Congratulatory address to priest Alexei Suraev Rector of 13 Patriarchal parishes
Your Reverence, dear Fr. Alexei:
I sincerely congratulate you with your 30th birthday!
Fr. Alexei 30th Birthday, Dec. 22, 2017, Lamont, AB
The Orthodox Church considers that 30 years is the beginning of «the age of Christ», the beginning of His full life and that of every christian as well. Why do we accord such attention to 30 years? Because that is the year when Christ came out to begin His social ministry in order to save mankind. That is the year in which the Savior began preaching the Gospel, which continued for three years. The Apostle Paul writes «the measure of Christ’s full age, is tied in with attaining the unity of faith and knowing the son of God» (Eph.4,14 ). The measure of the fullness of the age of Christ tells us, that we constantly find ourselves in the process of spiritual becoming. Like a child’s height this process is organic, it is difficult to speed up, yet impossible to stop. The life of a christian is — a process leading to spiritual maturity.
How is this a measure of Christ’s age? When can one say, that a person has not only age wise but spiritually reached this threshold? Of course, we in our lifetime will never reach Christ’s level. It is given to us as a goal for which to strive. We should think about that path wehich Christ followed during His earthly life. Then we will be able to understand that a person comes closer to the measure of Christ’s age by rising to one’s own Golgotha, preparing oneself for personal sacrifice, crucifying oneself to the world with Christ. Apostle Paul calls this spiritual maturity «Christ’s intelligence». That is a period when a person has learned to accept and live, like Christ understood and functioned. In other words, the one having reached Christ’s age, is only one who has the same faith in God as Christ had, and only one who really knows Him, the Son of God; one who has joined Him. «To know the Son of God» – is to join Him in the Mystery of God’s liturgy.
Dear Fr. Alexei! May you have in your heart a love toward your parishioners, as Christ has commanded to have, Whom loves each person so much that He gives His life to him!! We pray for you so that in the future you will increase the great talents, which God has given you. May our Lord help you preserve our old parishes, which were initiated with the blessing of His Holiness Thikon, later Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, and give them new life! I beleive that all this is possible for a beleiver in Christ and one fulfilling His Gospel! Wishing your Reverence, Matoushka Anastasia, your Mother, your relatives and all your friends, brother clergy and parishioners, Many Years!
With love and blessing,
Iov, Bishop of Kashira, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada
Fr. Alexei 30th Birthday, Dec. 17, 2017