Z 14th

SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Z

September 6, 2015

EPISTLE: 2 Corinthians 1:21 – 2:4 (#170)GOSPEL: St. Matthew 22:1 – 14 (#89)TONE: 5

St. Innocent Orthodox ChurchZ Founded in 1967 Z Moscow Patriarchal Parishes Z

23300 W. Chicago _ Redford, MI 48239 _ 313-538-1142 _ Fax: 313-538-8126Church Website: www.stinnocentchurch.com _ E-Mail: frroman@firebirdvideos.com

St. Innocent Monastic Community: 9452 Hazelton, Redford, MI 48239 _ 313-535-9080PASTOR: Rt. Rev. Mitered Archpriest ROMAN STAR _ Cell: 313-319-0590

Dean, Central States Deanery, Patriarchal ParishesASSISTANT PRIEST: Rev. DANEIL SHIRAK _ 313-295-3073

DEACON: Rev. Dn. Michael ComerfordSUBDEACON: Dr. Joshua Genig

ATTACHED: Sister IoannaCHOIR DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Star Hatfield

READERS: Robert Joseph Latsko & George Hanoian

SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING WEEKMonday 9/7 7pm GREAT VESPERS for the GREAT FEAST of the NATIVITY OF THE THEOTOKOS

Tuesday 9/8 9am DIVINE LITURGY for the GREAT FEAST of the NATIVITY OF THE THEOTOKOS

Saturday 9/12 4pm GREAT VESPERS & CONFESSIONS

Sunday 9/13 15th Sunday After Pentecost 9:15am Hours & Akathist or Canon & Confessions 10am DIVINE LITURGY, followed by Coffee Hour

6pm GREAT VESPERS for the GREAT FEAST of the ELEVATION OF THE HOLY CROSSMonday 9/14 9am DIVINE LITURGY for the GREAT FEAST of the ELEVATION OF THE HOLY CROSS

FOR THE REPOSE OF: Estelle & Joseph Star; Ellen Starinshak; Anna & John Witkowski; Michael Sr. & Margaret Rusko; Mary,Andrew, Daniel, Michael & Lottie Yakuber; Ross & Margaret Falsetti; Helen, John & Carole Andrayko; Peter & Theresa Harvilla; MarcDade; Betty Martell; Frances & Todd Smoly; Peter Glover; Irene Adams; Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua deVyver; David Horka;Michael Rusko, Anna Lichagina, Yelena & Zinaïda Korniyevskaya, Joseph Nossal, Michelle Tucker, Todd ComerfordALSO FOR: Thelma Everhardt, whose anniversary of her repose is Sunday, 6 September MEMORY Julia Van Ness, whose anniversary of her repose is Wednesday, 9 September, by niece, Mat. Rose Marie & Fr. Roman ETERNAL! & family

FOR THE HEALTH OF: Archimandrite Seraphim; Priest Daneil, Matushka Debra & Corrina Shirak; Deacon Michael, Matushka MaryEllen & Julius Comerford; Matushka Mary Donahue; Reader Robert Latsko, Reader George & Betty Hanoian, Rose Nossal, Mary Glover,Nancy Cupp, Deborah Dade, Vasiliki Stamoulis, Gerald Martell, Azbehat, Donald Yakuber, Carl deVyver, Jo Anne Nicholas, Joan Rusko,Daria, Alice Ladhu (cancer); Michael Benton; Abigail Genig & her new-born child, Anna Sophia; Joseph & Susan Nossal (surgeries)ALSO FOR: Subdeacon Joshua Genig, who celebrated his Name’s Day last Tuesday, 1 September

Trisha Harbut, who celebrates her birthday on Monday, 7 SeptemberClaire Genig, who celebrates her Name’s Day on Tuesday, 8 SeptemberGregory Everhardt, who celebrates his birthday on Saturday, 12 September

Fr. Daneil & Mat. Debra, who celebrate their Anniversary on Saturday, 12 September

� MAY GOD GRANT THEM MANY YEARS! �

COMMEMORATED TODAY: Commemoration of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Colossæ. Hieromartyr Priest Maksym Sandowicz ofCarpatho-Rus’ (1914). Martyrs Eudoxius, Zeno, and Macarius (311-312). St. Archippus (Arkhipp) of Herapolis. Martyr Romulus, and with himmany others (107-115). Hieromartyr Cyril, Bishop of Gortyna (3rd-4th c.). St. David of Hermopolis in Egypt (4th c.).

_ 9:15am — HOURS & AKATHIST &/OR CANON; CONFESSIONS __ 10am —DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM _

Nativity of the Theotokos, Feast, 9/8

Z CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! Z HE IS NOW AND EVER SHALL BE! Z

CANDLES FOR LAST SUNDAY, 30 AUGUSTCHURCH VIGIL LAMPS:Royal Doors Lamp:In Memory of Husband Joe; Son Kenneth; parents Michael & Margaret Rusko & John & Martha Nossal, by Rose NossalAltar Candles: In Memory of Nicholas and Susan Yakuber, by son, Donald Yakuber Iconostasis Lamps: In Memory of parents, Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua; Robert David H; & Health of brother, Carl, by Sister IoannaCandles on the Solea: In Memory of Pete & Theresa Harvilla, Norman & Monica Holst, & Ricky Ellis, by Jason & Debra Truskowski Nave Reliquary-Icon Lamps: (1) In Memory of Ross & Margaret Falsetti, by daughters, Margie Martell & Rose Ann EverhardtNave Reliquary-Icon Lamps: (2) In Memory of Edwin Rusko, by the Nossal FamilyTable of Oblation Lamp: In Memory of parents, Helen & John Andrayko, Sr. & sister, Carole Andrayko, by John Andrayko, Jr.

IN MEMORY OF (MEMORY ETERNAL!)Joseph & Estelle Star, by son Father Roman and familyPaul & Alexandra Yupco, Basil & Ellen Starinshak, by grandson, Father Roman and familyJohn & Anna Witkowski, by daughter, Matushka Rose Marie and familySamuel & Mary Kupec, by granddaughter, Matushka Rose Marie and familyParents, Helen & John Andrayko and sister, Carole Andrayko, by John Andrayko My husband, Joe; my sisters, Margaret & Ross Falsetti, Anna & Mike Elaschat, Theresa & Pete Harvilla, Irene, & brothers, Michael, John & Edwin Rusko; niece, Rose Mary & Dean Hough; Joe’s brothers, Raymond & Walter Nossal, & sisters, Theresa, Florence & Helen Nossal, by Rose Nossal ++ + Pete & Theresa Harvilla, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay Truskowski + + + My husband, Michael Rusko, by Joan Rusko Parents, Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua deVyver; David Horka; Nina I; Marion P; Fr. Photius; Mo. Benedicta; Archm. Roman, by Sister IoannaChild Lana Wilson, Shirley Troyer, Marsha Olson, by Becky Jurczyszyn & Levi Thelma Ratcliff, Louis Pitts, Gloria Robinson, Reginald Bell, Lessie Favor, Lois Hamby, by Manier Family

FOR THE HEALTH OF: (MANY YEARS!)Elizabeth & Lawrence, Caitlin & Zachary, by parents & grandparents, Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Gregory & Tamiko Star, by parents, Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Children & Grandchildren; Monk Fr. Tikhon (Dade);by Rose NossalFather Roman & Matushka & family; Sister Ioanna; John Andrayko; Nancy; Mary G; Jo Anne N; Grandson Joey (in the Navy Reserves) & all people in the Armed Forces; & all the people of St. Innocent Church, by Rose Nossal My Mom, Jaime Truskowski, by Kay Truskowski + + + Family & Friends, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay T. Brother, Greg & Donna, nephew, Gregory & Liz & nephew, Alex, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay + + + Shirley Peponis, by brother Nick & JoAnne Archimandrites Nafanail, Gregory & Seraphim; Fr. Roman & Mat. Rose Marie; Fr. Lawrence & fam; Fr. Laurence & fam; Fr. Daneil & fam; Dcn. Michael & fam; Mat. Mary D; Carl; Sdn Fr. Tikhon; Sdn Andrew; Rdr Robert; Robert M; David Samuel & Sky; Jo Anne & Nick; Martha; Athanasius & Angelica; John A; Elaine R; Ed & Tiffany; Vasiliki; Rose; Emil; Azbehat; Abigail Genig & newborn child & fam., by Sr. IoannaJay Nossal, by Rose Nossal + + + John Andrayko (May God watch over him), by Rose Nossal + + + Rose Nossal, by John Andrayko Bob & Joan Jurczyszyn, Leia & Mike Wilson, Liz & Andrea Tomechewsky, by Becky Jurczyszyn & Levi Health & Salvation of: Manier Children, Grandchildren & whole family, especially Brittany (to resume family relationship), by Tiffany

PROSPHORA FOR TODAY IS OFFERED BY: Deborah Hartz

In Memory Eternal of: Parents, Paul & Bernadette; Infants Mark & Barbara; John & Elizabeth; Philip & Hilda; Edward & Irene; Caroline &Louis;Agnes & August; Charles & Stephen; Fr. Roman Braga; and all members of the Hartz, Zwilchir, Smith, Nied & Fisher families; and for the Healthof: Mother Gabriella & all the sisters of HDM; Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie; Elizabeth & Larry & family; Elaine; Sherri.

PROSFORA SCHEDULE FOR 2015: September: Deborah Hartz; October: John Andrayko; November: Sister Ioanna; December: NicholasFamily. Thank you to Prosfora donors.

ANNOUNCEMENTSCHARITY BENEFIT DINNER, TO SUPPORT RIR (REDFORD INTERFAITH RELIEF), ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th, 6PM, $25.Silent Auction at 4:30 & dinner at 6PM. St. Innocent has a table of 8 tickets to sell, & WE STILL NEED 3 MORE PEOPLE. This is an annualcommunity get-acquainted charity event sponsored by Redford clergy. See “Cognizance 2015" flyers in church hall and/or see Fr. Roman for tickets.

LISTEN TO DETROIT’S OWN ORTHODOX RADIO HOUR [DOOR] EVERY SUNDAY, 5-6 PM ON WNZK 690 AM OR ON THECOMPUTER, LIVE, AT http://www.doorradio.org. Very interesting & varied programming, with different guest speakers. Sponsored by the

COCC. Excellently done & well worth listening to. With the new DOORRADIO.ORG website, you now have the option of listening to the weeklyprogram LIVE on your computer or mobile device, between 5 and 6:00 pm each Sunday, or on the radio at WNZK 690AM. If you missed aprogram, you can also listen to all the past weekly radio programs on your computer or mobile device at: http://listentodoor.org/

NEW “BUSINESS DIRECTORY FOR ORTHODOX IN DETROIT” IS AVAILABLE. The first preliminary version of a 5½ x 8½ directory ofOrthodox businesses has been printed. (An expanded version is being worked on.) They are available at church, or request one to be mailed.

ST. INNOCENT’S CALENDARS FOR SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER ARE AVAILABLE AT: http://stinnocentchurch.com/calendar.html

2 NEW ARTICLES POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE — VISIT OUR WEBSITE’S HOMEPAGE & SCROLL DOWN TO THE GREENSECTION WITH NEWS/ANNOUNCEMENTS & NEW WEBSITE ADDITIONS & UPDATES: http://stinnocentchurch.com

MANY THANKS to those who help to maintain the beauty of our church & its grounds, by mowing, weeding, edging, trimming. Please help.

MONTHLY LUNCH & DISCUSSION GATHERINGS: Our parish monthly fellowship gatherings meet after coffee-hour for a pot-luck lunchand discussion, at the St. Innocent Monastic Community. The September gathering is scheduled for Sunday, September 20th.

THE NATIVITY OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

By Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh

Celebrated on September 8th

A Sermon delivered on September 21, 1971

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I should like to say a few words about the greatness of this feast.When a man surveys this world in which we live, which is so vast,seemingly boundless, and looks at himself in it, he feels very smalland insignificant. And if he adds to this the hardness and coldnessof men, he may sometimes feel extremely vulnerable, helpless andunprotected both before people and before the terrifying vastnessof the world.

Yet at the same time if a man looks at himself not in relation to hissurroundings, but goes deep into himself, he will there discoversuch an expanse, such depths, that the whole created world is toosmall to fill it. Man sees the beauty of the world - and the visiondoes not completely satisfy him; he learns an enormous amount

about God's creation - and the knowledge does not fill him to the brim. Neither human joy nor even human sorrow cancompletely fill a man, because in him is a depth that exceeds everything created; because God made man so vast, sodeep, so limitless in his spiritual being, that nothing in the world can finally satisfy him except God Himself.

Today's feast of the Mother of God demonstrates this fact with particular beauty and splendour. She so believed in God,She gave herself to Him with such a pure mind and pure heart, with an unwavering will, with the purity of Her virginityand life, such that She was granted to say the Name of God perfectly, with such love that the Word became flesh andGod was made man in Her.

Through this we are shown that not only is the soul, the inner being and spirit of man, so created by God that it cancontain the mystery of a meeting with the living God, but that even the body is so made that in an unfathomable wayit can be united with the living God. Indeed, according to St. Peter we are called to become partakers of the divinenature; according to St. Paul our vocation is to become temples of the Holy Spirit. The whole of the New Testamentteaches us that we are the Body, the living tremulous Body of Christ, through baptism and through Holy Communion.How wonderful this is, and therefore with what reverence must we regard not only our immortal soul, but this bodyof ours which is called to rise again, to enter the Kingdom of God and be glorified, like the body of Christ.

In the XI century St. Simeon the New Theologian wrote one day when he had returned to his humble cell after receivingHoly Communion, words to this effect, "I look upon this corruptible body, upon this frail flesh, and I tremble, becauseby partaking of the Holy Mysteries it has been permeated by God, it has been united with Christ, it is overflowing withthe Holy Spirit... these powerless hands have become the hands of God, this body has become a body that God has takenpossession of."

Consider what has been given us not only by our faith, but by the sacraments of the Church; the immersion in theblessed waters of baptism makes us particles, living members of Christ's Body, the anointing with holy chrism is notonly the visible seal of the Holy Spirit, but makes us the temples in which He dwells. When the bread and wine whichare offered by our faith and love to God are consecrated, they become incomprehensibly and mysteriously the Bodyand Blood of Christ, and this created matter partakes of Christ and imparts to us, who are incapable of soaring to Godin spirit, the divinity of Christ, which saves and transfigures us in soul and body.

This feast of Nativity of the Mother of God is the time when we remember the birth of the One who for the sake of usall, for the whole human race, was able to show such faith, to surrender so absolutely to God, that He could becomeMan through Her, and bring us these manifold, unfathomable gifts. Glory to Her humility, glory to Her faith, glory toHer love, glory to God Who was incarnate and to the Virgin Mother of God, the worthy vessel of the incarnation ofthe Son of God, Christ our God! Amen.

THE GIFT OF KNOWING ONE’S SINS:

MEDITATION FOR THE FEAST OF ST. MOSES THE BLACK

By Subdeacon Dr. Joshua D. Genig

28 August 2015

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

One of the greatest gifts a man can possess — dare I say, thegreatest gift, save Christ Himself — is to know one’s own sins. Itis a gift that comes from Christ and, in a beautifully ironic way, itis a gift that leads us to Christ. Yes, one of the greatest gifts a mancan possess is to know his own sins.

And to not know one’s sins is to leave oneself exposed to thepower of the evil one. Because sins, which are breaks incommunion — with God, with others, and even with our very ownselves — those sins create points of weakness in us wherein theevil one can try his best to have his way with us. But to know oursins, even if they are big and painful and cause us all sorts ofshame; to know our sins, even when they are seemingly little andinnocent and of no consequence to us (which, by the way, aresometimes the scarier ones — not the man or woman who commitsadultery, though that is scary enough, but the man or woman whocomes home every night with anger and resentment and bitternessand pride — those are the scary sins); but to know our sins is to bein the light, and to be in the light is to be in Christ, who is the Light of the world. And to be in Christ, Whois the Light of the world, that is what it means to be saved: to be re-created and made new and transfiguredinto the kind of person God created us to be — made in His holy Image and striving for His holy Likeness.

And that, I would suggest to you, is the most magnificent gift given to us by St. Moses the Black [alsoknown as ‘the Ethiopian’], the 4th century Saint from Egypt whom we commemorate on August 28th.

You all know the stories of his life, I’m sure. He was a slave, turned murderer, turned robber; turnedmonk, turned deacon, turned priest; turned martyr, turned Saint, turned patron of the Brotherhood of St.Moses the Black. But most importantly, I would suggest to you, he was a man who knew his own sins,even declaring on the day of his ordination, the day he was vested in white as a deacon, “God knows thatI am still dark within.”

And he was right. God knew that he was still dark within. But God also knew that he was, ever so slowly,being illumined with divine light. And as the darkness of his sins was being scattered, he was beingtransfigured into the one whose image we venerate today: St. Moses the Black.

And that, dear friends, makes all the difference in the world. Because like St. Moses the Black, God knowsthat we are still dark within. Big sins, little sins, frequent sins, once-in-a-lifetime sins, shaming sins, andself-righteous sins, St. Moses the Black kind of sins, or Subdeacon Joshua kind of sins -- it really doesn’tmatter. Yes, we are still dark within. But what matters more than our darkness, is that Christ doesn’t wantthat darkness to be the final word on our lives, just as he wouldn’t let it be the final word for St. Moses.

May that same Jesus Christ, Whose will it is that all be saved, may He hear the prayers of St. Moses on ourbehalf. And may St. Moses the Black, “brilliant sun shining down rays of hope upon a world eclipsed indarkness,” as we hear in the Akathist hymn to him — may he pray for us, that, with him, we may bereceived into the Kingdom of God, which has no end.

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

GARDENS: A REFLECTION OF PARADISE TO COME By Fr. Theodore

Source: Newsletter of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, Beaverton, OR

Living in the glorious Northwest, we all know howbeautiful are the summers. The days are long, andthe sunny sky is a most pure shade of blue. With allthe moisture we get during the fall, winter andspring, the humidity goes away and all things greenand flowery grow with gusto. Portland and thewhole Willamette Valley become one large garden.I would like to dedicate this Newsletter to talkingabout our relationship with God’s creation. Sincesummertime is a time for gardening and outdooractivities, it is good to be reminded of oursacramental and mystical relationship with theenvironment. Patriarch Bartholomew states, “Theway we relate to material things directly reflects theway we relate to God. The sensitivity with which wehandle worldly things clearly mirrors the sacredness

that we reserve for heavenly things.” In a similar way, the newly canonized Paisios of the Holy Mountain says, “Anythingthat you see or hear in this world, you should use it to reach up to Heaven; let it transport you there. Climb up step by step,from the creation all the way to the Creator.”

For those of us who live in dwellings with yards, we have the opportunity to be like God, the Master Gardener. It is notaccidental or coincidental that God called Paradise, before the Fall, the Garden of Eden. “And the Lord God planted a gardenin Eden, in the east, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow everytree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” (Gen.2:8-9) Notice that God cared that the things He created and plantedwere both pleasant to look at and also good for food. God has revealed Himself to us in part through His creation. “The entireworld contains seeds and traces of the living God. Moreover, the material and natural creation was granted by God tohumanity as a gift, with the command to ‘serve and preserve the earth.’” (Patriarch Bartholomew)

The fact that forests, meadows, mountains, lakes, rivers and the oceans are sobeautiful, orderly and balanced reveals to us much about the character of God.He could have created everything to be merely functional and practical, whichis good, but instead, God made everything with artistry, grandeur and vividcolor, which is very good. In a way, God put Himself, by way of signature, intowhat He created. This is part of how we understand God’s creation as“Paradise.” When we look at the carpet thick forest at the base of Mt. Hood ora Cascade volcano reflected in the calm of a high cascade mountain lake or thebrilliant sunset lying low on the horizon of the rustic Pacific Ocean, werecognize in these inspiring masterpieces the fathomless love of God for us.Each one of these and countless other intricate wonders of nature are God’s giftto us for our pleasure and to inspire within us and activate the very same imageof this wondrous Artist and Gardener. “Because the earth is sacred, then ourrelationship with the natural environment is mystical or sacramental. This iswhy we should view the world as a gift of encounter and communion with God and with the rest of creation.” (PatriarchBartholomew) It is for this reason that God commanded the first man, Adam, to also be a gardener. “And the Lord God tookthe man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and preserve it.” (Gen. 2:15)

By taking something ordinary and with creativity and the sweat of the brow transforming it into a “piece of paradise,” webecome co-creators with God. We imitate Him and thereby take another small step toward God-likeness. On the part ofhumanity, this is an act of thanksgiving, and “above all, human beings are Eucharistic creatures, capable of gratitude andendowed with the power to bless God for the gifts of creation.” (Patriarch Bartholomew) This is clearly evident in theOrthodox theology that comes through our hymnology and liturgical prayers. In one of the hymns of Theophany this truth isproclaimed:

The nature of waters is sanctified, the earth is blessed, and the heavens are enlightened...so that by the elements ofcreation, and by the angels, and by human beings, by things both visible and invisible, God’s most holy name maybe glorified.

God cares very much about cleanliness, order and beauty, and those who areclose to Him manifest this Godly care in their stewardship over their dwellingsand their surrounding environment. This is what is meant by God’s commandfor humanity to “till and preserve” His creation. Obedience to this command isespecially evident in monastic communities. Those who traveled this past Fallto Mt. Athos were amazed and inspired by the gardens, both vegetable andflower, the orchards, and the combination of green space and stone paths thatmade up the overall properties of each monastery. This is also true of the threemonasteries here on the west coast in our own Metropolis. Every visitor walksaway feeling like they have just had a taste of the heavenly paradise that awaitsthem in Heaven. In a very real way, the cleanliness, order and love of beautyseen by the senses reflects the state of the interior life of those who dwell insuch places.

Furthermore, a proper stewardship of God’s creation reflects the image of God in man as an expression of love for God, forthe things He created, and especially for the rest of humanity. St. Isaac the Syrian claims, “the aim of the spiritual life is toacquire a merciful heart, one which burns with love for the whole of creation, for all of God’s creatures.” In his classic book,The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky echoes this same truth: “Love all God’s creation, the whole of it and everygrain of sand. Love every leaf, every ray of God’s light. Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you loveeverything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things.”

Just as we can never approach our veneration of the environment apart fromour worship of God, so too we must also acknowledge that the entire worldwas created by God for the privilege of all and as a mystery of communionwith the rest of humanity. In other words, veneration of the environmentnecessitates love for one’s neighbor. “As a gift from God to humanity,creation becomes our companion, given to us for the sake of living inharmony with it and in communion with others. We are to use its resourcesin moderation and frugality, to cultivate it in love and humility, and topreserve it in accordance with the scriptural command to till and preservefrom Genesis 2:15.” (Patriarch Bartholomew) Our ascetic effort to livesimply and exercise self-control and a healthy degree of self-denial shouldbe a direct effort to love and care for our neighbor. An attitude and lifestyleof greed and self-centered consumerism at the expense of our neighborreflects neither gratitude to God nor a spirit of communion with the rest ofour brothers and sisters.

As we enjoy the beautiful weather of the Portland summer, and we spendmore time outside in our gardens and in the extended garden of God’swondrous creation, let us be ever-mindful that this great treasure is a giftfrom God. His creation is a constant expression of His love for us. The “verygoodness” of the created world bears God’s signature and reveals to us muchabout His loving character. The way in which we interact and exercise careand stewardship of the environment has a direct effect upon our relationshipwith the Creator and His creation, including our fellow brothers and sisters.The true nature of God is love. It is out of love for us that He created. It isthrough this same expression of God’s love that we are endowed with theability to co-create and to act as stewards and gardeners. We imitate Godwhen we make the environment around us beautiful, orderly and preserve and protect it. As Eucharistic beings, our wholelife should reflect this prayer of the Divine Liturgy: “In offering to Thee, Thine own from Thine own, in all and for all, wepraise Thee, we bless Thee, and we give thanks to Thee, O Lord.” Then and only then are we able to more fully embrace God,as well as embrace all people and all things, not with fear or necessity, but with love, joy and gratitude. Now, go outside andenjoy the “gardens” of God’s creation!