2716 North Dobson Road Chandler, AZ 85224 (480) 899-3330
Rev. Fr. Philip S. Armstrong, Presbyter
2716 N. Dobson Rd.
Chandler, AZ 85224
(480) 899-3330
(Located South of Elliot Rd on Dobson Rd)
Church e-mail : office@st-katherine.org
Email Fr. Phil : skpriest@yahoo.com
Summer Office hours:
Effective June 1st - Sept 28th
Monday Thru Thursday
9:30am - 3:30pm
Closed from 12:00 to 1:00pm for lunch.
Inquirer’s Classes Offered (Contact our Church Office).
Sunday Service Schedule:
8:30 AM Orthos
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church Chandler AZ 85224
For 1-19-20
For 1-19-20
MESSAGE FROM FATHER
CHURCH EVENTS/ NEWS
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Orthodox Christian Network Radio
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“Theophany: The Portal to Seeing God ”
One of the most startling passages in the New Testament is Jesus’ profound healing of the man born blind
(Jn. 9:1-41). Because Jesus had slipped away quickly after having sent the blind man to the pool of Siloam
to wash away the clay with which He had anointed his eyes. He returned to reveal Himself visibly to the
man. In the ensuing dialogue, Jesus makes known to him that the One he presently sees and is talking to is
the Son of God. The healed man, immediately, professed his belief in Him and worshipped Him.
On January 6th, the great feast of Theophany, we also are presented the profound opportunity to see God.
Theophany, translated from Greek means the “appearance of God”. On this revered feast, St. John the
Baptist and his disciples heard the voice of the Heavenly Father, beheld the Person of His Son, and saw the
descent of the Holy Spirit in the likeness of a dove (Mt. 3:13-17). The Orthodox Christian who attends the
Divine Liturgy and Great Blessing of the Waters is allowed to encounter God’s holy Presence. Upon
hearing the appointed Gospel reading and listening to the inspired prayers, it is as if one is transported to
the actual event of our Lord’s baptism. Our souls are allowed to see and to know God. Although Christ
visibly appeared to many saints throughout the history of the church, for most of us it is mainly through our
other senses that we come to know Him. The feelings of one’s heart in prayer fills us with conviction that
He is present and quite real.
St. Theophan provides us sound instruction to help one’s soul in its attempt to see and know God. Hear his
instructions:
“The essential part is to dwell in God, and this walking before God means that you live with the
conviction ever before your consciousness that God is in you, as He is in everything: you live in
the firm assurance that He sees all that is within you, knowing you better than you know yourself.
This awareness of the eyes of God looking in your inner being...searching your soul and heart,
seeing all that is there...is the most powerful lever in the mechanics of the inner spiritual life.”
Theophan continues:
“Prayer is turning the mind and thoughts toward God. To pray means to stand before God with
the mind, mentally to gaze unswervingly at Him, to converse with Him in reverent fear and hope
...The principle thing is to stand with Him unceasingly day and night, until the end of life...Behave
as you wish, so long as you learn to stand before God with the mind in the heart, for in this lies the
essence of the matter.”
(Discovering God, by Fr. Anthony Coniaris, pp8-9)
Through the eyes of faith we behold God. Prayer and worship illuminate our senses to see God in His vis-
ible creation, in others and the events that unfold each day of our lives. As we commence the new calendar
year 2020, we are invited to come see God in our holy worship and our daily prayers. May we experience
the joy of the healed blind man, St. John the Baptist, his disciples and many others who have seen God. Let
us come and see Him, especially, this Theophany.
God bless you!
+Fr. Phil
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
