40- THE FOUR EVANGELISTS
		
		 In Church we gather to worship God. The Gospel Book is 
		 placed upon the Altar. God is with us and we celebrate 
		 this in Word and Sacrament. His Word, the Word of God in 
		 words of men, is our source of divine teaching. At every 
		 Divine Liturgy, the Gospel is proclaimed. Because this is
		 God's presence with us through His Word, we honor the 
		 Book of Gospels by covering it with ornate jewels placed 
		 upon cloth or precious metal.
		 
		
		 The very appearance of this Book reveals its content. In 
		 the center is an Icon of Christ with Icons of the Four 
		 Evangelists in the corners. This is the GOOD NEWS of 
		 Jesus Christ as told by the Four Evangelists: Matthew, 
		 Mark, Luke, and John. 
		
		 
		Each of the Evangelists approached Christ's person and 
		work in his own way. Each one witnesses to the revelation 
		of God in Jesus Christ. Each gives an account of the 
		teaching, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. All of 
		the Gospels call us to Faith. Through them, Jesus Christ 
		is proclaimed as our Lord! 
		
		
		In the icon, Matthew, Mark and Luke are all presented 
		indoors, seated at a lectern or writing stand, and shown 
		in the act of writing. Each bears the first lines of his 
		respective gospel. Noteworthy is the position in which 
		each sits, as the evangelist turns in a characteristic 
		direction. Each is portrayed as listening -listening to 
		the Word that God speaks to him -and preparing to write 
		this Word in the words of men, the Word that will become 
		the Good News of Jesus Christ. 
		
		
		The icon of St. John finds its setting in a cave. It 
		portrays the Evangelist looking back over his shoulder
		looking for the inspiration of the Spirit of God Who will 
		guide him in writing his gospel. Unlike the Synoptics 
		(Matthew, Mark and Luke) John does not write, but rather 
		dictates the words to Prochorus, his scribe. Prochorus 
		directs his attention to John and writes the first words 
		of the gospel: "In the beginning was the Word " Rays 
		coming from above are symbolic of the inspiration of the 
		Holy Spirit. 
		
		
		Our most immediate experience of the Four Evangelists is 
		through the works that bear their names -The Four Gospels.
		Their icons, in addition to being on the Gospel Book, are 
		also on the Royal Doors of the Icon Screen and also 
		included around the Icon of Christ Pantocrator. The icon 
		of the Evangelists invites us to listen to Jesus speaking 
		in our midst. We pray that Christ, through the Gospel, 
		infuses His teaching into our hearts. 
		
		
		PRAYER -O Gracious Master, infuse in our hearts the 
		spotless light of Your divine wisdom and open the eyes 
		of our mind that we may understand the teachings of Your 
		Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed 
		commandments, so that having curbed all carnal desires, 
		we may lead a spiritual life, both thinking and doing 
		everything to please You. (Prayer before the Gospel in 
		the Divine Liturgy)

		I am investing my time in something that matters
		
		
		She spent two days making her outfit, spent her last $50 on 
		a new pair of shoes. She had her hair and nails done, spent 
		forty-five minutes putting on her makeup. When she got there, 
		she spent the entire evening sitting in the corner, half 
		smiling, half crying. On the outside she looked beautiful. 
		On the inside she felt worthless. So many of us invest a 
		fortune making ourselves look good to the world, yet on the 
		inside we are falling apart. We manage to muddle through life 
		saying and doing the right things, but when we're alone we cry
		silent and desperate tears. It is time to pause and heal the 
		inside. It is time to heal the hurts, mend them away. It is 
		time to heal the doubts, answer the questions and release the 
		fears. It is time to invest some time to what is going on 
		inside. When we can do that, the outside will shine.
		
		
		There must be inner healing for the broken vessels
		

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