FROM THE DESK OF THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE
Dear Friends in Christ,
One of my early daily rituals (besides reading the bible) is the taking of several pills. Some are for high blood pressure, some for the thinning of blood and some for health, like vitamins. My doctors have assured me that these medications will allow me to live a longer and more healthy life. For these medical miracles I am most grateful. One of the more interesting early church leaders is Saint Ignatius who was the third bishop of Antioch. Known as one of the "apostolic fathers," Ignatius was a student of Saint John the Apostle and Saint Paul. He, with others, led the Christian church into the second century. His most famous teaching reflects the importance of the Holy Communion in the early church. He refers to the receiving of the wafer and the wine as the "medicine of immortality".
Our lesson from Matthew this week is the story of the feeding of the 5000. This miracle is when Jesus fed 5000 people with just a few loaves of bread and some fish. This miracle is the only one which appears in all four gospels. Those in the early church would have recognized this as a remembrance of the service we share each Sunday. This week I would like you to consider that the medications you take for your body are important but not nearly as important as the "medicine of immortality" which God offers to you and those you love. If you knew of a medicine that would heal a disease you would share it with those you love. Share as well the medicine of immortality with those you love.
Peace,
GJK