Sincere Thankfulness - And Fervent Prayer

This is written after penning an article for this week's bulletin, having read 'shallow' responses to on-the-street queries asking, "What are you thankful for?"

The balance of the bulletin was taken up by a plea from His Grace Bishop Daniil, asking for free-will, from the heart donations to be given to His Holiness, Patriarch John X as he comes to America to enthrone Metropolitan Joseph as Primate of the Antiochian Archdiocese.

All one need do is go to the Orthodox news pages on this very day to find how very lucky we remain here in our God-protected (for now) land.  Read the articles here:

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/75473.htm

and here:

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/72825.htm

and many others like them, and see what other Christians are enduring in the world around us.

And what has been our response as a people?  We can't speak for other parishes, but locally we've added petitions in the litanies to ask for our Lord's intervention to shelter those who are being persecuted for their faith in Iraq, in Syria, in Saudi Arabia, in Gaza, in Jerusalem, and even here in the US.  There are also those who are suffering from the ravages of war in Ukraine.  See the article here:

http://singac.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=326%3Amartyred-ukrainian-m-p-priest-vladimir-kreslyansky&catid=56&Itemid=288

of Archpriest Vladimir Kreslyansky, who died praying for God's deliverance of his people!

It is right and proper for us to give thanks to God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us.  But it is even more right and proper for us to offer prayers of intercession for those who are not as fortunate as we are, whose very lives are hanging in the balance in a world seemingly gone mad.

And so this year, let us mingle our sincere thanksgiving to the Lord with an even more sincere plea for His mercy to be poured out in abundance, to stop the terrible attacks against Christians in general, but against Orthodox Christians who by choice or by necessity remain in regions where they live under the threat of warring factions who seek their removal or destruction.

May God have mercy on us all!