The telephone is a wonderful modern invention. Yet, too many people limit its usefulness to purely secular and worldly concerns. Have you ever thought how helpful this electronic instrument can be in bringing you close to your Church and your priest closer to you? In your priest’s office or study his telephone provides you with an easy access to the spiritual and other kinds of assistance every Orthodox priest is trained and ready to give you.
Orthodox priests are obligated by their sacred vocation to imitate the Good Shepherd in exercising a constant concern for the welfare and the salvation of their flock. The priest is always ready to respond to your call upon him and regards himself privileged when you ask him for guidance, spiritual ministration, or comfort. As a correlate to the duty and privilege of the priest to respond to your call, there is the privilege and sometimes obligation, which you as devout Orthodox layperson have in seeking your priest’s help.
Why should I call him?
Many people hesitate to call their priest because they feel he is too busy, or may not consider the reason for the call serious enough. This is a mistaken notion. He is always ready and willing to listen to you and respond to your call, no matter what time of the day or night it might be. We believe that our priests have received Christ’s command to carry on His work; that they are empowered through their sacred ordination to mediate the graces and blessings of God to us. Christ said, “As the father has sent Me, I also send you.” Our priests, then, are the divinely appointed representatives of Christ Himself. In their seminary days, they receive the training to meet all the needs of their people, and most priests, even the young ones, have had ample experience in resolving the problems and filling the needs of the people. There is nothing more touching in Christ than His tender compassion for the sick, the afflicted, and the needy. When reading the Gospel, we see Him making use of His divine power over the human body to relieve man’s sufferings. He makes the misfortune of the afflicted His own, threatening dreadful punishment on those who ignore it. The Orthodox priest is ordained to carry on this work of Christ.
When should I call him?
There are numerous occasions when an Orthodox Christian should call his priest. If you really have a concern for your own soul and for the soul of others, you will certainly get in touch with your priest about the following:
Sickness or Death
There is a scriptural command that we must call the priest during our own, or our loved ones’ illness. The
Call your priest as soon as there is serious illness in your family. To delay may seriously endanger the salvation of the sick person and the moral responsibility for this would be yours. Every Orthodox person should have the priest at his deathbed so that the Holy Sacraments and the prayers the Church provides may aid the departing soul. When a death has occurred in your family, notify the priest immediately and consult him before any funeral arrangements are made.
During Personal Care
You are often confronted by serious spiritual problems, temptations, doubts about your faith, despair, and spiritual depression. Oftentimes friends and acquaintances cause you to wonder about the teachings or the practices of the Orthodox Church and you may not have answers to their criticisms. These are certainly times when your priest would welcome a call from you so he may help you resolve such difficulties. There is no need for you to suffer doubt and spiritual conflict when a simple call will bring your priest’s help. You may find it necessary to go to Confession outside the times usually scheduled in your parish, especially when you know your soul is burdened with the stain of serious sin. Do not wait until the usual time for Confession. Call the priest and he will be very happy to hear your confession immediately, and he will admire your piety in not delaying.
Courtship and Marriage Difficulties
The growing number of interfaith marriages creates serious difficulties for many of our young people. If you are “going steady” with a non-Orthodox person, you should know that marriage counselors and sociologists consider this a possible danger to your future marriage harmony and happiness.
The marriage of an Orthodox person outside our Church is not considered as a valid one. No Orthodox youth should be ignorant of the teachings of the Church about this Sacrament. Consult your priest, arrange to have your non-Orthodox partner take pre-marital religious instruction with you in your parish, and ask your priest’s advise before you make any of your marriage plans. You can avoid much heartache and grief latter on by doing this. Parents who have children dating non-Orthodox persons should inform the priest of this, if the young people fail to do so.
Every Orthodox priest is experienced in dealing with problems that arise after marriage and many homes have been made happier, many marriages saved, because one or another of the partners realized that help and guidance was needed and sought in time. Remember that your priest is a trained marriage counselor.
To Arrange for Special Religious Services
The Orthodox Church, like a thoughtful Mother, provided numerous special religious services for her children. You should not hesitate to inform the priest when you want a Memorial Service for the repose of the soul of a loved one. Our Church teaches that “it is holy and wholesome though to pray for the dead, that they may be loosened from their sins” (II Mach. 12:43:45). When a death occurs in your family or among friends, arrange to have a Divine Liturgy or a Memorial Service for the dead celebrated instead of the pagan custom of sending flowers to the funeral. There is no better way to celebrate a wedding, anniversary, birthday, or graduation than to offer thanks to God at a special Liturgy of Thanksgiving! When God in His goodness has granted you some special favor or blessing, have a liturgical service celebrated in your parish church to express your gratitude to Him. Ask the priest to offer the Liturgy for the health of those who are sick; for the protection of those who are about to enter military service, or go on a journey. It is a pious custom among Orthodox to have their homes blessed each year. Your priest will be happy to make the arrangements whenever you desire to have any of these special services.
Other Times to Call Your Priest
If you know friends who are interested in the Orthodox Church and might be converted; if you know of Orthodox souls who have lapsed from their religious duties, when someone in your family enters military service, and the priest can maintain contact through occasional letters & email; when you know your parish needs volunteers to perform some necessary work or carry through some useful project and you are able to help; and even when you are confronted by marital worries about finances, legal difficulties, situations requiring social service assistance such as the adoption of children, sending help to relatives abroad, and so on. You priest is at your disposal.
A Final Word
Your priest is your spiritual Father and he is never to busy to listen to you. Give him the opportunity to show you what your Church and your parish can do to enrich your life. Above all, do not say to yourself, “Father cannot be bothered with my worries.” You will never know what your priest can do to help you until you have given him the opportunity to show you. Call him.
Father Give the Blessing
Last year a young man, high school graduate, called me and asked to meet with me. He did not tell me over the telephone the purpose of the appointment. When he came to church and sat in my office, I asked him about the purpose of his visit. He said to me “
All of us let us learn from this, my dear parents, we will never loose our Greek Orthodox identity when we teach and preach Orthodox phronema. When we give divine agoge to out children. When divine law reigns in their hearts. Any other ethos other than Orthodox is detrimental to our existence as children of God