2014-December Sacred Lessons (B)

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND
FOREVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AMEN
REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARY, THEOTOKOS
YET EVER VIRGIN, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND
OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.
4 D E C E M B E R 2014
ST BARBARA THE GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR OF HELIOPOLIS, SYRIA
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST JULIANA OF HELIOPOLIS, SYRIA ST JOHN OF DAMASCUS ST JOHN OF
POLYBOTUM, PHRYGIA ST GENNADIOS OF NOVGOROD ST SERAPHIM, HIEROMONK OF THE
PHANAR
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF ST BARBARA TONE 4
Varvaran
Barbara
tin Agian Timisomen; ehthrou gar tas pagidas

sinetripse ke os strouthion erristhi ex afton, voithia ke
opio tou Stavrou i pansemnos.
the Saintly: let us honour now; for she

shattered the snares of the enemy, and like a
sparrow she freed herself from them, with the
Help and Weapon of the Cross all stately.
ADVENT KONTAKION - EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS
Today
Parthenos simeron, ton Proeonion Logon, en Spileo

ethete apotekin aporritos.
Horeve, i ikoumeni,
akoutisthisa; Doxason meta Angelon ke ton Pimenon,
voilithenta apofthine, Pedion Neon, ton Pro Eonon
Theon.
the Virgin comes to the Cave to give Birth

Ineffably to the Word Pre-Eternal. Hearing this, be of
good cheer, O Earth and its people: Glorify Him with
the Angels and the Shepherds, Whose Will it was to
be made manifest as a young Child the Pre-Eternal
God.
MATINS GOSPEL ACCORDING

FOR ONLY GOD
TO ST MATTHEW 25 : 1 - 13
WE MUST BE PREPARED AND READY AT ALL TIMES
KNOWS WHEN CHRIST WILL RETURN FOR OUR FINAL JUDGEMENT & ETERNITY
At that time, our Lord Jesus said: ... the Kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to Ten Virgins who took their lamps and
went out to meet the Bridegroom. Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. And Those who were foolish took
their lamps but took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. And while the
Bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight a cry was heard: Behold! The Bridegroom is coming! Go out to meet Him! And all those Virgins
arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish Virgins said to the wise: Give us some of your oil, for our lamps
are going out. But the wise Virgins answered and said: No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go
rather to those who sell and buy oil for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came, and those who were ready, went in with Him to the Wedding; and
the Door was shut.
Afterwards the other Virgins came also, saying: Lord! Lord! Open to us! But He answered and said: Truly, I say to
you: I do not know you!
Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
PROKEIMENON PSALM 67 TONE 4
God is wonderful in His Saints.

Bless God in the Congregations!
THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS 3 : 23- 4 : 5

SONSHIP (OUR DIVINE ADOPTION) THROUGH FAITH AND HOLY BAPTISM
Brethren: Before Faith came, we were kept under guard by the Law, kept for the Faith that would afterwards be revealed.
Therefore the Law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be Justified by Faith. But after Faith has come, we
are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through Faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were
Baptised into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor female; for you are all One in
Christ Jesus. And if you are Christs, then you are Abrahams seed, and Heirs according to the Promise.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING

THE FAITH
OF
THE
WOMAN
TO
WHOM
ST MARK 5 : 24 34
NO
ONE
COULD
HEAL
At that time our Lord Jesus went with (Jairus, one of the rulers of the Synagogue,) and a great multitude followed Him and
thronged Him.
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had
spent all that she had and was not better, but rather grew worse. And when she heard about Jesus, she went behind
Him in the crowd and touched His garment, for she thought: If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.
Immediately the fountain of her blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And
Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that Power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and asked: Who
touched My clothes? And His Disciples said to Him: Thou see the multitude thronging Thee, yet Thou ask: Who
touched Me?
And He looked around to see her who had done so, but the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to
her, went and fell down before Him and told Him the whole Truth. And He said to her: Daughter, your Faith has
made you well. Go in Peace, and be healed of your affliction.
ST BARBARA
THE GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR OF HELIOPOLIS

THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER MICHAEL D. JORDAN
St Barbara lived in the city of Heliopolis at the beginning of

the third century, and although she had no "human"
teacher to bring her to the Knowledge of God's
Existence, her mind, heart and soul were receptive to
Divine Grace and she felt His Presence. Secretly, she met
with some Christians who told her about Christ and His
ST BARBARA
THE
GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR
OF
Teachings. Convinced of the Truth concerning our

Saviour, she became a Christian whose Love for God has
inspired all who have heard of her.
Her pagan father was enraged when he learnt of her
conversion and he delivered her to the Roman Prefect,
to be mercilessly tortured until she finally Reposed in
HELIOPOLIS, SYRIA
4 DECEMBER 2012
1.
Christ and gained her Crown of Martyrdom on 4

December 306.
St Barbara is the Patron Saint of those who seek protection
from dangerous storms and lightning, explosions, and
sudden death.
In the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy we sing the
Beatitudes - one of which says: "Blessed are you when
men shall persecute you for My Name's Sake. Rejoice
and be glad, for great is your Reward in Heaven."
Many Saints were raised as pagans before their conversion
to Christianity and so great and complete was their
Conversion that they were willing to suffer agonizing
deaths rather than renounce Jesus Christ.
Today, Conversions to Christianity have become almost
commonplace and a casual choice rather than a most
serious commitment heart and soul to God.
Christianity should never be taken for granted, nor
considered a simple, mundane choice.
St Barbaras Conversion was not a simple matter - nor did
she take her Spiritual Responsibilities lightly.
She was willing to put her Faith into action by implicitly
trusting in our Lord Who said: "He who saves his life
shall lose it; and he who loses his life for My sake
shall find it." (MATTHEW 10:22).
In those days, suffering meant torture and death!
The persecution that St Barbara endured was witnessed by
all the people and her Spiritual Commitment was quite
clear: maintain our Faith and gain Eternal Life, or deny
it and suffer Spiritual Death!
Today, suffering for Christianity means small personal
sacrifices for our Spiritual Good, like Fasting, and
refraining from sinful behaviour.
Persecution of Christians still exists throughout the world
and it is far worse than the persecution that S. Barbara
endured!
We are all persecuted by innumerable temptations that
surround us and threaten to overwhelm us in so many
subtle ways today.
We are more often than not totally unaware that we are
being victimized by demons far worse than those with
which St Barbara had to contend.
The demons we have to fight against are crafty.
They use our bodily needs, our desires, our self esteem,
our greed and all our weaknesses against us.
The seven deadly sins - Pride, Greed, Lust, Anger, Gluttony,
Envy, and Laziness - separate us from God, just like the
pagans tried to separate St Barbara from God by trying
to force her to renounce her Faith in Christ Jesus.
The same demons attack us in ways that we do not easily
recognize, so that when we attain goals, or accomplish
something, instead of being thankful to God, we tend to
be puffed up with pride.
The opposite Virtue is Humility so when we enjoy success,
we should immediately offer Prayers of Thanksgiving to
God, and ask Him to protect us from the sin of pride.
When we are employed, and have a comfortable life, we are
often discontented with what we have for the demons
convince us that we need more. They persuade us that
we need financial security or bigger, better, more
possessions than we really need.
However, our Lord Jesus Christ cautioned us: "Lay not up
for yourselves treasures upon the Earth, but lay up
for yourselves Treasures in Heaven, for where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also." (MATTHEW 6:22)
The sin of greed is opposite to the Virtue of Liberality.
We must always express our gratitude for the abundance
with which God has Blessed us by joyfully giving alms
to those less fortunate in proportion to our Blessings.
Lust takes many forms, but is usually associated with the
desire for things that are impure or unworthy of
pursuit.
Everyone has impure thoughts from time to time. However,
by dwelling on these wicked thoughts, and becoming
obsessed with them, makes them sinful.
The opposite Virtue is Chastity, which rejects all impure
and unworthy thoughts and actions.
Anger is one of the most common of the deadly sins,
because it is one of the strongest human emotions.
This deadly sin can lead to destructive behaviour to
murder, bodily harm and even to suicide - as well as to
permanent emotional harm, and alienation from God
and all His Divine Goodness and from each other.
Demons provoke us to anger, by inflaming our pride and

causing us to be enraged by those we are convinced
have done us wrong.
Nothing puts the demons to flight quicker than
immediately
forgiving
trespassers
for
their
transgressions!
The opposite to anger is the Virtue of Mildness. One of
God's Divine Characteristics is that He is slow to anger
and we who have been created in His Image and
Likeness should act likewise!
Gluttony is a deadly sin that is rampant in society today.
We all consume much more food than is required for the
nourishment of our body.
Gluttony causes us immense Spiritual Harm, and can lead
to our physical death. By consuming far too much food,
we shorten our lives due to all kinds of health
problems.
The opposite of gluttony is the Virtue of Temperance,
which means consuming food and drink in moderation.
If we resist the vice of gluttony, it becomes easier for us to
control the other deadly sins.
This is why the Holy Church has periods of Fasting
periods of self-denial and self-discipline - to help teach
us to root out or at the very least, to control, all our
passions.
The fatal sin of envy, or jealousy, has caused countless
people become alienated and estranged from friends,
families and loved ones.
When we see others with more material Blessings than us
and we resent them for it, that's envy.
When we are possessive of our friends or family that is the
destructive vice of jealousy, which destroys Love and
which causes us to commit the other deadly sins of
anger and greed.
The opposite of envy is the Virtue of Happiness.
We must always be satisfied with whatever we have,
knowing with all certainty and Faith that if we truly
need something important or significant, God will Bless
us with it.
We must always Love unconditionally, and accept the
unconditional Love of others.
Finally the last of the deadly sins is laziness, which is so
common among all people.
We have all tried to get out of work that we find
unpleasant or tedious.
Everyone is trying to find an easy way to the top when in
Truth, the easy way may not be the best way!
In the experience of life, most often, the journey that
requires more effort affords us the most rewards.
The opposite to laziness is the Virtue of Diligence striving
ceaselessly to achieve whatever we are required to do
for the Glory, Honour and Worship of God and for the
good of ourselves and those whom we Love.
The reason I chose to cover the seven deadly sins and their
opposite the Virtues - while commemorating St
Barbara is because this wonderful Saint embodied the
seven capital Virtues in her Life.
St Barbara was wealthy beyond belief, yet pride did not
prevent her from becoming a model Christian.
Although she was materially rich, and lived in a family of
prominence, greed did not keep her away from
sacrificing it all for Jesus Christ.
Although she was secluded in a tower, and constantly
taught about the pagan gods and their rituals, her
thoughts remained pure and focused on God until her
last breath.
While many of us would certainly be provoked to anger by
the unjustified and horrific torture that St Barbara
suffered, she responded with Prayers for Spiritual
Strength from God.
St Barbara's Life in Christ was a brilliant example of
unselfishness, and displayed her personal zeal and
absolute commitment for and to our Christian Faith.
May St Barbara Intercede for us that we may be
Strengthened by the same depth of Faith that helped
her through the unspeakable tortures she had to
endure.
May her Martyrdom inspire us to fight zealously against the
surreptitious and sinister battle that we face against the
demons in the world today.
May St Barbaras memory be Eternal.
http://www.st-seraphim.com/barbara.htm
May the Blessings of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour His
Divine Peace, Joy and Love - be with you always.
2.
ST BARBARA
THE
GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR
OF
HELIOPOLIS, SYRIA
4 DECEMBER 2014

ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW
AND FOREVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AMEN
REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARY,
THEOTOKOS YET EVER VIRGIN, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND
ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.
5 D E C E M B E R 2014
ST SAVA THE SANCTIFIED OF CAPPADOCIA
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST DIOGENOS ST GURIAS OF KAZAN ST ANASTASIOS THE FULLER OF
SALONA, DALMATIA ST KARION (CYRION) AND ST ZACHARIAH, HIS SON, OF SKETIS, EGYPT
ST NEKTARIOS OF BITYLYA & MOUNT ATHOS ST PHILOTHEOS OF KARYES, MOUNT ATHOS
THE HOLY MONASTIC MARTYRS OF KARYES, MOUNT ATHOS ST CRISPINA OF THACORA
(TAGORA), AFRICA
May the Blessings of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour

His DivinePeace, Joy and Love - be with you always.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST SAVVA THE SANCTIFIED
Tes
ton dakrion Sou roes, tis erimou to agonon

egeorgisas; ke tis ek vathous stenagmis, is ekaton
tous ponous ekarpoforisas; ke gagonas Fostir, tis
ikoumenis, lambon tis thavmasi, Savva Patir imon
Osie. Presveve Hristo to Theo, Sothine tas psihas
imon.
TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
With
the rivers of Thy tears, Thou changed the barren

desert into fertile land; and with the sighs from Thy
depths, Thou made Thy Labours produce a
hundredfold;
and Thou became a Bright Star,
shining on the earth with Thy Miracles. O Savvas our
Father Righteous: Intercede with Christ our God, for
our souls to be Saved!
FESTAL KONTAKION - ST SAVVAS THE SANCTIFIED - TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
Os apo vrefous to Theo thisia amomos, prosevehthis di O Blessed Savvas, Thou was offered from Thine infancy
aretis, Savva Makarie, to Se prin gennithine
epistameno, ehrimatisas Osion egkallopisma, polistis
te tis erimou exietpenos. Dio krazo Si. Heris Pater
aidime.
through Thy Great Virtue as a Pure and Spotless

Sacrifice to God, Who before Thy Birth, verily
foreknew Thee; wherefore Thou was an Adornment of
the Righteous Saints, an All-praised Founder of cities
in the wilderness. Hence, I cry to Thee: Rejoice, O
Father of Great Renown!
FESTAL KONTAKION OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST
Parthenos simeron, ton Iperousion tikti, ke i gi to

spyleon to aprito prosagi. Angeli meta Pimenon
doxologousi, Magi de meta asteros odiporousi, di imas
gar egenniti, Pedion neon, O Pro Aionon Theos.
Today
the Virgin gives Birth to Him Who is above all

being, and the earth offers a cave to Him Whom no
man can approach. Angels with Shepherds give
glory, and Magi journey with a Star. For unto us is
Born a young Child: the Pre-Eternal God.
PROKEIMENON
THE EPISTLE
The Saints shall rejoice in Glory

Sing unto the Lord a New Song.
OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS 5 :

WAR AGAINST THE FLESH & DO GOOD TO EVERYONE
22 6 : 2
Brethren: the Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Selfcontrol. Against such there is no law. And those 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,
envying one another.
Brethren: if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are Spiritual 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.
destructive desires and whims that do not benefit
This Sacred Lesson commemorates all Holy Monks and it
anyone at all.
reminds us, AS STRUGGLING DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, WHOM
WE STRIVE TO IMITATE AND FAITHFULLY FOLLOW OUR
LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST WHO IS THE SON OF GOD
BEING GUIDED AND ENABLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR
DIVINE COMFORTER, ADVOCATE AND HELPER WHO GRANTS
US HIS DIVINE GIFTS OF VIRTUE such as Love, Joy,
Peace,
Longsuffering,
Kindness,
Goodness,
Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.
As developing, maturing and faithful Christians we are
reminded that THROUGH OUR HOLY BAPTISM WE HAVE
ABANDONED OUR FORMER SELVES THE OLD MAN who
were ruled and dominated by our passions or vices
and selfish desires but now, HAVING BEEN REGENERATED
IN CHRIST, OUR ONLY DESIRE TO BECOME LIKE HIM

THROUGH HUMILITY AND WILLING OBEDIENCE TO GOD IN
ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE.
TO WALK IN THE (HOLY) SPIRIT IS TO LIVE EVERY MOMENT IN
THE (HOLY) SPIRIT, BEING CONSTANTLY AWARE OF OUR
HOLY MISSION DURING THIS PREPARATORY PERIOD OF LIFE
ON EARTH AND MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO FULFIL GODS
DIVINE WILL instead of indulging our own flawed and
S
A V V A S
T H E
WITHOUT HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE TWO INSEPARABLE

VIRTUES WE CANNOT EXPECT TO MAKE EVEN THE
SLIGHTEST PROGRESS FOR ONLY BY WORKING IN HARMONY
AND UNITY WITH GOD AND WITH ONE ANOTHER, CAN WE
ACHIEVE THEOSIS SPIRITUAL PERFECTION AND ETERNAL
LIFE.
BEING ENLIGHTENED BY CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE
SHOULD
ENCOURAGE
AND
ASSIST
ONE
ANOTHER,
especially when anyone of us stumbles or falls along

the way.
However, WHEN CORRECTING OUR FALLEN OR STUMBLING
BRETHREN, WE MUST ALWAYS DO SO WITH HUMBLE AGAPE
OR LOVE ... a spirit of Gentleness... and never with
a sense of criticism or condemnation because the

next time we ourselves may fall even harder than any
of our fellow sinners: Today my brother, tomorrow
me! (ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT)
TO BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER CORRECTION WITH GENTLENESS IS

A SPIRITUAL GIFT OF GOD.
A N C T I F I E D
E C E M B E R
2 0 1 3
St Paul admonishes us to BEAR ONE ANOTHERS BURDENS AND

TO BEAR OUR OWN BURDENS AS WELL because we are
Called to initiate True Care-giving in our Holy Church

and NEVER TO BE NEEDLESS BURDENS TO OTHERS!
TO ST MATHEW 11
WE REST ASSURED & CONFIDENT IN CHRIST
: 27 30
At that time, our Lord Jesus said: ... All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son
except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and the one to whom the Son Wills to reveal
Him.
Come to Me, all you who labour and who are heavily laden, and I will grant you rest. Take My Yoke upon you and
learn from Me, for I Am Gentle and Lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My Yoke is easy and
My Burden is light.
THE YOKE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS OUR FREE AND WILLING
St Theophylact explained to us that GOD HAS HIDDEN HIS
DIVINE MYSTERIES FROM THE WISE AND ERUDITE PEOPLE OF THE
WORLD not out of any malice towards His creatures
but rather because of their unworthiness, for they

chose to trust their own fallen, warped and limited
wisdom and judgement instead of Gods Perfect and
Absolute Wisdom and Knowledge.
Furthermore, IT IS OUT OF HIS LOVE FOR MANKIND THAT GOD
WITHHOLDS DIVINE REVELATION FROM THOSE WHO WOULD
SCORN IT IN ORDER THAT THEY DO NOT RECEIVE EVEN WORSE
ETERNAL CONDEMNATION AT THEIR FINAL JUDGEMENT.
ST SAVA
THE
SANCTIFIED
OF
A V V A S
A Yoke could be seen as a sign of hardship, burdens, and

responsibilities, but IN CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR, HIS YOKE IS
EASY, BECAUSE DIVINE POWER WORKS IN EACH OF US.
T H E
(2 KINGS 12: 1
11; JEREMIAH 34: 1-11; WISDOM OF SIRACH 40:1)
Furthermore, THE ULTIMATE REWARD IS INFINITELY GREATER

THAN ANY EFFORT MANKIND PUTS FORTH.
The term Gentle is literally translated Meek.
CAPPADOCIA
The unknown village of Mutalaska, in the Province of

Cappadocia, became famous through this Great
Luminary of the Orthodox Church.
St Savva was born there of his parents, John and Sophia. At
the age of eight, he left his parental home to be
tonsured a Monk in the nearby Flavian Monastic
Community.
After ten years, St Savva moved to the Monasteries of
Palestine, remaining for the longest period at the
Monastery of St Euthymios the Great and St
Theoktistos.
The clairvoyant, St Euthymios prophesied that St Savva
would become a famous Monk and Teacher of Monks,
and that he would establish a Lavra greater than all the
others of that time.
After the Repose of St Euthymios, St Savva withdrew into
the desert, where he lived for five years as a Hermit in a
cave to which he had been directed by an Angel of God.
Having been Perfected in Monastic Life, St Savva began by
Divine Providence to gather many who sought Spiritual
Life and soon there were so many people that the Holy
Father had to build many additional cells and a church
where they celebrated the Holy Services in the
Armenian language.
After his father had Reposed, St Savvas mother, Sophia,
arrived and was tonsure a Nun, receiving a cell which
was located at a distance from his Monastery, and
where she lived in Holy Asceticism until her Repose in
Christ.
St Savva endured so many assaults from all sides from
those who were close to him, from heretics and from
demons.
However, he triumphed over them all those who were
close to him by his Kindness and indulgence, the
heretics by means of his unwavering Confession of the
Orthodox Faith and the demons by the Sign of the Cross
and by calling ceaselessly upon God for Divine Help.
St Savva had a particularly Great Struggle against demons
on Mount Castellium, where he established his second
Monastery.
In all, St Savva the Sanctified, established by the Love and
Grace of Almighty God seven Holy Monasteries.
St Savva and St Theodosios the Great his neighbour are
considered to be the greatest Lights and Pillars of
Orthodoxy in the East.
They have corrected Emperors and Patriarchs in matters of
our Faith, and to everyone great or humble they
served as Perfect Examples of Saintly Humility and the
Miraculous Power of God.
After a toilsome and very Fruitful Life in Christ, St Savva
entered into his final Repose in 532, at the ripe age of
ninety-four.
Among his many wondrous and Good Works, was his
compilation of the Order of Services used in
Monasteries, which is now referred to as The Jerusalem
Typikon.
A man may be great in some skill, as a statesman or a
military leader, but no one is greater than one who is
great in Faith, Hope and Love.
How great St Savva the Sanctified was in Faith and Hope in
God is best shown by the following incident:
4
SUBMISSION TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND EVERYTHING THAT IS

REQUIRED OF US AS WORTHY FUTURE CITIZENS.
BY
ST NIKOLAI VELIMIROVICH
One day the Steward of the Monastery went to St Savva to

inform him that the following Saturday and Sunday he
would be unable to strike the semantron to summon the
Brethren to the communal Service and meal because
there was not a trace of flour in the Monastery, nor was
there anything at all to eat or drink.
For this same reason, even the Divine Liturgy was not
possible.
Without any hesitation whatsoever, St Savva replied: I
shall not cancel the Divine Liturgy because of the lack of
flour. Faithful is He Who Commanded us not to be
concerned about bodily things, and Mighty is He Who
feeds us in times of hunger.
And he placed all his Hope and Trust in our Lord God.
In this extremity, St Savva was prepared to send some of
the Ecclesiastical Vessels or Vestments to be sold in the
city so that neither the Divine Services nor the Brothers
customary meal would be omitted.
However, before Saturday, some men, moved by Divine
Providence, brought thirty mules lades with wheat, wine
and oil to the Monastery.
What do you say now, Brother? St Savva asked the worried
Steward.
Shall we not strike the semantron and
assemble the Fathers?
The Steward was ashamed of his own lack of Faith and
begged the Abbot to forgive him.
St Savvas biographer described him as being most ...
severe with demons but mild towards men.
Once, when some Monks had rebelled against St Savva, they
had been driven from the Monastery by order of
Patriarch Elias.
They then built for themselves huts by the Thekoa River,
were they endure privation in all things.
Hearing that they were starving, St Savva loaded mules with
flour, which he then took to them himself. Seeing that
they had no church, he built one for them.
At first the rebellious Monks received St Savva with
resentment and even hatred, but afterward they
responded to His Love with love and repented of their
former misdeeds towards him.
Venerable Savva, chief of Monks, Spiritual Commander of
Christs Heroes, was glorified by Fasting, Vigils and
Meekness, by Prayer and Faith and Blessed Mercy.
Thou taught the Monks to not be concerned with bread;
Thou entrusted Thyself to Heaven, with Labour and
Prayer.
Thou sought neither precedence nor rank of any kind. Most
rarely did Thou taste of oil or wine. Thou kept all the
Services at the appointed time.
Let the Service be a Joy and not a heavy burden, St Savva
told the Monks, and he showed this to all by his example.
Like a Wise Gardener, he enclosed the Garden, and
carefully planted many young men. The young men
grew and brought forth Fruit: a Regiment of Monks, to
the
glory
of
Savva...
http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/12/saint-savvassanctified.html
A N C T I F I E D
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2 0 1 4

6 D E C E M B E R 2014
ST NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER OF MYRA, LYCIA
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST MAXIMOS OF KIEV

FESTAL APOLYTIKION - ST NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER OF MYRA
Kanona
Pisteos ke Ikona praotitos, engratias didaskalon

anedixe Se ti Pimni Sou i ton pragmaton Alithia. Dia
touto ekomiso ti tapinosi ta ipsila, ti ptohia ta piousia.
Pater Ierarha Nikolae, Presveve Hristo to Theo, Sothine
tas psihas imon.
As
TONE 4
Rule of the Faith and picture of Gentleness, and

Teacher of Temperance Thou were exhibited to Thy
Flock, by the Truth of the Evidence. Thus Thou
acquired the Lofty through Humility, the abundant
through Poverty. O Father and Hierarch Nicholas:
Intercede with Christ our God, so that our souls
may be Saved!
FESTAL KONTAKION - ST NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER OF MYRA
En
tis Myris Agie, irourgos anedihthis; tou Hristou gar

Osie, to Evangelion plirosas, ethikas tin Psihin Sou iper
laou Sou, esosas tous athoous, ek tou Thanatou: dia
touto Igiasthis, os Megas Mistis Theou tis Haritos
Saintly One, (St. Nicholas) in Myra Thou proved Thyself

a Priest; for in fulfilling the Gospel of Christ, O
Venerable One, Thou laid down Thy life for Thy
people and Saved the innocent from Death. For this
Thou were Sanctified as One learned in Divine
Grace.
FESTAL KONTAKION NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Doxologousi, Magi de meta asteros odiporousi, di
imas gar egenniti, Pedion neon, O Pro Aionon Theos.
Today

beings, and the earth offers a Cave to Him Whom no
Glory, and Magi journey with a Star. For unto us is
PROKEIMENON PSALM 115 TONE (7) VARYS-GRAVE
Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints.

What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward us?
THE EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
HOLY LIFE
TO THE
CHRIST
IN
HEBREWS 13: 17 21
OUR
LORD
Brethren: Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give
account. Let them do so with Joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honourably.
But I especially urge you to do this, so that I may be restored to you sooner.
Now may the God of Peace Who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead - that Great Shepherd of the Sheep through the
Blood of the Everlasting Covenant, make you complete in every Good Work to do His Will, working in you what is well
pleasing in His Sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be Glory forever and ever. Amen.
We must ALWAYS OBEY AND RESPECT OUR HOLY CHURCH FATHERS
His concluding Blessing noted THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE DIVINE
AND MOST SACRED BLOOD OF CHRIST WHICH IS REALISED IN HIS
who are consecrated and Sanctified members of the
GLORIOUS RESURRECTION AS CHRIST OFFERS HIS MOST
Holy Priesthood of Christ our Lord.
PRECIOUS BLOOD IN THE ETERNAL SANCTUARY and thereby
OUR HOLY CHURCH FATHERS ARE PART OF THE ETERNAL SPIRITUAL
FATHERHOOD OF CHRISTS HOLY CHURCH WHO WILL BE HELD
inaugurates a New, ... Everlasting (Eternal)
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR EARTHLY MINISTRY AT THE GREAT
Covenant, which makes us Complete in every Good
JUDGEMENT OF OUR LORD.
Work to do His Will... as WE CO-OPERATE WITH GOD IN ALL
THINGS and so are able to progress towards Holy
St Paul, as one of our Holy Church Fathers, asked all
Christians for their Prayers so that he might live an
Sainthood Holy Perfection or Theosis i.e. the
Regeneration of our original created state.
exemplary life according to Gods Will and not be
tempted by the evil one into committing any sins or
worse leading others into wickedness or blasphemy.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 6 : 17 23

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DELIVERS HIS SERMON ON THE PLAIN CONCERNING THE BEATITUDES
At that time, our Lord Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His Disciples and a great
multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who went to hear Him and
to be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented by unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the
whole multitude sought to touch Him, for Power went out from Him and healed them all.
Then He lifted up His Eyes towards His Disciples and said: Blessed are you poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall be comforted.
Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for
the Son of Mans sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for Joy! For indeed your Reward is great in Heaven...
In the age of the Old Covenant a select few were chosen
IN THE AGE OF THE NEW COVENANT GOD INCARNATE SPEAKS
DIRECTLY TO HIS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES AND ALL THOSE WHO SEEK
to hear God directly. (REFER EXODUS 19: 3 13)
DIVINE TRUTH.
ST NICHOLAS
THE
WONDERWORKER
OF
MYRA
6 DECEMBER 2014
Our Lord Jesus Christ speaks to us with His own Divine

Authority and WE, AS HIS DISCIPLES, DO NOT DISCUSS OR
DEBATE BUT LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT HE REVEALS AND
TEACHES US CONCERNING GODS TRUTH READY AND EAGER TO
FULFIL WHATEVER IS REQUIRED FROM US. THIS IS OUR HOLY
MISSION AND PURPOSE ON EARTH DURING THIS PREPARATORY
PERIOD BEFORE ETERNITY.
The term Blessed indicates HEAVENLY, SPIRITUAL
EXALTATION RATHER THAN EARTHLY HAPPINESS OR PROSPERITY.
In Hebrew, poor means both THE MATERIALLY POOR AND
GODS FAITHFUL PEOPLE.
The poor in spirit, are THOSE WHO HAVE THE HEART OF THE
POOR, THE SAME ATTITUDE AS THE POOR, AND WHO ARE TOTALLY
DEPENDENT ON GOD.
Those who hunger ... and thirst for Righteousness REGARD
THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM AS THE
MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITIES OF LIFE.
THEY HAVE A
TREMENDOUS CRAVING AND YEARNING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND
GOOD A SPIRITUAL HUNGER THAT IS FAR MORE COMPELLING
THAN A DESIRE FOR FOOD.
Those who weep... refers to THOSE WHO ARE DISTRESSED BY
THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS LIFE, ESPECIALLY BY THE MISERY OF SO
MANY OTHERS, THE STATE OF THE FALLEN WORLD, AND THEIR
OWN PERSONAL SINS. (REFER JOHN 11:35... LUKE 19:41 & LUKE 7 : 36 38)
ALL THESE ARE COMFORTED BY THE POWER OF GOD BOTH IN THIS
WORLD AND IN THE AGE TO COME.
HOLY SORROW IS PART OF OUR REPENTANCE, CONVERSION AND
VIRTUOUS ACTION.
HOLY SORROW OR JOYFUL MOURNING IS THE FIRST-FRUIT THE

INITIAL RESULT OF INFINITE OR ETERNAL BLISS/JOY, which is
completely different from ungodly sorrow an
inconsolable sadness that leads to despair utter
hopelessness. (REFER TO 2 CORINTHIANS 7 : 10 )
THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT OF ALL IS WHEN WE COMMIT OUR LIVES
ENTIRELY TO CHRIST WHEN WE LIVE IN CHRIST AND NEVER
COMPROMISE
OUR
FAITH no matter what the
circumstances or threats against us.
This Sermon on the Plain is similar but not as extensive
as Christs profound Sermon on the Mount. (MATTHEW 5 7)
OUR LORD JESUS REPEATED MANY OF HIS DIVINE TEACHINGS OVER
THE PERIOD OF THREE YEARS HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY TO THE
HEBREWS AND GENTILES, WHICH WERE LATER SPREAD
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD BY HIS DIVINELY INSPIRED APOSTLES
AND FAITHFUL DISCIPLES.
St John the Divine Apostle, Evangelist and Theologian
wrote of three Passover Feasts that occurred between
Theophany the Revelation of the Holy Trinity at the
Baptism of our Lord in the River Jordan by St John the
Baptist and His Passion the New Covenant Pascha
which shows us that our Lords earthly Divine Mission
the direct Teaching by God Incarnate Himself lasted
only three short years!
This short section of the Holy Gospel according to St Luke
is read on Feast Days commemorating our Holy
Hierarchs, Hieromartyrs and Monks.
ST NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER OF MYRA GABE MARTINI

Many words could be written about the True Life and
During the persecution of Emperor Diocletian (284305), he
Spiritual Legacy of St Nicholas and while many ill
was imprisoned and later set free by Emperor
informed people only consider him as being a fictional,
Constantine the Great who made Christianity legal
inhabitant of the North Pole - with his herd of flying
under Roman Law and also summoned the First
reindeerthe prototype of this myth is a very real and
Ecumenical Council - of Nicaea (325) - with St Nicholas
important person in the Life of the Holy Church of
in attendance.
Santa Claus (the secular or commercialized version of St
Christ.
St Nicholas was born sometime in the latter half of the
Nicholas) is referred to as being a jolly fellow but the
third century, and grew up in a wealthy, educated
real St Nicholas was a devout and serious man,
family. He was the only child of his devout parents,
especially regarding his Christian Faith.
Theophanes and Nona, who resided in Patara, Lycia - a
During the deliberations of the Council of Nicaea, the
Province in the southern region of Asia Minor (Turkey.)
popular heresy of Arianism was being debated. (Its
His parents were so grateful to God for Blessing them with
founder, Arius, a Presbyter from Alexandria, denied the
their only child that they dedicated his life to our Lord
Divine Truth that our Lord Jesus was the Only-Begotten
and raised him in the Christian Faith, until he was able
Son of God, Who was of one Essence with God the
to follow in his uncles footsteps in service to the
Father.)
Church.
When Arius openly rejected the Divinity of Christ in the
He was tonsured a Monk at the Monastery of New Zion, and
presence of the assembled Bishops, St Nicholas, filled
later, his uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patara, was
with Righteous indignation, struck Arius on the cheek.
privileged to ordain him into the Holy Priesthood.
Since it was forbidden for Clergy to engage in violent acts,
After the Repose of his parents, St Nicholas received an
the Bishops of the Council were conflicted over what
enormous inheritance but having no wish to leave the
action to take.
Ascetic Life and his service to the Church, he
However, St Nicholas was soon exonerated after our Lord
distributed his entire inheritance amongst the poor and
and His Ever Blessed Mother appeared in a Vision to the
needy.
other Bishops, telling them to leave St Nicholas alone.
Out of Obedience to the Commandment of Christ Who
As a result of the Council, Arius and his followers were
instructed us to ...not let your left hand know what
excommunicated, the Nicene Creed was written, and the
Orthodox Belief of Christ as the Only-Begotten Son of
your right hand is doing... when giving alms, all St
God was preserved in the Life of the Holy Church
Nicholas Acts of Charity were done in secret. (MATTHEW
6:3)
thanks in part, at least, to the devotion of St Nicholas.
For example, a father in Patara had lost all of his wealth,
On 6 December 343, St Nicholas Reposed in the Lord.
leaving his three daughters without the benefit of
Innumerable Miracles are attributed to his Intercessions so
dowries and thus without the possibility of marriage.
he was commemorated as a Saint during the reign of
When he learnt of this, St Nicholas secretly left three small
Emperor Justinian the Great (527565).
bags filled with money, which he put through an open
St Nicholas is the Patron Saint of many cities, Monasteries,
window for them to discover the next day.
churches, and even entire Nations.
Over time, and through various changes in custom, these
When the Muslims conquered Myra in 1034, the Latin
Acts of Charity by St Nicholas became the Christmas
Crusaders retrieved St Nicholas Holy Relics from the
stocking tradition whereby children left their socks or
Saracens and in 1087, Italian soldiers took them from
shoes out to be filled with gifts and candy on the eve of
Myra to Bari, Italy, where they remain entombed in a
the Feast of St Nicholas.
church that bears his name.
While gift-giving for the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ
The fame of St Nicholas spread throughout northern
is actually linked to the three wise Magi of Persia and
Europe, leading eventually to the legends of the Dutch
their special gifts for the newborn Christ, it is mostly
Sinterklaas, which became Santa Claus in the New
derived from the life (and later legends) of St Nicholas.
World.
As Orthodox Christians, we give chocolates or small gifts to
St Nicholas epitomises Faith, Charity, and Love, so as we
children on the Feast Day of St Nicholas on 6 December
exchange gifts this Nativity Season, let us imitate him
to remind them of the importance of charity, as well as
by giving alms in secret - seeking not the glory nor the
the Christ-like example set by S. Nicholas so many
approval of the world.
years ago.
Give to others as if giving to Christ Himself - with Humility
St Nicholas was appointed Archbishop of Myra, Lycia, by
and Faith that is a more Perfect Union with the Onlypopular demand in the early part of the fourth century.
Begotten Son of God. HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU/ENGLISH/66856.HTM
6.
ST NICHOLAS
THE
WONDERWORKER
OF
MYRA
6 DECEMBER 2014

ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT,
NOW AND FOREVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AMEN
THEOTOKOS YET EVER VIRGIN, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES
AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.
7 D E C E M B E R 2014
26TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
10TH SUNDAY
OF
TONE 1
ST LUKE THE BOWED WOMAN
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST AMBROSE OF MEDIOLANON (MILAN) ST ATHENODOROS OF

MESOPOTAMIA ST JOHN THE FASTER OF KIEV NEAR CAVES MONASTERY ST PAUL
THE OBEDIENT ST PHILOTHEA OF THRACE, PATRON SAINT (HOLY PROTECTRESS) OF
ROMANIA -
May the Blessings of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour His DivinePeace,
Joy and Love - be with you always.
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE 1
While
Tou lithou sfragisthentos ipo ton Ioudeon ke stratioton

filassonton to ahranton Sou Soma, Anestis trimeros,
Sotir, Doroumenos to kosmo tin Zoin. Dia touto e
Dinamis ton Ouranon evoon si Zoodota.
Doxa ti
Anastasi Sou, Hriste! Doxa ti Vasilia Sou! Doxa ti
Ikonomia Sou, mone Filanthrope!
the stone was sealed by the Judeans, and

soldiers stood on guard over Thine Undefiled
Body, Thou rose on the Third Day, O Saviour Who
gives Life to the world. For which cause the
Heavenly Powers cried aloud to Thee: O Giver of
Life: Glory to Thy Resurrection, O Christ! Glory to
Thy Kingdom! Glory to Thy Providence, O Thou
Who alone Loves mankind!

Horeve, i ikoumeni,
Theon.
Today

God.
RESURRECTION GOSPEL 4 : LUKE 24 : 1 12
THE HOLY MYRRHBEARERS WITNESS
THE
EMPTY TOMB
OF
OUR
RESURRECTED LORD
PROKEIMENON PSALM 32 TONE 1
THE EPISTLE
Let Thy Mercy, O Lord, be upon us.

Rejoice in the Lord, O you Righteous
OF
ST PAUL
WALK
IN
TO THE
CHRIST
THE
EPHESIANS 5 : 8 - 19
DIVINE
LIGHT
Brethren: ... you were once in Darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord. Walk as Children of Light (for the Fruit
of the Spirit is in all Goodness, Righteousness and Truth,) finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to
speak of those things that are done by them in secret.
But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the Light, for whatever makes manifest is Light.
Therefore He says: Awake you who sleep! Arise from the dead, and Christ will grant you Light.
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the Will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which
is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
We must judge what the world (erroneously) thinks is
reasonable on the (correct) basis of what God says is
True.
Besides separating from Darkness (wickedness) Christians
are also to expose it.
But we must first come out of hiding in order to be
exposed ourselves.
We must first confess our own sins and Repent of them.
Orthodox Christians do so before partaking of any of the
Holy Mysteries such as Holy Baptism, Holy Eucharist
and Holy Unction.
We Repent and Confess our sins in the Holy Mystery of
Repentance-Confession before our Spiritual Father
who has been granted Divine Authority to hear our
Confession and to bestow Absolution (Forgiveness)
upon us, thereby removing all traces of our Repented
and Confessed sins, which will no longer Condemn
us.
The Hymn Awake you who sleep... is an early Baptismal
Hymn.
Holy Baptism is our Illumination so to walk in the (Divine)

Light is to walk in our Holy Baptism having put on
Christ as our Garment of Righteousness, Truth and
Life.
Our Goal is not to abandon the world entirely, but rather
to keep ourselves in Christ to Live in Christ and to
salvage as much as possible from this fallen world of
Spiritual Darkness.
As Christians Faithful Disciples of Christ we renounce
the fallen world the wickedness and Spiritual Death
not the perfect, beautiful Creation of God.
Following our Repentance, a surge of Life and Joy wells
forth.
A distinctive spirit a kind of elation energises both
darkness and Light.
For those who remain in Darkness, this spirit is like
drunkenness artificial and temporary, whereas for
Christians it the overwhelming Love, Joy and Peace of
the Holy Spirit.
The Great Joy is the New Covenant worship of the Holy
Trinity the partaking of the Holy Eucharist
26TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 10TH OF ST LUKE THE BOWED WOMAN 7 DECEMBER 2014
7.
(Thanksgiving) to God the Father, through God the

Son, in God the Holy Spirit.
Those who are inebriated with wine totter and sway, but
those who are inebriated with the Holy Spirit are
firmly rooted in Christ Jesus and Gloriously Sober!!
Quoting Holy Scripture and singing Hymns is not at all

Spiritual if there is not also True Humility, Obedience,
Submission and the Fear of God.

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HEALS
TO
ST LUKE 13 : 10 - 17
BOWED WOMAN
ON
THE
SABBATH
At that time, our Lord was teaching in one of the Synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold: there was a woman who
had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself.
And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him, and said to Her: Woman: you are loosed from your infirmity.
And He laid His Hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.
But the Ruler of the Synagogue responded with indignation, because Jesus had Healed on the Sabbath.
And he said to the crowd: There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be Healed on them,
and not on the Sabbath Day!
The Lord then answered him and said: Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or
donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
So ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound think of it: for eighteen
years be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?
And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the
Glorious Things that were done by Him.
According to certain traditions that the Pharisees and the
Scribes had built up around the Mosaic Law, Healing
was considered to be work.
Therefore, even Healing was not permissible on the
Sabbath Day.
These self-righteous Pharisees and Scribes believed that
they served God by zealously keeping and enforcing
these peripheral traditions.
However, such legalism actually made them insensitive
to Gods Great Mercy.
When our Compassionate Lord Jesus Christ told the
people especially those who criticised Him for
Healing the Bowed Woman on the Sabbath to ...
think of it! He was commanding them to consider
how it felt to suffer for so long to put themselves in
HEALING
ON THE
SABBATH ARCHBISHOP SERAPHIM
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

Holy Spirit...
Very often we are carried away by Rules, and
Regulations, and that is very much the case in
todays Gospel Lesson, because this woman was
Healed of her affliction on the Sabbath Day.
Furthermore, in this particular case, it was not simply
an illness, but it also concerned a demonic
oppression.
A very important fact to remember, which underlies
everything in our Relationship with the Lord, is that:
...the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the
Sabbath. (MARK 2:27)
The Sabbath Day, the Day of Rest, was given to us as a
Blessing as a day on which we could rest from
doing all sorts of work and, instead, devote
ourselves to worshipping God, which should take
precedence over everything else.
However, the worship of God should not be
unreasonable.
Human beings like to take liberties, of course, like that
old saying: Give them an inch, and they will take a
yard or even a mile.
So very often, when there is freedom to do whatever our
heart desires, the tendency is to do something that
is self-indulgent even on the Sabbath Day, when we
should devote ourselves to the worship and
Thanksgiving of God.
People naturally begin to do all sorts of things that are
not exactly restful, and then they make excuses for
not attending Church and the Holy Services.
Those who were in charge of the congregations in those
pre-Christian days, like people still do today,
decided: Well, since the people are becoming unruly
and undisciplined, we have to regulate life in general,
and put things in order. Therefore we have to make
extra Rules to ensure that no one does any work at
any time on the Sabbath Day.
Nevertheless, the Rules they compiled became almost
ridiculous.
If someone, for example, had been sewing on another
day, but on the Sabbath had put on a coat or a cloak
8.
that position in order to understand the suffering that

she had so patiently endured.
Furthermore, our Holy Church Fathers regard this Divine
Commandment ... think of it!... as directing our
attention to a profound Spiritual Meaning of the ...
eighteen years.
The Greek expression is literally ten and eight years.
St Ambrose and St Theophylact understood this as
representing the Ten Commandments and the Eighth
Day, which is the beginning of Eternity and the
General Resurrection of all mankind by Divine Grace.
Consequently, all mankind is uplifted by Faith in Christ
Who fulfils both the entire Mosaic Law and Divine
Grace.
OF
OTTAWA & CANADA
that had a sewing needle still in it, which was

noticed by others, he or she would be accused of
working on the Sabbath Day and
would be
penalised.
This type of zealous sticking to the letter of the Law
does not work because we become quite ridiculous
in the attempt to protect or enforce something that
is supposed to be Holy.
The Sabbath Day is Holy.
Up until recently, society in general used to respect and
keep the Lords Day Sunday, which is the Christian
or New Covenant Day of Rest.
We did not lose Saturday as the Sabbath, but we also
added Sunday in particular, being the Day of our
Lords Resurrection, on which we worship the Lord
our God, attend Church, contemplate the Divine
Commandments and Teachings, and dedicate the
entire day to the Will of God before anything else
doing whatever good deeds are required of us.
There was a time when the entire world respected
Sunday as the Lords Day, when all commercial
business stopped - shops were closed as were most
restaurants and all bars and everything became
quiet with very little activity.
I was quite surprised when I was in Thessalonica a
couple of weeks ago, for the Lords Day is still
respected there. I couldnt believe it.
On Sunday, after Church, nothing is open at all, and
such restaurants that are open, are closed at 18:00.
Everyone rests on Sunday in Thessalonica, and I am
told that it is the same throughout Greece.
Here, in Canada, (and everywhere else in this darkening
world) there is a liberty that we take, which has
gone to extremes.
Nowadays, most people are busy shopping or working
or doing all kinds of self-indulgent activities instead
of respecting the Day of the Lord by attending
Church or doing good deeds.
Sunday is no different to any other day of the week and
everyone is concerned with money, business or
work, without taking a day off to give Thanks to God
for all His Great Blessings.
And even if federal laws tried to prevent us from

working on Sunday we would rebel against them for
we have all become so selfish and undisciplined, we
refuse to be regulated at all.
As Orthodox Christians, let us make a concerted effort
to dedicate every Sunday to our Lord Who grants us
such an infinite abundance of His Divine Blessings.
Let us faithfully follow His Good Example by attending

Church and doing all good deeds that are required
of us, thereby Glorifying God and His Great Love and
Mercy.
Amen
[ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP]
HTTP://WWW.PRAVMIR.COM/HEALING-ON-THE-SABBATH/#IXZZ3EJ1ONTQV
HOW SHOULD WE SPEND SUNDAYS?

SUNDAY IS THE DAY SET ASIDE TO HONOUR GOD AND
Thanksgiving and seeking through our Prayers the
SHOULD BE SPENT DIFFERENTLY FROM ALL OTHER
continual receiving of His Divine Blessings.
Together, as the Congregation, we join in Holy
DAYS.
Communion with Him as we partake of His Precious,
It is day on which W E R A I S E O U R M I N D A N D H E A R T T O
Life-giving Body and Blood Holy Eucharist.
G O D with deep reverence towards Him with profound
4. We should R E F L E C T O N A L L O F G O D S W O N D E R F U L
Gratitude and Prayer.
CREATION AND HIS ALL POWERFUL NATURE,
According to the Old Covenant, it was the Sabbath that was
HIS
DIVINE
WISDOM,
GOODNESS
AND
such a day, but A C C O R D I N G T O T H E N E W
U N C O N D I T I O N A L L O V E ( A G A P E ) for us.
We
COVENANT, SUNDAY IS THE LORDS DAY.
should experience the Wonder and Awe of His
G O D C O M M A N D E D S T M O S E S to
Creation in the natural environment. We should
... remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy.
reflect on His Life and the Path He has laid out for
Six days shall you labour, and do all your
us through His Teachings, His Life, His sacrificial
work, but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of
Death and His Glorious Resurrection.
the Lord your God. In it you shall not do any
Metropolitan Gregory encouraged us: ... you who Love
work. ( E X O D U S 2 0 : 8 - 1 0 )
God: follow the Path unto which the Lord has
According to the Old Covenant, the penalty for not keeping
directed you and fear nothing... only try to please
the Sabbath Day Holy was the death of the soul.
the Lord God, and then, remembering the words of
the Holy Apostle (St Paul): ... if God be for us, who
T H E R E A S O N S F O R T H I S D I V I N E C O M M A N D M E N T are:
can be against us? ... Do not be afraid just try to
1. T H E S A B B A T H D A Y W A S H A L L O W E D B Y G O D in
avoid all temptations of sin through which our
memory of the Creation of the world.
enemy always more easily lures us into his deadly
... On the Sixth Day God ended His Work, which
nets and ruins us.
He had made; and He rested on the Seventh
We should C O N T E M P L A T E O U R L O R D S P A S S I O N
Day from His Work that He had made. And
A N D D E A T H how He voluntarily suffered for us
God Blessed the Seventh Day, and Sanctified it,
and we must contemplate the words of St John who
because in it He had rested from all His Work,
wrote in His Holy Gospel:
which God created and made. ( G E N E S I S 2 : 2 - 3 )
J O H N 3 : 1 6 : Behold how God so Loved the
The Sabbath Day was I N R E M E M B R A N C E O F T H E
world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son,
L I B E R A T I O N of the people of Israel from their
that whosoever believes in Him shall not
Egyptian bondage. (D E U T E R O N O M Y 5 : 1 2 1 5 )
perish, but have Everlasting Life.
5. We should R E A D H O L Y S C R I P T U R E on Sunday just
Similarly, A C C O R D I N G T O T H E N E W C O V E N A N T , W E
like the first Disciples of Christ. ( A C T S 2 0 : 7 )
A R E D E L I V E R E D F R O M T H E B O N D A G E O F S I N B Y the
We are all Called to live a Holy Life in our Lords Divine
Crucifixion and Death of O U R L O R D A N D S A V I O U R ,
Image:
JESUS CHRIST.
E P H E S I A N S 1 : 4 God has chosen us in Him
Therefore it is prescribed that we C O N S E C R A T E T H E D A Y
before the foundation of the world, that we
OF THE OLD COVENANT SABBATH ON THE DAY OF
should be Holy and without blame before
T H E L O R D , which is Sunday the Day of His Glorious
Him.
Resurrection, (which is a Declaration of Eternal Life!)
6. As Metropolitan Gregory reminded us:
We must
GREGORY
OF
ST
PETERSBURG
METROPOLITAN
examine ourselves every day in relation to our
reminded us: The Lord has granted us six days of
Salvation, so much more should it be our
every week to carry out our business that is necessary
obligation on Sundays... Sunday before all other
for our earthly life, but the Seventh Day only one
days should a Day on which we make the most
day He appointed for our rest, under pain of Eternal
attentive and detailed Examination of our Spiritual
Death for violating it...
State in relation to our Salvation, and make a new,
S T J O H N C H R Y S O S T O M told us: ... it was the Lords
firm intention to root out from ourselves
Good Will to prescribe that we dedicate one day in the
everything ... opposed to God and our Salvation.
weekly cycle to Spiritual Matters.
A C T S 2 0 : 7 : ...on the First Day of the week... the
http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com
Disciples came together... St Luke noted how
ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT
THE
ORIGINAL
CHRISTIANS
GATHERED
TOGETHER ON SUNDAY FOR THE BREAKING
God's Saints value more than any of us the great Act of the
OF
BREAD
AND
TO
HEAR
AND
TO
Redemption of mankind by God, the Descent of the Son
CONTEMPLATE OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS
of God from Heaven, His Teaching, likewise His
DIVINE TEACHINGS.
Sufferings, Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Ascension
into Heaven, for they spent all their Life working out
THERE ARE SEVERAL OBLIGATIONS THAT THE LORDS
their own and others' Salvation, sincerely, firmly,
DAY IMPOSES ON US AS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF
infallibly and with their whole heart.
CHRIST:
For the sake of their own and others' Salvation, they
1. We should S E T A S I D E A L L B U S I N E S S that we need to
renounced themselves, Fasted, prayed, watched,
engage in during the six days of the week to support
wrestled, and laboured in deed and word with their
ourselves.
intellect and with pen.
2. We should T U R N A W A Y F R O M A L L I M P I O U S A C T S
But we do not understand how to value such great Acts - we
that distract our soul from the Remembrance of our
are cold, distracted, heedless, and are more occupied
Lord God our Reverence, our Gratitude and
with the visible world and of its goods, which are but
Prayerful disposition of soul towards Him, which
smoke.
includes all unedifying reading, conversations and
ST JOHN KLIMAKOS
games where our soul might lose our Remembrance
When our soul leaves this world we shall not be blamed for
of God and whereby we may potentially be carried
not having worked Miracles, or for not having been
away by self-indulgence and sin.
Theologians or Contemplatives. But we shall certainly
A
T
T
E
N
D
T
H
E
S
U
N
D
A
Y
S
E
R
V
I
C
E
S
O
F
3. We are to
have to give an account to God of why we have not
M A T I N S A N D T H E D I V I N E L I T U R G Y , which is the
unceasingly Mourned.
ultimate Remembrance of Gods infinite Blessings.
In our attendance, we worship God, offering our
9.
HONOURING THE NEW COVENANT SABBATH

From Holy Scripture, we know that our Lord Jesus Christ
did not abide by the Fourth Commandment according
to Mosaic Law according to the interpretation of the
letter of that Law by the Pharisees and Scribes.
For it was on the Sabbath Day that Christ performed most
of His Divine Miracles with such Love and Compassion
for those who suffered and, especially, for the Glory,
Honour and Worship of Almighty God.
Neither did His Holy Apostles abide by the letter of that
particular Commandment, because they plucked and
ate ears of corn on the Sabbath Day.
Our Lord Jesus Christ offered us a New Divine Covenant
through His Life, His Teachings and His Sacrifice.
He taught us to no longer observe the Sabbath Day
Saturday as a Holy Day of religious observance.
By examining the Holy Gospels and other Books of the New
Testament, we will find that all the other Divine
Commandments of the Decalogue were indeed observed
and taught by our Lord Jesus and His Holy Apostles
except for the Commandment concerning the
observation of the Sabbath.
We will not find one reference to the Fourth Commandment
in the New Testament.
In addition, our Lord and Saviour condensed all the Divine
Commandments into two profound, all embracing
Divine Commandments: Love of God and Love of
neighbour our fellow sinners.
As He clearly explained: ... on these two Commandments
hang all the Law and Prophets. (MATTHEW 22:40)
St Paul is known to have taught, healed and preached day
and night toiling every day in his Holy Labours for the
benefit of innumerable souls.
From the earliest days, Christians have honoured Sunday as
the Lords Day not Saturday, the Old Covenant
Sabbath Day.
The Eighth Day which is actually the First Day of the
week i.e. Sunday is honoured as the Glorious Day of
Resurrection as revealed to us by our Lord Himself.
(The Eight Day is the First Day of Eternity the Day of
Judgement. mp)
Our Resurrected Christ declared our Spiritual Freedom
from the enslaving chains of sins and Death, and
Promised us that we, too, will rise from physical death,
being Resurrected into Eternal Life in His Heavenly
Kingdom of Love.
Our Holy Church Father, Elder Cleopas explained:
... On the First Day of the week, the Event of the
Resurrection took place, and on the First Day of the
THE ETERNAL, INSPIRED WISDOM
ST ISAAK THE SYRIAN
The Lords Day is a Mystery of the Knowledge of the Truth
that is not received by flesh and blood, and it
Transcends speculations.
In this age there is no Eighth Day, nor is there a True
Sabbath. For he who said that `...God rested on the
Seventh Day... signified the rest [of our nature] from
the course of this life, since the grave is also of a bodily
nature and belongs to this world.
Six days are accomplished in the husbandry of life by
means of keeping the Commandments; the Seventh is
spent entirely in the grave; and the Eighth is the
departure from it. The Ascetical Homilies, I
ST JOHN
OF
KRONSTADT
Avoid such a mode of life that tends to living for carnal

motives and desires only - that is, only to sleeping,
eating, dressing, walking, then again, to eating,
drinking, and walking.
Such a mode of life completely kills our Spiritual Life,
making us quite earthly, and creatures of the Earth
whilst Faithful Christians - even during their life on
earth - ought to be Heavenly. "...for the Kingdom of
Heaven is at hand!"
"Our Father, Who art in Heaven...!" We ought to read the
Word of God more frequently, pray more often at home
and in Church, and in every place - of course, more
inwardly than outwardly.
We ought to meditate more often on God, His beautiful
creation, the Calling and Predestination of mankind; on
God's Providence, our Redemption, God's unspeakable
Love of mankind, the Lives and Glorious Deeds of the
T H
SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 10TH
10 2 6
OF
DAY SUNDAY
THE DAY OF THE LORD

week, in Emmaus, (Christ) performed the first Divine
Liturgy with the Breaking of Bread before His
Disciples.
It was on the evening of the First Day of the week ...
when the doors were shut where the Disciples were
assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood
in the midst of His Disciples, and said to them: Peace
be unto you!
It was on the First Day of the week that our Saviour
breathed upon His Disciples, granting them the Power
to bind or loosen the sins of mankind.
On the same day of the week, as well, our Resurrected
Lord Jesus Christ appeared again to His Disciples,
with St Thomas present, for whom He fortified his
Faith in His Resurrection.
In addition, it was on this day that the Apostles
celebrated the Breaking of Bread in other words: the
Divine Liturgy.
On the same day the gathering of economic aid and
preaching, as organised by the Apostles, took place in
order to assist the impoverished Christians.
In this way, the Resurrection Day Kyriaki the Lords
Day (Sunday) became from the earliest times the Day
of the Divine Liturgy.
S T I G N A T I O S wrote: ... those who we brought up in the
ancient Order of things, have come to possession of a
New Hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but
Living in the Observation of the Lords Day...
S T J U S T I N M A R T Y R wrote: ... Sunday is the day on
which we all hold our Common Assembly, because it
is the First Day on which God having wrought a
change in the darkness and matter made the world;
and Jesus Christ our Saviour, on the same day, rose
from the dead...
E L D E R C L E O P A S told us: ... we can find similar
testimonies in the Didache (the Teachings of the Holy
Apostles of Christ), in the Canons and (according to
the Teachings and writings) of the multitude of our
Holy Church Fathers from the second to the fourth
century, such as, for example, Tertullian, St Irenaeus,
St Ambrose, St John Chrysostom and many others.
In the fifth century, Sunday became a secular day of rest
by a Decree of St Constantine the Great, which
affirmed the general practice of Christians at that
time...
HTTP://ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE.BLOGSPOT.COM/2012/04/DO-CHRISTIANS-STILLHONOR-SABBATH.HTML
OF OUR
HOLY CHURCH FATHERS
Saints, who pleased God by their manifold Virtues, and

on other subjects.
We ought also to Fast, to examine our conscience, to Repent
sincerely and deeply of our sins, and so on!
NIKITAS STITHATOS
If after strenuous Ascetic Labour we receive Great Gifts

from God on account of our Humility, but are then
dragged down and handed over to the passions and to
the chastisement of the demons, we must know that we
have exalted our self, have thought much of our self,
and have disparaged others.
And we find no cure for or release from the passions and
demons that afflict us unless we make use of a good
Mediator and through Humility and awareness of our
limitations we Repent and return to our original state.
Such Humility and Self-knowledge lead all who are firmly
rooted in Virtue to look upon themselves as the lowest
of created things.
ST MAXIMOS THE CONFESSOR
God, who is by Nature Good and Dispassionate, Loves all
mankind equally as His Handiwork. But He glorifies
those who are Virtuous because in their will they are
United to God.
At the same time, in His Goodness He is Merciful to sinners
and by chastising them in this life brings them back to
the Path of Virtue. Similarly, those of good and
dispassionate judgment also Love all people equally.
God Loves those who are Virtuous because of their nature
and the probity of their intention; and He Loves sinners,
too, because of their nature and because in His
Compassion He pities them for foolishly stumbling in
Spiritual Darkness.
ST LUKE THE BOWED WOMAN 7 DECEMBER 2014

9 D E C E M B E R 2014
CONCEPTION OF THEOTOKOS BY ST ANNA & ST JOACHIM
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, TRANSLATION OF HOLY RELICS ST HANNAH,
RIGHTEOUS MOTHER OF ST SAMUEL, HOLY PROPHET OF GOD ST SOPHRONIOS OF CYPRUS
ST STEPHEN THE NEW LIGHT OF CONSTANTINOPLE ST ANTHIMOS THE FOOL FOR CHRIST
OF MOUNT ATHOS

FESTAL APOLYTIKION - CONCEPTION OF OUR LADY THEOTOKOS
Simeron tis ateknias desma dialionte; tou Ioakim gar ke Today the bonds of barrenness are loosened;
for God hearing the Prayers of Joachim and Anna - clearly

promised them that they would bear - against all
hope - the God-Bearer from whom was born the
Omnipotent Himself, as a mortal Man, Who ordered
the Angel to cry out unto Her: Hail, O Full of Grace,
the Lord is with Thee!
tis Annis, i sakouson O Theos, par elpida tekin aftous,

safos ipiskhnite Theopeda, ex is aftos etehthi, O
aperigraptos vrotos gegonos, di Angelou kelefsas voise
afti: Here Keharitomeni, O Kyrios meta Sou!
FESTAL KONTAKION CONCEPTION
Eortazi
simeron, i ikoumeni, tin tis Annis sillipsin,

gegenimenin en Theo; ke gar afti apekiise, tin iper
logon, ton Logon kiisasan.
OF
ST ANNA
TONE 2
Today
the world rejoices in the conception of Anna,

wrought by God. For she bore the One who beyond
comprehension conceived the Logos.
THE EPISTLE
OF
SLAVERY
The Saints shall rejoice in Glory.

Sing unto the Lord a New Song.
ST PAUL
GALATIANS 4 : 22 27
TO
TO
TO THE
SIN & SONSHIP
ALMIGHTY GOD
Brethren: It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a free woman. And he who was
of the bond woman was born according to the flesh, and he of the free woman, through Promise, which things are
symbolic.
For these are the two Covenants: the one from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar for this Hagar is
Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem, which now is - and is in bondage with her children while the
Jerusalem Above is free, which is the Mother of us all.
For it is written: Rejoice, O Barren you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labout! For the
desolate has many more children than she who has a husband!
through age and infertility. But THE WORD OF GOD
By saying that ABRAHAMS TWO SONS (ISMAEL & ISAAC) AND
RELATED EVENTS ARE SYMBOLIC ALLEGOREO, ST PAUL DID
FASHIONED HIM...
NOT IMPLY THAT THEY ARE NOT HISTORICAL.
HE WHO WAS NOT ACCORDING TO THE FLESH (ST ISAAC) WAS MORE
HONOURABLE THAN HE WHO WAS BORN AFTER THE FLESH
Rather he asserted that OLD COVENANT HISTORY ANNOUNCED
SOMETHING FAR GREATER THAN ITSELF it announced the
(ISHMAEL).
Incarnation of the Son and Word of God, our Lord
St Isaac was t h e l e g i t i m a t e c h i l d o f A b r a h a m
Jesus Christ, and the resultant Eternal Salvation of all
and Sarah, and their Holy State of
mankind.
Marriage, according to the Will and
HAGAR AND MOUNT SINAI SYMBOLISE THE EARTHLY JERUSALEM
D i v i n e P r o m i s e o f G o d , while Ishmael - although
the first born son of Abraham -was the illegitimate
AND THE HEBREW NATION who were under the Divine Law
child of Abraham and the slave, Hagar, being born out
of God, which prepared them through Self-Discipline
of legal and Holy Wedlock according to the demands
and Obedience to God for the coming of the Messiah.
of the flesh and against the Will of God in a state of
ST SARAH, THE WIFE OF THE ANCIENT PATRIARCH, ST ABRAHAM, WAS
sinful disobedience to the Will of God.
THE FREE WOMAN, WHO SYMBOLISED THE HEAVENLY
Consequently,
Hagar and Ishmael were banished from the
JERUSALEM the Eternal City of God to which we should
household and sent off to fend for themselves
all aspire i.e. His Holy Church through which we
elsewhere.
enter Gods Eternal, Heavenly Kingdom.
Therefore,
let it not disturb you (Baptised Christians) that
THE DESOLATE REFERS TO MEMBERS OF HIS HOLY BODY HIS HOLY
you were not born after the flesh. For from the very
CHURCH ESPECIALLY THE NON-HEBREWS, THE GENTILES.
reason that you are not so born, are you most of all
SHE WHO HAS NO HUSBAND, REFERS TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL
Abrahams kindred.
before, the Old Covenant Israel the Hebrews - and
During Holy Baptism Christians become t h e a d o p t e d
now, the New Covenant Israel THE CHRISTIANS who
children of Divine Light of God and thus
ARE CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST our Lord to Gods Eternal
C o - h e i r s w i t h C h r i s t Rightful Heirs to Gods
Kingdom.
Eternal Kingdom of Love, Peace and Bliss according to
Furthermore, ST SARAH WAS A TYPE OF - SIMILAR TO - OUR EVER
the Divine Promise and Will of God, b u t o n l y i f w e
BLESSED LADY THEOTOKOS BECAUSE HER SON WAS ALSO BORN
personally choose to accept it for ourselves.
THROUGH A DIVINE PROMISE - according to the Will of God
the Father.
As St John Chrysostom explained, ST ISAAC ... was the
issue of bodies that were dead, and of a womb that
was dead. HIS CONCEPTION WAS NOT BY THE FLESH, NOR HIS
BIRTH BY THE SEED, for the womb was dead both
THE CONCEPTION
OF OUR
EVER BLESSED VIRGIN THEOTOKOS
BY
ST ANNA & ST JOACHIM
9 DECEMBER 2014
11.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 8 : 16 21

OUR LORD JESUS CAUTIONED US THAT WE MUST TAKE GREAT CARE HOW WE HEAR!
At that time, our Lord Jesus said: ... No one having lit a lamp covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it
on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor
anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.
Therefore, take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be granted; and whoever does not have, even
what he seems to have will be taken from him.
Then His Mother and Brothers went to Him, and could not approach Him due to the crowd. And they told Him: Thy
Mother and Thy Brethren are standing outside, wishing to see Thee. And He answered: My Mother and My Brethren
are those who hear the Word of God and fulfil It.
MOST PEOPLE INCLUDING HIS MOTHERS FAMILY MEMBERS such
FAMILY OF HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM ... IS NOT BY
(EARTHLY/WORLDLY/HUMAN) NATURE BUT BY VIRTUE, as St
as His cousins, uncles and aunts - our Lords Brethren
John Chrysostom explained.
or Brothers and Sisters DID NOT YET FULLY COMPREHEND
This incident was similar to when a woman from the
CHRISTS DIVINE IDENTITY AND UNIVERSAL MISSION.
Our Lord by no means denied His family connections nor
midst of the crowd shouted praises to His Mother who
did He ever insult or embarrass them.
had brought Him to life and thus Blessed our world: HE
CORRECTED HER NOT BY DENOUNCING OR INSULTING HIS EVER
Rather, such as in this instance, HE POINTED HIS DISCIPLES
BLESSED, ALL HOLY MOTHER BUT BY EMPHASISING HER UTTER
AND FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS TO OUR ETERNAL SPIRITUAL FAMILY,
HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD WHICH WAS OF EVEN
WHICH IS BASED ON OUR HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE TO THE
WILL OF GOD THE FATHER, WHICH IS FULFILLED THROUGH OUR
GREATER SPIRITUAL VALUE AND WORTH THAN HER EVER VIRGIN
SPIRITUAL
ENLIGHTENMENT,
KNOWLEDGE
AND
MOTHERHOOD. (LUKE 11: 27-28)
THE DEGREE TO WHICH WE ARE ESPECIALLY BLESSED BY GOD
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE RECEIVE FROM CHRIST, AND WHICH
DEPENDS ON THE DEGREE OF OUR HEARING THE WORD THE
WE ARE ABLE TO APPLY TO OUR WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS,
DIVINE TRUTH OF GOD AND KEEPING IT APPLYING IT IN ALL
BY BEING ACTIVATED AND ENABLED BY GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Furthermore, Christ corrected and guided them all ... to
ITS ASPECTS TO OUR OWN PERSONAL LIFE WORDS, THOUGHTS
AND DEEDS.
the right idea concerning Himself... that THE HOLY
THE CONCEPTION
OF OUR
LADY THEOTOKOS
So much attention is paid by Christians to the Blessed

Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, Sanctified in every
conceivable way, that there is a tendency to overlook
her parents.
Commemorated the day after the commemoration of their
daughter, who is remembered on other days as well, St
Joachim and St Anna were the parents of a flesh-andblood human being they called Mary and, therefore,
the Grandparents of a flesh-and-blood human Being - in
form at least - Who died to Save the world.
Considered in this light, this Righteous couple is
appreciated most by Grandparents of the world.
The Spiritual Beauty of St Anna is expressed in Holy
Scripture, equalled by that of her devoted husband, the
too lightly regarded St Joachim.
Since there is no greater part of the Divine Plan of the
universe than motherhood, it follows that St. Anna is
given individual honour with an observance of a Feast
day in her name on 26 July.
This in no way diminishes the image of her husband, St
Joachim.
Shrouded by twenty centuries of legend, close scrutiny by
biblical scholars has cleared away legend and
established a more accurate and factual account,
however meagre, of St Joachim and St Anna.
There is no denying the word of the Apostle, St James, who
saw fit to go to great lengths to glean facts about the
parents of our Lady, the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary, which
he described in a letter that somehow failed to find
official acceptance.
Conflicting views notwithstanding, it is definitely known
that St Anna was of the prestigious Hebrew Tribe of
Levi and that she was the daughter of the High Priest,
Nathan, who was wed to a namesake, Mary.
This High Priest had two daughters besides Mary who
mothered St Anna, named Sovin and Anna, both of
whom married and resided in Bethlehem.
St Anna was married St Joachim in Galilee where their
daughter, St Mary, the Theotokos, was born.
There is no denying that St Joachim was favoured by God,
Who answered his Prayer that a child be born to the
barren union with St Anna.
The birth of their long awaited daughter set in motion the
world's greatest Faith, which was so overwhelming that
St Joachim faded from view in misty swirls that
surrounded the Sweet Mysteries of Christianity.
ETERNAL, INSPIRED WISDOM

One of the infirmities of the human spirit is its slowness to
Faith and its slothfulness in acquiring a Knowledge of
the Truth, especially of the Truths of Faith and Piety.
What do youths, and even grown-up and elder people,
study most inertly and slothfully? The Truths of Faith
and Piety. This is proved by innumerable Experiences.
12.
THE CONCEPTION
OF OUR
BY THE
RIGHTEOUS ST ANNA & ST JOACHIM
It is enough to know St Joachim was the father of our Lady

Theotokos - the mother who bore Jesus Christ, our
Divine Saviour Who changed the course of world history
and set it on another Path which, if followed, leads us to
Eternal Life.
The fact that God moves in Mysterious Ways was evident
when St Joachim and St Anna ceaselessly prayed for a
child not knowing whether they would be granted a
son or a daughter and having no idea of what lay in
store for them and for the world.
St James the Holy Apostle of Christ quoted an Angel of the
Lord who said to St Anna: "The Lord has heard thy
Prayer, and thou shalt conceive and bring forth, and
thy Seed shall be spoken of in all the world."
There was no mention of the gender of the child as St
James said that St Anna accepted the Angelic
Annunciation with the words: "As the Lord my God
lives, if I beget male or female, I will bring it as a Gift
to the Lord my God; and it shall minister unto His
Holy Things all the days of its life."
The use of the word "it" indicates that St Anna may have
had premonitions but certainly no advance notice that
'it' was to be "she," who in turn, would knowingly bring
forth the Son of God.
Indeed God does move in Mysterious Ways!
An Orthodox Hymn states: As we celebrate the
Remembrance of Thy Righteous Grand-Parents,
through them we beseech Thee, O Lord, to Save our
souls.".
"Anna rejoices now that she is loosed from the bonds of
barrenness, as she nourishes the Most Pure One,
calling all to praise Him Who has given the world Her
who alone is Mother, yet has known no man."
There can be no more touching tribute than to be
mentioned in praise and Prayer in the Sacred Music of
the Church.
The St Joachim and St Anna are an integral part of the
Divine Liturgy, always being mentioned in the Dismissal
Prayers of our Holy Services:
"...May the Risen Christ, our True God, with the Prayers of
His Pure and Holy Mother, the Power of the Precious
and Life-giving Cross, the Protection of the Spiritual
Powers of Heaven...the Holy and Righteous Ancestors
Joachim and Anna...and all the Saints whose memory
we celebrate have Mercy on us and Save us."
http://www.stspyridon.org.au/ourFaith
OF OUR
HOLY CHURCH FATHERS

ST ATHANASIOS
Orthodoxy is not only the sum total of dogmas accepted as

True in a purely formal manner. It is not only theory,
but practice; it is not only right Faith, but a Life, which
agrees in everything with this Faith. True Orthodox
Christians are not only those who think in an Orthodox
manner, but who feel according to Orthodoxy and live
Orthodoxy, who strive to embody the True Orthodox
Teaching of Christ in their life.
EVER BLESSED VIRGIN THEOTOKOS
BY
ST ANNA & ST JOACHIM
9 DECEMBER 2014

14 D E C E MB E R 2014
27 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T
TONE 2
S U N D A Y O F T H E H O L Y F O R E F A T HE R S
THE FEAST OF ST AARON THE RIGHTEOUS PRIEST, ST BENJAMIN, ST DEBORAH, ST EZRA, ST
ISAAC, ST JACOB, ST JUDITH, ST MIRIAM, ST NATHAN THE HOLY PROPHET, ST NEHEMIAH
THE HOLY PROPHET, ST NOAH, ST REBECCA, ST SARAH, ST SOLOMON THE HOLY PROPHET
& ST SUSANNA OF THE HOLY MYRRHBEARERS ST THYRSOS, ST LEUCIOS AND ST
CALLINIKOS OF APOLLONIA ST APOLLONIOS, ST PHILEMON, ST ARIANOS & ST
THEOTYCHOS OF ALEXANDRIA ST HILARION OF SUZDAL & YURIEV
Ote katilthes pros ton Thanaton, i Zoi i Athanatos, tote ton
Adin enekrosas ti astrapi tis Theotitos. Ote de ke tous
tethneotas ek ton katahthonion
anestisas, pase e
Dinamis ton Epouranion ekravgazon. Zoodota Hriste, O
Theos imon, Doxa Si!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF THE
When Thou condescended to Death, O Life Immortal,
Thou slayed Hades with the lightning flash of Thy

Divinity. When also Thou raised up the dead from
the subterranean abodes, all the Powers of Heaven
cried aloud: O Life-giver, Christ our God, Glory to
Thee!
ANCESTORS OF CHRIST TONE 2
En Pisti tous Propatoras edikeosas, tin ex ethnon diafton In Faith the Forefathers Thou has justified by producing
Promnistefsamenos Ekklisian. Kafhonte en Doxi i
Agii, oti ek spermatos afton, iparhi karpos efkeleis, i
asporos tekousa Se. Tes afton ikesies Hriste O Theos,
Soson ta psihas imon.
through them, the Church from the Nations. The

Saints boast in glory that from their seed came forth
Noble Fruit - the One Who gave Thee Birth without
seed. Through their intercessions, O Christ our God,
Save our souls!

Horeve, i ikoumeni,
Theon.
Today

God.
RESURRECTION GOSPEL 5 :LUKE 24 : 12 35
OUR RESURRECTED LORD JESUS CHRIST ALONG
PROKEIMENON
THE
ROAD
TO
EMMAUS
Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our Forefathers!

For Thou hast always dealt Righteously with us!
THE EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
SPIRITUALITY
IN
TO THE
COLOSSIANS 3 : 4 11
CHRISTS HOLY CHURCH
Brethren: when Christ, Who is our Life, appears, than you also will appear with Him in Glory. Therefore put to death your
members that are on earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Because of these sins the Wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked
when you lived in them!
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not
lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the New Man who is Renewed in
Knowledge according to the Image of Him Who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor
uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythians, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
1. True Mysticism in Christs Holy Church:
We must never forget all the effort we made while
As Christians Struggling Disciples of Christ we have
preparing ourselves for Holy Baptism (i.e. those
received our Lord Jesus Exalted Resurrection Life
who have converted from Protestantism)
through Holy Baptism.
Always be aware of everything that we have been
Consequently, we need to seek the ultimate and
taught by our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy
Spiritual Glories of the Age to come i.e. Eternity
Church Fathers and our Spiritual Teachers
or - our ultimate Goal - Eternal Life in Gods
concerning our daily Life in Christ Jesus.
Heavenly Kingdom, for which we need to
The easy part of Orthodox (True Teaching) Christianity is
prepare ourselves during this short lifespan on
our Preparation for Holy Baptism.
However, the degree and seriousness of our
Earth!
We must forever remember our Holy Baptism and
personal Commitment and Sacred (unbreakable)
everything that it actually means!!
Allegiance to Christ is clearly and significantly
revealed by how much effort we make to attend
Holy Services, regularly partake of the essential
13.
27TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 11TH
OF
ST LUKE THE HOLY FOREFATHERS 14 DECEMBER 2014
Holy Mysteries and to what degree if at all - we

apply the Teachings and Divine Commandments
of Almighty God, which is Life in Christ, to all
aspects of our personal life.
As genuine Orthodox Christians, every facet of our being
word, thought and deed is freely and eagerly
done with sincere Humility and Obedience to the
Will of God!
Our willingness to follow Christ should always be
compelled by a profound Love of God and our
fellow Pilgrims with whom we Struggle side by side as
we all proceed towards Eternity.
As Faithful Disciples of Christ, we ceaselessly and
consciously strive to imitate our Lord by applying
His Divine Teachings and Commandments to every
word, thought and deed, so that we may slowly and
surely regain our lost Likeness to God and become
worthy Citizens of His Eternal Kingdom.
We must live according to Christs Glorious
Resurrection for we shall all be likewise
Resurrected on the Eighth Day - His Great,
Impartial and Final Judgement Day and the
beginning of Eternity - and have to give an
account for every word, thought and deed from
our first breath of life to our last!
Everything we accomplish during this short Preparatory
Period of Earthly Life, should be achieved through
True Life in Christ so that we are able to face our
Final Judgement in Peace and with Confidence and without fear of Eternal Condemnation and
Spiritual Exile from God through unrepented sins and
a tragic lack of Agape True, Unconditional and
Divine Love!
2. True Asceticism in Christs Holy Church:
As Baptised Christians, we are becoming in practice
what we are already in spirit.
Our Salvation b e g i n s with Holy Baptism and is
c o n t i n u e d t h r o u g h o u t o u r l i f e s p a n by
means of a Faithful and proper Life in Christ.
As we died with Christ through our Holy Baptism, so
now too, we must Struggle every moment of the
day to root out and destroy all our old sinful and
GODS GREAT BANQUET &
disintegrating passions that cause us to fall into

temporary Spiritual Death.
Our subsequent determined efforts of Repentance Save
us and return us to Spiritual Life in Christ.
Due to our weak human nature and self-indulgent habits,
we regularly fall into a state of Spiritual Death.
Each time we surrender ourselves to the enemies
temptations and distractions we turn away from God.
However, our Ever Loving and Gracious Lord has
granted us the means to return again and again to
Spiritual Life in Christ through immediate and
ceaseless Repentance-Confession.
Furthermore, the closer our Relationship to God
becomes through our Spiritual Struggles, the more
ferociously the enemy will attack us.
Nevertheless, we need never despair, for through
Humility and Obedience, we grow ever stronger due
to the Great Mercy of God Who enables us to
achieve even the most impossible things!
Thus, we should unfailingly Glorify God and offer our
Prayers of Thanksgiving for all our experiences
good or bad because every little obstacle makes
us Spiritually Stronger and draws us closer to God.
As we were raised with Christ, so we must choose the
Virtuous, Unifying desires of the New Man the
New Redeemed human being that we are
becoming in the Holy Body of Christ through
our voluntary Obedience to His Holy Church and
everything She requires of us!
To try to do anything else according to our own flawed
concepts will most certainly not have the same final
Spiritual Results and Eternal Achievements.
The New Man - our Renewed Being - steadily grows
from one stage of Perfection to another, as we
slowly but surely regain our lost Divine Likeness truly becoming the Image of our Lord Jesus
Christ until, having achieved Theosis, we will
remain Eternally as the Holy Image of God Who
created us as His own Perfect Image and
Likeness.
ST LUKE 14 : 16 24 & ST MATTHEW 22 : 14
TO
OUR
EXCUSES THAT EXILE & ALIENATE OURSELVES!
At that time, our Lord Jesus said to a Ruler of the Pharisees: A certain Man gave a Great Supper, and invited many, and
sent His Servant at supper time to say to those who had been invited: Come, for all things are now ready. And
they all with one accord began to make excuses!
The first said to Him: I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go to inspect it. I ask Thee to have me excused.
And another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask Thee to have me excused.
Still another said: I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot attend.
So that Servant returned and reported these things to His Master. Then the Master of the House, being angry, said to
His Servant: Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring the poor and the maimed and the lame
and the blind. And the Servant said: Master, it is done as Thou commanded, and still there is room.
And the Master said to His Servant: Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, so that My
House may be filled. For I say to Thee: none of those who were invited shall taste My Supper!...
... for many are Called but few are Chosen!
This Parable of our Lord Jesus Christ consists of TWO
Our Holy Church Fathers regard THE THREE EXCUSES that
ASPECTS, ILLUSTRATING BOTH THE FIRST AND SECOND COMING
Christ mentioned as NOT ONLY HAVING A LITERAL MEANING
OF CHRIST, Who is the Servant sent by God the Father
BUT ALSO A PROFOUND SPIRITUAL MEANING!
TO GATHER MANY TO PARTAKE OF HIS HOLY EUCHARIST, WHICH
Far too many of us are so attached to and obsessed with
our worldly cares and favourite past times that WE
GRANTS US SALVATION THROUGH THE REPENTANCE AND THE
HAVE NO TIME NOR INCLINATION TO ACCEPT GODS DIVINE
FORGIVENESS OR REMISSION OF SIN AND THUS ETERNAL LIFE.
INVITATION for our Salvation and Eternal Life in His
The term Supper indicates an evening meal OUR
Heavenly Kingdom.
ESSENTIAL NOURISHMENT BEFORE RESTING OR SLEEPING.
EXCUSE TO
FAR TOO MANY OF US USE EVERY SELF-JUSTIFYING
In other words: WE ALL NEED TO PARTAKE OF HOLY
REJECT HIS GREAT AND WONDERFUL INVITATION TO HIS
COMMUNION/EUCHARIST AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE
ARE PROPERLY SPIRITUALLY NOURISHED AND PREPARED FOR
HEAVENLY BANQUET AT EACH DIVINE LITURGY!
ETERNAL LIFE IN GODS DIVINE KINGDOM before we
Too many of us think that we can ignore God and all our
repose in Peace in Christ and while we await His Final
Sacred Commitments to Him until a later stage of life
when it might suit us better!
Judgement.
Alas! EACH OF US HAS ONLY A SPECIFIC MEASURE OF LIFESPAN
THE FIRST PEOPLE WHO WERE INVITED by Almighty God to
IN WHICH TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR ETERNITY .
partake of the Great Mercy of His Divine Eucharist
IF WE DO NOT BECOME WORTHY CITIZENS FOR HIS ETERNAL
WERE THE HEBREWS.
KINGDOM OF LOVE, PEACE AND JOY N O W - WE CANNOT
AFTERWARDS HIS DIVINE INVITATION WAS OFFERED TO EVERYONE
EXPECT TO RECEIVE HIS GREAT MERCY AND ABUNDANT
ELSE TO ALL HUMAN BEINGS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND
BLESSINGS FOREVER!
THROUGHOUT THE AGES.
ST AMROSE SAW THE THREE EXCUSES THAT REJECTED GODS DIVINE
Now AS CHRISTIANS WE MUST EAGERLY PARTAKE OF HOLY
INVITATION AS REPRESENTING THE GENTILE, THE PAGAN, THE
COMMUNION EVERY TIME WE ATTEND THE DIVINE LITURGY
OLD COVENANT HEBREW AND THE HERETIC.
WITHOUT MAKING EXCUSES to reject Gods Divine Banquet
These are all DEVOTED TO THEIR EARTHLY WEALTH the
of Thanksgiving, Salvation and Eternal Life.
...piece of ground...
14.
OF
The reference to those in the streets and lanes indicate

the GENTILES AND PAGANS WHO ACCEPTED CHRIST AFTER THE
FAITHLESS HEBREWS REJECTED HIM, AND THOSE WHO ARE
PRESENTLY OUTSIDE THE CHURCH WHO OFTEN REPLACE THOSE
FROM WITHIN HIS HOLY CHURCH WHO HAVE REJECTED THEIR
HOLY BAPTISM AND VOWS OF ALLEGIANCE TO CHRIST.
The five yoke of oxen represent
A PREFERENCE AND
ENSLAVEMENT TO MANS INTERPRETATION OF THE FIVE OLD
COVENANT BOOKS OF LAW IN ORDER TO REJECT GODS NEW
COVENANT OF SALVATION.
The excuse of having married a wife, is the

HERETICAL ESPOUSAL OF ERROR BY THOSE WHO REJECT THE
WILL AND LOVE OF GOD IN FAVOUR OF THEIR OWN
EARTHLY, SELFISH DESIRES.
ST THEOPHYLACT MORE GENERALLY ASSOCIATED THE EXCUSES WITH
THOSE WHO ARE DEVOTED TO ALL EARTHLY MATTERS
ESPECIALLY PERTAINING TO OUR FIVE SENSES TO ALL FLESHLY
PLEASURES I.E PHYSICAL INDULGENCE.
11TH SUNDAY
OF ST LUKE THE GREAT BANQUET

Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, many
times used Parables in order to make the people
understand the Heavenly Truths that He revealed.
Thus, in todays Sacred Lesson, our Lord used the imagery
of daily life in order to reveal the importance of our
participation in the Great Banquet, which is offered to
us by Gods Divine Love i.e. the Holy Mystery of the
Divine Eucharist.
Our Lord has laid a Great Banquet before us, and the
Wisdom of God has invited all mankind to partake:
Come! Eat My Bread and drink Wine, which I offer to
you all!
It is a Great Banquet of which St David, the Psalmist, Holy
Prophet of God and King, spoke: ... Thou hast
prepared before me a Banquet contrary to those who
make me sad. Thou hast Anointed my head with Oil
and Thy Cup I drink of as the very best...
This is the Greatest of all Banquets, which is offered to us
for our Eternal Salvation by the Divine Lamb the
Eternal Word and Son of God.
It is the Great Banquet in the midst of which the Heavenly
Lamb of God invites all mankind: Come! For all is
prepared.
In the midst of the Holy Mystery of the Divine Eucharist,
the Extreme Love of God is expressed by He Who ...
desires that all mankind be Saved and come to the
Knowledge of Truth... (1 TIMOTHY 2:4)
The special Characteristic of Gods Love for us is His
Offering and His Sacrifice.
He Who Loves sacrifices everything for those who are
Loved, whereas those who love less, offer less.
Those who Love the most, offer the most they can to those
whom they love.
Our Lord Jesus Christ Loves ... His own in the world... to
the greatest degree and for that reason He offered
Himself as the ultimate Blood Sacrifice ... for the Life
and Salvation of the entire world.
St John the Divine Apostle and Evangelist, referring to the
enormity and depth of that Divine Love, said: ... God so
Loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son,
so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but
have Eternal Life. (JOHN 3 : 15 16)
The Lord and Saviour of the world invites all those who call
upon His Name all who call upon Him Who is broken
but not divided... He Who is eaten but never consumed:
Come! For all is ready.
How often are we distracted by worldly cares or by vain
goals and sinful desires?
How often are we indifferent or negligent towards the
Fountain of Life?
How often do we surrender ourselves to the worship of
mammon our obsession with material possessions
and wealth while we ignore the True, Most Precious
Heavenly Treasures.
We have allowed ourselves to be enslaved and bound by the
fatal tentacles of worldly pleasures and carnal sins by
depriving ourselves from the Precious, Life-giving Body
and Blood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ the
Life-giving and Salvific Holy Eucharist.
St Paul cautioned us severely when he told us You cannot
drink from the Lords Cup and the cup of the
demons!
Our Holy Communion with our Saviour, Jesus Christ, grants
us Forgiveness of sins and Eternal Life.
But when we distance ourselves from that essential Holy
Communion, we suffer many negative consequences.
Our Lord has assured us and He never disappoints us:
Truly, truly, I say to you: if you do not eat the Flesh
15.
OF
GOD HAS CALLED ALL MANKIND TO HIS HOLY SERVICE BUT VERY
FEW RESPOND SINCERELY AND FAITHFULLY, BECAUSE MOST
PEOPLE USE ALL THE EXCUSES THAT SATAN CAN INVENT, TO
AVOID AND ALIENATE THEMSELVES FROM GOD.
METROPOLITAN PANTELEIMON
OF ANTINOES
of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you cannot
have Eternal Life within yourselves! (JOHN 6 :53)
Within the Sacramental Life of the Orthodox Church, having
been Renewed in Christ, those who Live in Christ, who
live according to the Teachings and Commandments of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and who live for Christ, partake
not only of the Holy Mysteries of the Body of Christ
His Holy Church but also have Communion a
Spiritual Relationship - with all the other members of
the Orthodox Church throughout the world.
As True Christians True Disciples of Christ we know the
essential problems of our human condition and we all
pray daily to God for His Great Mercy.
We cannot be indifferent to the needs of others like the
Foolish Rich Man who gathered his abundant harvest
into more and more barns, to rot away, while his fellow
mankind suffered from starvation and deprivation.
Unfortunately we are surrounded by the same lack of care
for one another and the same neglect of our Spiritual
Welfare.
Sadly, far too many people who are Christian in name
alone, are self-satisfied with their brief appearance at
the Holy Services of Pascha, the Feast of the Nativity of
Christ or the Dormition of our Lady Theotokos and
sometimes even appear for a very brief moment on a
Sunday, thinking that it is enough for them to have
fulfilled their religious duties!
However, Holy Communion with Almighty God and our
fellow struggling sinners is not a casual event when and
if we feel like it!
Holy Communion is not only a quick visit to Church on a
Great Feast Day or for a few minutes on a Sunday!
As Faithful Christians we should be thinking of Christ all
the time, as we Struggle against the constant Spiritual
Warfare that assails us every moment of the day and
night.
Our Lord invites us all to partake of His Great Banquet,
because if we avoid eating and drinking the Life-giving
Body and Blood of Christ, we certainly become ill and
will eventually suffer serious Spiritual Death.
Similarly, when we do not partake in Holy Communion, our
soul suffers and weakens, until we can no longer resist
the sinful temptations that attack us and which will
finally lead to serious Eternal Condemnation and
permanent alienation from God and all His Goodness.
If we are not regular participants in Gods Holy Communion
and have not properly prepared ourselves, we shall not
be able to rise Victorious in the Stadium of Virtues.
Amongst the Holy Mysteries, which our Lord has given to
us, His Holy Church, are four that are obligatory for
every Faithful Christian.
Holy Baptism, through which we become members of the
Mystical Body of Christ His Holy Church.
Holy Chrismation through which we receive the Gift of the
Holy Spirit, Who enables us to fulfil all our Holy
Commitments properly and worthily.
Holy Repentance-Confession, through which we receive
Forgiveness of our sins that we commit after our Holy
Baptism, thereby restoring our temporary alienation
from God and all His Goodness.
Holy Eucharist through which we are able to partake of the
Divine Body and Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ, thereby receiving Divine Forgiveness of sins and
Eternal Life in His Heavenly Kingdom of Love.
Our regular participation in the Holy Mysteries must never
be done without our proper Spiritual Preparation and
conscious effort and awareness of what we are doing.
Holy Eucharist is the very Body and Blood of Christ and it
the same Body of our Lord and Saviour, Who was
crucified on the Cross for the Eternal Salvation of the

entire world.
Consequently, we should always approach the Holy Chalice
with Fear of God, with deep Faith and Love.
St Paul exhorted us to approach the Great Holy Banquet
only after we have closely examined ourselves, seeking
out our sins and Repenting and Confessing them.
Self-examination is the beginning of our personal
Repentance.
When we realise our inner condition the Spiritual
Condition of our immortal soul we can then confess
and correct our errors, and seek forgiveness and forgive
each other.
On the contrary, those who are too egoistic and selfcentred, will remain stubbornly unrepentant and hard
hearted.
They close their ears so that they can ignore the Divine
Invitation to the Great Life-giving Banquet.
They see no reason to Repent their sins and some even dare
to approach the Holy Chalice without a trace of Godly
Fear, reverence or Faith, but merely do so as an empty
gesture that will certainly not benefit them whatsoever,
but which will finally, Condemn them for all Eternity!
St Paul clearly warned us: ... he who eats this Bread or
drinks from the Lords Cup unworthily, is guilty of the
Body and Blood of the Lord! (1 CORINTHIANS 11:27)
Our Loving, Longsuffering and infinitely Patient Lord God
continues to invite all mankind to partake of His Great
Life-giving Banquet of Divine Love.
SUNDAY
OF THE
ETERNAL, INSPIRED WISDOM
Avoid such a mode of life that tends to living for carnal
motives and desires only - that is, only to sleeping,
eating, dressing, walking, then again, to eating,
drinking, and walking.
Such a mode of life completely kills our Spiritual Life,
making us quite earthly, and creatures of the Earth
whilst Faithful Christians - even during their life on
Earth - ought to be Heavenly. "...for the Kingdom of
Heaven is at hand!"
"Our Father, Who art in Heaven...!"
We ought to read the Word of God more frequently, pray
more often at home and in Church, and in every
place - of course, more inwardly than outwardly.
We ought to meditate more often on God, His beautiful
Creation, the Calling and Predestination of mankind;
on God's Providence, our Redemption, God's
unspeakable Love of mankind, the Lives and Glorious
Deeds of the Saints, who pleased God by their
manifold Virtues, and on other subjects.
We ought also to Fast, to examine our conscience, to
Repent sincerely and deeply of our sins, and so on!
ST ANATOLY OF OPTINA
All prudent people do not weep in advance, but wait for
whatever the Lord will send. And what the Lord
sendswhether good or bad they accept with Joy
and strive to endure according to their Strength. But if
they cannot endurethey Repent for their Faintheartedness. But we become fainthearted beforehand
- while still not seeing any misfortune or sorrow -we
grieve before the sorrow ever comes. Christians: live
in a Christian manner!
ST JOHN KLIMAKOS
However great may be the life we lead, if we have

not acquired a contrite heart we may count it
stale and spurious.
For this is essential, truly essential if I may say so,
for those who have again been defiled after
OF
(ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP)

HIS EMINENCE, PANTELEIMON (LAMPADARIOS) THE KALYMNITE OF ANTINOES ST CATHERINES MONASTERY, MOUNT SINAI, EGYPT
http://www.orthodox-mitropolitan-of-antinoes-panteleimon.com
HOLY FOREFATHERS
The Sunday of the Holy Forefathers is the Sunday that falls

between 11 17 December the second Sunday
before the Nativity of Christ our Lord and Saviour.
The Ancestors according to the Flesh of our Lord i.e. the
Holy Ancestors of our Lady Theotokos from whom He
became Incarnate are Commemorated on this
second last Sunday of the Nativity Fast (which began
on 15 November.)
All the great Holy Fathers and Mothers, and the Holy
Prophets of God of the Old Covenant are
Commemorated during this period beginning with
16.
He has invited us let us not turn away or refuse the Divine

Invitation.
He has invited us let us not make ridiculous, condemning
excuses not to attend!
He has invited us let us prove to be worthy of His Divine
Invitation and let us partake, having prepared ourselves
correctly before, with great Joy, approaching His Holy
Chalice with Godly Fear and the deepest of Love of God
and all His Goodness!
Beloved Brother and Sisters in Christ: Few days remain
before we will celebrate the Great Joy, Love and Peace of
the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us all take this opportunity to fulfil our Sacred Deeds of
Repentance.
Let us weep bitterly for all our sins.
Let us enter the Manger of our heart and with the
Illumination of self-knowledge, let us closely examine
the depths of our soul.
With the Cleansing Grace of the Holy Spirit, let us purify
our soul so that we are able to offer to the Divine Infant
Christ our precious Gifts of Contrite Tears and sincere
Repentance.
So it is that we will then become worthy Pilgrims in
Bethlehem and worthy participants of Gods Great, Lifegiving Banquet.
Amen
Adam, St Abraham, St Sarah the Righteous, St Isaac

and St Jacob concluding with St Zachariah the Holy
Prophet, St Joachim and St Anna, the Holy Prophet
and Forerunner to Christ, St John the Baptist and our
Lady Theotokos.
These Holy Forefathers lived before the Mosaic Law of the
Old Covenant with Almighty God, and under the Law,
especially the Holy Patriarch, St Abraham to whom
God promised: ... in Thy Seed shall all of the Nations
of the Earth be Blessed. (GENESIS 12: 3 & 22 : 18)
HOLY CHURCH FATHERS

Baptism that they should Cleanse the pitch from
their hands with Unceasing Fire of heart and
with the Oil of God.
OF OUR
NIKITAS STITHATOS
If it is but recently that you have embarked on the
Struggle for Holiness and ranked yourself. against the
passions, you must battle unremittingly and through
every kind of Ascetic Hardship against the spirit of
self-indulgence.
You must waste your flesh through Fasting, sleeping on
the ground, Vigils and night-long Prayer; you must
bring your soul into a state of Contrition through
thinking on the Torments of Hell and through
Meditation on Death; and you must through Tears of
Repentance purge your heart of all the defilement
that comes from coupling with impure thoughts and
giving your assent to them.
ST MAXIMOS
THE
CONFESSOR
He who has realized Love for God in his heart is tireless,

as Jeremiah says, in his pursuit of the Lord his God,
and bears every hardship, reproach and insult nobly,
never
thinking
the
least
evil
of
anyone.
(CF. JEREMIAH 17:16. LXX)
NIKITAS STITHATOS
Tears of Repentance are one thing, tears that flow
because of Divine Compunction another.
The first are like a river in spate that sweeps away all the
bastions of sin; the second are to the soul like rain or
snow to a field, making it yield a bountiful crop of
Spiritual Knowledge.
ST JOHN
OF
KRONSTADT
Our Lady, the Mother of God, is the most beautifully

adorned Temple of the Holy Trinity.
She is, after God, the Treasury of all Blessings, of Purity,
Holiness, of all True Wisdom, the Source of Spiritual
Power and Constancy.

15 D E C E MB E R 2014
ST ELEFTHERIOU, HIEROMARTYR OF ILLYRIA
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST EVANTHIA, HIS MOTHER, & ST CARIBOS THE EPARCH OF ILLYRIA ST
PAUL OF LATROS ST STEPHEN THE CONFESSOR OF SUROZHA, CRIMEA ST TRYPHON & ST
JONAH, HIS DISCIPLE, OF PECHENGA & KOLA ST ELEFTHERIOS CUBICULARIOUS
(CHAMBERLAIN) OF CONSTANTINOPLE ST PARDOS THE HERMIT OF PALESTINE ST
HILARION, HIEROMARTYR OF VEREIYA ST NEKTARIOS OF BITEL, BULGARIA -

His Divine Peace, Joy and Love - be with you always.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF ST ELEFTHERIOS TONE (5) PLAGAL 1
podiri katakosmoumenos, ke ematon tis rithris
epistazomenos, to Despoti Sou Hristo Makar
anedrames, Eleftherie Sofe, kathereta tou Satan. Dio
mi pafsi Presvevon iper ton Pisti Timonton, tin
Makarian Sou Athlisin.
Being

Horeve, i ikoumeni,
Theon.
Today
Ieron
adorned with a Priests gown that reached the

ground, and immersed in the streams of Martyrs
Blood, Thou hastened to Christ Thy Lord, O
Eleftherios, the Blessed and Wise One, Destroyer of
Satan. Hence, do not cease Interceding for those who
honour in Faith Thy Blessed Martyrdom.

God.
Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the Death of His Saints.
What shall we render unto the Lord for all His Benefits toward us?
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO ST TIMOTHY 1 : 8 - 18
ST TIMOTHYS GIFT
THE
POWER
OF
GOD
Timothy, my Son: ... do not be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner, but share with
me in the sufferings for the Gospel according to the Power of God, Who has Saved us and Called us with a
Holy Calling not according to our works, but according to His own Purpose and Grace, which was given
to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the Appearing of our Saviour, Jesus
Christ, Who has abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel to which I
was appointed as a Preacher, and Apostle and a Teacher of the Gentiles.
For this reason, I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed
and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
Hold fast the pattern of sound words, which you have heard from me in Faith and Love, which are in Christ
Jesus.
That good thing that was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us.
This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellos and
Hermogenes.
The Lord grant Mercy to the household of Onesiphoros, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of
my chain; but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me.
The Lord grant to him that he may find Mercy from the Lord in that Day and you know very well how many
ways he ministered to me at Ephesos.
TO
ST MARK 2 : 23 3 : 5
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TRANSCENDS
THE
SABBATH DAY
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ went through the grain fields on the Sabbath; and, as they went, His
Disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to Him: Look! Why do they do what is
not lawful on the Sabbath? And He said to them: Have you never read what David did when he was in
need and hungry he and those who were with him how he went into the House of God in the days of
Abiathar the High Priest, and ate the Showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the Priests and
also gave some to those who were with him?
And He said to them: The Sabbath was made for mankind, not mankind for the Sabbath! Therefore, the
Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.
And He entered the Synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. And they watched Him
closely whether He would Heal him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse Him.
And He said to the man with the withered hand: Step forward. Then He said to them: Is it lawful on the
Sabbath to do good or to do evil to save life or to kill? But they kept silent.
ST ELEFTHERIOS OF ILLYRIA
15 DECEMBER 2014
17.
And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to
the man: Stretch out your hand. And he stretched it out and his hand was restored as whole as the
other.
And the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him how they might
destroy Him.
From a good tree comes good fruit and this wonderful
These Holy Martyrs were Perfected by sword during the
Saint had noble and greatly eminent parents.
reign of Hadrian in 120.
St Eleftherios was born in Rome, where his father was an
St Eleftherios and St Evanthia (or Anthia) are solemnly
Imperial Proconsul. His mother, St Evanthia heard and
Commemorated on 15 December, which was the day of
accepted the Holy Gospel from the great Apostle, St
the Dedication of a great church to the Saints in the
Paul, and was Baptized by him. After being widowed
Xerolophos district of Constantinople during the reign
while she was still young, she entrusted the education
of the Byzantine Emperor, Arkadios, in the fifth century.
of her only son to St Anicetos, the Bishop of Rome.
Many other churches have been erected in their honour,
Seeing how the young St Eleftherios was Gifted by God and
particularly in Greece.
Illumined by Divine Grace, St Anicetos ordained him as
In the West, St Eleftherios and St Evanthia are honoured on
Deacon at the age of fifteen, as Priest at the age of
18 April, which is the date of their Holy Martyrdom in
eighteen, and as Bishop at the age of twenty.
Rome in 120.
St Eleftherios' God-given Wisdom made up for what he
A portion of their Holy Relics are preserved in Reati, Italy,
lacked in years, and this Chosen One of God was
while in the Nea Ionia area of Athens, inhabited mainly
appointed Bishop of Illyria with his seat in Valona
by refugees from Asia Minor, other Holy Relics of St
(Avlona), Albania.
Eleftherios and St Evanthia are venerated by Pilgrims
The Good Shepherd guarded his Flock well and increased
from Greece and Cyprus.
their number day by day.
A twelfth century church dedicated to St Eleftherios served
Emperor Hadrian, a persecutor of Christians, soon sent his
as the Athenian Cathedral during the centuries of
"Turkocratia" or Ottoman rule.
Commander, Felix, with a contingent of soldiers to seize
St Eleftherios and take him to Rome.
Although this small church is dwarfed by the large
When the raging Commander Felix arrived in Valona and
Cathedral next to it , which was built in the nineteenth
entered the church, he saw and heard the Holy Hierarch
century, the Church of St Eleftherios continues to draw
of God and in that very instant his heart and soul was
many Pilgrims.
forever changed.
For centuries Orthodox Believers have venerated St
Having accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour, the future
Eleftherios and St Evanthia as the Patron Saints of
St Felix was Baptised by St Eleftherios before they
expectant mothers (and of childbirth.)
[Note: "Eleftherios" is a variant of "Freedom" in Greek, thus,
departed for Rome going as joyfully as if they were
going to a Great Feast and not to an unjust trial and
mothers pray that they might safely be delivered of
hideous public humiliation and torture.
their pregnancies by giving birth to healthy children.
As expected, the Roman executioners subjected the noble
"Anthia" resembles "anthos" meaning flower, and as
St Eleftherios to indescribable punishment being
mentioned above, she was the mother of St
flogged and scourged, being burnt on a huge iron
Eleftherios.]
skillet, being boiled in pitch and then being thrown into
Furthermore, St Eleftherios is the Patron Saint and Holy
a fiery furnace.
Protector of the oppressed, of prisoners and of all those
However, by the Will and Divine Power of Almighty God, St
undergoing any kind of trial.
Eleftherios was Delivered from all these deadly
It is believed that these two Saints, like St Kyprianos and St
atrocities.
Justina, dispel all demonic influences.
Having witnessed the Divine Miracles of such a Living and
Orthodox Christians living under the oppression of the
Powerful God, Caribos, the Roman Eparch, suddenly
Ottoman Empire believed in St Eleftherios as their
declared that he also was a Christian, whereupon he
Helper in their struggle for independence.
too, was promptly arrested and subjected to terrible
In Albania where the previous Communist regime had
torture before being beheaded together with the Holy
strictly enforced a law that forbade the Orthodox
Martyrs, St Felix and St Eleftherios.
Christian Faith and all religion, the Holy Saints became
While St Evanthia, the mother of St Eleftherios, stood over
a focus for Orthodox Christian resistance - particularly
the body of her beloved son, she also was beheaded.
amongst the Greek Epirote minority in the South.
Faithful Christians removed their Holy Relics from the
place of execution and they were later translated to
http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2008/12/stsValona, where even today St Eleftherios Glorifies the our
eleutherios-hieromartyr-and-his.html
Lord Jesus Christ by His many Miracles.
THE ETERNAL, INSPIRED WISDOM
NIKITAS STITHATOS
ON THE PRACTICE OF THE VIRTUES
The battle waged by those in the Three Stages of the
Spiritual Path against these three principles and powers
of the prince of this world is not one and the same, but
at each Stage the Battle is different. At each Stage there
is a different way of fighting against these passions,
and each way makes lawful and natural use of the
Power of Righteous Indignation.
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.
18.
OF OUR
HOLY CHURCH FATHERS
ST MAXIMOS THE CONFESSOR

God, who is by Nature Good and Dispassionate, Loves all
mankind equally as His Handiwork. But He glorifies
those who are Virtuous because in their will they are
United to God.
At the same time, in His Goodness He is Merciful to sinners
and by chastising them in this life brings them back to
the Path of Virtue.
Similarly, those of good and dispassionate judgment also
Love all people equally.
God Loves those who are Virtuous because of their nature
and the probity of their intention; and He Loves sinners,
too, because of their nature and because in His
Compassion He pities them for foolishly stumbling in
Spiritual Darkness.
NIKITAS STITHATOS
It is not only passion-charged thoughts that sully the heart
and defile the soul.
To be elated about one's many achievements, to be puffed
up about one's Virtue, to have a high idea of one's
Wisdom and Spiritual Knowledge, and to criticize those
who are lazy and negligent - all this has the same effect,
as is clear from the Parable of the Publican and the
Pharisee. (CF. LUKE 18:10-14)
15 DECEMBER 2014

ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE
SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND FOREVER, AND UNTO
THE AGES OF AGES. AMEN
REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST
BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARY, THEOTOKOS YET EVER
VIRGIN, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT
OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST
OUR GOD. AMEN.
17 D E C E MB E R 2014
ST DANIEL, HOLY PROPHET OF GOD
& THE THREE HOLY YOUTHS: ST ANANAIS,
ST AZARIOS & ST MISAEL
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST DANIEL THE CONFESSOR OF SPAIN
& EGYPT ST DIONYSIOS OF ZAKYNTHOS & AEGINA ST
AVAKOUM, DEACON OF SERBIA ST PAISIOS THE NEW MARTYR OF ANNUNCIATION MONASTERY, SERBIA
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF ST DANIEL TONE 2
Megala ta tis Pisteos katorthomata!
tis flogos,
igallonto,
provaton
soson tas
Great are the accomplishments of Faith. In the fountain
Pnevmati, i kathara Sou kardia, Profitias

gegone, fainotatis dohion. Vlepis gar os enestota ta
makran onta, leontas, apofimis de vilithis en lakko.
Dia touto Se Timomen, Profita Makar, Daniil Endoxe.
Since Thy pure and hallowed heart had been made pure
En ti pigi
os epi idatos anapafseos, i Agii Tris, Pedes
ke O Profitis Daniil, leonton pimin, os
ediknito. Tes afton ikesies Hriste O Theos,
psihas imon!
of flame the three Holy Youths rejoiced as though

they were resting by the waters. And the Prophet
Daniel showed himself to be a Shepherd to the lions,
as though they were sheep. Through their Prayers O
Christ our God, Save our souls.
FESTAL KONTAKION OF ST DANIEL & THE THREE HOLY YOUTHS Tone 3
Katharthisa
by the Spirit, it became His Dwelling-place and

clearest Prophecy's Vessel; for Thou beheld things
far off as near and present, and when cast into the
den, Thou muzzled
lions; for which cause, O
Blessed Prophet, Glorious Daniel, we all revere Thee
in Faith.
ADVENT KONTAKION FOREFEAST OF NATIVITY - 25 NOVEMBER UNTIL 24 DECEMBER

Horeve, i ikoumeni,
Theon.
Today

God.
MATINS GOSPEL LUKE
OUR LORDS
ADMONITION
AGAINST
11 : 47 12: 1
PHARISAIC PRIDE
AND
HYPOCRISY
At that time, our Lord Jesus said: Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the Prophets, and your fathers killed them. In
fact, you bear witness that you approve of the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build
their tombs. Therefore, the Wisdom of God also said, I will send them Prophets and Apostles, and some of them
they will kill and persecute, that the blood of all the Prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world
may be required of this generation.
Woe to you Lawyers! For you have taken away the Key of Knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who
were entering in you hindered.
And as He said these things to them, the Scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine
Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, so that they might
accuse Him.
In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He
began to say to His Disciples first of all: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy!
What shall we render unto the Lord for all His Benefits toward us?
THE EPISTLE
OF
THE FAITH
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE
HEBREWS 11 : 33 12: 2
CERTAIN ISRAELITES &
THE
PERFECTION
OF
FAITH
Brethren: ... 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 and slain with the sword. They wandered about in
sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in
deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, having obtained a Good Testimony through Faith, did not receive the Promise, God having provided
something better for us, that they should not be made Perfect apart from us.
ST DANIEL, HOLY PROPHET
OF
GOD &
THE
THREE HOLY YOUTHS, ST ANANIAS, ST AZARIA & ST MISAEL 17 DECEMBER 2014
19.
Therefore, we also since we are surrounded by so great a Cloud of Witnesses let us lay aside every weight, and the sin
that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author
and Finisher of our Faith, Who, for the Joy that was set before Him, endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has
sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God.
TO
ST MARK 9 : 33 41
THE WAY OF HOLY DISCIPLESHIP
At that time, our Lord Jesus went to Capernaum. And when He was in the house, He asked them: What was it that you
disputed amongst yourselves on the road? But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed amongst
themselves who would be the greatest.
And Jesus sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them: If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant
of all.
Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His Arms, He said to them:
Whoever receives one of these little children in My Name, receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me
but Him Who sent Me.
Now John answered Him, saying: Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Thy Name,
and we forbade him because he does not follow us. But Jesus said: Do not forbid him, for no one who works a
Miracle in My Name can soon afterwards speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side. For whoever
gives you a cup of water to drink in My Name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no
means lose his Reward.
ST DANIEL
THE
HOLY PROPHET
OF
GOD &
THE
THREE HOLY YOUTHS ST NIKOLAI VELIMIROVICH
St Daniel the Holy Prophet of God, and the Three Holy

Youths St Ananias, St Azarios & St Misael were all
from the Royal Tribe of Judah.
When Nebuchadnezzar destroyed and plundered Jerusalem,
St Daniel was still a young boy when he was carried off
into slavery together with the Jewish King, Jehoachim,
and countless other Israelites. (The account of St Daniels
Life, sufferings and Holy Prophecies are recorded in detail in
the Old Testament Book of Daniel.)
St Daniel was completely devoted to God and since his early
years he had received the Divine Gift of Discernment.
His fame among the Israelites in Babylon began when he
denounced two lecherous, unrighteous Elders two
Jewish Judges and he thus saved the chaste St
Susanna from an unjust death.
However, his fame among the Babylonians began on the day
he interpreted the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, for
which the King made him a Prince at his court.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden idol made, which
was erected on the Plain of Dura, and which all the
people were ordered to worship and to make sacrificial
offerings.
The Three Holy Youths St Ananias, St Azarios and St
Misrael proved to be the only Faithful Israelites who
refused to obey the Royal Decree, even though they
knew they would suffer the consequences.
As expected, the Three Holy Youths were arrested and
thrown into a fiery furnace, while the King and the
public gathered to watch, but to the immense shock of
all the witnesses, a Holy Angel of God appeared in the
terrible furnace and cooled the flames so that the Holy
Martyrs could walk to and fro, unharmed by the intense
heat, while they sang the well-known Hymn of Praise to
Almighty God: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our
Fathers! (DANIEL 3: 26)
King Nebuchadnezzar and his entire court, as well as many
of the people witnessed this Great Divine Miracle and
were shocked and amazed to such an extent that the
King ordered them to be removed immediately, and he
then bestowed great honours upon them.
During the reign of King Belshazzar, while the King, his
courtiers and their guests were indulging in a most
extravagant banquet using the Consecrated Vessels
that had been looted from the Holy Temple in
Jerusalem an Invisible Hand wrote three words on the
wall: Mene, Tekel, Upharsin, which no one was able
to interpret except St Daniel, the Holy Prophet of God.
Mene meant that God had measured the kingdom of
Belshzzar and had finished it. Tekel meant that God
had weighed Belshazzar on the scales and he had been
found lacking, and Upharsin meant that Belshazzars
kingdom had been divided and given to the Medes and
Persians. (DANIEL 5 : 26 28)
That same night Kind Belshazzar was killed.
St Daniel was thrown into the lions den twice because of
his unwavering Faith in the One, True and Living God,
Who both times Save him from any harm and kept him
alive and well.
St Daniel was permitted to behold God on a Throne,
surrounded by the Heavenly Hosts. He saw all the
Ranks of Holy Angels and he was able to discern the
20. S T D A N I E L , H O L Y P R O P H E T
OF
GOD &
THE
future of certain people, of earthly kingdoms and the

future of the entire human race.
Furthermore, and most significantly, St Daniel also
prophesied the time of the Coming of our Lord and
Saviour on Earth.
According to St Cyril of Alexandria, St Daniel and the Three
Holy Youths lived to ripe old age in Babylon until they
were finally beheaded by the ungodly persecutors of the
True, Living Faith.
When they were being beheaded, St Azarios stretched out
his cloak and caught the head of St Ananias, after which
St Misael did the same and caught St Azarios head, and
St Daniel caught the head of St Misael.
An Angel of God Miraculously Translated their Holy Relics
to Mount Gebal, Judea, and placed them under an
immense rock.
And according to Holy Tradition, these four God-pleasing
Saints and Holy Martyrs arose at the time of the Death
of our Lord Jesus Christ and appeared in the flesh to
many Faithful Disciples of Christ and to those who still
worshipped God according to the Old Covenant.
St Daniel is numbered among the four Great Holy Prophets
of God St Isaiah, St Jeremiah, St Ezekiel and St Daniel
having lived his entire life in Holy Service to Almighty
God and prophesying His Divine Truth 500 years before
the Birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the
Eternal, Only Begotten and Incarnate Word and Son of
God.
Bodily Purity is primarily attained by Fasting, and, through
Bodily Purity, Spiritual Purity is also attained.
Abstinence from food, according to St Ephraim the Syrian,
means: ... not to desire or ask for various foods,
either sweet or costly; not to eat anything outside the
designated time; not to succumb to the spirit of
gluttony; not to excite hunger in oneself by looking at
good food; and not to desire at moment one kind of
good and at another moment another kind of food.
Great is the fallacy that Fasting and Lenten Food harm our
health, for it is a known fact that Ascetics lived the
longest and were the least prone to illness.
St Daniel and the Three Holy Youths are a perfect example,
for when the King ordered his eunuch to feed the Three
Holy Youths from the royal table, and to give them
good wine to drink, St Daniel told the eunuch that they
did not want to accept it and only wanted vegetables
(for St Daniel avoided eating food that had been
sprinkled with the blood of the idolatrous sacrifices.)
Fearing the Three Holy Youths would be weakened by
Fasting Food, the eunuch had spoken to St Daniel who
suggested that he make a test to see for himself that it
would certainly not weaken them at all but to feed the
other youths from the Kings table, while feeding the
four Saints only on vegetable for the course of ten days,
and then to make a comparison.
The eunuch heeded St Daniel and did what he suggested.
After ten days, the faces of the Ascetics were more
radiant and their bodies were stronger than those of the
Babylonian youths who had eaten and drunk from the
royal table.
http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/12/holy-prophetdaniel-and-three-youths.html
THREE HOLY YOUTHS, ST ANANIAS, ST AZARIOS & ST MISAEL 17 DECEMBER 2014

20 D E C E MB E R 2014
S T I G N A T I O S T H E G O D -B E A R I N G W O N D E R W O R K E R O F A N T I O C H
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST IGNATIOS, ARCHIMANDRITE OF KIEV CAVES MONASTERY ST
PHILOGONIOS OF ANTIOCH ST DANIEL II OF SERBIA ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT ST JOHN
THE NEW MARTYR OF THASOS

FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF THE FOREFEAST OF THE NATIVITY
Etimazou
Vithleem, inikte pasin i Edem;

eftrepizou
Efratha, oti to Xilon tis Zois, en to Spileo exinthisen ek
dis Parthenou; Paradisos ke gar, i ekinis gastir,
edihthi noitos, en O to Thion fiton; ex ou faontes
zisomen, ouhi de os O Adam tethnixometha. Hristos
gennate, tin prin pesousan, Anastison Ikona.
Make
ready, O Bethlehem, for Eden opened up to all;

and prepare, O Ephratha, because the very Tree of
Life, has blossomed forth in the Cave from the
Virgin; for it has come about, that Her Womb has
become a Spiritual Paradise, where grew the Divine
Plant; from which, if we eat, we shall Live and not die
as Adam did. Christ is Born to Resurrect the Image
that had fallen!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF ST IGNATIOS OF ANTIOCH TONE 4
Ke Tropon metohos, ke Thronon diadohos, ton Apostolon As a Sharer of the Ways and a Successor to the Throne
genomenos, tin praxin efres Theopnevste, is theorias
epivasin. Dia touto ton Logon tis Alithias Orthotomon,
ke ti Pisti enithlisas mehris ematos; Ieromartis Ignatie:
Presveve Hristo to Theo, Sothine tas psihas imon.
of the Apostles, O Inspired of God, Thou found

Discipline to be a means of Ascent to Divine Vision.
Wherefore, having rightly divided the Word of Truth,
Thou also contested for the Faith even by blood; O
Hieromartyr Ignatios: Intercede with Christ our God
that our souls be Saved!
KONTAKION OF ST IGNATIOS OF ANTIOCH TONE 3
Ton
lampron agonon Sou, i fotoforos imera, prokiritti

apasi, ton ek Parthenou tehthenta. Toutou gar dipson
ek pothou katarifise, espefsas ipo thirion analothine:
dia touto Theoforos, prosigorefthis, Ignatie Endoxe!
The
Divine and Brilliant Day of Thine illustrious

Contests proclaims to all mankind Him Who was
born of a Virgin; for it was for Him that Thou
thirsted to delight in, and hastened to be devoured
by beasts in Thy longing. Hence, O Glorious Ignatios,
the Name God-bearer was rightly given to Thee!
KONTAKION OF THE FOREFEAST OF THE NATIVITY TONE 3

Horeve, i ikoumeni,
Theon.
Today

Ineffably to the Word Pre-eternal. Hearing this, be of
the Angels and the Shepherds, Whose Will was to be
made manifest as a young Child the Pre-Eternal
God.
FESTAL PROKEIMENON PSALM 115 TONE (7) VARYS - GRAVE
What shall we render unto the Lord for all His Benefits towards us?
THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS 3 : 8 - 12
OUR SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST SETS US FREE FROM THE ANCESTRAL CURSE
Brethren: ... Scripture, foreseeing tht God would Justify the Gentiles by Faith, preached the Gospel to Abraham beforehand,
saying: In you all the Nations shall be Blessed.
So then those who are of Faith are Blessed with believing in Abraham. For as many as are the works of the Law are under
the Curse, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things, which are written in the Book of the
Law to do them.
But that no one is Justified by the Law in the Sight of God is evident, for ... the Just shall live by Faith. Yet the Law is not
of Faith, but ... the one who does them shall live by them.
While the works of the Law are good, those who are of the
Abraham is the Father of Faith, but his Faith was a type of
works of the Law are Cursed because they cannot
the Faith in Christ, for his Faith was Perfected in the
become Righteous by keeping the Law.
Faith of Christ.
Even on their own premise, they fail, for no one has ever
Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, perfectly obeyed the
kept all the Mosaic Law.
Old Covenant Law and accepted its Curse. In Christ,
The Law is not of Faith because the Law came before the
therefore, we are Redeemed from that Curse and we
True Faith. This is not to say that no one believed in
participate in His Perfect Faith and Obedience.
God before Christ, or that the Old Covenant Law
cannot be obeyed out of Faith.
TO
ST LUKE 13 : 19 - 29
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DESCRIBES THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD

At that time, our Lord Jesus said: ... the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his
garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.
ST IGNATIOS, GOD-BEARING WONDERWORKER
OF
ANTIOCH
20 DECEMBER 2014
21
And again, He said: To what shall I liken the Kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three
measures of flour until it was all leavened.
And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying towards Jerusalem.
And one said to Him: Lord, are there few who are Saved?
And He said to them: Strive to enter through the Narrow Gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be
able.
When once the Master of the House has Risen up and shut the Door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the
Door, saying: Lord, Lord! Open for us! And He will answer and say to you: I do not know you where you are
from, then you will begin to say: We ate and drank in Thy Presence, and Thou taught in our streets. And He will
say: I tell you: I do not know you where you are from. Depart from Me all you workers of iniquity!
There will be weeping an gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the Prophets in the
Kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the East and from the West; from the North and
from the South, and will sit down in the Kingdom of God...
ST IGNATIOS THE GOD-BEARING

St Ignatios was known as the God-bearer because he
constantly bore the Name of our True, Living God in his
heart and on his lips.
According to Holy Tradition, St Ignatios received the title
God-bearer since he was held in the Arms of God
Incarnate, Jesus Christ, on the day when our Lord
taught His Disciples about Humility.
Taking up the very young St Ignatios, our Lord told His
Faithful Followers: ... whosoever, therefore, shall
humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest
in the Kingdom of Heaven. (MATTHEW 18:4)
St Ignatios, together with St Polycarp (who would eventually
be known as Bishop and Great Hieromartyr of Smyrna)
were Disciples of St John the Beloved Apostle and
Theologian of Christ from their earliest years.
In his mature years, when St Ignatios was the Bishop of
Antioch, he nurtured his Holy Flock as a very Good
Shepherd and was the first to introduce Antiphonal
Chanting in Holy Services, whereby two Choirs alternate
the verses of Hymns.
This manner of chanting was revealed to St Ignatios by the
Heavenly Hosts, who have taught us many of our Sacred
Hymns of Praise and Thanksgiving.
The dreadful day came when Emperor Trajan a merciless
persecutor of Christians arrived at Antioch on his way
to war against the Persians.
Upon hearing the praises of St Ignatios whom the people
loved so dearly, he immediately summoned him and
then tried to force him to offer sacrifice to the pagan
idols.
WONDERWORKER OF ANTIOCH
Trajan foolishly offered St Ignatios the dubious honour of
the rank of Senator if he complied with the Emperors
demand.
As expected by those who knew St Ignatios, Trajans
urgings, counsels and dire threats did nothing to
persuade the God-bearing Saint to bend his knee before
the dead, false gods of the heathens.
St Ignatios was shackled in leg-irons and sent off to Rome,
being escorted by ten merciless soldiers.
Knowing that he would be thrown to the wild beasts to be
hideously mauled and ripped apart, St Ignatios rejoiced
in his impending martyrdom for the sake of our Most
Beloved Lord and Master and he prayed to God that
the ferocious animals would become his tomb and that
nothing would prevent it from happening.
After enduring a very long and difficult journey from Asia
through Thrace, Macedonia and Epiros, the aged St
Ignatios finally arrive in Rome and was taken
immediately his Holy Martyrdom at the circus, where, to
the glee of the blood thirsty mob, the lions instantly
attacked him and ripped him apart before devouring
him, leaving only a few bones and his heart.
That faithful, devout Disciple of Christ was Perfected in
Holy Martyrdom on 20 December 106 in Rome.
To this very day St Ignatios has continued to work Divine
Miracles for those who call upon him, beseeching his
Intercessory Prayers for the Great Mercy of Christ our
Saviour.
May his memory be Eternal and may St Ignatios continue to
Intercede with our Lord for the sake of our soul.
http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com
THE ETERNAL, INSPIRED WISDOM OF ABBOT TRYPHON

We all struggle with our passions, and like St Paul we can
The Church, much like the Gardener, nurtures Her
say that we do that which we do not want to do and
Children, providing the Living Waters of Baptism, and
do not do what we want to do.
the Holy Mysteries (Communion) that give us Life, and
The passions hold us down to the ground in our sin and
help us grow in the Light of Christ, the Son of
fallen nature, and we are like the rotting soil beneath
Righteousness.
dead plants, but God's Grace is more than sufficient
St Seraphim of Sarov said that if we "...acquire Peace,
for Holiness to take root.
a thousand around us will be Saved," for having
When planting corn, one waters twice a day so that the
been created in the Image of God, we are part of
energy of the plant is expended upwardly, thus
the Divine Thought that was made material in
allowing the production of the cobs.
time and space.
Yet when planting flowers, you want to skip a daily
We not only influence those around us with our
watering so as to force the roots of the plant to go
thoughts, but we even influence the cosmos.
down deep, thus strengthening the plant so that it can
If we focus on the negative, those negative thoughts
bear lots of flowers and thrive throughout the summer
impact everyone around us, and even the whole
months.
world.
Salvation comes when we have acquired the Holy Spirit,
Elder Thaddeus taught us that we can be either very
and the Fruits of the (Holy) Spirit - a humble and
good, or very bad, depending on the thoughts
contrite heart.
and desires we breed.
Humility comes from humus - the best soil from which
There is a lot that is wrong with the world, but it
healthy plants can grow.
begins with us.
From the rotten soil of our sinful nature, the acquisition of
If there is to be Peace in our world, it must begin
Humility can transform that which was rotten into the
with me.
beautiful flower that God intended.
If hatred, anger, envy, lust, and spite, are to end, it
The soil that is used for growing both vegetables and
must end with me.
flowering plants must be healthy and fertile, for the
When we allow destructive thoughts to destroy our
best soil produces healthy plants. This type of soil is
Peace, the Peace around us is destroyed.
full of humus, the organic component of soil, formed
We cannot blame the world, or even those around us,
by the decomposition of leaves and other plant
for that which happens around us, radiates from
material by soil microorganisms. Plants grow out of
us.
rotting soil, just as we grow out of the rottenness of our
Blame for all that is wrong with the world, cannot be
sin and fallen nature.
The Gardener nurtures the plants, watering them,
placed beyond our own heart.
providing fertilizer and sunshine, and lots of loving
http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/morningoffering
care.
22.
ST IGNATIOS, GOD-BEARING WONDERWORKER
OF
ANTIOCH
20 DECEMBER 2014

ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT,
NOW AND FOREVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AMEN
21 D E C E MB E R 2014
28
SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

TONE 3
SUNDAY BEFORE THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST
SUNDAY OF THE HOLY ANCESTORS
TH
THE GENEALOGY
OF
CHRIST (FROM ADAM
TO
ST JOSEPH
THE
BETROTHED)
THE FEAST OF ST JULIANA THE VIRGIN MARTYR & 650 HOLY MARTYRS OF NICOMEDIA ST
PETER THE WONDERWORKER OF MOSCOW & ALL RUSSIA ST JULIANA, RIGHTEOUS
PRINCESS OF VYAZMA ST PROCOPIOS THE FOOL FOR CHRIST OF VYATKA ST
THEMISTOCLES OF MYRA, LYCIA ST MAKARIOS THE FASTER & ABBOT OF THE KHAKHULI
MONASTERY

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.
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.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION - FOREFEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST TONE 4
Etimazou
Vithleem, inikte pasin i Edem; eftrepisou

Efratha, oti to xilon tis Zois, en to Spileo exinthisen ek
ti Parthenou; Paradisos ke gar, i ekinis Gastir, edihthi
noitos, en O to thion fiton; ex ou fagontes zisomen,
ouhi de os O Adam tethnixometha. Hristos Gennate,
tin prin pesousan, anastison ikona.
Be
ready, Bethlehem! Eden has opened Ephratha to all!

Prepare yourself, for now, behold! The Tree of Life
has blossomed forth from the Holy Virgin in the cave.
Her Womb has proved a True Spiritual Paradise,
wherein the Divine and Saving Tree is found, and as
we eat thereof we shall all live, and shall not die as
did Adam. For Christ is Born now to raise the image
that had fallen aforetime.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF ST DANIEL & THE THREE HOLY YOUTHS
Megala
ta tis Pisteos katorthomata! En ti pigi tis

flogos, os epi idatos anapafseos, i Agii Tris, Pedes
igallonto, ke O Profitis Daniil, leonton pimin, os
provaton ediknito. Tes afton ikesies Hriste O Theos,
soson tas psihas imon!
Great
indeed are Faiths accomplishments! The Three

Holy Youths stood exultingly in the fountain of fire as
if beside the still waters of rest. And Daniel the
Prophet appeared like a shepherd in the den of lions.
At their entreaties, O Christ God, Save our souls!
ADVENT KONTAKION - 25 NOVEMBER UNTIL 24 DECEMBER

Horeve, i ikoumeni,
Theon.
Today

God.
RESURRECTION GOSPEL 6 : LUKE 24:35 - 53

OUR LORD JESUS APPEARS TO THE APOSTLES & ASCENDS TO HEAVEN
PROKEIMENON HYMN OF THE THREE HOLY YOUTHS TONE
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, God of our Fathers.

For Thou has always dealt Righteously with us.
THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE HEBREWS 11 :

THE FAITH OF THE OLD COVENANT HEBREWS FROM ST ABRAHAM
9 10 & 32 - 40
TO
ST JOSEPH
THE
BETROTHED
Brethren: Through Faith Abraham dwelt in the Land of Promise, as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and
Jacob, the heirs with him of the same Promise; for he waited for the City that has Foundations, whose Builder and
Maker is God.
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; and 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
mockings and scourgings - yes, of chains and imprisonments. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were
tempted and they were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and in goatskins, being destitute,
28TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST SUNDAY
OF THE
HOLY ANCESTORS (GENEALOGY) 21 DECEMBER 2014
23.
afflicted, tormented or whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves
of the earth.
And all these, 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.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MATTHEW 1 : 1 25

THE GENEALOGY OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH
The Book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
Abraham begot Isaac; Isaac begot Jacob and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.
Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar; Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.
Ram begot Amminadab; Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon.
Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab; Boaz begot Obed by Ruth; Obed begot Jesse and Jesse begot David the King.
David the King begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah; Solomon begot Rehoboam; Rehoboam begot
Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa.
Asa begot Jehoshaphat; Jehoshaphat begot Joran, and Joran begot Uzziah.
Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah.
Hezekiah begot Manasseh; Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah.
Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.
After they were taken to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel begot Abiud; Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor.
Azor begot Zadok; Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud.
Eliud begot Eleazar; Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the (Betrothed) Husband
of Mary (Miriam) of Whom was born Jesus Who is called Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations; from David until the captivity in Babylon were
fourteen generations; and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
Now the Birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: after His Mother, Mary, was Betrothed to Joseph, before they came together,
she was found with Child of the Holy Spirit.
Then Joseph, her husband, being a Just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away
secretly, but while he thought about these things, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying:
Joseph, son of David: do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is Conceived in Her is of the
Holy Spirit. And She will bring forth a Son, and Thou shalt call His Name Jesus, for He will Save His People from
their sins.
So all this was done so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the Prophet, saying: Behold, the
Virgin shall be with Child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel, which is translated: God with
us.
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the Angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not
know until she had brought forth her Firstborn Son. And he called His Name Jesus.
ST LUKE, on the contrary, LISTED HIS GENEALOGY IN
THE NAME JESUS OR JOSHUA MEANS O LORD SAVE US, WHICH
REFERS TO OUR LORDS DIVINE ROLE AS THE SAVIOUR OF ALL
ASCENDING ORDER FROM CHRIST ALL THE WAY BACK TO
MANKIND.
ADAM. (LUKE 3 : 23 38)
THE TITLE CHRIST MEANS ANOINTED ONE, OR MESSIAH,
G E N E S I S 1 2 : 3 God said to Abram: ... I will Bless
WHICH MEANS THE ONE WHO IS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
those who Bless Thee and curse those who curse
Thee; and in Thee all the Tribes of the earth shall
J O H N 1 : 3 3 : St John the Baptist and Forerunner to
be Blessed.
Christ said: I did not know Him, but He Who sent
me to Baptise with water said to me: Upon Whom
THE HOLY SPIRIT SPOKE THROUGH THE PROPHETS and He spoke
you see the (HOLY) Spirit descending, and
through St Moses the Holy Prophet of God who wrote
remaining on Him, is He Who Baptises with the
this Holy Book of Genesis.
St Paul explained to the Galatians: ... the Scripture,
Holy Spirit.
THE FACT THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT REMAINED UPON CHRIST OUR
foreseeing that God would Justify the Gentiles by
SAVIOUR WAS A DIVINE SIGN THAT HE POSSESSES THE HOLY
Faith, preached the Gospel to Abraham beforehand,
SPIRIT IN HIS FULLNESS FROM ALL ETERNITY i.e. THERE HAS
saying: In Thee all the Nations shall be Blessed.
(GALATIANS 3:8)
NEVER BEEN A MOMENT WHEN THE SON OF GOD WAS NOT
So
it
was that THE HOLY SPIRIT PREACHED THE HOLY GOSPEL OF
UNITED WITH GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR TOGETHER WITH GOD
C
HRIST CENTURIES BEFORE to St Abraham, the ancient
THE FATHER THEY ARE CO-ETERNAL.
Patriarch of the Old Covenant Israel.
Our Lord Jesus Christ did not receive the Holy Spirit at His
Furthermore, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WHOM ST ABRAHAM
Baptism by St John the Baptist. Instead, THE VISION THAT
BEHELD in a Vision was no created being He WAS TRULY
ST JOHN THE BAPTIST EXPERIENCED REVEALED THE ABSOLUTE
THE SON AND WORD OF GOD.
TRUTH THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITH CHRIST.
St Athanasios the Great taught that OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,
Although ONLY GOD THE SON (THE SECOND DIVINE PERSON OF THE
THE SON AND WORD OF GOD, WAS REFERRED TO AS AN ANGEL
HOLY TRINITY THE GODHEAD) WAS INCARNATED (BECAME MAN
(MESSENGER OF GOD) BECAUSE HE ALONE REVEALS THE
AND THUS PHYSICAL AND VISIBLE TO US) GOD THE FATHER AND
FATHER.
THE HOLY SPIRIT WORK IN PERFECT HARMONY IN OUR LORD
In other words, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST REVEALS GOD THE
JESUS CHRIST FOR OUR ETERNAL SALVATION.
FATHER to us AS A GOD OF INFINITE LOVE AND MERCY WHO,
THE HOLY TRINITY ALWAYS WORKS IN PERFECT UNISON AS ONE
BEING ABSOLUTE GOODNESS, TRUTH AND LOVE, IS INCAPABLE
GOD.
OF ANYTHING EVIL, CRUEL OR DESTRUCTIVE (which are the
OUR LORD WAS INCARNATE AS A HEBREW, FROM THE LINEAGE OF ST
inventions of the evil one who typifies hatred,
ABRAHAM, the Father or Patriarch of all Hebrews, AND OF
everything wicked, deceitful and destructive.)
ST DAVID, ISRAELS GREATEST KING AND PROTOTYPE OF OUR
G
E N E S I S 2 8 : 1 4 - The Lord God told St Jacob: ...
ROYAL MESSIAH.
your seed shall be like the dust of the earth; you
THE GENEALOGY OF CHRIST according to the Holy Gospel of
shall spread abroad to the west and to the east,
St Matthew REVEALS THAT THE SON OF GOD IDENTIFIES SO
to the north and to the south; and in you and in
DEEPLY WITH OUR HUMAN NATURE THAT HE TOOK IT UPON
your seed all the Tribes of the earth shall be
HIMSELF AND HAS BECOME PART OF IT FOR THE SAKE OF OUR
Blessed.
SALVATION.
JEWISH GENEALOGY NORMALLY INCLUDED ONLY MALE RELATIVES SO
THE ANCESTRY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST INCLUDES Righteous
THE MENTION OF FEMALE RELATIVES SUCH AS TAMAR, RAHAB,
and wicked people, faithful Kings and murderers,
R
UTH AND BATHSHEBA WAS MOST UNUSUAL, ESPECIALLY SINCE
Jews and Gentiles, royalty and peasants A COMPLETE
EACH OF THEM WAS EITHER A GENTILE OR A SINFUL HEBREW.
CROSS-SECTION OF HUMANITY.
HENCE, THE INCLUSION OF THESE WOMEN CONFIRMED THE
ST MATTHEWS GENEALOGY OF CHRIST DESCENDS FROM ST
GRACIOUS MERCY OF GOD AND PREFIGURED THE CALLING OF
ABRAHAM to whom God Promised to Bless all tribes
GENTILES INTO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.
of the earth in Abraham, which was fulfilled in his
IT ALSO EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF WOMEN IN GODS

greatest Descendent, Jesus Christ.
ETERNAL PLAN OF SALVATION AND ANTICIPATED THE VERY
24.
OF THE
SPECIAL PLACE OF THE EVER BLESSED AND

VIRGIN THEOTOKOS IN HIS DIVINE PLAN.
ALL HOLY
By means of Anointing by St Samuel the Holy Prophet of

God, St David the Psalmist was consecrated King of
Israel and THROUGH HIS PSALMS, ST DAVID WAS REVEALED AS
A GREAT AND HOLY PROPHET OF GOD.
Consequently, ST DAVID THE PSALMIST, KING AND HOLY
PROPHET FORESHADOWED THE ROYAL AND PROPHETIC NATURE
OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. (PSALM 109)
In addition, as a wicked adulterer and murderer, ST
DAVID IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SINCERE CONTRITION,
REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS, which encourages
us - for EVEN THE WORST OF SINNERS IS GRANTED THE
POSSIBILITY OF REGENERATION OR RESTORATION BY THE DIVINE
GRACE of our Most Loving and Merciful God THROUGH
OUR WILLING AND HEARTFELT REPENTANCE-CONFESSION.
St Joseph the Betrothed is named as our Lord Jesus
immediate predecessor since according to the Old
Covenant, MARRIAGE LAWS CONFER HEREDITARY RIGHTS ON
ADOPTED AS WELL AS BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN.
THE EVER BLESSED VIRGIN MARY WAS ALSO DESCENDED FROM KING
DAVID, as was her aunt Salome, (THE SISTER OF ST ANNA AND
THE LATE WIFE OF ST JOSEPH THE BETROTHED) since, according to
Hebrew Laws of the time, BETROTHALS WERE ARRANGED
FROM WITHIN THE SAME TRIBE.
For the same reason, THE TEMPLE PRIESTS HAD CONSENTED TO
HER BETROTHAL TO HER AGED UNCLE WHO WAS ACTUALLY HER
LEGAL GUARDIAN AND PROTECTOR OF HER VOW OF CHASTITY.
The term of whom is feminine in Greek, REFERRING ONLY
TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. SO OUR LORD IS SHOWN TO
HAVE BEEN BORN ONLY OF HER AND NOT BEGOTTEN OF ST
JOSEPH THE BETROTHED.
THE ANCESTORS WERE ARRANGED IN THREE GROUPS OF FOURTEEN
GENERATIONS
since fourteen is the numerical
equivalent of the consonants in the name David,
underlining Christs descent from St David.
It also shows the division of the leadership of the
Hebrews, being under Judges until St David, under
Kings until Babylon and under Priests until Christ.
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF ST JOSEPH THE BETROTHED CONSISTED OF
A MERCIFUL NATURE THAT TRANSCENDED THE DEMANDS OF THE
LAW.
H O S E A 6 : 6 ... I desire Mercy not sacrifice, and the
Knowledge of God more than Whole Burnt
Offerings...
ST JOSEPHS NATURAL COMPASSION AND MERCY WAS EVIDENT FROM
HIS UNWILLINGNESS TO EXPOSE THE YOUNG VIRGINS ASSUMED
SIN, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS OBLIGED BY MOSAIC LAW TO DO SO.
THE TERM HUSBAND AND WIFE APPLIED TO ALL BETROTHED
COUPLES even before the Marriage had been
Sanctified by God and consummated.
THE HOLY ORTHODOX CHURCH REFERS TO ST JOSEPH AS THE
BETROTHED, EMPHASISING THE TRUTH OF THE ALL HOLY AND
ALL PURE, EVER VIRGINITY OF THE BLESSED THEOTOKOS (WHICH
WOULD HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE ASTOUNDED MIDWIVES
WHO ATTENDED TO THE YOUNG VIRGIN BEFORE, DURING AND
AFTER THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST.)
E S T H E R 2 : 7 Mordecai of the Tribe of Benjamin ...
had raised the daughter of Abigail, his fathers
brother, and her name was Esther; and when her
parents died, he brought her up to be his wife,
and she was beautiful.
Mordecais relation to Esther was that of both guardian
and Betrothed husband - a necessary social and
legal arrangement, which was not unusual at the
time.
This was similar to THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ST
JOSEPH THE BETROTHED AND THE EVER VIRGIN MARY, IN WHICH
THERE WAS NO SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP, as demonstrated as
well by Esthers virginity and chastity.
AN ANGEL OR MESSENGER OF GOD DISPELLED ST JOSEPHS
FALSE ASSUMPTIONS BY ANNOUNCING THE
UNREASONABLE AND ILLOGICAL BUT DIVINE AND
SUNDAY BEFORE
THE
NATIVITY
OF
UTTERLY
Christ was the first to be physically Resurrected - so He

returned to show to confirm, to ratify - that Divine Truth
to His Faithful Apostles and Disciples for 40 days before
His Glorious Ascension returning to His former invisible
state and majestic position, seated at the right hand side
of God the Father the Most Honourable position as Coequal, Co-eternal and Co-essential. mp
In the Orthodox Holy Icons of the Nativity of Christ, HIS
SWADDLING CLOTHES ARE DEPICTED AS BURIAL WRAPPINGS,
AFFIRMING THAT ONE PURPOSE OF HIS COMING WAS TO ENDURE
DEATH.
THE MANGER WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A CAVE WHERE DOMESTIC
ANIMALS WERE STABLED AT NIGHT THUS FULFILLING THE
PROPHECY OF ST ISAIAH: The ox knows its Owner and
the donkey its Masters crib. (ISAIAH 1:3)
ABSOLUTE
CHRIST GENEALOGY
The Holy Services of this week glorify the Old Covenant

Saints, from whose human family came our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Therefore, in the Holy Gospel Lesson appointed for this
Sunday, we read the Genealogy of our Saviour,
according to His Flesh.
Together with these as well as on the Sunday of the Holy
Forefathers, last Sunday we Commemorate all those
TRUTH: THE VIRGINS CONCEPTION WAS BY THE WILL OF

GOD BY THE POWER AND ENERGY OF THE LIFE-GIVING
HOLY SPIRIT.
BEING BORN OF THE VIRGIN PROVED CHRISTS DIVINITY AND ONLY A
DIVINE REVELATION BY GOD COULD SERVE AS ADEQUATE
EVIDENCE OF SUCH A UNIQUE MIRACLE.
St Matthew repeatedly used the expression: ...that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken... which
UNDERSCORES THE DIVINE INTERVENTION OF GOD throughout
human history and which demonstrates THE
CONTINUITY BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS WITH
GOD, INDICATING THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW CREATION.
THE DIVINE CONCEPTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST FULFILLED
THE PROPHECY OF ST ISAIAH THAT SPECIFICALLY A VIRGIN
NOT A YOUNG WOMAN! WOULD CONCEIVE AND BEAR A SON
WHO WAS NOT A NEW PERSON COMING INTO EXISTENCE BUT
WHO IS THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD WHO USED HER WOMB AS
HIS THRONE!
BOTH THE MYSTERIOUS VIRGINAL CONCEPTION BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
AND THE NAME Immanuel MEANING God with us
DECLARES AND CONFIRMS THE DIVINITY THE DIVINE NATURE
OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST.
Finally: when ST JOSEPH THE BETROTHED IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD
... took to him his wife, and did not know Her until
She had brought forth Her Firstborn Son... IT DID NOT
MEAN THAT THE BETROTHAL OR MARRIAGE WAS EVER
CONSUMMATED, NOR DOES THE EXPRESSION FIRSTBORN SON
MEAN THAT OUR ALL HOLY LADY EVER BORE ANY OTHER
CHILDREN FOR SHE KEPT HER MOST SACRED VOW OF CHASTITY
UNTIL SHE REPOSED IN PEACE many years later.
In Holy Scripture the word until which is sometimes
translated as to, is often used to express a situation
that actually continues after the event:
M A T T H E W 2 8 : 2 0 Christ instructed His Apostles to
go forth and Baptise and Teach all nations ... to
observe all Things that I have commanded you;
and lo, I Am with you always, even TO the end of
the Age.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE ARE SEPARATED FROM CHRIST AT THE
END OF THE WORLD FOR HE IS ALWAYS ETERNALLY PRESENT AND NEVER ABSENT, NO MATTER WHERE OR HOW
WE ARE!
G E N E S I S 8 : 7 - Noah ... sent out a Raven, which
kept going to and fro, UNTIL the waters dried up
from the earth.
D E U T E R O N O M Y 3 4 : 6 When Moses has died God
... buried him in a valley in the Land of Moab,
opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave
TO this day.
THE TERM FIRSTBORN SON, DOES NOT IMPLY THAT THE
BLESSED VIRGIN HAD OTHER CHILDREN, BUT ONLY THAT NO
CHILD WAS BORN TO HER BEFORE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Traditionally, the firstborn son was the primary heir and
recipient of Blessings and OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE
FIRSTBORN
OVER ALL CREATION, AND THEREFORE THE
FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD.
OF THE
OF
CHRIST - SERGEI V BULGAKOV
who are living in Faith and all the Old Covenant Saints
who have come to Christ and who are mentioned in
todays Epistle of St Paul.
The designated Hymns for todays Feast primarily concern
our earliest Holy Fathers St Abraham, St Isaac and St
Jacob together with the Three Holy Youths, who
...quench the fiery flames with the Dew of the
25.
Spirit... and ... the physical images of the hidden

celebrate the Nativity of Christ... and ... skip, O hills
Mysteries of God revealed to the world...
and mountains! Dance, O Prophets who spoke of God!
Also St Daniel, the Holy Prophet of God, who ... foretold
Clap your hands, O peoples and Nations!
The
Salvation and the Enlightenment of all draws near.
the Birth of the Christ from a Virgin... and who ...
He comes to be born in the city of Bethlehem... and
foresaw that the cruel world would be counted among
... the never setting Sun arises from the bedding of
those with deep Spiritual Peace by the Coming of
the Virgin to Enlighten all those under the sun. Let us
Christ, having sometimes stopped the mouths of lions
hasten with chaste eyes and pure deeds to meet Him.
in the pit.
Together with this, for today and for the Forefeast of the
Nativity of Christ, we sing: Come, let us all faithfully
THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST IS AT HAND ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT
Beloved, the Feast of the Nativity of Christ is now at hand.
Remember this thought, and drive it into your heart:
Let us take care to meet it in a Christian manner in a
the Son of God descended to Earth in order to Save
Spiritual Manner.
us from sin and Eternal Death and to Raise us
I already know how you intend to meet it: you will soon
to Heaven - that is: to elevate us to where there
is Eternal Life and Eternal Blessedness.
be going to the market place, where you will concern
If Christ descended to us in order to raise us to Heaven,
yourselves and prattle about much, about the
then we should ascend thereto beforehand in our
manifold pleasures of the table; or you will take care
thoughts and heartfelt desires, gradually turning our
only to adorn your body with festive clothing.
soul away from everything that binds us to the Earth,
But as for the ...one thing needful ... about how to
to this country of exile in which there are so many
sweeten your soul for the coming Feast with Spiritual
temptations, afflictions, sicknesses, sorrows, with all its
Food, or about how to adorn your soul with Luminous
brevity - where we see only sin, temptations, and
thoughts in short, how to meet and spend the Feast
death with all its horrors.
worthily this but rarely comes to anyones mind.
Thus, before the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord God and
(Luke 10:41)
Saviour, Jesus Christ, arrives, let us adorn our soul
However, Beloved, food is always with us and our
with sobriety and Purity of heart, so that when Christ
clothing is always with us, but our Lords Feast is not
Appears from Heaven we might be worthy to
always with us.
celebrate His Birth.
Therefore, let us concern ourselves not with food and
Be attentive to yourselves: soon Christ will be on Earth!
clothing, but rather with preparing ourselves to meet
Elevate your thoughts and heart from worldly things to
our Most-Pure Heavenly King.
Almighty God and let us joyfully sing of the Great
Let us concern ourselves with meeting the approaching
Mystery of the Nativity of the God-Man.
Feast worthily and spiritually.
If we approach and celebrate this Great Feast with such
We have long since been singing Christ is born, which
thoughts, and with such disposition of heart, then we
we sing in order to fathom beforehand the Great
will do so worthily - in a manner befitting a True
Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God - that is:
Christian a True Disciple of Christ - with all benefit to
the reason why the Son of God descended to Earth our immortal soul.
why He was Incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin
Amen.
Mary, becoming Man without ceasing to be God.
http://www.pravmir.com/the-nativity-of-christ-is-at-hand
To what end? (For what Purpose?)
To this end God descended to Earth, that He might
raise us to Heaven.
THE ETERNAL, INSPIRED WISDOM OF ELDER PAISIOS OF MOUNT ATHOS
WHY WE HAVE DIFFICULTIES
Why are we so often called on to endure difficulties? It
God ceaselessly helps us to grow in the Virtues. He wants
seems like life is filled with obstacles. We have desires
us to be humble and to attain great Patience. When we
for this or that and often find that what we want is not
object to the roadblocks that are put in our Path of life,
possible.
we reject the Divine Medicine that God provides for our
Also, even when we dont seem to have any desire,
Spiritual Growth.
Elder Paisios said: God does not want us, His Children, to be
something we take for granted, like our good health or
pestered. He gives us temptations and hardships, in
a close friend, is taken away from us.
order to become Perfect.
Why is this the nature of our worldly life?
Elder Paisios said: Sometimes God allows for a relative or a
Temptations will cease to exist in our life, when we reach
fellow worker to cause us problems in order to exercise
the level of perfection.
our Patience and Humility.
Christians ought to love afflictions and not try to get rid of
However, instead of being grateful for the chances that
them because afflictions are necessary means of
God gives us, we react and refuse to be cured.
leading to our Spiritual Perfection.
It is like refusing to pay the Doctor who is gives us medicine
to heal us when we are ill.
TRUST
IN
GOD
Often we are conflicted when told to ...just trust in God...

for if we do not take care of ourselves we become
dependent on others and lose our independence and
self-dignity.
Elder Paisios said: When we believe in God and have trust
in His Fatherly Providence and concern, then we do not
think of ourselves; instead we know that God is aware of
our needs and looks after our problems, from the
simplest to the most serious. We must accept Gods Love
and Providence. When we have such Faith and inner
disposition, we are able to see Gods Miracles and God
Himself, Who is always close to us under all
circumstances.
We must reject any form of worldly assistance or human
hope, and with a pure heart, unhesitatingly and
trustfully devote our mind to God. Then the Grace of
Christ will fill our soul at once.
Concerning our well intended efforts to amass material
wealth to protect us in the future, our childrens
education, our retirement and so forth?
26.
OF THE
FOR
ALL THINGS
He continued: Some people have the wrong impression they think they can be involved in worldly matters and
be attached to material possessions, and at the same
time, expect the Help of Gods Providence. Gods Help to
those who think this way can be destructive, for it
prolongs their attachment to worldly things. God permits
them be exposed to temptations and difficulties, which
will eventually make them loath worldly matters and
totally devote their heart to God.
Five years ago 3 Nuns came from Greece without any
money and only a small suitcase with a few belongings.
Now they live on 100 acres with everything necessary for a
well run Monastery. They trusted totally in God.
Elder Paisios said: We must totally rely on Gods Providence
as this is the only way to be relieved of our anxiety and
worries... To trust Divine Providence we must free
ourselves from all worldly concerns and wait for God to
look after us... We must overcome our love for and trust
in money - resting all our hope on God - for we cannot
do both at the same time.
http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com

ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY
SPIRIT, NOW AND FOREVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AMEN
REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY,
MARY, THEOTOKOS YET EVER VIRGIN, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND LET US COMMIT
OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.
24 D E C E MB E R 2014
FOREFEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR
THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST EUGENIA, VIRGIN MARTYR & ST PHILIP, HER FATHER, ST
PROTOS, ST HYACINTH, ST BASILLA & ST CLAUDIA OF ROME ST NICHOLAS THE
MONK OF BULGARIA ST ANTIOCHOS OF GALATIA
May the Blessings of Jesus Christ our Lord and

Saviour His Divine Peace, Joy and Love - be
with you always.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION FOREFEAST OF NATIVITY
Apegrafeto
pote sin to presviti Iosif os ek Spermatos

David en Vithlehem i Mariam kioforousa tin asporon
kioforian. Epesti de keros O tis Geniseos ke topos in
oudis to katalimati; al os terpnon Palation to Spyleon
ti Vasilidi ediknito. Hristos Gennate, tin prin pesousan
anastison Ikona.
Mary,
Parthenos simeron, ton iperousion tikti, ke i gi to

Spileon, to aprosito prosagi. Angeli meta Pimenon
Doxologousi. Magi de meta Asteros odiporousi. Di
imas gar egennithi, Pedion Neon, O Pro Eonon Theos.
Today
once with aged Joseph, went to be enrolled in

Bethlehem, for they were of Davids Lineage; and she
bore in her Womb the Fruit that had not been sown.
The time for the Birth was at hand, and there was no
room at the inn; but the Cave proved a fair Palace for
the Queen. Christ is Born so that He may raise up
again the Image that before was fallen!
FESTAL KONTAKION - NATIVITY OF CHRIST - TONE 3

being, and the earth offers a Cave to Him Whom no
man can approach. Angels with Shepherds give Glory,
and Magi journey with a Star. For unto us is Born a
Young Child, the Pre-Eternal God.
PROKEIMENON
The Lord said to Me: Thou art My Son; this day have I Begotten Thee.
Ask of Me, and I shall grant Thee the heathen for Thine Inheritance
THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE HEBREWS 1 : 1 - 12
THE SUPREME REVELATION
OF
THE ETERNAL SON
OF
GOD
Brethren: God - Who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the Fathers by the Prophets has in these Last Days, spoken to us by His Son, Whom He has appointed Heir of all things, through Whom
also He made the worlds; Who being the Brightness of His Glory and the express Image of His Person, and
upholding all things by the Word of His Power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the
right Hand of the Majesty on High, having become so much better than the Angels, as He has by
Inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they.
For to which of the Angels did He ever say: Thou art My Son; Today I have Begotten Thee. And again: I
will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son.
And when He again brings the Firstborn into the world, He says: Let all the Angels of God worship Him.
And of the Angels, He says: Who makes His Angels spirits and His Ministers a Flame of Fire.
While to the Son He says: Thy Throne, O God, is forever and ever; a Sceptre of Righteousness is the
Sceptre of Thy Kingdom. Thou hast Loved Righteousness and hated lawlessness. Therefore, God Thy
God has Anointed Thee with the Oil of Gladness more than Thy companions.
And: 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.

CHRIST
OUR
LORD
AND
SAVIOUR
TO
IS
ST LUKE 2 : 1 - 20
BORN
IN
BETHLEHEM
At that time, it came to pass that a Decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be
registered. This Census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered
everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the
city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the House and Lineage of David, to be
registered with Mary, his Betrothed Wife, who was with Child.
So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for Her to be delivered. And She brought forth
Her Firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no
room for them at the inn.
And there were in the same country Shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by
night. And, Behold! An Angel of the Lord stood before them and the Glory of the Lord shone around
FOREFEAST - THE NATIVITY THE SHEPHERDS FIRST WORSHIP & GLORIFY CHRIST 24 DECEMBER 2014
27.
them, and they were greatly afraid. And the Angel said to them: Do not be afraid! Behold! I bring to you
Good Tidings of Great Joy, which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of
David a Saviour, Who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the Sign to you: you will find an Infant
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of Heavenly Hosts, praising God and saying: Glory to
God in the Highest! And on Earth, Peace and Good Will towards all men!
So it was when the Angels had departed into Heaven, that the Shepherds said to one another: Let us now go
to Bethlehem and see this Thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in a manger. And when they had
seen Him, they made widely known the saying that was told to them concerning that Child. And all those
who heard it marvelled at those things that were told to them by the Shepherds. But Mary kept all those
things and pondered them in Her heart.
And the Shepherds returned, Glorifying and Praising God for all the Things that they had heard and seen as
it had been told to them.
THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD & SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST
HIS EMINENCE, METROPOLITAN PANTELEIMON OF ANTINOES
Dearly Beloved: with special skills and Grace the
Hymnographers of our Holy Orthodox Church exalt the
Event of the Great Divine Economia (Dispensation)
through the Sacred Hymns of the Great, Holy Feast of
our Lords Incarnation the Nativity of our Lord and
Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word and Only
Begotten Son of God the Father.
This Great Event was unique for it proclaimed not only the
beginning of the Salvation of mankind, but,
simultaneously, expressed the Infinite Love of Almighty
God for His Creation and especially for mankind.
The Angels in Heaven Rejoiced and Glorified God together
with the humble Shepherds of Bethlehem. The entire
Universe leapt with Joy. The Earth offered our Newborn
King the Cave; the desert offered Him the Manger; the
Heavens offered Him the Star; the Magi offered Him
priceless gifts and we the logical creatures of God
the Creator, offer Him ourselves we offer our heart
and soul to the Newborn Divine Infant Who was born,
wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger.
Since our creation, we have been granted many Charismata
(Gifts) and Wisdom and God honoured us most of all
by voluntarily taking on our human form as our Great
King, Saviour and Lord thereby becoming the Crown
Jewel of all Creation.
Satan, being banished from Heaven and all Gods Goodness
and Light, envies this great Honour and Glory with
which our human nature has been vested and which
drove him to deceive the First Created.
Disobedience of the one Divine Commandment became the
start of mankinds suffering. Adam and Eve attempted
to hide their Spiritual Nakedness, which was the
deprivation of Divine Grace that they lost as soon as
they turned away from God and trusted the deceptive
Serpent.
Their mind and conscience was darkened and they were
unrepentant and rejected the three opportunities that
God offered them for forgiveness.
Eve blamed the serpent, Adam blamed Eve and worst of all,
he who benefitted more than any other creature, even
dared to blame God for their Fall from Divine Grace.
Their insulting ingratitude to God is referred to as Original
Sin or more correctly: Ancestral Sin, which
henceforth was inherited by all mankind but which is
forgiven through the Holy Mystery of Baptism.
The Fall of the First Created was as great as the Benefits
they had received, for God had granted them freedom
to enjoy all Creation, with only one Commandment to
obey.
They had everything, yet they tried to steal Deification,
having been persuaded by the Evil One to desire to
become gods just like their Divine Creator but
without the Divine Grace of our Creator.
God wants mankind to become Perfect through our
Obedience to His Divine Will, but we want to achieve
Spiritual Perfection Deification without any Struggle
or Spiritual Labours.
The results of such rebellion and disobedience for Adam
and all mankind were catastrophic: fear, cowardice,
accusations, lies, slander, hatred, envy, murder,
mortality and finally, death, which replaced the
Perfection of Paradise.
From having been granted dominion over Gods Creation,
we became enslaved to sin and death and any attempt
28. F O R E F E A S T -
THE
to restore our Relationship with God was in vain,

because our mind and heart was so darkened by sin
that instead of worshipping God, we worship the
temporary, unbeneficial material world. Idols have
replaced the Holy Trinity and we are led from one error
to another.
However, the Love of God did not abandon His Creation,
leaving it deserted and unprotected. As our caring
Father, God prepared the Path of Salvation and, through
His Holy Prophets, He proclaimed the Good News
concerning the Mission of His Elect His Eternal Word
and Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ Who would come
from the Ever Blessed, All Holy Virgin Mary, who - by
becoming His Chosen Vessel through Her Holiness pleased God and proved that mankind is capable of
conquering sin.
God the Word was born of the Holy Spirit and our Lady
Theotokos, and became Man Who was similar to us in
every way, except for the ability and inclination to sin.
His Divine Mission was to Save His beloved mankind from
the slavery of sin and the tyranny of death.
St Moses, by the Holy Spirit, beheld the Burning Bush that
was unconsumed by the Flames. St Jacob dreamt about
the Ladder that United Heaven and Earth. St Jezekiel
saw the Eastern Gate through which our Lord God
would pass and that it would remain shut thereafter.
St Isaiah saw the Holy Virgin from whom our Lord Jesus
Christ was born, which in Greek is translated
Emmanuel, meaning God is with us.
God sent His Only Begotten Son Who was born of a Virgin,
wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger
and Who was also circumcised, according to the Law.
As a very young Child, He was persecuted by the insane
King Herod. As Perfect Man, He dwelt among us and
taught us His Divine Truth directly and personally.
He was falsely accused, arrested and condemned to severe
punishment and death like a common criminal. On the
Third Day, as God Almighty, He was Resurrected from
the dead.
Our Lord and Saviour suffered all these things in order to
restore mankind to our former glory just as He had
originally created us to be.
The Nativity of the Son and Word of God is the Fulfilment
of the Divine Promise that was given to us in the Garden
of Delight concerning our Salvation, which began with
the Divine Birth at Bethlehem.
Through Divine Economia, our Lord Jesus Christ ended the
rule of Satan who held us far too long in bondage and
tyranny of Death, for He alone grants to all those who
believe in Him, Eternal Life in His Heavenly Kingdom of
Love.
Christs Nativity grants us the Light of the True Knowledge
of God, and being set free from the darkness of sin and
ignorance, we can know our True God through His Holy
Gospel and His Holy Orthodox Church.
We are set free from idolatry and able to worship the Only
True God the Holy Trinity - knowing the Way, which
leads us to Virtue and Holiness.
Let us kneel reverently with the humble Shepherds before
the Infant Creator and offer Him our sincere tears of
Repentance and our steadfast Love.
Christ is Born! Let us Worship and Glorify Him!
Amen
NATIVITY THE SHEPHERDS FIRST WORSHIP & GLORIFY CHRIST 24 DECEMBER 2014

25 D E C E MB E R 2014
THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD & SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST
May the Blessings of Divine Peace, Joy and Love of

Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour be with you always.
FESTAL ISODIKON OF THE NATIVITY
Ek gastros pro eosforou egennisa Se.
Omose Kyrios ke ou
metamelithisete. Si ierefs is ton eona, kata tin taxin
Melihisedek. Soson imas, Ie Theou, O EK PARTHENOU
TEHTHIS, psallontas Si allilouia!
Out
of the womb, before the Morning Star have I

Begotten Thee: the Lord has sworn and will not
repent: Thou art a Priest forever, after the Order of
Melchezedek. Save us, O Son of God, BORN OF THE
VIRGIN, who sing to Thee: Alleluia!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST TONE 4
I Gennisis Sou Hriste O Theos imon, anetile to kosmo to Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, has caused the Light of
Fos to tis gnoseos. En afti gar it is astris latrevontes,
ipo asters edidaskonto, Se prokinin, ton Ilion tis
Dikeosinis, ke Se ginoskin ex ipsous anatolin. Kyrie,
Doxa Si. (3)
Knowledge to rise upon the world. For therein the

worshippers of the stars were by a Star instructed to
worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to
know Thee as Orient from on High. O Lord, Glory
to Thee! (3)

INSTEAD OF THE
Osi
Today

AGIOS O THEOS...
is Hriston
Allelouia!
Evaptisthite,
Hriston
enedisasthe:
As many of you as were Baptised into Christ, have put

on Christ: Alleluia!
FESTAL MATINS GOSPEL MATTHEW 1: 18 - 25

THE REVELATION OF THE INCARNATED SON
OF
GOD
At that time, the Birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was Betrothed to Joseph, before
they came together, she was found with Child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just
man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he
thought about these things, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying: "Joseph, son
of David, do not be afraid to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is Conceived in her is of the Holy
Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His Name Jesus, for He will Save His people from
their sins."
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the Prophet, saying:
"Behold, the Virgin shall be with Child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel," which is
translated:"God with us."
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the Angel of the Lord commanded him and took unto him his
wife, and did not know her until she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His Name Jesus
ST
JOSEPH THE BETROTHEDS RIGHTEOUSNESS the

Righteousness of Mercy, which TRANSCENDED THE LAW
is evident from his unwillingness to expose the young
Virgin Marys presumed sin.
UNDER MOSAIC LAW, BETROTHAL INVOLVED ALMOST THE SAME
SACRED COMMITMENT AS MARRIAGE and the elderly St
Joseph the Betrothed could not help but suspect a
violation of Divine Law when he realised his Betrothed
niece had Conceived - despite her Sacred Vow of
Chastity.
ALTHOUGH HE WAS OBLIGED BY LAW TO REPORT HER "MISCONDUCT"
ST JOSEPH DECIDED "TO PUT HER AWAY SECRETLY" WHICH
WOULD PREVENT HER FROM BEING EXPOSED TO PUBLIC SCANDAL
AND SPECULATION.
Furthermore, THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS PHARISEES WOULD HAVE
STONED HER TO DEATH FOR HAVING BROKEN A SACRED VOW
AND MOSAIC LAW CONCERNING IMMORALITY.
NATIVITY
OF OUR
A HOLY MESSENGER OR "ANGEL OF THE LORD" DISPELLED THE FALSE

REASONING OF ST JOSEPH THE BETROTHED BY ANNOUNCING THE
UTTERLY UNREASONABLE: THE CONCEPTION OF THE ALL PURE
AND MOST BLESSED VIRGIN WAS BY THE LIFE-GIVING HOLY
SPIRIT (ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER.)
SINCE BEING BORN OF A VIRGIN PROVES OUR LORD JESUS DIVINITY,
ONLY THE REVELATION OF ALMIGHTY GOD, in this case "a
dream" - IS ADEQUATE EVIDENCE OF THIS MIRACULOUS
CONCEPTION.
Holy Scripture refers to Betrothed couples as "husband"
and "wife" before the actual marriage.
Just as Rachel was called the "wife of Jacob" before
Marriage, because of her Betrothal, so St Joseph the
Betrothed was referred to as the "husband" of the
Blessed Virgin Mary; and she was known as the "wife"
of Joseph the Carpenter.
LORD & SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST
25 DECEMBER 2014
29
THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS - HAVING GROWN UP IN THE TEMPLE

OF JERUSALEM HAD TAKEN A MOST SACRED VOW OF CHASTITY
and had refused to be married to any man since her
only desire was to serve the Lord Her God.
Therefore THE TEMPLE PRIESTS who had watched over this
extraordinarily devout little girl RESPECTED BOTH HER
DEDICATION TO GOD AND THE SANCTITY OF HER VOW OF
CHASTITY.
AS AN ORPHAN, SHE HAD NO IMMEDIATE FAMILY TO TAKE CARE OF
HER AND TO PROTECT HER, which left the Priests in a
difficult predicament, for when girls reached puberty,
they had to leave the Temple precincts and enter
Marriage so as to produce as many children as
possible.
THE PRIESTS BESOUGHT GOD FOR A SOLUTION AND EVENTUALLY BY A
DIVINE MIRACLE HER AGED UNCLE who had been married
to Her aunt, Salome, WAS CHOSEN AS HER LEGAL GUARDIAN
AND RIGHTEOUS PROTECTOR.
As required by Mosaic Law, ALL SPOUSES HAD TO BE OF THE
SAME TRIBE AND THE FACT THAT HE WAS AN ELDERLY RELATIVE
WAS BOTH LEGALLY AND SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE.
G E N E S I S 2 9 : 2 1 Then Jacob said to Laban: Give
me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is
completed.
DEUTERONOMY
2 0 : 7 "Has anyone become
Betrothed to a woman but not yet married her? He
should go back to his house, or he might die in the
battle and another will marry her.
DEUTERONOMY
2 2 : 2 3 - 2 4 If there is a young
woman, a virgin already Betrothed, and a man meets
her in the town and lies with her, you shall bring both
of them to the gate of that town and stone them to
death - the young woman because she did not cry for
help in the town and the man because he violated his
neighbours wife. So you shall purge the evil from
your midst.
In the Orthodox Church, ST JOSEPH IS REMEMBERED AS "THE
BETROTHED" - HIGHLIGHTING THE ALL PURE, MOST HOLY
THEOTOKOS EVER-VIRGINITY. ("THE UNWED BRIDE")
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled is the first
of St Matthews repeated use of the expression: "...that
it might be fulfilled which was spoken."
THE FULFILMENT OF THESE PROPHECIES NOT ONLY UNDERSCORES
THE INTERVENTION OF ALMIGHTY GOD IN OUR HISTORY BUT
ALSO INDICATES HIS BEGINNING OF THE NEW CREATION THE
NEW ISRAEL.
THE CONCEPTION OF JESUS CHRIST FULFILS THE PROPHECY as
recorded in the Septuagint where we are told that A
"VIRGIN" (PARTHENOS) WOULD CONCEIVE AND "BEAR A SON."
Why do we question or ponder this amazing and acceptable
Divine Truth?
Our Creator can do things far beyond any human imagination or

understanding because He is Almighty God and Creator of
all things visible and invisible - yet so many people try to
disprove or reject this Divine Truth.
The Virgin Birth of the Messiah, as well as Her continued Virginity is
a Divine Mystery as are all Gods Infinite Wonders - and only
God knows!!
Her continued Virginity would have been noted and confirmed
by the Midwives whom St Joseph had requested to assist the
young Theotokos something so unique was noted and
remembered..
To doubt or to reject the Miraculous Conception and Birth of
Christ Who is the Only Begotten Son of God the Father, is to
doubt or reject the unknown and indescribable Majesty and
Might of our Living and Glorious Creator God.
To relegate Christ as mere human being is blasphemy against
God and refutes His two Natures human and Divine which
were necessary for His Divine Mission amongst His creatures
the Salvation of fallen mankind and the conquering of sin
and Death.
HE WHO IS CONCEIVED IN HER IS NOT A NEW PERSON COMING INTO
EXISTENCE, BUT THE ETERNAL SON OF ALMIGHTY GOD, USING
HER WOMB AS HIS THRONE.
THE VIRGINAL CONCEPTION THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE
NAME OF THE INCARNATE SON, "EMMANUEL I.E: GOD WITH
US," - ARE CLEAR INDICATIONS OF OUR LORD JESUS DIVINITY.
I S A I A H 7 : 1 4 Therefore the Lord Himself will give
Thee a Sign. Look, the Virgin is with Child and shall
bear a Son, and shall name Him Emmanuel God
with us.
The words: ... Joseph took unto him his wife, and did
not know her until she had brought forth her Firstborn
Son does not imply that St Joseph the Betrothed
consummated the Betrothal after the Birth of Jesus
Christ.
THEIR BETROTHAL WAS NEVER CONSUMMATED BECAUSE NOT ONLY
WAS ST JOSEPH HER LEGAL GUARDIAN AND PROTECTOR BUT HE
RESPECTED AND HONOURED HER SACRED VOW OF CHASTITY,
HER PURE NATURE AND PIOUS CHARACTER.
THE TERM "FIRSTBORN" NOT ONLY MEANS HAVING BEEN BORN FIRST
BUT ALSO APPLIED TO THE FIRST BORN SON no matter how
many other female children born before or after the
heir.
Furthermore, according to the Old Covenant Tradition, IT
DID NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THERE WERE OTHER SIBLINGS.
In the case of our Lord Jesus and the Ever Blessed
Theotokos, THOSE WHO WERE REFERRED TO AS BEING EITHER
BROTHERS OR SISTERS USUALLY MEANT COUSINS, AUNTS OR
UNCLES CLOSE RELATIVES BUT NOT NECESSARILY BIOLOGICAL
SIBLINGS.
PROKEIMENON
All the world will worship Thee and Glorify Thee.

Glorify the Lord with Triumphal Hymns, all you lands.
WE
THE EPISTLE
BECOME
OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS 4:4-7

SONS OF GOD THROUGH CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
Brethren, when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the
Law, to Redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive the Adoption as sons. And
because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out: "Abba! Father!"
Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an Heir of God through Christ.
His Son" refers to CHRIST AS GOD BY NATURE the Son of God.
THE INCARNATE SON OF GOD, IS "BORN OF A WOMAN," AND SO THE
MOST BLESSED MARY IS RIGHTLY CALLED THEOTOKOS MOTHER OF GOD OR BEARER OF GOD.
SINCE JESUS CHRIST WAS "BORN UNDER THE LAW" HE COULD
REDEEM THOSE WHO WERE ALSO UNDER THE LAW HIS FELLOW
HEBREWS, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH.
GOD "REDEEMS THOSE WHO WERE UNDER THE LAW" IN ORDER TO
FULFIL HIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM AND CONSEQUENTLY,
GOD PAID THE RANSOM, AS IT WERE, TO HIMSELF,
ACCORDING TO HIS OWN VOW.
ALMIGHTY GOD DOES NOT OWE ANYONE ANYTHING AND HE
CERTAINLY DOES NOT OWE US SALVATION !
JESUS CHRIST FULFILLED THE LAW AS AN INFANT BY BEING
CIRCUMCISED on the eighth day and He was Presented
in the Temple 40 Days after His Birth.
Both of these Events are remembered in the Liturgical
Cycle of the Orthodox Church.
THE HOLY CEREMONIES OF THE EIGHT DAY BLESSING OF THE
NEWBORN AND THE 40 DAY CHURCHING OF THE MOTHER
ARE PERFORMED TO THIS DAY IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH.
30.
NATIVITY
OF OUR
After these special Services, THE HOLY MYSTERY OF

BAPTISM AND CHRISMATION IS CELEBRATED A FEW MONTHS
LATER.
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - THE SON OF GOD IS GOD

DIVINE - BY NATURE.
WE BECOME SONS (OR DAUGHTERS) OF GOD BY ADOPTION WHEN
WE ARE BAPTISED IN THE NAME OF THE TRIUNE GOD THE
HOLY TRINITY.
WE CANNOT BECOME MEMBERS OF THE GODHEAD BY NATURE
because WE ARE HUMAN BY NATURE. BUT WE DO BECOME
MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY BY HIS GRACE.
Through our Divine Adoption (Holy Baptism and

Chrismation) WE BECOME EVERYTHING GOD IS, EXCEPT IN
NATURE WE REMAIN HUMAN BEINGS.
However, THIS IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY OUR PERMANENT STATE
DUE TO OF OUR DESIRE FOR WORLDLY THINGS [ I.E. THINGS OF THE
FLESH, THE PASSIONS] and that CONCUPISCENCE PREVENTS US
FROM ATTAINING THEOSIS SPIRITUAL PERFECTION.
IT TAKES DEDICATION AND EFFORT ON OUR PART TO ATTAIN
SPIRITUAL PERFECTION, DEIFICATION OR THEOSIS LIKENESS
TO GOD!
25 DECEMBER 2014
We have the possibility through the Grace of God, but

IT DEPENDS ON OUR LOVE AND OBEDIENCE TO ALMIGHTY
GOD AND HIS COMMANDMENTS.
Because WE ARE GIVEN "NEW LIFE" our Adoption by God is
also referred to as "New Birth" WE ARE SPIRITUALLY
REBORN RENEWED IN CHRIST!
EVERY TIME WE PARTAKE OF THE HOLY MYSTERIES OF
REPENTANCE CONFESSION AND EUCHARIST, WE ENJOY A
REAFFIRMATION OF OUR ADOPTION AND THEREFORE OUR
NEW LIFE IN OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST.
THE ONGOING GROWTH INTO ADOPTION, BEING "AN HEIR

OF GOD," IS CALLED DEIFICATION. THIS MEANS THAT WE ARE
BECOMING BY THE GRACE OF GOD WHAT HE IS BY NATURE.
EACH DIVINE PERSON OF THE HOLY TRINITY: "SPIRIT, SON AND
FATHER" IS INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS OF TRANSFORMATION.
THEREFORE TO BECOME SONS OF GOD BY GRACE, ONE MUST
BELIEVE IN AND KNOW THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY
SPIRIT.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MATTHEW 2 : 1 - 12
THE
GENTILE MAGI (ST CASPAR, ST MELCHIOR, AND ST BALTHAZAR) JOURNEYED FROM AFAR
TO WORSHIP THE CHRIST CHILD
At that time, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold, Wise Men
from the East came to Jerusalem, enquiring: "Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews? For we
have seen His Star in the East and have come to worship Him."
When Herod the King heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all
the Chief Priests and Scribes of the people together, he questioned them as to where the Christ was to be
born. So they told him: "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the Prophet: But you, O Bethlehem,
in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will
shepherd My people Israel."
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the Wise Men, determined from them what time the Star appeared.
And he sent them to Bethlehem saying: "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have
found Him, bring back word to me, so that I may go and worship Him also." When they had heard the King,
they departed.
And behold! The Star that they had seen in the East went before them, until it stood over where the young
Child was. And when they saw the Star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great Joy. And when they had
entered the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His Mother, and fell down and worshipped Him.
And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Then, being Divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own
country another way.
ST MATTHEW AND ST LUKE PLACED THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST IN THE
REIGN OF KING HEROD THE GREAT WHO WAS THE KING OF
JUDEA 37 4 BC.
Herod was under Roman rule and although he was a
great builder, he was a dreadfully cruel ruler.
Due to his ignorance of the Messiah - and indeed of
anything concerning God - as well as his obsessive
fear of being deposed, Herod summoned the Hebrew
leaders to enlighten him, and later instructed the
Magi to report back to him.
An ancient Prophecy of St Jacob indicated that THE
MESSIAH WOULD APPEAR WHEN A GENTILE KING RULED i.e.
not of the Hebrew Tribe of Judah.
G E N E S I S 4 9 : 1 0 The Sceptre shall not depart
from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from his loins, until
Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the
Expectation of the Nations...
This Prophecy relates to Christ in numerous ways
since HE WOULD RISE FROM THE DEAD AND HE IS THE
DIVINE LAWGIVER BECAUSE EVERY LAW OR COMMANDMENT
OF GOD THE FATHER WHICH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US,
INCLUDING THE MOSAIC LAW, IS GIVEN IN AND THROUGH
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
As HEROD WAS A GENTILE who called himself King of
Judea, the Coming of the Messiah Gods Christ
was certainly at hand.
L U K E 1 : 2 0 - The Angel of God told St Zacharias:
Behold! You will be mute and unable to speak
until the day these Things take place, because
you did not believe my words which shall be
fulfilled in their own time.
ST ZACHARIAS WAS DISCIPLINED FOR HIS LACK OF FAITH, yet
this also served as proof that ARCHANGEL GABRIELS
ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE ALWAYS TRUE GODS TRUTH.
Furthermore THE SILENCING OF THE HIGH PRIEST REVEALED A
DEEPER MYSTERY.
THE MESSIAH WAS expected to fulfil three crucial roles held
by various people of the Old Covenant: PROPHET,
PRIEST AND KING.
Only our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled all three Holy Offices
perfectly:
CHRIST JESUS IS THE TRUE PROPHET
D E U T E R O N O M Y 1 8 : 1 5 1 8 The Lord your
God will raise up for you a Prophet like Me from
your Brethren. Him you shall hear, according to
all you asked from the Lord your God in Horeb in
the day of the Assembly, saying: Let us not hear
again the Voice of the Lord our God, nor let us
NATIVITY
OF OUR
see this Great Fire any more, lest we die. Then

the Lord said to me: What they have spoken is
good. I will raise up for them a Prophet like you
from among their Brethren, and I will put My
Word in His Mouth, and He shall speak to them
all I command Him...
It was first necessary for THE HEBREWS to be tested so as to
fear the lord and not to sin, for they WERE TOO
SPIRITUALLY IMPERCEPTIVE TO HEAR ABOUT ANOTHER PROPHET.
Consequently, THEY FAILED THE TEST AND DIED IN THE DESERT
BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO OBEY MOSES.
FORTY YEARS LATER HE SPOKE TO THEM CONCERNING THE GREAT
PROPHET TO COME, USING THE WORDS OF GOD FROM THEIR
MEETING ON MOUNT SINAI.
THE NEW GENERATION WAS READY TO HEAR THE PROPHECY and
learnt that He would be similar to St Moses, BECAUSE
THE SHORT-TERM PROPHECIES OF MOSES HAD ALL OCCURRED,
HIS LONG-TERM PROPHECIES THEREFORE WERE TO BE BELIEVED.
THIS WAS THE MARK OF A TRUE PROPHET OF GOD and the
same would apply to THE GREAT PROPHET WHO WOULD
TELL THEM ALL THAT GOD THE FATHER COMMANDED HIM.
(BY THE WILL OF THE FATHER, THROUGH THE SON...)
That indicated that HE IS THE WORD OF GOD MADE FLESH

INCARNATE - FOR NO OTHER PROPHET, INCLUDING MOSES,
WOULD EVER SPEAK IN SUCH A MANNER.
While all previous Prophets were ordinary human
beings, THE GREAT PROPHET WOULD BE GOD INCARNATE.
So it was that St Isaiah foretold how THE PEOPLE WOULD
BE TAUGHT DIRECTLY BY GOD HIMSELF.
JESUS CHRIST IS OUR TRUE KING
I S A I A H 9 : 6 Great shall be His Government, and
of His Peace there shall be no end. His Peace
shall be upon the Throne of David and over His
Kingdom, to order and establish It with
Righteousness and Judgement, from that time
forward, and unto Ages of Ages. The Zeal of the
Lord of Hosts shall perform this.
M I C A H 5 : 1 . . . O Bethlehem, House of Ephrathah,
although you are fewest in number among the
thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come
forth to Me the One to be Ruler of Israel, Whose
goings forth were from the beginning, even from
Eternity.
JESUS CHRIST IS OUR TRUE HIGH PRIEST
P S A L M 1 0 9 : 4 - The Lord swore, and will not
repent: Thou art a Priest forever according to the
Order of Melchezedek.
Seated at the Right Hand of God the Father, OUR DIVINE
AND ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST RULES AND REIGNS OVER ALL
25 DECEMBER 2014
31
THINGS, INCLUDING HIS ENEMIES, AND LEADS HIS

CHURCH IN HEAVENLY WORSHIP OF THE ALMIGHTY
TRINITY.
HOLY
HOLY
H E B R E W S 4 : 1 4 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.
The expression passed through the Heavens refers
to THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHICH IS
SEEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SON OF GOD IS SEATED AT
THE HIGHEST PLACE OF HONOUR EQUALLY DIVINE - AT THE
RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER.
OUR ALMIGHTY LORD AND CREATOR HAS ACCOMPLISHED HIS
DIVINE WORK ON EARTH AND HAS ENTERED INTO HIS
SABBATH REST.
L U K E 8 : 1 5 - God reveals His Truth to those ... who,
having heard the Word with a noble and good
heart, keep it and bear Fruit with Patience.
Christ warned us against believing for a short while
and then returning to our sinful, ungodly ways.
HAVING BEEN TAUGHT GODS TRUTH, WHICH WE THEN REJECT,
WE CONDEMN OURSELVES for
we cannot plead
ignorance!
THE CHIEF PRIESTS OF THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM WERE THE
POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE HEBREWS,
including the High Priest, who alone could enter the
Holiest Place of all YET THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT THE
MESSIAH HAD ALREADY BEEN BORN. (HEBREWS 9:7)
THE SCRIBES - important officials - KNEW THAT THE MESSIAH
WAS TO BE BORN AND WHERE HE WOULD BE BORN, HOWEVER,
THEY HAD NO DIVINE REVELATION THAT HE HAD ALREADY
ARRIVED.
St Matthew, who wrote for Jewish Christians, cited the
Gentile Magi as the first worshippers of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
St Luke, who wrote for Gentile Christians, cited the Jewish
poor the Righteous Shepherds from surrounding
fields - as the first worshippers. (LUKE 2:8-17)
OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS DIVINE MISSION TO THE GENTILES
WAS ANTICIPATED BY THE "WISE MEN" OR MAGI, who
journeyed all the way "from the East" outside
Israel, from Persia and elsewhere.
THEY WERE ERUDITE SCHOLARS of the time and in the Old
Testament, BALAAM WAS ONE OF THEIR GENTILE
PREDECESSORS WHO ALSO ANTICIPATED THE MESSIAH. ( READ
NUMBERS 23; 24]
THE WORSHIP OF OUR LORD BY THE MAGI IS SYMBOLIC OF

THE CHURCH, THE TRUE ISRAEL, WHEREBY MEMBERSHIP IS
DETERMINED BY FAITH AND NOT BY ETHNIC LINEAGE.
N U M B E R S 2 4 : 1 7 Barlaam prophesied: I will show
Him, but not now; I Bless Him, but He is not near.
A Star shall rise out of Jacob; And a Man shall
rise out of Israel. He shall break in pieces the
rulers of Moab and plunder all the sons of Seth.
THE "STAR" SIGNIFIED THE EXTRAORDINARY IMPORTANCE OF
THE NATIVITY OF THE CHRIST CHILD. In ancient times
an unusually bright star signified a God or a
Deified King.
CHRIST IS THE STAR AND THE MAN WHO ROSE FROM THE DEAD
...out of Jacob... and ... out of Israel.
THE MAGI KNEW THIS PROPHESY, and when they saw His
Star, they faithfully followed it all the way to Him.
BEING BORN UNDER THIS WONDROUS STAR fulfilled the
prophecy of the Psalms and SHOWS ALL CREATION
PARTICIPATING IN THE INCARNATION of the Son of God.
P S A L M 1 0 9 : 3 ... with Thee is the beginning in
the Day of Thy Power, in the brightness of Thy
Saints; I have Begotten Thee from the Womb
before the morning star...
Psalm 109 is a Prophecy concerning THE MELCHIZEDEK
PRIESTHOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, which explains
the True Meaning of the Nativity.
32.
NATIVITY
OF OUR
CHRIST IS THE SON OF DAVID ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, AND

ALSO THE LORD OF KING DAVID ACCORDING TO HIS
DIVINITY.
P S A L M 1 8 : 2 The Heavens declare the Glory of
God; the firmament shows the Creation of His
Hands...
Psalm 18 reveals God the Word the End
becoming Man in the Womb of the Most Holy
Mother of God. For on His Nativity, ALL CREATION
BORE WITNESS TO THE GLORY OF GOD REVEALED IN HIS
INCARNATION.
In His Birth from the Womb of the Blessed Virgin,
CHRIST WAS LIKENED TO THE SUN RISING FROM THE EAST,
TO A BRIDEGROOM COMING FROM HIS CHAMBER, AND TO A
STRONG ATHLETE READY TO RUN A GREAT RACE, BRINGING
SALVATION OF THE WORLD.
P S A L M 1 4 8 : 3 Praise the Lord from the Heavens;
praise Him in the Highest; praise Him, all you His
Angels; praise Him, all your His Hosts; Praise Him,
sun and moon; Praise Him all you stars and
Light...
Psalms 148 150 are THE PRAISES LAUDS which form
the conclusion to the Psalter, and which EXHORT ALL
CREATION TO PRAISE THE MOST BLESSED HOLY TRINITY.
The climax of the Psalter is when ALL HUMANITY AND
CREATION EVERYWHERE AND IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
ARE CALLED UPON TO MAKE THIS DOXOLOGY TO GOD THE
FATHER, AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR ONE,
TRUE AND LIVING GOD ALMIGHTY.
THE NATIVITY STAR WAS A SIGN OF THE MESSIAH HIMSELF,
SIGNIFYING THE LIGHT HE WAS TO SHED UPON THE WHOLE
WORLD, THROUGHOUT TIME.
2 K I N G S 2 2 The water of Jericho was unusable
until Elisha quoted God Who said: "... I have
healed these waters; from them there shall no
longer be death or barrenness... So the water
was healed by the word Elisha spoke, and so it
remains to this day.
Just as our Lord God healed the waters of Jericho, so THE
INCARNATE SON OF GOD BRINGS RENEWAL OR REGENERATION
TO ALL DAMAGED CREATION.
J E R E M I A H 3 6 : 1 0 ... thus said the Lord: When 70
years are about to be fulfilled in Babylon, I will
visit you and confirm My Words to you, to return
your people to this place.
St Jeremiah spoke historically for THERE WAS A RETURN OF
EXILES UNDER CYRUS AFTER 70 YEARS, and
Mystically for CHRIST CHOSE 70 MEN AS HERALDS OF HIS
HOLY GOSPEL. THEY LIVED A GODLY LIFE OF OBEDIENCE TO
CHRIST, SUFFERED MARTYRDOM AND SPREAD THE KINGDOM
OF GOD, WHICH IS OUR TRUE RETURN FROM SPIRITUAL
EXILE IN THE FALLEN WORLD.
J E R E M I A H 3 6 : 1 4 : I will appear to you... is a
Prophecy of the Incarnation of God the Son when
GOD APPEARED TO US FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS FLESH IN
HIS HUMAN, VISIBLE NATURE.
The Hebrew Shepherds were the first to worship and
adore Christ, having done so shortly after His Birth,
at the dark cave as OUR SAVIOUR WAS SENT INITIALLY
FOR OLD COVENANT ISRAEL.
THE MAGI - THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE GENTILES - arrived in
Bethlehem much later, after the Holy Family had
moved into a house, WORSHIPPED GOD AS THE NEW
COVENANT ISRAEL.
THE MAGI HONOURED CHRIST AS OUR GREATEST AND ONLY KING
WITH SIGNIFICANT AND COSTLY GIFTS:
Gold is for the King of Ages. Frankincense is for the
God of All. Myrrh is offered to the Immortal One Who
shall be three days dead. (COMPLINE HYMN OF THE NATIVITY OF
CHRIST)
25 DECEMBER 2014

ALL GLORY, HONOUR
AND
WORSHIP
TO THE
FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND FOREVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF
AGES. AMEN
26 D E C E MB E R 2014
SYNAXIS OF OUR LADY THEOTOKOS
THE SECOND DAY OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR SAVIOUR
May the Blessings of Divine Peace, Joy and Love of

Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour be with you always.
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST EUTHYMIOS OF SARDIS ST CONSTANTINE OF SYNADA ST
EVARESTOS OF STUDION MONASTERY ST NICODEMOS OF TISHMANA, MACEDONIA
ST CONSTANTINE THE RUSSIAN OF LAVRA MONASTERY, MOUNT ATHOS ST ISAAC II OF
OPTINA MONASTERY
Ek gastros pro eosforou egennisa Se.
Omose Kyrios ke ou
metamelithisete. Si ierefs is ton eona, kata tin taxin
Melihisedek. Soson imas, Ie Theou, O EK PARTHENOU
TEHTHIS, psallontas Si allilouia!
Out
of the womb, before the Morning Star have I

Begotten Thee: the Lord has sworn and will not
repent: Thou art a Priest forever, after the Order of
Melchezedek. Save us, O Son of God, BORN OF THE
VIRGIN, who sing to Thee: Alleluia!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST TONE 4
I Gennisis Sou Hriste O Theos imon, anetile to kosmo to Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, has caused the Light of
Fos to tis gnoseos. En afti gar it is astris latrevontes,
ipo asters edidaskonto, Se prokinin, ton Ilion tis
Dikeosinis, ke Se ginoskin ex ipsous anatolin. Kyrie,
Doxa Si. (3)
Knowledge to rise upon the world. For therein the

worshippers of the stars were by a Star instructed to
worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to
know Thee as Orient from on High. O Lord, Glory
to Thee! (3)

INSTEAD OF THE
Osi
Today

AGIOS O THEOS...
is Hriston
Allelouia!
Evaptisthite,
Hriston
enedisasthe:
FESTAL PROKEIMENON LUKE 1 TONE 3
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour!
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden.
THE EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE HEBREWS
WHY GOD BECAME MAN
2 : 11 - 18
Brethren: both He Who Sanctifies and those 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
Assembly I will sing Praise to Thee. And again: I will put My trust in Him. And yet again: Here Am I
and the Children whom God has given Me.
Inasmuch then as the Children have partaken of Flesh and Blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same,
that through Death He might destroy him who had the power of death that is, the devil and release
those who through fear of Death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
For indeed He does not give aid to Angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
Therefore in all things He had to be made like His Brethren, so that He might be 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.
The expression ... to make ... Perfect through
sufferings... DOES NOT SUGGEST THAT THERE WAS ANY
IMPERFECTION IN CHRIST BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION.
Instead, HE VOLUNTARILY TOOK ON OUR HUMAN NATURE ... all
of one.. nature WHICH CAN BE SAVED AND PERFECTED
ONLY BY THE SUFFERING OF DEATH.
CHRIST IS THE PIONEERING CAPTAIN OR GUIDE OF THE NARROW
PATH TO GOD in His Suffering for our sins, Death,
Descent into Hades, Resurrection and Ascension.
SECOND DAY
OF THE
NATIVITY
OF
CHRIST
OUR
IN SALVATION, WE TAKE ON CHRISTS WAY OF SUFFERINGS FOR OUR

SPIRITUAL PERFECTION REQUIRES SPIRITUAL GROWTH THAT IS
MANIFESTED (REVEALED) IN SUFFERING.
IN THE INCARNATION, GOD DID NOT COME IN APPEARANCE ONLY;
HE TRULY ASSUMED OUR HUMAN FLESH AND BLOOD FROM THE
EVER BLESSED, ALL PURE VIRGIN MARY our All Holy Lady
Theotokos and HE BECAME THE SAME AS WE ARE SO THAT
HE COULD TRULY ENTER DEATH ENTER HADES AND THUS IN
HIS DIVINE NATURE BRING US TO ETERNAL SALVATION.
CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR DESTROYED THE EVIL ONES POWER BY USING
SATANS STRONGEST WEAPON DEATH AGAINST HIM.
SAVIOUR SYNAXIS
OF OUR
LADY THEOTOKOS
26 DECEMBER 2014
33
There is a relationship a connection between sin and

death for each leads to the other.
SIN CAUSES DEATH BOTH SPIRITUAL DEATH AND PHYSICAL DEATH
AND THE FEAR OF DEATH LEADS TO SIN AND THUS TO BONDAGE
OR SPIRITUAL ENSLAVEMENT. (ROMANS 5:12)
CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR SET US FREE FROM THAT FATAL
BONDAGE OF SIN AND DEATH.
CHRIST GRANTS US TRUE FREEDOM AND ETERNAL LIFE FILLED WITH
ALL HIS GOODNESS AND GREAT BLESSINGS.
Our Lord has to ... be made like His Brethren... in all

things... even to the point of being tempted
because WHATEVER IS NOT ASSUMED BY HIM CANNOT BE
HEALED BY HIM.
And WHATEVER IS UNITED TO GOD IS SAVED.

The Son of God is like us in His human Nature but WE DO
NOT BECOME LIKE HIM IN HIS DIVINE NATURE.
St Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews moved without
transition from CHRIST AS SACRIFICE to CHRIST OUR HIGH
PRIEST, BECAUSE HE IS BOTH THE OFFERER of the ultimate
Blood Sacrifice for our sins AND THE OFFERING the
actual Blood Sacrifice THAT ENDS ALL FURTHER NECESSITY
FOR BLOOD OFFERINGS FOR OUR SINS.
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS MERCIFUL on behalf of those whom
He serves AND FAITHFUL in His Ministry to God.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO

THE HOLY FAMILY SEEKS REFUGE IN EGYPT BEFORE
ST MATTHEW 2 : 13 23
THE
SLAUGHTER
OF
THE
HOLY INNOCENTS
At that time, when they had departed, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying:
Arise, take the Young Child and His Mother, and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word;
for Herod will seek the Young Child to destroy Him.
When he arise, he took the Young Child and His Mother by night and departed for Egypt, and remained there
until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the Prophet,
saying: Out of Egypt I Called My Son.
Then Herod was exceedingly angry when he saw that he was deceived by the Magi; and he sent forth and put
to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under,
according to the time that he had determined from the Magi.
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiahs the Prophet: A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation,
weeping and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they
are no more.
And when Herod was dead, behold: an Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying:
Arise! Take the Young Child and His Mother, and go to the Land of Israel, for those who sought the
Young Childs Life are dead.
And he arose and took the Young Child and His Mother, and went into the Land of Israel. But when he heard
that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being
warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.
And they went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
Prophets: He shall be called a Nazarene.
THE CONDESCENSION OF GOD AND THE DEIFICATION OF MANKIND ABBOT TRYPHON
We completed the Nativity Fast, where we abstained from
The Birth of Christ is not about a Saviour Who died on the
meat, eggs, dairy products, anger, envy and other
Cross to atone for the sins of all humanity - nor as a
(wicked) habits, for the sake of promoting the discipline
Sacrifice to pacify an angry God.
the soul and we joined hundreds of millions of
Neither is the celebration of the Nativity of Christ about the
Orthodox Christians around the world, in celebrating
concept of Original Sin - that all humans are born
the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
inherently corrupt.
We celebrate the Incarnation of God on Earth, which marks
The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is about
the Spiritual Upheaval of the Universe, for this solemn
the essential Goodness of humans, who have been
day marks the embodiment of God on Earth, and the
created in the Image and Likeness of our Creator.
Day upon which God became Flesh as our Lord Jesus,
The Sacred Messages of both the Nativity and the
and, potentially, in all His creatures.
Crucifixion is that we are most human - most like God The celebration of the Nativity of Christ is as important for
when we respond (with Love/Agape) to the suffering of
our Salvation as Holy Pascha, for the Divine
others.
Compassion that was revealed in the Nativity is but a
Our Orthodox Theology about the Nativity, is about the coprecursor to the Gift this Compassionate God Incarnate
suffering Love of God.
has for us.
The Nativity of Christ is about the God Who created the
That which began with the Incarnation of God - taking on
world becoming Incarnate while the foundations of the
our flesh in order to unite Himself to His Creation Earth are shaken.
culminates with the bodily Resurrection.
(Even before He created the material and the invisible
The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour provides all of us with
Universe, our God of Love intended to become Incarnate
the possibility of Divine Redemption, for it is in the
for the Divine Purposes described above.)
Holy Nativity that God reveals His infinite, Divine Love
The Nativity of Christ is about Theosis, whereby we are
for us - in His great Condescension to become like us.
Deified and by His Grace, share in His Divinity, just as
[Our Saviour voluntarily emptied Himself of His Divine
He has joined Himself with our humanity.
Majesty so as to live with us - to personally teach, heal
[If we faithfully fulfil His Divine Teachings and
and guide us in His Divine Truth and Wisdom. mp]
Commandments, we will be able to regain our lost Likeness
This celebration of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ is
to God. God Loves us so much that He wants us all to be
Renewed, Regenerated or Restored into the original state
not about the commemoration of a helpless Infant Who
in which He created us. mp]
was given birth to in a stable, nor is this about a sort of
magic Baby Who was discovered by the Three Magi.
REFLECTIONS
ON THE
FEAST
OF THE
NATIVITY
God prepared a particular Virgin, raising Her in the

Temple since the age of three.
The Ever Blessed Virgin Mary Conceived by means of
the Divine Power of the Holy Spirit, without human
seed.
God became fully human by voluntarily taking on the
flesh from our Lady Theotokos.
God became the same as us in His human Nature but
totally sinless, and remained fully Divine, which
transforms our human nature.
Christ provides us with His True Path for the Salvation
of all humanity through His Divine Teachings and
34.
SECOND DAY
OF THE
NATIVITY
OF
CHRIST
OUR
OF
CHRIST DEACON CHARLES JOINER
Commandments, and through all the Holy Mysteries

of His Holy Church, which was established and
guided by the Holy Spirit and His Holy Apostles.
We must purify our heart through a Life of Repentance a Disciplined Life guided by the Holy Spirit - which
involves Fasting, Prayer and regular participation in
the Holy Mysteries, in order to be joyfully United
with Almighty God.
By striving to fulfil His Divine Will, Repenting when we
fall, we have Hope for our Eternal Salvation from a
Loving and Merciful God, Who promises us Eternal
Life in His Divine Kingdom of Love.
SAVIOUR SYNAXIS
OF OUR
LADY THEOTOKOS
26 DECEMBER 2014

27 D E C E MB E R 2014
ST STEPHEN, ARCHDEACON & PROTOMARTYR
ALSO THE FEAST OF ST THEODORE GRAPTOS (THE SCRIBE) (& THE BRANDED) CONFESSOR
ST THEODORE OF CONSTANTINOPLE - THE WONDER-WORKING, ALL MERCIFUL KYKKO ICON
OF THE EVER BLESSED VIRGIN THEOTOKOS

His Divine Peace, Joy and Love - be with you always.
Soson
imas, Ie Theou, O EK PARTHENOU TEHTHIS, Save us, O Son of God, BORN OF THE VIRGIN, who
psallontas Si Allilouia!
sing to Thee: Alleluia!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR
I Gennisis Sou Hriste O Theos imon, anetele to kosmo, to
Thy Nativity, O Christ our God,
Vasilion
With
has given rise to the

Light of Knowledge in the world; for they who
worshipped the Star learnt therefrom to worship
Thee, O Sun of Justice, and to know that from the
East of the Highest Thou came. O Lord: Glory to
Thee!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF ST STEPHEN THE PROTOMARTYR TONE 4
Fos to tis gnoseos. En afti gar i tis astris latrevontes,
ipo asteros edi daskonto, se proskinin, ton Ilion tis
dikeosinis, ke se ginoskin ex ipsous anatolin. Kyrie
Doxa Si!
diadima, estefthi si korifi, ex athlon on

ipeminas, iper Hristou tou Theou, martiron Protoathle
Stefane. Si gar tin Ioudeon, apelegxas manian, ides
Sou ton Sotira, tou Patros dexiothen. Afton oun
ekdisopi ai, iper ton psihon imon.
a Royal Diadem, thy sacred head was crowned,

for the struggles thou endured because of Christ our
God, O Stephen, among Martyrs the First Champion;
for refuting the madness of the angry Judean, thou
saw thy Saviour at the right of the Father. Him thou
constantly beseech for the souls of all of us.
FESTAL KONTAKION OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST
Parthenos simeron, ton Iperousion tikti, ke i gi to spyleon

to aprito prosagi. Angeli meta Pimenon doxologousi,
Magi de meta asteros odiporousi, di imas gar egenniti,
Pedion neon, o pro aionon Theos.
TRISAGION HYMN INSTEAD OF THE
Today the
Virgin gives Birth to Him Who is above all

AGIOS O THEOS...
Osi is Hriston evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.
Allelouia

FESTAL PROKEIMENON:
Their Proclamation went forth into all the Earth and their words to the ends of the world.
The Heavens declare the Glory of God! The Firmament shows the Creation of His Hands.
THE ACTS
OF THE
APOSTLES ACCORDING
EVANGELISM
AND
TO ST LUKE 6 : 8
MARTYRDOM OF ST STEPHEN
7 : 5 & 47 60
In those days, Stephen, full of Faith and Power, did great Wonders and Signs among the people. Then there arose
some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and
Asia), disputing with Stephen. But they were not able to resist the Wisdom and Spirit by which he spoke. So
they secretly induced men to say: We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God. And
they stirred up the people, the Elders, and the Scribes; and they went to him, seized him and took him to the
Council.
They also set up false witnesses who said: This man does not cease speaking blasphemous words against this Holy
Place and the Law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the
customs, which Moses delivered to us. And all who sat in the Council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as
the face of an Angel. Then the High Priest said: Are these things so?
And Stephen said: Brethren and Fathers, listen: the God of Glory appeared to our Father Abraham when he was in
Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him: Get out of your country and from your relatives, and go
to a land that I will show you. Then he went out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from
there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. And God gave him no
inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, God promised to give it
to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him...
... but Solomon built God a House. However, the Most High does not dwell in Temples made by hands, as the Prophet
says: Heaven is My Throne and earth is My Footstool. What House will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is
the Place of My Rest? Has My Hand not made all these things?
You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so do
you. Which of the Prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the Coming of the
3RD DAY OF THE NATIVITY -
S T S T E P H E N , A R C H D E A C O N , H O L Y A P O S T L E & P R O T O M A R T Y R - 27 DECEMBER 2014
35.
Just One, of Whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the Law by the
Direction of Angels, and have not kept it.
When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being
full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into Heaven and saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right Hand of God,
and said: Behold! I see the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right Hand of God!
Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran to him with one accord; and they cast him out of
the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
And they stoned Stephen as he called on God, saying: O Lord Jesus: receive my soul! Then he knelt down and cried
out with a loud voice: O Lord, do not charge them with this sin! And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
After the Glorious Day of PENTECOST WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT
HAD DESCENDED UPON AND GRANTED THE FAITHFUL APOSTLES
AND DISCIPLES OF CHRIST HIS DIVINE GIFTS, THEY WERE
EMPOWERED TO DO AMAZING AND MIRACULOUS DEEDS
ACCORDING TO DIVINE WILL FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF HIS
HOLY GOSPEL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
They were ... full of FAITH AND POWER which CHANGES LIVES
RADICALLY and which COMPELS THOSE WHO ARE CALLED TO
HOLY SERVICE TO FULFIL THEIR SACRED TASKS WITHOUT
QUESTION OR HESITATION, WITH COMPLETE CONFIDENCE THAT
WHATEVER GOD WILLS IS ACHIEVED BY HIS DIVINE GRACE AND
POWER.
Freedmen were Hebrews who had formerly been held
captive under the Roman conquerors, and often due
to rebellion against Roman authority.
The charges of blasphemy were brought against St
Stephen because, ACCORDING TO DIVINE WILL, THE
LITURGY AND LAW OF THE OLD COVENANT WERE FULFILLED BY
CHRIST AND WERE THEREFORE OBVIOUSLY CHANGED AND
TRANSFORMED.
HEBREWS 7:12 ... the Priesthood being changed, of
necessity there is also a change of the Law.
NOT ONLY IS JESUS CHRIST, THE FOUNDER OF THE NEW COVENANT
PRIESTHOOD, SUPERIOR TO THAT OF THE OLD COVENANT, THE
RULES OF THE NEW COVENANTS PRIESTLY ORDER ARE ALSO
SUPERIOR AND SINCE THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD IS SO INTERTWINED
WITH THE COVENANT, IF THE PRIESTHOOD IS CHANGED, SO IS
THE COVENANT.
To those who refused to accept Christ as the True
Messiah, such changes were regarded as sacrilegious
or profane.
At His unjust and illegal Trial THE CHARGE OR ACCUSATION OF
FALSE WITNESSES THAT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD
THREATENED TO DESTROY THE TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM WERE
MISINTERPRETATIONS OF HIS WORDS: Destroy this Temple,
and in three days I will raise it up REFERRING TO HIS
OWN BODY AND HIS PROPHECY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE
TEMPLE, WHICH WAS FULFILLED IN 70 WHEN THE ROMANS
DESTROYED IT AS RETRIBUTION AGAINST A HEBREW REBELLION.
THOSE WHO BECOME ONE WITH CHRIST RECEIVE DIVINE RADIANCE,

which is A PREVIEW OF THE GLORY ALL FAITHFUL will share
in the Age to come: Eternal Life in Gods Kingdom.
That is why THE COUNCILLORS ...SAW HIS FACE AS THE FACE OF
AN ANGEL.
ST STEPHEN WAS ILLUMINATED AND GLORIFIED BY HIS DEEP FAITH
AND SPIRITUAL POWER.
2 C O R I N T H I A N S 3 : 1 8 ... we all, with unveiled face,
beholding as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are
being TRANSFORMED INTO THE SAME IMAGE FROM GLORY TO
GLORY, JUST AS BY THE (HOLY) SPIRIT OF THE LORD.
THE WORD OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS TRUE LIBERTY OR FREEDOM,
ENABLING US TO BEHOLD GOD - TO EXPERIENCE HIS
INDESCRIBABLE DIVINE PRESENCE, JOY, PEACE AND LOVE.
Created in the Image of God, WE THEN SEE HIS UNCREATED
IMAGE, THE SON OF GOD, THE GLORY OF THE LORD THROUGH
CHRISTS DEIFIED HUMANITY AND IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT.
As we behold Him, WE BECOME WHAT WE WERE CREATED BY GOD
TO BE.
God is infinite so GROWING IN HIS IMAGE AND GLORY HAS NO
LIMITS.
WE SHALL FOREVER SEE GOD MORE CLEARLY AND BE TRANSFORMED
INTO HIS LIKENESS (which we are trying to regain since
our Fall from Divine Grace in Paradise.)
E X O D U S 3 4 : 2 9 3 5 AFTER COMMUNICATING WITH
GOD ON MOUNT SINAI, ST MOSES FACE SHONE WITH A
DIVINE LIGHT to such an overwhelming extent that
he had to cover his face with a veil since the
amazing Light frightened the Israelites.
ST STEPHEN DID NOT ANSWER THE HIGH PRIEST DIRECTLY but used
the charges as the context for his Preaching, whereby,
similar to St Peters Sermon on Pentecost, ST STEPHEN
DELIVERED CHRISTS HOLY GOSPEL BASED ON THE OLD
TESTAMENT, SHOWING HOW THE HEBREWS CONSISTENTLY
MISSED THE PURPOSE OF GODS HOLY COVENANT WITH THEM
DUE TO THEIR HARDNESS AND STUBBORNNESS OF HEART.
(MATTHEW 26:61; JOHN 2:19; LUKE 21: 6 & 20)

THE PUBLIC MINISTRY
OF
OUR
TO
LORD
ST MATTHEW
AND
12: 15 - 21
SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST
At that time, many followed Jesus, and He Healed them all, yet warned them not to make Him known, that it
might be fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, saying:
Behold! My Servant Whom I have chosen My Beloved with Whom My Soul is well pleased! I will put My
Spirit upon Him, and He shall declare Justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will
anyone hear His Voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not
quench, until He sends forth Justice to Victory. And in His Name the Gentiles will trust.
Our Lords refusal to fully disclose His Identity as the
Divine Messiah was foreseen by St Isaiah, the Holy
Prophet of God.
Isaiah 42: 1 4 Jacob is My Servant; I will help
Him. Israel is My Chosen. My Soul accepts
Him. I put My Spirit upon Him. He will bring
forth Judgement to the Gentiles. He will not cry
out, nor raise His Voice, nor cause His Voice to
be heard outside. A bruised reed He will not
break, and smoking flax He will not quench;
but He will bring forth Judgement in Truth. He
will shine forth and not be broken until He
establishes Judgement in the Earth; and in His
Name the Gentiles will hope.
36.
3RD DAY OF THE NATIVITY -
The reasons for secrecy include:

1. The growing hostility of the Jewish leaders
2. The peoples misunderstanding of the Messiah as
an earthly, political leader.
3. Our Lords desire to evoke genuine Faith that is not
based solely on Miraculous Signs and
Wonders.
The Servant of God refers first to Christ, and by extension
to all those who Faithfully follow Him.
The Holy Mission of Christ to the Gentiles all non-Jewish
people after Pentecost and the Descent of the Holy
Spirit Who makes all things possible, was also foreseen
by St Isaiah.
Isaiah 42: 4 ...He will shine forth and not be
broken until He establishes Judgement in the
Earth; and in His Name the Gentiles will hope.
S T S T E P H E N , A R C H D E A C O N , H O L Y A P O S T L E & P R O T O M A R T Y R - 27 DECEMBER 2014

ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER, AND
TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND
FOREVER, AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AMEN
REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOLY, MOST PURE,
MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LADY, MARY, THEOTOKOS
YET EVER VIRGIN, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS. AND
LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR
WHOLE LIFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD. AMEN.
28 D E C E MB E R 2014
29 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T
SUNDAY AFTER THE NATIVITY
TONE 4
SUNDAY OF THE HOLY RIGHTEOUS: ST
SON, ST JAMES
DAVID, ROYAL PSALMIST & HOLY PROPHET, ST

JOSEPH THE BETROTHED & HIS RIGHTEOUS
THE JUST, ADELPHOTHEOS
THE FEAST OF 20,000 HOLY MARTYRS OF NICOMEDIA, INCLUDING ST GLYCERIOS, ST ZENO, ST THEOPHILOS, ST DOROTHEOS, ST
MARDONIOS, ST MIGDONIOS, ST INDES, ST GORGONIOS, ST PETER, ST EUTHYMIOS, ST AGAPE, ST THEOPHILLA & ST DOMNA
THE VIRGIN MARTYRS ST IGNATIOS OF LOMA & YAROSLAV ST NICANOR, DEACON, OF THE 70 APOSTLES ST SIMON THE
MYRRH-STREAMER OF MOUNT ATHOS.
May the Blessings of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour His Divine Peace,
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.
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.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION - NATIVITY OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR
I gennisis Sou Hriste O Theos imon, anetele to kosmo, to
Fos to tis gnoseos. En afti gar i tis astris latrevontes,

ipo asteros edi daskonto, se proskinin, ton Ilion tis
dikeosinis, ke se ginoskin ex ipsous anatolin. Kyrie
Doxa Si!
Thy Nativity, O Christ our God,
has given rise to the

Light of Knowledge in the world; for they who
worshipped the Star learnt therefrom to worship
Thee, O Sun of Justice, and to know that from the
East of the Highest Thou came. O Lord: Glory to
Thee!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION - SUNDAY AFTER THE NATIVITY
Evangelizou Iosif, to David ta Thavmata to Theopatori,
Parthenon
ides
Kioforisasan;
meta
Pimenon
edoxologisas, meta ton Magon prosekinisas, di
Angelou Hrimatisthis. Iketeve Hriston ton Theon,
sothine tas psihas imon!
Pronounce, O Joseph, the Good News of the Miracles to

David the Divine Ancestor. Thou saw a Virgin giving
Birth to a Child; with the Shepherds thou offered
Glory, with the Wise Men thou worshipped, having
received from an Angel a Message. Entreat Christ our
God, for the Salvation of our souls!
FESTAL KONTAKION - NATIVITY OF CHRIST

doxologousi, Magi de meta asteros odiporousi, di imas
gar egenniti, Pedion neon, o pro aionon Theos.
Today
RESURRECTION GOSPEL 7 :
ST PETER & ST JOHN WITNESS THE EMPTY TOMB OF

JOHN 20: 1 - 10
OUR
RESURRECTED LORD JESUS CHRIST
PROKEIMENON
THE EPISTLE
God is Wonderful in His Saints!

Bless God in the Congregations!
OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS

THE DIVINE CALLING OF ST PAUL
1 : 11 19
Brethren: ... I make known to you that the Gospel, which was preached by me, is not according to man, nor
was I taught It, but It came through the Revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former
conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy It. And I
advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own Nation being more exceedingly
zealous for the Traditions of my Fathers.
But when it pleased God - Who separated me from my Mothers womb and Called me through His Grace to
reveal His Son in me, so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with
flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; but I went to Arabia,
and returned again to Damascus.
Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him for fifteen days. But I saw
none of the other Apostles except James, the Brother of our Lord...
29TH SUNDAY AP AFTER NATIVITY HOLY RIGHTEOUS
28 DECEMBER 2014
37.
THE TRUE HOLY GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS TAUGHT TO US ONLY BY

HIS TRUE APOSTLES even though many people falsely
declare themselves to be Apostles.
TRUE APOSTLES WERE CALLED BY GOD HIMSELF AND WERE
JOYOUSLY COMPELLED TO FOLLOW HIM to accompany
Him so that they could LEARN, WITNESS AND
EXPERIENCE FIRST-HAND EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO
CONTINUE THE DIVINE MISSION ON EARTH, which our
Lord began and which will continue until the
Eighth Day the Final Day Judgement Day and
the beginning of Eternity.
Christ calls every human being to follow Him yet very few
joyously receive His Calling, which completely changes us,
being compelled to faithfully serve Him according to His
Divine Will by an overwhelming Love of God and for our
fellow mankind.
TRUE APOSTLES ARE CALLED TO DIVINE SERVICE BY DIVINE
GRACE BY THE WILL OF GOD and has nothing to do
with personal achievements or social status, for we
are all equal in the Sight of God.
TRUE APOSTLES LEARNT DIVINE TRUTH EITHER BY DIVINE
GRACE DIRECTLY FROM GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT - OR FROM
CHRIST HIMSELF, which they
most carefully
preserved and protected, and which is PASSED
DOWN UNCHANGED TO ALL GENERATIONS THROUGHOUT
THE AGES OUR APOSTOLIC TRADITION.
Absolute Perfection Divine Truth - cannot be altered
except by God Himself Who is Eternal and Unchangeable!
TRUE APOSTLES ALWAYS BRING GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP
TO GOD ALONE and never seek any earthly rewards
for themselves at all.
TRUE APOSTLES FORM ONE CHURCH GOVERNMENT
maintaining exactly the same Holy Doctrine
without exception and working for the Glory,
Honour and Worship of Almighty God by Divinely
Inspired Agreement reached in Council.
TRUE APOSTLES STAND FIRM AND UNITED IN MATTERS OF
CONSCIENCE AND ARE CORRECTABLE WHEN MISTAKEN just
as St Paul rebuked St Peter for his hypocritical
ethnic elitism.
As Faithful, Struggling Disciples of Christ, we must always
accept constructive criticism, which is offered in a spirit
of Agape, being grateful for correction when in danger of
being misled or deceived by the evil one who uses all our
weaknesses against us.
If we are angered by Spiritual Correction, we must question

our personal motives, which are usually driven by the vice
of pride and arrogance.
TRUE APOSTOLIC TRADITION IS FIRMLY GROUNDED IN DIVINE
REVELATION AND TRUTH, WHICH WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM
OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST.
Just as the Twelve Apostles of Christ were CALLED BY
OUR LORD HIMSELF, so was St Paul.
Just as the Twelve Apostles RECEIVED THE HOLY GOSPEL
DIRECTLY FROM CHRIST, so did St Paul.
Just as the Twelve Apostles of Christ stood as one
FIRMLY AND SOLIDLY UNITED so, too, did St Paul enter
their Unity in consensus and mutual submission.
HAVING RECEIVED HIS HOLY GOSPEL FROM CHRIST HIMSELF AND IN
TOTAL OBEDIENCE TO HIS DIVINE WILL, ST PAUL HAD BEEN
BAPTISED AND CHRISMATED BY ST ANANIAS in Damascus
and thus had received the Gift of the Seal of the Holy
Spirit, which enabled St Paul to become the great
Apostle to the Gentiles.
ONLY THREE YEARS LATER ST PAUL MET WITH ST PETER AND ST
JAMES. the Brother of our Lord, who was in fact our
Lords cousin (and Step-brother according to Judaic
Law.)
St James Love and Devotion to Christ made him worthily
entitled Adelphotheos Brother of God. He was in
fact cousin to Theotokos and, according to Judaic Law,
the (step) brother of our Lord Jesus.
He had accompanied the very young Virgin and Christ Child
and his elderly, widowed father, St Joseph the Betrothed
into exile in Egypt and had immediately agreed to share
his earthly inheritance with Him.
St James was the most Pious, Humble and Obedient first
Bishop of Jerusalem and was eventually Martyred for his
absolute Faith in and Service to Christ our Lord and
Saviour.
The point that St Paul made was that he had not received
any Spiritual Instruction or Revelation from anyone
not even the other Holy Apostles of Christ.
ALL ST PAULS KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING WAS
BESTOWED UPON HIM BY DIVINE GRACE by the Will of
God the Father, through God the Son and by the
enable Action of God the Holy Spirit.

THE FLIGHT
OF
THE
TO ST MATTHEW 2
HOLY FAMILY INTO EGYPT
: 13 - 23
At that time, when the Magi had departed, behold! An Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream,
saying: Arise! Take the Young Child and His Mother, flee to Egypt and stay there until I bring you
word. For Herod will seek the Young Child to destroy Him.
When he arose, Joseph took the Young Child and His Mother by night and departed for Egypt, and remained
there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the
Prophet: Out of Egypt I called My Son...
Then, when Herod saw that he had been deceived by the Magi, he was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth
and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old
and younger, according to the time that he had determined from the Magi.
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the Prophet: A voice was heard in Ramah lamentation,
weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they are
no more.
Now, when Herod had died, behold! An Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying:
Arise, take the Young Child and His Mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the
Young Childs life are dead.
And Joseph arose, took the Young Child and His Mother, and went into the land of Israel. But when he heard
that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being
warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city
called Nazareth, so that it was fulfilled, which had been spoken by the Prophets: He shall be called a
Nazarene.
THE NATION OF ISRAEL HAD ONCE BEFORE SOUGHT REFUGE IN
EGYPT - and just as Joseph of the Old Covenant had
saved Gods People by inviting them to Egypt, SO TOO
DID ST JOSEPH THE BETROTHED OF THE NEW COVENANT with
God seek refuge and safety for our Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ. [GENESIS 39 47]
No doubt THE GENEROUS GIFTS OF THE MAGI HAD PARTLY PAID
FOR THE HOLY FAMILYS JOURNEY INTO AND SOJOURN IN EGYPT.
Out of Egypt I called My Son REFERS INITIALLY TO ISRAEL
BEING TAKEN OUT OF CAPTIVITY as the expression My Son
38.
referred to THE WHOLE NATION OF ISRAEL GODS CHOSEN

PEOPLE.
NOW, ACCORDING TO THE NEW COVENANT, OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST IS INDEED GODS ONLY ETERNAL AND UNBEGOTTEN
TRUE SON, Who was called forth from His temporary
exile in Egypt and, BEING ADOPTED CO-HEIRS WITH
CHRIST THROUGH OUR HOLY BAPTISM, WE ARE THE NEW
COVENANT ISRAEL THE NEWLY CHOSEN PEOPLE OF GOD WHO
HAVE BEEN DELIVERED OUT OF SPIRITUAL CAPTIVITY AND WHO
STRIVE DAILY TO FULFIL GODS WILL.
28 DECEMBER 2014
THE UTTER MERCILESS CRUELTY OF KING HEROD OF JUDEA WAS

PREFIGURED BY THE STUBBORN PHARAOH OF EGYPT who had
commanded the terrible slaughter of all newborn
male children of the Hebrew nation IN AN ATTEMPT TO
DESTROY GODS CHOSEN PEOPLE THE POWER OF ISRAEL.
[EXODUS 1: 16 22]
The Holy Prophet of God, St Jeremiah, had recorded the

people of Jerusalem being led away into exile.
On the way to their captivity, they passed the tomb of
Rachel at Ramah, near Bethlehem, where he heard
THE LAMENTING OF RACHEL FOR ALL THE HOLY INNOCENTS
THE MARTYRED CHILDREN OF ISRAEL (BOTH THOSE OF THE OLD
SUNDAY AFTER
THE
NATIVITY
OF
COVENANT, AND THOSE OF THE NEW COVENANT.)
WHICH SHOWS US THAT THE
SAINTS ARE VERY AWARE OF AND HAVE GREAT COMPASSION AND

SYMPATHY FOR THOSE WHO STILL STRUGGLE IN THIS EARTHLY
LIFE.
ACCORDING TO HISTORICAL RECORDS, HEROD THE GREAT DIED
IN 4 BC, THEREBY CONFIRMING THAT THE CURRENT
CALENDAR (ANNO DOMINI OR AD) IS INCORRECT BY FOUR YEARS.
Augustus Caesar eventually banished Archelaus due to
his innumerable cruelty and atrocities (6 AD). GALILEE
WAS RULED BY ANOTHER SON OF HEROD HEROD ANTIPAS.
CHRIST IGUMEN (ABBOT) SERGIOS, ST TIKHON MONASTERY
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Brethren: on this Third Day After the Nativity of our Lord,
God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, we Commemorate the
Holy Righteous Ones: St David, King, Psalmist and Holy
Prophet of God, St Joseph the Betrothed and his
Righteous son, St James the Just, Adelphotheos (Brother
of our Lord)
This is the only Commemoration of St Joseph the Betrothed
in the Orthodox Church.
Much of his life according the Holy Gospels is shrouded in
silence.
However, there are many things that the Holy Tradition
informs us concerning the Righteous One who
protected and nurtured not only our Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ, but also His Most Pure and Blessed Mother
Our Lady, Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary.
The Hymnographer exclaimed: O Joseph, tell Thou the
Glad Tidings to David, the Ancestor of God, for Thou
has seen a Virgin give Birth; with the Shepherds Thou
gave Glory; with the Magi, Thou worshipped; by an
Angel Thou was instructed. Entreat Christ God, to
Save our soul!
At the time of his Betrothal to the Most Pure Virgin, Mary,
St Joseph was approximately 80 years old and, as stated
by St Epiphanios, out of all the men in Israel there was
none to be found more fitting and Righteous than St
Joseph the Betrothed.
He was of the same Tribe as our Lady Theotokos i.e. the
Royal House of King David the Tribe of Judah.
The elderly relative of our Lady had always led an
irreproachable, trustworthy and honourable lifestyle
and the Betrothal made him the legal and Righteous
Guardian and Holy Protector of the young Virgin (Who
had taken a Sacred Vow of Chastity) and, later, Her
Divine Son.
Their Betrothal served as a deception to the evil one who
knew all the prophecies concerning a Virgin who would
give Birth to the long awaited Saviour, and who
therefore kept an obsessive watch.
In the time of Christ, the people of Israel had a very
paternal-centred form of family life and those who were
fatherless or who had not male relative to protect them
or to take care of them suffered greatly because of
public injustice and cruelty.
The Blessed St Jerome explained that there was a threefold
Purpose accomplished by St Josephs Betrothal to the
Holy, Ever Blessed Virgin:
1. It provided and ensured quiet obscurity for Christ
until the appointed time for His Public Ministry
2. it was an impenetrable defence against any slander
for the All Holy Virgin Mary who had taken a
lifelong Sacred Vow of Chastity
3. it ensured a Righteous, trustworthy, honest and
respected elderly male relative as the legal
Guardian and Protector of both Theotokos and
Christ.
St Joseph the Betrothed was a widower who had several
adult children from his previous marriage to Salome, a
sister of St Anna ( the Righteous Mother of our Lady
Theotokos), among whom was St James the Just who
adored our Lord Jesus thus being entitled
Adelphotheos or Brother of our Lord whom we
also Commemorate today.
The book The Life of the Virgin Mary relates that ... God
ordained the family unit as a vital part of human
society.
And what a Great Reward and Honour
awaited St Joseph and all his household!
One of his sons, St Jude, would become one of the

Twelve Apostles, while another son, St James the Just,
would become the First Bishop of Jerusalem.
One of his daughters, St Salome, would become one of
the Holy Myrrh-bearers, having given birth to two of
the Holy Apostles, St James and St John, who were
nick-named Sons of Thunder.
And let us also not forget that St Josephs brother, St
Cleopas, was one of the Seventy Apostles.
In all things, St Joseph the Betrothed provides us with an
image of Humility, Righteousness and the highest
degree of Goodness.
He generously and without question nurtured, protected,
guided and helped our Lord Jesus Christ and His All
Pure, Ever Virgin Mother, Mary in a manner that was so
special and unique that it behoves us to honour him
with never silent Hymns, and to call upon his
Intercessions with fervent heart.
How could our Lord Jesus Christ fail to honour the one who
cared and Loved Him so much!
Although his hands were hardened by the many calluses of
carpentry, his spirit was refined and elevated with his
Knowledge of Holy Scripture.
Although he took no part in the Conception and
Incarnation of Christ, He was acknowledged by the
people as the honourable Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, for he most worthily fulfilled all the Sacred
Duties of fatherhood by naming Him Jesus, by having
Him Circumcised and Presented at the Holy Temple of
Jerusalem.
Furthermore, St Joseph took the Holy Family into exile in
Egypt until notified by the Holy Angel of God that it was
safe for them to return.
He then chose Nazareth as a safe place for them to reside
and continued his labours as a carpenter, teaching and
working with our young Saviour and Redeemer as He
grew into adulthood.
St Joseph the Betrothed Reposed in Peace at the age of 110,
just before our Lord began His Public Ministry.
As he lay dying, St Joseph cried out to the Lord: Hail! My
Well Beloved Son! Indeed the agony and fear of Death
has encompassed me. But as soon as I heard Thy
Voice, my soul is at rest. O Jesus of Nazareth! Jesus
my Saviour! Jesus, the Deliverer of my soul! O Jesus,
my Protector! Jesus O Sweetest Name in my mouth
and in the mouth of all Who Love Thee!
As we celebrate the Nativity in the Flesh of our Lord and
Saviour, Jesus Christ, let us reflect:
Out of Love, our Lord descended from on High, becoming
poor so that we might be rich.
Out of Love, He emptied Himself, and took the form of a
servant.
Out of Love, he Reconciled and Healed the nature of
mankind so that we might partake of those Things that
eye has never seen nor has enter entered into the heart
of mankind.
This is a Great Feast of the Divine Love of God, for God so
Loved the world that He gave as the Greatest Gift of
all His Only Begotten Son.
Christ is the answer to all our needs.
Christ is the answer to all our problems.
Christ is the Life in our death.
Christ is the Joy in our sorrow.
Christ is the Strength in our weakness.
Out of His Great Love, He clothed Himself in flesh to seek
that which was lost.
Without our Lord Jesus Christ, we are lost, our life is death
and our love remains enclosed within our own small,
dark world.
29TH AP AFTER NATIVITY HOLY RIGHTEOUS
28 DECEMBER 2014
39.
What is it that we are doing or can do to repay that

priceless Debt of Love?
Love can only be repaid by Love.
Let us Love not in word but in dee by placing our Lord
on the Throne of our heart.
Let us Love one another not in word but in deed through
a spirit of kindness and gentleness setting aside the
darkness and bitterness of hatred.
Let us choose to follow only the Way of Christ.
ON
THE NATURE OF CONSCIENCE
Once an impoverished woman stole something in a store

and carried it away.
No one saw her. On her way home a disturbing feeling
gnawed at her peace of mind. She had to return to the
store and replace the stolen item, after which she
returned home feeling relieved.
There are countless similar examples of people being
compelled to do not what they want but what is right.
We are all familiar with our inner voice. which on
occasion accuses and oppresses us, and on occasion
brings us Joy.
This small subtle voice - an inborn feeling - is called
conscience.
Conscience by its nature is a Spiritual Instinct, which
more clearly and quickly differentiates between good
and evil than does our mind.
Those who listen to the voice of our conscience will never
regret or be ashamed of our behavior.
In Holy Scripture conscience is also called heart.
In the Sermon on the Mount our Lord Jesus Christ
compared our conscience to the eyes by which we
can evaluate our moral condition. (MATTHEW 6:22).
Our Lord also compared our conscience to a "rival" with
whom we must come to terms before we present
ourselves at God's Judgement (MATTHEW5:25).
The word rival stresses the main attribute of our
conscience - to oppose our evil desires and intentions.
Our personal experience convinces us that this inner
voice, called conscience, is not under our control but
expresses itself spontaneously in spite of our will.
In addition, just as we cannot persuade ourselves that we
are full when we are hungry or that we are rested
when we are tired, similarly we cannot convince
ourselves that our behavior is correct when our
conscience tells us otherwise.
In the Words of Christ regarding the "Indestructible
Worm" our Holy Church Fathers see it as the guilty
conscience that will punish all unrepentant sinners in
the Future Life in Eternity. (MARK 9:48),
The Russian Poet, A S Pushkin, very vividly described
these torments in his dramatic play "Miserly Knight:"
"Conscience - a sharp clawed animal, which scrapes
the heart; Conscience - an uninvited guest, annoying
discourser, a rude creditor; and a witch, which dims
the moon and graves."
And further in the play, the old Knight remembers in
terror the pleading and tears of all those whom he
deprived mercilessly.
In a different drama, "Boris Godunov," Pushkin again
recreated the sufferings of a guilty conscience, placing
in the mouth of King Boris the following words,
"...Yes, pitiful is the one in whom conscience is foul!"
CONSCIENCE - A UNIVERSAL NATURAL LAW
During His Creation, God imprinted His Divine Image into
the nature of mankind, which draws us toward
everything that is morally good and averts us from
everything that is morally evil.
This Inner Law works through the voice of conscience,
which justly is called the Voice of God in mankind.
Because the conscience is an integral part of human
nature, it is active in all people - regardless of age,
race, education, or development.
Indeed, studying the culture and customs of past and
present Nations, one notes that all people - even the
most primitive tribes - distinguish between what is
good and what is bad, between good man and evil
man, between Virtue and vice.
They are all agreed on this: that the good is worth
striving for, that evil be shunned, and that the one
deserves praise, the other, blame.
Although in individual cases they may not be one in
denominating the same thing good or evil, they
40.
Let us Love one another and show Mercy and Compassion

to each other so that God may find us worthy of His
infinite, Divine Love.
Let us Love one another, so that with one heart and one
mouth we may confess God the Father, and the Son, and
the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen
http://sttikhonsmonastery.org/stm6.html
- BISHOP ALEXANDER (MILEANT)

are nevertheless agreed as to the general principle
that good is to be done and evil avoided.
The occasional discrepancy in labelling some actions as
good or evil seems to come from the particular
circumstances in which a given Nation develops.
It is a universally recognized principle that we should not
do to others what we would not wish them to do to
us.
Vice everywhere seeks to hide itself or at least to put on
the mask of Virtue.
St Paul - in his Epistle to the Romans - explained in some
detail how Moral Law works in us.
He reproached those who know the written Law of God
but wilfully violate it.
He contrasted them with the pagans who "...not having a
written Law, naturally observe the prescriptions of the
Law. By this they show that the process of the Law is
written in their heart, which is witnessed by their
conscience and thoughts, which either punish or justify
one another." (ROMANS 1:14-15).
According to St Paul, on the forthcoming Judgement Day,
God will judge all mankind - not only according to our
Faith, but also according to our conscience.
Thus even the pagans may be Saved if their conscience
will witness to God their Righteous Life.
In general, conscience is a very sensitive moral evaluator especially in children and young people, who are still
pure and innocent.
If we were not stained by sin, we would not need any
external guidance, and conscience alone could
precisely direct our behaviour.
The
necessity
for
written
Law
arose
from
Original/Ancestral Sin when mankind, dimmed by
passion, failed to hear clearly our inner voice.
In The Present Condition, Both The Written Law And The
Inner Natural Law of conscience are needed; and they
both speak of the same Virtue: "Do unto others as
you would like them to do unto you." (MATTHEW 7:12).
In our daily relationships with people, we subconsciously
trust the conscience more than written Laws and
Regulations.
Indeed, it is impossible to have laws for every imaginable
situation and to foresee how to preclude any attempts
at breaking them.
After all, shrewd people manage to twist and manipulate
even the clearest of laws.
So we hope that our conscience, which works inside every
person, will compel those with whom we are dealing
to do what is morally good and just.
MISSIONARY LEAFLET # E9 - COPYRIGHT 2001 HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX
MISSION
466 FOOTHILL BLVD, BOX 397, LA CANADA, CA 91011 - EDITOR: BISHOP
ALEXANDER (MILEANT) - (CONSCI.DOC, 05-15-2001)- EDITED BY DONALD
SHUFRAN
E TERNAL , I NSPIRED W ISDOM
OF OUR
H OLY C HURCH F ATHERS
S T D IDYMOS T HE B LIND
Being the Source of Goodness, God - even after our
failures - Calls us anew.
S T M AKARIOS THE G REAT
The heart itself is but a small vessel, yet dragons are
there, and there are also lions; there are poisonous
beasts and all the treasures of evil. But there, too, is
God, the Angels, the Life and the Kingdom, the Light
and the Apostles, the Heavenly Cities and the
Treasuries of Graceall things are there.
ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
What takes place here requires Faith and the eyes of
the soul, so that you pay heed not only to what is
seen, but that you make the unseen visible from the
seen. This is what the eyes of Faith can do.
28 DECEMBER 2014

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

tin Agian Timisomen; ehthrou gar tas pagidas

the Saintly: let us honour now; for she

ADVENT KONTAKION - EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS

Parthenos simeron, ton Proeonion Logon, en Spileo

the Virgin comes to the Cave to give Birth

MATINS GOSPEL ACCORDING

PROKEIMENON PSALM 67 TONE 4

God is wonderful in His Saints.

THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS 3 : 23- 4 : 5

THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING

THE GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR OF HELIOPOLIS

St Barbara lived in the city of Heliopolis at the beginning of

GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR

Teachings. Convinced of the Truth concerning our

Christ and gained her Crown of Martyrdom on 4

Demons provoke us to anger, by inflaming our pride and

GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

May the Blessings of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour

ton dakrion Sou roes, tis erimou to agonon

TONE (8) PLAGAL 4

the rivers of Thy tears, Thou changed the barren

through Thy Great Virtue as a Pure and Spotless

FESTAL KONTAKION OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST

Parthenos simeron, ton Iperousion tikti, ke i gi to

the Virgin gives Birth to Him Who is above all

The Saints shall rejoice in Glory

OF ST PAUL TO THE GALATIANS 5 :

IN CHRIST, OUR ONLY DESIRE TO BECOME LIKE HIM

WITHOUT HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE TWO INSEPARABLE

especially when anyone of us stumbles or falls along

a sense of criticism or condemnation because the

TO BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER CORRECTION WITH GENTLENESS IS

St Paul admonishes us to BEAR ONE ANOTHERS BURDENS AND

Called to initiate True Care-giving in our Holy Church

THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING

but rather because of their unworthiness, for they

A Yoke could be seen as a sign of hardship, burdens, and

11; JEREMIAH 34: 1-11; WISDOM OF SIRACH 40:1)

Furthermore, THE ULTIMATE REWARD IS INFINITELY GREATER

The term Gentle is literally translated Meek.

The unknown village of Mutalaska, in the Province of

SUBMISSION TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND EVERYTHING THAT IS

One day the Steward of the Monastery went to St Savva to

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

May the Blessings of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour

Pisteos ke Ikona praotitos, engratias didaskalon

Rule of the Faith and picture of Gentleness, and

FESTAL KONTAKION - ST NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER OF MYRA

tis Myris Agie, irourgos anedihthis; tou Hristou gar

Saintly One, (St. Nicholas) in Myra Thou proved Thyself

FESTAL KONTAKION NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Parthenos simeron, ton Iperousion tikti, ke i gi to

the Virgin gives Birth to Him Who is above all

PROKEIMENON PSALM 115 TONE (7) VARYS-GRAVE

Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints.

THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST LUKE 6 : 17 23

Our Lord Jesus Christ speaks to us with His own Divine

HOLY SORROW OR JOYFUL MOURNING IS THE FIRST-FRUIT THE

ST NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER OF MYRA GABE MARTINI

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

ALSO THE FEAST OF ST AMBROSE OF MEDIOLANON (MILAN) ST ATHENODOROS OF