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In This Issue
Parish Notes
A Tribute to Sheila Henderson
Tin Tức Sinh Hoạt
Đại Ý Kinh Văn Chúa Nhật Vừa Qua

Upcoming Events 

 

 

Friday, Mar 2

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Saturday, Mar 3

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Sunday, Mar 4

 

Lenten Series Session 2,

"Mission in Haiti," 12 PM

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Friday, Mar 9

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Saturday, Mar 10

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Sunday, Mar 11

Lenten Series Session 3,

"Mission to the Under-served in Virginia," 12 PM 

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Friday, Mar 16

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Saturday, Mar 17

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Sunday, Mar 18

Lenten Series Session 4,

"Mission in Laos," 12 PM

 

Youth Activity (7th Grade and Up)

 

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Friday, Mar 23

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Saturday, Mar 24

 

Clean-Up Day, 9 AM - 1 PM  (Rain date: Mar 21) 

 

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Sunday, Mar 25

Lenten Series Session 5

"Sharing on Discernment," 12 PM

 

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Friday, Mar 30

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Saturday, Mar 31

Hypothermia Shelter, 7:30 PM

 

Sunday, April 1

PALM SUNDAY

 

Thursday, April 5

Maundy Thursday Service, 7:30 PM

 

Friday, April 6

GOOD FRIDAY, services at 12 PM and 7:30 PM,

Stations of the Cross, 1:00 PM 

 

Saturday, April 7

Broyhill Park Children's Egg Hunt, Time TBA 

 

EASTER DAY, April 8

St. Pat's Egg Hunt, Time TBA

Resurrection of the Alleluia

Holy Eucharist, 10:30 AM  

 

Saturday, April 14

 

Car Trunk Sale & Car Show at St. Pat's 

 

Saturday, April 21

 

Flee Market (rain date) 

 

Sunday, April 22

 

Youth & Children's Activity (4th Grade and Up)

 

Sunday, May 20

 

Youth Activity (7th Grade and Up) 

 

Birthdays

February 

23   Frank Parrotta (today!) 

26   Cheryl Thomas

27   Hong Pham

27   Liz Nguyen

28   Basil Mills

 

March

4   Aaron Tingley

6   Fowell Tucker

6   Sophia Ellis

7   Wanda Nolan

7   Hugh Nicholson

9   Patrick Tingley

9   Brendan Tingley

12   Bobby Dubas

13   Milton Thomas

15   Jane Patterson       Auld

22   Victoria Parrotta

26   Donna Herbert

27   Bob Cascella

28   Keith Gardner

31   Jennifer Phan

31   Gisela Johnson-Harbers

 

Our Prayer List

We remember in our prayer:

 

Bob Aronstein, Kari Boeskov, Mary Anne Bogie, Mary Carper, Thomas Cascella, Marie Cosimano, Hai Dang Do, Jane Chapman, Tim Clary, Dorothy Connelly, John Davis, Donald DeVaughn, Michael Dickinson, Laura Đoàn, Loretta Dougherty, The Edsall Family, Mary Farmer, The Faubion Family, Nance Finegan, Luis Garay, Thomas Garner, Anne Goodwin, Jean Graham, Katie Grosse, Nick Giuliani, Canedo Guillermo, Katherine Hafele, Anne & Thomas Edsall, Margaret Ellis Harris, Eldon Paul Henry, Betty and Bill Henderson, Alek Hensley, Bill Herbert, Leslie Hogan, Cindy Hogman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Michael Horn, Virginia Hughes, Lindsay Johns, Gray and Bob Johnson, Jamie Kaplon, Robert Kelley, Quinn Kimball, Jeffry King, The Kontess Family, Susan Lawrence, Bau Le,  Joe Magrogan, Colleen Mavrikas, Margaret Mills, Michael Mills, Danielle Morgan, Evelyn Morgan, Que Nguyen, Chick Nixon, Keslie Nolan, Olive Oliver, Jim Owens, Gary Owens, Joann Piper, Faith Poole, William Ross, Molly Saviola, Nora Searle, Bill Sitler, Irene Skowron, Karine Simpkin, Brian Smith, Josh Smithers, Candi Stewart, Barbara Stefl, Art Stroud, Kara Stryker, Walter Sushko, Steven Talbert, George Thomas, Clara Torres, George Torres, Thelma Trout, Nhon Thanh Vo, Bryan Webber, Michael Weekes, The Westfall Family, Paula Wiech, Meredith Wiech, Donna Wolfe, Peter Kosutic, Chris, Tasha.

 

We pray especially for Bill Herbert, Danielle Morgan, Betty Henderson and Pauline Leonard. 

    

We pray for all US personnel serving overseas, especially Garway Thomas and Cate Johnson.

 

We pray also for the orphans and those who care for them at Abba Home in Pakistan, and for all orphans in the world.  

____ 

 

Note: If you have a loved one or friend who needs prayer please call the church and leave a message at 703-532-5656, or write to Tinh+ at

stpats3241@gmail.com  or call him at 703-405-9571.  Also, should a name need be removed from the list, please let Tinh+ know promptly, and give the reason. 

 

 

Saint Patrick's Ministers 

The Ministers of Saint Patrick's Church are the People of this Parish

 

supported by

 

The Reverend  

Tinh Trang Huynh, Rector

 

Mr. Toua Vang,  

Seminarian Assistant  

 

Mr. Christopher Miller,

Young Priest Initiative Intern 

 

Ms. Mariko Hiller,  

Music Director

 

Ms. Rachel Burgess,

Nursery Care

 

We serve our Lord as part of the Diocese of Virginia

 

led by

our chief pastors

 

The Rt. Rev. Shannon Sherwood Johnston, Bishop 

 

and  

The Rt. Rev. Ted Gulick,

Assistant Bishop 

The Vision of St. Patrick's

Saint Patrick's Episcopal Church is a community of care, called to be Christ-centered and multicultural in worship, Christian education and action to proclaim Christ's love to the world.

About St. Patrick's Church

Saint Patrick's was founded in 1953 as a mission church from the Falls Church.  The congregation met for the first time on January 3, 1954 in the cafeteria of the Graham Road School.  The building was completed in 1956.  Members of St. Pat's have been known for their involvement in outreach ministries since the very early days of the parish.  In 1995, Saint Patrick's became an Anglo-Vietnamese church, a mission of the Diocese of Virginia, and has become more and more multicultural.  In January of 2012, Saint Patrick's full parish status was restored and recognized at the 217th Annual Council meeting of the Diocese.   Some of us say that St. Pat's is like a window through which we can see God's love.  Other parishioners suggest St. Pat's is a "safe haven" for all who seek peace, a quiet place for those who want to find rest.  Many in the congregation mention caring is what makes St. Patrick's special to them.  Our vision statement reflects what we are in our hearts:  St. Patrick's Episcopal Church is a community of care called to be Christ-centered and multicultural in worship, Christian education and action to proclaim Christ's love to the world."

Saint Patrick's

Website 

 

You are invited to visit our website.  Please click here .
Previous Issues of the Epistle
Please click here if you wish to see the previous issues of The Epistle

St. Patrick's Organized for Missions and Ministry 

 

Vestry Committee:  Senior Warden:  Tom Auld;  Junior Warden:  Vivian Benjamin; Registrar:  Winnie Lebo; Treasurer:  Kathy Oliver;  Other members of the Vestry:   Victoria Kennedy, Jocelyne Miller, Pierre Chanu, Chris Nicholson.

 

GROUPS AND ACTIVITIES

 

Altar Guild:  Lucille Selby;  Bell Choir: Mariko Hiller; Church Office:  Lois Cascella;  Offering Counters: Bob Cascella; Youth Ministry:  Maggie Spinelli; Region VIII Representative: Felix Spinelli;  Diocesan Council Delegate: Amelia Nicholson; St. Margaret's Circle:  Ann Nelson;  Telephone Chain: Alice King; Feed the Homeless:  Amelia Nicholson; Ushers: Bill Houston; Odeon Chamber Music Series:  Mariko Hiller; Westlawn Elementary School:  Winnie Lebo; Falls Church Community Services: Catherine Dubas; Hypothermia Shelter Program:  Felix Spinelli;  Church Women United:  Amelia Nicholson. The Epistle Newsletter Editors: Winnie Lebo and Cindy Rhoad; Flea Market: Chris Nicholson 



Join Our List
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March 1, 2012

Parish Notes    

Children Choir Festival
 Children's Choir Festival, February 26th, 2012 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Gaithersburg, MD.  Many thanks to Mariko Hiller and Catherine Dubas for their leadership of our children. 
Children Choir sings at Festival

Those attending the choir festival

Our Alex Benjamin and MouaHmong Vang participated in the Choir.  Alex also read the Scripture at the 7 PM worship service of the festival.  
To see the video of the children singing the hymn "O Come, With Body and Mind," by Michael Belford, please
 click here.  Many thanks to Vivian Benjamin for the recording of the beautiful rendering of the song. 

-  Our condolences to Pat Gardner on the recent death of her dear friend Bill Krueger.

Prayer Request.   Your prayers are requested for Betty Henderson, sister in-law of the late Sheila Henderson, who will go in today for surgery.   Please pray also for our Pauline Leonard, whose surgery is scheduled for March 7th.


The 9:45 AM Sunday School class for adults has been using both English and Vietnamese in its discussion on the day's lectionary readings.  All are invited and welcome to join us. 

 

- Lenten Series at St. Patrick's.  All are invited to attend the after-church forum on every Sunday during Lent.  The schedule for upcoming Sundays is as follows:
 
March 4:  Nancy Briggs, MD, on Mission in Haiti 
March 11:  My Linh Tran, DDS, on Dentistry Projects for  
 the Under-served in Virginia,  particularly those in the Indian reservations.      
       March 18
:  Toua Vang on Hmong Mission in Laos
       March 25:  Christopher Miller on Discernment 
 

 

-  Saint Patrick's needs volunteers to help with the Hypothermia Shelter Program.  This requires opening the church doors when homeless women come to stay overnight in the church on each Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and to check the building in the mornings of Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  The group will come around 7:30 PM on each scheduled evening, and they will leave early in the morning on the next day.   Please find the sign-up sheet in the narthex, and please speak with Felix Spinelli for any information concerning this ministry.

 

UTO Box-  March 25th is the United Thank Offering (UTO) Sunday at Saint Patrick's.  The UTO boxes are now available in the narthex.  Please take your UTO box home and bring it back with your offering on UTO Sunday, March 25th.

  

LilyEaster Flowers.   If you would like to offer flowers in "Memory of a loved one" or as an "Offering of Thanksgiving" at Easter, please send $10 to the Altar Guild.  Contact the church to indicate how you would like your donation to appear in the Easter service bulletin. You may fill out the form that comes in the Sunday service bulletin, call and leave a message at 703-532-5656, or send an email to stpats3241@gmail.com. Checks should be made payable to the "Altar Guild of Saint Patrick's," earmarked "Easter Flowers," and mailed to Saint Patrick's Church, 3241 Brush Dr., Falls Church, Virginia, 22042, or dropped in the alms basin during worship.   

 

Car Show 3  

 

A Tribute to My Friend Sheila Henderson     

by Nancy Burch, as read at Sheila's memorial service, Saturday, February 25, 2012 

 

        I first met Sheila in about 1968 when we both worked in the Office of General Counsel at Mobil Oil Corporation, in New York City.   I knew Sheila then only as a work colleague with the most gorgeous red hair - we didn't really socialize after work, primarily I suppose because she lived in Brooklyn and I lived in Manhattan - and you needed a special passport to get into Brooklyn!!

       It was when Mobil moved its Headquarters to Fairfax, Virginia in 1990 that I came to know Sheila as a "best friend".   She had moved to Fairfax a few months prior to me and, shortly after my move, I discovered that she lived on one side of Greenway Court and I on the other - and so began our friendship.   Subsequently there came a time when I think we felt a need to commiserate with each other because after being in Fairfax for less than 18 months we were told that Mobil no longer had jobs for us!!   What a blow!

       By then I had discovered St. Pat's and invited Sheila to join me for the Sunday services.   She was so entranced by the "Anglo-Vietnamese experience" that she decided to become a mentor and, I think, leader of the English as a Second Language classes.   She thoroughly enjoyed serving in this way.   She served a term on the vestry and was vitally involved with the Odeon Concert Series - always with a smile, and joy in whatever she was doing. She absolutely loved being in the bell choir.

        Sheila was always positive, and was always up for a day out - so we did quite a bit of exploring in and around Fairfax, and sometimes further afield to the Skyline Drive, Charlottesville or out to the Northern Neck - but they were always fun days.   Later, following Sheila's diagnosis of Lupus - and when she became part of a Lupus research project at Johns Hopkins - we had great trips to Baltimore once or twice a month, for quite a long period of time.   They were really good days and we would visit all kinds of places en route from the hospital.   We'd spend hours in the Baltimore Harbor area - how she loved to visit the seals outside the National Aquarium.   We had some favourite restaurants in Ellicott City - Sheila did like to eat!!!

         I can see her now at the Auberge in Great Falls, where we were attending a retirement luncheon.   When her gooey dessert arrived, with almost childlike glee, she threw her hands up in the air and said "yummy for my tummy"!!   It was that sheer joy!

         I remember one occasion returning from Baltimore - we stopped to explore some restaurant (what else was there to explore when you were with Sheila?) - and so it was getting dark by the time we left the restaurant and we were merrily driving along, and we seemed to be for ever on I-95 without coming to the beltway.   I made some comment about the area not looking too familiar - Sheila agreed, but we continued on - only much later to find that we were not on I-95, but somehow had managed to get on to I-40 and were slowly (well not so slowly - Sheila sometimes had a heavy right foot) but surely heading towards West Virginia - I think we were almost in Harper's Ferry when we discovered the error of our ways!

         As you know, Sheila was a great animal lover - on hot summer days she would pick up the almost dried out worms from the sidewalk and put them lovingly on the grass.   On one occasion as we returned from a trip to Costco she spotted a cat at the side of the road - it had obviously been struck by a car, it was very pregnant.   She stopped the car, donned her gloves - which she always had handy for just such events - and picked up the cat and asked me to take her to the animal shelter on West Ox Road where she absolutely insisted that the vet perform a feline C-section (I suppose) in order to remove the unborn kittens which Sheila was convinced she could hear squeaking inside the cat's tummy. It was a tense moment, the vet was not about to do any such surgery because she had determined that there was no way that the kittens could be alive - Sheila finally agreed to permit the shelter to cremate the cat - but she was so distraught by the whole event.   Her tears for that poor cat were absolutely genuine.

        In all my years of knowing Sheila I never once heard her say a bad word about anybody - yes, she sometimes got disappointed in those whom she had thought were her friends, but who subsequently let her down - but she never, ever bad-mouthed anybody.   I have heard this same comment from other people - Sheila just never back-stabbed anybody.

         She was one of the most devout people it was my good fortune to know. She was so supportive of me in my quest for holy orders and always said she thought I would make a wonderful priestess!   She didn't like ordained women to be called "priests"!!

         She had dabbled in spiritualism and other - what I call - "exotic" theories.   Loved all that Harry Potter stuff!   Wizards and the like! Some may have questioned her Christianity because it was an amalgam of so many things - but her devotion to God was never in dispute.   I think she took the best of all the major religions and applied those attributes to her own life.   Whether it be the teachings of the Buddha, Vishnu, Mohammed, Ghandi, the Dalai Lama, or even the Great Yeti - you name the teacher, Sheila could find something in that teaching and apply it to her own life.   She was so well read - a truly remarkable woman!

         Then, of course, was her great love for Scotland - sometimes when we would get together we'd both lapse into our Scots' accents and get the giggles when "folks dinny ken what where talkin' aboot" - they were "gai braugh days" "aye"!   I think one of the most humbling things Sheila ever said to me was that she would like to visit Scotland again and would I go with her because she felt that I was the one person she could trust to take care of her on the trip!   We never did make that trip because her health continued to deteriorate - but I always brought her a little something (food wise) when I came back from my jaunts across The Pond.   This time I had brought her some Scottish shortbread - unfortunately Sheila died just four days after my return and I didn't have an opportunity to give her this box of shortbread - I selected this particular box because it had a Highland bull on it and I know she would have liked it!   I hope that you will enjoy a piece of this shortbread at the reception.

         Sheila was an exceptional friend and I'm going to miss her!   Sheila, "here's lookin' at you kid" - and just to repeat what you always said at the end of our telephone conversations - "Know you're loved!"

 

Tin Tức Sinh Hoạt                       

 

- Trong Mùa Thống Hối, mỗi Chúa Nhật, sau lễ, có các buổi tŕnh bày về mục vụ, như sau:

- February 26: Tinh Huynh+ , mục vụ tại Việt Nam

- March 4: Bác Sĩ Nancy Briggs, mục vụ ở Haiti

- March 11: Nha Sĩ Mỹ Linh Trần, Chương Tŕnh Nha Khoa      giúp người nghèo ở vùng xa xôi thuộc Virginia, nhất là cho      người da đỏ.

- March 18: Ông Toua Vang, mục vụ cho người Hmong

   ở Lào.

- March 25: Ông Christopher Miller, về sự kêu gọi vào chức      vụ.


 UTO Box- Tại pḥng narthex có các hộp "UTO" mầu xanh. Đó là hộp tiền dâng để quư vị và các em mang về nhà, dâng các món tiền nhỏ để tạ ơn Chúa. Vào ngày Chúa Nhật, 25 tháng 3, chúng ta sẽ gom các hộp UTO lại, và gởi tiền dâng về Giáo Phận, để giúp các Hội Thánh và các chương tŕnh của Giáo Hội Anh Quốc trên thế giới.


 

- Nhà Thờ Thánh Patrick cộng tác với tổ chức thiện nguyện Volunteer of America để tiếp đón người homeless cho họ trú lạnh mùa đông trong nhà thờ, mỗi weekend (tối thứ sáu, tối thứ bảy và tối Chúa Nhật) trong suốt tháng 3, 2012. Năm nay sẽ có từ 15 tới 20 phụ nữ ngủ qua đêm trong nhà thờ, bắt đầu lúc 7 giờ 30 mỗi tối, dưới sự hướng dẫn của Volunteer of America. Nhà thờ cần quư vị t́nh nguyện mở cửa tiếp họ vào. Tại pḥng narthex có bảng ghi danh t́nh nguyện. Quư vị chỉ phải có mặt lúc họ mới đến vào mỗi tối, sau đó có người trông coi. Để biết thêm chi tiết, xin liên lạc với ông Felix Spinelli.

 

LilyDâng Hoa Phục Sinh. Vào Ngày Phục Sinh, nhà thờ sẽ được trang hoàng bằng hoa huệ và hoa mầu trắng. Nếu quư vị muốn dâng hoa để tưởng niệm người thân hoặc tạ ơn Chúa về những ơn phước Chúa ban, xin đóng 10 đồng cho Ban Tế Tự. Quư vị có thể gọi nhắn điện thoại hoặc viết email cho nhà thờ, cho biết tên ḿnh, tên người ḿnh nhớ đến hoặc tạ ơn Chúa về một điều ǵ. Số điện thoại của nhà thờ là 703-532-5656; địa chỉ email là stpats3241@gmail.com. Xin viết chi phiếu cho St. Patrick's Altar Guild, gởi về địa chỉ nhà thờ là 3241 Brush Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042. Trong tờ chương tŕnh lễ sáng Chúa Nhật cu~ng có in mẫu để quư vị điền vào và bỏ vào trong dĩa tiền dâng hoặc trao cho văn pḥng nhà thờ.

 

Đại Ư Kinh Văn Chúa Nhật Vừa Qua                            

 

Hôm nay là Chúa Nhật đầu tiên của Mùa Thống Hối. Buổi lễ bắt đầu với Bài Kinh Xám Hối theo truyền thống Kitô-giáo. Tất cả các câu cầu nguyện khẩn thiết xin Chúa tha thứ và bảo vệ khỏi mọi điều ác. Đây là lời cầu nguyện cho ḿnh và cho cả nhân loại, nhất là những người cô đơn hay bất hạnh. Trong suốt mùa Lent, Mục Sư sẽ nói câu khai lễ, "Chúc tụng Chúa là Đấng tha thứ mọi tội của chúng ta," và hội chúng đáp, "Sự thương xót của Ngài c̣n đến đời đời." Trong Mùa Thống Hối, chúng ta không chưng hoa bàn thờ, không nói chữ "Alleluia" trong lễ. Vào nhà thờ chỉ thấy màu tím, và chúng ta nhắc nhau giữ yên lặng trước lễ và trong buổi lễ, nhất là lúc Mục Sư chuẩn bị Bàn Tiệc Thánh.

      Thống Hối (hay "Lent" trong Anh Ngữ) là mùa đẹp nhất trong niên lịch Hội Thánh, v́ nó gọi chúng ta đến ư thức về thân phận tội lỗi, sự mỏng manh và cái chết của ḿnh. Lent không phải chỉ là một thứ biểu hiện bên ngoài cho thiên hạ thấy. Lent chính là về sự tân tạo tâm linh, hoán chuyển thái độ, và thúc dục hành động.

      Tín hữu giữ mùa Lent theo nhiều lối khác nhau, cầu nguyện về điều ḿnh muốn thực hiện và cố làm.   Một số tín hữu kiêng cữ món ăn hoặc thói quen nào đó. Tín hữu có thể chọn thực hiện một hoặc vài chuyện tích cực nào đó, chẳng hạn như đi giúp người nghèo, làm công tác từ thiện, hay đi lễ thường xuyên hơn. Nh́n quanh, chúng ta thấy biết bao việc phúc đức ḿnh có thể làm. Dù chúng ta chọn không làm hay làm điều ǵ trong suốt 40 ngày nầy, Mùa Thống Hối gọi chúng ta đến gần Chúa. Khi đời sống trở nên khó khăn, chúng ta cầu nguyện, và tự nhắc rằng nhờ Chúa chúng ta sẽ vượt qua được những thử thách hàng ngày.

      Trong phần Phúc Âm chúng ta đọc hôm nay, Đức Giêsu kêu gọi sự ăn năn, v́ nước Thiên Đàng đă đến gần. Mác không tả chi tiết về sự cám dỗ mà Giêsu từng trải. Trong khi Mathiơ tả rơ, Mác chỉ nói là Thần của Chúa đẩy Giêsu vào hoang địa, là nơi có dă thú, để bị cám dỗ, và Chúa ở đó 40 ngày. Số 40 không phải là 39 cộng 1, mà diễn tả một thời gian rất lâu -- trường kỳ.

      Khi đọc đoạn Phúc Âm nói trên, ta liên tưởng đến ba ư niệm về đời người: sự có mặt của điều ác, tội lỗi và sự chết. Trong truyện tích nói trên, Thánh Thần "đẩy" Giêsu vào hoang địa để bị Satan cám dỗ. Trong nguyên ngữ Hy Lạp, Mác dùng chữ "ekballo," nghĩa là "ném ra ngoài," hoặc "vứt ra ngoài."  Chữ nầy diễn tả hoàn cảnh hoàn toàn thụ động, không làm chủ được đời ḿnh.  Hoang địa là sa mạc, ở bên ngoài thành, là nơi hoang vu, có dă thú; không ai muốn ra đó. Ở đó quá cô đơn. Sự yên tĩnh bên ngoài làm cho sự xao xuyến bên trong càng thêm bứt rứt. Thánh Thần "ném" Giêsu ra ngoài hoang địa; ở đó, Người đă phấn đấu với ma quỉ, và Người đă thắng. Chúa chúng ta đă từng trải tất cả, khi Ngài có mặt tại trần gian.

      Chúng ta không chịu nổi hoang địa: tại nơi hoang vu chúng ta nh́n thấy điều ḿnh phải xám hối. Có Khi Chúa "thương" thảy ḿnh vào hoang địa để ḿnh thấy rơ ḿnh.  Chúa gọi chúng ta ăn năn, quay trở lại, v́ Chúa hằng thương xót và hay tha thứ. Số 40 tượng trưng cho một thớ gian trường kỳ -- cả đời. Cuộc hành tŕnh của Kitô-hữu là một chặng đường xám hối, có khi là cả đời.

      Chúng ta phải xám hối ăn năn về điều nào? Có phải là về chuyện gian lận, bạc t́nh bội nghĩa? Có phải là về chuyện phạm pháp, hay áp bức người? Hay là không tha thứ cho người khác, nuôi ḷng căm giận? Hoặc là không tha thứ cho chính ḿnh, giữ sự ân hận suốt đời? Không trung tín trong sự thờ phượng và hiến dâng cho Chúa? Đó là những điều Chúa muốn ta ăn năn, và c̣n thêm nhiều điều khác nữa. Song Đức Giêsu tóm tắt Mười Điều Răn Do-Thái thành hai điều răn lớn: thứ nhất, phải hết ḷng, hết ư, hết sức mà kính mến Đức Chúa Trời; và thứ hai, không kém quan trọng: phải yêu người lân cận như ḿnh. Nếu không làm trọn, ta phải ăn năn xám hối.

 

 

May God bless and keep you, and may God grant us peace. 

 

The Rev. Tinh T. Huynh

Rector of Saint Patrick's Church