2017 - February Sacred Lessons

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, Maria, 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.
2 February 2017
Meeting/Presentation of Christ
Also the Feast of Also the Feast of St Gabriel the New Martyr of Constantinople - St Jordan,
the New Martyr - St Agathadoros of Cappadocia
FIRST FESTAL ANTIPHON MEETING/PRESENTATION TONE 2
Tes Presvies tis Theotokou, Soter Soson imas!
By
the Intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour,

Save us!
1.
Exirevxato
i kardia mou Logon Agathon. Lego ego ta

Erga mou to Vasili
1.
My heart overflows with a Good Word; I tell my works
2.
I glossa mou kalamos grammateos oxigrafou

Oreos kalli para tous vious ton Anthropon, exehithi
2.
My tongue is the pen of a scrivener.

Thou art more beautiful than the sons of men;
3.
Haris en hilesi Sou

4.
to the King.
3.
was poured out on Thy Lips.
Dia touto evlogise se O Theos is ton eona.
4.
Grace
Therefore, God has Blessed thee forever
SECOND FESTAL ANTIPHON MEETING/PRESENTATION TONE 2
Soson imas Ie Theou, O
EN AGKALES TOU DIKEOU

S Y M E O N V A S T A H T H I S , psallontas Si: Allilouia!
Save
us, O Son of God, C A R R I E D I N T H E A R M S O F

S Y M E O N T H E R I G H T E O U S , who sing to Thee:
Alleluia!
1.
Perizose
tin rinfean Sou epi ton miron Sou, dinate, ti

oreotiti Sou ke to kalli Sou.
1.
Gird Thy sword upon Thy Thigh, O Mighty One; in Thy
2.
Ke entine ke katevodou ke Vasileve eneken Alithias ke
2.
And
Praotitos ke Dikeosinis.
Splendour and Thy Beauty.
3.
Ta
veli Sou ikonimena, dinate Lai ipokato Sou

pessounte. En kardia ton ehthron tou Vasileos.
3.
Thine
4.
O Thronos Sou, O Theos, is ton eona tou eonos; Ravdos
4.
Thy
Evthititos i Ravdos tis Vasilias Sou.
stretch Thou bow; and grant prosperity; and

reign
because
of
Truth,
gentleness
and
Righteousness.
arrows are sharp, O Mighty One, (the people

shall fall under Thee), in the heart of the Kings
enemies.
Throne, O God, is forever and ever; Thy Royal

Sceptre is a Sceptre of Uprightness.
THIRD FESTAL ANTIPHON MEETING/PRESENTATION - TONE 1
1.
Akouson Thigater, ke ide, ke klinon to ous Sou.
1.
Hearken,
ear:
Here
O Daughter, and behold, and incline Thine
Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek Sou gar

anetilen O Ilios tis Dikeosinis, Hristos O Theos imon,
Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou ke Si Presvita Dikee,
dexamenos en agkales ton Eleftherotin ton psihon
imon, harizomenon imin ke tin Anastasin.
Hail, O Theotokos Virgin Full of Grace: for from Thee
2.
To Prosopon Sou litanefsousin i plousii tou laou.
2.
3.
Mnisthisome
3.
They
genea.
tou Onomatos Sou en pasi genea ke
has shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our

God, granting Light to those in darkness. Be glad
also, O Thou Righteous Elder, for Thou hast received
in Thine arms the Deliverer of our souls, Who
bestows upon us Resurrection.
FESTAL ISODIKON (SMALL ENTRANCE HYMNS)
Egnorise
Kyrios to Sotirion Aftou enantion panton ton

Ethnon. Soson imas, Iie Theou, O en Agkales tou
Dikeou Symeon Vastahthis, psallontas Si: Allilouia!
Even
the rich among the people shall entreat Thy

Favour
shall remember Thy Name from generation to

generation.
PRESENTATION/MEETING TONE 2
The Lord has declared His Salvation; He has revealed His

Righteousness in the presence of the Nations. O Son
of God, Who was borne in the arms of Symeon the
Righteous, Save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION MEETING/PRESENTATION TONE 1
Here,
Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek sou gar

Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou ke Si, presvita dikee,
dexamenos en agkales ton Eleftherotin ton psihon imon
harizomenon imin ke tin Anastasin. (3)
Hail,
O Lady Full of Grace, O Virgin Theotokos, for

Christ our God, the Sun of Righteousness has risen
from Thee and He Illumined those in darkness. And
Thou, O Righteous Elder, be glad in heart, receiving in
Thine Embrace the One Who Liberates our soul and
bestows on us Resurrection. (3)
FESTAL KONTAKION MEETING/PRESENTATION - ST ROMANOS
Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou ke hiras tou

Symeon Evlogisas, os eprepe, profthasas ke nin esosas
imas, Hriste O Theos. All irinefson en polemis to
plitevma ke krateoson Vasilis, ous igapisas, O Monos
Filanthropos.
MEETING-PRESENTATION
OF OUR
THE
MELODIST - TONE 1
Thou
Who has Sanctified by Thy Birth a Virgin Womb

and fittingly Blessed the hands of Symeon, Thou art
come, O Christ our God, and on this day has Saved us
Grant Peace to Thy Commonwealth in times of Battle,
and Strengthen the Orthodox People whom Thou has
LORD JESUS CHRIST
AT THE
TEMPLE
2 FEBRUARY
Loved, O Thou Who alone Loves mankind.

INSTEAD
OF
THE AXION ESTIN HYMN MEETING/PRESENTATION - TONE 3
Theotoke,
i Elpis panton ton Hristianon, Skepe, frouri,

filatte tou elpizontas is Se.
En Nomo, Skia ke Grammati tipon katidomen i Pisti.

arsen to tin Mitran dianigon Agion Theo.
prototokon
Logon,
Patros
anarhou
Prototokoumenon Mitri apirandro Megalinomen.
Pan
Dio
Iion,
O Theotokos, Hope of all Christians, Protect, watch over

and guard all those who put their hope in Thee.
In
the shadow and letter of the Law, let us, the Faithful,
discern a figure: every male child who opens the womb
shall be Sanctified to God. Therefore the Firstborn
Word and Son of the Father without beginning - the
Firstborn Child of a Mother who had not known man we Magnify
FESTAL MATINS - HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING

THE MEETING
OF OUR
TO
ST LUKE 2 : 25 32
LORD & ST SYMEON
At that time, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Symeon. And that man was Righteous and Devout,
waiting for the Consolation of Israel. And the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it was revealed to him by the Holy
Spirit that he should not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ.
And he went by the Holy Spirit into the Temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him
according to the custom of the Law, he took Him up in his arms and Blessed God and said: Lord, now let Thy
servant depart in Peace, according to Thy Word, for my eyes have seen Thy Salvation, which Thou has prepared
before the sight of all people a Light to Lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy People, Israel.
FESTAL PROKEIMENON MEETING/PRESENTATION TONE 3
My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.

For He has regarded the low estate of His Handmaiden. For behold: henceforth all generations will call me Blessed.
THE EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
THE RULES
OF THE
TO THE
HEBREWS 7 : 7 17
ETERNAL PRIESTLY ORDERS
Brethren: beyond all contradiction the lesser is Blessed by the Better. And here mortal men receive Tithes, but there He
receives them, of Whom it is witnessed that He Lives. Even Levi, who received Tithes, paid Tithes through Abraham.
For he was still in the loins of his Father when Melchizedek met him.
Therefore, if Perfection were through the Levitical Priesthood (for under it the people received the Law), what further
need was there for another Priest to arise according to the Order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to
the Order of Aaron?
Or the Priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the Law. For He of Whom these Things are
spoken, belongs to another Tribe, from which no man has officiated at the Altar. For it is evident that our Lord
arose from Judah, of which Tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning Priesthood.
And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchezedek, there arises another Priest Who has come not
according to the Law of a fleshly Commandment, but according to the Power of Life Everlasting. For He testifies:
Thou art a Priest forever, according to the Order of Melchezedek.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING
OUR LORD JESUS C
HRIST
S D
TO
EDICATION
ST LUKE 2:22-40
TO
GOD
AT THE
TEMP
LE
At that time, when the days of her Purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they took Jesus to
Jerusalem to Present Him to the Lord, (as it is written in the Law of the Lord; Every male who opens the womb shall
be called Holy to the Lord), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is written in the Law of the Lord: A pair of
turtledoves or two young pigeons.
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Symeon, and this man was Just and Devout, waiting for
the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that
he would not see death before he had seen the Lords Christ. And he went, by the Spirit, into the Temple.
And when the Parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the Custom of the Law, he took Him up in
his arms and Blessed God and said: Now Thou art letting Thy servant O Master, depart in Peace, according to Thy
Word; for my eyes have seen Thy Salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples - a Light to
bring Revelation to the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy People, Israel.
And Joseph and the Mother of Jesus marvelled at those things that were spoken of Him.
And Symeon Blessed them, and said to Mary, His Mother: Behold! This Child is destined for the fall and rising of many
in Israel, and for a Sign, which will be spoken against, (yes, a sword will pierce through Thine own soul also!), so
that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
And Anna - a Prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the Tribe of Asher - who was of a great age, and who had lived
with a husband seven years from her virginity; and who was a widow of about eighty-four years, and who did not
leave the Temple, but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day. And entering in that instant, she gave
Thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for Redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had
performed all things according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
And the Child grew and became Strong in Spirit, filled with Wisdom; and the Grace of God was upon Him.
THE ETERNAL, INSPIRED WISDOM
OF OUR
HOLY CHURCH FATHER, ELDER AMPHILOCHIOS
Brethren, forget your Repented Confessed sins for

our Lord Jesus Christ has removed them from your
Book of Life.
In the hour of our temptation, we must be Patient,
and we must pray, for temptation is a sly
craftsman, able to make small things loom large.
Temptation disquiets, saddens and causes external
battles.
The Evil Tempter knows many devious arts that bring
us to doubt. For that reason we suffer many
Spiritual Shipwrecks.
Nevertheless, we must not lose Courage for when we
are beset by temptations, and we pray for Help,
the Grace of God will come to us and protect us.
Temptations are a means of testing and
strengthening us, for at such times of provocation,
we recognise our weakness, we are humbled and
we reach out to God - thereby attracting the
Grace and Great Mercy of God.
2.
MEETING-PRESENTATION
OF OUR
OF
PATMOS
We must never let the winds of temptation affect us for

in Truth, unless we surrender to them, they cannot
do us any harm.
We must allow our soul to accept with simplicity the
Treasures offer to us in the Holy Texts of the Neptic
Fathers of our Holy Church, and guard and
preserve them with the great Virtue of Humility.
When our studies are accompanied by Holy Fear
(deep respect), we will sense Divine Grace.
Our Spiritual Battles must bear the Seal of honest
Love and Humility, for only those who bear this
Holy Seal do not notice the difficulties of this
temporary life, nor the villainy of Satan, nor the
animosity of his demons.
Spiritual Cultivation can only occur in the fertile soil
of our heart, for within it we plant and sow
Spiritual Seed. Then the Energy and Power of the
Holy Spirit brings forth Heavenly and Earthly Fruit,
the latter being for the poor and for those who
Spiritually Hunger and Thirst.
LORD JESUS CHRIST
AT THE
TEMPLE
2 FEBRUARY

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, Maria, 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.
3 February 2017
Synaxis of St Symeon the God Receiver
& St Hannah the Prophetess
AFTERFEAST OF THE MEETING/PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, AT THE TEMPLE
Also the Feast of St Roman of Uglich, son of Prince Vladimir and Princess Photina
of Uglich St Azariah the Holy Prophet of God St Papias, St Diodoros & St Claudinos of Perge, Pamphylia - St
Adrianos, St Euboulos & St Blaise of Caesarea, Cappadocia St Symeon the Bishop of Tver & Polotsk St
Jacob, Archbishop of Serbia St John, St Nicholas & St Stramatios, New Martyrs St Nicholas of Japan
FESTAL APOLYTIKION THE MEETING/PRESENTATION
Here,

Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou ke Si, Presvita Dikee,
dexamenos en agkales ton eleftherotin ton psihon
imon harizomenon imin ke tin Anastasin.
OF OUR
LORD TONE1
Hail,
O Lady Full of Grace, O Virgin Theotokos, for

Christ our God, the Sun of Righteousness has risen
from Thee and He Illumined those in darkness. And
Thou, O Righteous Elder, be glad in heart, receiving
in Thine Embrace the One Who Liberates our soul
and bestows on us Resurrection.
FESTAL KONTAKION - THE MEETING/PRESENTATION OF CHRIST - TONE 1
O Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou, ke hiras tou
Thy
Birth Sanctified a Virgins Womb and properly

Blessed the hands of Symeon. Having now come and
Saved us O Christ, our God, grant Peace to Thy
Commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen
those in authority, whom Thou Love, as the Only
Lover of mankind.
Symeon Evlogisas os eprepe, profthasas ke nin esosas

imas Hriste O Theos. All irinefson en polemis to
politevma, ke krateoson Vasilis ous igapisas, O Monos
Filanthropos
FESTAL PROKEIMENON: TONE (7) VARYS/GRAVE
The Righteous shall be glad in the Lord.

Hear my voice, O God.
THE EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
IS OUR
HEBREWS 9 : 11 - 14
ONLY HIGH PRIEST
Brethren: Christ came as High Priest of the Good Things to come, with the Greater and More Perfect Tabernacle
no made by hands that is: not of this Creation.
Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own Blood He entered the Most High Place once for all,
having obtained Eternal Redemption. For, if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer,
sprinkling the unclean Sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who
through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, Cleanse your conscience from dead works to
serve the Living God?
In contrast to the Old Covenant High Priest of the

Hebrews, OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, IS
THE EXCLUSIVE HIGH PRIEST OF THE NEW COVENANT.
He entered the Heavenly Sanctuary ...once, for
all... i.e. HIS ULTIMATE BLOOD SACRIFICE WAS FOR
THE SAKE OF ALL HUMANITY FOR ALL AGES and
being the Most Perfect Blood Offering to
Almighty God NO OTHER BLOOD OFFERINGS ARE
EVER AGAIN REQUIRED FROM US FOR THE FORGIVENESS
OF SIN.
CHRISTS MOST PRECIOUS AND PERFECT BLOOD OFFERING
UPON THE CROSS HEALS ALL CORRUPTED HUMANITY,
RESTORES US Pure and Holy - to our proper
Relationship with God and DRAWS US CLOSE TO
GOD THROUGH OUR PROPER WORSHIP OF AND

OBEDIENCE TO HIM.
Dead works are all activities in and of this age that
participate in mortality and corruption and
especially in sin that alienates us from Almighty
God.
Furthermore ...dead works... pertain to the OLD
COVENANT WORSHIP (which WAS ONLY FOR THE
PURPOSE OF PREPARING US FOR THE MESSIANIC AGE.)
The term ...Eternal Spirit... refers to THE THIRD
PERSON OF THE HOLY TRINITY GOD THE ETERNAL
HOLY SPIRIT.
TO
ST LUKE 2 : 25 - 38
OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS PRESENTATION
AT THE
TEMPLE
At that time, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Symeon, and this man was Just and
devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to
him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ.
And he went by the Holy Spirit into the Temple, and when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him
according to the custom of the Law, he took Him up in his arms and Blessed God and said: Lord, now let
Thou Thy servant depart in Peace, according to Thy Word; for mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation, which
Thou hast prepared before the face of all people a Light to bring Revelation to the Gentiles, and the Glory
of Thy People, Israel!
And Joseph and His Mother marvelled at those things that were spoken of Him. And Symeon Blessed them, and
said to Mary, His Mother: Behold! This Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a
Sign that will be spoken against. (Yes! A Sword will pierce through Thine own soul also), so that the thoughts
of many hearts may be revealed.
SYNAXIS ST SYMEON
THE
GOD RECEIVER & ST ANNA
THE
PROPHETESS 3 FEBRUARY 2017
And there was one, Hannah, a Prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the Tribe of Asher. She was of a great
age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about 84
years, who did not leave the Temple, and served God with Fastings and Prayers, night and day. And,
entering in that instant, she gave Thanks to our Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for
Redemption in Jerusalem.
ST SYMEON HAD LIVED FOR APPROXIMATELY 325 YEARS
WHEN HE FINALLY MET OUR LONG AWAITED SAVIOUR,
JESUS CHRIST.
Many years before, in Alexandria, Egypt, the Hebrew
leaders realised that their people no longer could
read or speak Hebrew as the worlds language at
that time was Greek.
So they called together 70 OF THE MOST ERUDITE SCHOLARS
AND PRIESTS TO CAREFULLY TRANSLATE THE ANCIENT
HEBREW SCRIPTURES INTO GREEK.
(This is THE SEPTUAGINT that we Orthodox Christians
use with all its Holy Books intact, FROM WHICH OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST READ AND QUOTED.)
St Symeon received the Book of Isaiah which
prophesied that a VIRGIN would bear the Messiah
the Saviour of the world. Obviously he thought it
must be a mistake and was about to translate the
word VIRGIN as young woman.
However, GOD IMMEDIATELY INTERVENED BY SENDING HIS
ARCHANGEL GABRIEL THE BEARER OF GOOD TIDINGS TO
EXPLAIN TO ST SYMEON THAT IT CERTAINLY WAS TO BE A
VIRGIN WHO WOULD BEAR THE CHRIST CHILD AND, IN
FACT, GOD KEPT HIM ALIVE UNTIL HE PERSONALLY
WITNESSED THE DIVINE TRUTH FOR HIMSELF.
ST SYMEON AND ST HANNAH BOTH RESIDED AT THE TEMPLE OF
JERUSALEM and THEY HAD WATCHED THE YOUNG VIRGIN
THEOTOKOS AS SHE GREW FROM AN EXTRAORDINARY THREE
YEAR OLD GIRL TO A PUBESCENT TEENAGER WHO WAS A
PERFECT ROLE MODEL for all the other young maidens
SYNAXIS
OF
ST SYMEON
Forty days have passed, since the Nativity of Christ since the day that we solemnly and joyfully
celebrated the Incarnation of the Eternal Word
and Only Begotten Son of God.
Yesterday we celebrated the Great Feast of the
Meeting or Presentation of Christ our Lord and
Saviour at the Temple in Jerusalem, and today we
celebrate the Synaxis of St Symeon the GodReceiver, as well as St Hannah, the elderly
Prophetess.
According to the Old Covenant Mosaic Law, every
first-born male was to be presented at the Great
Temple in Jerusalem in order to be dedicated to
God.
"In order to fulfill this Sacred Rite, every mother of a
first new born male infant having fulfilled all the
required rituals concerning her Cleansing and
Purification, on the Fortieth Day of the childs life,
would go to the Temple in order to offer a
sacrifice to God either a perfectly white year-old
sheep and a young dove, or in case of poverty,
two doves or two turtle-doves.
Our Lady, the Theotokos, being the Most-Pure Ever
Virgin Mary did not need to do so, as she had
Mystically Borne a Child without a husband
...without seed... but by the Divine Energy and
Power of the Holy Spirit, yet She still most humbly
and obediently fulfilled everything required of Her
by God and by His Law.
The Holy Family was greeted by the High Priest St
Zacharias (the Righteous Father of St John the
Baptist and Forerunner).
Upon seeing the Christ Child in His All Pure Mothers
arms, his heart was Divinely Inspired by the Holy
Spirit, and he led our Ever Blessed Lady and Her
Divine Infant Son ... to the place reserved
exclusively for Virgins to the dismay of the
hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees.
"Furthermore a Sacrifice was offered to God on behalf
of Him Who would later Himself become the Great
and Sole Sacrifice of the New Covenant...
Simultaneously, ... something Wondrous and
Mysterious occurred in the Temple.
4.
SYNAXIS ST SYMEON
THE
(and boys) who had been dedicated to Divine

Service at the Temple by their parents.
They watched in amazement throughout the years as
THE YOUNG VIRGIN, HAVING TAKEN AN UNBREAKABLE
SACRED VOW OF CHASTITY, GUIDED AND LED HER FELLOW
VIRGINS IN A LIFE OF HUMILITY, OBEDIENCE, PRAYER AND
WORSHIP, while fulfilling their various tasks of
spinning, weaving, embroidering and whatever
else was required of them to help refurbish the
Great Temple of Jerusalem.
THEY ALSO KNEW ABOUT HOW ST JOSEPH her aged
widowed uncle who had been married to her
mothers sister, Salome HAD BEEN CHOSEN BY DIVINE
WILL TO BE HER LEGAL GUARDIAN AND PROTECTOR.
So when St Joseph the Betrothed and his All Pure and
Holy Niece, Mary, went to present the Christ Child
at the Temple, ST SYMEON AND ST HANNAH WERE
OVERJOYED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TRUTH OF THE LONGAWAITED MESSIAH.
THOSE WHO HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD,
RECOGNISE AND ACCEPT THE INNUMERABLE DIVINE
MYSTERIES THAT OCCUR FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE
FAITHFUL WITHOUT ANY HESITATION, DOUBT OR
CYNICISM.
THEY KNOW DIVINE TRUTH - offering much Thanksgiving
and Glorification to God for His Great Mercy
because THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND THE PROFOUND
SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF SUCH THINGS.
AT EVERY VESPERS, THE WORDS OF ST SYMEON ARE REPEATED,
TO REMIND US THAT GOD NEVER DISAPPOINTS OR FAILS
US.
THE
GOD-RECEIVER
The Old Covenant, in the persons of its best

representatives - the Righteous and Holy
St
Symeon Holy Prophet, and St Hannah the Holy
Prophetess of God, met the Divinely Promised
Redeemer of all mankind, and were able to
express their profound gratitude to Him, which is
the reason that todays Feast is entitled The
Synaxis, or Meeting.
St Symeon is worthily entitled ... the God-Receiver...
because he held the Divine Christ Child in his
ancient arms.
The overwhelming Love, Joy and Gratitude
compelled him to address God with his Inspired
Prayer, which we read daily, at our Evening
Services and Prayers: Mine eyes have beheld
Thy Salvation! Not let Thy servant depart in
Peace...
Something similar, occurred when most of us were
'Churched' on the Fortieth Day after our own birth when our Mother brought us into the Holy Temple
of God, and the Parish Priest took us into his arms,
praised God with the Inspired Prayer of St Symeon
the God Receiver, and presented us to the Lord
our God either in front of the Royal Gates (if a
female infant) or at the Holy Altar in the Sanctuary
(if a male infant.)
The Rite of Churching, followed by the Holy Mysteries
of Baptism and Chrismation, entitles us Christian.
Thereafter, AS WORTHY DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, HAVING
BEEN GRANTED FULL ACCESS TO ALL HIS HOLY MYSTERIES
AND SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS AND BENEDICTIONS AS WORTHY
AND PROPER MEMBERS OF HIS HOLY CHURCH, WE MUST
FULFIL ALL OUR SACRED COMMITMENTS AND GREAT
RESPONSIBILITIES, STRICTLY ACCORDING TO DIVINE WILL
AND TRUTH i.e. ONLY ACCORDING TO CHRISTS
COMMANDMENTS AND TEACHINGS WHEREBY WE MAY
RECEIVE SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE.
"May our Lord enable us to say, like St Symeon the
God-receiver, before our demise: 'Mine eyes have
seen Thy Salvation, now let Thy servant depart in
Peace Amen.'"
EXCERPTS FROM A SERMON DELIVERED BY HIS EMINENCE
METROPOLITAN LAURUS -http://www.synod.com
GOD RECEIVER & ST ANNA, PROPHETESS 3 FEBRUARY 2017

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,
Maria, 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.
Tone (8) Plagal 4

5 February 2017
1st Sunday of Triodion The Publican & The Pharisee
HUMILITY & REPENTANCE
VERSUS
PRIDE & SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
Also the Feast St Timothy of Symbla St Eustatios of Antioch St George of Amastris St John
Scholastikos of Constantinople St Zachariah of Jerusalem
RESURRECTION GOSPEL 11: JOHN 21:14 - 25
OUR LORD JESUS RESTORES AND COMMISSIONS ST PETER
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
Ex
Ipsous katilthes O Efsplaghnos, tafin katedexo

triimeron, ina imas elevtherosis ton Pathon. I Zoi ke i
Anastasis imon, Kyrie, Doxa Si!
Thou
descended from on High, O Tender-hearted One;

Thou endured the three-days burial, so that Thou
might free us from our passions, O our Life and
Resurrection: Glory to Thee!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION MEETING/PRESENTATION TONE 1
Here,
Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek sou gar

Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou ke Si, presvita dikee,
dexamenos en agkales ton Eleftherotin ton psihon imon
harizomenon imin ke tin Anastasin. (3)
Hail, O Lady Full of Grace, O Virgin Theotokos, for Christ

our God, the Sun of Righteousness has risen from Thee
and He Illumined those in darkness. And Thou, O
Righteous Elder, be glad in heart, receiving in Thine
Embrace the One Who Liberates our soul and bestows
on us Resurrection. (3)
TRIODION KONTAKION PUBLICAN & PHARISEE
Phariseou
figomen ipsigorian, ke Telonou Mathomen, to

tapinon en stenagmis, pros ton Sotira kravgazontes;
Ilathi mone imin evdiallakte.
Stenagmous
prosisomen, telonikous to Kyriou, ke afto

prospesomen, amartoli os Despoti.
Theli gar tin
Sotirian panton anthropon, afesin parehi pasi
metanoousi. Di imas gar esarkothi THEOS IPARHON
PATRI SINANARHOS.
Let us flee the Pharisees exalted parlance; let us learn the

Publicans humble demeanour and with sighs unto our
Saviour cry out and stay: To us be Gracious, O Only
Forgiving Lord!
Sinners, let us fall
before our Lord and Master in Prayer,

and, as once the Publican, let us present Him our
sighing. He desires that all humanity gain Salvation.
And to all who are Repentant, He grants Forgiveness.
He became Man for our sake, although WITH THE
FATHER WITHOUT BEGINNING, AS GOD.
PROKEIMENON PSALM 75 TONE (8) PLAGAL4
Evxasthe ke apodote Kyrio to Theo imon.

Pray and return to the Lord our God
Gnostos en ti Ioudea O Theos - en to Israil Mega to Onoma In Judea God is known in Israel Great is His Name.
Aftou
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST PAUL
FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST MUST LIVE ACCORDING
TO ST TIMOTHY 3: 10 15
TO HIS DIVINE TEACHINGS AND COMMANDMENTS
Timothy my Son: Thou hast carefully followed my Doctrine, manner of Life, Purpose, Faith, Longsuffering, Love,
Perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra what persecutions
I endured! And out of them all the Lord Delivered me.
And all who desire to Live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Evil men and impostors will grow worse and
worse, deceiving and being deceived. But Thou must continue in the Things that Thou hast learnt and been
assured of knowing from whom Thou hast learnt them, and that from childhood Thou hast known the Holy
Scriptures, which are able to make Thee Wise for Salvation through Faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
THE LIFE OF ST PAUL EXHIBITED EVERYTHING THAT OUR LORD
HOLY TRADITION, WHICH CONSISTS OF BOTH OLD AND NEW
JESUS CHRIST HAD TAUGHT, especially that in this
COVENANT SCRIPTURE.
temporary, earthly world of ours GODLINESS ELICITS
WE CANNOT PROFESS TO UNDERSTAND THE TEACHINGS OF
PERSECUTION.
CHRIST BASED SOLELY ON THE NEW TESTAMENT, WITHOUT
J O H N 1 5 : 2 0 : Our Lord Jesus Christ said to His Faithful
KNOWING AND PRACTISING THE ORAL TRADITION OF HIS
Disciples and Apostles: ...Remember the Word
HOLY CHURCH.
that I said to you: A servant is not greater than
The Old Testament prophesied and attested to the
his Master. If they persecuted Me, they will also
Divine Truth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
but WITHOUT PROPER INSTRUCTION AND UNDERSTANDING, WE
persecute you. If they kept My Word, they will
keep yours also.
WILL NOT FULLY APPRECIATE NOR COMPREHEND THE DIVINE
Having exhorted St Timothy with the example of his own
TRUTH THAT CHRIST HIMSELF TAUGHT US.
Steadfastness, St Paul reminded him of the depth of
Furthermore, it is important to STUDY THE WRITINGS AND LIFE
his training, which combined BOTH ORAL AND WRITTEN
OF ALL OUR HOLY CHURCH FATHERS (AND MOTHERS) WHO
HOLY TRADITION.
ARE INSPIRED SPIRITUAL TEACHERS AND GUIDES WHOM WE
To this day, FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST ARE PROPERLY
CAN TRUST AND STRIVE TO IMITATE.
TAUGHT BY WORD OF MOUTH THE ORAL TRADITION OF
As Orthodox Christians, we are truly Blessed to have so
CHRISTS HOLY CHURCH, which teaches a vast
much Beneficial Material at our disposal, which our
amount of SACRED KNOWLEDGE PERTAINING TO OUR LIFE
Christian forebears did not have, yet their Faith was
IN CHRIST such as all the Holy Mysteries and THE
unwavering and they were utterly committed to
PROPER MANNER OF WORSHIP AS WELL AS THE WRITTEN
God.
1ST SUNDAY
OF
TRIODION THE PUBLICAN &
THE
PHARISEE
5 FEBRUARY 2017
5.

THE ARROGANT, SELF-RIGHTEOUS PHARISEE &
THE
TO
ST LUKE 18 : 10 14
REPENTANT, HUMBLE PUBLICAN (TAX COLLECTOR)
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ narrated this Parable:

Two men went up to the Temple to pray one was a Pharisee and the other a Tax Collector. The Pharisee stood
and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men extortionists, unjust, adulterers,
or even like this Tax Collector. I Fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess...
And the Tax Collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to Heaven, but beat his breast,
saying: O God, be Merciful to me, a sinner!
I tell you, this man went down to his house Justified rather than the other: For everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
THE PHARISEE WAS HIGHLY RESPECTED AND A CAREFUL OBSERVER OF
TO BE JUSTIFIED MEANS TO BE FORGIVEN AND SET RIGHT BY
THE OLD COVENANT LAW, WHEREAS THE TAX COLLECTOR
GOD, for INWARD HUMILITY IS TRULY BLESSED while
(PUBLICAN) WAS DESPISED AS A TREACHEROUS SINNER WHO
arrogance and pride in outward deeds is
COLLABORATED WITH THE OCCUPYING ROMAN FORCES,
condemned.
BETRAYING AND CHEATING HIS OWN HEBREW PEOPLE.
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS OUR CREATOR AND OUR JUDGE SO
The practises of the Pharisee were worthy examples to
WHATEVER HE TEACHES US OR CAUTIONS US AGAINST, WE MUST
follow. His Good Deeds (Fasting and giving Tithes)
PAY VERY CAREFUL ATTENTION AND STRIVE TO APPLY HIS DIVINE
are indeed the primary Weapons against the passions
PRINCIPLES TO OUR OWN WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS, FOR
of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).
THESE WILL JUDGE US CONSEQUENTLY, THEY WILL EITHER
CONDEMN US OR BLESS US.
However, WITHOUT A HUMBLE AND REPENTANT HEART, THESE
OUTWARD PRACTISES ARE WORTHLESS AND LEAD ONLY TO PRIDE
Our Saviour has given us all the Spiritual Tools necessary
AND JUDGEMENT OF OTHERS.
indeed, vital for our Eternal Salvation.
It is noteworthy that the Pharisee smugly ... prayed thus
However, IT IS ENTIRELY UP TO OUR OWN CHOICES our own
WITH HIMSELF... for GOD IS ABSENT WHERE THERE IS PRIDE,
free will whether we will receive Eternal Life in
BOASTING AND ARROGANCE.
Gods Heavenly Kingdom, or be Eternally
On the contrary: the Publican or Tax Collector shows by
alienated and exiled from God and all His
his entire posture a sincere awareness of the sinful
Wonderful Goodness.
state of his soul.
Because of Gods infinite Love for us, WHILE WE ARE STILL IN
He stands ... afar off... with eyes downcast not daring
THIS PREPARATORY PERIOD BEFORE ETERNITY, OUR ERRORS ARE
to look Heavenwards.
ABLE TO BE CORRECTED THROUGH HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE,
His heartfelt Prayer of Contrition O GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO
which leads us to sincere Repentance and Eternal
ME, A SINNER is the foundation of the Orthodox
Life.
Jesus Prayer: O LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD:
May we all root out our sins and through constant
HAVE MERCY ON ME, A SINNER!
Watchfulness and Prayer grow ever closer to the
Furthermore, the refrain LORD, HAVE MERCY KYRIE
Loving Embrace and Presence of our Lord God..
ELEISON permeates Orthodox Christian Worship and
Prayer.
1ST SUNDAY
OF
TRIODION THE PUBLICAN
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit...

Dearly Beloved: Hearing the heartfelt and humble
Prayer of the Repentant Publican (Tax Collector)
we are reminded of another Repentant Publican St Zacchaeus, whom our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ, had Called.
When our Compassionate and Loving Lord Jesus
Christ approached and acknowledged him and
his deep-seated desire to Repent, and Divinely
Blessed him with His Presence in his home - He
completely Transformed the Publicans heart and
soul.
St Zacchaeus genuinely, voluntarily and eagerly
Repented and did even more than required by the
Old Covenant Mosaic Law to restore whatever he
had defrauded or stolen from others, as well as
donating half of his possessions to the poor and
destitute.
His True Repentance was clearly evident from his
complete Transformation, as well as his loyalty
and humble Obedience to Christ from that
moment on, even unto Martyrdom.
Thus, St Zacchaeus the Repentant Publican and the
contrite, humble Publican who is compared to the
arrogant, self-righteous and unrepentant Pharisee
seem to blend into one image - into one person, for
both of them were Publicans despised Tax
Collectors who were greedy, self-serving and sinful
men, who realised the error of their ways and
sincerely confessed and Repented before the Lord
our God.
If we accept that todays Hoy Gospel Lesson is a
continuation of Gospel account of St Zacchaeus
that the contrite and humbled Publican who stood
apart from the self-righteous Pharisee, not daring
to look Heavenwards, but beating himself on the
breast in abject remorse and sorrow, is actually St
Zacchaeus either before or after his Encounter
with our Saviour - a great Holy Mystery is revealed
to us - a great Sacred Lesson concerning the Holy
Mystery of Confession-Repentance and its
6.
1ST SUNDAY
OF
AND THE
PHARISEE
Consequence Spiritual Justification Forgiveness

and Salvation!
All the injustices committed by the Publicans were for
their own worldly enrichment and financial gain
while in a position of power over their own people.
However, that tiny Voice of Divine Truth within us all
our Conscience that is instilled in us by God when
He breathes life into us - refused to be suppressed
and silenced within St Zacchaeus, and he began
see what a wretched sinner he was.
He began to clearly see and understand how his
inconsiderate words and deeds caused such
terrible suffering starvation, poverty, and all the
other effects of destitution and deprivation!
He yearned for Goodness, Love and Peace those
Blessed Divine Gifts bestowed only by our Loving
and Compassionate God.
He yearned to Repent and to receive Divine
Forgiveness and to be forgiven by his fellow
citizens whom he had cheated, robbed and
defrauded for far too long!
The more he thought about these things, the more
clearly he saw the depth of his wickedness and the
more he desired Gods Great Mercy, which he
considered to be far out of his reach!
However, he began his quest for a way out and this
must have compelled his desire to see our Lord
Jesus Christ of Whom, no doubt, he had heard
many accounts.
Zacchaeus, like many others, regarded our Saviour as
merely an extremely wise Rabbi an erudite
Teacher Who would be able to guide him and to
advise him how to change his lifelong habits, but
being so despised by everyone, Zacchaeus was too
afraid or too reluctant to approach Him in public.
First he wanted to find out what kind of Rabbi our
Lord Jesus was, so risking even more mockery and
antipathy, and being too short to see over the
heads of the packed crowd, Zacchaeus climbed
into a sycamore tree.
And then, beyond all expectation, Christ looked
directly at Zacchaeus perched high above
THE
PHARISEE
5 FEBRUARY 2017
everyone and, being all-knowing, He addressed

him by name, telling him to descend quickly so
that they could dine together at his home!
This not only delighted Zacchaeus beyond measure,
but it also scandalised the self-righteous,
especially the arrogant Scribes and Pharisees.
One can only imagine the emotions and thoughts that
had raced through St Zacchaeus heart and mind!
But did Zacchaeus stand so humbly and contritely in
the Temple, beating himself on the breast, saying:
"God be merciful to me a sinner!"
Meanwhile, on a more exposed spot in the Temple,
stood a smug, self-satisfied but nameless Pharisee
who loudly listed all his good deeds as Christ
commented, ...to himself... not to God Who
already knows our every thought, word and deed,
even before we do!!
On the contrary, the humble Publican did not list any
of his good deeds such as having repaid whatever
he had gained through illicit means, nor the fact
that he had distributed half his worldly possessions
to the poor, and having Repented his sinful
lifestyle.
Instead, knowing he has so many sins to Repent he
ceaselessly prays as we should do:
"O God,
have Mercy on me, a sinner!"
Our Lord Jesus Christ had endowed him with a Gift
He had expanded his heart with complete Love of
God!
Thus, as his active life resumed, the usual temptations
and habitual sins weighed upon him, for over the
years, we become enslaved by our habits - a
forceful enemy to defeat!
Involuntarily, tempting avaricious thoughts arose and
the thirst for worldly possessions and his old habits
continued to haunt him.
His heart and soul, which had been liberated by
Christ, were still under the perpetual threat of
becoming corrupted again, and realising his own
weakness, the Publican called out to God in abject
contrition and Humility and Hope: O Lord God,
be Merciful to me, a sinner!"
Today our Holy Church reminds us of the full strength
of these
psychological moments [i.e. these
Spiritual Awakenings or Awareness when we
recognise and acknowledge our own weaknesses
and habitual sins, and understand that only by the
Grace and Mercy of God can we resist or defeat
them. Mp]
The Teachings of our Holy Fathers show us precisely
what was going on in the soul of the humble
Publican.
Because his conscience had been liberated by Christ,
his heart had become expansive and peaceful.
His will had also been set free, for our True Freedom is
only in God.
However, between our heart and God lurks
temptations and sin. And as it continues to happen
to us, so too, shadows of sin appeared within his
heart, and he reached out and cried to our All
Merciful and Loving Lord for help.
Bishop Theophan the Recluse explained how these

threatening Spiritual Shadows occur :
Temptations arise from our thoughts, and only if they
do not captivate our heart so that we are able to
resist or reject them, they cannot become sin
[unless we surrender to them and commit the
word, thought or deed! Mp]
Temptations always arise, but similar to snow that
melts, if we resist or reject them, they too, will
disappear, and our heart will remain pure and
clean.
Even if an unworthy or wicked thought captures and
enters our heart, yet we do not act on it even this
is not yet a sin for we are still able to pluck it out,
by repeatedly beseeching God: "O Lord, Jesus
Christ, have Mercy on me, a sinner!" whereupon
our heart and soul will be Cleansed.
However, when a tempting thought has already
entered our heart, and we have accepted it even
if we have not yet acted upon it - a dark Spiritual
Shadow appears and lurks within us!
[Immediate Repentance will eradicate it before we
fall into sin.]
But if we do not recognise its evil presence within us
and choose to commit the sin, we will fall into a
state of Spiritual Death.
Sin becomes action, which causes our Spiritual Fall.
And as soon as we have fallen spiritually, sin enters
our heart, a wicked deed is accomplished, we
have departed from God and we begin to suffer,
just as with a physical fall.
[Tempting thoughts become sinful actions, which
result in our fall from Divine Grace i.e. a state of
Spiritual Death, away from God and all His
Goodness.]
We all know that tragic and devastating Spiritual
Sufferings are caused by the grievous vices such
as pride, greed, jealousy, hatred, anger,
slothfulness, ambition, and all kinds of lust that
gnaw and torment us, causing our heart to harden
like stone!
This is what happened after Zacchaeus the Publican
had recognized his sin and Repented.
Even though our Lord Jesus Christ had absolved him
of his sin and set him free, when he continued his
daily existence, just like us, tempting thoughts
arose, causing conflicting emotions, which drove
him to the Temple to beseech Divine Assistance
and Mercy.
As soon as we identify temptations and resist or reject
them by turning in Prayer to God, our Lord grants
us His Grace and Mercy to prevent us from falling,
thereby Delivering us from the evil one.
However, an active, ceaseless exertion of our free will
is necessary indeed, vital - for our ongoing
Repentance.
And next Sunday our Holy Church will teach us how
this is acquired.
Amen
ELDER AMPHILOCHIOS
HTTP://WWW.HOLYTRINITYMISSION.ORG
OF
PATMOS
God sends some people to the Monastery, while others are sent by the devil. Those who are sent by God are sent to
Strengthen the Monastery, while those who are sent by the devil try to dissolve and to destroy!
TAKING HOLD OF OUR PASSIONS
Our challenge as Christians as Faithful Disciples of
Like Adam and Eve, WE ARE TEMPTED BY OUR PRIDE TO DISOBEY
Christ - is to learn how to take hold of the reins of our
OUR CREATOR AND GOD.
passionsto tame them and direct them for the good
We are fooled into believing that we know better than
of Gods Kingdom as He originally intended.
God, just as Eve was deceived by Satan, the Serpent,
This involves a never ending Struggle.
in Paradise.
R O M A N S 7 : 1 5 & 2 1 - 2 3 ...For what I am doing, I do
WE TRUST IN OUR OWN WILL, not realizing that WE ARE
not understand. For what I will not to do, that I do
UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF NEGATIVE FORCES OF EVIL.
not practise; but what I hate that I do I find then
a law, that evil is present with me. I delight in the
Our great challenge is to LEARN OBEDIENCE TO GOD
Law of God according to the inward man. But I
ALONE ...Thy will be done...
see another law in my members, warring against
Unfortunately, Obedience has become a bad word in
the Law of my mind, and bringing me into
our corrupted society.
captivity to the law of sin...
1ST SUNDAY
OF
THE
PHARISEE
5 FEBRUARY 2017
7.
OUR ALL-MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS LORD GOD ALWAYS HEARS OUR

PRAYERS and, if it according to His Divine Will, He will
help us, especially when we Confess:
I T I M O T H Y 1 : 1 5 ...Thou hast come into the world
to Save sinners, of whom I am chief...
This Ascetical Life serves a twofold purpose:
1. To remind us to ...fulfill the Call to Mission to take
serious stock of our Struggle and our life, and
work to improve what is wanting (lacking).
2. To remind us that ...it is precisely in our serious
attentiveness to the Struggle and its right
contours, that we have the power to speak to the
world the True Message of Christ, of the Holy
Spirit, and of the Father.
THIS REQUIRES BOLDNESS TO THINK, SPEAK, ACT, AND ORIENTATE
OUR WHOLE LIFE TOWARD A KINGDOM, the very existence of
which may be questioned by those around us.
St Basil the Great encourages us: ...Examine what sort of
being you are. Know your own nature - that your
body is mortal but your soul is Immortal, and that
our life is twofold in kind. (physical and spiritual)
One kind is proper to the flesh, quickly passing by,
while the other is akin to the soul, not admitting of
circumscription.
Therefore be attentive to yourself - neither remaining in
mortal things as if they were Eternal, nor despising
Eternal Things as if they were passing. (DEUTERONOMY
15:9)
[] Understand yourself with all exactness, that you
may know what gift to apportion to eachfor the
flesh nourishment and coverings, and for the soul
Doctrines of Piety, Education in Courtesy, training in
Virtue, and correction of the passions.
Most people rebel against or vehemently reject any type

or thought of Obedience even humble Obedience to
Almighty God, yet this is exactly what our Lord Jesus
taught us.
L U K E 2 2 : 4 2 Our Lord Jesus prayed to His Heavenly
Father before His unjust (indeed, unlawful!) arrest,
trial and sentencing to the most brutal scourging
and crucifixion: ... Not My Will but Thy Will be
done.
He willingly gave up His Life for us in order to carry out
the Divine Will of God the Father. And, just as our
Beloved Saviour dedicated His entire Life to His
Heavenly Father, SO TOO MUST WE DEDICATE OUR ENTIRE
LIFE TO OUR GOD AND HEAVENLY FATHER.
Although some of us may think this is far too difficult to
fulfil, the Holy Church of CHRIST PROVIDES US WITH
PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR OUR HUMBLE OBEDIENT LIFE IN
CHRIST: (Our Love of God compels us to commit ourselves to
these to the best of our ability.)
1. FOLLOW AND ATTEND THE LITURGICAL CYCLE OF DIVINE
LITURGIES AND HOLY SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
2. ADHERE TO THE CANONS established for our Spiritual
Welfare by the Holy Ecumenical Councils of the
Church which call us TO PRAYER, TO FASTING AND TO
THE REGULAR PARTICIPATION IN AND PARTAKING OF THE
HOLY MYSTERIES OF REPENTANCE-CONFESSION AND

EUCHARIST/COMMUNION.
3. FOLLOW AND FULFIL THE TEACHINGS AND SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
OF OUR SPIRITUAL FATHERS.
THESE ARE THE BASIC ESSENTIALS OF AN ORTHODOX WAY OF LIFE
(i.e. following the Divine Truth/Teaching and Commandments of
Christ) OR LIFE IN CHRIST (i.e. living as Faithful, humble and
Obedient Disciple of Christ)
As Faithful Orthodox Christians, we are required to
undertake AN ASCETICAL OR DISCIPLINED WAY OF LIFE
FOCUSED ON GODS KINGDOM.
However, it is NOT SOLELY FOR OUR OWN PERSONAL BENEFIT, for
WE MUST BE WILLING TO FULFIL GODS WORK (i.e. Christs
Holy Mission on Earth the welfare and caring of others, upon
which we will be Judged.)
Through the defeat of the passions our self-will can be

overcome.
HTTP://ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE.BLOGSPOT.CO.ZA/2009/10/TAKING-HOLD-OF-OURPASSIONS.HTML
ST PAISIOS THE NEW OF MOUNT ATHOS

The Goal of reading is the application to our life of what
we read not to learn it by heat, but to take it to heart;
not to practise using our tongues, but to be able to
receive the Tongues of Fire and to Live the Divine
Mysteries of God.
If we study a great deal in order to acquire Knowledge,
and to teach others without living the things we
teach, we do no more than fill our head with hot air.
At the most we will manage to ascend to the moon by
using machines.
However, the Goal of a Christian is to Rise to God without
the use of machines!
ELDER AMPHILOCHIOS OF PATMOS:

We must consider all people to be greater than
ourselves,
although
they
may
have
many
weaknesses. We must never act with harshness, but
always think that each person has the destination as
ourselves.
By the Grace of God I consider all others to be Saintly and
greater than myself.
The Spiritual Life has Great Joys! We fly away and
leave this world, and do not take anything else into
consideration.
We become Children, and God Lives in our heart.
Whoever plants a tree, plants Hope, Peace and Love,
and has the Blessings of God.
OF OUR
HOLY CHURCH FATHERS
different, and be without Fear, for by no longer

fearing Death, we regard this life as good as it may
seem to be as slavery.
Wherever Orthodox Monasticism is absent, the Holy
Church of Christ does not exist, just as there cannot be
a Government without its Armed Forces, or a well
governed State without its National Guard.
The Monastics guard the Boundaries of our Holy Church
and protect Her from her enemies who, in our
contemporary materialistic age, rush to mangle Her
like ravenous wolves!
The Priests Cassock is the Flag of the Holy Church of
Christ. For this reason, we who wear it must always
honour it, without fail, with a Holy and Honourable
Life in Christ, so that those who do not wear it, will also
honour and respect it!
Worldly people tire me, for whatever they have stored
within them comes upon me like electric currents.
The words of Preachers these days have the effect of
throwing turpentine on a fire! The poor and illiterate
laity have been abandoned, so now they do not
listen. They need to see Good Works and a Life of
Christian Love... they need to feel that their Brethren
are also suffering from their pain. Only through Love
for them and through our Philanthropic Works will we
manage to bring our Brethren back, close to Christ
our Compassionate Saviour.
By the Grace of God, we are able to accomplish our

Spiritual Ascent, be Transformed, become completely
8.
1ST SUNDAY
OF
THE
PHARISEE
5 FEBRUARY 2017

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,
Maria, 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.
6 February 2017
St Photios of Constantinople
Also the Feast of St Bucolos, Disciple of St John the Beloved Apostle & Theologian and First
Bishop of Smyrna St Barsanuphios the Great & St John the Holy Prophet of God St Dorothy,
St Christina, St Callista & St Theophilos, Virgin Martyrs of Caesarea, Cappadocia St Julian of Emesa St Fausta, St
Evlabios & St Maximos of Cyzikos St Mary & St Martha, Virgin Martyrs of Egypt St Lycarion of Egypt St Arsenios of
Iquitos, Georgia St Armand of Maastricht
FESTAL ISODIKON/ENTRANCE HYMN AFTERFEAST MEETING/PRESENTATION- TONE 2
Egnorise
The Lord made known His Salvation in the sight of all the
Kyrios to Sotirion aftou enantion panton ton

Ethnon. Soson imas Iie Theou, O en agkales tou Dikeou
Symeon Vastahthis.
Psalonata
Gentiles. Save us, O Son of God, Who in the arms of

Righteous Symeon were held.
We sing to Thee, Alleluia!
Si, Allilouia!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION
THE
MEETING/PRESENTATION TONE 1
Here
Hail,

Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou ke Si Presvita Dikee,
dexamenos en agkales ton Eleftherotin ton psihon imon,
harizomenon imin ke tin Anastasin.
O Theotokos Virgin Full of Grace: for from Thee

has shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our
God, granting Light to those in darkness. Be glad also,
O Thou Righteous Elder, for Thou hast received in
Thine arms the Deliverer of our souls, Who bestows
upon us Resurrection
FESTAL KONTAKION ST PHOTIOS TONE 4
Os ton Apostolon omotropos, ke tis Ikoumenis didaskalos, Resembling
the Apostles in Way of Life, O Photios, the

Teacher of the Universe, Intercede with the Master of
all, to grant Peace to the whole world, and Great Mercy
to our soul.
to Despoti ton olon iketeve Photie, irinin ti Ikoumeni

dorisasthe, ke tes psihes imon to Mega Eleos.
SEASONAL KONTAKION - THE MEETING/PRESENTATION OF CHRIST -
TONE 1
Thy
Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou, ke hiras tou

Symeon Evlogisas os eprepe, profthasas ke nin esosas
imas Hriste O Theos.
All irinefson en polemis to
politevma, ke krateoson Vasilis ous igapisas, O Monos
Filanthropos
Birth Sanctified a Virgins Womb and properly

Blessed the hands of Symeon. Having now come and
Saved us O Christ, our God, grant Peace to Thy
Commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen
those in authority, whom Thou Love, as the Only
Lover of mankind.
FESTAL PROKEIMENON PSALM 48/49 TONE 1
To
Stoma Mou lalisi Sofian ke i meleti tis Kardias Mou

Sinesin.
Akousate
tafta, panta ta Ethni, enotisasthe pantes i

katikountes tin ikoumenin.
THE EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
My Mouth shall speak Wisdom, and the Meditation of My

Heart, Understanding.
Hear this:
all you Nations! Hearken, all you inhabitants

of the world!
TO THE
HEBREWS 7 : 26 8 : 2
Brethren: ... such a High Priest was fitting for us, Who is Holy, Harmless, Undefiled, separate from sinners, and has
become Higher than the Heavens Who does not need as those High Priests to offer up daily sacrifices, first for
His own sins and then for those of the people. This He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
The Law appoints as High Priests men who have weaknesses, but the Word of the Oath, which came after the Law,
appoints the Son Who has been Perfected forever.
This is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, Who is seated at the right Hand of the
Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the True Tabernacle, which the Lord
erected, and not mankind.
NOT ONLY IS THE DIVINE FOUNDER OF THE NEW COVENANT
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS GOD INCARNATE - Immortal and
PRIESTHOOD SUPERIOR TO THAT OF THE OLD COVENANT, THE
sinless. Therefore HIS HOLY PRIESTHOOD IS ABLE TO
RULES OF THE NEW COVENANTS PRIESTLY ORDER ARE ALSO
TRANSFORM HUMANITY.
SUPERIOR.
THE POWER THAT IS BESTOWED UPON CANDIDATES AT THEIR
The Holy Priesthood is so intertwined with a Covenant
ORDINATION IS IMMENSELY STRONG AND EFFECTIVE.
that IF THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD IS CHANGED IN ANY WAY AT
THE POWER OF CHRISTS HOLY PRIESTHOOD IS PERFECT because
ALL, SO IS THE HOLY COVENANT.
it DRAWS US CLOSER TO ALMIGHTY GOD and GUIDES US
Furthermore, ABSOLUTE PERFECTION CANNOT BE ALTERED by
TOWARDS OUR SPIRITUAL PERFECTION regaining our lost
any means for then it would no longer be Perfect!!
Likeness to Christ.
Thus it is utterly significant that NOT ONE IOTA OR TITTLE
OUR LORD JESUS ULTIMATE BLOOD SACRIFICE WAS OFFERED
OF DIVINE TRUTH CAN BE ALTERED OR MISINTERPRETED FOR
ONCE ONLY BUT IS EFFECTIVE FOREVER - for all humanity
throughout the ages.
THEN IT IS NO LONGER THE PERFECT, ABSOLUTE DIVINE TRUTH
GOD THE FATHER HIMSELF ORDAINED GOD THE SON AS OUR ONLY
OF ALMIGHTY GOD but a mere shadow or poor imitation
that is misguiding and Spiritually Dangerous.
TRUE HIGH PRIEST.
The Mysterious Holy Priesthood of Melchizedek is
Since Christ is Immortal, THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD OF
FULFILLED IN CHRIST JESUS.
MELCHIZEDEK REQUIRES ONLY ONE, ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST.
As Melchizedek was WITHOUT EARTHLY GENEALOGY, so is
THE REQUIREMENT OF PERFECT HOLINESS IS MET IN OUR LORD
Christ by virtue of His Virgin Conception and Birth.
JESUS CHRIST FOR HIS IS TRULY THE ONLY SINLESS ONE.
ST PHOTIOS
OF
CONSTANTINOPLE
6 FEBRUARY 2017
9.
Furthermore, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS so much more than

a mere human being He is GOD-MAN THE ETERNAL,
ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD THE FATHER Who became
Man by assuming our human nature and thereby,

our human condition, but remaining absolutely
sinless and All Pure.

CHRIST
IS THE
DOOR &
THE
TO
ST JOHN 10: 9 16
GOOD SHEPHERD
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: ...I Am the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be Saved, and will go in and
will go out, and will find Pasture.
The Thief does not come, except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have Life -and
more abundantly.
I Am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His Life for the Sheep. The Hireling - who is not the Shepherd,
who does not own the Sheep - sees the Wolf coming, and leaves the Sheep, and flees.
And the Wolf catches, and scatters the Sheep. The Hireling flees, for he is a hireling, and does not care about the
Sheep.
I Am the Good Shepherd, and I know Mine, and Am known by Mine. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the
Father. And My Life I lay down for the Sheep. And other Sheep I have, which are not of this Fold - them also I
must bring. And they will hear My Voice. And there will be one Flock - one Shepherd.
THE ULTIMATE THIEF IS SATAN, who always spreads lies
FOR THE REDEMPTION AND RECONCILIATION OF ALL
and encourages heresies and blasphemy among
HUMANITY.
the People of God both the Old Israel and the New
THE OTHER SHEEP OF OUR LORD WERE THE GENTILES the
Israel - luring away the deceived, ignorant leaders
pagans and non Judaic Tribes who would be
and people.
BROUGHT TOGETHER INTO ONE HOLY FLOCK with the
LIFE MEANS THAT WE LIVE BY DIVINE GRACE ON EARTH during
Judeans, UNDER ONE HOLY SHEPHERD.
this short, preparatory period before we enter
Consequently, THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST TRANSCENDS
Eternity.
ALL ETHNIC OR RACIAL LINES.
THE MORE ABUNDANT LIFE REFERS TO ETERNAL LIFE IN GODS
It has been the Orthodox Christian Teaching since the
HEAVENLY KINGDOM OF LOVE AGAPE.
beginning that there be ONE BISHOP SERVING A CITY, a
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST REVEALS HIMSELF AS OUR GOOD
principle that was affirmed in every generation.
SHEPHERD, FOR WE ARE HIS REASON-ENDOWED SHEEP HIS
(CANON 8 OF 1 NICAEA)
HOLY FLOCK.
St Ignatios wrote a cautionary Epistle to a second
He is THE DIVINE DOOR THE DIVINE ENTRANCE INTO HIS
century Church that held separate Divine Liturgies
HEAVENLY KINGDOM OF ETERNAL LOVE.
for the Hebrew and the Gentile Christians, saying:
CHRIST IS THE FULFILMENT OF ALL HOLY SCRIPTURE all
Be careful to OBSERVE A SINGLE EUCHARIST, for there is
Divinely Inspired Holy Prophecy concerning our
ONE Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and ONE CUP OF
Divine Saviour.
HIS BLOOD THAT MAKES US ONE, and ONE Altar, just as
OUR LORD IS THE ETERNAL, ONLY BEGOTTEN WORD AND SON OF
there is ONE Bishop... this is in line with GODS
GOD, WHO OBVIOUSLY KNOWS GOD THE FATHER AND HIS
WILL!
HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS HIS ETERNAL SON WHO BECAME
Our Lord Jesus stated clearly: I lay down My Life...
INCARNATE FOR THE SAKE OF OUR SALVATION.
which obviously meant that HE VOLUNTARILY LAID
AS OUR CREATOR, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST KNOWS EVERY
DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US i.e. He offered Himself as the
HUMAN BEING, and THOSE OF US WHO HAVE PUT ON CHRIST
Ultimate, Most Perfect and Fulfilling Sacrifice for all
ALSO KNOW AND RECOGNISE HIM AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR.
sins of all humanity for all time!
Furthermore, WE KNOW HIS BEAUTIFUL VOICE BECAUSE WE
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST NEVER SETS ANYTHING APART
KNOW HIS WORD HIS DIVINE TRUTH HIS TEACHINGS AND
FROM THE DIVINE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER everything is
COMMANDMENTS. Thus we should not be misguided
and must be done ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD THE
FATHER, THROUGH GOD THE SON, BY THE POWER AND ENERGY
nor deceived by the evil ones lies and deceptions.
OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Our Lord Jesus Christ offered His Life for the sake of
Just as our Lord Jesus Christ laid down His Life for us, SO,
our Eternal Salvation - He was THE OFFERER AND THE
OFFERING OF THE ULTIMATE, MOST PERFECT AND FULFILLING
TOO, MUST WE LAY OUR LIVES DOWN FOR HIM AND FOR OUR
BLOOD SACRIFICE OF ALL TIME, which makes it no longer
FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS.
necessary for any more blood sacrifices for the
By the end of the ages, there will only be ONE SHEPHERD
forgiveness of sins.
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND ONE HOLY FLOCK HIS HOLY
However, WE STILL NEED TO CONSTANTLY PLUCK OUT AND
CHURCH.
REPENT OUR SINS, WHICH ARE CONTINUOUS AND HABITUAL,
He pointed out that HE HAS OTHER HOLY FLOCKS as well,
which is why our Salvation is a continuous Spiritual
which are THOSE WHO WOULD EVENTUALLY ACCEPT HIS
Process until we draw our final breath.
DIVINE TRUTH
His
True
Teachings
and
Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His Life for the sake of His
Commandments AND STRIVE TO FULFIL THEM TO THE
Beloved Flock, which FULFILLED THE PROPHECY of His
BEST OF THEIR ABILITY.
Passion and FULFILLED ALL THAT WAS REQUIRED BY GOD
ST PHOTIOS
OF
St Photios, a great and most resplendent Holy Father,

Teacher, Confessor of our Orthodox Christian Faith
and Equal to the Apostles, lived during the times of
Emperor Michael (the son of Emperor Theophilos),
Emperor Basil the Macedonian, and Emperor Leo,
his son.
St Photios was born in Constantinople to his pious
parents, St Sergios and St Irene, who suffered for
the Faith under the Iconoclast Emperor Theophilos.
He was a nephew of St Tarasios, Patriarch of
Constantinople.
St Photios excelled in the foremost Imperial Ministries,
and being upright, honourable and well
educated, he was worthily elevated to the
Apostolic, Ecumenical, and Patriarchal Throne of
Constantinople in 857.
This Thrice-Blessed Holy Father endured innumerable
great Struggles and endeavours against the
misguided Manicheans, the Iconoclasts, and other
destructive heretics, attacks and assaults from
10.
ST PHOTIOS
OF
CONSTANTINOPLE
Emperor Nicholas I, the haughty and ambitious

Pope of Rome, as well as innumerable and various
degrees of persecutions and sorrows.
Defending Orthodoxy against the Latin error of the
Filioque i.e. the false doctrine that the Holy Spirit
Proceeds from both the Father and the Son St
Photios clearly demonstrated with his Mystagogy
on the Holy Spirit, how THE ERRONEOUS FILIOQUE
DESTROYS THE UNITY AND EQUALITY OF THE HOLY TRINITY.
St Photios has left a priceless legacy of many
Theological writings, panegyric Homilies, and
Epistles, including one to Boris, the Sovereign of
Bulgaria, in which he set forth for him the history
and Teachings of the Seven Ecumenical Councils.
Having devoutly tended the Church of Christ in all
Holiness and in an evangelical manner, and with
fervent zeal having rooted out all the Tares of
every alien teaching, he Reposed in Christ at the
Monastery of the Armenians, Constantinople on 6
February 891.
CONSTANTINOPLE
6 FEBRUARY 2017

10 February 2017
St Charalambos, the Great Holy Hieromartyr
Also the Feast of St Porphyrios, St Vaptos & 3 Female Holy Martyrs of Thessaly Synaxis of
the Holy Hierarchs of Novgorod: St Joachim, First Bishop of Novgorod, St Luke, St
Theodore, St Herman, St Arcadios, St John, St Gabriel, Bishops of Novgorod - St Martyrios,
St Anthony, St Basil, St Moses, St Symeon, St Euthymios, St Aphthonios & St Anna of
Novgorod St Prochoros of Kiev Near Caves Monastery St Longinos of Koryzhemsk, Vologda St Ennatha, St
Valentina & St Paula, Virgin Martyrs of Palestine St John Chimcimeli the Philosopher of Georgia
FESTAL ANTIPHON
Soson imas, Iie Theou, O en Agiis Thavmatos, psallontas Si: Save us, O Son of God, Who art Wondrous in Thy Saints
Allelouia
who sing to Thee: Alleluia!

FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST CHARALAMBOS TONE 4
Os stylos aklonitos, tis Ekklisias Hristou, ke lihnos aifotos tis An
unshakable Pillar art Thou in Christs Holy Church,

and, as Thine own name denotes, an Ever Radiant
Lamp, O All Blessed Haralambos, shining throughout
the whole world by Thy Feats as a Martyr, driving away
the darkness of the worship of idols. With confidence,
therefore, pray to Christ, Entreating Him to Save our
soul.
ikoumenis Sofe, edihthis Haralampes, elampsas en to

kosmo, dia tou martyriou, elisas ton idolon, tin
skotomenon maker. Dio en parrisia Hristo, presveve
sothine imas.
FESTAL KONTAKION THEOTOKOS TONE 2
Prostasia
ton Hristianon akateskhinte, Mesitia pros ton

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas,
alla profthason os Agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton
Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, ke spefson
is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton timonton Se.
O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediator to

the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading
voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the
Help of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed
up Thine Intercession, and press on Thy Supplication,
O Theotokos who always protects all those who
honour Thee!
PROKEIMENON PSALM 63/64 TONE (7) VARYS/GRAVE
Evfranthisete Dikeos en Kyrio ke Elpii ep Afton.
The Righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall Hope in
Isakouson,
Hear my voice, O God, in my Supplication!
Him.
O Theos, tis fonis mou, en to Deesthe me pros
Se.
THE SECOND EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
TO
ST TIMOTHY 2: 1 10
Timothy, my Son: be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what Thou hast heard from me before many
witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
Share in suffering as a Good Soldier of Christ Jesus. No Enlisted Soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim
is to satisfy the One Who Enlisted him. An Athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the Rules. It is the
hardworking Farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.
Contemplate what I say, for the Lord will grant Thee Understanding in everything.
Remember Jesus Christ Risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my Gospel the Gospel for
which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the Word of God is not fettered.
Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the Elect, that they also may obtain Salvation in Christ Jesus with Eternal
Glory.
THE GIFT OF GOD IS THE DIVINE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,
Those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the Path of
(CHARISMA) which was bestowed upon St Timothy at
the Holy Prophets of God, Saints and Holy Martyrs.
The Greek expression to ...be exceedingly glad...
his Holy Ordination by the Laying on of Hands of St
Paul.
means to ...leap exceedingly with Joy!
WE DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT BUT ACT WITH POWER AND
DIVINE GRACE FILLS UP OR COMPLETES WHATEVER IS LACKING
AND GRANTS AUTHENTICITY to the Holy Priesthood of
COURAGE THAT IS GRANTED TO US BY DIVINE GRACE the
Grace of God that enables us to achieve amazing
Christ.
However, DIVINE GRACE IS NOT AUTOMATIC we must
Feats.
ceaselessly stir it up and rekindle it.
1 T H E S S A L O N I A N S 5 : 1 9 Do not quench the Spirit!
M A T T H E W 1 0 : 3 3 ... whoever denies Me before men,
While any Christian may be persecuted, we REJECT
FEELINGS OF FEAR OR TIMIDITY.
him will I also deny before My Father Who is in
Heaven.
J O H N 1 5 : 2 0 Remember the Word that I said to you:
A servant is not greater than his Master. If they
L U K E 9 : 2 6 ... whoever is ashamed of Me and My
Words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when
persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they
He comes in His own Glory, and in His Fathers, and
kept My Word, they will keep yours also.
M A T T H E W 5 : 1 1 1 2 Blessed are you when they revile
of the Holy Angels.
OUR SALVATION AND CALLING ARE BASED ON DIVINE GRACE
and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against
AND LOVE definitely not on anything we have
you falsely for My sake.
Rejoice and be
done to merit Gods Divine Favour.
exceedingly glad, for great is your Reward in
EPHESIANS 2: 8-10 ... by Grace you have been Saved by
Heaven, for so they persecuted the Prophets who
Faith and that not of yourselves; it is the Gift of God
were before you.
not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are
ST CHARALAMBOS
THE
GREAT HOLY HIEROMARTYR
10 FEBRUARY
2017
11.
His Workmanship created in Christ Jesus for Good

Works, which God prepared beforehand that we
should walk in them.
We are not Saved by our Good Works. WE ARE SAVED
FOR GOOD WORKS.
In other words: those who are genuinely Faithful to God are

eagerly compelled to fulfil all Good Deeds offered to us by
God Himself.
We cannot profess to have Faith if we do not also fulfil our
Spiritual Obligations by doing whatever the Lord our God
requires of us with regard to one another as well as to and
for His entire Creation.
Renewing of the Holy Spirit Whom He poured out on

us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour....
[HOLY BAPTISM & CHRISMATION]
[Christ] submitted (to Suffering) so that He might break the

power of Death and demonstrate the Resurrection
from the dead thus it was necessary for Him to be
manifested [Revealed] in the Flesh
Also [Christ] (submitted) so that He might fulfil the
Promise to the Fathers and while He was preparing
the New People for Himself and while He was still on
Earth to prove that after He has brought about the
Resurrection He will Judge. [St Barnabas 5: 6-7]
TITOS 3 : 5 6 ... not by Works of Righteousness, which

we have done, but according to His Mercy He Saved
us, through the Washing of Regeneration and
TO
ST JOHN 15: 17 -16 :2
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said to His Disciples: ...this I Command you: Love one another! If the world hates
you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But
because you are not of the world - for I chose you out of the world - the world therefore hates you.
Remember the Word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his Master. If they persecuted Me, they will
persecute you. If they kept My Word, they will keep yours also. But all this they will do to you in My Name,
because they do not know Him Who sent Me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
He who hates Me, hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the Works that no one else has done, they
would have no sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. It is to fulfil the Word that is
written in their Law: They hated Me without a cause.
But when the Counsellor comes, Whom I shall send to you FROM THE FATHER even the Spirit of Truth, WHO
PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER He will bear witness to Me.
And you also are witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
I have said all this to you, to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the Synagogues. Indeed, the
Hour is coming when whoever kills you, will think that he is offering Service to God.
THOSE WHO HAVE THE SPIRIT OF LOVE OF AGAPE ALSO POSSESS
With respect to Gods Working Salvation in the world,
GOD THE SON SENT US GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT FROM THE
THE SPIRIT OF LOVING OBEDIENCE TO GOD AND HIS HOLY
SERVANTS WHO GUIDE AND TEACH US, and therefore they
FATHER.
are open to receiving and understanding the Divine
With respect to His Divine Nature, GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
Revelations and Teachings of God our Heavenly
ETERNALLY PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER ALONE!
Father.
In other words, GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT RECEIVES HIS ETERNAL
The term world, is used in several distinct ways in Holy
EXISTENCE ONLY FROM GOD THE FATHER.
Scripture referring to all that is Glorious, Beautiful
In conformity with our Lord Jesus Christs Words, the
and Redeemable in Gods Creation, or to that which is
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed of Faith Confesses
finite in contrast to that which is Eternal or even as
our belief in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of
in this case, it indicates all that is in rebellion against
Life, Who Proceeds from the Father
Almighty God.
Christ our Lord is the Eternal Word and ONLY BEGOTTEN
JOHN 8 : 23 (As Christ said to the unbelieving
SON of God the Father alone, and God the Holy Spirit
Judeans): You are from beneath; I Am from
PROCEEDS ONLY FROM GOD THE FATHER (NOT also from
Above. You are of this world; I Am not of this
the Son as the heretical Filioque states!!!)
world
THE SOURCE THE FOUNTAINHEAD OF BOTH THE ETERNAL
THE REBELLION OF THE WORLD AGAINST GOD REVEALS SEVERAL
WORD AND SON, AND THE ETERNAL LIFE-GIVING HOLY SPIRIT IS
SIGNIFICANT ASPECTS:
ONLY THE ETERNAL FATHER (which was clearly revealed
to us by God Himself!!)
1. While UNION WITH CHRIST BRING US LOVE, TRUTH AND PEACE,
(Everything Divine is by the Will of the Father, through the Son and
it also brings us persecution, because the fallen
by the Power and Energy of the Holy Spirit. Mp)
world hates Love and Truth.
ONLY THROUGH UNWAVERING ACCEPTANCE FAITH AND HUMBLE
2. THE WORLD HATED CHRIST. Therefore, THE WORLD WILL HATE
OBEDIENCE TO GOD IN ALL THINGS, ARE WE WORTHY AND TRUE
ALL THOSE WHO TRY TO BECOME CHRIST-LIKE.
WITNESSES TO THE DIVINE TRUTH OF ALMIGHTY GOD.
3. HATRED OF CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, IS IRRATIONAL AND
No matter how we are persecuted for our Faith, we must
UNREASONABLE, FOR HE ALONE BRINGS US LOVE AND HIS
stand steadfastly and firmly rooted in Divine Truth
GREAT MERCY.
confident and courageous in Christs Teachings and
Consequently, our Lord Jesus Christ is hated WITHOUT
Commandments.
CAUSE OR REASON!
OF OUR
HOLY FATHER, ELDER AMPHILOCHIOS
In order to take pleasure in the Joys of Monasticism and

of the Spiritual Life, with all the powers of our soul we
must cultivate Prayer, Patience and Silence.
Without Prayer it is not easy to be Patient, not to be Silent.
By the Grace of God I applied these things to my Life and
in this way, our Lord Jesus Christ is able to dwell
within us.
I do nothing but sow the Seeds of Monasticism and of
Mission, although without a strategy.
I pray that God will reveal the appropriate Farmer to
scientifically cultivate whatever I have sown, as I do
not have the Knowledge of the
art of Spiritual
Cultivation.
I see that God has now chosen Patmos as a suitable place
for a Spiritual Airport...
Distressed voices are hear from the depths of Africa,
asking for the Light of Christ and for Guides, so that
they might also Walk the Holy Path of Golgotha.
We do not have the right to turn a deaf ear! We are
obliged to open our hands to those exhausted
12.
ST CHARALAMBOS
THE
OF
PATMOS
Brethren as well, as they are so far from the Orthodox

Church.
So, Forward! Fire up the Spiritual Factory of Atomic
Energy!
Throughout Greece there must be Hospitals for sinners,
where they can stay for two or three months,
according to their psychological ailments.
Once they have acquired Christian Experiences, they
would return to their Work with the Good Habits of
those Spiritual Establishments.
I am like the old tree in whose shade the Meek Sheep of
Christ gather during the hot days of Summer, and in
whose branches the small birds gather.
All ask that the old Pine tree might live so that they have
their Joy.
However, slowly, slowly, its roots rot, and the heavy Winter
will come, when a strong wind will knock it down and
it will become wood for the fire.
Now, however, the Pine tree gladdens the Sheep and
birds that gather in the desert.
GREAT HOLY HIEROMARTYR
10 FEBRUARY
2017

Tone 1
12 February 2017
2nd Sunday of Triodion The Prodigal Son
The Feast of St Meletios of Antioch St Alexis of Moscow & All Russia St Meletios of
Kharkov St Maria/Marinos & St Eugene, her father, of Alexandria St Anthony of
Constantinople St Kristo the Gardener & New Holy Martyr of Albania St Prochoros of Georgia St Bassian of Uglich
St Nicholas Dvali & St Luke Prokhore, & all the Holy Fathers & Martyrs of the Georgian Monasteries in Jerusalem.
RESURRECTION GOSPEL 1 MATTHEW 28 : 16 20
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE 1
Tou
While the stone was sealed by the Judeans, and soldiers
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!
stood on guard over Thy Body undefiled, Thou Rose on

the third Day, O Saviour, Who grants Life unto the
world. For which cause the Heavenly Powers cried
aloud unto 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!
TRIODION KONTAKION - THE PRODIGAL SON -
Tis
Patroas Doxis Sou aposkirtisas afronos, en kakis

eskorpisa, on mi paredokas plouton. Othen Si tin tou
Asotou fonin hravgazo. Imarton enopion Sou, Pater
iktirmon. Dexe me metanoounta ke piison me os ena ton
Misthion Sou.
TONE 1
Foolishly
I ran away, from Thy Glory, O Father, and

wasted in sin, all the wealth that Thou granted me.
Therefore, the Prodigals cry I repeat to Thee: I have
sinned, before Thy Compassionate Father. Do accept
me in repentance, AND MAKE ME AGAIN, ONE OF THY
HIRED HANDS.
PROKEIMENON PSALM 32/33 TONE 1
Genito, Kyrie, to Eleos Sou ef imas, kathaper ilpisamen epi Let Thy Mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we Hope in Thee.
Se.
Rejoice greatly in the Lord, O Righteous Ones! Praise is
Agalliasthe, Dikei, en Kyrio. Tis evthesi prepi enesis.
fitting for the Righteous.
THE FIRST EPISTLE
OUR BODY
ST PAUL
OF
IS THE
TO THE
SANCTIFIED TEMPLE
CORINTHIANS 6 : 12-20
OF THE
HOLY TRINITY
Brethren: all things are Lawful for me, but all things are not expedient; all things are Lawful for me, but I will not be
brought under the power of any. Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods - but God will destroy both it and
them. The body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. God has both Raised up the Lord,
and will also raise up us by His own Power.
Do you not know that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them
members of a harlot? God forbid! Do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body? For the two, He
says, ... shall be one flesh. But he who is Joined to the Lord is one Spirit.
Flee fornication! All sin that a man commits is outside the body, but he who commits fornication sins against his own
body. Do you not know that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have from God,
and that you are not your own, for you were bought at a price.
Therefore, Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods.
All things are Lawful for me... might be a statement St
In such a manner, we learn to become more
Paul made in Corinth sometime earlier perhaps
Spiritual Beings Worthy Citizens of Gods
regarding the MOSAIC CLEANLINESS LAW which the
Heavenly, Eternal Kingdom.
Libertines took out of context as their slogan.
For that reason THE ORTHODOX CHURCH ENCOURAGES US TO
Consequently, St Paul set the record straight by
ABSTAIN FROM FOODS, WHICH IS THE FIRST DISCIPLINE OF
explaining
that
WITHOUT
D ISCIPLINE
AND
THE FAST, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER PHYSICAL PLEASURES
D ISCERNMENT THROUGH OUR OBEDIENCE TO C HRIST ,
OF LIFE, THROUGH SELF-DENIAL by FOCUSSING OUR
F REEDOM FROM L AW IS SLAVERY TO SIN !
ATTENTION ON REPENTANCE, CONFESSION, PRAYERS AND
The Libertines in Corinth as some do today argued
ALMSGIVING OCCUPYING OURSELVES WITH VIRTUOUS
that illicit sex adultery and fornication is as
THOUGHTS, WORDS AND DEEDS.
necessary for the body as eating, and that both are
Everything to do with our physical existence is merely
irrelevant to our Spiritual Life.
temporary and will not last, while EVERYTHING
However, as St Paul points out very clearly: OUR BODIES
CONCERNING OUR IMMORTAL SOUL LASTS FOREVER AND
BELONG TO G OD AND EVERYTHING WE SAY , THINK OR
RESULTS IN THE TYPE OF E TERNITY WE WILL HAVE .
DO IN THIS P REPARATORY P ERIOD BEFORE E TERNITY IS
When St Paul refers to our bodies as ...members of
MOST CERTAINLY
RELEVANT TO OUR S PIRITUAL
Christ... he reminds us of OUR H OLY U NION WITH C HRIST
W ELFARE !
OUR L ORD THAT OCCURS DURING OUR H OLY B APTISM .
Therefore, dealing with sin avoiding temptation and
R O M A N S 6 : 3 1 0 : ... our old man (sinful nature) was
Repenting our sins means WE CONTROL OUR BODIES
crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might
THROUGH S ELF - DISCIPLINE AND S ELF - DENIAL OF THE
be done away with, so that we should no longer
FLESH .
be slaves of sin. For he who has Died as been
BY CONTROLLING THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH I.E. ALL OUR
Freed from sin. Now if we Died with Christ, we
PHYSICAL DESIRES AND DEMANDS - WE TEACH OUR SOUL
believe that we shall also Live with Him, knowing
TO BE IN CONTROL OF OUR BODY rather than the other
that Christ, having been Raised from the Dead,
way around.
dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over
2ND SUNDAY
OF
TRIODION THE PRODIGAL SON
12 FEBRUARY 2017
13.
Him, for the Death that He Died, He Died to sin

once for all; but the Life that He Lives, He Lives to
God.
To have ...Died to sin... does not mean our human
nature has died. Rather, it means that WE ARE NO
LONGER HELD CAPTIVE BY SIN and we are now
immovable towards sin just like something that
was dead would be.
OUR FREEDOM FROM SIN IS GROUNDED IN THE HOLY MYSTERY
OF BAPTISM yet ignorance of what happens when
we are BAPTISED IS A GREAT ENEMY SINCE THROUGH SUCH
IGNORANCE, MANY ARE DEFEATED IN THEIR BATTLE
AGAINST WICKEDNESS.
W HAT C HRIST ACCOMPLISHED ON THE C ROSS AN ACTUAL
D EATH TO SIN H OLY BAPTISM ACCOMPLISHES IN US :
an actual D EATH TO SIN AND OUR L IBERATION FROM
ITS ENSLAVING POWER since our Baptism into
Christ grants us H IS POWER OVER TEMPTATION AND
SIN an exact likeness to Christs Death on the
Cross.
Consequently, OUR HOLY BAPTISM does not merely stand
for this Divine Truth but IS ITSELF OUR DEATH TO SIN.
Being United with Christ refers to GROWING TOGETHER IN
CHRIST which implies the Expectation of a Good
Spiritual Harvest BEARING OF GOOD FRUIT THE FINAL
RESULTS OF OUR SPIRITUAL LABOURS IN CHRIST JESUS.
FORNICATION OR ADULTERY IS THEREFORE A SIN TO BE FLED
FROM IN UTTER HORROR, for through our own
immorality, it joins Christ to harlots! (prostitutes)
HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING
St John Chrysostom strongly urged us: ...Although

we have many improper desires, but we must
repress them, because we can!
W E ARE S ANCTIFIED, H OLY TEMPLES OF GOD because our
bodies belong to God - and THE H OLY T RINITY
DWELLS WITHIN US WHEN WE ARE CLEANSED FROM OUR
SIns in a state of REPENTANCE, PRAYER AND WORSHIP
of God.
THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLS WITHIN US as His Holy Temple in
order TO GUIDE, TEACH, INSPIRE AND WATCH OVER US, etc.
A NY FORM OF BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE H OLY S PIRIT IS
AN UNFORGIVABLE SIN AN ABOMINATION TO BE
AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS !!
Therefore, if we knowingly commit sins against ourselves,
thus harming or Desecrating our Holy Temple our
God-owned body it is a sin against God and
especially the Holy Spirit, for IN A STATE OF
UNREPENTANT SIN , WE EXPEL OR CAUSE G OD TO LEAVE US
AS H E CANNOT BE WHERE THERE IS S PIRITUAL D ARKNESS OR
D EATH .
We would certainly be extremely offended if someone
were to paint graffiti all over our Parish Churches, or
commit other outrages inside or outside the walls of
such Hallowed Ground, yet WE CONTINUOUSLY COMMIT
SIMILAR OUTRAGEOUS OFFENCES TO OUR SANCTIFIED BODY!
St Paul always encourages the Faithful to P R A C T I S E
C E L I B A C Y WHEREVER POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IF NOT MARRIED
IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.
C ELIBACY IS A D IVINE G IFT GRANTED TO THOSE
CONCERNED ALTHOUGH VERY FEW ARE GRANTED IT .
TO
ST LUKE 15 : 11 32
THE PRODIGAL SON REPENTANCE & FORGIVENESS
At that time, our Lord Jesus narrated this Parable: A certain Man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his
Father: Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. So He divided between them His Livelihood. And
not many days later, the younger son gathered all his possessions together and journeyed to a far country
where he wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
And when he had spent everything, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in need. And he
went and joined himself to a citizen of that country who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would
have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, yet no one gave him anything.
And when he came to himself, he said: How many of my Fathers hired servants have enough bread to eat and to
spare, yet I perish from hunger! I will arise and go to my Father, and I will say to Him: Father, I have sinned
against Heaven and before Thee, and I am no longer worthy to be called Thy son. Make me like one of Thy
hired servants. And he arose and went to his Father.
And when he was still a great way off, his Father saw him and had Compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck
and kissed him.
And the son said to Him: Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee, and I am no longer worthy to be
called Thy son. But the Father said to his servants: Bring out the best Robe and put it on him, and put a Ring on
his hand, and Sandals on his feet. And fetch the Fatted Calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this, My
son was Dead and is Alive again; he was Lost and is Found! And they began to be merry.
His older son was in the field. And as he went and drew near to the House he heard music and dancing. So he
called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him: Your Brother has returned,
and because He received him safe and sound, your Father has killed the Fatted Calf. And he was angry and
would not go in.
His Father went out and pleaded with him. He answered and said to his Father: Behold, these many years I have
been serving Thee; I never transgressed Thy Commandment at any time; and yet Thou never gave me a young
goat, so that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of Thine returned having devoured
Thy Livelihood with harlots Thou killed the Fatted Calf for him. And He said to him: Son, Thou art always with
Me, and all that I have is Thine.
It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your Brother was Dead and is Alive again; and was Lost
and is Found.
The Younger, Immature Sons request for his ...portion of
REALISE OUR PREDICAMENT, AND YEARN FOR HIS BLESSINGS
goods.... (Ousia = Essence) from his Father,
AND GOODNESS.
signifies us human beings RECEIVING OUR FREE WILL (TO
BEING IMMERSED IN THE DARKNESS OF SIN, IS EXISTING OUTSIDE
PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH PATH TO FOLLOW)
AND OUR
OUR NATURAL HUMAN STATE.
RATIONAL MIND FROM OUR GRACIOUS LORD GOD.
Feeding swine could rightly be regarded as Jewish
JUST AS ADAM DID IN PARADISE, THE YOUNGER SON USED THESE
Skid Row, because in such a state of debauchery and
WONDERFUL POSSESSIONS DIVINE GIFTS TO REBEL AGAINST
self-indulgence,
which
resulted
in
complete
HIS (HEAVENLY) FATHER.
destitution both physical and spiritual - the Prodigal
The ...Far Country... to which the Prodigal Son journeyed
Son could not possibly sink much lower.
represents a LIFE EXILED AND ALIENATED FROM THE
...when he came to himself...means that his sanity was
GOODNESS AND BLESSINGS OF GOD.
restored i.e. he realised the True Spiritual State he
WHENEVER WE ARE IN A STATE OF SIN, WE ARE ALIENATED AND
had fallen into, which is essential before being able to
EXILED FROM DIVINE GOODNESS WE HAVE GONE A GREAT
return to the Divine Light and Truth of God. For after
DISTANCE FROM GOD i.e. to a far country.
our contrite Repentance-Confession we are able to
Having United himself to ... a citizen of that
regain our Spiritual Life in Christ through His Divine
country... is an oblique reference to THE EVIL ONE
Forgiveness.
WHO IS OBSESSED WITH OUR DESTRUCTION AND ALIENATION.
The Prodigal Son acknowledged his hopeless, sinful
Satan first tempts us into a SPIRITUAL DEATH and then tries
condition his state of utter Spiritual Death and
to keep us there and away from Gods Blessings in A
Alienation from God and all His Blessings and
STATE OF SPIRITUAL SLAVERY AND IMPRISONMENT.
immediately
prepared
his
Confession
and
However, THE EVIL ONE CANNOT DESTROY US HIMSELF .
Repentance: ... I will arise and go to my Father, and
Just like the Prodigal Son, BY GODS GRACE, WE WILL
I will say to Him: Father I have sinned against
EVENTUALLY AWAKEN FROM OUR GODLESS STUPOR AND
Heaven and before Thee...
14.
2ND SUNDAY
OF
12 FEBRUARY 2017
The Bread to which the Prodigal Son refers symbolises

our Lord Jesus Christ Who is known to us throughout
Holy Scripture and especially in the Holy Eucharist
the Divine Liturgy.
...his Father saw him and ... ran... Although it was
considered undignified and unfitting behaviour
for a mature man or elderly person to run, the
Father expressed His Love and eagerness to
welcome the Return of His Lost Child by running to
him and embracing him warmly.
This Self-humiliation for the sake of His Lost Son indicates
the manner whereby OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, THROUGH THE
SACRIFICE OF HIS SON - OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - ACTIVELY
AND PATIENTLY AWAITS AND JOYOUSLY WELCOMES ALL THOSE
WHO RETURN SAFELY TO HIS LOVING EMBRACE.
THE ROBE
SIGNIFIES RIGHTEOUSNESS GRANTED TO US BY OUR

HOLY BAPTISM.
ISAIAH 61:10 ... They shall have exceeding Gladness in
the Lord. Let my soul Rejoice exceedingly in the
Lord, for He Clothed me with the Garment of
Salvation and the Tunic of Gladness. He put a
Mitre around me like a Bridegroom and Adorned
me with ornaments like a Bride. As the Earth
causes its flower to grow, and as a garden its
seeds, so shall the Lord cause Righteousness to rise
up, and Exceeding Joy before all the Gentiles.
St John Chrysostom and all our Holy Church Fathers
have taught us that ...THE GARMENT OF SALVATION...
IS CHRIST HIMSELF, which
explains why St Paul
taught us that in HOLY BAPTISM WE ...PUT ON CHRIST.
GALATIANS 3:27 ,,,for as many of you as were Baptised
into Christ have put on Christ.
St Paul directly relates OUR SAVING FAITH AND BEING BAPTISED
by connecting them as OUR MOST PRECIOUS AND INTIMATE
BLESSINGS FROM GOD.
This particular verse is the ancient Hymn chanted at all
Christian Baptisms during the Procession of the Newly
Regenerated into the Assembly.
THE SIGNET RING SIGNIFIES FAMILY IDENTITY OUR ADOPTION
AT HOLY BAPTISM AS A CHILD OF GOD AND CO-HEIR WITH
CHRIST TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHERS KINGDOM.
HAGGAI 2 : 23 ... in that day, says the Lord Almighty, I
shall take Thee, Zerubbabel, My Servant, son of
Shealtiel... and shall make Thee like a Signet
Ring; for I have Chosen Thee.
Official Royal Acts in the ancient world were
authenticated by the use of a Monarchs Signet Ring
so by designating Zerubbabel as His Signet, the Lord
was, in effect, stating that he would be acting as Gods
Vice-Regent, charged with carrying out His Supreme
Rule and Divine Will.
On a deeper level: this is a strong Messianic Prophecy.
St Ambrose of Milan wrote: ...When our soul becomes
Peaceful... then she (our soul) will receive Christ like
a Signet Ring upon her, for she is the Image of God.
Then she will be according to that Image, because
Heavenly is the Heavenly Man. And we need to bear
the Image of the Heavenly One, that is, Peace ... I wish
the Lord Jesus may say to thee: Put Me as a Seal upon
thine arm. May Peace glow in thy heart, Christ in thy
Works, and may there be formed in thee Wisdom and
Justice and Redemption.
THE SANDALS SIGNIFY HOW WE ARE EQUIPPED TO WALK THE
PATH OF RIGHTEOUS.
We are able to follow in the Footsteps of our Saviour,
according to His Holy Gospel by the Will of God the
Father, through the Teachings of God the Son, and
Activated, Inspired and Enabled by God the Holy
Spirit.
EPHESIANS 6: 14-15 ... Stand therefore, having Girded
thyself with Truth, having put on the Breastplate
of Righteousness, and having shod thy feet with
the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace...
SECOND SUNDAY
OF
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit...
Beloved Brethren! The Holy Church of Christ the Loving
Mother of us all - Her Children - who granted us ReBirth unto Salvation, and who ensures that we do not
lose our Sacred Inheritance by preparing us for the
successful completion of our Podvig (Spiritual
Struggle) during the Great Lenten Forty Day Fast, has
ordained the reading and contemplation of our Lord
Jesus Christs Parable of the Prodigal Son today.
2ND SUNDAY
OF
Christians fight against all evil armed with this Divine

Armour, which is Gods Uncreated Divine Energy,
granted to us at Holy Baptism and used by us
throughout our Life in Christ as we Battle in Spiritual
Warfare every moment of the day.
As Faithful Disciples of Christ we have put on all the
Qualities bestowed upon us as Spiritual Armour: Truth,
Righteousness, Peace and Faith, which are constantly
to be used in the Conflict we face as we proceed ever
closer to God and His Heavenly Kingdom.
Without Struggle there can be no Deification Theosis or
Spiritual Perfection.
THE FATTED CALF IS A SACRIFICIAL OFFERING. . The fatted
calf is translated as either wheat-fed bull-calf or
bull-calf formed from wheat, and is a male calf
that has been raised on wheat in preparation as a
special Sacrificial animal.
As the Reconciliation of the Prodigal Son was not
complete without the Sacrifice of the Fatted Calf, so
too OUR RECONCILIATION WITH GOD IS ACCOMPLISHED AND
PERFECTED - not by our Repentance alone but BY CHRIST
HAVING OFFERED HIMSELF AS THE ULTIMATE, FINAL AND MOST
PUREST BLOOD OFFERING OF ALL THAT FULFILLED ANY NEED
FOR MORE BLOOD SACRIFICES AS REPENTANCE OFFERINGS.
THE FESTIVE DINING ON THE FATTED CALF OFFERING - FORMED
FROM WHEAT - IS A CLEAR REFERENCE TO OUR PARTAKING OF
THE NEW COVENANT HOLY EUCHARIST thus OUR
RECONCILIATION WITH GOD IS THROUGH REPENTANCECONFESSION AND HOLY EUCHARIST FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF
SINS AND ETERNAL LIFE.
Consequently, both the Old and the New Covenants are
Fulfilled at the Marriage of Christ the Heavenly
Bridegroom and His Bride, the Holy Church.
THE RESENTFUL OLDER BROTHER SIGNIFIES THE
HARDHEARTEDNESS OF THE PHARISEES AND ALL SELFRIGHTEOUS, STUBBORN AND UNREPENTANT SINNERS to
whom Christ related this Parable.
St Cyril of Alexandria wrote: ... God requires His Faithful
People to Rejoice whenever even the most guilty
person returns to God through sincere RepentanceConfession.
THE ELDEST SONS FAILURE TO RECOGNISE HIS OWN SINS LEADS TO
HIS SELF-RIGHTEOUS AND MERCILESS ATTITUDE.
Contrast this with the contrition of the Prodigal Son, as St
Ambrose of Milan commented: ...the one who seems
to himself to be Righteous, who does not see the
Beam in his own eye, becomes angry when
Forgiveness is granted to one who Confesses his sins
and begs for Mercy.
The Older Sons ingratitude is also apparent in his selfish
accusation: ... Thou never gave me a young goat...
MEANWHILE HIS LOVING FATHER HAS GRANTED HIM EVERYTHING HE
HAS!
We, too, are guilty of always complaining about what we
think we are lacking in material possessions and
wealth all the unbeneficial, temporary, corruptible
things of this life that we desire but which we do not
actually NEED
when we should rather
be
ceaselessly expressing our deepest gratitude to God
for all His Abundant Blessings that He bestows so
freely upon us!!
When we finally learn to acknowledge our infinite
Blessings and express Thanksgiving to God for His
Great Mercy in all things, we will never be dissatisfied
with anything every again!!!
Instead we will be Overjoyed by how much God has
granted us each and every moment of the day no
matter how others may try to tempt us into a state of
discontentment and ingratitude!
Count your Blessings appreciate His Great Mercy and
Love - and with all Humility and Gratitude, Thank
God constantly!
THE PODVIG/SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE OF THE GREAT LENTEN FAST

CONSISTS OF OUR CONCERTED EFFORTS OF REPENTANCE.
During these days and weeks, we stand before the doors
of Repentance, and chant the Hymn that is filled with
contrition: Open unto me the Doors of Repentance,
O Giver of Life!
The Parable of the Prodigal Son reveals to us THE
UNFATHOMABLE, INFINITE MERCY, PATIENCE AND LOVE OF OUR
HEAVENLY FATHER ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US SINNERS
WHO SINCERELY REPENT OUR SINS AND RETURN TO HIM.
12 FEBRUARY 2017
15.
Our Lord Jesus Christ - calling us all to Repentance

revealed: ... there is Joy in the presence of the
Angels of God over one sinner who Repents. (LUKE
15:10).
In order for His Words to make an even stronger
impression on us, He narrated the Parable of the
Prodigal Son.
According St Theophylact, the Younger Son symbolises
ALL FALLEN, SINFUL MANKIND - EVERY SINNER.
His Inheritance is THE ABUNDANT, INFINITE DIVINE GIFTS, WITH
WHICH GOD ENDOWS US SO GENEROUSLY ESPECIALLY HIS
FAITHFUL DISCIPLES.
THE MOST SUPREME GIFTS OF GOD ARE OUR MIND AND HEART AND ESPECIALLY, THE DIVINE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT that
is bestowed upon every Christian during the Holy
Mystery of Baptism and Chrismation.
The Prodigal Sons selfish demand that the Father give
him his Inheritance to use according his own will
according to his self-indulgent and greedy
extravagance - refers to MANKINDS DESIRE TO CAST OFF
OUR ESSENTIAL SUBMISSION TO GOD IN ORDER FOLLOW AND
INDULGE OUR OWN FLAWED IDEAS AND PASSIONS.
The Father ceding the Inheritance to his son, is a
portrayal of THE SELF-GOVERNANCE WITH WHICH GOD
HONOURED MANKIND FOR THE USE OF HIS GIFTS.
The ...far country... refers to A SINFUL, DEBAUCHED AND
DEPRAVED LIFESTYLE THAT DISTANCES EXILES AND
ALIENATES US FROM GOD.
The squandering of the Inheritance refers to THE
EXHAUSTION AND CORRUPTION OF OUR BODY AND SOUL OUR
PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL EXISTENCE - WHICH IS AN OUTRAGE
AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT WHOM WE HAVE REJECTED AND
REPULSED DUE TO OUR WILFUL, SELFISH AND WICKED WORDS,
THOUGHTS AND DEEDS!
The Prodigal Sons abject misery and destitution is THE
CONSEQUENCE OF OUR CARELESS, GOD-FORSAKEN LIFESTYLE
WHICH CAUSES THE DESOLATION AND TORMENT
IMMORTAL SOUL.
OF
OUR
The permanent inhabitants of that ...far country... are

the demons of Spiritual Darkness and Death those
FALLEN ANGELS WHO ARE ETERNALLY CONDEMNED, FALLEN
FROM GRACE AND EXILED FROM GOD AND ALL HIS LIGHT AND
GOODNESS.
UNREPENTANT SINNERS SUBMIT TO THEIR INFLUENCE AND ARE
QUICKLY ENSLAVED AND IMPRISONED BY THEM.
The herds of unclean animals [swine] are the WICKED,
UNWORTHY THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS THAT ROAM ABOUT
WITHIN THE MIND AND GRAZE AROUND THE SOUL OF IGNORANT,
IRRESPONSIBLE OR NEGLIGENT SINNERS.
They are THE INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE OF VILE, DEPRAVED
ACTS.
In vain do we try to silence, stifle or satisfy INIQUITOUS
THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS for they ARE UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE
TO CONTROL OR DEFEAT BY OURSELVEs!
FANTASISING about grievous passionate temptations
neither satisfies nor destroys them but ROUSES, WORSENS
AND STRENGTHENS THEM!
HAVING BEEN CREATED FOR A HEAVENLY LIFE IN CHRIST, ONLY
TRUE GOODNESS CAN BE OUR NOURISHING AND SATISFYING,
LIFE-GIVING FOOD.
EVIL, which attracts and seduces our flawed nature that
was damaged by the Fall, IS CAPABLE OF DESPOILING OUR
CREATED PURE HUMAN NATURE unless we quickly Repent!
How horrible is the emptiness of a soul corrupted by a

sinful lifestyle and self-indulgent habits and
addictions!
Unbearable is the torment of passionate, reprehensible
and vile thoughts and emotions, when they writhe
and gnaw like a huge mass of hungry worms within a
soul that submitted to evil being invaded and
violated by them!
People who are perpetually tormented by fierce thoughts,
fantasies, and unfulfilled desires are eventually
OVERWHELMED BY DESPAIR A DEVASTATING SENSE OF
COMPLETE HOPELESSNESS WHICH MAY THEN LEAD TO
TEMPORAL OR ETERNAL SUICIDE.
On the contrary, BLESSED ARE THOSE SINNERS WHO COME TO
THEIR SENSES DURING THAT TERRIBLE PERIOD AND REMEMBER
THE BOUNDLESS LOVE OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, AND the
measureless Spiritual Riches overflowing in the House

of our Heavenly FatherHIS HOLY CHURCH.
BLESSED ARE THOSE SINNERS WHO - HORRIFIED AND FILLED WITH
CONTRITION BY THEIR WICKEDNESS - CRAVE TO BE FREE OF
THE OPPRESSIVE WEIGHT OF INIQUITIES BY
REPENTANCECONFESSION, AND TO RECEIVE FORGIVENESS FROM GOD
16.
2ND SUNDAY
OF
AND FROM THOSE WHOM THEY HAVE HURT OR HARMED (to

return to Spiritual Life.)
Our Lord Jesus Christ has taught us that SINCERE,
FRUITFUL REPENTANCE REQUIRES US TO FULFIL SPECIFIC
RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS.
WE MUST STRIVE TO SEE AND ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OUR OWN SINS
AND IMMEDIATELY REPENT AND CONFESS THEM, SO THAT
WE CAN BE SPIRITUALLY RESTORED AND HEALED.
OUR LORD GOD SEES THE INTENTION OF OUR HEART AND SOUL
as soon as we make every effort to Repent each
sin even before we act upon our RepentanceConfession
Our Compassionate Heavenly Father sees us while we
are still ... a long way off... and HE PROMPTLY DRAWS
CLOSER AND EMBRACES US WITH GREAT JOY AND LOVE,
BESTOWING HIS DIVINE GRACE UPON US.
No sooner had the penitent Prodigal Son pronounced his
heartfelt Confession when his All Merciful Father
commanded His Servants to vest him with the best
Garments and to prepare a Great Feast, thereby
RESTORING HIS BELOVED SON TO HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE AS COHEIR TO HIS INHERITANCE.
IT IS THE SAME WITH US WHO REPENT AND CONFESS, for our
Heavenly Fathers Servants of His Holy Altar the
Priests - and His Holy Angels vest us in bright
Garments of Purity
- THE HOLY MYSTERY OF
REPENTANCE-CONFESSION - and prepare a Great
Feast for us THE LIFE-GIVING HOLY EUCHARIST - as A
TESTIMONY OF OUR RENEWED UNION WITH OUR HEAVENLY
FATHER AND HIS HOLY CHURCH ON EARTH AND IN HEAVEN.
Just like the Repentant Prodigal Son who received a ...
Ring on his finger... to signify his Restored
Relationship as a worthy Heir to his Inheritance and
... sandals upon his feet... so that his steps would be
confident and sure, WE TOO, ARE REUNITED WITH GOD AND
OUR ACTIONS ARE PROTECTED FROM SPIRITUAL THORNS BY
STEADFAST ORDINANCES - CHRISTS TEACHINGS AND DIVINE
COMMANDMENTS.
To complete the Action of Love, THERE IS A GREAT
BANQUET TO WHICH REPENTANT SINNERS ARE JOYFULLY
INVITED AFTER WE HAVE MADE OUR PEACE WITH GODTHE
HOLY EUCHARIST, PREPARED FOR US BY THE GREAT MERCY
OF GOD FROM THE VERY MOMENT OF OUR FALL.
THIS PARABLE IS A DIVINE TEACHING THAT IS EXTREMELY PROFOUND
AND EXALTED, regardless of the extraordinary simplicity
of words with which Gods Word deigned to relate it!
The Holy Church most wisely ordained this Parable be
read to us all before the beginning of the Forty Days
Fast.
What greater Consolation could there be for us wretched
sinners who stand trembling before the Doors of
Repentance than to learn about our Heavenly
Fathers infinite, indescribable Great Mercy for
Repentant sinners?
Our Heavenly Fathers Divine Mercy is so abundant that
it amazed His Heavenly Angels, who had never
transgressed a single Commandment of His. Their
bright,
lofty
minds
could
not
fathom
the
Unfathomable Mercy of God for fallen mankind.
They learnt from this Revelation that it is appropriate and
acceptable to ...make merry, and be glad, for... [their
young Brethren the human race]...was dead, and is
alive again; and was lost, and is found... through our
Beloved Redeemer, thus... There is Joy in the
presence of the Angels of God even over one sinner
who Repents!.
Beloved Brethren! LET US PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THE ASCETIC
LABOURS OF THE LENTEN FORTY DAY FAST, ACCORDING TO ITS
PURPOSE, BY CONTEMPLATING GODS GREAT MERCY FOR US
WHEN WE RECONCILE WITH HIM THROUGH TRUE REPENTANCE.
THIS SHORT PREPARATORY LIFE IS PRICELESS FOR WE NOW DECIDE
OUR ETERNITY!
MAY ALL OUR CHOICES BE FOR OUR ETERNAL SALVATION, and may
our Rejoicing be endless, together with Heavenly
Angels, by FULFILLING THE WILL OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER!
MATTHEW 18:14 - For, ..it is not the Will of our Father Who
art in Heaven, that one of these little ones (us
who are deprecated and humiliated by sin)
...should perish.
Amen.
SERMON BY ST IGNATIOS (BRIANCHANINOV) TRANSLATED FROM RUSSIAN BY
NUN CORNELIA (REES) (2013) EDITED BY MP
HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU/ENGLISH/44848.HTM
12 FEBRUARY 2017

Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, 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.
18 February 2017
Saturday of the Souls

(Memorial Saturday of Meatfare/Judgement)
Also the Feast of St Leo the Great of Rome St Kosmas of Yakhrom St Agapitos,
Confessor & Bishop, St Victor, St Dorotheos, St Theodoulos and St Agrippa of
Synnada, Phrygia - St Flavian, Confessor & Patriarch of Constantinople St
Nicholas, Catholicos of Georgia St Theodore (Komogovin) of Serbia St Colman of
Lindesfarne, Britain
TRIODION APOLYTIKION SATURDAY OF THE SOULS
vathi Sofias Filanthropos panta ikonomon, ke to

simferon pasin aponemon, Mone Dimiourge,
anapafson Kyrie, tas psihas ton doulon Sou; en Si
gar tin Elpida anethento, to Piiti ke Plasti ke Theo
imon.
TRIODION KONTAKION SATURDAY
Meta
ton Agion Anapafson, Hriste, tas psihas ton

doulon Sou, entha ouk esti ponos, ou lipi, ou
stenagmos, alla Zoi Atelevtitos.
Thou Who with profound Wisdom and Love for

mankind, order all things, and grant to all what is
to their Profit, Only Creator: grant rest, O Lord, to
the souls of Thy servants; for they set their every
Hope in Thee, the Maker and Creator and God of
us all.
OF THE
SOULS TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
Grant Rest, O Christ, among the Saints to the souls of

Thy servants, where there is no pain, no sorrow, no
grieving, but Life Everlasting.
FESTAL PROKEIMENON TONE (6) PLAGAL 2
Their souls shall dwell among Good Things.

To Thee, O Lord, I cry; O my God, may Thou not pass over me in silence;
may Thee never be silent to me, lest I become like those who do down into the Pit!
ST PAULS FIRST EPISTLE
TH
OSE
TO THE
THESSALONIANS 4 : 13 18
WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN CH
RIST
S RETURN
Brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others
who have no Hope, for, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those
who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the Coming of the Lord
will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a
shout, with the Voice of an Archangel and the Trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we
who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.
THIS IS ONE OF THE CLEAREST PASSAGES OF NEW 1. The Sign spread out IN THE H EAVENS OUR LORD
J ESUS C HRIST AND H IS H EAVENLY H OSTS
COVENANT SCRIPTURE CONCERNING THE SECOND
2. The Sign of THE T RUMPET OF GOD
COMING OR REAPPEARANCE OF CHRIST OUR LORD AND
3. T HE R ESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.
SAVIOUR.
FAITHFUL D ISCIPLES OF C HRIST NEVER DIE BUT REPOSE FOR those of us who constantly and faithfully Struggle
THE R IGHTEOUS D ISCIPLES OF C HRIST H IS
IN PEACE IN CHRIST.
G LORIOUS S ECOND C OMING IS OUR GREATEST J OY AND
ORTHODOX C HRISTIANS REFER TO DEPARTED SOULS AS
C OMFORT .
HAVING FALLEN ASLEEP - for at our Resurrection,
F OR THE UNGODLY AND THE DISOBEDIENT those who are
we will once again be awakened ready for our
stubbornly unrepentant IT IS A GREAT THREAT FOR
Final Judgement and (hopefully) Eternal Life in
THEY FEAR H IS D IVINE J UDGEMENT , which - although
Gods Heavenly Kingdom of Love.
they might choose to vehemently deny it - IS A
The first century document, written by Christs Holy
REALITY FOR ALL C REATION WHETHER ONE BELIEVES IT
Apostles The Didache - lists THREE SIGNS THAT
OR NOT !
WILL MARK THE R ETURN OF OUR L ORD J ESUS C HRIST :
TO
ST LUKE 21: 8 9 ; 25 27 & 33 36
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WARNS US ABOUT FORTHCOMING EVENTS PRECEDING HIS GLORIOUS RETURN
At that time, our Lord Jesus said: Take heed that you are not deceived, for many will come in My Name,
saying: I am He... and ...the time has drawn near. Therefore do not go after them.
But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but
the end will not come immediately....
... and there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with
perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; mens hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of
those thing that are coming on the earth, for the Powers of the Heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a Cloud with Power and Great Glory...
...Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away.
And take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of
this life, and that Day come upon you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on
the face of the whole Earth.
Watch, therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come
to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.
SATURDAY
OF THE
SOULS
18 FEBRUARY 2017
17.
O UR LORD J ESUS C HRIST WARNS US AGAINST THE MANY

SAVIOURS who will
pretend to be Him or who will try to mislead us
by claiming to be sent to guide us by the Lord
our God.
All self-appointed, false prophets of doom and gloom
will bring us to despair a hopeless state of
Spiritual Death alienation from God and all His
Blessings.
T HE LAST AND GREATEST OF THE HOLY PROPHETS OF
G OD WAS S T JOHN THE B APTIST W HO PREPARED
THE H EBREW N ATION FOR THE C OMING OF THE
G REAT M ESSIAH OUR L ORD J ESUS C HRIST .
Throughout the centuries, PEOPLE HAVE ANTICIPATED
C HRIST S S ECOND C OMING I . E . H IS VISIBLE
R EAPPEARANCE - ALMOST TO THE POINT OF NOT
LIVING THEIR LIVES ACCORDING TO THE W ILL OF G OD .
Although C HRIST has prepared us for a difficult life as
Christians, He IS OUR SOLID R OCK OF H OPE AND WE
MUST LEARN TO TRUST G OD IMPLICITLY WITHOUT ANY
QUESTION OR DOUBT .
W E MUST CONTINUE TO PRAY , TO R EPENT AND TO
WORSHIP G OD CEASELESSLY THEREBY ENJOYING A
FULFILLED L IFE IN C HRIST and we must not
waste any precious time on ridiculous
distractions or deceptions of the self
proclaimed DOOMSDAY PROPHETS who can only
CONFUSE US AND DRAW US RAPIDLY INTO S PIRITUAL
D ARKNESS AND E XILE .
In other words: WE MUST STEADFASTLY CONCENTRATE ON
OUR L IFE IN C HRIST BY S TRUGGLING DAILY FOR
S PIRITUAL P ERFECTION IN IMITATION OF OUR L ORD
AND S AVIOUR so that no matter what happens to us,
FALSE PROPHETS AND FAKE
WE WILL BE AS PREPARED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO FACE

H IS A WESOME
JUDGEMENT S EAT in due time,
because O NLY GOD THE F ATHER KNOWS WHEN THAT
WILL BE !
We must MAKE EVERY EFFORT AND USE EVERY MOMENT OF
EACH
DAY
TO
IMPROVE
OURSELVES
AND
OUR
R ELATIONSHIP WITH GOD .
We must BE ALERT AND WATCHFUL because the evil one
takes
every
opportunity
to
manipulate
MEMORIAL SATURDAY
OF
misdirect our attention by tempting and diverting

us with his evil tricks.
Every little step closer to Theosis is worth every
drop of sweat or tears.
Our heartfelt Love for God and all His beautiful
Creation motivates us to greater Spiritual
Heights and the closer we get to God the more
confident and assured we become since WE BEGIN
TO
UNDERSTAND
THAT
WITH
G OD S GRACIOUS
P ROVIDENCE AND P ROTECTION, NOTHING NEED BE
FEARED .
In fact THE ONLY FEAR WE SHOULD HAVE IS ONE OF FAILURE
TO GROW AND TO PROGRESS AND THE FEAR OF
DISAPPOINTING OUR M OST B ENEVOLENT AND L OVING
H EAVENLY F ATHER Who grants us everything we
could possible require.
We should ALSO FEAR FAILING OUR FELLOW SINNERS IN
OUR MUTUAL QUEST FOR S ANCTIFICATION AND ETERNAL
L IFE in Gods Heavenly Kingdom.
So MANY NATURAL DISASTERS ARE CAUSED BY HUMAN
GREED AND ERROR , certainly not due to Divine
Wrath.
And even when catastrophe strikes that is beyond any
human influence, WE MAY REST ASSURED IN THE
G REAT M ERCY AND I NFINITE L OVE OF G OD .
Why worry? GOD IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING !
WORRY ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE CAN AND SHOULD
DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS THAT
WE NEED TO DO WHICH WILL AFFECT OUR
E TERNITY ALL THE T HINGS THAT C HRIST HAS
TAUGHT US .
Finally: WHEN C HRIST DOES RETURN IN ALL H IS G LORY,
THERE WILL MOST CERTAINLY BE NO MISTAKING IT
FOR ANYTHING ELSE AND THE WHOLE OF C REATION
WILL FULLY EXPERIENCE IT .
So, we must not waste our time with nonsense and

dangerous deceptions but CONTINUE OUR S PIRITUAL
J OURNEY UNINTERRUPTED - FOCUSED UPON OUR O NE
T RUE AND L IVING G OD A LMIGHTY .
and
MEATFARE/JUDGEMENT (SATURDAY
Before the Commemoration of the Final Judgement

on Meatfare (Judgement) Sunday (3rd Triodion
Sunday), the Holy Church of Christ prays for all
departed souls so that together with us they may
also stand at the right hand of our Divine Judge.
In particular, we pray for those who ... were stolen
suddenly by Death in a foreign country, on the
sea, and on impassable mountain, on cliffs, from
starvation, from plagues and hunger, in war, in
fires, from cold, and who have suffered all kinds
of other generic types of Death, and also for the
poor and needy, and, in general, for all who
have not received Commemoration...
Every Saturday throughout the year, it is necessary to
pray for the Peaceful Repose of all departed souls,
for the Sabbath Day (Saturday) is the Day of Rest,
according to its innate meaning.
Saturday is the most important day for praying for
those who have Reposed with the Saints, besides
which, by means of the Prayers of today
Memorial Saturday of Meatfare for those who
have Reposed in Christ, our Holy Church reminds
us of our own inevitable departure, and our
ultimate Final Judgement before the unbiased,
incorruptible Judge, so that contemplating and
fearing these things, we will prepare ourselves far
better for the ceaseless Spiritual Struggle and
Warfare that confronts us each day and especially
during Great and Holy Lent.
The Holy Service of Memorial Saturday of Meatfare
(Saturday of the Souls) is performed in the same
way as the Memorial Saturday of Pentecost the
OF THE
SOULS)
only exception being that today the Hymns of the

Octoechos are chanted according to the Tone in
the order, while on Saturday of the Souls before
Pentecost, we always chant in Tone (6) Plagal 2.
There are specific differences in the Triodion Vespers
and Matins for example - at Triodion Vespers,
instead of the Prokeimenon, we chant the
Alleluias with the Priest exclaiming the
intervening Verses and during Triodion Matins, we
chant: Blessed art the Undefiled... and the
Apolytikion for the Departed: The Choir of Saints
hast found the Fountain of Life... etc.
The Departed souls are mentioned by name while the
Priest stands before the Royal Gates where a table
is placed in the centre of the Soleas upon which is
a Cross, lit candles and a bowl of Kollyva or
Kutiya.
While intoning these Litanies, the Priest or Deacon
holds a lit, smoking Censer.
In all things may God be Glorified...!
May God Bless you in your Spiritual Journey...!
Let us continuously pray for one another, for we are
all sinners who need Prayers and Intercessions
before the Lord our God.
Amen
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP
HTTP://WWW.LUCASCLEOPHAS.
ST AMPHILOCHIOS
OF
PATMOS
The egotistic do not attract anyone. And if others are attracted, they will soon distance themselves.
The Spiritual Bond becomes indissoluble only when it meets a child-like spirit of Innocence and Holiness.
18.
SATURDAY
OF THE
SOULS
18 FEBRUARY 2017

Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, 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.
Tone 2
19 February 2017
3 r d Sunday of Triodion Meatfare/Judgement
Also the Feast of St Archippos, St Philemon & St Apphia, of the 70 Apostles of Christ
our Lord and Saviour St Maximos, St Theodotos, St Hesychios & St Asclepiodota of
Adrianopolis St Eugene & St Makarios, Confessors & Presbyters of Antioch St
Dositheos of Palestine St Rabulas of Samosata St Theodore of Sanaxar St
Conan, Abbot of Pethukla Monastery St Philothea the Monastic
RESURRECTION GOSPEL 2 : MARK 16 : 1 8
Ote katilthes pros ton Thanaton, i Zoi i Athanatos, tote ton
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!
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!
TRIODION KONTAKION
MEATFARE
Otan
elthis O Theos, epi Gis meta Doxis, ke tremosi ta

simpanta, Potamos de tou Piros pro tou Vimatos elki, ke
Vivli anigonte, ke ta kripta dimosievonte, tote Rise me,
ek tou Piros tou Asvestou, ke Axioson, ek dexion Sou me
stine, Krita Dikeotate.
/FINAL
JUDGEMENT
SUNDAY
TONE 1
When Thou come down to Earth, O God, in Thy Glory, all

things will cower tremulously, and a River of Fire will
flow before Thy Judgement Seat, the Books shall be
opened up, and from public knowledge will things no
longer be hidden. Then Deliver me, I pray, from the
Unquenchable Fire, and count me Worthy to stand at
Thy right Hand side, O Thou Most Righteous Judge.
KINONIKON/COMMUNION HYMN PSALM 148/149
Enite ton Kyrion ek ton Ouranon!
Enite Afton en tis Ipstitis.
Praise
the Lord from the Heavens! Praise Him in the

Highest: Alleluia!
Allilouia!
TONE 2 TRIODION PROKEIMENON PSALM 117/118 - MEATFARE/JUDGEMENT TONE 2
Psalate
to Theo imon!
Psalate!
Psalate, psalate to Vasili imon!
Panta ta Ethni krotisate hiras!
Alalaxate to Theo en foni
Sing
Praises to God! Sing Praises!

King! Sing Praises!
All you Nations: clap your hands!
agalliasesos!
Sing Praises to our
Cry out to God with the
voice of Rejoicing!
THE FIRST EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE
CORINTHIANS 8 : 8 9 : 2
LOVE (AGAPE) REIGNS OVER KNOWLEDGE
Brethren: food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we better nor if we do not eat are we worse.
Beware lest somehow this liberty of yours becomes a Stumbling Block to those who are weak! For if anyone sees you
who have Knowledge eating in an idols temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat
those things that are offered to the idols? And because of your Knowledge shall the weak Brethren perish for
whom Christ Died? When you thus sin against the Brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against
Christ!
Therefore, if food makes my Brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my Brother scandalised!
Am I not an Apostle? Am I not Free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my Workmanship in the Lord? If
I am not an Apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you, for you are the Seal of my Apostleship in the Lord.
Whether we Fast from certain foods or not, it makes no
Therefore, IN ORDER TO LIVE IN CHRIST, WE MUST CONSTANTLY
difference to our Spiritual Welfare, since GOD DOES NOT
LOOK TO HIM FOR DIVINE GUIDANCE, OR THOSE WHOM HE HAS
JUDGE US ON THE FOOD WE EAT, BUT HE DOES JUDGE US ON OUR
CALLED TO GUIDE, TEACH AND ADVISE especially our Holy
SELF-DISCIPLE AND LOVE and especially HOW WE TREAT
Church Fathers whose Spiritual Experience is
OUR FELLOW SINNERS or HOW WE INDULGE OURSELVES AND
priceless.
WASTE THIS PRECIOUS TIME!
THAT IS WHY THE INTERTWINED VIRTUES OF HUMILITY AND
Therefore, St Paul reminds us that WE MUST ALWAYS BE VERY
OBEDIENCE ARE SO VITAL TO OUR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND
CAREFUL TO NEITHER OFFEND ONE ANOTHER NOR LEAD EACH
PROGRESS.
OTHER ASTRAY BY OUR PERSONAL HABITS, IDEAS OR
Christ our Saviour died for all human beings He paid
PREFERENCES.
the ultimate Ransom for the Salvation of all mankind
Throughout this short preparatory life, WE SHOULD
not for just a select few.
PERPETUALLY STRUGGLE AND STRIVE TO MAKE GOOD SPIRITUAL
SO IF WE LEAD ANYONE ASTRAY THROUGH OUR OWN MISGUIDED OR
PROGRESS.
ERRONEOUS KNOWLEDGE, WE CAUSE THEM TO SUFFER SPIRITUAL
It is the Sacred Duty of every Faithful Disciple of Christ to
DEATH i.e. fall into sin, which separates us from Gods
ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT AND CORRECTLY GUIDE AND TEACH ONE
Divine Grace and Presence THE CONSEQUENCES OF
ANOTHER,
WHICH ARE DIRE INDEED!
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing because all too
Consequently, WHENEVER WE SIN AGAINST EACH OTHER, WE SIN
often people assume they fully understand something
AGAINST CHRIST i.e. Almighty God the Holy Trinity
when they are in fact misinformed or far less
for They always operate in Perfect Unity and
knowledgeable that they realise.
3RD SUNDAY
OF
TRIODION MEATFARE/LAST
JUDGEMENT
SUNDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2017
19
Harmony. (Always according to the Will of the Father, through

the Son and by the Power and Energy of the Holy Spirit.)
St Paul teaches us that IF WE DO ANYTHING THAT CAUSES THE
SPIRITUAL DEATH OF ANYONE ELSE, WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE
NEVER DO SO AGAIN IN CASE IT CAUSES MORE PEOPLE TO FALL
INTO WICKEDNESS OR HARMS THEM IN SOME OTHER MANNER
As a result, THE BURDEN OF THAT SIN WILL BE UPON US WHO HAVE
CAUSED THEIR FALL and we will be Eternally Condemned
for it, UNLESS WE QUICKLY REPENT AND CORRECT OUR ERROR.
Faithful Disciples of Christ who live in Christ, are ALWAYS
MOTIVATED BY A SELFLESS REGARD FOR THE BENEFIT OF MANY
never for themselves and without fail, FOR THE GLORY,
HONOUR AND WORSHIP OF GOD!
The authenticity of St Pauls Apostleship was often

attacked by the Hebrews, so he often had to defend it:
Am I not an Apostle...?
DIVINE JUDGEMENT OF WORKS AT
Similar to the Divine Calling of St Paul by our Lord Jesus

Christ, OTHERS HAVE ALSO BEEN CALLED BY GOD TO SERVE
HIM, BEING FILLED WITH THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE AND
EVERYTHING NECESSARy by the Holy Spirit Who makes
such Wonderful, God-Inspired Work possible to be
achieved by mere human beings.
THE AUTHENTICITY OF DIVINE CALLING IS IN THE SPIRITUAL FRUIT
THAT IS BROUGHT FORTH FOR THE EXCLUSIVE GLORY, HONOUR
AND WORSHIP OF ALMIGHTY GOD.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CLERGY of the Holy Church of
Christ our Spiritual Shepherds or Holy Fathers - IS
CERTIFIED BY THE SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF THE FAITHFUL
the Spiritual Flock of God - the Faithful Congregation
or Laity (people of the Parish).
TO
THE
ST MATTHEW 25 : 31 46
SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
At that time, our Lord Jesus said: When the Son of Man comes in His Glory, and all the Holy Angels with Him, then He
will sit on the Throne of His Glory. And all the Nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them
one from another, as a Shepherd divides His Sheep from the Goats. And He will set the Sheep on His right hand
side, but the goats on His left.
Then the King will say to those at His right hand: Come, you Blessed of My Father: inherit the Kingdom prepared for
you from the Foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me
drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I
was in prison and you came to Me.
Then the Righteous shall answer Him, saying: Lord, when did we see Thee hungry and feed Thee, or thirsty and
give Thee drink? When did we see Thee, a Stranger, and take Thee in, or naked and clothed Thee? Or we see
Thee sick, or in prison, and come to Thee? And the King will answer and say to them: Truly, I say to you:
inasmuch as you did so to one of the least of these My Brethren, you did it to Me.
Then He will also say to those at His left: Depart from Me, you cursed, into the Everlasting Fire prepared for the
devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was
a Stranger and you did not take Me in; naked and you did not clothe Me; sick and in prison and you did not
visit Me!
Then they will answer Him, saying: Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or
in prison, and did not minister to Thee? Then He will answer them, saying: Truly, I say to you: inasmuch as you
did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.
And those will go away into Everlasting Punishment, but the Righteous will go into Eternal Life.
This is the majestic climax of Christs Discourse
concerning His Second Coming, which is not
simply a Parable but A D IVINE R EVELATION OF THE
U NIVERSAL JUDGEMENT THAT WILL MOST CERTAINLY
BE FACED BY ALL C REATION .
Since His Passion was soon to be fulfilled, OUR L ORD
J ESUS RAISED H IS D ISCIPLES TO THE S IGHT OF THE GLORY
OF THE S ON OF M AN ON H IS AWESOME J UDGEMENT S EAT
WITH THE ENTIRE C REATION BEFORE HIM .
T HE STANDARD OF D IVINE J UDGEMENT IS UNCALCULATED
MERCY TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER .
T HE W ORKS OR G OOD D EEDS THAT ARE PRODUCED BY T RUE
F AITH ARE EMPHASISED BY C HRIST because SUCH
S AVING F AITH ALWAYS PRODUCES R IGHTEOUS W ORKS
G OOD D EEDS COMPELLED BY DIVINE , UNCONDITIONAL ,
ALL ENCOMPASSING L OVE TRUE A GAPE .
W HATEVER WE DO REFLECTS OUR TRUE I NNER STATE .
No matter what lip-service and empty gestures we use
to convince others including ourselves of how
well-intentioned we are, OUR DEEDS ULTIMATELY
EXPOSE THE TRUE CONDITION OF OUR SOUL .
Consequently, it is essential to our proper Spiritual
Development to learn to BE ABSOLUTELY HONEST WITH
OURSELVES , WITH GOD AND WITH EVERYONE ELSE .
S PIRITUAL
W ATCHFULNESS
AND
CONTINUOUS
( CONSTRUCTIVE) SELF - EXAMINATION , WHICH LEADS TO
R EPENTANCE-C ONFESSION ,
TEACHES
US
TO
METICULOUSLY
WEAKNESSES
SCRUTINISE
OUR
OWN
PERSONAL
especially those hidden away in the

darkened crevasses of our soul.
BY THE G RACE OF GOD , WE CAN EXPOSE SUCH DEFECTS
TO THE D IVINE L IGHT OF G OD S T RUTH AND BE
H EALED .
T HIS IS OUR D A I L Y S P I R I T U A L A C C O U N T I N G that is
recommended FOR ALL STRUGGLING D ISCIPLES OF
C HRIST WHO GENUINELY WISH TO IMPROVE THEMSELVES
and their Relationship with God as well as with their
fellow human beings.
W E WILL KNOW IF WE ARE MAKING ANY PROGRESS WHEN
INSTEAD OF POINTING ACCUSATORY FINGERS ELSEWHERE
WE IMMEDIATELY TURN THEM INWARDS AND CORRECT

OUR OWN GLARING ERRORS .
20.
3RD SUNDAY
OF
Thereby we LEARN H UMILITY AND OBEDIENCE to God,

which is the very first big step closer to Spiritual
Perfection and Eternal Life.
...the least of these... is a reference to all the poor,
the needy and the destitute of the world in a
spiritual and a physical sense.
Having been created in the Image and Likeness of God,
WE SHOULD SEE ALL HUMANITY AS A REFLECTED D IVINE
I MAGE OF G OD and, as Christ so clearly reminds us :
when we TREAT OTHERS WITH AS MUCH L OVE AS WE
PROFESS TO HAVE FOR G OD , we prove our integrity.
On the contrary, WHEN WE SHOW NEITHER COMPASSION ,
KINDNESS NOR ANY DEGREE OF L OVE FOR OTHERS , WE
EXPOSE THE WICKEDNESS THAT LURKS WITHIN OUR HEARTS
AND SOULS !
As much as God Blesses us and as much as we expect to

receive from Him, WE MUST RECIPROCATE BY TREATING
EACH OTHER WITH THE SAME CONSIDERATION with all
our love, mercy, respect, etc. do unto others as you
wish others to do unto you!
Furthermore, although we should never do anything
in the expectation of Reward, WHATEVER WITH WE
DO FOR ANYONE ELSE WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE OF
A GAPE , GOD RETURNS TO US A HUNDREDFOLD He
grants us a hundred times more Blessings!

So whether we do good things or evil things,
EVERYTHING COMES BACK A HUNDRED TIMES MORE TO
US !
T HOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST are not only those who
suffer physical hunger and thirst, but who YEARN FOR
THE ETERNAL H OPE OF THE H OLY G OSPEL OF C HRIST
J ESUS .
Our Lord used THE ANALOGY OF S HEEP AND G OATS TO
DIFFERENTIATE THE OBEDIENT , HUMBLE , R IGHTEOUS AND
J USTIFIED FROM THE STUBBORN , DISOBEDIENT , UNGODLY
AND UNREPENTANT .
A S C HRIST IS OUR GOOD S HEPHERD , WE ARE THE REASONE NDOWED F LOCK OR S HEEP OF GOD WHO EAGERLY
FOLLOW THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE , AND WHO ARE
S PIRITUALLY PRODUCTIVE AND GENTLE CREATURES OF
THE L ORD .
The Goats are those who remain SPIRITUALLY STUBBORN
AND UNRIGHTEOUS for they IGNORE OR REFUSE TO FOLLOW
JUDGEMENT
SUNDAY
19 FEBRUARY 2017
the voice of our Good Shepherd, CHOOSING TO RISK

THEIR LIVES BY WALKING ALONG THE TREACHEROUS AND
DANGEROUS PRECIPICES OF TEMPTATION AND SIN.
Inheritance suggests FAMILY MEMBERS SUCH AS SONS AND
DAUGHTERS RATHER THAN STRANGERS OR SERVANTS, for the
R IGHTEOUS ARE THOSE WHO HAVE BECOME C HILDREN OF
G OD BY A DOPTION .
G A L A T I A N S 4 : 4 7 : ... 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, that we might receive
Adoption as sons.
Son refers to Christ as GOD BY NATURE.
God Incarnate - Born of a Woman, - so THE E VER
B LESSED, A LL PURE , AND EVER V IRGIN M ARY IS RIGHTLY
ENTITLED T HEOTOKOS , WHICH MEANS THE M OTHER OF
G OD OR THE B EARER OF GOD .
I.e. God Incarnate - in the Flesh - (without human seed, without
human Father) - and in His human Nature for in His Divine
Nature His is Eternal, Begotten of God the Father, without
Mother
SINCE CHRIST WAS BORN UNDER THE LAW, HE CAN REDEEM
THOSE UNDER THE LAW. (initially the Hebrews, and then,
later, the Gentiles i.e. all humanity)
OUR ONGOING GROWTH INTO D IVINE A DOPTION BEING
AN H EIR OF G OD IS D EIFICATION OR T HEOSIS
S PIRITUAL P ERFECTION .
This means that WE ARE BECOMING , BY D IVINE GRACE,
WHAT G OD IS BY D IVINE N ATURE AND EACH OF THE
T HREE P ERSONS OF THE H OLY T RINITY : F ATHER , S ON
AND H OLY S PIRIT IS INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS OF
S PIRITUAL T RANSFORMATION OF HUMANITY .
3RD SUNDAY
OF
TRIODION MEATFARE FINAL JUDGEMENT
Our Holy Church Fathers, Guided by God the Lifegiving Holy Spirit, consecrated the Triodion period
(from Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee until Saturday of the
Raising of St Lazaros) as a time of our most concerted
Spiritual
Struggle,
Repentance
and
Spiritual
Cleansing and Restoration, before the Joyful Great
Feast of our Saviours Resurrection .
On the First Sunday of Triodion with the account of the
humble,
contrite
Publican
and
the
proud
presumptuous Pharisee - we are reminded that IF WE
REPENT AND CONFESS OUR SINS WITH GENUINE HUMILITY AND
OBEDIENCE, OUR LORD GOD NOT ONLY JUSTIFIES US, BUT ALSO
WARMLY WELCOMES US INTO HIS DIVINE PRESENCE AND GRACE
AND WE ARE BLESSED WITH SPIRITUAL LIFE.
IF WE, HOWEVER, REMAIN STUBBORN, ARROGANT AND SELFRIGHTEOUS, daring to think that we have no sins to
Repent and Confess, WE ARE NOT JUSTIFIED AND OUR LORD
TURNS HIS SIGHT AWAY FROM US IN OUR UNREPENTANT STATE
OF SPIRITUAL DEATH!
The Second Sunday of Triodion sets before us the
example of the Prodigal Son, and THE INFINITE GREAT
MERCY OF OUR LOVING AND PATIENT LORD GOD.
Today is the Third Sunday of the Triodion.
Being Sunday of Meatfare or Final Judgement, WE ARE
EXHORTED AND URGED TO TAKE SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY
FOR OUR WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS, so that when we
stand before our Lord Gods Awesome Judgement

Seat, WE WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE A GOOD ACCOUNT OF
OURSELVES, HAVING MADE EVERY EFFORT TO FULFIL ALL OUR
SACRED COMMITMENTS AND DUTIES TO GOD AND OUR
FELLOW MAN, which will decide whether we will
acquire Eternal Life or Eternal Condemnation and
Spiritual Exile!
In todays Sacred Gospel Lesson, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
REFERRED TO THREE EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT GREAT EVENTS
THAT CONCERNS ALL CREATION:
HIS REAPPEARANCE OR
SECOND COMING, THE GENERAL RESURRECTION OF ALL
DEPARTED SOULS, AND THE LAST JUDGEMENT.
When OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - the Incarnate, Eternal Word
and Only Begotten Son of God the Father - lived
amongst us, He VOLUNTARILY CHOSE A MOST HUMBLE SOCIAL
STATUS, AND HE TOOK ON OUR WEAK, HUMAN CONDITION,
BEING SUBJECTED TO HARDSHIP, PHYSICAL SUFFERING,
TIREDNESS, HUNGER AND THIRST, AND EVEN POVERTY.
MANY OF HIS MISGUIDED, IGNORANT FELLOW JUDEANS DESPISED
AND HATED HIM to such an extent, that they eventually
3RD SUNDAY
OF
Therefore TO BECOME S ONS OF G OD BY GRACE , WE MUST

BELIEVE IN AND GET TO KNOW THE F ATHER , AND THE
S ON , AND THE H OLY S PIRIT .
This IS THE D IVINE T RUTH CONCERNING ETERNITY !
These are not words of speculation, imagination - or
worse, untruth! T HIS IS DIVINE R EVELATION !
This is what our human existence is all about!
This is why we have been granted a temporary,
complicated life-time for our Spiritual Preparation!
There is no need for discussion or debate because
CHRIST OUR LORD EXPLICITLY TELLS US ABOUT ETERNITY
the Ages of ages:
T HOSE WHO CHOOSE TO REJECT G OD S D IVINE T RUTH who
through their wilful rebellion reject His Divine
Commandments that bring us close to Him ...WILL
GO AWAY INTO E VERLASTING P UNISHMENT ... which is
also referred to by Christ as Outer Darkness.
ETERNAL CONDEMNATION, SPIRITUAL EXILE OR OUTER
DARKNESS is ABSOLUTE , IRREDEEMABLE S PIRITUAL
E XILE OR A LIENATION FROM G OD AND ALL H IS
G OODNESS A PERPETUAL , UNCHANGEABLE STATE OF
S PIRITUAL D EATH AND E TERNAL SUFFERING THE
ABSOLUTE
ABSENCE
OF
ANYTHING
PEACEFUL ,
PLEASANT , JOYOUS OR GOOD !
However, THOSE WHO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO FIGHT
THE G OOD F IGHT , BY CEASELESSLY STRIVING FOR
S PIRITUAL P ERFECTION AND A C LOSE R ELATIONSHIP WITH
OUR M OST B ELOVED L ORD G OD WILL BECOME WORTHY
C ITIZENS AND C O - HEIRS WITH C HRIST IN GOD S
H EAVENLY KINGDOM OF L OVE , PEACE AND J OY ... THE
R IGHTEOUS WILL GO INTO E TERNAL L IFE .
We only have this short life-span to correct ourselves
and to reach out to God with all Humility and
Obedience, in the confident Hope of Eternal Life
and all its indescribable Goodness and Wonders!
caused His unlawful, unjustified and brutal public
humiliation, torture and death by crucifixion.
ALTHOUGH OUR LORD JESUS HAD DIED ON THE CROSS ACCORDING
TO HIS HUMAN NATURE, HADES WAS INCAPABLE OF
IMPRISONING HIM IN HIS DIVINE NATURE, which broke the
shackles of Death, smashed the Gates of Hades, and
set all the Righteous souls free to Repose in Peace in
the reopened Paradise.
On the Third Day He rose from the dead, OVERCOMING
DEATH BY HIS DEATH, AND GIVING NEW LIFE TO THE WORLD!.
AT HIS GLORIOUS REAPPEARANCE, HOWEVER, EVERYTHING
WILL BE MAGNIFICENTLY DIFFERENT!
SURROUNDED BY HIS ANGELIC HOSTS, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WILL
REAPPEAR IN ALL HIS DIVINE GLORY, SEATED ON HIS AWESOME
JUDGEMENT SEAT, AND ALL CREATION WILL BE GATHERED
BEFORE HIM.
ON THAT DREADED DAY THE EIGHTH DAY - NOTHING WILL
BE ABLE TO HIDE FROM THE SIGHT OF GOD NOR WILL WE BE
ABLE TO LIE OR MAKE EXCUSES FOR OURSELVES!
Clearly and concisely, our Lord Jesus Christ has told us
that He will separate (all mankind) one from another,
as a Shepherd divides His Sheep from the Goats.
And He will set the Sheep on His right hand side, but
the Goats on His left..
It is of the utmost importance to know that GOD CREATED
THE INGDOM OF HEAVEN BEFORE HE CREATED THE UNIVERSE.
When GOD CREATED MANKIND, He did so WITH THE INTENTION
THAT WE SHOULD ENJOY ALL THE FRUITS OF HIS BEAUTIFUL
CREATION AND we should PARTICIPATE IN THE GLORY OF HIS
HEAVENLY KINGDOM.
OUR LORD GOD WANTED US TO BE LITTLE GODS, just as He said
...it is written that said, you are gods. (JOHN 10:34).
However, DUE TO OUR SELFISH DISOBEDIENCE, WE CORRUPTED
GODS DIVINE PLAN AND WERE THUS EXILED FROM GOD, AND
BANISHED FROM HIS PARADISE.
IN OUR FALLEN STATE OF SIN SPIRITUAL DEATH WE
GRADUALLY MOVE FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM GOD.
WE ARE ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OUR ACTIONS - every one
of them - good or bad.
All the other creatures are not as responsible for their
actions as mankind because WE WERE CREATED IN THE
...IMAGE AND LIKENESS... OF GOD AS INTELLECTUAL BEINGS,
LIKE THE HEAVENLY ANGELS - SO WE NOT ONLY HAVE THE
FREEDOM TO CHOOSE WHAT WE THINK, SAY OR DO, BUT WE ALSO
BEAR THE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES!
(GENESIS 1:26)
JUDGEMENT
SUNDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2017
21
IT IS EXACTLY THAT
FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT

DISTINGUISHES US FROM ALL OTHER CREATURES.
Our Lord Jesus Christ cautioned us that HIS REAPPEARANCE
(PAROUSIA), WILL BE SO FORMIDABLE AND HARROWING THAT
EVEN THE HEAVENLY HOSTS WILL TREMBLE WITH FEAR!
As Creation gathers before His Awesome Judgement Seat,

ALL IMMORTAL SOULS WILL BE EXPOSED LIKE MULTITUDINOUS
OPEN BOOKS - AND OUR CONSCIENCE WILL RECALL EVERY
WORD, DEED AND THOUGHT we had since our very first
breath! (DANIEL 7:9-11).
Each immortal soul will be examined and Judged
according to our personal words, thoughts and
deeds.
GOOD, BLESSED WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS ARE THOSE THAT
TRULY GLORIFY GOD BY BEING MOTIVATED AND COMPELLED BY
OUR LOVE FOR HIM AND FOR ALL MANKIND.
BAD, CONDEMNING WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS are those that
are motivated and enslaved by the grievous vices
such as pride and self-indulgence, that PUSH US AWAY
GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, THEREBY ESTRANGING US FROM
OUR LORD AND OUR FELLOW MANKIND.
If we carefully contemplate THE DIVINE WORDS OF OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST that we read for todays Sacred
Gospel Lesson, we will see how He CLEARLY
DESCRIBES OUR FINAL JUDGEMENT AN UNBIASED,
IRREPARABLE FINAL JUDGEMENT UPON WHICH OUR
PERSONAL ETERNITY WILL DEPEND!!
Our Beloved Lord does not mention obvious grievous sins,
such as murder, theft, adultery or fornication, etc.
Instead HE EMPHASISES AND CONDEMNS THE LACK OF
COMPASSION AND MERCY TOWARDS OTHERS THE LACK OF
LOVE AGAPE!!
Any of us can lead an apparently Virtuous Life - by not
murdering,
nor
stealing,
lying,
fornicating,
worshipping false gods, etc.
Nevertheless, IF WE LACK THE GREAT HOLY VIRTUE OF
CHARITY UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AGAPE WE ARE WORSE
THAT THOSE WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY WICKED, FOR LOVE IS THE
GOLDEN RULE THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL DIVINE
COMMANDMENTS, which makes the acquisition of all
other Holy Virtues possible.
St Paul expressed it best in his First Epistle to the
Christian
Community
of
Corinth:
...if
I speak in the tongues of men and of Angels, but
have not Love, am a noisy gong or a clanging
cymbal! And if I have prophetic powers, and
understand all Mysteries and all Knowledge,
and if have all Faith, so as to move mountains,
but have not Love, am nothing! If give away
all have, and if deliver my body to be burnt,
but have not Love, gain nothing!
Love is Patient and Kind. Love is neither jealous
nor boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not
insist on its own way; it is neither irritable nor
resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but
Rejoices in right. Love bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love
never fails! (1 CORINTHIANS. 13 : 1 - 8)
Whatever form or degree of sin, it is in direct and
complete opposition to the Lord our God Who is Love,
Light and All Goodness.
Furthermore, EVERY SIN WE COMMIT, IS ANOTHER STEP AWAY
FROM REGAINING OUR LOST DIVINE LIKENESS.
Our entire life on Earth is to prepare ourselves for Eternity by striving
to regain the Divine Likeness with which we were originally
created to become worthy Citizens of Paradise and the
Heavenly Kingdom of Love, by fulfilling Christs Teachings and
Commandments. mp
SIN SEPARATES US FROM LOVE AND ALL THE GOODNESS AND
BLESSINGS THAT BRINGS JOY TO US.
For this reason SIN, BY ITS VERY DESTRUCTIVE, FATAL NATURE,
CONDEMNS US FOREVER, UNLESS WE REPENT AND CONFESS AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE, so that we may be restored to
Spiritual Life, close to God.
Unless we regularly Repent and Confess our sins, and
REMAIN EVER WATCHFUL FOR TEMPTATIONS THAT LEAD US INTO
SPIRITUAL DEATH AND ESTRANGEMENT FROM EVERYTHING THAT
IS JOYFUL AND BLESSED, we will be Condemned forever
on the Eighth Day at our Final Judgement!
Of particular note is the fact that OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
CLEARLY AND SEVERELY WARNED US TO LOVE AND TO ALWAYS BE
22.
3RD SUNDAY
OF
AS MERCIFUL, KIND AND COMPASSIONATE TO EACH OTHER AS

HE IS TO US!
Otherwise we will certainly be Eternally Condemned and
Spiritually Exiled to ...Outer Darkness... the most
feared and abhorrent state of unrelieved suffering,
weeping, wailing and ...gnashing of teeth...! that
terrifies even the evil demons who belong there!!!
ETERNAL HELL IS NOT INTENDED FOR THE PUNISHMENT OF
MANKIND BUT FOR SATAN AND HIS DEMONS the fallen
angels - who condemned themselves to Eternal Exile
from God and all His Goodness, DUE TO THEIR JEALOUS,
SELFISH AND ARROGANT REBELLION AND DISOBEDIENCE AGAINST
ALMIGHTY GOD.
On the contrary, THE JUSTIFIED SOULS WHO HAVE LOVED AND
OBEYED GOD IN ALL THINGS WITH HUMILITY AND CONSTANT
SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES, WILL ENJOY THE BLISS AND BLESSINGS
OF HIS HEAVENLY INGDOM.
These souls will receive Eternal Salvation because of
their Faith in and Love for our Lord Jesus Christ and
thus for our Triune God - which they made
manifest by their Acts of Mercy and Compassion
towards their fellow mankind.
GOOD AND FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS LOVE CHRIST THROUGH THEIR
GOOD AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS, for OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST LIVES IN OUR MIDST IN THE FORM OF THE
POOR, THE DESTITUTE, THE SUFFERING, THE SICK, THE ORPHANS,
THE CAPTIVES ALL TYPES OF OUR HUMAN CONDITION.
Consequently, OUR ETERNAL SALVATION DEPENDS ENTIRELY
UPON HOW WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER I.E. HOW WE TREAT
OUR LORD WHEN HE STANDS BEFORE US DISGUISED AS OUR
SUFFERING, HUMBLE NEIGHBOUR!
Our Lord Jesus emphatically stated that the poor shall always be
with us because they are our greatest Test who prove our True
Worth as future Citizens of His Heavenly Kingdom of
(unconditional) Love Agape! mp
In conclusion, our Lords Sacred Lesson of today teaches
us THREE DIVINE TRUTHS:
1. AFTER THE LAST JUDGEMENT THERE WILL BE TWO ACTUAL
SPIRITUAL CONDITIONS - ETERNAL LIFE AND EVERLASTING
DEATH.
2. GOD CREATED THE INGDOM OF HEAVEN FOR MANKIND WHO
ARE CREATED IN HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS, which was
prepared from the foundation of the world, while
Hell was only for Satan and his fallen angels. ALL
UNREPENTANT SINNERS, OF NECESSITY, WILL BE ETERNALLY
CONDEMNED TO HELL - OUTER DARKNESS - BECAUSE THEY
VOLUNTARILY AND STUBBORN REJECT OR REBEL AGAINST THE
DIVINE THE WILL OF GOD, AND ARE THUS ENSLAVED BY

SATAN.
3. OUR SALVATION - NOW AND ETERNALLY - DEPENDS ON OUR
CONSTANT FAITH IN AND OBEDIENCE TO THE WILL OF GOD,
THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, BY THE POWER AND
ENERGY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AS WELL AS most
significantly - OUR LOVE FOR ALL MANKIND by doing to
and for them as we Hope (and trust) our Loving
Lord God will do for us.
As long as we are NOW alive, WE HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO
REPENT AND TO WORK FOR OUR SALVATION, ACCORDING TO
OUR
LORDS CLEAR AND CONCISE TEACHINGS AND
COMMANDMENTS.
THE MOMENT WE REPOSE, OUR FIRST JUDGEMENT OCCURS,
AND OUR SPIRITUAL
CONDITION, WHETHER JOYFUL IN
SPIRITUAL LIFE, OR SORROWFUL IN SPIRITUAL DEATH, IS SET
FOR EVER WE CANNOT CHANGE OUR SPIRITUAL STATE!
St Paul teaches us ...it is appointed for men to die
once, and after this the Judgement... (HEBREWS
9:27).
pray that we may all have as OUR ULTIMATE AIM THE LOVE
OF CHRIST AND OF ALL MANKIND, and that with complete
Hope and Trust in the Mercy of God, we may all be
worthy Citizens who are granted entrance into the
Blissful ingdom of Heaven that was prepared for us
since the beginning.
Amen.
PLEASE NOTE:
FROM MONDAY of MEATFARE, WE FAST FROM MEAT,
CHICKEN AND FISH,AND ALL THEIR DERIVATIVES!
SERMON OF HIS EMINENCE, METROPOLITAN PANTELEIMON (LAMPADARIOS)
OF ANTINOES - ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP
HTTP://WWW.ORTHODOXPATH.ORG
JUDGEMENT
SUNDAY
19 FEBRUARY 2017

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, Maria,
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 February 2017
1st & 2nd Finding of St John the Baptists Venerable Head
STRICT FAST TODAY
Also the Feast of St Erasmos of Kiev Near Caves Monastery St Romanos of Uglich
St Cumein, Abbot of Iona Monastery
FESTAL APOLYTIKION FINDING
Ek
OF
ST JOHNS HEAD
The
gis anatilasa i tou Prodromou Kefali, aktinas afiisi tis

aftharsias, Pistis ton iaseon. Anothen sinathrizi tin
plithin ton Angelon, katothen sigkalite ton anthropon to
genos, omofonon anapempse, doxan Hristo to Theo.
Forerunners Head has risen once again from the

earth; it sends forth Brilliant Rays of Incorruption and
Cures to all Faithful. Above it has assembled Arrays of
Angels; below it calls mankind together. In unison we
offer Glory to Christ our God.
SEASONAL KONTAKION THEOTOKOS TONE 2
Prostasia ton Hristianon akateshinte, mesitia, ros ton Piitin O

ametathe, mi paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas, alla
prothason, os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton Pistos
kravgazonton Si. Tahinon is presvian, ke spefson is
ikesia, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton Timonton Se.
Protection of Christians Unashamable, Immovable

Mediator with our Creator, we sinners beseech Thee:
do not despise the voices of our Prayers but anticipate,
since Thou art Good, and swiftly come to our aid as we
cry out to Thee with Faith: Hasten to Intercede, and to
Supplicate, O Theotokos, who Defends now and ever
those who honour Thee.
PROKEIMENON PSALM 63/64 TONE (7) VARYS-GAVE
The Righteous shall be glad in the Lord.

Hear my voice, O God!
THE SECOND EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE
CORINTHIANS 4 : 6 - 15
LIKE ST PAUL, ST JOHN THE BAPTIST FACED DEATH SO THAT HE MIGHT SHOW FORTH THE LIGHT OF CHRIST
Brethren, it is the God Who commanded light to shine out of darkness, Who has shone in our heart to grant the Light of
the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. But we have this Treasure in earthen vessels, so that
the excellence of the Power may be of God and not of us.
We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not
forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, so that
the Life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
For we who live are already delivered to death for Jesus sake, that the Life of Jesus also may be manifested in our
mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but Life in you. And since we have the same spirit of Faith, according
to what is written, I believed and therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He Who
raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.
For all things are for your sakes, that Grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to
the Glory of God.
The Treasure is the Light of Gods Glory in Christ.
OUR FAITH IS VICTORIOUS, BUT NOT TROUBLE-FREE
Earthen vessels refers to our humanity our human
CHRISTIANITY.
nature our mortal, physical bodies that God first
These Trials of Life ...show both the Power of God and,
created from the soil of the Earth and which,
more, disclose His Grace [ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM]
therefore, must be returned to the Earth before our
BOTH THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS AND ST JOHN THE BAPTIST
Resurrection into Eternity.
WERE THE MOST PERFECT LIVING EXAMPLES OF DIVINE
AS THIS DIVINE LIGHT SHINES IN AND THROUGH US, people will
GRACE.
see that ... the excellence of the Power may be of
Since very early childhood from about the age of two or
God and not of us.
three years St John the Baptist and Forerunner to
Like the Ever Blessed Theotokos, ST JOHN THE BAPTIST
Christ had lived in the Wilderness - all alone but
WAS UTTERLY HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT TO GOD AND WAS A
Protected and Nurtured by Divine Providence and the
MOST SUITABLE LIVING TEMPLE FOR THE HOLY TRINITY.
Grace of God.
Thus the Divine Light shone forth from him upon the
ALL HIS KNOWLEDGE WAS BESTOWED UPON HIM BY GOD WHO
Hebrew People, encouraging them to heed his
NOT ONLY PROTECTED HIM FROM ANY HARM, BUT ALSO
Divinely Inspired words and to seek Repentance in
EQUIPPED HIM WITH ALL THE ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS as
preparation for the Coming of the long-awaited
the Holy Forerunner to Christ and the Last but
Messiah our Saviour.
Greatest Holy Prophet of God.
TO
ST MATTHEW 11:2 15
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST EXPLAINS ST JOHN THE BAPTISTS MISSION TO US
At that time, when John had heard in prison about the Works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples who asked Him: Art
Thou the Coming One, or do we look for another? Jesus answered them: Go and tell John the things that you
hear and see: the blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are
raised up and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And Blessed is he who is not offended because of
Me.
As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What did you go out into the wilderness to
see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed,
those who wear soft clothing are in kings houses. But what did you go out to see? A Prophet? Yes, I say to you:
and more than a Prophet! For this is he of whom it is written: Behold, I send My Messenger before Thy Face,
who will prepare Thy Way before Thee.
1ST & 2ND FINDING OF ST JOHN THE BAPTISTS HEAD
24 FEBRUARY 2016
23
Assuredly, I say to you: among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he
who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the
Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all Prophets and the Law prophesied
until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
and our Lord Jesus Christ, or other violent men
According to our Holy Church Fathers, St John the Baptist
Messianic pretenders trying to bring in the Kingdom
asked our Lord Jesus Christ: Art Thou the Coming
by using military force against the Romans.
One, or do we look for Another? a most important
An ancient Patristic interpretation is that the Kingdom
question in order to correctly Guide his own Disciples
Itself breaks into this world violently. For instance,
to Christ in Absolute Truth.
through powerful Miracles, alert and daring people
It is also possible, according to modern interpretations,
take hold of it aggressively.
that St John thought of the Messiah as Divine Judge
only and was perplexed by His Infinite Mercy.
WHOEVER IS A HEARER AND LOVER OF THE WORD OF GOD TAKES
St Isaiah had predicted that at the Coming of the Messiah
THE KINGDOM BY FORCE, EXERTING ALL EARNESTNESS
the blind would see, the lame would walk, lepers
AND DESIRE TO ENTER THE REALITY OF THE KINGDOM.
would be cleansed and the deaf would hear.
For this reason Holy Martyrs shed their blood, making
OUR LORD JESUS FULFILLED ALL THE PROPHECIES OF ST ISAIAH,
their Confession of Faith, being ...made a spectacle to
BEARING THE FRUIT THAT ONLY THE MESSIAH CAN
the world, both to Angels and to men. [1 CORINTHIANS 4:9]
PRODUCE!
The Kingdom of Heaven belongs not to the sleeping or
In terms of the Old Covenant Law, St John the Baptist is
the lazy, but instead to ... the violent (who) take it by
the Greatest Prophet, but THE NEW COVENANT
force.
INAUGURATED BY CHRIST IS OF SUCH INCOMPARABLE VALUE
The identification between St John the Baptist and St
THAT EVERYONE WHO SHARES IN IT IS, AS IT WERE, GREATER
Elijah is quite explicit.
THAN ST JOHN, BECAUSE BY DIVINE GRACE THROUGH FAITH
It is not St John who ascribes to himself the role of St Elijah
UNDER THE NEW COVENANT WE BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD
the Prophet, but our Lord Jesus Christ Who assigns him
AND PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
this place in the history of Salvation.
St John is honoured because
St John the Baptist fulfilled the Mission of St Elijah the
He is Righteous
Prophet and his destiny was similar to St Elijahs.
He prepared the Way of the First Coming of our
Yet St John is honoured over St Elijah, because OUR
Lord and Saviour
LORD JESUS IN COMPARING THE PROPHETS DECLARED:
He Baptised Christ.
There has not risen one Greater than John.
Suffers violence may mean that the Heavenly Kingdom
is under attack by opponents of St John the Baptist
VENERATION
OF THE
HOLY RELICS
Honouring or venerating the Holy Martyrs and Saints is

expressed by respecting, honouring or venerating
their Holy Relics.
Their mortal remains or even remnants of their Vestments
or garments, or various things they had used or worn,
being part of them or through contact with the
Sanctified Saint or Martyr, are themselves implements
of Blessings for us reminding us of their close
Relationship with God and how their continuous
Intercessory Prayers do help us while we Struggle for
Spiritual Perfection, Theosis or Deification.
In The Martyrdom of Polycarp, it was noted that St
Polycarp removed his clothing at the last moment,
when he was ready to be received by the flames: ...
when the pyre was prepared, he took off all his
clothes and removed his belt. He also tried to take off
his shoes, although not previously in the habit of
doing this, because all the Faithful were always eager
to be the first to touch his flesh, for he had been
treated with all honour on account of his Holy Life,
even before his grey hair appeared...
After St Polycarp had been Martyred by fire, the Faithful
... took up his bones, which are more valuable than
precious stones, and finer than refined gold, and
deposited them in a suitable place... in order to
gather together ...as we are able, with Joy and
Gladness, the Lord will permit us to celebrate his
Martyrdom in Commemoration of those who have
already fought in the Contest, and for the training
and preparation of those who will do so in future...
The fact that our Holy Church offers Liturgical Honour to
the Holy Relics of Saints, was not discrimination of the
Faithful between Saints and non-Saints, but the belief
that Christ manifests (reveals) Himself in our Holy
Martyrs in a unique manner, and through them He
reveals His Divine Power and Victory over Death.
The Holy Relics of Martyrs and Saints testify to our Lord
Jesus Christs Final, Glorious Victory.
When St Ignatios the Theophoros of Antioch was thrown
to the wild, ravenous beasts, ... only the largest parts
of his Holy Relics were gathered, and wrapped in a
linen cloth, and carried to Antioch as a Priceless
Treasure...
St John Chrysostom emphasised the fact that these Holy
Relics were received by the Antiochians ... with
Crowns... - and not only the Antiochians, ... but all
the cities from Rome...
24
OF
SAINTS
AND
MARTYRS
All along the way to Antioch, the Faithful Christians ...

accompanied, and, praising the Victor, Glorifying
the Athlete, (they) mocked the devil...
Eusebios, the Church Historian, mentioned that the
Throne of St James the Just, was well preserved by his
successors, thereby proving ... what respect they
have for the Holy Men who Loved God...
He was also known as St James Adelphotheos, the Brother of Christ,
who was the eldest son of St Joseph the Betrothed, (the Guardian
and Protector of our Lady Theotokos and Christ) who had Loved
our Lord deeply, watching him grow from infancy to adulthood.
He was elected as First Christian Bishop/Overseer of Jerusalem and
was martyred for his absolute Faith in Christ our Saviour and the
long awaited Messiah. mp
St Ambrosios testified that the Christian collected with
profound Piety and Reverence the instruments of
torture that were stained with the blood of Holy
Martyrs.
These testimonies should be considered natural
expressions of member of the Orthodox Church since
they are based on Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition.
The Apostolic Orders do not consider the Holy Relics of
those who have Fallen Asleep in Christ as being
dishonourable, for THE HOLY RELICS OF ST ELISHA, THE
ANCIENT HOLY PROPHET OF GOD RAISED A CORPSE TO LIFE: ...
as they were burying a man, behold, they saw a
band of men approaching, so THEY CAST THE MAN INTO
THE TOMB OF ELISHA, AND AS SOON AS HE TOUCHED THE BONES
OF ELISHA, HE REVIVED AND STOOD UP ON HIS FEET! (2 KINGS/4
KINGS 13 :21)
St Cyril of Jerusalem explained that this Divine Miracle

had occurred: ... not only to honour the soul of the
Just... but also their bodies, for ... in the bodies of
the Just there is Power... (since) ... the dead body of
the Prophet became a Work of Life, and gave life to
that which had died, while itself remained among
the dead.
The Apostolic Orders used another Biblical example.
Besides the Law of Moses concerning corpses that
were regarded as being unclean and thus
forbidden to be touched, the Holy Relics of the Just of
the Old Covenant were never considered Unclean as
...Moses carried the Relics of Joseph, yet never
considered it as a miasma(LEVITICUS 11 : 39 40)
EXCERPTS FROM ORTHODOX TEACHINGS BY HIS EMINENCE, PANTELEIMON
(LAMPADARIOS) THE KALYMNITE, METROPOLITAN OF ANTINOES
1ST & 2ND FINDING OF ST JOHN THE BAPTISTS HEAD
24 FEBRUARY 2017

25 February 2017
Saturday of the Holy Ascetics Cheesefare Saturday
Also the Feast of St Tarasios, Patriarch of Constantinople St Reginos of Skopelos St
Alexander of Thrace St Markellos of Apamea - St Walburga of Heidenheim
FESTAL APOLYTIKION HOLY ASCETICS - TONE4
O Theos ton Pateron imon, O pion ai meth imon kata tin O

Sin epiikian, mi apostisis to Eleos Sou af imon, alla tes
afton ikesies, en Irini kivernison tin Zoin imon.
God of our Fathers, ever dealing with us according to

Thy Gentleness: take not Thy Mercy from us, but by
their Entreaties, Guide our Life in Peace.
FESTAL KONTAKION HOLY ASCETICS - TONE(8) PLAGAL 4
Os Evsevias Kirikas, ke asevias fimotra, ton Theoforon ton As

dimon efedrinas, Kyrie, tin ifilion lamponta. En Irini
telia, tes afton ikesies, tous Se Doxazontas ke
Megalinontas, diafilaxon, psallin ke adin Si, Allilouia.
SEASONAL KONTAKION -
EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS
THE
Prostasia
ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas,
alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton
pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke spefson
is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton timonton Se.
Preachers of True Piety who silenced all impiety, O

Lord, Thou hast made the whole Host of God-bearing
Saints shine forth with splendour upon the world. By
their Prayers and Entreaties, keep all those who extol
and sincerely magnify Thee in Perfect Peace, to chant
and to sing to Thee: Alleluia!
O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to

the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading
voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the
Aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine
Intercession, and press on Thy Supplication, O
Theotokos who forever protects all those who honour
Thee!
PROKEIMENON:
The Holy Ones shall boast in Glory...

The High Praise of God shall be in their mouth!
THE EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE
GALATIANS 5 : 22 6 : 2
THE ESSENTIAL FRUITS (ACHIEVEMENTS)
OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT
Brethren: The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness,
Self-Control against which there is no law. 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, or
envying each other.
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are Spiritual must restore such a one in a Spirit of Gentleness,
considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ.
WE ARE BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE BY GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO
THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT MAKE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE
GRANTS US SO MANY SPECIAL HOLY GIFTS.
FOR US TO ACHIEVE.
THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT I.E. THE RESULT OF THE DIVINE
We do not journey through this lifespan alone so WE ARE
GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE THE WONDERFUL VIRTUES that
REQUIRED TO ASSIST EACH OTHER along the Way, by GENTLY
are essential to all Faithful Disciples of Christ for a
BUT
FIRMLY
CORRECTING, GUIDING, TEACHING AND
successful Journey through this Life, towards Eternity.
ENCOURAGING EACH OTHER.
THE ONLY DIVINE VIRTUE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE WITH IN ETERNITY
Instead of accusing others of their faults, WE MUST
IS LOVE so it is vital to learn everything we can in order
CEASELESSLY EXAMINE OUR OWN WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS
to achieve that Divine Love, which is Absolutely
AND REJECT THE TEMPTATION OF JUDGING OTHERS while we
Unconditional.
ourselves are flawed.
AS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF OUR SAVIOUR, WE MUST CONSTANTLY
BY HELPING AND ENCOURAGING EACH OTHER, WE FULFIL THE DIVINE
STRIVE TO REJECT ALL TEMPTATIONS AND VICES OF THE FLESH
COMMANDMENTS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST,
such as greed, lust, avarice, jealousy, anger, envy,
WHO CLEARLY INSTRUCTED US TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND GOD
selfishness, etc.
AS MUCH AS HE LOVES US.
WE ARE TO LIVE IN THE SPIRIT TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE WILL
OF GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH GOD THE SON AND BY MEANS OF
OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS SERMON
ON THE
TO
ST MATTHEW 6 : 1 - 13
PLAIN
THE
BEATITUDES
AND THE
WOES
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: Take heed that you do not do your Charitable Deeds before others to be
seen by them. Otherwise you have no Reward from your Father in Heaven.
Therefore, when you do a Charitable Deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the
Synagogues and in the streets, so that they may receive the glory from mankind. Truly, I say to you: they have
their reward.
When you do a Charitable Deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your
Charitable Deed may be in secret. And your Father Who sees in secret will Himself Reward you openly.
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the Synagogues, and on
the corners of the streets, so that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you: they have their reward!
When you pray go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father Who is in the Secret
Place. And your Father Who sees in secret will Reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain
SATURDAY
OF THE
HOLY ASCETICS (BEFORE CHEESEFARE)
25 FEBRUARY 2017
25.
repetitions as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them,
for your Father knows the things that you have need of before you ask Him.
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be
done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily Bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our
debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but Deliver us from the evil one. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and
the Glory forever. Amen.
Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us the THREE MOST BASIC
1 T H E S S A L O N I A N S 5 : 1 6 - 1 8 Rejoice always, pray
ASPECTS OF SPIRITUAL LIFE:
without ceasing, in everything give Thanks, for
CHARITABLE GIVING
this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus for you...
PRAYER
These words exhort us to constantly pray with Joy to
our Lord and to always express our heartfelt
FASTING
gratitude for His abundant Blessings.
THESE THREE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES RELATE DIRECTLY TO GODS
RIGHTEOUSNESS..
Our Spiritual Fathers teach us that Unceasing Prayer
is our proper Goal, for Spiritual Growth come only
The original meaning of hypocrite was actor.
Hypocrites are play-actors who PRACTISE PIETY FOR SHOW
through that Holy Discipline.
DESIRING TO PLEASE PEOPLE RATHER THAN STRIVING TO HUMBLY
For centuries, Christians have used the Jesus Prayer
O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have Mercy
OBEY AND PLEASE GOD.
They wear masks of Compassion, while inwardly they are
on me, a sinner! as a Way of Unceasing Prayer
heartless, uncaring and selfish.
from the heart. (Thus it is also referred to as the
Prayer of the heart.)
The reward of hypocrites is the applause and empty
praises of others and nothing more!
Our Lord Jesus Christ does not condemn the use of
OUR LORD GOD IS UNIMPRESSED WITH WHAT OTHER PEOPLE
many words per se, but teaches us that WORDS MUST
EXPRESS OUR DESIRE FOR COMMUNION WITH GOD.
THINK OF US, NOR BY WHAT WE THINK OF OURSELVES.
Our Lord Rewards GOOD DEEDS when they are BASED ON OR
He taught us specific words to repeat Our Lords
Prayer.
MOTIVATED BY A PURE HEART BY TRUE AGAPE.
It is not repetition itself that He condemned but rather
Hypocrites miss THE SPIRIT OF PRAYER, which is AN INTIMATE,
vain, empty repetitions meaningless babble.
PERSONAL COMMUNION WITH GOD THAT LEADS TO THE VISION
Many Inspired Psalms, Prayers and Hymns of our Holy
OF HIS DIVINE GLORY.
Church have been repeated for generations in our
HYPOCRISY BLOCKS OUT COMMUNION WITH GOD AND THE
Worship of our Triune, Almighty God ... in Spirit and
UNDERSTANDING AND VISION OF HIS DIVINE GLORY.
in Truth.
Vain repetitions cannot establish this Holy Communion
with God, for He does not need nor want our
True Prayer is not telling God what He already knows
and then instructing Him what to do about it, not is
meaningless babble.
True Prayer the means of putting on a show of piety
To partake of Holy Communion with God, both SILENCE
AND SPECIFIC WORDS ARE NECESSARY.
for others to see!!
Our Lord Jesus give us very clear and concise instructions
WE MUST CEASELESSLY PRAY TO GOD.
with regard to True Prayer - When you pray go into
If we are indeed walking with our Lord every day, surely we will
your room, and when you have shut your door, pray
address Him with Prayers of Joy and Thanksgiving as well as our
to your Father Who is in the Secret Place... do not use
continual pleas for His Great Mercy! mp
vain repetitions...
L U K E 1 8 : 1 ... (mankind) always ought to pray and
True Prayer is HUMBLE ...go into your room...
not lose heart...
True Prayer is PERSONAL AND INTIMATE ...when you have
Persistent and Faithful Prayer is the remedy for all our
shut your door,..
problems and daily Spiritual Struggle.
True Prayer
is SINCERE ... do not use vain
repetitions...
HOLY ASCETICISM - (PART 1)
On Saturday of the Holy Ascetics, we Commemorate all

the Holy Ascetics of the New Covenant Orthodox
Christian Church since Her beginning and even
before, according to the Old Covenant.
Throughout the centuries, THOSE WHO ARE DEVOTED TO GOD
WERE EXTREMELY SELF-DISCIPLINED, MOST HUMBLE AND
OBEDIENT TO GOD IN ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIFE.
Not many people understand Asceticism so we shall
explain the various aspects that we may apply to our
daily life, even while living in this world.
ASCETICISM IS THE PRACTISE OF SELF-DENIAL SELF-DISCIPLINE
BY THE POWER AND ENERGY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, IN ORDER TO
BRING OUR ENTIRE BEING BODY AND SOUL INTO HOLY
COMMUNION WITH GOD, AS HE CREATED US.
Orthodox Christianity affirms THE INHERENT GOODNESS OF ALL
GODS BEAUTIFUL CREATION, FOR HE, HIMSELF, DECLARED IT AS
BEING GOOD.
Throughout history, Orthodox Christianity has fought
against all forms of FALSE SPIRITUALITY THAT DENIES THE
GOODNESS OF GODS CREATION such as heretical
Gnosticism or Manichaeism or that MARGINALISES
EARTHLY REALITIES AS BEING MERE SHADOWS OF A TRULY REAL
HEAVENLY REALM PERCEPTIBLE TO ENLIGHTENED INTELLECTS.
WE FAST, NOT ONLY FROM FOOD BUT ALSO FROM ALL SENSUAL
PLEASURES OF OUR FLESH not because certain foods or
our intimate marital relations are unclean or bad,
but AS A MEANS OF SELF-DISCIPLINE OR SELF-DENIAL OF THE
PLEASURES OF THIS EARTHLY LIFE, WHICH DISTRACT US.
DURING ANY FAST, WE STRIVE EVEN HARDER TO RESIST OUR
WEAKNESSES OR SELF-INDULGENCE IN THINGS THAT HAVE NO
SPIRITUAL BENEFIT AT ALL, which is what we should be
doing throughout the year.
IF WE ARE NOT MARRIED IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, WE SHOULD BE
CELIBATE, anyway!
26.
SATURDAY
OF THE
EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FOR THE GLORIFICATION OF GOD and

EVERYTHING HAS ITS PROPER USE AND PROPER PURPOSE IN OUR
DAILY LIFE.
We inherited from Judaism A STRONG AFFIRMATION OF THE
GOODNESS OF THIS PHYSICAL REALM.
EVIL WAS NOT CREATED BY GOD Who is All Good and Love,
but INVENTED BY THE EVIL ONE IN ORDER TO ALIENATE
MANKIND from the Love and Blessings of God.
WICKEDNESS caused A PRIMAL REBELLION AGAINST GOD, that
FOCUSES ON FATAL, DISORDERED AND DEADLY PASSIONS,
CAUSING US SPIRITUAL DEATH, UNLESS WE REPENT AND ARE
RESTORED TO SPIRITUAL LIFE AFTER EACH FALL.
Every grievous passion whether involving our emotions,
our thoughts, our speech or our body - is A CORRUPTION
AND DISTORTION OF SOMETHING CREATED GOOD.
SIN ARISES FROM OUR HEART AND MIND, NOT FROM THE
NATURAL, CREATED UNIVERSE.
Our Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly warned us about this,
exhorting us to EXAMINE OUR HEART AND SOUL FOR HIDDEN,
LURKING
WICKEDNESS
THAT
MUST
BE
ROOTED
OUT,
CONFRONTED AND DESTROYED IMMEDIATELY BY CONTRITE
REPENTANCE-CONFESSION SO THAT WE MAY RECOVER OUR

SPIRITUAL HEALTH SPIRITUAL LIFE:
... those things that proceed out of the mouth come
from the heart, and they defile (us.) For out of the
heart proceed evil thoughts, murder, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies...
These are things that defile (us) but to eat with
unwashed hands, does not defile (us.) (MATTHEW
15:18-20)
(... TO BE CONTINUED...)
HTTP://WWW.ORTHODOXRESOURCE.CO.UK/CHRISTIANLIFE/ASCETICISM.HTM
HOLY ASCETICS (BEFORE CHEESEFARE)
25 FEBRUARY 2017

Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, 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.
Tone 3
26 February 2017
4th Sunday of Triodion Cheesefare - Forgiveness
Also the Feast of St Porphyrios, Bishop of Gaza St Sebastian of Skhota, Poshekhonye
St Photini (the Samaritan Woman), her sisters: St Anatole, St Phota, St Sotis, St Paraskevi
& St Kyriaki, & her sons: St Sebastian & St Christodoulos St John Kalphes the Apprentice
& New Holy Martyr of Galata, Constantinople
THE GREAT LENTEN FAST BEGINS TOMORROW CLEAN MONDAY

RESURRECTION GOSPEL 3:
MARK 16 : 9 - 20
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.
TRIODION KONTAKION CHEESEFARE/FORGIVENESS SUNDAY
Ti Sofias Odige,
froniseos horige, ton afronon pedefta, ke

ptohon iperaspista, stirixon, sinetison tin kardian mou,
Despotata, si didou mi logon, O tou Patros Logos. Idou
gar ta hili mou, ou mi koliso en to krazin Si. ELEIMON,
ELEISON ME TON PARAPESONTA.
O Guide to Wisdom, Provider of Prudence, Disciplinarian

of fools, and Defender of the poor fortify and
discipline my heart, O Master. Grant me a Word, O
Word of the Father. For behold, I will not hinder my
lips from crying to Thee: O MERCIFUL LORD, HAVE
MERCY ON ME WHO HAS FALLEN.
PROKEIMENON PSALM 75/76 TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
Pray and Return to the Lord your God! All around Him shall bring gifts.
In Judah God is known; In Israel, great is His Name!
THE EPISTLE OF ST PAUL TO THE ROMANS 13 : 11 14 : 4
BE SPIRITUALLY AWAKE, ALERT & PREPARED THE ARMOUR OF DIVINE LIGHT
Brethren: ... do this - knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now our Salvation is nearer
than when we first believed. The night is far spent the Day is at hand. Let us cast off the works of Darkness, and
let us put on the Armour of Light. As in the day, let us walk properly not in revelry and drunkenness, not in
lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and for the flesh, make no provision to
fulfil its lusts.
Receive those who are weak in Faith, but do not dispute over doubtful things. One believes that he may eat all things he who is weak, eats only vegetables. Let him who eats, not despise him who does not eat, and let him who does
not eat, not judge him who eats - God has received him.
Who are you to judge Anothers servant? To his own Master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for
God is able to make him stand.
WE ONLY HAVE A VERY SHORT LIFESPAN IN WHICH TO PREPARE
We must clearly understand that EVERY WORD, THOUGHT AND
AND DEVELOP OUR IMMORTAL SOULS FOR ETERNITY.
DEED HAS A CONSEQUENCE NOT MERELY NOW BUT CERTAINLY
Therefore, St Paul reminds us that WE CANNOT WASTE
LATER.
ANOTHER MINUTE OF SUCH PRECIOUS TIME because THE TIME
However, WITH THE GUIDANCE AND GRACE OF GOD WE CAN
OF OUR REPENTANCE AND SALVATION IS NOW!
CONSTANTLY IMPROVE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND WITH
IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP FROM OUR SIN-INDUCED STUPOR to arise
OUR FELLOW STRUGGLERS who are on the exact same
from our slovenly bed of ignorance, negligence and
Journey of life even though many do not grasp the
Spiritual Death and immediately set off on our lifes
Reality and Purpose of our existence.
journey towards Eternal Life and Gods Heavenly
WE HAVE COME FROM GOD BEING CREATED BY HIM IN HIS
Kingdom.
DIVINE IMAGE AND LIKENESS AND WE HAVE A NATURAL
WHATEVER WE CHOOSE TO DO NOW IN THIS MOMENT OF OUR
INCLINATION TO RETURN TO GOD BY REGAINING OUR LOST
EXISTENCE AND IN EVERY OTHER MOMENT OF EVERY DAY OF THE
LIKENESS TO HIM, which makes us worthy Citizens
REST OF OUR LIFE WILL AFFECT OUR ETERNITY our own
and Co-Heirs of His Eternal Kingdom.
Eternal Life with God or Eternal Death in exile a total
THE ONLY WAY WE CAN CAST OFF OUR WORKS OF DARKNESS
absence of God and all His Goodness!
THE FILTH AND DESTRUCTION OF SIN IS TO PUT ON THE
AS LONG AS WE ARE STILL IN THIS EXISTENCE, WE CAN CHANGE OUR
ARMOUR OF LIGHT i.e. THROUGH OUR HOLY BAPTISM WE
COURSE BY SINCERE REPENTANCE-CONFESSION AND A
PUT ON CHRIST WHO IS DIVINE, UNCREATED LIGHT.
CONCERTED, DETERMINATION TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO
WE CONTINUOUSLY CLEANSE AND SANCTIFY OURSELVES WITH
IMITATE AND TO FOLLOW CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR in Whom we
THE HOLY MYSTERIES OF HIS HOLY CHURCH and in this
live since our Holy Baptism.
manner we are able to slowly but surely take one
GOD GRANTS US INNUMERABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR REPENTANCE
tiny step at a time, closer to our ultimate
and a complete change of heart and attitude that
Destination.
brings us closer to Him and enriches our lives - in
WE CANNOT MAKE ANY SPIRITUAL PROGRESS WITHOUT GOD AND
this world and the next - beyond our simple
OUR FELLOW SINNERS who are striving just as eagerly
understanding or perception.
and determinedly as ourselves.
4TH SUNDAY
OF
TRIODION CHEESEFARE FORGIVENESS SUNDAY
26 FEBRUARY 2017
27
So whenever we weaken, or stumble and fall, WITH THE

LOVING SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF ALL OUR FAITHFUL
BRETHREN AND DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, AND ESPECIALLY BY THE
GRACE OF OUR MOST LOVING GOD, WE ARE ABLE TO RISE UP
AGAIN, AND SET OFF ONCE MORE, with joyful and
enthusiastic hearts and souls.
With the Love and Strength granted to us by God, WE NEED
NOT WORRY FOR AN INSTANT ABOUT ANY OF OUR PHYSICAL
NEEDS.
WE ARE CONFIDENT IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE
AND ARE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE OUR EFFORTS ON OUR
SPIRITUAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT.
THE CLOSER WE GET TO GOD, THE MORE SPIRITUAL STRENGTH
AND ENDURANCE WE WILL BE GRANTED.
With Serenity of soul and the Unconditional Divine Love of

God in our hearts, we help each other in every way
CHRIST
OUR
necessary, never judging anyone else except

ourselves.
As St Paul reminds us: GOD IS OUR ONLY JUDGE and we
are all His Faithful servants!
Anyone who would dare to point an accusatory finger at
a fellow sinner, should immediately Repent for we are
told by Christ: Judge not lest you be judged! which
means that WHATEVER WE DO TO OTHERS WILL COME BACK TO
US A HUNDRED TIMES MORE!
Consequently, during the next weeks of Great Lent, we
should MAKE EVERY EFFORT POSSIBLE TO THINK, TO SAY AND TO
DO ONLY THOSE THINGS THAT CAN SPIRITUALLY BENEFIT US AND
EACH OTHER so that our words, thoughts and deeds
become Great Blessings rather than dreadful Curses
and Eternal Condemnation for us!!
TO
ST MATTHEW 6 : 14 21
LORD & SAVIOUR TEACHES US ABOUT FORGIVENESS & FASTING
At that time our Lord Jesus Christ said: ... if you forgive others their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive
you. If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses!
When you Fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces so that they may
appear to others to be Fasting. Truly, I say to you: they have their reward!
When you Fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to others to be Fasting, except to
your Father Who is in the Secret Place. And your Father Who sees in secret will Reward you openly.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on Earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.
Lay up for yourselves Treasure in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in
and steal. For where your Treasure is, there your heart will be also!
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST INSISTS ON MUTUAL FORGIVENESS
without any discernible difference that others might
BETWEEN US HUMAN BEINGS AS A PRECONDITION OF GODS
notice.
(There is no Ash Wednesday in Orthodox Christianity!)
DIVINE FORGIVENESS AND GREAT MERCY.
FASTING IS FOR OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
THOSE WHO DO NOT FORGIVE OTHERS WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN
AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP
BY GOD EITHER!
This is an absolutely clear Teaching of Christ Who will be
OF GOD AND NOT TO BE SEEN BY THOSE AROUND US.
our Final and Only Judge before Whom all Creation
Fasting is also not merely the abstinence from certain
will stand! So we will not be able to plead ignorance!
foods but consists mainly of A STRICT SELF-DENIAL AND
This Divine Teaching is vital to our Eternity and is
SELF-DISCIPLINE IN ALL AREAS OF LIFE so as to escape the
repeated often, such as in Christs Parable of the
physical control and damage caused by our passions
Unforgiving Servant,
and self-indulgence.
IF WE HOPE FOR DIVINE FORGIVENESS AND MERCY FROM GOD, WE
We have TO STRENGTHEN OUR IMMORTAL SOULS so that we are
MUST MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO FORGIVE AND BE MERCIFUL TO
able TO CORRECTLY CONTROL OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL
OUR FELLOW SINNERS!
DESIRES AND DEMANDS and even dominate and conquer
Whatever we desire to be granted by God for ourselves,
the weaknesses of our bodies.
we must grant to one another and when we find
WE ONLY HAVE THIS LIFE-SPAN IN WHICH TO STRENGTHEN AND
ourselves in dire straits, WE MUST SEARCH WITHIN OUR OWN
DEVELOP OUR IMMORTAL SOUL, WHICH CANNOT DO SO ONCE
HEARTS, MINDS AND SOULS TO FIND AND ROOT OUT WHAT IS
IT IS SEPARATED FROM OUR BODY.
PREVENTING US FROM MAKING PROPER SPIRITUAL PROGRESS!
On the eve of Great Lent we sing: Let us abstain from
Most tragedies in life are caused by people who are
passions as we abstain from food!
St John Chrysostom admonished us: What good is it if we
selfish and arrogant who are unforgiving and
merciless towards others.
abstain from eating birds and fish but bite and
Once again, the Sacred Lesson is Do unto others what
devour our Brethren?
you would like done to you ..!!
DURING EVERY FASTING PERIOD, WE MUST MAKE EVERY EFFORT
PUTTING ON A SAD FACE OR APPEARANCE TO SHOW OFF OR TO
TO BE THE MOST PERFECT DISCIPLE OF CHRIST, SO THAT
BRAG ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU ARE SACRIFICING WHILE
EVENTUALLY WE GROW INTO SUCH GOOD HABITS THAT IT
FASTING, ONLY BRINGS YOU SHAME AND DISCREDIT FOR IT
BECOMES NATURAL TO US - and with less effort or
EXPOSES YOUR FAST AS A MERE EMPTY GESTURE THAT WILL
struggle.
NOT BENEFIT YOU IN THE SLIGHTEST DEGREE!
By attaching ourselves to material but temporary
treasures of this world, we cut ourselves off from the
OUR LORD JESUS REJECTED AND DESPISED NOTHING ELSE EXCEPT
everlasting True and Most Priceless Treasures of
HYPOCRITES!
Those who Fast correctly by not only fulfilling the selfHeaven.
denial of the flesh but also of the spirit experience
We become slaves to earthly things rather than being
the Divine Compassion of God which dispels any
Truly Free in Christ Jesus.
THE FOCAL POINT OF GENUINE DISCIPLESHIP CONCERNS
difficulty or physical discomfort.
DISENTANGLING OURSELVES FROM THE CHAINS AND
In other words: IF WE FAST PROPERLY IN BOTH A SPIRITUAL AND
PHYSICAL MANNER WITH ALL THE RIGHT MOTIVATION AND
SHACKLES
OF
INSIGNIFICANT,
FLEETING
EARTHLY
PURPOSE - WE WILL BE GREATLY BLESSED WITH THE LOVING
POSSESSIONS AND SOCIAL STATUS AND ATTACHING
PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD.
OURSELVES INSTEAD TO OUR LOVING AND MOST
BENEVOLENT LORD GOD WHO IS OUR TRUE ETERNAL
During the Fasts of our Holy Church, the Hymns call all
Faithful Christians to wash and to anoint themselves
TREASURE!
i.e. to maintain a good, healthy and clean personal
state throughout the Fast and the rest of the year,
4TH SUNDAY
OF
TRIODION CHEESEFARE/FORGIVENESS
In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

Dearly Beloved Brethren in Christ: the quickly flowing
river of time rushes on to Eternity.
Only the Holy Church and Gods Feasts mark this motion
momentarily, as if counting the time.
And our entire lifespan - from our birth to our Repose - is
reflected in this yearly cycle, which reminds us, and
calls to us: Know yourself! Look within! What awaits
you? We are all rushing headlong with this flow of
time to timelessness, to Eternity!
So it is every day, every year.
28.
4TH SUNDAY
OF
It seems not so long ago our wretched heart, languishing

in sin, cried out to our Merciful Lord: Open unto me
the Doors of Repentance, O Giver of Life?
Our heart trembled with yearning, for the Lenten Fast
was already here, and now, once again the weeks of
preparation for our Battlefield of Repentance in Great
Lent have passed, when:
the Publican and the Pharisee reflected our soul;
we called out to our Heavenly Father with the voice of
the Prodigal Son, RECOGNIZING ALSO OUR OWN
DISTANCE FROM THE TRUTH, OUR OWN DEPARTURE TO A
FARAWAY LAND: O God, I have sinned against
26 FEBRUARY 2017
Heaven and before Thee; make me one of Thy

hired servants.
a reminder of the Terrifying yet Glorious Last
Judgement of our Lord, when all the Books of Life
shall be opened and all our hidden secrets
revealed. Not yet frightening and condemning us,
IT CALLS US TO KNOWLEDGE OF OURSELVES, TO
REPENTANCE.
Now we are on the threshold of Great Lent.
Today we remember the terrible Tragedy that happened
to mankind at the dawn of our historythe
devastating expulsion of our original Forefathers,
Adam and Eve, from the Divine Presence of God
from Paradise.
The vale of tears and sadnessthe Earthreceived the
outcasts, so that at Gods Commandment the
transgressors would reap thorns and thistles, eating
bread produced by the sweat of his brow.
In pain, and with tears and sadness, Eve would give birth
to their children and nurture them, and they would
reap the Bitter Fruits of their disobedience to our
Heavenly Father.
Adam and Eve wept in their sorrowful exile. Sitting
...outside Paradise... they wept, remembering what
they had been, what they had been granted and
what and Whom they had lost.
TO THIS DAY, ALL MANKIND WEEPS AND SIGHS OVER THE FIRST
ADAM, OVER THE NOW ELUSIVE PHANTOM OF HAPPINESS.
The whole world, harassed and weary, weeps because of
its waywardness, because of its nakedness; because
life is aimless and joyless.
Nothing can fill our life so that we might unconditionally
feel the Fullness of Truenot phantomHappiness;
for this Fullness is only in God.
But we are exiles.
Paradise is far away, and THE FURTHER MANKIND IS FROM THE
TIME OF THE FALL, THE MORE SHADOWY THAT BEAUTIFUL IMAGE
OF PARADISE BECOMES IN US, THE DEEPER IS OUR PAIN AND
SUFFERING, AND THE MORE THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD IS
ERASED FROM OUR SOUL.
MANKIND WOULD HAVE PERISHED LONG AGO, HAD NOT THE SECOND
ADAM, OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, NOT REOPENED
PARADISE AND GRANTED US THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO
BE RENEWED AND REGENERATED.
We all bear the weight and sorrow of the life of an exile.
Even those of us, who live the Life of the Church, know
also the Paradisal Joy of the open Royal Doors, and
the Life-creating, Jubilant Words; Christ is Risen!
THESE GLORIOUS WORDS OF HOLY PASCHA EXPRESS OUR ORIGINAL
NEARNESS TO DIVINE LOVE.
However, preceding this Paradisal Joy on Earth is Great
Lent, during which more than usual - OUR HOLY
CHURCH CONTINUALLY REMINDS US WHAT WE HAVE LOST AND
WHAT WE CONTINUE TO LOSE - THROUGH SIN.
NEVERTHELESS, WE ARE ENCOURAGED AND CONFIDENT THAT IT IS
POSSIBLE EVEN FOR THE WORST OF SINNERS TO RECEIVE
BLESSED FORGIVENESS - TO REGAIN AND TO ACQUIRE GODS
GREAT MERCY - THROUGH SINCERE AND CONTRITE
REPENTANCE, PODVIG OR SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES, AND ASCETIC
LABOURS OF GREAT TEMPERANCE AND SELF-DISCIPLINE.
After just a few hours we will all notice with amazement
an indescribable change around and within us, for
during this time of Repentance, SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS
OCCURS THAT PLACES A SEAL OF PARTICULAR CONCENTRATION

AND ATTENTION UPON EVERYTHING.
WE MUST RESPOND WITH DETERMINATION AND OBEDIENCE TO
THE CALL TO REPENTANCE BY FAITHFULLY FULFILLING THE
NECESSARY LABOURS OR WORK OF REPENTANCE, TO THE
BEST OF OUR PERSONAL ABILITY.
Our Lords Commandment concerning the Healing Fast,

has existed since Old Covenant times for the people
of God through His Holy Prophet, St Joel:
JOEL 2:12 & 15- 17 ...Now, therefore, said the Lord your
God, turn to Me with all your heart, and with
Fasting,
and
with
Weeping,
and
with
Lamentation
Sanctify
a Fast, proclaim
a solemn Service assemble the Elders and
all the inhabitants of the Lords House, Let the
Priests who minister to the Lord weep, and say:
Spare Thy People, O Lord, and give not Thine
Heritage to reproach
4TH SUNDAY
OF
THE SECOND ADAM OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - BEGAN THE PATH
OF HIS LABOURS WITH A GREAT FORTY DAYS FAST, so that by
His Divine Love for fallen mankind, He might reopen
Paradise and show the Way whereby we may return.
M A T T H E W 4 : 1 2 : Our Lord ... Jesus was led up by
the Spirit into the wilderness And after He had
Fasted forty days and forty nights, He was
hungry...
The Tempter the evil devil noticing our Saviours
Purity of Soul and His Great Spiritual Condition tried to
tempt Him. (Not knowing Him to be the Eternal Son of the
Most High God)
Satan always takes advantage of our habitual weaknesses or our
physically weakened state to tempt us, but Almighty God is
closest to us in such weakness and suffering so we must turn to
Him and hold tightly onto Him as He carries or leads us to His
green pastures, Comforting and Strengthening us. mp
Great is the audacity and blindness of the Dark Power!
HAVING TEMPTED AND DRIVEN MANKIND FROM PARADISE AND THE
CLOSE PRESENCE OF GOD, THE EVIL ONE, IN HIS BLIND HATRED
AND ARROGANCE, TRIED TO DEFEAT OUR LORD GOD not
recognising Him in His profoundly humble human
Nature as Christ our Divine Saviour and the Eternal
Word and Son of God.
THE DEVIL DARED TO APPROACH HIM IN HIS MEEKNESS, HUMILITY,
PATIENCE, PURITY, AND HOLINESS with his puny, ridiculous
temptations that are woven from pride, betrayal,
conceit, and lies.
However, CHRIST OUR GOD, BEING ABSOLUTELY SINLESS AND THUS
NEEDING NO PURIFICATION, CONQUERED THE TEMPTER WITH
FASTING AND PRAYER, showing all of us who follow Him,
the Path of Struggle the only antidote against
temptation and sin.
M A T T H E W 1 7 : 2 1 : Our Lord confirmed by His Word
and by His Deed, that ...this kind does not go out
except by Prayer and Fasting.
ONLY BY PRAYER AND FASTING, ARE WE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE
STRENGTH AND COURAGE FROM OUR LORD, THE HOLY
SPIRIT, THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR SPIRITUAL WARFARE
AGAINST OUR ENEMY.
Only by Fasting and Prayer are we able TO ACQUIRE THE
GIFT OF DISCERNMENT AND THE MIND OF CHRIST.
PRAYER AND FASTING ENLIGHTENS US BY HIS DIVINE LIGHT AND
TRUTH, which disperses the Spiritual Darkness and
Death of a sinful life:
J O H N 1 : 5 ... The Light shines in Darkness; and the
Darkness did not comprehend.
We voluntarily choose between a Path of Corruption or a
Path of Incorruption WE FREELY CHOOSE GOOD OR EVIL.
Suffering and Death entered this temporary life through
the terrible sin of conceited, stubborn and selfish
Disobedience to God.
Consequently, ONLY THROUGH HUMILITY, OBEDIENCE,
PRAYER, AND FASTINGOUR LIVING SACRIFICE OF LOVE
FOR GODCAN THE LIGHT OF SUPREME RIGHTEOUSNESS,
PEACE, AND JOY RETURN. And this, my Dear Ones, is
PARADISE ON EARTH!
According to Gods Great Commandment, LOVE FOR GOD
ON EARTH MANIFESTS ONLY AS LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE.
As Faithful Disciples of Christ, our heart can only be
warmed - and, like a bright flame, shine forth,
warming others - with AN INSEPARABLE LOVE FOR GOD AND
ALL PEOPLE.
IF OUR HEART IS HARD AND CRUEL towards our fellow
mankind, then darkened and numbed by dislike,
coldness, and cruelty - WE BECOME INDIFFERENT OR
HYPOCRITICAL TOWARDS GOD!
Furthermore, Paradise, which was within our reach, fades
away into the distance from us who have EXILED
OURSELVES DUE TO OUR LACK OF LOVE FOR GOD AND OTHERS,
AND OUR AUDACIOUS DISOBEDIENCE, CONCEIT, AND SELF-LOVE
CAUSES OUR SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS AND DEATH.
WE TRY TO JUSTIFY OURSELVES by asking: how can we Love
sinners? How can we Love our enemies - those who
neither like nor Love us?
Our Lord Jesus Christ has provided us with the answer
and the means that make it possible to fulfil His
Great Commandment of Love for one another:
HE HAS GIVEN US HIS MOST PROFOUND PRAYER Our
Father, Who art in Heaven...
THERE ARE MANY WONDERFUL LAYERS TO THIS SEEMINGLY
SIMPLE PRAYER, which WE SHOULD REALLY THINK ABOUT
26 FEBRUARY 2017
29.
AND PRAY MOST SINCERELY AT LEAST THREE TIMES A DAY,

especially the vital words that ALL TOO OFTEN WE FAIL
TO FULFIL: ...And forgive us our debts/trespasses,
as we forgive our debtors/those who trespass
against us
THIS PRAYER OF OUR LORD TEACHES US HOW TO ADDRESS THE LORD
OUR GOD, AND MOST IMPORTANT - TO EXAMINE OURSELVES
CLOSELY TO SEEK AND PLUCK OUT OUR FATAL SINS!
We ourselves are debtors or trespassers who OWE
GOD AND OUR FELLOW MAN UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
We are those sinners who NEED TO CORRECT AND REPENT
OUR PERSONAL WICKED TRESPASSES AGAINST OTHERS, and
thus repay our insurmountable Debt to God Who
grants us His Great Mercy and infinite Abundant
Blessing.
We are those who choose not to Love others and thus
who do not Love the Lord our God!
We are the enemy of other people, for we have
offended them, hurt them, insulted, embarrassed
or humiliated them due to our lack of Love,
Compassion or Mercy.
We ourselves need Love - the Forgiveness and Great
Mercy of God and of others, which is only possible
when we humble ourselves, Repent and Confess
our sins that we have committed against God, our
neighbours and ourselves and strive even more
determinedly each day to do better than before.
Our Lord Jesus Christs Divine Words of todays
Sacred Lesson resound loudly and deeply: ... if
you forgive others their trespasses, your
Heavenly Father will also forgive you. If you do
not forgive others their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive you your trespasses!
ONLY IF WE FORGIVE EVERYONE EVERYTHING WILL WE, TOO, BE
FORGIVEN.
ONLY IF WE FORGIVE OTHERS, WILL WE BE SAVED AND THEREBY
INHERIT PARADISE THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM OF LOVE.
Our Lord Jesus Christ also issued a dire warning to
us all:
M A T T H E W 7 : 1 - 2 - Judge not, that you be not
Judged. For with what Judgement you judge,
you will be Judged; and with the measure you
use, it will be Measured back at you!
By these Words our Lord shows us A VERY SHORT AND MOST
SURE PATH TO ETERNAL SALVATION, WHICH OPENS TO US THE
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
Our Loving Lord has emphasised THAT MOST VITAL HOLY
VIRTUE, WITHOUT WHICH ALL OUR ASCETIC LABOURS AND
EFFORTS IN GENERAL ESPECIALLY DURING THE GREAT LENTEN
FAST - WILL BE IN VAIN.
THIS THE ONLY PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, that begins with
NON-JUDGEMENT OF OTHERS I.E. (UNCONDITIONAL) LOVE
FOR ALL PEOPLE that we must seek and try to follow at
all times!
WHEN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST FIRST CAME INTO OUR MIDST, HE
DID NOT COME TO JUDGE US AND OUR FALLEN WORLD, BUT TO
TEACH US HIS DIVINE TRUTH AND THEREBY TO SAVE US.
OUR SAVIOUR CAME TO US IN ORDER TO REOPEN PARADISE TO ALL
MANKIND.
However, AT HIS PAROUSIA HIS REAPPEARANCE IN ALL HIS
AWESOME GLORY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS AUTHORISED BY
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER TO JUDGE ALL CREATION:
J A M E S 2 : 1 3 : ...Judgement is without Mercy, to those
who have shown no Mercy! Mercy triumphs over
Judgement!
NOW IS STILL THE TIME OF GODS GREAT MERCY.
Although our Lord God still has Mercy on us, WE DARE TO
JUDGE OTHERS AND TO ENFORCE OUR WILL ON THEM!
Having no doubts at all, WE EXALT OURSELVES WITH OUR OWN
OPINIONS AND SELF-RIGHTEOUS, BUT IGNORANT JUDGEMENTS
over our neighbours - near and far, small and great!
We judge when we think we know much, yet WE JUDGE
WHEN WE KNOW NOTHING AT ALL!
WE JUDGE ACCORDING TO OUR OWN LIMITED, PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE AND OPINIONS, OR ACCORDING TO THE OPINIONS,
SUPPOSITIONS OR RUMOURS OF OTHERS!
ONLY GOD WHO IS ALL-KNOWING AND ALL WISE AND ALL
LOVING AND ALL MERCIFUL IS OUR RIGHTEOUS AND
UNBIASED JUDGE WHO CANNOT BE SWAYED OR BRIBED!
Just think, my Dear Ones, OUR JUDGEMENT, AS THE JUDGEMENT
OF AN ENEMY, EXTENDS EVEN TO OUR SAVIOUR HIMSELF!!
30.
4TH SUNDAY
OF
We cannot see whether - or how - those who have

sinned before God, before people, and before us
who were eye-witnesses, CONTRITELY REPENT THEIR
SINS, NOR CAN WE HEAR THE PRIESTS consoling words
pronounced over their head with the PRAYER OF
ABSOLUTION AFTER THEIR REPENTANCE-CONFESSION: ...
by the Authority granted to me, I forgive and
absolve all your sins, in the Name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Ordained Priests of Gods Holy Priesthood have been granted His
Divine Authority to witness and to grant Forgiveness by the Will
of the Father, through the Son and by the Power and Energy of
the Holy Spirit in the Holy Mystery of Repentance-Confession as
well as the other Holy Mysteries of Gods Holy Orthodox Church.
The person who is Ordained into the Holy Priesthood has no personal
Power nor Authority to forgive sins, being a sinner just like all of
us. However, the Office of the Eternal, Holy Priesthood of the
Orthodox Church (the Bride or Body of Christ) has been granted
Divine Authority to do so, and thereby the Priest is able to
Absolve Repentant sinners. God Himself Delivers, Redeems,
Regenerates and Saves us when we sincerely Repent our sins. mp
GODS MERCY HAS ALREADY ERASED OUR REPENTED AND
CONFESSED SINS THAT ARE RECORDED IN OUR PERSONAL BOOK
OF LIFE YET WE DARE TO RECALL, REMEMBER AND JUDGE
OURSELVES OR OTHERS!
THIS IS NO LONGER THE FORBIDDEN JUDGEMENT OF MANKIND, BUT
AN APPALLING BLASPHEMOUS JUDGEMENT OF GOD, WHO HAS
BEEN MERCIFUL AND FORGIVEN US!
Having been Absolved of our Repented-Confessed sins, we must
progress forward... we must put those wicked words, deeds and
thoughts behind us and not recall or remember them, which in
itself is sinful, for that shows that we have not accepted Divine
Forgiveness! We must beseech God to help us if we are held back
by continual thoughts of past iniquities, resentment or hurt. mp
Consequently, WE ARE CONDEMNED AND WE PERISH
(SPIRITUAL DEATH) BY OUR AUDACIOUS AND ARROGANT
JUDGEMENT. FOR WHERE THERE IS CRITICISM AND JUDGEMENT,
THERE IS NO LOVE!
Only unconditional Love for God and our neighbours, is
capable of being our Advocate, and only Pure Love
can cover the nakedness of our Brethren!
Yet we dare to judge! We dare to scrutinise and to
evaluate the sins of others instead OF EXAMINING AND
REPENTING OUR OWN INNUMERABLE, FAR WORSE SINS!!
That
reckless
judgement
becomes
our
own
Condemnation and sentence to Eternal Exile, as St
James
emphasised:
...Mercy
triumphs
over
Judgement... and PARADISE CANNOT RECEIVE US IF WE
HAVE NO PURE, DIVINE LOVE IN OUR HEART AND SOUL.
Tomorrow is Clean Monday, when WE BEGIN OUR SPIRITUAL
JOURNEY OF GREAT LENT, so let us RESOLVE NOT TO
CRITICISE, NOT TO JUDGE AND NOT TEMPT OTHERS, thereby
striving to root ourselves in Saving, Blessed NonCondemnation.
LET US EXAMINE,
JUDGE, AND CONDEMN ONLY OURSELVES
THOROUGHLY, turning those accusatory fingers inwards
towards our heart and soul!
Let us CONSTANTLY REMEMBER THAT JUDGEMENT WITHOUT MERCY
WILL CONDEMN US while CEASELESS SELF-EXAMINATION AND
REPENTANCE LEADS TO TRUE LIFE AND SALVATION..
We stand on the edge of THE DREADED ABYSS THAT WE DIG
DEEPER BY EVERY SIN WE COMMIT, unless, JUDGING ONLY
OURSELVES WE WILL CRY ALOUD TO HEAVEN: O LORD! HAVE
MERCY ON ME, A SINNER!
The Great Miracle of our Salvation will begin, and OUR
LORD WILL CONSOLE OUR REPENTANT HEART AND SOUL WITH
HIS PEACE, SERENITY, AND LOVE.
St. Seraphim of Sarov encourages us: Acquire the spirit
of Peace, and thousands will be Saved around
you... for A HOLY TRANSFORMATION WILL OCCUR IN AND
AROUND US.
May our mind Fast from vain thoughts; may our will
Fast from evil desires; may our eyes Fast from seeing
evil; may our ears Fast from base songs and
calumnious whisperings; may our tongue Fast from
slander, condemnation, lies, flattering, and foul
language; may our hands Fast from striking, and
from stealing... may our feet Fast from walking to
evil deeds.
ARCHIMANDRITE JOHN (KRESTIANKIN) - HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU
26 FEBRUARY 2017

2017 - February Sacred Lessons

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Tes Presvies tis Theotokou, Soter Soson imas!

the Intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour,

i kardia mou Logon Agathon. Lego ego ta

My heart overflows with a Good Word; I tell my works

I glossa mou kalamos grammateos oxigrafou

My tongue is the pen of a scrivener.

Haris en hilesi Sou

was poured out on Thy Lips.

Dia touto evlogise se O Theos is ton eona.

Therefore, God has Blessed thee forever

SECOND FESTAL ANTIPHON MEETING/PRESENTATION TONE 2

Soson imas Ie Theou, O

EN AGKALES TOU DIKEOU

us, O Son of God, C A R R I E D I N T H E A R M S O F

tin rinfean Sou epi ton miron Sou, dinate, ti

Gird Thy sword upon Thy Thigh, O Mighty One; in Thy

Ke entine ke katevodou ke Vasileve eneken Alithias ke

Splendour and Thy Beauty.

veli Sou ikonimena, dinate Lai ipokato Sou

O Thronos Sou, O Theos, is ton eona tou eonos; Ravdos

Evthititos i Ravdos tis Vasilias Sou.

stretch Thou bow; and grant prosperity; and

arrows are sharp, O Mighty One, (the people

Throne, O God, is forever and ever; Thy Royal

THIRD FESTAL ANTIPHON MEETING/PRESENTATION - TONE 1

Akouson Thigater, ke ide, ke klinon to ous Sou.

O Daughter, and behold, and incline Thine

Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek Sou gar

Hail, O Theotokos Virgin Full of Grace: for from Thee

To Prosopon Sou litanefsousin i plousii tou laou.

tou Onomatos Sou en pasi genea ke

has shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our

FESTAL ISODIKON (SMALL ENTRANCE HYMNS)

Kyrios to Sotirion Aftou enantion panton ton

the rich among the people shall entreat Thy

shall remember Thy Name from generation to

The Lord has declared His Salvation; He has revealed His

FESTAL APOLYTIKION MEETING/PRESENTATION TONE 1

Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek sou gar

O Lady Full of Grace, O Virgin Theotokos, for

FESTAL KONTAKION MEETING/PRESENTATION - ST ROMANOS

Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou ke hiras tou

Who has Sanctified by Thy Birth a Virgin Womb

LORD JESUS CHRIST

Loved, O Thou Who alone Loves mankind.

THE AXION ESTIN HYMN MEETING/PRESENTATION - TONE 3

i Elpis panton ton Hristianon, Skepe, frouri,

En Nomo, Skia ke Grammati tipon katidomen i Pisti.

O Theotokos, Hope of all Christians, Protect, watch over

FESTAL MATINS - HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING

LORD & ST SYMEON

My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.

ETERNAL PRIESTLY ORDERS

HOLY CHURCH FATHER, ELDER AMPHILOCHIOS

Brethren, forget your Repented Confessed sins for

We must never let the winds of temptation affect us for

LORD JESUS CHRIST

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek Sou gar

O Lady Full of Grace, O Virgin Theotokos, for

FESTAL KONTAKION - THE MEETING/PRESENTATION OF CHRIST - TONE 1

O Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou, ke hiras tou

Birth Sanctified a Virgins Womb and properly