The Romanian Orthodox Monastery in Allegan - Michigan celebrated on Sunday, September 29, 2024, its Patronal Feast Day, the Protection of the Mother of God.
The celebration began on Saturday evening, September 28, with the celebration of Great Vespers, together with the Litya service, and the next day, Sunday morning, Matins was celebrated, followed by the Holy and Divine Liturgy officiated by the priest of the monastery, together with the Reverend Father Exarch Ieremia, Abbot of Saint Demetrius the New Monastery in Middletown - New York, delegate of His Eminence Archbishop and Metropolitan Nicolae.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Father Exarch delivered to the believers present a beautiful and edifying word of teaching, in which he valued and explained the teachings contained in the Gospel text of the 29th Sunday after Pentecost, about love of enemies and about repentance, recalling quotes from to Abbot Dionisie Ignat from Colciu, from Abba Moise and from other Saints and Fathers of the Church.
When he spoke about the love of enemies, the father quoted Archimandrite Zaharia Zaharou, who says: "We humans, being made for communion, long for it; after love, first of all, after communion, but we expect from others, who are as sick as we are, a perfect love, and we hurt ourselves that we do not receive it. We reach love by first healing our person from the consequences of the fall and, at the same time, healing our wounds, we become able to love".
Furthermore, the father shared with the faithful that "We must live with the contentment that we can still pray, and go to church, being aware that we live in these critical times, and that our greatest preparation for salvation is repentance. Repentance strengthens the person, strengthens the soul through the Grace of God, becoming able to love enemies; otherwise, without repentance, Christians stumble, as most of them stumble today, who no longer believe, no longer have humility, and then many dramas appear in their families."
After the teaching word of Father Exarch Ieremia, the priest servant of the monastery conveyed the blessing message of His Eminence Nicolae, thanking Father Exarch, those who gave the answers in the pew, the ladies who helped to prepare the patron, all the donors and, last but not least turn, to the believers present at the feast of the patron saint, urging them all to stay at the fraternal agape prepared with great love by several ladies, who have always been with our monastery.
