada.
Mitropolia Ortodoxă Română a celor două Americi / The Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas
16 March 2024: Holy Unction/ Sf Maslu / Fellowship Agape Meal/Agapa lunară
holycrossorthodoxmonastery Uncategorized
16 March 2024 – 8:30 AM Akathist/ Acatist; 9:00 AM – Divine Liturgy / Dumnezeiasca Liturghie; 10:30 AM – Holy Unction/ Sf Maslu; 12:00PM Fellowship Agape Meal/Agapa lunară
MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS, SAVE US!
Prayerfully yours in Christ’s service,
Fr. Hieromonk Polycarp (Athenagoras)
egumen
—
2024 – Together for building the Main Church/ Împreună Ridicăm Biserica Mare a Mănăstirii – 2024
Donations Main Church/ Biserica Mare
INVITATION to Save the Dates in 2024:
- 18 mai 2024 – Hramul Mic/Annual Spring Pilgrimage Day (Sf. M. Mc. Efrem cel Nou/St. Ephraim the New)
- 27 iulie 2024 – Pelerinaj în cinstea Maicii Domnului (Icoana “Gherontissa”) / Annual Summer Pilgrimage Day in honor of our Mother of God
- 21 septembrie 2024 – Hramul Mare/Annual Fall Pilgrimage Day (Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci/Exaltation of the Holy Cross)
Programul Liturgic / Liturgical schedule
Aprindeți o lumânare / Light a candle
Donations Altar de Vară/Pavilion
—
Mănăstirea Ortodoxă Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci și Sf. Efrem cel Nou
The Orthodox Monastery Exaltation of the Holy Cross and St. Ephraim the New
308328 Hockley Rd., Mono
Orangeville, Ontario L9W 6N4
Cell: 226.200.1074
New Website: www.monasterymono.org
Join our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OrthodoxMonasteryMono/
Episcopia Ortodoxă Româna a Canadei / The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada
The Orthodox Monastery “Holy Cross” is under the spiritual and ecclesiastical authority (omofor) of His Grace, Bishop Ioan Casian, of The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada.
Mitropolia Ortodoxă Română a celor două Americi / The Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas
[12 March 2024, MonasteryMono] Night Vigil Service/ Slujba Privegheri
holycrossorthodoxmonastery Uncategorized
9 March 2024 Winter Soul Saturday/Moșii de iarnă
holycrossorthodoxmonastery Uncategorized
9 March 2024 “Moșii de iarnă/Winter Soul Saturday”– 8:30AM Matins/Utrenia ; 10:30AM Divine Liturgy with memorial Service for the Souls Saturday/ Sf. Liturghie cu Parastas pentru Moșii de iarnă ; 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
PROGRAM March 2024
holycrossorthodoxmonastery Uncategorized
1 March 2024 – 5:00 AM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
2 March 2024 – 8:30AM Matins/Utrenia ; 10:30AM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
3 March 2024 – 8:30AM Matins/Utrenia, 10:30AM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie; 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
4 March 2024 – 7:00PM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
5 March 2024 – 7:00PM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
6 March 2024 – 7:00PM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
7 March 2024 – 7:00PM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
8 March 2024 – 7:00PM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
9 March 2024 – “Sâmbăta Morților/Moșii de iarnă/Winter Souls Saturday” 8:30AM Matins/Utrenia ; 10:30AM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie with memorial Service for the Souls Saturday/Parastas de obște ; 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
10 March 2024 – 8:30AM Matins/Utrenia, 10:30AM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie; 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
11 March 2024 – 7:00PM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
12 March 2024 – Night Vigil/Priveghere 8:00 pm followed by Divine Liturgy at 10:30pm / cu Dumnezeiasca Liturghie la 10:30pm
13 March 2024 – 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
14 March 2024 – 7:00PM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
15 March 2024 – Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
16 March 2024 – 8:30 AM Akathist/ Acatist; 9:00 AM – Divine Liturgy / Dumnezeiasca Liturghie; 10:30 AM – Holy Unction/ Sf Maslu; 12:00PM Fellowship Agape Meal/Agape
17 March 2024 – 8:30AM Matins/Utrenia ; 10:30AM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; 1:00 PM Forgiveness Vespers/ Vecernia iertării
18 March 2024 – 5:00 AM Începutul Postului Sf Paști/Beginning of Holy and Great Lent – Utrenie, Ceasul I, III, VI, IX, Obednița/Matins, Royers hours 7:00pm Pavecernița Mare cu Canonul cel Mare/Great Compline & Great Canon of St. Andrew
19 March 2024 – 5:00 AM – Utrenie, Ceasul I, III, VI, IX, Obednița 7:00pm Pavecernița Mare cu Canonul cel Mare / Great Compline & Great Canon of St. Andrew
20 March 2024 – 5:00 AM – Utrenie, Ceasul I, III, VI, IX, Obednița 7:00pm Liturghia Darurilor înainte-sfințite Pavecernița Mare cu Canonul cel Mare / Presanctified Liturgy; Great Compline & Great Canon of St. Andrew
21 March 2024 – 5:00 AM – Utrenie, Ceasul I, III, VI, IX, Obednița 7:00pm Liturghia Darurilor înainte-sfințite Pavecernița Mare cu Canonul cel Mare/Presanctified Liturgy; Great Compline with Great Canon of St. Andrew
22 March 2024 – 5:00 AM – Utrenie, Ceasul I, III, VI, IX, Obednița 7:00pm Liturghia Darurilor înainte-sfințite Pavecernița Mare/Presanctified Liturgy; Great Compline
23 March 2024 – 8:30AM Matins/Utrenia ; 10:30AM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
24 March 2024 – 8:00AM Matins/Utrenia ; 10:00AM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
25 March 2024 – 7:00 PM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; Paraklesis to the Theotokos/ Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
26 March 2024 – 7:00pm Liturghia Darurilor înainte-sfințite Pavecernița Mare/Presanctified Liturgy; Great Compline
27 March 2024 – 7:00pm Liturghia Darurilor înainte-sfințite Pavecernița Mare/Presanctified Liturgy; Great Compline
29 March 2024 – 7:00pm Liturghia Darurilor înainte-sfințite Pavecernița Mare/Presanctified Liturgy; Great Compline
30 March 2024 – 8:00AM Matins/Utrenia ; 10:00AM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
31 March 2024 – 8:00AM Matins/Utrenia ; 10:00AM Divine Liturgy/ Sf. Liturghie ; 6:00 PM Vespers with Paraklesis to the Theotokos/Vecernie cu Paraclisul Maicii Domnului
Pomelnic 40 de Sf. Liturghii: holycrossorthodoxmonastery@gma
Please Donate today for building your monastery and its main Church.
https://monasterymono.org/en/d
Feb. 24th, 2024 – Hawaii’s Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon is coming back to our Monastery
holycrossorthodoxmonastery Uncategorized
February 24th, 2024
With the Blessing of HG Bishop IOAN CASIAN of Canada
The Hawaii’s Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon is coming back to our Monastery.
Most Holy Mother of God, save us!
Prayerfully yours in Christ’s service,
Fr. Hieromonk Polycarp
-egumen-
Mănăstirea Ortodoxă Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci și Sf. Efrem cel Nou
The Orthodox Monastery Exaltation of the Holy Cross and St. Ephraim the New
E. holycrossorthodoxmonastery
New Website: www.
INVITATION to Save the Dates in 2024:
- 18 mai 2024 – Hramul Mic/Annual Spring Pilgrimage Day (Sf. M. Mc. Efrem cel Nou/St. Ephraim the New)
- 27 iulie 2024- Pelerinaj în cinstea Maicii Domnului (Icoana “Gherontissa”) / Annual Summer Pilgrimage Day in honor of our Mother of God
- 21 septembrie 2024- Hramul Mare/Annual Fall Pilgrimage Day (Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci/Exaltation of the Holy Cross)
Programul Liturgic / Liturgical schedule
Aprindeți o lumânare / Light a candle
Donations Altar de Vară/Pavilion
Donations Main Church/ Biserica Mare
2024 – Together for building the Main Church/ Împreună Ridicăm Biserica Mare a Mănăstirii – 2024
Join our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.
Episcopia Ortodoxă Româna a Ca
The Orthodox Monastery “Holy Cross” is under the spiritual and ecclesiastical authority (omofor) of His Grace, Bishop Ioan Casian, of The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada.
Mitropolia Ortodoxă Română a celor două Americi / The Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas
Night Vigil Service Febraury 7th 2024 in honor of all the Holy Saints Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries commemorated in February by the Orthodox Church.
holycrossorthodoxmonastery Uncategorized
Night Vigil Service Febraury 7th 2024 in honor of all the Holy Saints Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries commemorated in February by the Orthodox Church
Night Vigil Service February 7th, 2024 in honor of all the Holy Saints Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries commemorated in February by the Orthodox Church.
February 7th, 2024 starting at 10:00pm – Vigil Service (Vespers, Matins, Akatist and Divine Liturgy)
Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Saints pray for us!
Send your Prayer request (both Living/Departed)for this service at holycrossorthodoxmonastery@gma
️
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Foto credit: Agenția de știri Basilica Basilica News Agency
2024 – Together for building the Main Church/ Împreună Ridicăm Biserica Mare a Mănăstirii – 2024
INVITATION to Save the Dates in 2024:
- 18 mai 2024 – Hramul Mic/Annual Spring Pilgrimage Day (Sf. M. Mc. Efrem cel Nou/St. Ephraim the New)
- 27 iulie 2024- Pelerinaj în cinstea Maicii Domnului (Icoana “Gherontissa”) / Annual Summer Pilgrimage Day in honor of our Mother of God
- 21 septembrie 2024- Hramul Mare/Annual Fall Pilgrimage Day (Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci/Exaltation of the Holy Cross)
Programul Liturgic / Liturgical schedule
Aprindeți o lumânare / Light a candle
Donations Altar de Vară/Pavilion
Donations Main Church/ Biserica Mare
Prayerfully yours in Christ’s service,
Fr. Hieromonk Polycarp (Athenagoras)
—
Mănăstirea Ortodoxă Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci și Sf. Efrem cel Nou
The Orthodox Monastery Exaltation of the Holy Cross and St. Ephraim the New
308328 Hockley Rd., Mono
Orangeville, Ontario L9W 6N4
t: 226.200.1074
New Website: www.monasterymono.org
Join our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OrthodoxMonasteryMono/
Episcopia Ortodoxă Româna a Canadei / The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada
The Orthodox Monastery “Holy Cross” is under the spiritual and ecclesiastical authority (omofor) of His Grace, Bishop Ioan Casian, of The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada.
Mitropolia Ortodoxă Română a celor două Americi / The Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas
Night Vigil Service January 31st, 2024 in honor of all the Holy Saints Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries commemorated in January by the Orthodox Church.
holycrossorthodoxmonastery Uncategorized
Night Vigil Service January 31st, 2024 in honor of all the Holy Saints Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries commemorated in January by the Orthodox Church.
January 31st, 2024 starting at 10:00pm – Vigil Service (Vespers, Matins, Blessing of the Water and at 5am Divine Liturgy)
Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Saints pray for us!
Send your Prayer request (both Living/Departed)for this service at holycrossorthodoxmonastery@gma
️ https://basilica.ro/en/8-holy-
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Foto credit: Agenția de știri Basilica Basilica News Agency
2024 – Together for building the Main Church/ Împreună Ridicăm Biserica Mare a Mănăstirii – 2024
INVITATION to Save the Dates in 2024:
- 18 mai 2024 – Hramul Mic/Annual Spring Pilgrimage Day (Sf. M. Mc. Efrem cel Nou/St. Ephraim the New)
- 27 iulie 2024- Pelerinaj în cinstea Maicii Domnului (Icoana “Gherontissa”) / Annual Summer Pilgrimage Day in honor of our Mother of God
- 21 septembrie 2024- Hramul Mare/Annual Fall Pilgrimage Day (Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci/Exaltation of the Holy Cross)
Programul Liturgic / Liturgical schedule
Aprindeți o lumânare / Light a candle
Donations Altar de Vară/Pavilion
Donations Main Church/ Biserica Mare
Prayerfully yours in Christ’s service,
Fr. Hieromonk Polycarp (Athenagoras)
—
Mănăstirea Ortodoxă Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci și Sf. Efrem cel Nou
The Orthodox Monastery Exaltation of the Holy Cross and St. Ephraim the New
308328 Hockley Rd., Mono
Orangeville, Ontario L9W 6N4
t: 226.200.1074
New Website: www.monasterymono.org
Join our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OrthodoxMonasteryMono/
Episcopia Ortodoxă Româna a Canadei / The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada
The Orthodox Monastery “Holy Cross” is under the spiritual and ecclesiastical authority (omofor) of His Grace, Bishop Ioan Casian, of The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada.
Mitropolia Ortodoxă Română a celor două Americi / The Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas
+IOAN CASIAN: Some reflections at the beginning of 2024 / Quelques réfections au début de l’an 2024
holycrossorthodoxmonastery Uncategorized
Some reflections at the beginning of 2024
– unity, variety and fidelity in prayer to God –
In the typicon of the Tedeum service that we perform at the beginning of the year, the Church chose a text from the first Epistle of St. Paul to Timothy to be read by the Apostle:
“Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2, 1-4).
St. Paul the Apostle exhorts his disciple Timothy and through him us and the whole Church to renew prayer every time at the beginning of the year in its different ways and benefits. Why this we may ask? Because prayer is what best characterizes the Church. It manifests the Church’s identity as a temple of God, a place or community that is in dialogue with the Creator and lives in His presence and from His word. This dialogue manifests our faith in the fact that our prayers are heard by the One who created us and cares for us.
If prayer as a whole manifests our unity as beings created by God, the multitude of ways to pray, to ask God and to speak to Him that the Apostle mentions shows the variety and multiplicity of our needs. Requests, prayers, and thanksgivings are some of the ways we address God by talking to Him about our joys, needs, weaknesses, hopes or plans.
All this, however, has the main purpose of establishing a lasting peace and a good order in the relationships between us humans and in the society in which we live in accordance with God’s will. The Christian prayer as we see it in the Great Apostle of the Gentiles is universal asking for grace and wisdom from God for all – Christians and non-Christians – because the emperors or those in high authority at that time were pagans. This is how St. Paul the Apostle gives us an example of how we must educate our own mind and heart and lead and organize our lives.
We pray for those to whom we have entrusted even temporarily the responsibility of managing our earthly affairs thinking and hoping that they will be done according to God’s will. The peaceful and quiet life is the goal of these prayers so that we can continue to live as befits a life of faith, pious, and in good order because this is well received before God.
In this way, if our life and the society in which we live are well ordered, they show the foundation of our faith and our way of living, of the fact that we have begun to know the truth of God and we already live with the hope of salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Gospel from Matthew of the same service tells us, repeating the words of Christ the Savior:
” The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4, 18-19)
As Christ tells us, nothing of faith can be done without the presence of the Holy Spirit. The spiritual and social program of our faith, like prayer, is universal and unitary, springing from the power of God’s grace through the Holy Spirit, but it has multiple values and addresses the various needs of man and society – the need to help the poor, to encourage, strengthen and heal those who are wounded in spirit, the physical liberation and with the understanding of those who are enslaved in this way, the accompanying and uplifting those burdened for various reasons, etc. All these thus become preliminary signs of God’s presence among us and of a time blessed by Him in the Holy Spirit.
If we look around us, at the times in which we live, we notice that there are many needs and troubles, difficulties, violence, lies, injustices. There are also many good initiatives, but we believe that many other things could be better arranged with more attention and effort, with more love and understanding.
For a relatively short time we have observed obvious armed conflicts, associative strategies that take this context into account, decisions that do nothing but aim to increase the means by which the respective countries or organizations will participate in the respective conflicts. But there are few who reorient these initiatives or funds for health, education, against poverty, for the development of scientific innovation, etc. in such a way that at least part of the difficulties we observe at different levels are mitigated or even resolved.
Our work is both inner and outer. It shows precisely the special, consistent, and coherent way in which God works. He created the world in the beginning harmoniously in the two dimensions – spiritual and material. We as humans try to lead a healthy inner spiritual life so that everything that happens inside and outside us reflects the reason that God planted in us at creation and that grows and manifests itself in the fullness of its calling.
Let us pray and discern at the same time in the decisions we make in such a way that the steps we will follow both internally spiritually and physically externally reflect the will of God. This is a responsibility we have if we want to be faithful to our vocation to reflect the image and likeness of God.
The prayers pronounced at the beginning of the year do nothing but remind us of this vocation of ours and introduce us to the presence of God through the word of prayer but also through deed and action. They show the nature of man in the fullness of its manifestation.
I invite you on the occasion of the recitation of the prayers at the beginning of the year to restore a solid foundation of faith in personal word and deed so that we can become lucid, clear, unquestionable, sure, resolute, loving, peaceful and blessed reflections to continue our journey to the Kingdom of God and for meeting Christ.
I wish you all holy joys, grace from God, increase in spiritual progress, love, peace and wisdom in the path you will complete.
A new year 2024 full of wisdom and blessing!
† Ioan Casian
Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada
Saint-Hubert/ Montreal, January 1, 2024
*****
Quelques réfections au début de l’an 2024
– unité, variété et fidélité dans la prière à Dieu –
Dans le typicon de l’office de prière de Tedeum que nous accomplissons au début de l’année, l’Église a choisi pour lire un texte de la première épître de saint Paul à Timothée:
« J’encourage donc avant tout à faire des demandes, des prières, des supplications, des prières de reconnaissance pour tous les hommes, pour les rois et pour tous ceux qui exercent l’autorité, afin que nous puissions mener une vie paisible et tranquille, en toute piété et en tout respect. Voilà ce qui est bon et agréable devant Dieu notre Sauveur, lui qui désire que tous les hommes soient sauvés et parviennent à la connaissance de la vérité” (1 Timothée 2, 1-4).
L’apôtre Paul exhorte son disciple Timothée et à travers lui nous et toute l’Église à renouveler la prière à chaque début de l’année dans ses différentes formes et ses bienfaits. Pourquoi cela, pouvons-nous nous demander ? Parce que la prière est ce qui caractérise le mieux l’Église. Elle manifeste l’identité de l’Église comme temple de Dieu, lieu ou communauté dialogue avec le Créateur et vit de Sa présence et de Sa parole. Ce dialogue manifeste notre confiance dans le fait que nos prières sont entendues par Celui qui nous a créés et prend soin de nous.
Si la prière dans son ensemble manifeste notre unité en tant qu’êtres créés par Dieu, la multitude de façons de prier, de demander à Dieu et de lui parler que mentionne l’Apôtre montre la variété et la multiplicité de nos besoins. Les requêtes, les prières et les actions de grâces sont quelques-unes des façons dont nous nous adressons à Dieu en lui parlant de nos joies, de nos besoins, de nos faiblesses, de nos espoirs ou de nos projets.
Mais tout cela a pour objectif principal d’établir une paix durable et un bon ordre dans les relations entre nous, les humains, et dans la société dans laquelle nous vivons conformément à la volonté de Dieu. La prière chrétienne telle que nous la voyons chez le Grand Apôtre des Gentils est universelle et demande à Dieu la grâce et la sagesse pour tous – chrétiens et non-chrétiens – parce que les empereurs ou ceux qui détenaient une haute autorité à cette époque étaient païens. C’est ainsi que Saint Ap. Paul nous donne un exemple de la manière dont nous devons éduquer notre esprit et notre cœur, diriger et organiser notre vie.
Nous prions pour ceux à qui nous avons confié, même temporairement, la responsabilité de gérer nos affaires terrestres avec la pensée et l’espoir qu’elles se dérouleront selon la volonté de Dieu. La vie paisible et tranquille est le but de ces prières afin que nous puissions continuer à vivre comme il convient une vie de foi, pieuse et en bon ordre car bien reçue devant Dieu.
De cette façon, si notre vie et la société dans laquelle nous vivons sont bien ordonnées, elles montrent le fondement de notre foi et de notre façon de vivre, du fait que nous avons commencé à connaître la vérité de Dieu et que nous vivons déjà avec espérance de salut par le Christ Jésus notre Seigneur.
L’Évangile de Matthieu du même religions service nous dit, en répétant les paroles du Christ Sauveur :
« L’Esprit du Seigneur est sur moi, parce qu’il m’a consacré par onction pour annoncer la bonne nouvelle aux pauvres; il m’a envoyé [pour guérir ceux qui ont le cœur brisé,] pour proclamer aux prisonniers la délivrance et aux aveugles le recouvrement de la vue, pour renvoyer libres les opprimés, pour proclamer une année de grâce du Seigneur » (Matthieu 4, 18-19)
Comme le Christ nous le dit, rien de foi ne peut se faire sans la présence du Saint-Esprit. Le programme spirituel et social de notre foi, comme la prière, est universel et unitaire, naissant de la puissance de la grâce de Dieu à travers l’Esprit Saint, mais il a de multiples valeurs et répond aux divers besoins de l’homme et de la société – le besoin d’aider les pauvres, pour encourager, fortifier et guérir ceux qui sont blessés spirituellement, de libération physique et avec la compréhension de ceux qui sont ainsi esclaves, pour accompagner et relever ceux qui sont accablés pour diverses raisons, etc. Tout cela devient ainsi des signes préliminaires de la présence de Dieu parmi nous et d’un temps béni par Lui dans le Saint-Esprit.
Si nous regardons autour de nous, à l’époque dans laquelle nous vivons, nous remarquons qu’il y a beaucoup de besoins et de troubles, de difficultés, de violences, de mensonges, d’injustices. Il existe également de nombreuses bonnes initiatives, mais nous pensons que bien d’autres choses pourraient être mieux organisées avec plus d’attention et d’efforts, avec plus d’amour et de compréhension.
Depuis relativement peu de temps, nous observons des conflits armés évidents, des stratégies d’association qui tiennent compte de ce contexte, des décisions qui ne font qu’augmenter les moyens par lesquels les pays ou organisations respectifs participeront aux conflits respectifs. Mais rares sont ceux qui réorientent ces initiatives ou fonds vers la santé, l’éducation, contre la pauvreté, pour le développement de l’innovation scientifique, etc. de telle sorte qu’au moins une partie des difficultés que nous observons à différents niveaux soient atténuées, voire résolues.
Notre travail est à la fois intérieur et extérieur. Cela montre précisément la manière particulière, consistante et cohérente avec laquelle Dieu agit. Au début, Il a créé le monde harmonieusement dans les deux dimensions – spirituelle et matérielle. En tant qu’humains, essayons de mener une vie spirituelle intérieure saine afin que tout ce qui se passe à l’intérieur et à l’extérieur de nous reflète la raison que Dieu a implantée en nous lors de la création et qui grandisse et se manifeste dans la plénitude de notre appel.
Prions and faisons preuve de discernement dans les décisions que nous prenons de telle manière que les étapes que nous suivrons à la fois intérieurement, spirituellement et physiquement extérieurement reflètent la volonté de Dieu. C’est une responsabilité que nous avons si nous voulons être fidèles à notre vocation de refléter l’image et la ressemblance de Dieu.
Les prières prononcées en début d’année ne font que nous rappeler notre vocation et nous initier à la présence de Dieu par la parole de la prière mais aussi par le fait et l’action. Ils constituent la nature de l’homme dans la plénitude de sa manifestation.
Je vous exhorte, pendant que vous dites les prières du début de l’année, à restaurer une base solide de foi à travers les paroles et les actes personnels afin que nous puissions devenir des réflexions limpide, claires, incontestables, sûres, résolues, aimantes, paisibles et bénies pour continuer de voyager vers le Royaume de Dieu et pour rencontrer le Christ.
Je vous souhaite à tous une sainte joie, la grâce de Dieu, une augmentation du travail spirituel, l’amour, paix et sagesse dans le chemin que vous parcourrez.
Une nouvelle année 2024 pleine de sagesse et de bénédiction !
† Ioan Casian
Évêque orthodoxe roumain du Canada
Saint-Hubert/ Montréal, le 1er janvier 2024