Greek Or th od ox Patriar chate of A le xandria & All Afr ica

A L L G L OR Y , H ONOUR A ND W OR SH IP T O T HE F AT H ER , A ND T O T HE S ON , A ND T O T HE H OL Y S P IR IT , NOW A ND FOR E V ER , A ND UNT O T HE A GE S OF A GE S . A ME N . R E ME MB ER ING A L S O OU R M OS T H OL Y , M OS T P U RE , M OS T B L ES S ED A N D G L OR IOU S L A D Y , M A R IA , T H E OT OKOS , YE T E VE R V IR GIN , T OGE T HE R WITH AL L TH E S A INT S . A ND L ET U S COMMIT OUR S E L VE S A ND ONE A N OT H ER A ND OUR WH OL E L IFE T O C H R IS T OUR G OD . A ME N .

1 M a r ch 2 01 4 Cheesefare Saturday Saturday of the Holy Ascetics

ALSO T HE FEAST OF ST E UDO KIA O F HELIOPOL IS ST MA RTYRIOS OF ZE LE NE TS, PSKOV ST NE STOR & ST T RIB IM INOS OF PA MP HYLI A ST ANTONIN A O F N ICE A , B ITHYN IA ST MAR CE LLOS , ST ANTH ONY & ST DOMN INA T HE VIR GIN MARTYR OF SYRI A ST AGAP IOS OF VATOPE DI MONASTE RY , M OUNT AT HOS ST DAV ID , BISH OP OF WA LE S

FESTAL APOLYTIKION HOLY ASCETICS TONE4

O Theos ton Pateron imon, O pion ai meth imon kata tin O God of our Father, ever dealing with us according to
Sin epiikian, mi apostisis to Eleos Sou af imon, alla tes Thy Gentleness: take not Thy Mercy from us, but by afton ikesies, en Irini kivernison tin Zoin imon. their Entreaties, Guide our Life in Peace. RESURRECTION KONTAKION HOLY ASCETICS TONE(8) PLAGAL 4

Os

Evsevias Kirikas, ke asevias fimotra, ton Theoforon ton dimon efedrinas, Kyrie, tin ifilion lamponta. En Irini telia, tes afton ikesies, tous Se Doxazontas ke Megalinontas, diafilaxon, psallin ke adin Si, Allilouia.

As

Preachers of True Piety who silenced all impiety, O Lord, Thou hast made the whole Host of God-bearing Saints shine forth with splendour upon the world. By their Prayers and Entreaties, keep all those who extol and sincerely magnify Thee in Perfect Peace, to chant and to sing to Thee: Alleluia!
TONE 1

FESTAL KONTAKION - THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST

Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou, ke hiras tou Symeon Evlogisas os eprepe, profthasas ke nin esosas imas Hriste O Theos. All irinefson en polemis to politevma, ke krateoson Vasilis ous igapisas, O Monos Filanthropos

Thy

Birth Sanctified a Virgins Womb and properly Blessed the hands of Symeon. Having now come and Saved us O Christ, our God, grant Peace to Thy Commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen those in authority, whom Thou Love, as the Only Lover of mankind.

Prokeimenon: T he H o l y O ne s sh a l l b o a st i n G l o r y. . .
The H i g h Prai se of G od sh all be in their m out h!

The Epistle of St Paul to the Galatians 5 : 22 6 : 2

THE ESSENTIAL F RUITS (A CHIEVEM ENTS) OF TH E HOLY SP IRIT

Brethren: The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control against which there is no law. Andthose who are Christs have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we Live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, or envying each other. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are Spiritual must restore such a one in a Spirit of Gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ.
I N ORDER FOR US T O WALK IN THE (H OL Y ) S PIRIT MEA NS THAT WE MUST L IV E E VERY MOM EN T OF OUR LIF E ACCO RDING TO TH E G IF TS OF THE H OL Y S PIRI T THA T G OD , IN H IS G REAT M ERCY HAS B ESTOW ED UPO N US . O NLY B Y B EING WILLINGLY O BE DIENT TO G O D AR E W E ABL E TO R EC EIV E TH E E SSENTI AL S PIRI TUAL F RUIT S OF THE H OL Y S PIRIT , WHICH MAKES OU R LIFESPA N MUCH EASI ER T O ENDURE . That is how the Holy Martyrs, the Holy Ascetics and all our Saints achieved their Spiritual Perfection, which should encourage us immensely for if they were able to achieve Theosis, there is certainly hope for those of us TO who are willing to Obey and to Follow Christ our Saviour.
BE ABL E T O GUIDE O THE R A ND TO A DMINIS TE R CORRE CTIO N WITH G ENTL EN ESS A ND L OV E IS IN DEE D A S PIRITUAL G IFT M ADE POSSIBLE F OR US BY THE H OL Y S PIRIT .

St Paul admonished us to bear each others burdens yet moments later he points out that each person should bear his own load. Both these admonishments are correct for WE AR E C ALLE D BY C HRIST TO ALW AYS HELP E ACH OTH ER BUT NEV ER T O BE AN UNN EC ESSA RY BUR DEN TO O THERS N EVER TAK E ADVANT AG E OF TH E G EN EROS ITY OF OTH ERS .
P LAIN
THE

The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 6 : 1 - 13

OUR LOR D JES US CHRIS TS SERM ON
O N THE

BEA TI TU DES

A ND THE

WOES

At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: Take heed that you do not do your Charitable Deeds before others to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no Reward from your Father in Heaven. Therefore, when you do a Charitable Deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in the streets, so that they may receive the glory from mankind. Truly, I say to you: they have their reward.
CHEESEFARE SATURDAY SATURDAY OF THE HOLY ASCETICS 1 MARCH 2014

But when you do a Charitable Deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your Charitable Deed may be in secret, and your Father Who sees in secret will Himself Reward you openly. And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the Synagogues, and on the corners of the streets, so that they be seen by others. Truly, I say to you: they have their reward. But you when you pray go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father Who is in the Secret Place; and your Father Who sees in secret will Reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things that you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily Bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen.
F OR EXPLANATORY NO TES , KI NDL Y CO NSULT YOUR O RTH ODOX S TUDY B IB LE S FOO TNOTES F OR THIS S AC RED L ESSO N .:

St John Cassian On Asceticism

B ODILY F ASTING ALONE IS NOT ENO UGH TO BRING ABOUT P ERFECT S ELF -R ES TRAINT AND T RUE P URITY . I T M UST BE AC COM PANIED BY CONTRITION OF HEA RT , INTENS E P RAYER TO G OD , FREQUENT M EDITATION ON THE H OLY S CRIPTURES , TOIL AND M ANUAL LABOUR . These are able to check the restless impulses of the soul and to recall it from its shameful fantasies. H UMILITY OF SOUL HELP M ORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE , however, and WITHOUT IT NO O NE CAN OVERCOM E UNCHASTITY OR ANY OTH ER SI N . In the first place, then, we must take the utmost care to GUARD THE HEART FROM BASE THO UGHTS , for according to our Lord Jesus Christ ... out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, unchastity... and so on. (MATTHEW 15:19) W E ARE TOLD TO F AST not only to mortify our body, but also to KEEP OUR INTELLECT WATCHF UL , so that it will not be obscured because of the amount of food we have eaten and thus be unable to guard our thoughts. We must not, therefore, expend all our effort in Bodily Fasting WE M UST ALSO PAY ATTENTION O UR THOUG HTS AND TO S PI RITUAL M EDITATION , since, otherwise, we will not be able to advance to the heights of True Purity and Chastity. As our Lord has said, we should ... first Cleanse the inside of the cup and plate, so that their outside may also be clean. (MATTHEW 23 : 26) If we are really eager to - as St Paul expressed it - ... Struggle Lawfully... and to ... be Crowned ... for overcoming the impure spirit of unchastity, WE
SHOULD NOT TR UST IN O UR OW N S TRENGTH AND

A SCETIC P RACTI CE , B UT RATHE R IN THE D IVINE H ELP OF OUR M ASTER O UR L ORD G OD . N O ONE CEASES TO BE ATTACKED BY THI S DEM ON UNTIL WE TR ULY B ELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE H EALED AND REACH THE H EIGHTS OF P URI TY not through our own efforts and labours, but through the Divine Aid and Protection of Almighty God. For S UCH A V IC TORY IS BEY OND O UR NAT URAL POWERS . Indeed, those who have trampled down the pleasures and provocations of the flesh are in a certain sense outside the body. Thus, no one can soar to this High and Heavenly Prize of Holiness on our own wings and learn to imitate the Angels, unless THE G RACE OF G OD LEADS US UPWARDS F ROM THIS EARTHLY M IRE ...
ST JOHN CAS SIAN - ON TH E EIG HT VIC ES

St. Justin Popovich On Internal Missions & Asceticism T HE A SCETICS ARE O RTHODOXY S ONL Y The Parish - the Parish Community - must be M ISSIONARIES . Regenerated and in Christ-like and Brotherly A SCETICISM IS H ER ONL Y M ISSION AR Y S CH OOL . Love must Minister humbly to Him and to all O RTHODOXY IS A SCETIC E FFORT AND IT IS L IF E , people, Meek and Lowly and in a Spirit of AND IT IS THUS BY E FFORT AND B Y L IF E T HAT Sacrifice and Self-denial. H ER M ISSION IS BROAD CA ST AN D BR OUGHT And such Service must be imbued and nourished ABOUT . by Prayer and Liturgical Life. The development of Asceticism ought to be the This much is ground-work and indispensible. Inward Mission of our Church amongst our But to this end there exists one prerequisite: that people. our Bishops, Priests, and our Monks become Ascetics themselves. T HE P ARISH MU ST BECOME AN A SCETIC F OCAL POINT . B UT THIS CAN ONL Y B E A CHIEV ED BY AN That this might be, then: let us beseech the Lord. A SCETIC P RIEST . ST JUST IN POPO VICH O RTHODOX F AITH AND LIFE IN Prayer and Fasting, the Church-oriented Life of CHRIS T: TH E INWARD MISSION OF OUR CHURCH PP. 3031) the Parish, a Life of Liturgy: Orthodoxy holds these as the primary ways of effecting Rebirth in Her people. Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos of Nafpaktos The Cure and Deification of mankind is achieved, In our time a great deal is being said about the Sacramental Life - the Eucharistological Life is on the one hand, by the Sacramental Life, and being much emphasized. on the other hand by the Ascetic Life, which This is very good. we Live in the Church. But, unfortunately, THE A SCETI C T RADIT ION OF I want to particularly emphasize that the Holy THE C HURCH IS BEING OVER LOOKED . Fathers of the Church teach that OUR S ALVATION IS A COMBINATION OF T HE H OL Y METROPOL ITAN HIERO THEOS VL ACHOS OF NAFP AKTON - THE MIND OF THE O RTHODOX CHU RCH (PP . 147M YSTERIES A ND A SCETICIS M . 148) W E CANN OT UND ERSTAN D THE H OL Y M YSTER IES WITHOUT A SCETICISM IN C HRIST , AND WE CANN OT LIVE A R EAL A SCETIC L IFE W ITH OUT THE H OL Y M YSTERIES OF TH E C HURCH
2. CHEESEFARE SATURDAY SATURDAY OF THE HOLY ASCETICS 1 MARCH 2014

Greek Or th od ox Patriar chate of A le xandria & All Afr ica

A L L G L OR Y , H ONOUR A ND W OR S H IP T O TH E F A T HE R , A N D T O T HE S ON , A N D T O T H E H OL Y S P IR IT , NOW A N D FORE V ER , A N D U NT O TH E A GE S OF A GE S . A ME N . R E ME MB ER ING A LS O OU R M OS T H OL Y , M OS T P U RE , M OS T B LE S SE D A ND G L OR IOU S L A DY , M A R IA , T HE OT OKOS , YE T E VE R V IR GIN , T OGE T H E R WIT H A LL TH E S A INT S . A ND LE T U S COMMIT OUR S EL V ES A ND ONE A NOT HE R A N D OU R WH OLE L IFE T O C H R IS T OU R G OD . A ME N .

3 6 t h Sun d a y A f t e r P e n t e co s t

Tone 3

2 M a r ch 2 01 4

Cheesefare Sunday/Forgiveness Sunday The Expulsion of Adam & Eve from Paradise
ALSO THE FE AST OF ST T HE OD OTOS OF CYRE NIA ST ARSE NIOS OF TVE R ST EUTHAL IA T HE VI RGI N MARTY R OF S IC ILY ST TR OAD IOS OF NE OCAE SARE A ST AGATHON OF EGYPT 440 HOLY MARTYRS OF SI CI LY ST SABB A TIOS OF TVE R RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE 3

Evfrenestho

ta Ourania, agaliastho ta epigia, oti epiise Kratos en Vrahioni Aftou O Kyrios. Epatise to Thanato ton Thanaton.Prototokos ton nekron egeneto. Ek kilias Adou errisato imas ke pareshe to kosmo to Mega Eleos. TONE 3

Let the Heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad, for the
Lord has shown Strength with His Arm; He has trampled down Death by Death; He has become the First-born of the dead; from the womb of Hades He has delivered us, and to the world He has granted Great Mercy.

RESURRECTION KONTAKION

Exanestis

EXOUSIAS SOU.

simeron, apo tou tafou iktirmon, ke imas exigages, ek ton pilon tou thanatou. Simeron Adam korevi, ke heri Eva, ama de, ke i Profite sin Patriarhes, animnousin akatapafstos, TO THION KRATOS TIS

Thou arose today, O Merciful One, and led us out from

the gates of Death. Adam dances today, and Eve rejoices. Prophets too, along with Patriarchs, praise without ceasing THE DIVINE MIGHT OF THINE
AUTHORITY.

FESTAL KONTAKION CHEESEFARE/FORGIVENESS SUNDAY

Ti

Sofias Odige, froniseos horige, ton afronon pedefta, ke ptohon iperaspista, stirixon, sinetison tin kardian mou, Despotata, si didou mi logon, O tou Patros Logos. Idou gar ta hili mou, ou mi koliso en to krazin Si. ELEIMON, ELEISON ME TON PARAPESONTA.

Guide to Wisdom, Provider of Prudence, Disciplinarian of fools, and Defender of the poor fortify and discipline my heart, O Master. Grant me a Word, O Word of the Father. For behold, I will not hinder my lips from crying to Thee: O MERCIFUL LORD, HAVE MERCY ON ME WHO HAS FALLEN.

Resurrection Matins Gospel 3 Mark 16 : 9 - 20

OUR RESURRECTED LORD APPEARS TO HIS APOSTLES & DISCIPLES BEFORE HIS ASCENSION

Sing
TODAY
IS THE

Prokeimenon
P raises to o ur Go d! Si ng P raises to o ur King!

The Epistle of St Paul to the Romans 13 : 11 14 : 4

DAY ! TO DAY NO W! WE MUST BEGIN OUR

Clap

yo ur hand s, all yo u Natio ns!

REPENTAN T LIF E
IN

CHRIST!

Brethren: you know what Hour it is - that now is the exact time to awaken out of sleep - for now our Salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the Day is at hand! Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the Armour of Light. Let us walk properly, as in the Day not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy - but put on our Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfil its lusts. Receive those who are weak in the Faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things, for one believes he may eat all things, yet he who is weak, eats only vegetables. And let those who eat not despise those who do not eat, and let those who do not eat, not judge those who do eat; for God has received them. Who are you to judge Anothers servant? Before his own Master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. W E O NLY H AV E A VER Y SHO RT LIF ESPA N I N WHICH TO PR EPAR E IMITAT E AN D TO FOLLOW C HR IST OUR S AVIOUR in Whom we live since our Holy Baptism. AND DEVEL OP OUR IMMO RTAL S OULS FOR E TERNI TY . Therefore, St Paul reminds us that W E CA NNO T WAST E ANO THER G OD GR ANT S US I NNUMERABLE OPPO RTUNI TIES FO R R EPENTA NCE MINUTE OF SUCH PR ECIOUS TIME because TH E TIME OF OUR and a complete change of heart and attitude that R EPENTA NCE AN D S AL VATI ON IS NOW ! brings us closer to Him and enriches our lives - in this I T IS TIME T O WAKE UP FR OM OUR SIN - IN DUCE D STUPO R to arise world and the next - beyond our simple understanding or from our slovenly bed of ignorance, negligence and perception. Spiritual Death and immediately set off on our lifes We must clearly understand that EVE RY WORD , THOUGHT AND journey towards Eternal Life and Gods Heavenly DEED HAS A C O NSEQU ENC E NOT MEREL Y N OW BUT Kingdom. CER TAI NLY LA TER . W HATEVE R WE CHO OSE TO DO NOW I N THIS MOMENT OF OUR However, WITH TH E G UIDANC E A ND G RA CE OF G OD W E CA N EXISTE NCE AND I N EVERY O THER MOMENT OF E VERY DAY OF CONS TAN TLY IMP ROV E OU R R EL ATIO NSHIP WITH H IM AN D THE R EST OF OUR LIFE WILL AFFECT OUR E TERNI TY our WITH OUR F ELLOW S T RUGGL ERS who are on the exact own Eternal Life with God or Eternal Death in exile a same Journey of life even though many do not grasp total absence of God and all His Goodness! the Reality and Purpose of our existence. A S LONG AS WE A RE S TILL IN THIS EXIS TE NC E , WE CA N CH ANG E W E HA VE COM E F ROM G OD BEI NG CR EA TE D B Y H IM I N H IS OUR COURS E BY SIN CE RE R EPENT ANC E -C ONF ESSION A ND A D IVINE I MAG E A ND L IK ENESS AN D W E HA VE A NATUR AL CONCERT ED , DE TERMIN ATIO N TO DO THE BES T WE CAN T O INCLIN ATIO N TO RETURN T O G OD BY R EGAI NIN G OU R LOS T
4TH SU
NDAY OF

TRIODIO

CHEES

EFARE

SUNDA

OF FORGI

VENESS

- 2 MARCH 2014

G RE A T LE N T BE G IN S T OM OR ROW

3.

L IKE NESS T O H IM , which makes us worthy Citizens and CoHeirs of His Eternal Kingdom. T HE O NLY WA Y WE CA N C AST OFF OUR WORKS OF DA RKN ESS THE FILTH AND DEST RUCTI ON OF SIN IS TO PUT ON TH E A RMOUR O F L IGHT i.e. through our Holy Baptism WE PUT ON C HRIS T W HO IS D IVI NE , U N CR EA TED L I GHT . W E CON TINUOUSLY C L EANS E AN D S ANCTIF Y OURSEL VES WITH TH E H OLY M YST ERI ES OF H IS H OLY C HURCH and in this manner we are able to slowly but surely take one tiny step at a time, closer to our ultimate Destination. W E C ANN OT M AKE AN Y S PIRI TUAL P ROG RESS WI THOUT G OD AN D OUR F ELLOW SI NN ERS who are striving just as eagerly and determinedly as ourselves. So whenever we weaken, or stumble and fall, WITH TH E
LOVING SUPPORT A ND E NC OURAG EMENT OF ALL OUR

W E A RE CO NFIDEN T IN TH E KNOWLEDGE OF D I VIN E P ROVI DE NCE

AND A RE ABLE T O CON CENT RAT E OUR EFFO RTS ON OUR

F AITHFUL B RETH REN AND D ISCIPL ES OF C H RIST , AND ESPE CIALLY BY TH E G R AC E OF OUR M O ST L OVI NG G O D , WE ARE ABLE T O RIS E UP A GAI N , AN D S ET OFF ON CE M ORE , with joyful and enthusiastic hearts and souls. With the Love and Strength granted to us by God, WE N EED
NOT WO RRY FO R AN INS TAN T ABOUT AN Y OF OUR PHYSIC AL NEEDS .

S PIRITUAL W ELF AR E A ND D EVEL OPME NT . And THE CL OSER WE G ET T O G O D , THE MO RE S PIRITUAL S TRENG TH AND E NDU RAN CE W E WILL BE GRAN TED . With Serenity of soul and the Unconditional Divine Love of God in our hearts, we help each other in every way necessary, never judging anyone else except ourselves. As St Paul reminds us: G O D IS OUR O NLY J U DG E and we are all His Faithful servants! Anyone who would dare to point an accusatory finger at a fellow sinner, should immediately Repent for we are told by Christ: Judge not lest you be judged! which means that WHATEVER WE DO TO OTH ERS WILL COM E BACK TO US A HUNDR ED TIMES MO RE ! Consequently, during the next weeks of Great Lent, we should MA KE EVERY EFFO RT POSSIBL E TO THI NK , TO SA Y AN D TO DO ONL Y THOS E THI NGS TH AT C AN S PI RITUALLY B ENEFI T US AND EA CH OTHER so that our words, thoughts and deeds become Great Blessings rather than dreadful Curses and Eternal Condemnation for us!!

The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 6 : 14 21

CHRIST
OUR

LORD & SAVIOUR TEAC HES US ABOUT FORGI VENES S & FASTING

At that time our Lord Jesus Christ said: ... if you forgive others their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses! Furthermore, when you Fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to others to be Fasting. Truly, I say to you: they have their reward! But you: when you Fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to others to be Fasting, except to your Father Who is in the Secret Place; and your Father Who sees in secret will Reward you openly. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves Treasure in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also! maintain a good, healthy and clean personal state ] O UR L O RD J ESUS C HRIS T INSIS TS ON M U TUAL F OR GIV ENESS throughout the Fast and the rest of the year, without any BETWEEN US HUMAN B EING S AS A PREC ON DITI ON OF discernible difference that others might notice. G OD S D IVI NE F OR GIV ENESS AN D G R EA T M ERC Y . THOSE WHO DO NOT FORGIVE OTHERS WILL NOT BE (There is no Ash Wednesday in Orthodox Christianity!) F ASTIN G IS FO R OUR S PI RITUAL G ROWTH AN D D EVELOPM ENT AND FORGIVEN BY GOD EITHER! This is an absolutely clear Teaching of Christ Who will be our ESPE CIALLY F OR THE G LOR Y , H ON OUR A ND W ORSHIP OF G OD AN D NOT T O BE S EEN BY THO SE A ROUN D US . Final and Only Judge before Whom all Creation will stand! So we will not be able to plead ignorance! Fasting is also not merely the abstinence from certain foods but consists mainly of A STRIC T S ELF -D ENIAL A ND S ELF This Divine Teaching is vital to our Eternity and is repeated D ISCIPLINE I N ALL AR EAS OF LIFE so as to escape the often, such as in Christs Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, physical control and damage caused by our passions and self-indulgence. I F WE HOPE FOR DIVI NE F ORG IVEN ESS AN D ME RCY F ROM G OD , WE MUST MAK E EV ER Y EFFO RT TO FOR GIV E A ND BE MERCIFUL We have TO S TRENG THE N OUR IMMO RTAL SOULS so that we are TO OUR F ELLOW SINNE RS ! able TO CO RR ECTL Y CO NTROL OUR PHYSICAL A ND M ENT AL Whatever we desire to be granted by God for ourselves, we DESI RES A ND DEMAN DS and even dominate and conquer must grant to one another and when we find ourselves in the weaknesses of our bodies. dire straits, WE MUST SEA RCH WI THIN OUR OWN H EA RTS , W E O NLY HAV E THIS LIF E - SP AN IN WHICH TO S TR EN GTH EN AN D MINDS AND S OULS TO FIN D AN D R OO T OUT WHAT IS DEVELOP OUR IMMORTAL SOUL , WHICH CA NNO T DO S O PREVEN TIN G US FROM MAKI NG PR OPER S PIRI TUAL P RO GR ESS ! ONC E IT IS S EPAR AT ED F ROM OUR B ODY . Most tragedies in life are caused by people who are selfish On the eve of Great Lent we sing: Let us abstain from and arrogant who are unforgiving and merciless passions as we abstain from food! towards others. St John Chrysostom admonished us: What good is it if we Once again, the Sacred Lesson is Do unto others what you abstain from eating birds and fish but bite and devour would like done to you ..!! our Brethren? ] P UTTING ON A S AD F AC E OR APPEARA NC E TO SH OW OFF O R ] D URING E VERY F ASTI NG P ERIO D , WE MUST M AKE EVER Y TO BRAG AB OUT HOW MUCH YOU ARE SA CRIFI CIN G EFFO RT TO B E THE MOST P ERF EC T D ISCIPLES OF C H RIST , WHILE F ASTIN G , ONLY BRI NGS Y OU SHAME AN D SO THA T EVENTUALL Y WE GR OW INT O SUCH GOOD HABI TS DISCR EDIT FO R IT EXPOS ES YOUR F AST AS A MER E EMPT Y THAT IT B EC OMES NA TURAL TO US - and with less effort GESTUR E TH AT WILL NO T BENEFI T YOU IN THE SLIGH TES T or struggle. DEG REE ! By attaching ourselves to material but temporary treasures of O UR L OR D J ESUS REJECT ED AN D DESPIS ED NO THIN G ELS E EXC EPT this world, we cut ourselves off from the everlasting True HYPOCRI TES ! and Most Priceless Treasures of Heaven. Those who Fast correctly by not only fulfilling the self-denial We become slaves to earthly things rather than being Truly of the flesh but also of the spirit experience the Divine Free in Christ Jesus. Compassion of God which dispels any difficulty or ] T HE FOC AL POIN T OF G ENUI NE DISCIPL ESHIP CO NC ERNS physical discomfort. DISENTA NGLI NG OURSELV ES F ROM TH E CH AINS AN D In other words: IF WE F AS T PROP ERL Y IN B OTH A S PIRI TUAL AN D FL EET ING EAR THLY SHACKLES OF INSI GNIFI CAN T , PHYSICAL MA NN ER WITH ALL TH E RIGH T M OT IVA TION AN D POSSESSIO NS AN D SOCIAL ST ATUS AND ATT ACHING P URPOSE - W E WILL B E G REATLY B LESS ED WITH THE L O VIN G OURSELV ES I NST EA D TO OUR L OVIN G AN D MOS T P RES EN CE O F A LMIGHTY G OD . BEN EVOL EN T LOR D G OD WHO IS OUR T RUE ET ERN AL During the Fasts of our Holy Church, the Hymns call all Faithful TREASURE ! Christians to wash and to anoint themselves i.e. to

4.

4TH SUNDAY

OF

RIODION

CHEES

EFARE

SUNDAY O

FO

RGIVEN ESS

- 2 MARCH 2014

Fourth Sunday of Triodion Cheesefare/Forgiveness Sunday

In the Orthodox Church, the last Sunday before Great Lent the day on which, at Vespers, Lent is liturgically announced and inaugurated is called Forgiveness Sunday. On the morning of that Sunday, at the Divine Liturgy, we hear the words of Christ: "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses..." (MARK 6:14-15) Then after Vespers after hearing the announcement of Lent in the Great Prokeimenon: "Turn not away Thy Face from Thy child for I am afflicted! Hear me speedily! Draw near unto my soul and Deliver it!" after making our entrance into Lenten worship, with its special memories, with the Prayer of St Ephraim the Syrian, with its Prostrations we ask Forgiveness from each other, we perform the Rite of Forgiveness and Reconciliation. And as we approach each other with words of Reconciliation, the Choir intones the Paschal Hymns, filling the Church with the anticipation of Paschal Joy. What is the meaning of this Rite? Why is it that the Church wants us to begin the Lenten Season with Forgiveness and Reconciliation? These questions are in order because for too many people Lent means - primarily, and almost exclusively - a change of diet, the compliance with Ecclesiastical Regulations concerning Fasting. They understand Fasting as an end in itself, as a "Good Deed" required by God and carrying in itself its merit and its reward. But, the Church spares no effort in revealing to us that Fasting is but a means - one among many - towards a Higher Goal: the Spiritual Renewal of mankind our joyful Return to God through our True Repentance and, therefore, True Reconciliation with God. The Church spares no effort in warning us against a hypocritical and Pharisaic Fasting - against the reduction of religion to mere external obligations. The words of a Lenten hymn states: In vain do you rejoice in no eating, O soul! For you abstain from food, but from passions you are not Purified. If you persevere in sin, you will perform a useless Fast! Forgiveness stands at the very centre of Christian Faith and of Christian Life because Christianity itself is, above all, the Religion of Forgiveness. God Forgives us, and His Forgiveness is in Christ, His Son, Whom He sent to us, so that by sharing in His Humanity we may share in His Love and be truly Reconciled with God. Indeed, Christianity has no other content but Love. And it is primarily the Renewal of that Love - a return to it, a growth in it - that we seek in Great Lent - in Fasting and Prayer, in the entire Spirit and the entire Effort of that Season. Thus, truly, Forgiveness is both the beginning of, and the proper condition for, the Lenten Season. One may ask, however: Why should I perform this Rite when I have no "enemies"? Why should I ask Forgiveness from people who have done nothing to me, and whom I hardly know? To ask these questions, is to misunderstand the Orthodox Teaching concerning Forgiveness. It is true, that open enmity, personal hatred, real animosity may be absent from our life, although if we experience them, it may be easier for us to Repent, for these feelings openly contradict Divine Commandments. However, the Church reveals to us that there are much subtler ways of offending Divine Love. These are indifference, selfishness, lack of interest in other people, of any real concern for them -- in short, that wall which we usually erect around ourselves, thinking that by being "polite" and "friendly" we fulfill Gods Commandments. The Rite of Forgiveness is so important precisely because it makes us realize be it only for one minute that our entire relationship to others is wrong. It makes us experience that encounter of one Child of God with another - of one person created by God with another - and makes us feel that mutual "recognition," which is so terribly lacking in our cold and dehumanized world. On that unique evening, listening to the joyful Paschal Hymns we are called to make a Spiritual Discovery: to taste of another Mode of Life and Relationship with people - of Life whose Essence is Love. We can discover that always and everywhere Christ, the Divine Love Himself, stands in the midst of us, Transforming our mutual alienation into Brotherhood. As we advance towards others and as others come to us, we begin to realize that it is Christ Who brings us together by His Love for both of us. And because we make this Discovery and because this Discovery is that of the Kingdom of God itself - the Kingdom of Peace and Love, of Reconciliation with God and, in Him, with all that exists we hear the Hymns of that Feast, which once a year "...opens to us the Doors of Paradise." We know why we shall Fast and pray, what we shall seek during the long Lenten Pilgrimage. Forgiveness Sunday is the day on which we acquire the Power to make our Fasting True fasting, our effort True Effort and our Reconciliation with God True Reconciliation.
ARCHPRIEST ALEXANDER SCHMEMANN CHEESEFARE/FORGIVENESS SUNDAY - 17 / 03 / 2013 SCHMEMAN.ORG

Sunday of Forgiveness
The quickly flowing River of Time rushes on to Eternity. Only the Holy Church and Gods Feasts stop this motion momentarily, as if counting the time. And our entire life, from our birth to departure from it, is reflected in this yearly cycle, which reminds us and calls to us: Know yourself, look inside yourself, O man. Who are you, how do you live, and what awaits you ahead? You are rushing headlong with this flow of time to timelessness, to Eternity. So it is every day, every year. Was it so long ago that the cry of the human heart, languishing in sins, rang out: Open unto me the Doors of Repentance, O Giver of Life? Our hearts trembledthe Fast was already in the air. But now, the Weeks of Preparation for our Field of Repentance in Great Lent have passed, when the Pharisee and the Publican were the mirrors of our soul; when we called out to our Heavenly Father with the voice of the Prodigal Son, recognizing also our remoteness from the Truth, our departure to a Faraway Land: O God, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee; make me one of Thy
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hired servants. And even when we were reminded of the Terrible and Glorious Last Judgment of the Lord, when the Books of Life shall be opened and all secrets revealed - not yet frightening us, but calling us to clear and concise knowledge of ourselves, which compels us to True Repentance. Now we are at the last at the Threshold of Great Lent, remembering the Terrible Tragedy that happened to mankind at the dawn of our historythe Expulsion of our Forefather, Adam, from the Presence of God and from Paradise. The vale of tears and sadnessthe earthreceived the Outcasts, and there they would reap thorns and thistles, and would earn their bread by the sweat of the brow, and that in pain, tears, and sadness Eve would give birth to his children, and they would reap all the bitter fruits of their Disobedience to the Heavenly Father. Adam wept in his Exile - ...outside Paradise... remembering what he had been, what he had possessed, and, especially, Whom he had lost and to this day, all mankind weeps and sighs over the
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first Adam, over the now elusive phantom of Happiness. The whole world, harassed and weary, weeps because of its waywardness, because of its naked soul; because life is aimless and joyless. Nothing can fill our life so that we might, unconditionally, feel the fullness of Truenot phantomHappiness - for this Joyful Fullness is only possible with God only possible by a Life in Christ. But we are Exiles. Paradise is far away, and the further mankind lives from the time of the Fall, the more shadowy that beautiful Image of Paradise becomes, the deeper our pain and suffering, and the more the Image and Likeness of God is erased from our soul. The world would have perished long ago, had not the Second Adam, Christ, reopened Paradise and granted us all the opportunity to return to it. We now bear the weight and sorrow of the life of an Exile. Even we, who live the Life of the Church, know also the Paradisal Joy of the open Royal Doors, and the Life-creating, jubilant Proclamation: Christ is Risen! for, in them is the original nearness to Divine Love for mankind. Preceding this Paradisal Joy on earth is Great Lent, and the Church continually teaches us that everything we have lost through our sins, we can regain only through Repentance, Podvig, (Spiritual Struggles) and Ascetic Labours of great Temperance (Selfcontrol). Just a few hours will pass, and we will all notice with amazement that something will change around us and within us; something will happen that will place a seal of particular concentration and attention upon everything. And along with the Church, we must pass from the call to Repentance to the very Labours of Repentance, to the Work of Repentance. Our Mother Church received our Lords Commandment of the Healing Fast, which was heard in Old Covenant times by the people of God through the Holy Prophet, St Joel: ...Now therefore, said the Lord your God, turn to Me with all your heart, and with Fasting, and with Weeping, and with Lamentation Sanctify a Fast, proclaim a Solemn Service assemble the Elders and all the inhabitants of the Lords House. Let the Priests that minister to the Lord weep, and say: Spare Thy People, O Lord, and give not Thine Heritage to reproach (JOEL 2:12, 15, 16, 17). The Second Adam, Jesus Christ, began the Path of His Labours with a Great Forty Day Fast, so that by His Divine Love for fallen man He might again open Paradise and show the way whereby we may return.. Our Lord Jesus Christ was ... led up of the Spirit into the wilderness And when He had Fasted for forty days and forty nights, He was hungry... (MATTHEW 4:1 2). The devil then tried to tempt Him so great is the audacity and blindness of the dark power! Having tempted mankind in Paradise, the evil one began to war against God in his Spiritual Blindness and arrogance. Being unable to recognise our Lord Jesus as the True Christ, our Saviour and Son of God he approached His Meekness, Humility, Patience, Purity, and Holiness with the darkness of his wicked temptations, woven from his pride, betrayal, conceit, and lies. However, the sinless Christ God, Who needed no Purification, opposed the Tempter with Fasting and Prayer, showing us the Path of Struggle against temptation and sin, for as our Lord later confirmed by His Word and Deed, this kind of evil can only be overcome by means of Prayers and Fasting. (MATTHEW
17:21).

By Prayer and Fasting, we receive Strength from the Holy Spirit for our Struggles against the enemy, and also the Gift of Discernment and the Mind of Christ. Prayer and Fasting lights the Light, which disperses the darkness of sinful life: ...the Light shines in Darkness; and the Darkness comprehended it not... (JOHN 1:5).

We can choose between a Path of corruption and Incorruption, good and evil. If woe, suffering, and death entered life through the sin of Disobedience to God, then only through Obedience, Prayer, and Fastingour living Sacrifice of Love for Godcan the Light of Supreme Righteousness, Peace, and Joy return - and this is Paradise on earth! According to Gods Commandment, Love for God manifests only as Love for people, for our heart can burn only with a two-in-one Love for God and others simultaneously. If our heart is hard and cruel toward our Brethren, then, darkened by dislike, coldness, and cruelty, we become indifferent or hypocritical to God, and Paradise, which could have been so close in our heart - leaves and fades, and the lack of Love gives birth to disobedience, conceit, and self-love. So how can we Love a sinner? How can we Love those who do not Love us - our enemies? Our Saviour has given us the Lords Prayer, with states: ... And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors By this Prayer our Lord tells us to examine ourselves, because we are those debtors who need to be forgiven; we are those very same sinners; we are those who do not Love unconditionally but by choice; we are someones enemy; we have offended others; we have contempt for others and have insulted, embarrassed or humiliated others. Consequently we ourselves need Forgiveness and condescending, unconditional Love. We are clearly taught that we must forgive others their trespasses against us just as our Heavenly Father forgives us, otherwise ... if you do not forgive (each other) their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses... (MATTHEW 6:14-15) Forgive everyone everything, and you will be forgiven. Forgive, and you will be Saved, and you will inherit Paradise. Our Lord also severely cautions us: Judge not, and you shall not be Judged! which shows us a short ad sure Path to Salvation and which opens for us the Gate of Heaven..(MARK 7:1). That Holy Virtue, without which all our Ascetic Labours and efforts in general, and during the Great Fast in particular, will be in vain, because this is the only Path of Love, beginning with non-judgment! Our Lords First Coming was not in order to Judge the world, but to Save it, and to re-open Paradise. However, God the Father has given all Divine, Impartial and Just Judgement to His Son at His Second Coming or Reappearance when ... Mercy rejoices against Judgement. (JAMES. 2:13). Today, beginning with the Ascetic Struggle of Great Lent, let us resolve not to judge nor to tempt others so that we might root ourselves in Saving, Blessed non-condemnation. May we only see, judge, and condemn ourselves, for this is how judgment without Mercy will be for our Salvation because this is the only judgment that leads us to true reason, and which gives us a Vision of that Abyss on the edge of which we stand, and which we dig ever deeper by our sins, our debts to God and others, and, especially by our unjust and unmerciful condemnation of others. Self-judgement will tear a heartfelt, Saving cry: Lord! Have mercy on me! O God, be merciful to me, a sinner! And the Miracle of our Salvation will begin. Our Lord will console our Repentant soul with Peace, Quietude, and Love, and, as St Seraphim of Sarov said: Acquire the Spirit of Peace, and thousands will be Saved around you and a Transformation will begin around us. Now is the spring of the soul! Great Lent is here! May your mind Fast from vain thoughts; may your will Fast from evil desires; may your eyes Fast from seeing evil; may your ears Fast from base songs and calumnious whisperings; may your tongue Fast from slander, condemnation, lies, flattering, and foul language; may your hands Fast from striking, and from stealing what does not belong to you; may your feet Fast from walking to evil deeds.
ARCHIMANDRITE JOHN KRESTIANKIN - 28 FEBRUARY (13 MARCH), 1994

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Greek Or th od ox Patriar chate of A le xandria & All Afr ica

A L L G L OR Y , H ONOUR A N D W OR SH IP T O T HE F AT H ER , A N D T O T HE S ON , A N D T O T HE H OL Y S P IR IT , NOW A N D FOR E V ER , A ND UNT O T HE A GE S OF A GE S . A ME N . R E ME MB ER ING A L S O OU R M OS T H OL Y , M OS T P UR E , M OST B LE S SE D A ND G L OR IOU S L A D Y , M A R IA , T H E OT OKOS , Y E T E V ER V IR GIN , T OGE T H E R WITH A LL T HE S A INT S . A ND L ET U S COMMIT OU R S EL V ES A ND ONE A N OT H ER A ND OUR WH OL E L IFE T O C H R IS T OUR G OD . A ME N .

37th Sunday After Pentecost 9 March 2014 Tone 4 5th Sunday of Triodion - 1st Sunday of Great Lent The Triumph of Orthodoxy
ALSO T HE FE AST OF TH E 40 HOL Y MA RTY RS OF S EBAS T E: ST CYR ION (QUIR IO) , ST CA NDID OS, ST D OM NOS, ST HE SYCHIOS , ST HE RACL IOS , ST SMA RAGD OS, ST EUNO KI OS, ST VALENS , ST V IV IAN OS, ST C LAUD IOS, ST P RIS KOS , ST T HE OD OUL OS , ST E VTYC HI OS, ST JOHN, ST XANT HI OS , ST HE L IAN OS , ST S IS IN IOS , ST A GGI AS , ST AE TIOS , ST FLAV IOS , ST AKA K IOS, ST ECDI KI OS, ST LYSI MAC HOS , ST ALE XANDE R , ST ELIAS , ST GOR GON IOS , ST T HE OPH ILOS , ST DO METIA N, ST GA IUS , ST LE ONT IOS, ST AT HANAS IOS, ST CY RIL , ST SA CERDON , ST NI CH OLAS, ST VALER IOS , S T PHIL OKT I MON , ST SE VE R IAN , ST C HUD ION , ST A GLA IOS , ST ME LIT ON - ST URPASIAN OS OF NI CO MEDI A S T CAE SARIOS , BROT HER OF S T GRE GORY T HE THE O LO GIA N ST TAR ASIOS OF LI CON IU M RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE 4

To

fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou Angelou mathouse e tou Kyriou mathitrie ke tin progonikin apofasin aporipsase, tis Apostolis kafhomene elegon. Eskilefte O thanatos, igerthi Hristos O Theos, doroumenos to kosmo to Mega Eleos. TONE 4

When the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt from

the Angels the Glad Tidings of the Resurrection that had cast away the condemnation of their Forefather, they spoke exultingly to the Apostles: Death is no more: Christ-God is Risen, granting to the world Great Mercy.

RESURRECTION KONTAKION

from their bonds those born of earth and smashed the Gates of Hades and, as Master, Arose on the third day. FESTAL APOLYTIKION ORTHODOXY SUNDAY TONE 2

Sotir ke ristis mou, apo tou tafou, os Theos Anestisen, ek ton desmon tous gigenis, ke pilas Adou sinetripse, ke os Despotis, anesti trimeros.

My Saviour and Deliverer, from the Tomb as God raised

Tin

ahranton Ikona Sou proskinoumen Agathe, etoumeni sighorisin ton ptesmaton imon, Hriste O Theos. Voulisi gar iidokisas Sarki, anelthin en to Stavro, ina risi ous eplasas ek tis doulias tou ehthrou. Othen efharistos voomen Si. Haras eplirosas ta panta O Sotir imon, paragenomenos is to Sose ton kosmon.

We venerate Thy Most Pure Image, O Good One, and ask

Forgiveness of our transgression, O Christ God. Of Thy own Will Thou were pleased to ascend the Cross in the Flesh to Deliver Thy creatures from bondage to the enemy. Therefore, with Thanksgiving, we cry aloud to Thee: Thou has filled all with Joy, O our Saviour, by coming to Save the world!

KONTAKION OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS

Ti

Ipermaho Stratigo ta Nikitiria, os litrothisa ton dinon Efharistiria, anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke. All os ehousa to Kratos aprosmahiton, ek pantion me kindinon eleftheroson, ina krazo Si: >Here Nimfi Animfevte!

To

Thee, O Theotokos, Invincible Defender, having been Delivered from peril, I, Thy City, dedicate the Victory Festival as a Thanksgiving Offering. In Thine Irresistible Might, keep me Free from all Trials, so that I may call out to Thee: > Hail, O Unwedded Bride!

THE HOLY MYRRHBEARERS WITNESS THE EMPTY TOMB OF OUR RESURRECTED LORD

Resurrection Gospel 4 Luke 24 : 1 - 12

The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 11 : 24 26 & 32 40

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Blessed art Thou, O Lord, God of our Forefathers! For Thou hast always dealt Righteously with us.
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Brethren: by Faith Moses when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the Reward... ...And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the Prophets who, through Faith subdued Kingdoms, worked Righteousness, obtained Promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, so that they might obtain a better Resurrection. Still others had trials of mockings and scourgings yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute, afflicted, tormented of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered about in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these people having obtained a Good Testimony through Faith did not receive the Promise God having provided something better for us, so that they should not be made Perfect apart from us.
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These verses are self-explanatory. St Paul reminds us how TH E O LD C OV EN ANT S AI NTS HA D TH E MOST AMAZI NG , UNSHAK ABLE F AI TH IN G OD , NO MA TT ER WHAT THE Y WER E FO RC ED TO SUFFER AND E NDU RE . We are so greatly Blessed to live in this day and age when SO MUCH HUMAN HISTORY AND D IVI NELY I NSPIR ED W RIT INGS , PERSO NAL WI TN ESSIN G , ETC IS A VAILABL E TO THOS E WHO SEEK D IV IN E T RUTH . Yet our Faith is possibly much weaker than all those who went before us because ALTHOUGH THEY O NLY H AD THEIR DE EP SEAT ED LOV E OF G OD AN D S TEA DFAS T F AITH I N H IM TO ENCOURAG E AND TO GUIDE TH EM , THEY NEVER DOUBTED NOR DID TH EIR OWN THI NG LIK E ALL EGO CE NTRIC PAG ANS OR NO N - B ELIEVERS DO . All too often, in the mistaken belief that we are so clever, we need proof before we accept anything as being true. However, D I VIN E T RUTH TH E P ERF EC T A ND A BSOLUTE T RUTH OF G OD CAN NO T BE PUT IN A T EST TUBE , DI SSEC TED N OR EXAMIN ED UN DER A MIC ROS COP E !
TRUE FAITH C OMES FROM DEEP WITHI N OUR S OUL FOR IT IS A NATURAL RECOG NITI ON OF AN D RESPONS E TO DIVI NE TRUTH AND L OVE

Blood Sacrifice for our sins and for our Eternal Salvation His Harrowing of Hades and His Glorious Resurrection. The good and the bad all were imprisoned by Death in Hades until Christ broke open the Gates of Hades and allowed the Justified immortal souls to rest in Peace in His re-opened Paradise, whence He had already sent the soul of the Repentant Thief. After the beheading of St John the Baptist the final and greatest Holy Prophet of God the DEPAR TED SOULS HEARD THE P R EA CHING OF TH E F OR ERUN NER , WHO ANN OUNC ED A ND P REPA RED TH EM FOR THE C OMI NG OF TH E O NE T RUE M ESSIAH . O NLY ON CE DI D THE DEPA RT ED SOULS HAVE A N OPPOR TUNIT Y TO REP ENT THEI R SINS AND FO LLOW C HR IST INTO His Paradise to await the Final Judgement and Eternal Life or Condemnation and Eternal Death in exile from God and all His Joyful Goodness. S INCE TH E G LORI OUS R ESURRECTI ON OF C HRIS T , WE NOW ONLY
HAVE THIS LIF ETIM E I N WHICH TO DEVELOP A CLOS E R ELATI ONSHIP WITH G O D AN D TO IMPRO VE OUR S PI RITUAL S TAT E .

In other words: it is natural for us to yearn for God and His Goodness. D ESPITE O R PERHAPS B EC AUSE OF TH E TR EMENDOUS DEEP S EA TED AND SI NCERE F AITH OF THE O LD C OV ENA NT S AI NTS , TH EY DID NOT ... RECEI VE TH E P ROMIS E ... OF EITH ER RESTI NG OR R EPOSI NG I N P EAC E IN P ARADIS E UNTIL THE G ENE RAL R ESURRECTION A ND OUR F I NAL J UDG EMENT until after Christs Death on the Cross the final and ultimate Great
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As soon as we begin the transition from this life through death towards Eternity, we no longer have the opportunity to Repent our sins and to improve ourselves and our Relationship with God and with one another. W HATEVE R S PI RITUAL S TAT E W E DEP ART THIS LIFE WHETH ER IN A STAT E OF S PIRI TUAL L IF E IN C H RIST O R S PIRI TUAL D EA TH IN SIN AN D A LI ENA TIO N FROM G O D , SO TO O WILL OUR IMMORTAL S OULS EXIST FO R ALL E T ER NITY .

The Holy Gospel According to St John 1: 44 52

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At that time, Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him: We have found Him of Whom Moses in the Law, and also the Prophets, wrote Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said to him: Can anything Good come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him: Come and see! Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said of him: Behold! An Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit! Nathanael said to Him: How dost Thou know me? And Jesus answered: Before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree I saw you. Nathanael said to Him: Rabbi: Thou art the Son of God! Thou art the King of Israel! Jesus said to him: Because I said to you I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater Things than these! And He said to him: Truly, truly, I say to you: hereafter you shall see Heaven open, and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.
Our Lord Jesus Christs first Disciples had been followers of St John the Baptist. They were St Andrew, Simon - who is known to us as St Peter (or Cephas) - St Philip and St Nathanael or St Bartholomew and St John (THE DIVINE, THE THEOLOGIAN, THE
EVANGELIST AND THE GOD-INSPIRED AUTHOR OF THIS HOLY GOSPEL.)
SO DILIG EN T A ND CA REFUL I N TH EIR S EA RCH F OR THE M ESSIAH .

T RUE

When Christ referred to St Nathanael/Bartholomew as having no deceit, it revealed that H E C OULD SE E DEEP WITHIN HIS SOUL TO A PURE HEART I . E . C HRIST KN EW HIM TO BE A Whatever happened under the fig tree, is not stated by St John but St John Chrysostom believed that THIS WAS TH E MEET ING PLAC E OF S T P HILIP A ND S T N ATHA NA EL A ND TH AT OUR L OR D J ESUS WAS PR AISING S T N ATH ANA EL F OR BEI NG Orthodoxy is the True Knowledge and Reverence of God. Orthodoxy is the Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth. Orthodoxy is the Glorification of the True God, the Knowledge of Him and Worship of Him. Orthodoxy is the Glorification of God by the true servants of God - given to us through the Grace of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Glory of the Christian, because where there is no Holy Spirit, there is no Orthodoxy. [Those who believed received the Gift of the Holy Spirit which had not been granted to the Old Covenant Faithful - after Christ had been Glorified, following His Resurrection and Ascension] There is no Orthodoxy in human teachings and philosophies because false reason reigns in them, which is the fruit (or consequence) of the Fall.
(CF. JOHN 7:39)

PERSO N WHO WAS ALWAYS ST RAIGH TFORW AR D AND HON EST WITH OTHE RS .

Christs Foreknowledge and ability to see into his heart stirred St Nathanael to this sincere Confession of Faith. The title Son of Man, is that of THE LO NG AWAI TED M ESSIAH THAT HA D A L EV EL OF M YS TERY I N ITS M EANI NG , IN DIC ATI NG S OMEO NE OF H EA VENLY O RI GIN W HO WOUL D USHER I N TH E E T ER NAL K I NG DOM OF G OD . (REFER DANIEL 7: 13 14) In an Old Testament imagery, St Jacob dreamt of a Ladder connecting earth to Heaven, upon which the Angels of God were ascending and descending. (GENESIS 28: 12 15) O UR L OR D J ESUS C HRIST IS THIS EXA CT D I VIN E L A DDER W HO U NIT ES US ON EARTH TO H EAV EN , AN D THUS IS R EALLY TH E S ON OF MA NKIND .

5th Sunday of Triodion 1st Sunday of Great Lent The Triumph of Orthodoxy
Orthodoxy is the Divine Teaching and Truth of the Holy Spirit granted to us by God for our Eternal Salvation. Where there is no Orthodoxy, there is no Salvation. According to the Creed of St Athanasios: "Whosoever will be Saved, before all things, it is necessary that we hold the Catholic [UNIVERSAL] Faith, which we must keep whole and undefiled or, without doubt, we shall perish Everlastingly." The Teaching of the Holy Spirit is a Precious Treasure! It was taught in the Holy Scriptures and the Sacred Traditions of the Orthodox Church. The Truth and Teaching of the Holy Spirit is a Precious Treasure! In it is the Guarantee of our Salvation. Our Blessed Portion in Eternity is Precious; nothing can take its place, and it is comparable to nothing else! The Truth and Teaching of the Holy Spirit is just as Precious, just as high above all other values, and a Guarantee of our Blessedness.

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In order to preserve this Divine Guarantee for us, the Holy Church recounts today - for all to hear - the false teachings that were spawned and published by Satanteachings that express his enmity toward God, and which slander our Salvation - robbing us of it. The Holy Church of Christ rebukes these false teachings as we would rebuke wolves seeking prey, deadly snakes, thieves, and murderers. Guarding us from them and calling back from Perdition those who were deceived by them, the Church anathematizes those teachings and all who stubbornly adhere to them. The word anathema means severance or rejection. When the Holy Church anathematizes a teaching, it means that that teaching contains blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and for the sake of our Salvation it should be utterly rejected and removed, just like deadly poison must be removed from food. When people are anathematized, it means that they have irreversibly adopted a blasphemous teaching, which deprives them - and those to whom they have imparted such fatal ideas - of salvation. When such people have made a commitment to abandon and reject such blasphemous teachings and to receive the True Teachings of the Orthodox Church - according to the Rules of the Holy Church they are obligated to anathematize the false teachings that they formerly upheld, which were destroying them and alienating them from God, which kept them locked in enmity against God, in blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and in communion with Satan. The meaning of anathema is the meaning of the Holy Church's Spiritual Cure of an illness in the human soul, which causes Eternal Death. All human teachings cause Eternal Death by introducing erroneous concepts drawn from so-called reason from carnal mindedness, which is that common heritage of fallen spirits and mankind that rejects the Divine Revelations concerning God. Human philosophies introduced into the teachings of the Christian Faith are called heresies, and adherence to these deceptive teachings is called evil belief.
[KIN DLY REFER TO ST J OHN KLIMAKOS LADDER OF D IVIN E ASCENT HOMI LY 1]

Hearing today the dreadful pronouncement of Spiritual Cure, let us accept it with a True Understanding of it; and pressing it to our souls, let us sincerely and decisively renounce those destructive teachings that the Holy Church strikes down by anathema for the Salvation of our soul. If we have always renounced them, then through the Voice of the Holy Orthodox Church of Christ let us confirm our renunciation of them. The Spiritual Freedom, Enlightenment, and Strength that we will unfailingly feel within ourselves is a profound Testimony to us of the rightness of the Churchs action, and the Truth of Her Teachings. The Holy Orthodox Church pronounces: ...As we therefore Bless and Praise those who have obeyed the Divine Revelation and have fought for it; so we reject and anathematize those who oppose this Truth, if while waiting for their Return and Repentance, they refuse to turn again to the Lord; and in this we follow the Sacred Tradition of the ancient Church, holding fast to Her Traditions. To those who deny the existence of God, and assert that the world is self-existing, and that all things in it occur by chance, and not by the Providence of God Anathema! To those who say that God is not Spirit, but flesh; or that He is not Just, Merciful, Wise and All-Knowing, and utter similar blasphemies Anathema! When the pagan ruler, Licinius, ruled the eastern half of the Roman Empire (307-323 AD), it was his evil intent to eliminate Christianity from the lands under his control, and especially, for fear of treason, among the troops.

To those who dare to say that the Son of God and also the Holy Spirit are not One in Essence and of equal honour with the Father, and confess that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not one God Anathema! To those who foolishly say that the Coming of the Son of God into the world in the Flesh, and His voluntary Passion, Death, and Resurrection were not necessary for our Salvation and the Cleansing of sins Anathema! To those who reject the Grace of Redemption preached by the Gospel as the only means of our Justification before God Anathema! To those who dare to say that the All-Pure Virgin Mary was not Virgin before giving Birth, during Birthgiving, and after Her Child-birth Anathema! To those who do not believe that the Holy Spirit Inspired the Prophets and Apostles, and by them taught us the True Way to Eternal Salvation, and Confirmed this by Miracles, and now dwells in the hearts of all True and Faithful Christians, and teaches them in all Truth Anathema! To those who reject the Immortality of the soul, the end of time, the Future Judgment, and Eternal Reward for Virtue and Condemnation for sin Anathema! To those who reject all the Holy Mysteries [Sacraments] held by the Church of Christ Anathema! To those who reject the Councils of the Holy Fathers and their Traditions, which are agreeable to Divine Revelation and kept Piously by the Orthodox Catholic Church Anathema! To those who mock and profane the Holy Images and Relics, which the Holy Church receives as Revelations of God's Work and of those pleasing to Him, to inspire their beholders with Piety, and to arouse them to follow these examples; and to those who say that they are idols - Anathema! To those who dare to say and teach that our Lord Jesus Christ did not descend to earth, but only seemed to; or that He did not descend to the earth and become Incarnate only once, but many times, and who likewise deny that the True Wisdom of the Father is His Only-Begotten Son Anathema! To the followers of the occult, spiritualists, wizards, and all who do not believe in the one God, but honour the demons; or who do not humbly give their lives over to God, but strive to learn the future through sorcery Anathema!
(FROM THE SERVICE OF THE SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY).

Divine Truth became Incarnate to Save through Himself us who have perished by accepting and adopting a murderous lie. Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed in Him: If you continue in My Word, then you are My Disciples indeed; and you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free! (JOHN 8:3132). Only those who are faithful to the Teachings of Christ decisively renounce and forever reject all those devious teachings once conceived and still being conceived by outcast spirits and lawless people, contrary to Christ's Teaching - to God's Truth and Teaching - by slandering its integrity and inviolability. The integrity of the God-revealed Teaching is preserved inviolable solely and exclusively in the bosom of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
ADAPTED & E DIT ED BY MP: A HOM ILY OF SUNDAY OF ORTHOD OXY BY ST. I GNATIUS (BR IANCHANIN OV) - TRANSLAT ED BY NUN C ORN ELIA (REES ) - [23 / 03 / 2013] HT T P : //W W W .P RA VOSLA VIE.RU /EN GL ISH/ 45 26 6. HT M

The Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste

One of his supporters was a cruel man, Agricola, who commanded the forces in the Armenian town of Sebaste, [eastern Turkey]. Among his soldiers were forty devout Christians who wielded equally well the sword of battle and the Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God.
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These men formed an elite bodyguard so when it came to Agricola's attention that they were Christians, he was determined to force them to renounce their Faith and bow down to the pagan gods. He gave them two alternatives: "Either offer sacrifice to the gods and earn great honours, or, in the event of your disobedience, be stripped of your military rank and fall into disgrace." The soldiers were thrown into jail to consider their response and that night they strengthened themselves by singing Psalms and praying. At midnight they were filled with Holy Fear when they heard the Voice of our Lord saying: "Good is the beginning of your resolve, but he who endures to the end will be Saved." (MATTHEW 10:22) The next morning Agricola summoned them once again, and tried to persuade them by flattering words, praising their valour and their handsomeness. When the soldiers remained unmoved, they were again thrown into prison for a week to await the arrival of Licius, a prince of some authority. During this time they prepared themselves for the Trial of Martyrdom, and St Cyrion exhorted his fellow soldiers, saying: "God so ordained that we made friends with each other in this temporary life; let us try not to separate even in Eternity. Just as we were pleasing to a mortal king, so let us strive to be worthy of the favour of the Immortal King, Christ our God." St Cyrion reminded his comrades how God had miraculously helped them in times of battle and he assured them that He would not forsake them now in their greatest Battle against the invisible enemy. When Licius arrived, the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste marched to the interrogation singing Psalm 53: "O God, in Thy Name Save me!" as they always did before entering into battle against the enemy. Licius repeated Agricola's arguments of persuasion, alternating between threats and flattery, but when he saw that words were of no avail, he sent them back to jail while he thought up a suitable form of torture that would be sure to change their minds. When Licinius had threatened to strip them of their honour as soldiers, St Candidos had responded: "Not only the honour of being a soldier, but take away our bodies, for nothing is more dear or honourable, to us than Christ our God." Consequently, the Commander had ordered his soldiers to stone the Holy Martyrs, but as they tried to stone the Holy Martyrs, astonishingly, the stones turned in midair and struck the soldiers instead one of the rocks also struck the Commanders face and knocked out his teeth. After Prayers that night, for a second time the soldiers heard the Voice of our Lord: "He who believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he Live. Be bold and have no fear of short-lived torment, which soon passes; endure...that you may receive Crowns." The next day the soldiers were led to a lake. It was winter and a frosty wind was blowing. The soldiers were forced to strip naked and to stand throughout the night in the freezing waters. A guard was set to watch over them and, in order to tempt the Holy Warriors of Christ, warm baths were set up on the banks of the lake so that anyone who agreed to sacrifice to the idols could flee the bitterly cold waters and warm his frozen bones in the baths. This was a great temptation, which, in the first cruel hour of the night, overpowered one of the soldiers, but scarcely had he reached the baths, when he dropped to the ground and died. Seeing this, the rest of the soldiers prayed all the more earnestly to God: "Help us, O God our Saviour, for

here we stand in the water and our feet are stained with our blood; ease the burden of our oppression and tame the cruelty of the air; O Lord our God-on Thee do we hope, let us not be ashamed, but let all understand that we who call upon Thee have been Saved." Their Prayer was heard. In the Third Hour of the night a warm Light bathed the Holy Martyrs and melted the ice. By this time all but one of the guards had fallen asleep. The guard who was still awake had been amazed to witness the death of the soldier who had fled to the baths and to see that those in the water were still alive. Now, seeing this extraordinary Light, he glanced upward to see where it came from and saw thirty-nine radiant Crowns descending onto the heads of the Holy Martyrs. Immediately, his heart was Enlightened with the Knowledge of the Truth. He roused the sleeping guards and, throwing off his clothes, ran into the lake shouting for all to hear: "I am a Christian too!" His name was Aglaius, and he brought the number of Holy Martyrs once again to forty. The next morning the evil judqes went to the lake and were enraged to find that not only were the Christian Soldiers still alive, but that one of the Roman guards had joined them. The Holy Martyrs were taken back to prison where their legs were crushed by sledge-hammers. The mother of one of the youngest Holy Martyrs, St Meliton, stood by and encouraged them to endure this trial. To their last breath the brave Holy Martyrs sang out: "Our Help is in the Name of the Lord..." before they all gave up their souls to God. Only St Meliton remained alive, although barely breathing. Taking her dying son upon her shoulders, the mother followed the cart on which the bodies of the other Holy Martyrs were being taken to be burned. When her son at last gave up his soul, she placed him on the cart with his fellow Athletes of Christ. The funeral-pyre burnt out, leaving only the 40 Holy Martyrs' bones. Knowing that faithful Christians would collect these Holy Relics as the Eternal Glory of the Martyred Soldiers and their God, the judges ordered them to be thrown into the nearby river. That night, however, the Holy Martyrs appeared to the Blessed Bishop, Peter of Sebaste, and told him to recover the bones from the river. Together with some of his Clergy, the Bishop went secretly that night to the river where the bones of the 40 Holy Martyrs of Sebaste shone like stars in the water, enabling them to be collected to the very last fragment. So also do the Holy Martyrs shine like Stars in the world, encouraging and inspiring Believers everywhere to be Faithful to Christ - even to the end. May their memory be Eternal and may they continue to Intercede with Christ our God for the sake of the Salvation of our soul.
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: HTTP://FULL-OF-GRACE-ANDTRUTH.BLOGSPOT.COM/2010/03/HOLY-FORTYMARTYRS-OF-SEBASTE.HTML

St John of Kronstadt I commit my whole life and everything by which a man lives - my Spiritual and bodily requirements - unto Christ my God, the Provider, the Ruler, and the Saviour: for, everything is in His Hands. As for me, I have only to zealously fulfil His Commandments.
SU O 9 MARC 2014

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Greek Or th od ox Patriar chate of A le xandria & All Afr ica

A L L G L OR Y , H ONOUR A ND W OR S H IP T O T HE F AT H ER , A ND T O T H E S ON , A ND T O T HE H OL Y S PIR IT , NOW A ND FOR E VE R , A ND U NT O T H E A GE S OF A GE S . A MEN . R E ME MB ER ING A L S O OUR M OST H OL Y , M OS T P UR E , M OS T B LE S SE D AND G L OR IOU S L A D Y , M A R IA , T HE OT OKOS , YE T E V ER V IR GIN , T OGE T H E R WIT H A L L T HE S A INT S . A ND L ET US C OMMIT OUR S EL V ES A ND ON E A NOTH E R A ND OUR WH OLE L IFE T O C H R IS T OU R G OD . A ME N .

38th Sunday After Pentecost 16 March 2014 Tone (5) Plagal 1 6th Sunday of Triodion 2nd Sunday of Great Lent Sunday of St Gregory Palamas
ALSO THE FE AST OF THE SYNAX IS OF THE VE NE RABLE H OLY F ATHE RS OF THE KIE V CAVE S LAVRA ST SAB INOS OF EGYPT ST PAPAS OF LYCO NI A ST SE RAP ION O F NOVG OROD ST AR ISTOBO ULOS OF THE 70 APOSTLES OF CHR IST & B ISH OP O F BRITA IN ST ALEX ANDE R, H IE RO MARTYR & P OPE OF R OM E ST J UL IAN O F ANAZA URI A, ANT IO CH, SYR IA ST TR OPH IMOS & ST T HA LLOS OF LAODI CE A S T PIMEN O F S ALOS I, ENL IG HTE NER OF DA GE STAN & NO RT H CA UCASOS ST CHR ISTODO ULOS OF PAT MOS ST VIT OS ST AMB ROSE TH E CONFE SSOR ST ANTHONY T HE CE NSURE R OF KIN GS ST DE ME TRI OS THE DE VOTE D, KIN G OF GE OR GI A
RESU
RRECT ION

APOL

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(5) PLA

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Ton

sinanarhon Logon Patri ke Pnevmati, ton ek Parthenou Tehthenta is Sotirian imon, animnisomen, Pisti, ke Proskinisomen. Oti ivdokise sarki anelthin en to Stavro ke Thanaton ipomine ke egire tous tethneotas en ti Evdoxo Anastasi Aftou.
L

The

Word, Who with the Father and the Spirit has no beginning, and Who, for our Salvation, was born of a Virgin, let us faithful believers hymn and adore. For it was His Good Pleasure to ascend the Cross in the Flesh, and to Suffer Death, and through His own Glorious Resurrection to raise the dead.

FESTA

APOL

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REGORY

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Orthodoxias O Fostir, Ekklisias to Stirigma ke Didaskale, Orthodoxys

ton Monaston i Kalloni, ton Theologon Ipermahos aprosmahitos, Grigorie Thavmatourge, Thessalonikis to kafhima, krix tis haritos, iketeve dia pantos, sothine tas psihas imon .
FESTA
L

Great Star, Support and Teacher of the Church, the Beauty of the Monks, and invincible Protector of the Theologians, O Gregory, Worker of Miracles, the Pride of Thessaloniki, Preacher of Grace, forever Thou Intercedes, that our souls may be Saved. Thee, O Theotokos Invincible Champion, Thy City in Thanksgiving ascribes the Victory for the Deliverance from sufferings. But having Thy Might unassailable, free me from all dangers so that I may cry out to Thee: > Hail! O Bride Ever Virgin!

KONTAK

ION

OF T HE

EVER BL

ESSED

THEOTOKOS

Ti Ipermaho Stratigo ta Nikitiria os

litrothisa ton dinon efharistiria anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke all os ehousa to Kratos aprosmahiton ek pantion me kindinon eleftheroson ina krazo Si: >Here Nimfi Animfevte!

Unto

Resurrection Matins Gospel 5 Luke 24 : 12 - 35

OUR RISEN LORD JESUS CHRIST APPEARS TO ST LUKE & ST CLEOPHAS ON WAY TO EMMAUS

O Lord, protect us and preserve us, both now and forever. Save us, O Lord, for there is not one Godly man left!
OUR LOR D J ESUS CHR IST IS WI THOU T BE GI NNI NG AN D TH E DIV IN E CR EA TO R OF ALL

Prokeimenon

St Pauls Epistle to the Hebrews 1 :10 2 : 3

Brethren: God the Father said to His Son: Thou, O Lord, in the beginning laid the Foundation of the earth, and the Heavens are the Work of Thy Hands. They will perish, but Thou remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak Thou will fold them up, and they will be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will not fail. Yet to which of the Angels has He ever said: Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy Footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits who are sent forth to minister to those who will inherit Salvation? Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
St Paul used a quotation from Psalm 101: 26 28, which concerns G O D TH E F ATH ER ADDRESSI NG AN OTH ER P ERSO N H IS E TERNAL S ON AS L OR D I . E . AS G O D . T HE S ACR ED R OLE OF TH E A NG ELS OF G O D the Holy Messengers of God IS ... TO MINIS TER T O TH OSE WHO WILL INHERI T E TERNAL S ALVA TIO N . At the beginning of the New Covenant Era, many Hebrews believed that the Heavenly Angels still mediated the Old Covenant with God. T HE H OLY A N GELS M OST C ER TAI NLY SERV ED G OD S D IVINE A NGEL O R M ESS ENG ER I . E . OUR L O RD A ND S A VIOUR , J ESUS C HRIST , THE I N CA RNA TE S ON OF G O D , WHILE H E LIVED AMO NGST US , until His Death on the Cross and His Descent into Hades, where they could not go having nothing to do with Death and Hades, the inventions of the Evil One who rebelled against God and who, together with his fallen angels (demons), is no longer part of Heaven or earth. Rather than ruling over humanity, THE H OLY A N GELS OF G O D ARE OUR PA RTN ERS OU R FELLOW I NT ELLE CTUAL BEINGS WHO ASSIST A ND GUI DE US IN OU R H OLY S ERVI CE TO G O D . God has granted their Service to humanity as OU R H OLY G UARDI AN A NG ELS WHO E NLIGH TEN , C AUTIO N , P ROT ECT AND W A TCH OVER US as we Journey through this temporary existence towards Eternity and hopefully, Eternal Life in Christ. W E MUST GIV E TH E MO RE EARNEST HEED ... IS S T P AUL S
SERIOUS ADMO NITI ON A GAI NST WILFUL N EGLIG EN CE AN D CAR ELESS NESS , WHI CH IS A SLOW P ROC ESS O F S PIRI TUAL D RIFTIN G A WAY FROM G OD AN D IN TO S PI RITUAL E XILE AN D SIN . Therefore, W E MUST REMA IN ALE RT A ND S PIRI TUALLY W A TCHFUL AT ALL TIM ES for the evil one always waits for every

opportunity to destroy us and our wonderful Relationship with God and our fellow struggling sinners. We must learn to APPLY ALL OUR L O RD S T EA CHINGS AN D R EVELATI ONS T O OUR P ERSONAL LIF E .

38TH AP-6THTRIODION-2ND LENT- ST GREGORY PALAMAS

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We must also learn to H EAR TH E VOIC E OF OUR G UAR DIA N A NGELS WHO WO RK JUST AS C EASEL ESSLY TO DRAW US

CLOSER TO G OD A ND WHO H ELP US ENDUR E DI FFICULTI ES AND TO R ESIST TEMP TATI ON .

The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 2 : 1 - 12

THE FAITH OF THE PARALYTIC AND HIS FOUR FRIENDS

At that time, Jesus entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that he was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the Word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a Paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near to Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was and when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the Paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their Faith, He said to the Paralytic: Son, your sins are forgiven you. And some of the Scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts: Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins except God alone? And immediately Jesus perceived in His Spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves so He said to them: Why do you reason about these things in your heart? Which is easier, to say to the Paralytic, Your sins are forgiven you, or to say, Arise! Take up your bed and walk!? But that you may know that the Son of Man has Power on earth to forgive sins... He turned to the Paralytic, ...I say to you: Arise! Take up your bed, and go to your house. Immediately he arose, took up his bed and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying: We never saw anything like this!
As shown by the Healing of this paralysed man, F AITH IS
CER TAI NLY A N IN DISPENSABL E CO NDI TIO N FOR OUR SALVAT ION . F AITH IS COLLECTI VE AS WELL AS P ERS ON AL FOR TH E PROFOUN D F AI TH OF THE PA RAL YSED MAN S FRI EN DS CONTRIBUT ED TO HIS M IR ACULOUS H EALI NG . This incident revealed TH REE CL EAR S I GNS OF OUR L OR D J ESUS D IVINI TY H IS D IVINE N ATURE : OUR L O RD J ESUS KNOWS TH E SEC RETS OF ALL HEARTS AN D SOULS . 1 K I N G D O M S 1 6 : 7 L X X : The Lord said to Samuel:

] ]

T HE ONE MAI N D IVINE P URPOSE OF OUR L O R D J ESUS C HRIST S C OMING INT O OUR WORL D IS F OR THE F O RGIV ENESS OF SINS A ND G RAN TIN G US E T ER NAL L IF E I N H IS D I VIN E K ING DOM O F L O VE . O UR WILLING R EP EN TAN CE OF OUR PERSO NAL SINS IS AN CEAS ELESS S T RUGGL E WHER EBY WE AR E SET FREE BY TH E G RAC E OF G O D FR OM THE BONDAG E A ND E NSLAVEMENT OF
THE EVIL ON E WHO ENSN AR ES A ND ENT RAPS US WI TH ALL HIS DEVIOUS TEMP TA TIONS . T HE F ORGI VE NESS OF SINS IS A FAR G REAT ER P OW ER THA N PHYSICAL H EALING, because, as the Scribes correctly stated, GOD ALONE CAN FORGIVE SINS!

Have no regard for his outward appearance, nor for the maturity of his stature, because i have refused him, for mankind does not see as God sees, for mankind looks at the outward appearance, WHILE TH E L OR D SEES IN TO TH E HEART . St Cyprianos believed THAT G O D S J UDG EMENT WILL NOT B E MER ELY BAS ED ON OUTWAR D APP EAR ANCES , BUT WILL
PEN ETR AT E MUCH DEEP ER I NTO THE H EA RT A ND S OUL OF EVERYON E FOR G O D CLEARLY SEES TH E HEAR T AN D THE MIN D OF EVERY HUMAN B EING , AN D H E WILL J UDGE EACH SOUL ACCO RDING T O OUR DE EDS , OUR WOR DS AN D OUR THOUGHTS ! 2 C H R O N I C L E S 6 : 3 0 L X X : ... hear from Heaven, Thy Dwelling Place, and forgive them. And GR ANT T O EVERYON E A CCO RDI NG TO HIS WAYS , for Thou know his heart, since T HOU ALONE K NOW THE HE ART S OF TH E SONS OF MA NKIND ... OUR L O RD J ESUS C HRIST FORGIVES SINS A D IVINE P OWER THAT B ELON GS TO G OD ALON E OUR L OR D J ESUS C HRIS T H EALS COMPLETEL Y PHYSICALLY A ND SPI RITUALLY BY THE P OWER OF H IS D IVINE W OR D ALON E .

Consequently, it is far easier for Christ to grant physical Healing to those who seek it, but OUR S PIRI TUAL H EALIN G REQUI RES US TO HUMBLE OURSEL VES , RECOG NISE O R IDE NTIF Y OUR SINS AND THEN EXP OSE TH EM TO THE D I VIN E L IGHT OF G O D , SEEKING H IS D IV IN E F OR GIV ENESS . Similarly, TH E F O RGI VENESS OF O NE ANO THER ALS O REQUIR ES THE EXPOSUR E TO THE D IVI NE L IGHT OF T RUTH since all too often the so-called victim is THE IN ITIAL OFF EN DER AN D NEEDS TO R ECTI FY DE EP S EA TED , HIDDEN SI N , WHICH IS ONL Y POSSIBLE WHEN T RUE H UMILITY AN D O BE DI ENC E T O G O D IS SINC ERELY SOUGHT . Although our Lord Jesus Christ is fully Divine (God) and He possesses complete Divine Authority to Forgive us our sins, in this incident H E C O NDESC ENDED TO THOS E WHO HAD GATH ERED AR OUND H IM , BY H EALI NG THE P A RALYS ED M AN IN O RDER TO DR AW TH EM ALL CLOS ER TO A LMI GHTY G O D W HOM THEY THEN G LO RIFIED FO R H IS G R EAT M ERCY .

On the second Sunday of Great Lent our Holy Church commemorates St Gregory Palamas, who played a leading role in the Triumph of Orthodoxy at a very difficult and crucial time in her history. St Gregory was born in the Emperors palace in Constantinople and grew up there, being educated as a Prince. Although the Emperor showered favours upon him and established him in a high position, St Gregorys heart yearned for Christ and for that reason he left the imperial palace at an early age and went to Mount Athos, where he entered Monastic Life. His sojourn on Mount Athos enable St Gregory to study the Inspired Writings of our Holy Church Fathers, and to experience the Spiritual Fruits of the Prayer of the Heart. The Prayer of the Heart or the Jesus Prayer, is that of the humble Publican: O Lord Jesus
12.

Sunday of St Gregory of Palamas

Christ, Son of God, have Mercy on me, a sinner! It is a Prayer that is repeated constantly and which has as its aim the Cleansing of the heart of all thoughts and desires, so that he who prays, may by the Grace of God experience the Divine Light. The Divine Light is Uncreated and is revealed only after great and intense Spiritual Struggle, which the Monk undertakes under Obedience to his Abbot or Spiritual Father. It is the same Divine Light that the three Apostles St Peter, St James and St John witnessed on Mount Tabor when our Lord Jesus Christ was Transfigured before them when His Face became as radiant as the sun and His garments as white as snow. The Vision of Divine Light may be vouchsafed (promised, granted or allowed) to any Orthodox Christian who sincerely strives to
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38TH AP-6THTRIODION-2ND LENT- ST GREGORY PALAMAS

clean his heart, soul and body, of all unclean thoughts and desires, thus becoming a True Temple of the Holy Trinity. Our Lord Promised that He would come down and make His Abode in the heart of anyone who Loves Him and keeps (obeys) His Divine Commandments. An Orthodox Monk is ideally the manifestation of Christian Love. He models himself on the Lives of the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church, because they embodied the Gospel Teachings in a practical manner. Outside of the Lives of our Holy Church Fathers, there is no Orthodox Life and Faith! Today, we Commemorate St Gregory Palamas who offers us a good example of True Orthodox Life and Faith. St Gregory is chiefly remembered for his defence of Hesychasm against the attacks of the materialistic Monk, Barlaam. Hesychasm or the quest for Divine Quietness is a concept that was first offered by St John Klimakos (of the Ladder of Divine Ascent) and later refined by St Nicephoros the Hesychast. According to St Gregory and the Hesychasts, the human body is Sanctified by the Holy Mysteries and participates through the senses in the Prayer Offerings, These views were challenged by Barlaam and his followers. A great controversy ensured. Eventually, Councils were convened and the Teachings of St Gregory Palamas were affirmed by the Holy Orthodox Church and were officially recognised. St Gregory Palamas found the True Meaning of Christian Life.

He was acknowledged as one of our Holy Churchs greatest scholars and was appointed Archbishop of Thessalonica in 1349. He Reposed at the relatively young age of 63 and his Holy Relics rest in Peace at Thessalonica. In 1368 St Gregory Palamas was Canonised as a Saints. It is very important for us to have a good example to imitate and many thousands of good Spiritual Examples are provided for us by the Holy Orthodox Church in the Lives of her Saints, which we Commemorate throughout the year. The Saints are those men and women who imitated our Lord Jesus Christ in their lives and being Sanctified by His Divine Grace, they became the Children of God and Heirs to the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven. Any church that does not produce Holy Saints, does not have the power to bestow Eternal Salvation on their Faithful. The Orthodox Church has always borne witness to the True Teachings of Faith in Christ, and this is proved by the multitude of Saints who have arisen within the Body of the Orthodoxy Church right up to this very day. Let us set a high goal for ourselves. Let us strive while we still have time to make our bodies and souls centres for the Divine Light. Through the Virtues of Faith, Hope and Love, and the Power of Unceasing Prayer, we may also become Heirs of the Eternal Kingdom of God and worthy participants in the Glory of the Holy Trinity. Amen
SUNDA Y OF ST G R EGORY O F P AL AMAS B Y HI S EM IN EN CE , M ET ROPOL IT AN PAN TEL E IMON OF AN T IN OES , TH E K ALY MN I TE ww w.orthodox-mitropolita n-of-a ntinoespa nteleimon.com

Saint Gregory Palamas as a Model for our Lives

By Prot opr esbyt er Fat her G eor ge P ap ava rnava s

St Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, lived in the fourteenth century, and was born in Constantinople. He came from a noble and pious family. His father, Constantine, was a member of the Imperial Senate, a teacher of the grandson of the Emperor as well as of the Emperor himself. He was most Pious and had uninterrupted Noetic Prayer. He associated with Holy people, Ascetics and Monks and connected with them and their children. The whole family Confessed to the same Spiritual Father. Constantine left this temporary life when St Gregory was just seven years old, and as he was dying, his wife asked him to ask the Emperor to place under him the care of their children, but he replied that he would rather ask the Queen of Heaven to place them under Her Protection. Indeed, the Ever Blessed Panagia protected St Gregory throughout his Life. Her Protection was at such a level, that before he would began his studies, he would kneel three times before Her Icon and recite a Prayer. When he did this, he could retain whatever he read. However, if he ever forgot to pray, then he could not remember nor recite what he had studied.

St Gregory excelled in his education, which caused the Emperor to recommend him an important position at the Imperial Palace. Yet, St Gregory yearned for a higher Spiritual Life and at the age of eighteen he left the city and Imperial life for the Holy Mountain Mount Athos. He loved quiet and lived ascetically at the Sacred Monastery of Great Lavra. He would pray constantly: "Lord Jesus Christ, Illumine my darkness. Most-Holy Theotokos, Illumine my darkness." He besought them both constantly that his nous would be Illumined by Divine Truth and Love, and eventually he became Illuminated and attained Theosis Spiritual Perfection - which is why his Theology is empirical (practical), and whenever given the occasion he shared it with others. At that time, the heretical Monk, Barlaam, taught that the Energies of God are created and that man is unable to see God, because the Essence of God is incommunicable - that the Divine is comprehended by reason, which is why the Philosophers are greater than the Prophets. Furthermore, he dishonourably mocked the Monks who practiced Noetic Prayer. St Gregory Palamas strongly refuted these heretical teachings and clearly indicated the True Path to knowing God. The existence at that time of a God-seeing Theologian of the Spiritual Stature of St
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Gregory Palamas was a Great Blessing, for because of him the True Faith was not altered. And we know very well, that when the Faith is altered to any degree whatsoever, then the correct means of Healing us is lost and it puts our Eternal Salvation at stake. Highlights of St Gregory Palamas written Teachings are as follows: 1. The Energies and Essence of God are Uncreated. Created mankind cannot partake in God's Essence in Divine Essence - but we can partake in His Energies i.e. we can know God and see His Uncreated Light. 2. Orthodox Theology is not cerebral, but empirical (practical, experiential), and it cannot be acquired through study alone. Books certainly help, but the True Knowledge of God is existential. God reveals Himself as Light to the Purified, and "...through the Holy Spirit they know God and are able to speak of Him." Philosophers speak reflectively through reason and imagination, which is why it is not possible for them to be higher than the Holy Prophets of God - who see God and speak of Him through the Holy Spirit. 3. A person reaches Theosis, which is the Theoria (Vision) of God, after having Purified their heart of the passions and after their mind has been Illumined. The Way of Life through which one reaches Purification and Illumination is called Hesychasm (Quietude or Stillness). The terms Quietude and Hesychastic Life do not simply mean living in a quiet place. One could live in the most quietest place and still not find Holy Stillness, because the

passions rage inside and mental images drive us crazy. Hesychasm is primarily an internal, Spiritual State, which our Holy Church Fathers refer to as ...the Science of Logismoi... (thoughts with mental images). The Hesychastic Life is in fact the Evangelical Life, and with the Guidance of a Discerning Spiritual Father all of us could experience it. "Only through Quietude can one acquire the Knowledge of God and become an Orthodox Theologian. This is the difference between Orthodox Theology and Scholastic Theology" (HIS EM IN E N CE ME TROP OLITAN
HIEROTHEOS MONASTICISM). OF NAFPAKTOS, ORTHODOXY

In our time - which is very similar to that of St Gregory Palamas - the winds of antiHesychasm are blowing, which is why the Teaching of the Hesychastic Way of Life is even more timely today. Through Quietude Holy Stillness - we are able to acquire self-knowledge, which leads us to Repentance, Humility and the Knowledge of God. Contemporary people stubbornly refuse to confront themselves. Quietude terrifies them, which is why when they are found to be alone even for a short time, they turn on the radio or television - craving human companionship. Without the Presence of Uncreated Divine Grace, which creates Inner Fullness and brings meaning to Life, we feel unbearable loneliness, even if surrounded by thousands of people.
SO U RC E : E K KLE SIA ST IKI P ARE M V ASI , " AG I OS G R HG ORI OS O PAL AM AS ", NO VE MB E R 20 02 . T RA NSL AT E D B Y JOH N SA NIDO PO ULO S

.T h e I n s p i r e d W i s d o m o f o u r H o l y C h u r c h F a t h e r s Nikitas Stithatos St John of Kronstadt

The three most general passions are self-indulgence, avarice and love of praise; and three are the ranks of men that fight against them and overcome them: those newly embarked on the Spiritual Path, those in mid-course, and those who have attained its Goal.

St John of Kronstadt
You wish others to speedily correct themselves of their faults, but do you speedily correct yourself; do you not suffer from the same, as others? Is it not through you, through your not correcting yourself, that others linger in their sins and passions?

St Maximos the Confessor

He who Loves God will certainly Love his neighbour as well. He who gives alms in imitation of God does not discriminate between the wicked and the Virtuous, the Just and the unjust, when providing for mens bodily needs. He gives equally to all according to their need, even though he prefers the Virtuous man to the bad man because of the probity of his intention.

How must we look upon the Gifts of intellect, feeling and freedom? With the intellect we must learn to know God in the Works of His Creation, Revelation, Providence, and in the Destinies of mankind. With the heart we must feel God's Love, His Most Heavenly Peace, the Sweetness of His Love. We must Love our neighbours, sympathize with them in joy and in sorrow, in health and in sickness, in poverty and in wealth, in distinction and in low estate (humiliation). We must use Freedom, as a means, as an Instrument for doing as much good as possible, and for Perfecting ourselves in every Virtue, so as to render unto God Fruits a hundredfold.

Nikitas Stithatos
God deserts those engaged in Spiritual Warfare for three reasons: because of their arrogance, because they censure others, and because they are so cock-ahoop about their own virtue. The presence of any of these vices in the soul prompts God to withdraw; and until they are expelled and replaced by radical Humility, the soul will not escape Just Punishment.

St John of Kronstadt
Beggars every day pursue you: this means that God's Mercy continually pursues you. "Blessed are the Merciful: for they shall obtain Mercy." And who will flee from God's Mercy?

St. John Klimakos When our soul leaves this world we shall not be blamed for not having worked Miracles, or for not having been Theologians or Contemplatives. But we shall certainly have to give an account to God of why we have not unceasingly Mourned.

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Greek Or th od ox Patriar chate of A le xandria & All Afr ica

A L L G L OR Y , H ONOUR A ND W OR S H IP T O T H E F A T HE R , A ND T O T HE S ON , A ND T O T HE H OL Y S PIR IT , NOW A ND FOR E VE R , A ND U NT O TH E A GES OF A GE S . A ME N . R E ME MB ER ING AL S O OU R M OS T H OL Y , M OS T P U RE , M OST B L E SS E D A ND G L OR IOU S L A D Y , M A R IA , T H E OT OKOS , YE T E V E R V IR GIN , T OGE T HE R WIT H A LL T H E S A INT S . A ND L ET U S C OMMIT OU R S E LV E S A ND ONE A NOT HE R A ND OU R WH OLE L IFE T O C H R IST OUR G OD . A MEN .

39th Sunday After Pentecost Tone (6) Plagal 2

23 March 2014

6th Sunday of Triodion - 3rd Sunday of Great Lent Veneration of the Holy Cross
ALSO THE FE AST OF ST N IK ON & H IS 199 FA ITH FUL D ISCIPLES O F S IC ILY ST NI KON , ABBOT OF K IE V FAR CAVE S M ONASTE RY - ST PH ILETOS THE SE NATO R, ST LYDI A, HIS W IFE , ST MACE D ONI OS & ST THE OPRP IOS, T HE I R SO NS OF ILLYR IA ST CR ONIDE S T HE NOT ARY O F ILLYR IA ST A MPH ILO C HI OS THE CAPTAIN , OF ILLYRIA ST BASI L OF MAN GAZE A , S IBE RI A ST LU KE THE M ONK MARTYR OF S T ANNES S KETE, M OUNT ATH OS & OF ODR IN ST SE RG I OS THE NE W CONFESSOR OF TVER

RESU

RRECT ION

APOL

YTIKION

TON

(6) PLA

GAL

Angelike

Dinamis epi to Mnima Sou ke i filassontes apenekrothisan. Ke istato Maria en to tafo, zitousa to ahranton Sou Soma. Eskilevsas ton Adin, mi pirasthis ip aftou. Ipintisas ti Partheno, Doroumenos tin Zoin. O Anastas ek to nekron, Kyrie, Doxa Si.

The Angelic

FESTA

APOL

YTIKION

VENERATION

OF THE

OLY

CRO

SS

Powers were in Thy Tomb, and the guards became as dead men, and Mary stood by the Tomb seeking Thy Most Pure Body. Thou led captive Hades, yet were not tempted thereby: Thou Who art the Bestower of Life came to meet the Woman. Glory to Thee, O Lord, Who Rose again from the dead! OF CHRIST : Lord, Save Thy people and Bless Thine Inheritance, granting Orthodox Christians victory over their enemies, and guarding Thy commonwealth with Thy Cross

>Soson

Kyrie ton Laon Sou, ke Evlogison tin Klironomian Sou, Nikas tis efsevesi kata varvaron doroumenos, ke to Son filatton, dia tou Stavrou Sou politevma
L

>O

FESTA

Ti

KONTAK

ION

OF T HE

EVER BL

ESSED

THEOTOKOS

INST

Ipermaho Stratigo ta Nikitiria Os Litrothisa ton dinon Efharistiria Anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke All os ehousa to Kratos aprosmahiton ek pantion me kindinon eleftheroson ina krazo Si: Here Nimfi Animfevte!
EAD OF T HE

Unto Thee, O Theotokos Invincible Champion, Thy City

in Thanksgiving ascribes the Victory for the Deliverance from sufferings. But having Thy Might unassailable, free me from all dangers so that I may cry out to Thee: Hail! O Bride Ever Virgin! Cross, O Master, we Reverence, and we Glorify Thy Holy Resurrection [3] to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

TR

ISAGION

YMN

WE SING

Ton Stavron Sou Proskinoumen, Despota, ke tin Agian Thy > Doxa
Sou Anastasin Doxazomen [3] Patri, ke Io, ke Agio Pnevmati ke nin ke Ai ke is tous eonas ton eonon.

> Glory

Amin Ke tin Agian Sou Anastasin Doxazomen Dynamis! Ton Stavron Sou Proskinoumen, Despota, ke tin Agian
Sou Anastasin Doxazomen

Amen And Thy Holy Resurrection we Glorify Power/Strength Thy Cross, O Master, we Reverence, and
Thy Holy Resurrection

we Glorify

CONCERNING

St Pauls Epistle to the Hebrews 4 : 14 5 : 6

OUR

Sing Praises to our God, sing Praises! O Clap your hands, all you Nations!

Prokeimenon

MER CIFUL HIGH PRI EST & QUALIFI CATIONS

FOR THE

HOLY PRI ESTHOOD

Brethren: ... seeing then that we have a Great High Priest Who has passed through the Heavens Jesus, the Son of God let us hold fast our Confession. For we do not have a High Priest Who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but Who was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace, so that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in the time of need. For every High Priest taken from among men is appointed for mankind in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for sins. He can have Compassion for those who are ignorant and going astray since he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this, he is required as for the people, so also for himself to offer Sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honour to himself, but he who is Called by God just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not Glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He Who said to Him: Thou art My Son: today I have Begotten Thee. As He also said in another place: Thou art a Priest forever according to the Order of Melchizedek.

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OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS OUR ONLY HIGH PRIEST TRUE, DIVINE HEAD OF HIS ETERNAL, HOLY CHURCH. The expression ... passed through the Heavens... refers to the Ascension into Heaven by our Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ when He returned to His rightful Divine Position in Eternity at the right hand of God the Father. However, it is important to keep in mind that GOD, BEING OMNIPRESENT, NEVER LEAVES EITHER HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM NOR US ON EARTH. HE IS EVER PRESENT BUT INVISIBLE TO US WATCHING OVER Us unless we enter a state of Spiritual Death (sin) then HE TURNS HIS SIGHT AWAY FROM US UNTIL WE REPENT AND RETURN TO A STATE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE. Our Lords Ascension into Heaven means that HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED HIS DIVINE MISSION ON EARTH AND HAS ENTERED INTO HIS SABBATH REST. OUR LORD J ESUS CHRIST HAS GREAT EMPATHY WITH HIS CREATURES and especially with us sinners, since HE EXPERIENCED THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE EVIL ONE IN HIS HUMAN NATURE, EVEN THOUGH HE REMAINED SINLESS. AS GOD-MAN, OUR LORD J ESUS WAS INCAPABLE OF COMMITTING ANY SIN WHATSOEVER BECAUSE IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AGAINST HIS PERFECT NATURE. Christ showed us by His own Example that IT IS INDEED POSSIBLE TO RESIST TEMPTATION although for us it is an even greater Spiritual Struggle that lasts until we have drawn our last breath. The Ever Blessed Theotokos and St John the Baptist were so devoted to the Will of God that THEIR LOVE FOR HIM COMPELLED THEM TO BE HUMBLY OBEDIENT, WHICH IS WHAT WE TOO MUST ALWAYS STRIVE TO ACHIEVE. Our Lord Jesus Christ is Enthroned at the right hand side of God the Father the position of honour and HE IS SEATED ON A THRONE OF G RACE RATHER THAN A THRONE OF JUDGEMENT, GRANTING HIS G REAT MERCY AND DIVINE G RACE TO HELP US IN TIMES OF NEED.

A PRIEST USUALLY STANDS WHILE SERVING OUR LORD GOD. He can never be seated while doing so, for that would be utterly disrespectful. (That is also why we should be standing at all times throughout the Holy Services. Now that we have pews or chairs in our churches, we should only rest on the edge of the seat if need be, ready to stand and worship with our entire bodies.) THERE IS SIGNIFICANT POWER IN OUR ENTHRONED HIGH PRIEST, FOR HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED AND FULFILLED ALL THE NECESSARY SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS FOR ALL TIME! (The Holy Icon of 0ur Lord Jesus Christ, depicted as a High Priest, is usually situated on the Bishops Throne in every Orthodox Church reminding us that there is only one Divine Head and that the Bishop acts on His Behalf. Thus we should obey the will of the Bishop as though it was the Divine Will of Christ.) In order to qualify as an Old Covenant Priest, a man was chosen from among men i.e. another male human being who was appointed for men specifically for Liturgical Service. He had to offer the blood Sacrifices to God for his and the peoples sins. He had to be compassionate towards others and he had to be Called by God to serve Him. In the Aaronic Priesthood A PRIEST IDENTIFIED HIMSELF WITH
HUMANITY AND HAD GREAT SYMPATHY FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE HE SINNED AS MUCH AS OTHERS SINNED IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.

The Blood Sacrifices were vicarious offerings of various animals, according to the sins that had been committed. OUR LORD J ESUS CHRIST ASSUMED AND FULFILLED THE OLD COVENANT P RIESTHOOD FOR JUST LIKE MELCHIZEDEK, HE IS BOTH PRIEST AND KING. HOWEVER, HE HAS NEVER SINNED I.E. HE CANNOT SIN AND HIS GREAT SACRIFICE WAS THE BLOOD SACRIFICE OF HIMSELF, WHILE HIS PERFECT, ETERNAL P RIESTHOOD CONTINUES IN HIS HOLY CHURCH FOR EVERMORE.

OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS DIVINE TEACHING CON CERNING ET ERNAL LIFE BEING GOOD & FAIT HFUL DISCIPLES

The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 8 : 34 9 : 1

instrument of Roman torture and execution, HAS BECOME FOR ALL STRUGGLING DISCIPLES OF CHRIST A HOLY SYMBOL OF OUR SPIRITUAL S TRUGGLE AND SUFFERING, IN IMITATION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST. THE HOLY CROSS OF CHRIST IS OUR MOST VENERATED BADGE OF HONOUR WHEREBY WE LIVE AND DIE IN CHRIST. WE PRACTICE SELF-DENIAL FOR THE SAKE OF OUR LOVE OF G OD AND HIS HOLY GOSPEL and our acceptance of this part of our Sacred Mission is certainly not a form of punishment, nor is it an end in itself, but rather, IT IS A MEANS OF OVERCOMING AND DEFEATING THE FALLEN WORLD FOR THE SAKE OF GODS HEAVENLY, ETERNAL KINGDOM OF LOVE, JOY AND PEACE. Therefore we take up our personal Crosses and Follow Christ by CRUCIFYING THE DEMANDS AND DESTRUCTIVE PASSIONS OF OUR WEAK FLESH AND BY SO DOING, WE STRENGTHEN OUR IMMORTAL SOULS AND GRADUALLY BECOME WORTHY, SANCTIFIED CITIZENS OF ETERNAL LIFE. G A L A T I A N S 5 : 2 4 : ... those who are Christs have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. The central paradox of our Life in Christ is that whenever we try to grasp temporal (earthly) things, we lose the Eternal, Priceless Treasures of Heaven. However, WHEN WE LEARN SELF-DENIAL AND REPENTANCE, AND WE SACRIFICE OR RESIST THE TEMPTATION OF ALL WORLDLY THINGS, WE GAIN UNTOLD AND UNIMAGINABLE ETERNAL RICHES! What will a man give in exchange for his soul? is a most profound question because it emphasises the utter foolishness of trying to accumulate WORLDLY POSSESSIONS

At that time, when our Lord Jesus had called the people to Himself, with His Disciples also, He said to them: Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospels will Save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the Glory of His Father with the Holy Angels. And He said to them: Truly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God present with Power. ] THE CROSS, which was the most dreaded and inhumane AND TEMPORARY SOCIAL STATUS OR POWER for NONE OF THESE
CAN REDEEM OUR FALLEN, UNREPENTANT IMMORTAL SOUL. NOTHING OF THIS TEMPORARY, MATERIAL WORLD BENEFITS US IN ETERNITY. THEREFORE, WE MUST RESIST THE TEMPTATIONS THAT DISTRACT US AND LEAD US ASTRAY AND CAUSE US TO FALL INTO SPIRITUAL DEATH. Let us rather take up our heavy Crosses of earthly life AND FOLLOW CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR, WHO LEADS US SAFELY TO OUR HEAVENLY DESTINATION. Let us use every minute of our lifespan LIVING IN CHRIST AND SEEKING ONLY THE SPIRITUAL QUALITIES AND NECESSITIES TO ADVANCE US AND TO BENEFIT US ETERNALLY. Let us CONSTANTLY OFFER THANKSGIVING TO OUR LIVING GOD WHO IS INFINITELY M ERCIFUL, GRACIOUS AND BENEVOLENT. BE GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOUR BLESSINGS WHICH FAR OUTWEIGH ALL THE THINGS YOU MAY THINK YOU WANT OR NEED! Let us MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO IMITATE CHRIST our Lord Who clearly and concisely shows us that EVERYTHING GOOD IS INDEED POSSIBLE in this poor, tragic and darkened fallen world. ] Finally, those who would ... see the Kingdom of God present with Power... was a reference to OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS TRANSFIGURATION ON MOUNT TABOR, which three of His closest Apostles witnessed shortly before His Great Passion and Resurrection. It is also a reference to THOSE FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN EVERY GENERATION WHO WILL EXPERIENCE THE TRUE PRESENCE OF GODS KINGDOM.

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The Third Sunday of Great Lent Veneration of the Holy Cross Sacred Gospel Lesson pinpoints then, Brethren, stand firm and hold to the CERT AIN ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR T RU E Teachings that we passed on to you D ISCIPLESHIP . whether by word of mouth or by letter... (2 THESSALONIANS 2 :15) O UR L ORD INVITES A LL MANKIN D TO BECOME H IS T RUE W ORKS AR E NECESSAR Y F OR US TO L IV E D ISCIPLES , BUT H E ALSO WANTS THEIR L OV E AND ACT ACCORDING T O THAT T RUE F AITH TO BE FR EEL Y GIV EN . i.e. humble Obedience to and keeping of all The Holy Trinity made us according to Their Gods Divine Commandments and Image and Likeness. Teachings. The element of Image is included in our free Our Lord Jesus Christ cautioned us: I tell you will and we are free to do whatever we the Truth: everyone who sins is a slave to choose. sin! (JOHN 8 : 34) W E ARE CONTINUALL Y CONFR ONTED B Y GOOD And He invited all mankind to follow Him, but AND EV IL , AND IT IS UP T O US T O MAKE A He never forces us to do so and H E INSISTS CH OICE , AFTER WH ICH WE A CT A CCOR DINGL Y . THAT WHOEV ER WANTS TO FOLL OW H IM , No one can compel us to do anything against MUST TO DO OF HIS OWN FREE WIL L . our free will, but WE ARE OFT EN D ELUD ED It is evident from our Lords earthly Life exactly AND MISLED . how great Almighty Gods Love for mankind I N P ARADISE A DAM CHOSE TO DIS OBEY TH E ON E is and how absolute His Respect is for our D IVINE C OMMANDMENT , WHICH R ESULTED IN free will. THE F ALL OF ALL HUMAN IT Y . Although Christ came all the way from Heaven Moreover, far from recognising his own to Save us, H E NEVER F OR CES AN YON E T O responsibility for the catastrophic FOLL OW H IM . consequences of his disobedience, he However, due to His infinite Love for us, H E blamed God. YEARNS F OR EVER Y ONE OF US TO RETURN TO Our ancient ancestors, A DAM AND E V E , HAD H IM , yet it is left entirely up to our own THE OPP ORTUNIT Y TO R ETURN TO G OD personal choice whether we do so or not. THROUGH R EP ENTAN CE , BUT RATHER CH OS E This Divine Respect for our free will is also TO LIV E FAR AWA Y FR OM H IM . shown by THE O RTHODOX C HURCH for She, While still in Paradise, God granted us human too, NEVER FORCES AN YON E TO DO AN YTH ING beings three opportunities to Repent, but AGAINST HIS OR H ER W ILL , BECAUS E THIS on all three occasions we freely chose to WOULD BE CONTRAR Y T O THE T EACHING OF ignore these opportunities. (REFER GENESIS 3 : 10 14) C HRIST . According to St John Chrysostom, OUR L ORD Consequently, it is entirely up to us whether we G OD SHOWED ABS OLUTE R ESP ECT FOR OUR fulfil the Divine Teachings and FREE WILL WHEN H E ...created man without Commandments, as our Lord Himself the help of man, but without (our) cotaught us to do. operation God cannot Save (us). However in case we misinterpret this God wishes to restore the King of Nature i.e. emphasis on our free will we must bear in mind two important points: IF WE WISH TO mankind to the happy estate that we BE T RUE D ISCIPL ES OF C HRIST , WE MUST enjoyed before the Fall. DOES N OT FORCE TH E However, HE BELIEV E IN H IM WIT H AL L OUR BEI NG B ODY R EST ORATION ON US BECAU SE W E MU ST WANT AND SOUL AN D WE CANNOT AND MUST N OT IT FOR OURS ELV ES and in order to achieve ADD , CHANG E OR D ELET E AN YTHING AT ALL It, WE MUST FOL LOW THE W A Y THIS IS LA ID FROM H IS D IVINE T RUTH . DOWN B Y G OD . We must not only profess to be Christians or This Way is revealed by OUR L OR D J ESUS Disciples of Christ, but we must also LIVE C HRIST Who SHOWED US DURING H IS our Christianity, for we have PUT ON EARTHL Y L IF E EXA CTL Y H OW WE CAN RETURN CHRIST and we LIVE IN CHRIST. TO OUR ORIG INAL , NATURAL STAT E BEF OR E As St James taught us: What good is it, my THE F ALL , AND H E INVIT ED U S T O Brethren, if a man claims to have Faith, UNDERTAKE THE SALV IFIC J OURNEY . but has no deeds? Can such Faith Save Our Lord Jesus Christ wants ... all men to be him? Suppose a Brother or Sister is without Saved and to come to the True Knowledge clothes and daily food if one of you says to of God. him: Go, I wish you well; keep warm and It is definitely not His Wish that we should live well fed... yet does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? in a permanent state of alienation from His In the same way Faith by itself if it is not Divine Grace and Love. W E ARE S AV ED THROUGH OUR F AITH IN OUR accompanied by action is dead. But L ORD AND S AV IOUR , J ESUS C HRIST , THE S ON someone will say: You have Faith, I have OF G OD ACCOR DING T O THE W ILL OF G OD deeds. Show your Faith without deeds, and I THE F ATHER , WHICH IS MADE P OSSIBLE B Y will show you my Faith by what I do. G OD THE H OLY S P IRIT . You believe that there is one God. Good! Even However, we are not Saved by our Faith alone the demons believe that, and shudder! for our Lord Jesus Christ taught us that OUR You foolish man, do you want evidence that E TERNAL S ALVATION D EPEN DS ON TW O Faith without deeds is useless? Was not our IMPORT ANT A SPECTS T RUE F AITH A ND ancestor, Abraham, considered Righteous T RUE W ORKS . for what he did when he offered his son, True Faith is the acceptance of all that Christ Isaac, on the Altar? and His Holy Disciples taught us: ... So Todays
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You see that his Faith and his actions were working together, and his Faith was made complete by what he did. (JAMES 2 : 14 22) ... as the body without the spirit is dead, so Faith without deeds is dead. (JAMES 2 : 26) The second point is that WHILE WE ARE FREE T O DO A S W E WIS H , WE AR E R ESP ONSIBL E F OR OUR ACTIONS . Mankind is the only creature on Earth who is responsible for his each and every action, for, according to our free will, WE CH OOSE
TO DO EITHER G OOD OR EVIL A ND WH ATEV ER WE DECID E TO DO , IT WILL HAVE CERTA IN CONSEQU EN CES FOR W HICH W E WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE .

the Church so that the Faithful could venerate It. On Monday and Tuesday the women venerated It and on Wednesday and Thursday it was the turn of the men. On Friday, after the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, It was restored to Its place a safekeeping. T HE P URPOS E OF THE V EN ERATION OF TH E H OLY, L IFE - GIVI NG C ROSS OF C HRIST IS FIRSTL Y THAT WE MIGHT GAIN S PIRITUAL A ND PHYSICAL S TR ENGTH TO CONTINU E OUR S PIRITUAL S TRUGGL ES ; AND S ECONDL Y, THAT
WE MIG HT LEARN THAT BEFOR E THE

Animals are not held responsible for what they do because they act naturally from instinct, which is different to our free will. Our True Freedom is fulfilled only in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, ... so if the Son sets you free, you will be Free indeed!
(JOHN 8 : 36)

W HEN W E AR E DIV ORCED FROM C HRIST i.e. alienated from Divine Goodness and Grace through our unrepented sins and when we are far away from the True Knowledge of God, WE ARE A CTUALL Y IMPRISON ED IN S PIRITUAL D ARKNESS S PIRITUAL D EATH AND S PIRITUAL B ON DAG E . Today, my Beloved Brother and Sisters in Christ: our Lord invites us to follow Him: Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will grant you rest. Take My Yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I Am Gentle and Humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For My Yoke is easy and My Burden is Light. (MATTHEW 11 : 28
30)

It is up to us whether we accept this Divine Invitation or cast aside the great opportunity for our Eternal Salvation, which He granted us by means of His Great Sacrifice on the Cross. Today the Orthodox Church of Christ offers for Veneration the Holy Cross so that WE F AITHFUL D ISCIPLES OF C HRIST MAY BENEFIT FROM IT S G RACE IN OUR STRIVING T O AD APT ED & ED IT ED BY MP - A S E R MO N DEL I VE R ED COMPL ETE T HE F AST OF G REAT L ENT . BY H IS E M IN ENC E , M ET ROPOL IT AN P ANT EL E I MON OF ANT INOE S, T HE KAL Y MNITE , ON TH E TH IRD This Holy Tradition arose in Constantinople at SUNDAY OF GR EAT L ENT SUND AY OF TH E the Church of St Sophia where the True VEN E RA TION OF TH E HOL Y C ROSS (MA RK 8: 34 Cross of Christ was safeguarded. 9 : 1) Half way through the period of Great Lent the ww w.orthodox-mitropolita n-of-a ntinoespa nteleimon.com Patriarch of Constantinople placed the Holy Life-giving Cross of Christ in the centre of St John of Kronstadt We ought to Confess our sins more frequently, Cross, His Death and Burial, and His in order to strike and scourge the sins by Resurrection from the dead. the open avowal of them, and in order to Think what He bore to Save us from Everlasting feel a greater loathing for them. Torments, and what He requires from you Think, man, into what misery audacious sin has in return: that you should give yourself up cast you, and what has been done for your wholly to Him; that you should Live, not for Salvation by our Master, Christ, the Son of yourself, but for Him, fulfilling His God; remember His Incarnation, His Commandments. voluntary Self-extinction, His Intercourse Shun, therefore, everything that draws you into with mankind, His Words, His Miracles, how sin: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the He was mocked, reviled, spat upon, eyes, and the pride of life; crucify your scourged, buffeted, and, lastly, remember flesh, with its passions and lusts; Save His most shameful crucifixion upon the your soul by Patience; Love God, and your neighbour as yourself.

R ESURR ECT ION , THER E IS T HE C RUCIFI XION , which means that WE MUST CRUCIF Y OUR PASSI ONS S O THAT THR OUGH T HEI R DEAT H , OUR N EW M AN IN C HRIST MAY B E R ESURR ECT ED , as St Paul taught us: ... those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their sinful nature with its passions and desires... (GALATIANS 5: 24) Furthermore St Paul reminded us: ... do you not know that all of us who were Baptised into Christ Jesus, were Baptised into His Death? We were, therefore, buried with Him through Baptism into Death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the Glory of the Father we will certainly also be United with Him in His Resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also Live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again Death no longer has mastery over Him. The Death He died, He died to sin once and for all; but the Life He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (ROMAN 6 : 3 11) Amen.

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29 TH SUNDAY AFT ER PENTECOST 7 TH

OF

TRIODION 3RD

OF

GREAT LENT HOLY CROSS - 23 MARCH 2014

Greek Or th od ox Patriar chate of A le xandria & All Afr ica

A L L G L OR Y , H ONOUR A ND W OR S H IP T O T H E F A T HE R , A ND T O T H E S ON , A ND T O T H E H OL Y S P IR IT , NOW A ND FOR E VE R , AND U NT O TH E A GE S OF A GE S . A ME N . R E ME MB ER ING A L S O OUR M OS T H OL Y , M OS T P U R E , M OS T B L E SS E D AND G L OR IOU S L A D Y , M A R IA , T H E OT OKOS , YE T E VE R V IR GIN , T OGE T HE R WIT H A LL TH E S A INT S . A ND L ET US C OMMIT OU R SE L VE S A N D ONE ANOT H ER A ND OU R WH OL E L IFE T O C H R IS T OUR G OD . A ME N .

25 March 2014 The Annunciation

(THE BEGINNING OF OUR ETERNAL SALVATION) ALSO THE FEAST OF T HE SENUPHR IOS T HE CONFESSOR INDEPENDENCE
OF

GREECE

ST

FESTAL APOLY TIKION OF THE A NNUN CIATION TONE 4

Simeron

tis Sotirias imon to kefaleon, ke tou ap eonos Mistiriou i fanerosis; O Ios tou Theou, Ios tis Parthenou ginete, ke Gavriil tin Harin evangelizete. Dio ke imis sin afto, ti Theotoko voisomen: Here Keharitomeni! O Kyrios meta Sou!

Today is the Crown of our Salvation, and the Revelation

of the Mystery planned from Eternity: the Son of God becomes the Virgins Son, and Gabriel announces the Grace. Wherefore, let us along with him cry out, to the Theotokos: Hail! O Full of Grace! The Lord is with Thee!

FE STAL KON TAKION AN NUNCI A TI ON - TONE (8) P LAGAL 4

Ti

Ipermaho Stratigo ta Nikitiria, os litrothisa ton dinon Efharisiria, anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke. All os ehousa to Kratos aprosmahiton, ek pantion me kindinon eleftheroson, ina krazo Si. > Here Nimfi Animfevte!

To

Thee, O Theotokos, Invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, Thy City, dedicate the Victory Festival as a Thanks Offering. In Thine Irresistible Might, keep me safe from all trials, so that I may call out to Thee: > Hail, O Unwedded Bride!

Matins Gospel According to St Luke 1: 39 49 & 56

ST ELIZABE TH PRAISES THE EVE R BLESSED, THE OTOKOS ( MOTHE R O F GO D ) WHO EXAL TS GOD : THE MAGNIFICAT

At that time, Mary arose and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zachariah and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leapt in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said , Blessed art Thou among women, and Blessed in the Fruit of Thy Womb! But why is this granted to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of Thy greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for Joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me Blessed. For He Who is mighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His Name!

THE EVER-BLESSED VIRGIN MARYS FAITHFUL RESPONSE TO ARCHANGEL GABRIELS ANNOUNCEMENT MAKES HER THE HIGHEST MODEL OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD. ] THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD IS NOT ONLY THE WORK OF THE HOLY TRINITY, BUT ALSO THE WORK OF THE WILL AND THE ABSOLUTE FAITH OF THE HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT VIRGIN MARY. Therefore, the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary is honoured not only because God chose her, or because she bore the Son of God in the Flesh, but also BECAUSE SHE FREELY CHOSE TO BELIEVE AND TO OBEY GOD COMPLETELY AND WITHOUT ANY HESITATION OR QUESTION. The babe who would become known as ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, FORERUNNER TO CHRIST, WAS IN HIS SIXTH MONTH OF GESTATION. HE LEAPT IN HER WOMB AS A JOYOUS RESPONSE TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD, the Lord Jesus Christ, in St Marys Womb. ] THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS RECEIVES VENERATION FROM BOTH ANGELS AND MANKIND: Archangel Gabriel and St Elizabeth both called Her Blessed ] OUR LADY THEOTOKOS IS THE MOST PERFECT MODEL OF WOMANHOOD. No other woman has ever received the Glory given to Her - either in Holy Scripture or throughout Church History. SHE IS CONFESSED AS THE MOTHER OF MY LORD by St Elizabeth because THIS WAS NO MERE MAN THAT THE THEOTOKOS CARRIED IN HER BLESSED WOMB.

CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS FOR ALL TIME WILL HONOUR OR VENERATE THE VIRGIN MARY, for all generations will call me Blessed. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO BELI EVE A ND OBEY HOLY SCRIPTURE AND NOT BLESS THE MOTHER OF GOD .

] THE TITLE THEOTOKOS [THE MOTHER OF GOD (INCARNATE)], GIVEN TO THE VIRGIN MARY BY THE CHURCH, WAS DERIVED FROM THE TRUTH OF THIS CONFESSION. Because the One Who was in Her Blessed, Pure Womb is God, the world is freed from enslavement to sin. The passage from verses 46 - 56 is called the Magnificat, which is the first word of this hymn in Latin. THE MAGNIFICAT IS A REMARKABLE HYMN OF PRAISE TO GOD which comes from the heart of the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary, who was probably only 14 - 16 years old at the time. It also comes from the heart of ST HANNAH, WHO WAS OF A MORE MATURE AGE AT THE TIME, AND WHO FIRST UTTERED THIS INSPIRED PRAYER AND WHICH HAD BEEN PRAYED BY EXPECTANT JEWISH MOTHERS FOR CENTURIES. [1 SAMUEL 2:1-10] From this New Testament passage we learn:

Identity between the Theotokos and Israel is implicit here as THE ISRAEL OF GOD, THE CHURCH, RECEIVES HIS MERCY. THE REIGN OF GOD IS over our hearts, Kings and Rulers, the poor and the rich, and the Faithful of God i.e. OVER ALL CREATION!

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Festal Prokeimenon The Annunciation My soul magnifies the Lord. For He has regarded the Humility of His Handmaiden. The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 2: 11- 18
AME

CHRIST BEC

UMAN

SO THAT HE COU

LD

BE OUR HI

GH

PRIEST

Brethren: both He Who Sanctifies, and they who are being Sanctified, are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them Brethren, saying: I will declare Thy Name to My Brethren; in the midst of the Church will I praise Thee. And again: I will put my trust in Him. And again: Behold I and My children, whom God has given Me. Therefore because the children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, so that through Death, He might destroy him who had the power of death - that is to say, the devil - and release those who, through the fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to the Angels: but H does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His Brethren, so that He might become a Merciful and Faithful High Priest in Things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

CHRIST

WAS PERFECT EVEN BEFORE

HIS CRUCIFIXION

YET

VOLUNTARILY TOOK ON HUMAN NATURE THAT COULD BE

HE SAVED

AND PERFECTED ONLY BY HIS OWN SUFFERING AND DEATH. CHRIST COULD ONLY DIE AND ENTER HADES IN HIS HUMAN NATURE. THEN IN HIS DIVINE NATURE, HE WAS ABLE TO SMASH OPEN THE IMPRISONING GATES OF HADES AND RELEASE THE RIGHTEOUS AND REPENTANT SOULS TO REST IN PEACE IN HIS RE-OPENED PARADISE, WHERE THE REPENTANT THIEF HAD ALREADY BEEN ADMITTED.

CHRIST IS THE PIONEERING CAPTAIN OF THE NARROW PATH TO GOD in His Suffering for our sins, Death, and Descent into Hades, His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven where HE HAS REGAINED HIS RIGHTFUL POSITION AT THE PLACE OF HONOUR - ENTHRONED NEXT TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. In Salvation we take on Christs Way of Suffering. OUR PERFECTION THEOSIS - REQUIRES SPIRITUAL GROWTH THAT IS
MANIFESTED IN SUFFERING.

In the Incarnation of Christ, GOD DID NOT COME IN APPEARANCE ONLY. HE TRULY ASSUMED [TOOK ON] HUMAN FLESH AND BLOOD from the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary, Theotokos, AND BECAME THE SAME AS WE ARE - EXCEPT FOR THE ABILITY TO SIN SO THAT HE COULD REALLY ENTER THE STATE OF DEATH AND THEREBY BRING US ALL HUMANITY SALVATION. CHRIST DESTROYED THE DEVILS POWER BY USING SATANS STRONGEST WEAPON DEATH AGAINST HIM. There is A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SIN AND DEATH: EACH ONE LEADS TO THE OTHER. SIN CAUSES DEATH ESPECIALLY SPIRITUAL DEATH AND THE FEAR OF DEATH LEADS PEOPLE TO SIN and thereby into bondage or slavery to Satan who certainly does

not want any souls returning to our Almighty Creator to Whom they belong. ONLY OUR BELOVED LORD JESUS CHRIST IS ABLE TO FREE US FROM THIS BONDAGE OR SLAVERY OF SIN AND DEATH. It behoved Him in all things to be made like unto His Brethren means that EVEN CHRIST WAS TEMPTED because WHATEVER IS NOT ASSUMED [TAKEN ON] IS NOT HEALED, AND WHAT IS UNITED TO ALMIGHTY GOD IS SAVED. The Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, is like us in His human Nature but WE DO NOT BECOME LIKE HIM IN HIS DIVINE NATURE. This is impossible because WE CANNOT BECOME A PART OF THE GODHEAD. However, WE CAN BECOME GOD-LIKE IN OUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION OUR PERSONAL GOAL IN LIFE IS TO REACH THEOSIS SPIRITUAL PERFECTION! St Paul wrote about CHRIST AS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE to CHRIST AS OUR ONLY HIGH PRIEST without transition because HE IS BOTH THE DIVINE SACRIFICIAL OFFERING AND THE DIVINE OFFERER, THE HIGH PRIEST. CHRIST IS MERCIFUL ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHOM HE SERVES AND FAITHFUL IN HIS SACRED MINISTRY TO ALMIGHTY GOD. Christians are Holy Brethren TO BE IN CHRIST IS A HEAVENLY CALLING THAT SEPARATES THOSE IN CHRIST FROM THOSE WHO HAVE IGNORED OR REFUSED HIS CALL. As Apostle and High Priest, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS BOTH GODS DIVINE REPRESENTATIVE TO MANKIND AND ALSO MANKINDS MEDIATOR BEFORE ALMIGHTY GOD. In Him, the Offices of PROPHET AND PRIEST are combined.

THE COMING BIRTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS A NNOU NCED TO HIS MOTHER, THE EVER VIRGIN MARY

The Holy Gospel According to St Luke 1 : 24 38

At that time, Zachariahs wife, Elizabeth, conceived, and hid herself five months, saying: Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein He looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men. And in the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the House of David; and the Virgins Name was Mary. And the Angel came in with Her, and said: Hail, Thou who art Full of Grace! The Lord is with Thee! Blessed art Thou among women! And when She saw him, She was troubled at his saying, and cast in Her mind what manner of Salutation this should be. And the Angel said to Her: Fear not, Mary, for Thou has found Favour with God. And behold, Thou shalt Conceive in Thy Womb, and bring forth a Son, and shall call His Name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give to Him the Throne of His Father, David. And He shall reign over the House of Jacob forever; and of His Kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary to the Angel: How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the Angel answered and said to Her: The Holy Spirit shall come upon Thee, and the Power of the Highest shall Overshadow Thee. Therefore also that Holy One Who shall be Born of Thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, Thy cousin, Elizabeth, has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the Handmaiden of the Lord! Be it unto me according to Thy Word. And the Angel departed from her. The name Mary, Maria, or Miriam literally means THE DIVINE INSPIRATION AND THROUGH A MIRACULOUS SIGN - TO EXALTED ONE. PROTECT HER BECAUSE SHE HAD TAKEN A SACRED VOW OF CHASTITY THE EVER BLESSED VIRGIN MARY WAS BETROTHED, BY THE WILL OF GOD, THAT COULD NEVER BE BROKEN. THERE WAS NO INTENTION OF ACTUAL MARRIAGE AND IT WAS NEVER TO HER AGED UNCLE, ST JOSEPH, WHO WAS OF ROYAL LINEAGE. He was of the House or family of David the ancient King CONSUMMATED. ST JOSEPH IS ENTITLED THE B ETROTHED BECAUSE IT WAS A WELL KNOWN who had been Anointed by Almighty God. FACT THAT HE WAS INDEED THE RIGHTEOUS GUARDIAN OF BOTH He was the elderly widowed husband of Salome, sister of St Anna, whom the Priests at the Temple had CHOSEN BY

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THEOTOKOS AND CHRIST, AS WELL AS THE OTHER VIRGINS WHO KEPT HER COMPANY. Women had to be married as soon as they reached puberty, especially if they had no immediate family to protect and care for them. St Luke twice mentions the fact that the Ever Blessed Theotokos was a Virgin. SHE WAS PURE AND VIRGINAL BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. AND SHE MAINTAINED HER VIRGINITY AND CHASTITY THROUGHOUT HER LIFE. Highly favoured [Charitou] can also be translated as FULL OF GRACE. THE YOUNG THEOTOKOS WAS GREETED WITH AN EXALTED SALUTATION BECAUSE AS THE MOTHER OF THE INCARNATED CHRIST THE ETERNAL ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD THE FATHER - SHE IS THE MOST BLESSED WOMAN OF ALL TIME. EVEN MORE RELEVANT IS HER ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE TO GOD, as pointed out by Christ Himself. According to St Lukes description of her, SHE IS PRAISED IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH AS BEING SURROUNDED WITH DIVINE G RACE AND SHINING WITH NATURAL HOLINESS. When King Solomon received from God the Light of Wisdom to study the Mysteries of Nature, after he had looked over all that is on the earth and in the Heavensthe past, present, and futurehe decided finally that ...there is no new thing under the sun!
(ECCLESIASTES 1:10).

Verses 31 33 and behold, Thou shalt Conceive in Thy Womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His Name Jesus is an amazingly accurate description of the long-awaited Messiah! HOLY SPIRIT AND POWER OF THE HIGHEST ARE SYNONYMOUS. This is a case of repetition for emphasis. HOLY ONE IS A MESSIANIC TITLE and the fact that Christ was to be BORN (without Seed,) OF THE EVER VIRGIN MARY DEMONSTRATES HIS TRULY DIVINE NATURE Note in particular the reference to THE HOLY TRINITY: GOD THE FATHER (THE HIGHEST), THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE BLESSED THEOTOKOS FAITHFUL RESPONSE MAKES HER THE HIGHEST AND M OST P ERFECT MODEL OF HUMAN OBEDIENCE TO ALMIGHTY GOD. THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD WAS NOT ONLY THE DIVINE WORK OF THE HOLY TRINITY, BUT ALSO THE WORK OF THE WILL AND F AITH OF THE EVER VIRGIN MARY. THEREFORE SHE IS HONOURED NOT ONLY BECAUSE GOD CHOSE HER, OR BECAUSE SHE BORE THE SON OF GOD IN THE FLESH, BUT BECAUSE SHE
FREELY AND WILLINGLY CHOSE TO BELIEVE AND OBEY GOD WITHOUT QUESTION OR HESITATION!

The Divine Annunciation

Athanasios the Great expressed it in his Homily on the Annunciation: "...So that marked from that time, She could contemplate, as much as that is possible, the Unseen God Whom She bore in Her Womb, and nurture the Infant Conceived there." This is that New Miracle that was made manifest under the sun: Not only a Virgin and Mother, but the Virgin Mother of God, which is the reason for the present Great Feast. All circumstances completely corresponded to this Divine Annunciation: first, the bearer of it Archangel Gabriel - corresponded to it, inasmuch as this Divine Mystery is nothing other than the Supernatural Union of two natures, Divine Nature and human nature, in one Hypostasis of the Divine Wordof Perfect God and Perfect Man. ( Gabriel means Power of God.) The city of Nazareth also corresponded to the Great Event, for the Consequence of this Divine Mystery was the Consecration of the entire human race through the participation of Divine Nature. ( Nazareth means Consecration.) The time also corresponded since the month of March was when the world was created - and at the Annunciation the Creation was Perfected. After the Creation of this world, the unsown soil first blossomed, and now, at the Annunciation, the Unwed Virgin first Conceived. All the Events of the present Mystery are Miraculous, but the Most Exalted of all that is Miraculous is the Virgin Herself who received the Good News of being the Virgin Mother of God Incarnate, which especially corresponds to the Divine Mystery, for such should be the Mother of such a Son! The Divine Word of God became what He had never before been, and has remained what He became God-Man. Furthermore, the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary became what She had not been, and remained what She was, having become a Mother yet remaining a Virgin as before. In addition, the Divine Word became a Son born without a (physical or mortal) Father, and the Ever Virgin Mary became a Mother without a husband and giving Birth without (earthly) seed. How different is God from mankind! But God, becoming Man and in taking on our flesh and bone, did not abandon His Divine Nature. And how different a Virgin is from a Mother! But the Virgin, becoming a Mother, in Her Maternal Childbearing did not lose the Glory of Virginity. What a strange Communion of two naturesthe Godly Nature and the human nature, which were united yet unmingled in one Hypostasis! Divine Nature assumed human traits, and God the Son became Perfect Man, while His human Nature

However, God has wrought a Work that is completely New, which never was in past ages, and never will be in the future which was wrought in the Annunciation of Mary, Full of Grace, the Virgin and All Holy Mother of God - the manifold Miracle, the exceedingly Great Action of God's Omnipotence, a Most Exalted Mystery of our Orthodox faith! A Virgin Mother! What is more unlikely ever to be seen in Creation? A Virgin Mother - the Mother of God! What more Wondrous Thing could Divine Grace bring to pass one that surpasses all bounds of nature, there never having been anything like it before, and another that ascends to the Heights of Divine Grace, to which nothing else could ever be compared! This is far greater than any other Divine Miracle, utterly unfathomable, and fully Divine: ... behold! Thou shalt conceive in Thy Womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His Name JESUS. He shall be Great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the Throne of His Father, David. (LUKE 1:3132) When God the Father deigned to send His Beloved Son and Word that He might be Incarnate and become Man, Archangel Gabriel, the Champion of Angels and Herald of Good Tidings - was sent to the Galilean city of Nazareth, to the Virgin Mary who resided there under the Protection of St Joseph the Betrothed. He greeted Her with the words: Rejoice, Thou who art Full of Grace ! and told Her how God the Father had chosen Her to be the Mother of His Only Begotten Son - to be the Bearer and Birth-giver to the Redeemer of the world: ...Thou shalt conceive in Thy Womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His Name JESUS... At first the young Virgin Mary was, naturally astonished and ... troubled at his saying, and cast in Her mind what manner of Salutation this should be. But when Archangel Gabriel explained that this Miraculous Event would happen in a completely Supernatural manner - through the Power of the Omnipotent Grace of the Holy Spirit She immediately accepted Gods Will with deep Humility and Obedience: Behold the Handmaiden of the Lord! Be it unto me according to Thy Word. At that moment, the Holy Spirit descended upon Her, and Divinely prepared the Habitation that would contain God and the Eternal, Divine Word became Flesh in Her Pure Womb, and signed Her with the Power of the Most High, "...strengthening Her..." as St

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became a Participant in His Divine Qualities, and the same Person became Perfect God. In the same way, what extraordinary Union of Virginal Purity and Maternal Childbearing, which in a strange manner were contained in one Woman! Virginity gave the Mother of God the Purity that She should have, being All-Pure, All-Undefiled, as ...fair as the moon, choice as the sun... as the Holy Spirit calls Her. (SEE SONGS OF SOLOMON 6:9). Her Childbearing granted Her the unique Blessing, according to the Archangel's greeting: ...Blessed art Thou among women... (LUKE 1:28). Two Miraculous Unions have occurred: the God-Man and the Virgin Mother of God: "Strange and Marvellous, and removed in many ways from ordinary nature - one and the same Virgin and Mother, remaining in the Sanctity of Virginity and inheriting the Blessing of Childbirth..." as St Basil the Great proclaimed, Such a Divine Son should have such an All Pure, Ever Virgin Mother - for the Son Who was born a Man did not cease being Eternal God and the Mother Who gave Birth to a Divine Son did not cease to being Virgin. This Great Mystery could not have occurred in any other way - the very God-Man, the very Son, Who is Eternally Born of the Everlasting Heavenly Father, and Who is also born in time from a Woman, is a Son Who knows both a Father in Heaven and a Mother on earth, but in Heaven, where He has His Father, there is no place for a Mother; while on earth, where He has His Mother, there is no place for a father. The Son is born without passion without any inherited sin whatsoever for He is Born without seed - thus, the Relationship of Persons is maintained Perfect. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son, and the Only Begotten Son has One Heavenly Father - and one human Mother, who is by nature an Unwed Virgin. The Lord said to King Achaz: Ask for thyself a Sign in the depth or in the height ... (ISAIAH 7:11) We can look down upon the earth, gaze upwards to Heaven, search the present and past ages, but we will never find another Great Sign like this one, which God revealed many centuries before through His Holy Prophet, St Isaiah: ...behold! a Virgin shall Conceive in the Womb, and shall bring forth a Son... (ISAIAH 7:14) This Great Divine Miracle was fore-written in many foretypes: in the Burning Bush, in the Blossoming Rod of Aaron, in the Uncut Mountain, and in the Closed Gates that faced the East, through which the Lord alone entered and left. How could Solomon say that there is nothing New under the sun? Here is a New Wonder that was never matched: not only a Virgin and Mother, but the Virgin Mother of God - and there can never be anything ever again to equal this Great New Wonder!! O Mother of God! We Confess a Truth that we cannot comprehend, nor can we explain the Heights of this Dignity. We turn to our Holy Church Fathers to at least - in some way - understand, but even our Holy Fathers are perplexed by such a Great Divine Mystery. The Heavenly Hosts are speechless - even if they could have wanted to explain it to us and the Ever Blessed, All Holy Virgin Mary, whose mind was Illumined for Contemplation incomparably more than the minds of all the Angels - the Holy Virgin, filled with the Holy Spirit, bearing the Divine Word can only say: ...He Who is Mighty has done Great Things for me, and Holy is His Name! (LUKE 1:49), If She were the Mother of the Messiah as the Hebrews believed Him to be i.e. of only a Man, and not God - and if She had given Birth to the Yearning of Ages, the Son of Blessing, the Redeemer of Israel , then as the Mother of such a Glorious King She would - as a result of this honour and happiness have surpassed all the mothers of the world, and for this alone all generations should have called Her Blessed. 22.
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However, being the Ever Blessed, All Pure and Holy Mother of God - having given Birth to the Saviour of the whole world, having given Birth in time to the Only-Begotten Son, Whom God the Father begot outside of time - this is the Greatest Honour that makes Her godlike Deified and Spiritual Perfected. According to St Maximos the Confessor, at the beginning of the ages, when the Great Mystery of the Economy (Dispensation) of the Incarnation was revealed to the Angels Lucifer was immediately stricken with overwhelming envy, and thinking extremely egotistical thoughts, was immediately alienated from God and all His Goodness, and, through his rebellion and disobedience, he was expelled from Heaven and fell like lightning from the Heavens. ... And again, when He brought in the First Begotten into the world, He said: And let all the Angels of God worship Him... (HEBREWS. 1:6). The Mother of God! The more we think about it, the more we realise this Divine Truth cannot be understood for this is a limitless Splendour, which raises Her to the Highest Throne of the Thriceradiant Divinity and brings Her nearer to God the Father. Rise up and behold the Heights, O Christian! Contemplate on one side the Eternal Father, and on the other, the Ever Blessed, All Holy Virgin Mary Full of Grace, and in the centre, the Only-Begotten Son - the Incarnate God-Man, Who has two Natures: Divine and human His Divine Nature due to being the Eternal Son of God the Father and His human Nature, being the Son of the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary - the Son of God, as God and the Son of Mary, as the Child who is both God and Man. However this Son has only one, undivided Hypostasis, which contains two unmingled Natures. Therefore there are not two Sonsone, the Son of God the Father and the other, the Son of the Virgin Mary. This is one Person, in which, because they are not mingled, the particular Qualities of His two Natures differ. Nevertheless in this difference is preserved in their undividedness, and in their dualityin their Perfect Unity for there is only one Lord Jesus Christ Who is God and Man. The Heavenly Father is the Father of Christ our Saviour the Father of God and mankind, while the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of Christ the Mother of Man and God. Thus, the Relationship that God the Father has to the Only-Begotten Son is the same Relationship that the Virgin Mary has to the same Son, and therefore She has in Her Birth-giving of Her God-Man Son the same Glory as that of the Heavenly Father. Archangel Gabriel stated these True Facts in his Annunciation: ...And, behold, Thou shalt Conceive in Thy Womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His Name JESUS. He shall be Great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High ... and of His Kingdom there shall be no end... He shall Save His people from their sins... (LUKE 1:3132 & MATTHEW 1:21). Could any mind conceive a more Exalted Splendour?! Now let us transfer our gaze from such a Height to the world below - to all other rational creatures - as far from Her as the earth is from Heaven, and look at how small and insignificant is all the Grace and Glory of the Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs compared to the Grace and Glory of the Mother of God. Although King Solomon believed that there is nothing new under the sun, here is a New Miracle the likes of which there never was nor will ever be again the Virgin Mother who is truly, without any doubt, the Mother of Goda Divine Miracle indeed, which is for the All Holy and Pure Virgin Exceeding Grace and a Most Exalted Honour. This is a Miracle of Miracles, and one of which no other Faith can boast for this Mystery is the Beginning and End of all Divine Mysteries...
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: WRITTEN BY HOLY HIERARCH ILYA (MINYATI) & TRANSLATION BY NUN CORNELIA (REES) - 06 / 04 / 2012 HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE. RU/ENGLISH/45796.HTM
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25 MARC

2014

Greek Or th od ox Patriar chate of A le xandria & All Afr ica

A L L G L OR Y , H ONOUR A ND W OR S H IP T O T H E F AT HE R , A ND T O T H E S ON , A ND T O T H E H OL Y S PIR IT , NOW A ND FOR E V ER , A ND U NT O T H E A GE S OF A GE S . A MEN . R E ME MB ER ING A L S O OUR M OS T H OL Y , M OS T P U R E , M OS T B LE S SE D A ND G L OR IOU S L A D Y , M A R IA , T HE OT OKOS , YE T E VE R V IR GIN , T OGE T H E R WITH AL L T H E S A INT S . A ND L ET US C OMMIT OUR S E LV ES A ND ON E ANOT H E R A ND OUR WH OL E L IFE T O C H R IS T OU R G OD . A ME N .

26 March Synaxis of Archangel Gabriel Apodosis (Leave-taking) of the Annunciation

T HE F EAST OF THE 26 H OLY M ARTYRS OF C RIMEA : S T B ATH USIOS , S T B ERKOS THE P RESBYTER , S T A RPILOS THE M ON K , S T A B IBOS , S T A GN OS , S T R EASOS , S T I GATHR AX , S T I SKOUS , S T S IL AS , S T S ONI RIL OS , S T S UI MBALOS , S T T HERM OS , S T P HILLOS THE L AYMAN , S T A N NA , S T A LLA , S T L AR ISSA , S T M ONCO , S T V IR KO , S T A NI MAID A , S T G AATHA THE Q UEE N , S T D U CL I DA THE P RI NCESS S T I RENAEOS , H IEROMARTYR OF S IRM IUM , H UNG ARY S T M A LCHOS OF C HALCIS , S YRIA S T B ASIL THE N EW A NCHORITE S T M ONTAN OS THE P RESBYTER AND HIS WIFE , S T M AXIMA OF S IN GIDUN UM S T G EORGE OF S OFIA

FESTA

APOL

YTIKION

YNAXIS

OF

ARC

HANGEL

GABRI

EL

TON

Ton Ouranion Station Arhistratige, disopoumen Se ai O

imis i anaxii, ina tes ses deisesi tehisis imas, Skepi ton pterigon tis ailou Sou Doxis, frouron imas prospiptontas ektenos ke voontas. Ek ton kindinon Litrose imas, os Taxiarhis ton Ano Dinameon.

Commanders of the Heavenly Host, we the unworthy beseech You, that through Your Entreaties You will Fortify us, Guarding us in the Shelter of the wings of Your Ethereal Glory, even as we fervently bow before You crying: "Deliver us from all danger, as Commanders of the Powers on High! "
IEL

FESTA

KONTAK

ION

OF T HE

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AR

CHAN GEL

GABR

Arhistratige

Theou Litrouge Thias Doxis, ton anthropon Odige ke ar hige asom aton, to simferon imin pre sveve, ke to Mega Eleos, os ton Asomaton Arhistratigos.
L

Supreme

Commander of God and Minister of the Divine Glory, Guide of men and Leader of the Bodiless Hosts: Ask for what is to our profit and for Great Mercy, since Thou art Supreme Commander of the Bodiless Hosts.
4

FESTA

KONTAKI

ON

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TO

NE

(8) PLA

GAL

Ti

Ipermaho Stratigo ta Nikitiria, os litrothisa ton dinon Efharisiria, anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke. All os ehousa to Kratos aprosmahiton, ek pantion me kindinon eleftheroson, ina krazo Si. > Here Nimfi Animfevte!

To Thee, O Theotokos, Invincible Defender, having

been delivered from peril, I, Thy City, dedicate the Victory Festival as a Thanks Offering. In Thine Irresistible Might, keep me safe from all trials, so that I may call out to Thee: > Hail, O Unwedded Bride!
N
EGLIGENCE

The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 2 : 2 - 10

BEWAR
E OF

WI

LFUL

If the Word, spoken through Angels, proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a Just Reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a Salvation, which first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. God, also bearing Witness both with Signs and Wonders, with various Miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own Will? For He has not put the world to come of which we speak in subjection to Angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: What is man that Thou art mindful of him, or the Son of Man that Thou take care of Him? Thou hast made Him a little lower than the Angels; Thou hast Crowned Him with Glory and Honour, and set Him over the Works of Thy Hands. Thou hast put all things in subjection under His Feet. For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him. And now we do not see all things put under Him, but we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the Angels, for the Suffering of Death Crowned with Glory and Honour, that He by the Grace of God might taste Death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for Whom are all things and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons to Glory, to make the Captain of their Salvation Perfect through Sufferings. Made a little lower than the Angels... refers to THE St Paul answered the query of the Hebrews by explaining that OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS PUBLIC HUMILIATION WAS ONLY INCARNATION OF THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD, when He TEMPORARY it was THE ONLY MEANS OF REDEEMING MORTAL became Man. MANKIND and IT RE- ESTABLISHED OUR G OD-INTENDED Christs Suffering and Death have highly Exalted Him. CHRISTS HOLY, LIFE-GIVING C ROSS, which should have brought DOMINION OVER ALL CREATION, INCLUDING THE ANGELS the Heavenly Hosts. shame and reproach, HAS BROUGHT OUR SAVIOUR GREAT CHRIST is He Who, being in the Form of God [i.e. HIS DIVINE GLORY AND HONOUR. OUR ETERNAL R EDEMPTION - our Salvation and Eternal Life - IS NATURE] HAS ALSO VOLUNTARILY TAKEN ON the form of a bondservant [SLAVE] [i.e. HIS HUMAN NATURE] in our likeness CERTAINLY NOT OWED TO US BY ALMIGHTY G OD - it is HIS DIVINE AND THEREBY ALSO WILLINGLY ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE SUBJECTED GIFT TO US TO ALL GENERATIONS. TO INDESCRIBABLE AND UTTERLY UNJUST TORTURE AND EXECUTION In other words, WE ARE GRANTED THE ABUNDANCE OF DIVINE IN ADDITION TO SUCH PUBLIC HUMILIATION. And having BLESSINGS BY THE GRACE OF GOD not due to anything we suffered Death, GOD THE FATHER HAS EXALTED HIM AND deserve! ACKNOWLEDGED OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AS LORD His Taste Death means TO EXPERIENCE DEATH FULLY to know Eternal, Only Begotten Son Who rightly and most death intimately i.e. to experience the separation of worthily shares His Eternal Title. body and soul and the immediate afterlife, which is

SYNAXIS

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DINGS

26 MARCH

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OUR ENTRY INTO ETERNITY. [T HIS IS A VERY CONSC IOUS STATE OF OUR ALTERED BEING !!]

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR EVERYONE not merely for His Faithful Disciples. ALL MANKIND THROUGHOUT ALL THE AGES BENEFITS FROM HIS DEATH AND HIS ETERNAL SALVATION.
SEND
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The Holy Gospel According to St Luke 10 : 16 21

OUR LO
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HRIST

OUT HIS 70 AP

OSTLES

At that time our Lord Jesus Christ said: ... he who hears you, hears Me. He who rejects you, rejects Me, and he who rejects Me, rejects Him Who sent Me. And the Seventy returned with Joy, saying: Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Thy Name! And He said to them: I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven. Behold, I give you the Authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven! In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit, and said: I Thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that Thou hast hidden these Things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes. Even so, O Father, for so it seemed Good in Thy Sight... Five times Satan, in his arrogance and self-glorification, set We must be humble and obedient to those whom Christ has himself against God! ordained into His Holy Priesthood for by being obedient to Babes is a reference to those who are of simple Faith and our Spiritual Fathers, Bishops and Priests, we reflect our who have open hearts and souls ready and willing to Humility and Obedience to Almighty God Himself. receive Gods Divine Love and Commandments and to Christ as the Eternal Son of God witnessed the rebellion and fulfil them as best as they possibly can. subsequent banishment of Satan and his fallen angels from Heaven, which occurred before the Creation of our world

The Synaxis of Archangel Gabriel the Herald of Good Tidings

Archangel Gabriel the Holy Herald of Glad Tidings was chosen by the Lord to announce to the Virgin Mary, and through Her to all mankind, the Great Joy of the Incarnation of the Son of God. Therefore, on the day following the Annunciation, on which the Most-Pure Virgin is Glorified, we thank the Lord for His Great Mercy and honour His Holy Messenger, the Archangel Gabriel, who performed a Most Sacred Service in the Mystery of our Salvation. Archangel Gabriel is a Faithful Servant of Almighty God and during the time of the Old Covenant, he announced to mankind the coming Incarnation of the Eternal, Only Begotten Word and Son of God. He inspired the Holy Prophet of God, St Moses, in his writing of the Book of Genesis. He announced to the Holy Prophet of God, St Daniel, the coming fate of the Hebrew Nation. (DANIEL 8:16, 9:21-24). He appeared to the Holy Righteous St Anna with the Annunciation that the Most-Blessed, All Pure and Holy Virgin Mary would be born of her. While the very young Ever Blessed and Full of Grace Virgin Mary grew up at the Temple of Jerusalem, St Gabriel the Holy Archangel of God was in constant attendance and thereafter he also protected Her throughout Her Life on earth. He appeared to the Priest, St Zechariah, and foretold him of the birth of St John the Baptist, Forerunner of our Lord. After the Incarnation of our Saviour, the Lord our God sent His same Holy Archangel to St Joseph the Betrothed (who was the elderly uncle and legal Guardian and Protector of the young Virgin, for She had taken a Sacred Vow of Chastity) in order to reveal the Great Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God. After the Nativity of Christ, Archangel Gabriel warned St Joseph the Betrothed of Herods destructive intentions, and directed him to flee to Egypt with the Divine Infant and the Ever Blessed Theotokos. According to Holy Tradition, before His Passion, when extreme anxiety caused our Lord to actually sweat blood while fervently praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Archangel Gabriel was sent to comfort and encourage Him. ( Gabriel means Strength of God) (LUKE 22:43). After the Glorious Resurrection of Christ, the mourning Holy Myrrh-bearing Women heard the Joyous News of Christs Resurrection from Archangel Gabriel. Today, in remembrance of the Holy Archangel Gabriels many apparitions and of his faithful zeal in carrying out the Divine Will of God, the Orthodox Church confesses his Intercession for Faithful Christians before the Lord, and calls Her Children to run with Faith and Dedication in Prayer to the great Archangel of God St Gabriel the Holy Herald of Good Tidings. HTTP://WWW.STJOHNDC.ORG/RUSSIAN/SAINTS

The Presence in Absence

There is a strange aspect to the Presence of God in the world around us. That aspect is His apparent absence. I read with fascination (because I am no philosopher, much less a scientist) the discussions surrounding intelligent design and the like. I gather that everybody agrees that the Universe is just marvellous and wonderfully put together. But then begins the parting of ways as one sees God everywhere and another sees Him nowhere. Reason surely need not deny Him, although reason does not seem forced to acknowledge Him. I have spent most of my life around these arguments one place or another. I can stand in either place and see both Presence and Absence. But as the years have gone by, I have come to see something I never saw before the Presence within the Absence. I dont mean to sound too mystical here only that I see in the Hiddenness of God a Revelation of His Love. The Creator of us all draws us towards Himself and Knowledge of Him, with hints and intimations, with seen and yet unseen Signs. The strange deniability that He leaves us is the space in which Love is born. Love cannot be forced - cannot be demanded. Love must come as Gift, born of a willingness to give. To give God trust that what I see is indeed Evidence of the Wisdom in which He made all things is also a space one which God fills with Himself and the echo - the Yes! - that the Universe shouts back to us. It is where I grow weary of the arguments not because they need not be made but because it becomes hard to hear the Silence in the noise of our own voices a Silence that invites us to hear the sound of the Voice of God that rumbles all around us.
FATHER STEPHEN FREEMAN GLORY TO GOD FOR ALL THINGS THE PRESENCE IN ABSENCE hTTP://GLORY2GODFORALLTHINGS.COM/2013/08/19

24.

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26 MAR

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Greek Or th od ox Patriar chate of A le xandria & All Afr ica

A L L G L OR Y , H ONOUR A ND W OR SH IP T O TH E F A T HE R , A N D T O TH E S ON , A ND T O T H E H OL Y S P IR IT , NOW A N D FOR EV ER , A N D U NT O TH E A GE S OF A GE S . A ME N . R E ME MB ER ING A LS O OU R M OS T H OL Y , M OS T P U R E , M OS T B L ES S E D A ND G L OR IOU S L ADY , M A R IA , T HE OT OKOS , YE T E V ER V IR GIN , T OGE T H E R WIT H A L L T HE S A INT S . A ND LE T U S COMMIT OUR SE L VE S A ND ONE A NOT HE R A ND OU R WH OL E L IFE T O C H R IS T OU R G OD . A ME N .

40th Sunday After Pentecost

30 March 2014

Tone (7) Varys/Grave 8th Sunday of Triodion 4th Sunday of Great Lent St John Klimakos (of the Ladder)
ALSO THE FEAST OF THE VISI TA TIO N OF TH E EV E R BLESS E D VIRGI N THEO TOK OS & S T ELIZAB ETH, HE R RI GHT EOUS AUNT, MO THER OF S T J OHN TH E B A PTIST - ST JO HN T HE SILE NT OF ST SAVV AS MON ASTERY ST Z OSI MOS O F SYR AC USE ST SOPH RON IOS O F IRKUTSK ST J OAD , H OLY PR OPHET OF G OD ST SOSTHENE S, ST AP OLL OS, ST CEPHAS, ST C AESAR & ST EPAPH ROD ITOS OF T HE SEVENTY AP OSTLES OF C HRIST S T EVBOULA , M OTHER O F ST PANTE LE IMO N THE UNMERCEN ARY
RESU
RRECT ION

APOL

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TONE(7) VAR

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RAVE

Katelisas to Stavro Sou ton Thanaton.

Ineoxas to listi ton Paradison. Ton Miroforon ton thrinon metevales ke Anestis, Hriste tis sis Apostolis kirittin epetaxas, oti O Theos, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos.

By

Thy Cross Thou destroyed Death; Thou opened Paradise to the Thief; Thou changed the funeral wail of the Myrrh-bearing Women, and Commanded them to announce to Thine Apostles that Thou had Risen from the dead, O Christ our God, Who bestows upon the world Great Mercy! of Thy tears Thou made the desert bloom; and with Thy sighs from deep within; Thou made Thy Labours bear Fruits a hundredfold; and Thou became a Star, illuminating the world by Thy Miracles, O John, our devout Father: Intercede with Christ our God for the Salvation of our souls.

FESTA

APOL

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ST JOHN KLI

MAKOS

TON

(8) PLAGAL 4

Tes

ton dakrion Sou roes, tis erimou to Agonon Egeorgisas, ke tis ek vathou stenagmis, is ekaton tous ponous ekarpoforisas. Ke gegonas Fostir, ti Ikoumeni Lampon tis Thavmasin, Ioanni Patir imon Osie. Presveve Hristo to Theo, Sothine tas psihas imon.
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With rivers

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HEOTOK OS

TON E (8) PLAGAL 4

Ti

Ipermaho Stratigo ta Nikitiria, os litrothisa ton dinon Efharistiria, anagrafo Si i Polis Sou Theotoke. All os ehousa to Kratos aprosmahiton, ek pantion me kindinon eleftheroson, ina krazo Si: >Here Nimfi Animfevte!

To Thee, O Theotokos, Invincible Defender, having been

Delivered from peril, I, Thy City, dedicate the Victory Festival as a Thanksgiving Offering. In Thine Irresistible Might, keep me Free from all Trials, so that I may call out to Thee: Hail, O Unwedded Bride!
MB OF OUR

Resurrection Matins Gospel 7John 20 : 1 -10

ST PET
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& ST JO

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WITNESS

THE

EMPTY TO

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URRECT ED

LO

RD

ESUS

HRIST

The Offe r

Prokeimenon:
Lor d will g ra nt Stre ng t h to His P eopl e.

t o th e L o rd, O S ons o f G od, o ffe r t o t he Lo rd Sa crific e a nd Prais e!

The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 6 : 13 - 20

THE LORD OU R G OD CONFIRMS H IS DIVINE PROMISE B Y A SACRED OATH

Brethren: when God made a Promise to Abraham, because He could Swear by no one greater, He Swore by Himself, saying: Surely Blessing I will Bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained the Promise, for mankind indeed swears by the greater, and an Oath for Confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the Heir of Promise the immutability of His Counsel, Confirmed It by an Oath, so that by two immutable Things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong Consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the Hope set before us. This Hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which enter the Presence behind the Veil, where the Forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the Order of Melchizedek.
T HE PROMISE THAT G OD MADE TO ST ABRAHAM CONCERNED a son who would be born to him and his equally elderly and barren wife, St Sarah AN HEIR THROUGH WHOM GOD WOULD GREATLY MULTIPLY HIS FAMILY. The two immutable Things refer to GODS DIVINE PROMISE AND GODS DIVINE O ATH.
O FAITHLESS G

Behind the Veil is a reference to THE HEAVENLY ALTAR, WHICH IS SERVED BY OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST WHO IS OUR ONE AND ONLY M OST HIGH PRIEST OF THE ETERNAL HOLY PRIESTHOOD ACCORDING TO THE O RDER OF M ELCHIZEDEK an ancient King and Priest of the Old Covenant whose Holy Priesthood was equally Eternal.
EN ERATION

The Holy Gospel of St Mark 9 : 17 - 31

!

At that time, one of the crowd said to our Lord Jesus Christ: Teacher, I brought Thee my son who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Thy Disciples, that they could cast it out, but they could not. He answered him and said: O faithless generation! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me. And they brought him to Him. And when he saw Jesus, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father: How long has this been happening to him? And he said: From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if Thou can do anything, have Compassion on us and help us.
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Jesus said to him: If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. And immediately the father of the child cried out with tears: Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief! When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirits, saying to it: Deaf and dumb spirit: I command you, come out of him, and enter him no more! And the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and went out of him. And he became as though dead, so that many said: He is dead! And Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when He had gone into the house, His Disciples asked Him privately: Why could we not cast it out? And He said to them: This kind can come out by nothing but Prayer and Fasting. Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. For He taught His Disciples: The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men who will kill Him. And after He is dead, He will rise the Third Day.
I N ANCI ENT TIMES , ME NT AL AND PHYSIC AL ILLNESS WAS OF TEN REGAR DED AS BEI NG CO NN EC TE D TO DEMO NIC AC TIVI TY , WHICH IN T RUTH IT OFT EN C AN B E . According to St Matthews account of this incident, TH E
DESP ERATE FATH ER OF THE EPILEP TIC B OY H AD K NEL T DOWN BEF ORE OUR L OR D J ESUS C HRIST , WHICH REVEAL ED HIS H UMILITY B EFO RE SUCH A POW ERFUL T EACH ER AND H OL Y P ERS ON , EVEN THOUGH HE LA CKED PERSO NAL F AI TH IN G OD . A LTHOUGH H IS D ISCIPLES ALSO WE RE LA CKIN G IN THEI R ABSOLUTE F AITH IN G OD , OUR L OR D J ESUS C HRIS T REBUKE D N OT O NLY THEM A ND ALL THO SE WHO WI TN ESSED THE INCI DENT , BUT ALSO THE FA THER OF THE YOU NG BOY , WHICH PREV EN TE D TH E HEALING OF HIS BELO VED SO N . A LTHOUGH OUR L O RD J ESUS DE FENDED THE ABILITI ES OF H IS D ISCIPLES AN D A POSTL ES BEFO RE TH E GA THERED MULTITUDE , H E LAT ER R EBUKE D THEM IN PRI VA TE for their

weak Faith and trust in the Divine Mercy and Power of Almighty God. Christ thereby teaches us that WHEN W E CO RR EC T OTH ERS , WE MUST NO T HUMILIAT E OR EMBA RR ASS THEM ,
ESPE CIALLY BEFO RE WIT NESS ES WHO MAY NO T UNDERSTAND ON E S CO NC ERN OR LOVI NG MO TIVATION FOR C ORREC TING THOS E WHO A RE S TUMBLING OR WHO HAVE AL READY FALL EN . E V ERYTHIN G WE DO TO EN COUR AGE , ASSIST , GUI DE OR TE ACH OTHERS MUST ALWAYS WITH OUT F AIL B E DONE WITH A GAPE UNC ON DITIO NAL L OV E . F URTHERMOR E , THOS E WHO AR E BEI NG C ORRE CTE D MUST ACCEPT CONS TRUCT IVE CRI TICISM OR S PIRI TUAL G UIDAN CE WITH UN DERSTA NDING A ND APPRECIA TION OF THE WELL I NT ENTI ON ED A CT OF L O VE .

Besides that, whenever we are corrected by our fellow Disciples of Christ, WE MUST ENSUR E THAT W E APPLY SUCH CORRE CTIO NS TO OUR BEH AVIOUR OR PR AC TISES . O THERWISE NO NE OF US W OULD MA KE AN Y S PI RITUAL P ROG RESS AT ALL ! This is all part of our Spiritual Journey learning TO A CC EPT GOO D A DVIC E F ROM OTHERS WITH ALL DUE H UMILITY AN D O BEDI ENCE . T O DO OTHE RWISE IS TO SHOW A L ACK OF THESE TWO IMPORTAN T V IRTU ES AN D CA N MEA N THA T WE HAVE FALL EN I NTO TH E VI CES OF PRI DE , ARR OGA NC E AN D DISOBE DI EN CE T O G O D . T HE D ISCIPLINE OF OUR H OLY C HURCH IS BASED O N OUR MUTUAL CORR EC TIO N IN TH REE EXP AN DING S TAG ES . Sin and correction are to remain private unless the offender stubbornly refuses to Repent and rejects correction. A LL CORR ECT ION OF OUR ERR ORS IS ONLY POSSIBL E WHEN DON E WI TH G REAT CA RE A ND H UMILITY , WITH TH E PRIMAR Y CO NC ER N BEI NG THE S AL VA TION OF TH E OFFEN DER . C ORR EC TIO N OF OUR ER RORS IS ESS EN TIAL SO THAT WE DO NOT DRAW OTHERS IN TO SI N AS WELL : 1 C ORI NTHIA NS 5 : 5 ... deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be Saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus. This means that I N THE H OLY C HURCH OF C HR IST WE ARE P ROT ECTED FR OM THE DES TRUC TIVE POWER OF S A TA N . H OWEV ER , THIS H OLY P ROT EC TIO N WILL BE REM OVED F ROM US THROUGH E XCOMMUNI CATI ON in the hope that AS
SOON AS WE EXPER IENC E THE DIFFE RENC E BETW EEN

Disobedience and Rebellion against God and return to the Sacred Fold of Christ our Saviour. The flesh (sarx) is not synonymous with our body (soma) S T P AUL WAS CALLI NG FOR THE DEST RUCTI ON OF TH E LUSTS OF THE FLESH rather than the destruction of our body. G ALATI ANS 6 : 1 Brethren: if (anyone) is overtaken in any trespass, you who are Spiritual restore such a (person) in a spirit of Gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. T O BE ABLE TO ADMI NISTER CO RRECTI ON WI TH TH E B L ESSE D V IRTUE OF G ENTLE NESS IS A S PIRI TUAL G IFT F ROM G O D . St John Chrysostom taught us that THIS R EBUKE OF C HRI ST WAS ACTUALLY DIREC TE D A T THE NINE D ISCIPL ES WHO COULD N OT CAST OUT TH E DEMO N that caused the young boys epileptic fits, WHEREAS TH E P ILL ARS OF F AITH , S T P ETE R , S T J AMES A ND S T J OHN , WERE NO T INCLUDED IN TH E R EBUKE , since they had been on Mount Tabor with our Lord Jesus Christ, where they had witnessed His Glorious Transfiguration. This kind... of evil spirit DEMO NIC POSS ESSION TH AT CAUSES NOT O NLY S PI RITUAL I LLN ESS BUT ALSO PHYSICAL MANIFES TA TIONS OF THE GREA T S PIRI TUAL S T RUGGLE that occurs during demonic attacks is A REF ER EN CE T O ALL ( LIMIT ED ) POWERS OF DAR KN ESS OF EVIL - and not simply to those that can cause a particular type of physical illness. T HE BA NISHMENT OF DEMONS R EQUIR ES STRONG , UNSHAKABL E F AITH , SI NCE RE A ND HUMBLE P RA YER A ND BOTH S PIRI TUAL AND PHYSI CAL F AS TIN G , FOR TH ER E IS NO HEALIN G AN D NO VI CTO RY I N SPIRITUAL WA RFA RE WI THOUT ALL TH REE ! Beginning with the Didache the earliest writings of the Holy Apostles our Holy Church Fathers have taught us that BOTH THE PERSO N WHO IS IN NEED OF H EALIN G AN D THE PERSON WHO PERFO RMS THE HEALING , MUST HAV E UNWAVERING F AITH IN A LMI GHTY G OD , must constantly Pray for Divine Assistance and Grace and Fast properly. Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed His approaching Death and Resurrection for a second time to show that H E FULFILLED H IS P ASSIO N F REELY AN D N OT AC COR DIN G T O THE DI CT AT ES OF THOS E S EEKI NG H IS DEST RUCTI ON . O UR L O RD J ESUS C HRIS T , IN ABSOLUT E O BE DIENC E TO TH E D IVINE W ILL O F OUR H EA VENLY F ATH ER , ACC EPT ED H IS ULTIMATE B LO OD S AC RIFIC E WILLINGLY A ND FR EELY OUT OF G OD S INFI NIT E L O VE OF MANKI ND for it was the final and greatest of all Blood Sacrifices for mankinds Salvation the greatest Blood Sacrifice that Redeemed all mankind so that N EV ER AG AIN W OULD
WE HAVE TO OFF ER TEMPO RA RY BLOO D SAC RIFIC ES FO R THE A TON EMENT O F OUR C ONTI NUOUS SINS . N OW ACC OR DING T O OUR N EW C OV ENA NT WI TH G OD A B LOODL ESS C O VENA NT WE CONS TA NTLY M AKE OUR O FFERI NGS OF T HANKS GIVI NG , P RAIS E AN D W O RSHIP I N THE D IVI N E L I TURG Y S ERVI CE OF H OL Y E UCHARIS T

G OD S D I VIN E A ND M ERCIFUL R ULE OV ER US AN D TH E DES TRUCT IVE , WICK ED A ND DEV ASTA TIN G ENSLA VEM EN T OF S AT AN W E WILL QUICKLY R EPENT our sins of Spiritual

continuously Repenting our sins and joyfully accepting the ongoing Forgiveness of Christ our Saviour, which grants us Eternal Life in His Divine Kingdom of Love, Peace and Joy. B ECAUS E W E C ON TINUE T O C OMMIT SIN , W E MUST CO NTI NUE TO R EPENT AN D B ESEECH G O D S D IVI NE F O RGIV ENESS S O THAT WHE N OUR T IME C OMES TO LE AV E THIS P REPA RA TOR Y P ERI OD OF T EMPO RARY LIFE , WE SHALL BE IN A ST AT E OF S PIRITUAL L IF E a state of True Repentance rather than in a state of Spiritual Death and Alienation from

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God a state of unrepentance, disobedience and sin! Just like so many of us today, TH E D ISCIPLES DI D NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE FULL T RUTH AN D SIGNIFI CA NC E OF C HRIST S CLEA R WORDS YET THEY DI D N OT US E TH E
OPPORTUN ITY TO FIN D OUT WHAT E VERYTHI NG W OULD MEAN TO TH EM . Similarly, many of us today, could not bother to SEEK D IVINE T RUTH AND U N DERST AN DIN G , which is granted to

H E GR AN TS US H IS K NOWLEDG E AN D MORE U NDERS TANDI NG ! However, because G O D NE VE R FO RC ES ANY THIN G O N US having granted us free will to choose for ourselves which Spiritual Path we take towards Eternity IT IS UP TO US TO MAK E EV ERY EFFORT TO L EA RN H IS D IVI NE AN D A BSOLUTE T RUTH concerning everything to do with the Purpose of this temporary life and Eternity the Age to come which is never ending and a very conscious state more consciously aware than at present!!

us once we honestly begin our Spiritual Journey. T HE MORE WE S EEK D IVI NE T RUTH WITH A S PIRITUAL Y EA RNI NG FOR A CL OSE R ELA TIO NSHIP WITH A LMI GHTY G O D , TH E

Fourth Sunday of Great Lent St John Klimakos with God and received Divine Assurance of The Holy Church of Christ is the Image of Heaven Jewish Liberation from Egyptian bondage. and, as such, displays before us a Vista of St Moses also receive the Ten Commandments on Spiritual Stars or Saints, who are the men and Mount Sinai and the Holy Prophet of God, St women who throughout their lives, Glorified the Elijah/Elias found refuge at that sacred place in Holy Trinity. the desert from Queen Jezebel. This means that they had imitated the Life of our It was to that magnificent spot on Earth that St John Lord Jesus Christ and through their True Faith, of the Ladder went, and lived a Life of Dedication Love and forgiveness of one another, they proved and Prayer first under the Spiritual Guidance of that God also Glorifies those who Glorify Him. the Saintly Abbot, and then as a Holy Hermit in The Saints were human beings just like us, who the wilderness. strove for their daily bread and those who were St John Klimakos remained in a cave on Mount Sinai married worked hard to nurture Christian for 50 years, and pilgrims from all over the world families. went to hear his words of Inspired Wisdom. However, they differed from us in various ways: During the latter part of his Life, he wrote his famous 1. They always put the Glory of Jesus Christ book of Spiritual Exercises entitled The Ladder foremost before anything else in their life. of Divine Ascent. 2. They were always Faithful Children of His The Ladder of Divine Ascent symbolised a Spiritual Orthodox Church and never doubted or Ladder that leads the Faithful Monk/Christian questioned our Lords Teachings. from earth up into Heaven. 3. They were not obsessed nor preoccupied with The book consists of Spiritual Exercises whereby the material wealth and earthly enjoyments. Faithful Disciples of Christ can reach the highest 4. They never departed from the True Teachings of point of Spiritual Perfection and thus become a Christ or His Holy Church, and they were worthy citizen and participant of the Eternal always ready should the occasion arise to Kingdom of Heaven. sacrifice their lives to Confess their Faith in Many Monks throughout the world still utilise this Christ. tremendous work of St John Klimakos in their For these reasons the Holy Church honours Her Holy Spiritual Struggles and Meditations, which is Saints not only in Heaven, but also on Earth, considered as being one of the most Inspired because they Honoured God. Gems of Orthodox Christian literature. The Orthodox Church certainly does not worship the St John of the Ladder finally Reposed in Christ on 30 Saints, Martyrs, or the Theotokos (for worship is March 609, at the age of 86 years. only ascribed to Almighty God the Holy Trinity We celebrate his Feast Day, however, every 4th Sunday not His creatures nor anything of His Creation.) The Holy Church honours and venerates them out of of Great Lent, during which time many of his Spiritual Exercises are used in many Monasteries respect for their good examples and especially and Churches throughout the Orthodox World. for their unwavering Faith in Christ. Through his personal Experience of Spiritual Life in The Saints are the Faithful Children of the Holy Christ, St John Klimakos became one of the Church (both those of the Old and New greatest scholars and Holy Fathers of the Covenants) and Faithful Disciples of Christ who Orthodox Church. are of the New Covenant. Many Faithful Orthodox Christians especially in They all bore good Spiritual Fruit and they guide us these darkened days wish to live a more accordingly as we Struggle daily along the Path of Spiritual Life in Christ, and the Orthodox Ascetic Righteousness. Life as expounded in the Inspired Writings of St These Holy men, women and children were not John Klimakos provides us with whatever we seek content with merely reading Holy Scripture and even so many centuries after his Repose. listening to the Word of God, but they were Whoever truly wishes to live a Spiritual Life in Christ determined to put their Faith into practice every need do nothing more that to study the Lives of moment of the day. the Saints and thereby learn how to put into They actualised what they learnt from Holy Scripture, practice the Truth the Word of God, according our Holy Church Fathers and the Sermons or Homilies they heard in Church. to our own personal strength and ability. Today our attention is drawn to one of our great Careful study of the good examples of the Lives of Holy Church Fathers, St John Klimakos who was the Saints enables us to choose freely the way of the Inspired author of the book: The Ladder of our own Sanctification for the Lives of the Divine Ascent, which most profoundly guides the Saints are nothing less than the Holy Gospel in reader in 30 Spiritual Steps towards Spiritual practice! Perfection, Theosis or Deification. Further, St John Klimakos offers us through his St John was born in Palestine in 523, and at the age own Life in Christ and his Inspired Writings the of 16 he renounced the world and went to Mount opportunity to lead a stricter, dedicated and Sinai where he placed himself under Obedience to correct Life in Christ our Lord and Saviour. the wise Abbot of St Catherines Monastery. AD APT ED & EDITED BY MP - A SE RMON DEL I VER ED BY H IS E M IN ENC E , M ET ROPOL IT AN P ANT EL E I MON This ancient Monastery has for over 1600 years been OF ANT INOE S, T HE KAL YMN IT E , ON T HE FOU RT H a Spiritual Haven for millions of Pious Monks who SUNDAY OF G R EA T LENT SUNDAY OF ST JO HN went there in search of the True Spiritual Life. KLIMAKOS Mount Sinai has always been the scene of Jewish, ww w.orthodox-mitropolita n-of-a ntinoesMoslem and Christian devotion, and it was there pa nteleimon.com that St Moses, the ancient Patriarch, first spoke

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St John Klimakos The Ladder of Divine Ascent S T E P 1 O N R E N U N C I A T I O N O F T H E W O R L D ( A FEW EXCERPTS) Our God and King is Good, transcendently Good and E Those who aim at ascending with the body to All Good. Heaven, indeed need violence and constant Of the rational beings created by Him and honoured suffering, especially in the early stages of their with the dignity of free will, some are His Friends, Renunciation, until our pleasure-loving others are His True Servants, some are worthless, disposition and unfeeling heart attain to Love of some are completely estranged from God, and God and Chastity by manifest sorrow. (Matthew other, although feeble creatures, are His 11: 12) opponents. This is a great toil very great indeed with much By Friends of God, we simply mean those Noetic and unseen suffering, especially for those who live Incorporeal Beings who surround God. (The carelessly, until, by simplicity, deep angerlessness Heavenly Angels) and diligence, we make our mind, which is a By True Servants of God we mean all those who greedy kitchen dog addicted to barking, a Lover tirelessly and unremittingly do and have done His of Chastity and Watchfulness. Will. But let us who are weak and passionate have the By worthless servants we mean those who think of Courage to offer our infirmity and natural themselves as having been granted Baptism, but weakness to Christ with unhesitating Faith, and have not faithfully kept the Vows they made to Confess it to Him; and we shall be certain to God. obtain His Help even beyond our worth if only By those estranged from God and alienated from we continually plunge to the depth of Humility. Him, we mean those who are unbelievers or E When the soul betrays herself and loses the Blessed heretics. and longed-for Fervour, let her carefully Finally, the enemies of God are those who have not investigate the reason for losing it and let her only evaded and rejected our Lords arm herself with all longing and zeal against Commandments themselves, but who also wage whatever has caused this. For the former Fervour bitter war on those who are fulfilling them. can return only through the same door through God belongs to all free beings. He is the Life of all, which it was lost. the Salvation of all faithful and unfaithful, just and unjust, pious and impious, passionate and E Those who Renounce the world from fear are like dispassionate, Monks and laymen, wise and burning incense that begins with fragrance but simple, healthy and sick, young and old just as ends in smoke. the effusion of Light, the sight of the sun, and the Those who leave the world through hope of Reward changes of the seasons are for all alike, ... for are like millstones that always move in the same there is no respect of persons with God. (ROMANS way. [i.e. revolve around themselves being self2:11) centred!] But those who withdraw from the world out of Love The irreligious are mortal beings with a rational for God have obtained Fire at the very outset; nature, who of their own free will turns their back and like fire set to fuel, it soon kindles a larger on Life and thinks of our Creator, the Ever Fire. Existent, as non-existent. The transgressors are those who hold the Law of God E Let us eagerly run our course as those Called by God after their own depraved fashion, and think to and King, lest, since our time is short, we be combine Faith in God with heresy that is directly found in the Day of our Death without (Spiritual) opposed to Him. Fruit and perish of Hunger. The Christians are those who imitate Christ in Let us please our Lord as soldiers please their King; thought, word and deed, as far as is possible for because we are required to give an exact account human beings, believing rightly and blamelessly of our service after the Campaign. in the Holy Trinity. Let us fear the Lord not less than we fear beasts. For The Lovers of God are those who live in Communion I have seen men who were going to steal and were with all that is natural and sinless, and as far as not afraid of God, yet, hearing the barking of they are able, neglect nothing that is good. dogs, they at once turned back and what the The continents (moderates or celibates) are those Fear of God could not achieve was done by their who live in the midst of temptations, snares and fear of animals! turmoil, and who are eager to imitate with all For I have often seen people who had offended God their might those who are free from turmoil. and were not in the least perturbed about it. Monasticism is an Angelic Order and state achieved And I have seen how those people provoked their in an earthly, soiled body. friends in some trifling matter, and then Monks are those who hold only to the employed every artifice, every device, every Commandments of God in every time and place sacrifice, every apology, both personally and and matter. through friends and relatives, not sparing gifts, in Monks are those who constantly constrain their order to regain their former love. nature and unceasingly watch over their senses. Monks are those who keep their body in Chastity, E In the very beginning of our Renunciation, it is their mouth pure and their mind Illumined. certainly with Labour and Grief that we practise Monks are those who have a mourning soul who both the Virtues. asleep and awake are unceasingly occupied with But when we have made Progress in them, we no the Remembrance of Death. longer feel sorrow, or we feel little sorrow. Withdrawal from the world is a voluntary hatred of Yet as soon as our mortal mind is consumed and vaunted material things and a denial of nature for mastered by our zeal, we practise them with all the attainment of what is above nature. Joy and Eagerness, with Love and with Divine Fire! All who have willingly left the things of the world, have certainly done so for the sake of the Future E Let us charge into the Good Fight with Joy and Love Kingdom, or because of the multitude of their without being afraid of our enemies, who, sins, or for Love of God. although unseen, can look at the face of our soul, If they were not moved by any of these reasons, their and if they see it altered by fear, they take up withdrawal from the world would be arms against us all the more fiercely... so let us unreasonable. take up arms against them courageously for no But God Who sets our Contests waits to see what the one will fight against a resolute fighter. end our Course will be.

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