DEMON POSSESSED.
“The virtues build a new person radiating love to the world.”
(Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo who consecrated our temple.)
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
(Hebrews 4:15-16)
SUNDAY 20th OCTOBER. Great Martyr Artemius of Antioch (362). St. Acca, Bishop of Hexham (c 740). St. Matrona of Chios (14th-15th). St. Artemius the child (Verhoisk 1545). St. Gerasimus the New Ascetic of Cephalonia (1579). St. Jonah, Bishop of Manchuria (1925).
HOLY APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST LUKE.
Feastday 18th October.
St. Luke was from Antioch being of Greek parentage and where he received a good and extensive education, studying Greek philosophy, medicine and art. He became a professional physician. Having travelled to Jerusalem he came to believe in the Lord and in church Tradition he was the companion of Cleopas who met the resurrected Jesus on the road to Emmaus.
After the events of Pentecost St. Luke returned to Antioch, working with St. Paul and eventually accompanying him to Rome. He converted many to the Christian faith. In St. Paul's letter to the Colossians (Colossians 4:14) we read “Luke the beloved physician......greets you.” St. Luke wrote the Gospel that bears his name at the request of Christians. He was also responsible for writing the Acts of the Apostles. After the martyrdom of St. Paul, Luke continued to preach the Gospel in Italy and other regions. Tradition has it that he painted three icons of the Mother of God and one of St. Peter and St. Paul and therefore considered to be the founder of Christian iconography.
In his old age he travelled to Libya and Egypt and thence, even being in advanced years, going to Greece continuing to preach and converting many. At the age of eighty-four, he was martyred by pagans, being hung on an olive tree in the Greek city of Thebes, where the ancient tree still stands. His relics were taken to Constantinople only to be stolen by the Crusaders and taken to Italy. At the request of the Metropolitan of Thebes a rib of St. Luke was returned to his original sarcophagus, a beautiful Roman one conscripted in early days to contain his relics. On 22nd December 1997 at 1.30 pm myrrh was seen on the marble of the tomb and since then it has become fragrant.
“We are commanded to have only one enemy, the devil. With him be never reconciled! But with a brother, never be at enmity in thy heart.” (St. John Chrysostom)
“Thus, while you are neglecting yourself and hardly taking stock of yourself, the evil spirits enter into you and destroy and lay barren your mind, dissipating your thoughts on things of this world.”
(St. Macarius of Egypt)
TODAY'S GOSPEL. Luke 8:26-39. “Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice, said “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion.” Because many demons had entered him. And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned. When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Then also those who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon possessed was healed. Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned. Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
The unfortunate man possessed by demons tells Christ that his name is Legion, meaning many. No doubt he had seen the Roman legions or even suffered at their hands and thus was aware of the many demons that plagued him. Demons are real and can take on many forms, the devil if nothing else is extremely crafty in his dealing with we humans. In this secular age in which we live such things are thought of as nonsense, yet we only have to look around us at this time of year and seeing the jollity that surrounds the devilish and perverted partying of Halloween. Let us not forget what “Halloween” means. In the west it is an abbreviation of All Hallows Eve, the Eve of All Saints. We see ghosts and ghouls, skeletons, devils and all sorts of bizarre images that adorn peoples houses for the amusement of often little children. Children get dressed up as devils and ghosts, having no further thought of what they are portraying. A bit of mindless fun? Not so, because there is no counter balance of any sort of religion and spirituality in many peoples lives today. They have no idea with what they are dealing and what demons lie in wait. How easily the evil one enters our lives.
The poor man in the Gospel, or rather the demons that possess him, cry out in fear before the Lord, bewildered by the fact that He can control them before this inevitability was going to happen. Contrast the screeching of the demons and the madness induced in the pigs by their presence with the quiet, serene and all powerful presence of Christ. It is He who sends the demons into the pigs at their own request, sending the herd hurtling into the lake to be drowned. It is He who brings the man to be in his right mind, to clothe his nakedness and to send him home to resume a normal life. The man is so grateful that he asks to join Jesus but is told to go home. We are not all called to be apostles but to serve God where we find ourselves in whatever community or family. Here, instead of demons, we ask for and believe that we are surrounded by angels, especially the one assigned to us, our guardian, who must get very weary of our faults and failings but being angelic never tires!
Much Love,
Fr. George.
Please continue to pray for peace in the world, especially for the Middle East and Ukraine and other conflicts around the world and for those who suffer as a consequence.
There will be a parochial church council meeting after the Liturgy on Sunday 27th October.
Please pray for the sick and those in need:
Fr Michael Alexander, Margaret Lilley, Trudy (Elizabeth), Elena, Vasilica, Anne Marie and her baby daughter, Stephanie; Margaret; (Fr.) Bill; Magdalena; Mother Esodia; Doris; Mary, Maria; Emma; Megan; Olga; James; Jessie; Nick, Maddy and family; Catrina and Michael; Cornelia; Theo Valentino, George; Ondar; Christine, Christos and family. Also Archbishops Paul and John and all held in captivity.
and for the departed whose memory occurs this month:
Joan Wilkinson (11th); Lois Talbot (23rd)
Name days this month:
Thomasa Best and Thomas Ward (St Thomas the Apostle - 6th); Zlatina Pavlova (St Zlata Maglen 18th); Demitri (St Demitri 26th)
(Please note: any additions, alterations or requests for names to be included in the this prayer list should be addressed to me, James, either by SMS: 07412884765 or email: