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G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e 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.

9TH Sunday o f Triod ion Tone 1 1 Apr i l 2012

5 t h S u n d a y o f G r e a t L e n t

S t M a r y o f E g y p t

Also the Feast of St Zosimas – St Euthymios of Suzdal – St Abraham of Bulgaria –

St Gerontios the Canonarch of Kiev Far Caves – St Makarios of Pelecete – St Gerontios & St

Basilides – St Achaz the Righteous – St John Shavteli of Salosi, Bishop of Gaenati, Georgia – St

Evlogios of Salosi, Holy Prophet & Fool for Christ of Georgia –

St Barsanuphios of Optina

R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n – TONE 1

Tou lithou sfragisthentos ipo ton Ioudeon ke stratioton filassonton to ahranton Sou Soma, Anestis trimeros,

Sotir, Doroumenos to kosmo tin Zoin. Dia touto e

Dinamis ton Ouranon evoon si Zoodota. Doxa ti

Anastasi Sou, Hriste! Doxa ti Vasilia Sou! Doxa ti

Ikonomia Sou, mone Filanthrope!

While the stone was sealed by the Jews, and soldiers

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

A p o l y t i k i o n o f S t M a r y o f E g y p t

En Si Miter akrivos diesothi to kat Ikona. Lavousa gar

ton Stavron, ikolouthisas to Hristo, ke prattousa

ididaskes, iperoran men sarkos, parerhete gar.

Epimelisthe de psihis, pragmatos Athanatou: dio ke

meta Angelon sinagallete, Osia Maria, to pnevma

Sou.

In Thee, O Mother, is preserved undistorted what was made in the Image of God; for taking up the Cross, Thou followed Christ and taught by Thy Example, that we should overlook the flesh, since it passes away, and instead look after the soul, since it is Immortal. And therefore, O devout Mary, Thy spirit rejoices with the Angels.

K o n t a k i o n o f t h e E v e r B l e s s e d T h e o t o k o s

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 Protector 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 Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all those who honour Thee!

R e s u r r e c t i o n G o s p e l 9 : J o h n 2 0 : 1 9 – 3 1 Our Risen Lord Bestows His Authority To Forgive Sins Upon His Apostles

P r o k e i m e n o n

Pray to the Lord our God and render Thanks to Him!

God is known in Judea – His Name is Great in Israel!

S t P a u l ’ s E p i s t l e t o t h e H e b r e w s 9 : 1 1 - 1 4 The Heavenly Holy Sanctuary and the D iv ine Li turgy

Brethren: Christ came as High Priest of the Good Things to come – with the greater and more Perfect Tabernacle Not Made With Hands – that is, not of this Creation.

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own Blood He entered the Most Holy Place once, for all – having obtained Eternal Redemption. For, if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of heifers, sprinkled upon 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 our conscience from dead works, to Serve the Living God?!

In contrast to the Old Covenant Hebrew High Priest, CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR IS OUR ONLY HIGH PRIEST

OF GOD’S NEW COVENANT. Christ entered the Heavenly Sanctuary “once for all” – i.e.

HIS ONE PERFECT AND ULTIMATE BLOOD SACRIFICE

COVERS ALL THE SINS COMMITTED BY ALL HUMAN BEINGS

FOR ALL TIME – throughout human history and forever! CHRIST WAS OUR HIGH PRIEST – THE DIVINE, PERFECT OFFERER

– WHO OFFERED HIS OWN PERFECT, SINLESS BLOOD – THE

DIVINE PERFECT OFFERING – which is able to heal the entire corruption of all humanity for all time and needs never be repeated ever again!

HIS MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OFFERING RESTORES EACH AND

EVERY ONE OF US HUMAN BEINGS – throughout history –

TO OUR PROPER, FORMER SACRED RELATIONSHIP WITH

ALMIGHTY GOD.

CHRIST’S SACRIFICE PURIFIES – CLEANSES OUR CONSCIENCE –

AND REINSTATES US AS HOLY OR SANCTIFIED BEINGS WHO

ARE DRAWN CLOSER TO ALMIGHTY GOD THROUGH CORRECT

LITURGICAL WORSHIP – “serve the Living God” – TOGETHER WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO CONSTANT

REPENTANCE OF OUR HABITUAL SINS.

Because we continue to use our God-given free will to indulge our wilful and selfish flesh rather than to obey the Spiritual Guidance of our Holy Conscience – the little Remnant or Voice of God within us – WE MUST CONSTANTLY STRIVE AND STRUGGLE TO RESIST

TEMPTATION AND RESOLVE OUR SINS AS SOON AS WE FALL

INTO A STATE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH BY MEANS OF SINCERE

REPENTANCE AND A DETERMINED EFFORT TO RETURN TO

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SPIRITUAL LIFE and so continue our Spiritual Journey in the Divine Footsteps of our Lord and Saviour.

c NO SPIRITUAL PROGRESS IN CHRIST IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT CONSTANT WATCHFULNESS AND STRUGGLE.

Those who erroneously believe that the mere acceptance of our Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour ensures us Eternal Life are seriously deceiving themselves because that implies that our Struggle for Theosis (Spiritual Perfection) has been achieved.

However, OUR SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE DURING THIS

PREPARATORY PERIOD BEFORE ETERNITY IS AN ONGOING

SACRED MISSION THAT IS ONLY ENDED AT OUR VERY LAST

BREATH.

Christ our Lord emphasised the fact that FAITH WITHOUT GOOD WORKS AND SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE DOES NOT

BENEFIT ANYONE AND IS ACTUALLY BE MERE LIP-SERVICE – and empty type of faith without any substance!

LIFE IN CHRIST MEANS A PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO ALL

FACETS OF CHRISTIAN FAITH AND WORSHIP – not simply a few selected portions of the whole Faith according to the luke-warm manner we choose to follow Him.

A GENUINE LIFE IN CHRIST IS OUR MOST DETERMINED EFFORT -

A DEDICATED OR SACRED COMMITMENT TO GOD, which is compelled by our utter Love for Almighty God and a desire to please Him in all ways possible: “Let it be according THY WILL, O Lord!”

Tragically, in this day and age, a large majority of our

fellow sinners have been deceived by false

teachings of Spiritual Wolves who lead God’s

Lost Sheep even further astray and then

consume them with their lies and duplicity –

luring them with baited hooks that have a miniscule drop of Truth – just enough to entice them – and by telling them whatever they want to hear – pleasing or

pleasuring people rather than obeying the Divine

Will of God – which requires what they lack – Love, Humility and Obedience to God!

The “dead works” that St Paul often cautions us against is a reference to all human activity in and of this fallen age when we participate in acts of

mortality and corruption – EVERYTHING THAT

ALIENATES AND EXILES US FROM THE DIVINE PRESENCE

AND GRACE OF OUR LOVING AND BENEVOLENT GOD.

Liturgically speaking, “dead works” include the actions of Old Covenant type of worship, which are no longer required of us as Christ has fulfilled everything required of those Old Laws.

c OUR COMMITMENT TO GOD REQUIRES US TO FULFIL HIS NEW COVENANT: To Love God with all our mind, with all our heart, with all our strength and

with all our soul, and to Love one another as

much as He Loves us – unconditionally and completely, without exception! And this covers all the Ten Commandments as well!

c THE NEW COVENANT OF GOD IS A COVENANT OF ETERNAL LOVE – and so we will be Judged according to every word, thought and deed compelled and fulfilled with Agape – Divine Love – a difficult Sacred Task to achieve until our very last breath!

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t M a r k 1 0 : 3 2 – 4 5 Our Lord Jesus ’ Third Prophecy Concerning His Passion

At that time, they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus had gone before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed, they were afraid, for He had taken the Twelve aside again and had begun to tell them the things that would happen to Him.

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the Chief Priests, and to the Scribes; and they will condemn Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

So James and John, the sons of Zebedee, went to Him and asked: “Teacher, we want Thee to do for us whatever we ask.” And He said to them: “What do you want Me to do for you?” And they said to Him: “Grant us that we may sit, one on Thy right hand side and the other on Thy left, in Thy Glory.” And Jesus said to them: “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink from the Cup that I drink, and be Baptised with the Baptism with which I Am Baptised?” And they answered: “We are able.”

And Jesus said to them: “You will indeed drink the Cup from which I drink, and with the Baptism with which I Am Baptised you will be Baptised; but to sit on My right hand side and on My left is not Mine to grant, since it is for those for whom it is prepared.”

And when the ten heard about it, they were greatly displeased with James and John. And Jesus called them to Himself and said to them: “You know that those who are considered Rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet is shall not be so among you; for whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desire to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to Serve and to give His Life as a Ransom for many.”

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST’S PREDICTIONS OF HIS APPROACHING

PASSION WERE INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE AND

STRENGTHEN HIS HOLY APOSTLES AND FAITHFUL DISCIPLES for the terrifying Events with which they would all too soon be confronted.

c THE DIVINE PROPHECIES OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ALSO CONFIRM THE TRUTH AND REALITY THAT HE

APPROACHED HIS TERRIBLE PASSION ACCORDING TO

HIS OWN WILL AND HIS OWN TIMING.

Our Lord Jesus pointed out that ANY QUEST FOR TEMPORAL POWER AND GLORY IS UNFITTING FOR A FAITHFUL DISCIPLE

OF CHRIST and it only exposes an earthly misunderstanding of the Eternal Kingdom of God.

St Matthew noted that “the mother of Zebedee’s sons” actually asked for the great honour for her beloved sons to be seated on either side of Christ in His Eternal Glory, but the fact that our Saviour used the plural term “you” shows that He knew who really

sought this Divine Favour from Him. However, A TRUE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST SHOULD BE READY TO

SACRIFICE EVEN FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS IF THEY PREVENT

US FROM FULFILLING OUR SACRED DUTY TO GOD OR IF THEY IMPEDE OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN CHRIST JESUS.

Our Lord Jesus referred to His Crucifixion as a “Cup,” and His Death as “Baptism.” � HIS UNJUST CRUCIFIXION LIKE A COMMON CRIMINAL

WAS REGARDED AS A “CUP” SINCE HE DRANK OF IT

VOLUNTARILY – FREELY AND WILLINGLY FOR THE

ETERNAL BENEFIT OR SALVATION OF ALL MANKIND

FOREVER.

� HIS DEATH WAS REGARDED AS “BAPTISM” SINCE HE

WAS FULLY IMMERSED IN IT, WHILE IT CLEANSED

THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE AND RENEWED THE

ENTIRE CREATION.

Furthermore, the Prophecy of Christ concerning St John and St James participating in the same Cup

and Baptism shows His Divine Knowledge of their

future persecution, suffering and Holy Martyrdom

for their Love of Christ, which they would endure after the Glorious Day of Holy Pentecost – from the beginning to the end of their Holy Gospel Mission on earth.

When our Lord Jesus Christ told the two Apostles that the places of Great Honour in the Eternal Kingdom of God are not His to grant, does not mean that He has no Divine Authority, but rather that such DIVINE FAVOURS ARE NOT HIS TO GRANT ARBITRARILY TO ANYONE.

Instead HE WOULD GRANT THEM TO THOSE FOR WHOM ALMIGHTY GOD HAS PREPARED THEM: BY THE WILL OF GOD

THE FATHER, THROUGH GOD THE WORD AND SON, AND BY

THE ACTION AND ABILITY OF GOD THE HOLY LIFE-GIVING

SPIRIT.

With regard to being seated as Equals to Christ – on His right and left hand side – in God’s Eternal, Heavenly Kingdom, St John Chrysostom taught us that NO ONE – NO HUMAN BEING - COULD POSSIBLY OCCUPY SUCH AN

ELEVATED DIVINE POSITION!

However, according to the depiction of our God-Inspired Holy Icons, THE HIGHEST PLACES OF HONOUR THAT HAVE BEEN GRANTED TO HUMAN BEINGS BELONG TO THE EVER

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BLESSED, ALL PURE AND MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS (THE

MOST BLESSED AMONGST ALL WOMEN) AND ST JOHN THE

BAPTIST and Forerunner to Christ our Saviour (the greatest Holy Prophet ever born of women) – BUT THEY ARE NEVER SEATED and THEY STAND IN PERFECT HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE at either side of our Enthroned Lord and Master, Jesus Christ – having dedicated their entire earthly lives to the Service of Almighty

God with all due Humility and Obedience, as well

as many other Virtues as well – the two most

perfect human role models we could ever wish to imitate – together with our Lord and Saviour.

The phrase “for many,” is an Aramaic expression meaning “for all.”

St Mary o f Egyp t – True Repen tanc e & the Joy o f Eterna l Li fe Today, on this Fifth Sunday of Great Lent, we

Commemorate ONE OF THE GREATEST ACCOUNTS OF TRUE REPENTANCE AND THE JOY OF ETERNAL LIFE IN

CHRIST – THE TESTIMONY OF ST MARY OF EGYPT.

After twenty days of walking in total isolation in the Jordan desert, an elderly Hieromonk, St Zosimas, met her wandering freely in the desert – skeletal thin, naked, hair bleached white and body burnt almost black by the blazing sun – yet more alive and closer to God than any of us can ever hope to be!

Having besought God for further, profound Divine Knowledge and Understanding the erudite Holy Father soon realised that their meeting was Divinely Guided and Inspired, for this Great Holy Ascetic woman – formerly illiterate, immoral, selfish and

Spiritually Dead, had more to teach him than

anyone else, because God had granted her His Divine Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding that is far beyond ordinary human capacity.

Her story was recorded for our Spiritual Benefit in the 7th Century - 100 years after her Repose in 522 - by St Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem...

JUST AS SHE HAD APPROACHED THE HOLY CHURCH OF THE

RESURRECTION IN JERUSALEM, WHICH HOUSED THE LIFE-

GIVING WOOD OF OUR LORD’S CROSS, THOUGHTLESSLY,

UNREPENTANT AND UNPREPARED, SO DO WE - ALL TOO

OFTEN - APPROACH THE HOLY TEMPLE OF GOD - BOTH THE

HOLY HOUSE OF WORSHIP AND OUR SANCTIFIED PHYSICAL

BODIES THAT ARE CREATED TO BE HOLY TEMPLES OF GOD.

Therefore, we should PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE TESTIMONY OF ST MARY OF EGYPT AND REMEMBER FOREVER

HER SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE that changed her life entirely and which has encouraged innumerable Repentant sinners throughout the ages.

After much coaxing, St Mary of Egypt had somewhat

reluctantly and with much embarrassment for the

Holy Father, related her former ungodly life in

great detail, in order to emphasise the depth of

her sinful depravity and self indulgence, leading

to her amazing Spiritual Transformation. OBVIOUSLY SHE HAD HEARD MUCH ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

OVER THE PRECEDING YEARS, and certainly on her seemingly “co-incidental” voyage to the Holy Land, while travelling in the midst of a cross section of humanity – a motley crowd of devout Christians and superstitious, profane people who would boldly mock and scoff at the piety of the Pilgrims and their Faith.

She had experienced it all in those seventeen youthful years – the good and the bad – the best and the worst of our human condition.

Finally she arrived in the Holy City of Jerusalem, where initially she continued her wicked ways.

EVERYTHING IN THIS SHORT LIFE SERVES A SPECIAL PURPOSE –

THERE ARE NO REAL “CO-INCIDENTS” – ONLY THE

CONSEQUENCES OF OUR CHOICES – OF OUR FREE WILL.

For that exact reason, WE CEASELESSLY PRAY FOR DIVINE GUIDANCE SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE THE RIGHT

CHOICES throughout this preparatory period before Eternity.

c TEMPTATION IS NOT SIN – THERE ARE SEVERAL STAGES OF TEMPTATION BEFORE WE ACTUALLY COMMIT A SIN.

THUS IT IS ENTIRELY UP TO US TO DECIDE ONE WAY OR

ANOTHER WHICH PATH WE WILL TAKE – and without fail, EVERYTHING WE THINK OR SAY OR DO HAS A CONSEQUENCE

– a result – many of which we do not know until it is too late.

HOWEVER, MOST OF OUR WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS ARE

CONSCIOUSLY COMMITTED – FREELY AND WILLINGLY

COMMITTED - BECAUSE WE ARE VERY AWARE OF THE

DESIRED OUTCOME! St Mary of Egypt told St Zosimas: “... at daybreak I saw

that everyone was going to the Church, so I went

along with them, and when the Hour of the Holy

Elevation drew nigh, I tried to enter with the pressing

crowd until - with much effort - I got almost to the

doors and tried to squeeze inside.

“However, although I stood on the threshold, some

strange Force held me back, preventing me from

entering the Holy Church. I was shoved aside by

the Pilgrims and eventually pushed onto the porch.

“I thought that it was perhaps due to my female

weakness so I worked my way back into the

multitude and again attempted to elbow others aside

and gain entry, but no matter how hard I tried, I

was unable to go inside – just as my feet

touched the threshold, I was pushed back! Everyone else entered the Church without any

difficulty at all, while I alone was not permitted to

enter!

“This happened three or four times until finally my

strength was exhausted, so I stood in a corner of the

portico to catch my breath and to think what to do

next.

Suddenly I realised that it was due to my sins that I

was prevented from beholding the Life-giving

Wood - and the Grace of the Lord touched my

heart and I wept and lamented, beating my

breast in the most intensive grief I had ever felt.

Sighing from the depths of my heart, I looked up

and saw a Holy Icon of the Ever Blessed

Theotokos and turning to Her, I prayed: ‘O Lady

Virgin, who gave Birth in the Flesh to God the Word: I

know that I am unworthy to look upon Thy Holy

Icon. I rightly inspire hatred and disgust before Thy

Purity, but I know also that God became Man in

order to call sinners to Repentance. Help me, O

All Pure One, and let me enter the Church. Allow me

to behold the Wood upon which the Lord was

crucified in the Flesh, shedding His Blood for the

Redemption of sinners, and also for me. Be my

Witness before Thy Son that I will never defile

my body again with the impurity of fornication.

As soon as I have seen the Cross of Thy Son, I will

Renounce the world, and go wherever Thou lead

me.’

“After I had prayed, I felt confident in the

Compassion of the Mother of God, and joined

those entering the Church – and no one pushed me

back or prevented me from entering - which I did in

fear and with trembling...

“Thus I saw the Divine Mysteries of God, and how

God accepts the Penitent, and I fell to the ground

and kissed it.

“Then I hastened to stand again before the Holy Icon of

the Virgin Theotokos where I had given my Sacred

Vow, and falling to my knees I prayed: ‘O Lady, Thou

hast not rejected my Prayers as unworthy. Glory to

God, Who accepts the Repentance of sinners! It is

time for me to fulfil my Vow, which Thou has

witnessed. Therefore, O Lady, Guide me on the

Path of Repentance.’

“And I heard a Voice from on High: ‘If you cross the

Jordan River, you will find Glorious Rest.” And I

immediately believed these words were meant for

me so I cried out to the Mother of God: ‘O Lady, do

not forsake me!’” QUITE OFTEN, OUR PERSONAL DIFFICULTIES AND FRUSTRATIONS

ARE DUE TO OUR SELFISH, ARROGANT AND UNREPENTANT

ATTITUDES. And UNTIL WE SEEK OUT AND IDENTIFY OUR WEAKNESS OR ERROR, WE CANNOT CORRECT OURSELVES

AND PROCEED onwards in this life. We will continue “hitting a brick wall” until we wake up

from our Spiritual Stupor and return to God, beseeching His Divine Forgiveness by means of doing

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a thorough Self-examination, followed by Holy

Confession and Holy Communion.

c HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE ARE THE TWO MOST VITAL AND MOST POWERFUL VIRTUES NECESSARY FOR OUR TRUE

AND SINCERE REPENTANCE-CONFESSION, which brings us the most wonderful Spiritual Results for which we could ever hope!

With the all-consuming, overwhelming Joy of Divine Grace, St Mary of Egypt set off for the desert, carrying only three small loaves of bread that would sustain her for the next few years, and, arriving at a Holy Monastery along the banks of the Jordan River, SHE RECEIVED THE HOLY MYSTERIES OF BAPTISM AND HOLY EUCHARIST

BEFORE DISAPPEARING from sight into the wilderness for the next (approximately) FORTY-SEVEN YEARS, during which SHE STRUGGLED TO STRENGTHEN HER IMMORTAL SOUL SO THAT IT COULD DOMINATE AND CONTROL THE

WANTON DESIRES OF HER MORTAL FLESH.

As St Mary explained to the Holy Elder: “ Believe me, Abba

Zosimas, I spent seventeen years in this

wilderness (after having spent seventeen years in

immorality!) fighting the wild beasts of my mad

desires and passions. When I ate bread, I thought of the meat and fish that I had had in abundance in

Egypt. I also missed the wine that I enjoyed so much

when I was in the world, while here I did not even

have water. I suffered from thirst and hunger. I also

had a crazy desire for lewd songs, which I seemed to

hear and which would disturb by heart and my

hearing!

Constantly weeping and striking myself on the

breast, I remembered the Sacred Vow I had made

and at last I beheld a Radiant Light shining on

me from everywhere. After such a violent

tempest, a Lasting Calm ensued!” She described in detail her Spiritual Struggles against the

vile temptations of the evil one and how THE

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS OF OUR LADY THEOTOKOS

SUSTAINED AND STRENGTHENED HER. “... from that time until now, the Mother of God helps me in

everything!”

c AS FLAWED, STRUGGLING SINNERS, WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET AND THERE IS PLENTY OF HOLY

ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO

BESEECH GOD, HIS HEAVENLY HOSTS AND ALL HIS

HOLY SAINTS, ESPECIALLY THE EVER BLESSED

THEOTOKOS AND ST JOHN THE BAPTIST WHO STAND ON

EITHER SIDE OF HIS HEAVENLY THRONE!

WE ALSO ASK EACH OTHER TO PRAY FOR US, which we should do without fail.

EVERY UNSELFISH PRAYER IS A GREAT BLESSING for all souls who are concerned with such Prayer – those who pray and those who asked for Prayers!

HOLY ICONS – JUST LIKE OUR PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHS – ARE

REMINDERS OF THE SOULS WHOM WE LOVE AND FOR WHOM

WE PRAY AND KEEP IN OUR HEARTS.

They are little “Windows into Heaven” through which our Supplications are heard by the Church Triumphant and conveyed even higher to Almighty God Whose Great Mercy we constantly seek.

The Holy Hierarch wondered HOW IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR ST MARY OF EGYPT TO SURVIVE ALL THOSE YEARS WITHOUT

FOOD OR CLOTHING TO PROTECT HER FROM THE EXTREME

ELEMENTS OF WEATHER.

St Mary of Egypt explained: “After finishing my bread, I lived on herbs and various things one finds in

the desert. The clothes I had when I crossed over

the Jordan River became torn and fell apart. I

suffered both from the summer heat, when the

blazing heat fell upon me, and from the winter cold,

when I shivered from the frost. Many times I fell

down upon the earth, as though I was dead. I

struggled with various afflictions and

temptations, but from that time until the present

day, the Power of God has guarded by sinful

soul and humble body – I was Fed and Clothed

by the All Powerful Word of God...”

Christ taught His Apostles and Disciples about the Divine Providence of God, which He demonstrated on several occasions when only a miniscule amount of food was

available and such huge multitudes needed sustenance.

God always provides us with enough to keep body and soul together, and more often than not, He even grants us an abundance so that we have the opportunity of sharing it with those who have less than us.

St Mary of Egypt – just like St John the Baptist and many other Holy Ascetics – were mystically sustained by God despite the difficult conditions of the desert or wilderness.

And she mentioned several quotations from Holy Scripture, which further astonished St Zosimas because, as she told him: “... I have seen no human

face but yours from the time that I crossed over the

Jordan River. I never learnt from books. I have

never heard anyone read or sing from them.

Perhaps the Word of God, Who is Alive and

Active, teaches mankind Knowledge by Itself...” Once again, we behold the Great Divine Mystery of God

Who bestowed upon St Mary of Egypt so much Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding of the Verbal and Written Holy Truth of God!

c WHEN WE SURRENDER OURSELVES BODY AND SOUL TO GOD, THE IMPOSSIBLE REALLY DOES BECOME ABSOLUTELY

POSSIBLE BY DIVINE GRACE and we will find ourselves capable of doing the most extraordinary, unexpected things in this life that are far beyond normal, human, logical or scientific explanation!

Nevertheless, it is imperative to ALWAYS STRIVE FOR

SINCERE HUMILITY AND EAGER OBEDIENCE TO GOD –

ALWAYS FULFILLING HIS DIVINE WILL EXCLUSIVELY FOR HIS

GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP.

And so it was with St Mary of Egypt who voiced her ongoing concern for her True Repentance: “... I beg you for the sake of the Incarnate Word of God,

Holy Abba, pray for me, a sinner!”

c OUR REPENTANCE CONTINUES UNTIL OUR VERY LAST BREATH!

So, Dearly Beloved, let us keep in mind THIS WONDERFUL AND INSPIRING EXAMPLE OF TRUE HUMILITY, REPENTANCE AND OBEDIENCE THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR SUCH A FORMERLY WICKED AND DEBAUCHED SINNER TO ATTAIN THE GRACE OF GOD.

Let us forever remember SUCH UTTER FAITH AND TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN THE PROVIDENCE AND GREAT MERCY OF GOD THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ST MARY OF EGYPT TO LITERALLY WALK ON WATER, TO ELEVATE WHILE PRAYING, TO SURVIVE THE HARSHEST OF CONDITIONS WITHOUT ANY HARM TO HER PHYSICAL OR MENTAL STATE, TO DEFEAT THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE EVIL ONE BY CONTROLLING THE INSISTENT DESIRES OF THE FLESH BY THE SHEER STRENGTH OF HER BEAUTIFUL, RENEWED IMMORTAL SOUL

AND TO RECEIVE THE INFINITE GRACE OF GOD - the Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding of God’s Divine, Eternal Truth that sets us free and grants us Eternal Life!

(The complete Life of St Mary of Egypt is read during THE GREAT CANON OF ST ANDREW OF CRETE, whose exquisite composition EXPRESSES DEEP CONTRITION FOR ALL OUR SINS AND A YEARNING FOR TRUE REPENTANCE AND A

CLOSE, INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD – an Eternal Life of His Abundant Blessings.)

BY THE GRACE OF GOD: MARGUERITE PAIZIS, UNWORTHY ARCHONDISSA & TEACHER BY DIVINE GRACE, PATRIARCHATE OF ALEXANDRIA & ALL AFRICA, ARCHDIOCESE OF GOOD HOPE, HOLY CHURCH OF THE DORMITION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, PORT ELIZABETH, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

AFTER YEARS ALONE WITH GOD, HER BODY AND SOUL LIE NAKED AND

EXPOSED TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. . .

IN THE DESERT, THE WILL OF GOD IS MAGNIFIED, AND THERE ST MARY

OF EGYPT FINDS PEACE - “GLORIOUS REST” - WITHIN HER HEART.

WITH A PURE HEART, THE LIGHT PENETRATES DIRECTLY THROUGH THE

WINDOWS OF HER SOUL; SHE HAS SHED HER HEAVY OUTER

GARMENTS.

THE QUIET FORCES WITHIN MY HEART GO UNNOTICED WHILE I SCAMPER

THROUGH LIFE AT HIGH SPEED, AND WHILE WEARING HEAVY OUTER

GARMENTS THE LIGHT CANNOT PENETRATE MY SOUL.

MY JOURNEY INTO THE DESERT DOES NOT INVOLVE TRAVEL ACROSS THE

JORDAN, BUT A JOURNEY WITHIN MY OWN HEART.

IN THIS DESERT OF MY SOUL, THE WILL OF GOD IS MAGNIFIED.

FOR A LONG JOURNEY WITHIN, I MUST SHED MY THICK CLOAK AND

REPLACE IT WITH A TRANSPARENT GARMENT.

WITHOUT A HEAVY OUTER GARMENT AROUND MY SOUL, I WILL SEE THE

LIGHT SHINW BRIGHTLY IN THE CLEAR SKY.

“A Saint’s Cloak” by Janice Bidwell – www.pravmir.com

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G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e 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.

7 Apr i l 2 0 1 2

S a t u r d a y o f t h e R a i s i n g o f S t L a z a r o s

Also the Feast of St Tikhon of Moscow & Apostle to America – St Daniel the Abbot of

Pereyaslavl-Zalesski – St Calliopios of Pompeiopolis, Cilicia – St Rufinos the Deacon,

St Aquilina & 200 Soldiers of Sinope - St Serapion of Egypt – St George the Confessor of

Mytilene

Apo ly t i k i on O f Sa t ur day O f T he Ra i s i ng O f S t Lazar os –––– TONE 1

Tin kinin ananstasin pro tou Sou Pathos pistoumenos,

ek nekron igiras ton Lazaron Hriste O Theos, othen

ke imis, os i Pedes, ta tis Nikis Simvola ferontes, Si

to Niki ti tou Thanatou voomen. Osanna en tis

Ipsistis, Evlogimenos O erhoemenos en Onomati

Kyriou.

O Christ our God, before Thy Passion, Thou raised Lazaros from the dead to confirm the common Resurrection for all. Therefore, we carry the Symbols of Victory as did the Youths, and we cry out to Thee, the Victor over Death: "Hosanna in the Highest.

Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the

Lord!" Kon tak i on O f Sa t ur day O f T he Ra i s i ng O f S t Lazaros - TONE 2

I panton Hara, Hristos i Alithia, to Fos i Zoi, tou

kosmou i Anastasis, tis en gi pefanerote, ti Aftou

Agathotiti, ke gegone tipos tis Anastaseos, tis pasi

Parehon Thian afesin.

Christ, the Joy of all, the Truth, the Light, the Life, the Resurrection of the world, in His Goodness, appeared to those on earth; and He became the pattern of the Resurrection, by granting Divine Remission to all.

Ins t ead o f t h e T r i sag i on Hymn :

Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.

Allilouia! [3]

> Doxa Patri, ke Io, ke Agio Pnevmati ke nin ke Ai

ke is tous eonas ton eonon.

Amin

Hriston enedisasthe. Allilouia!

Dynamis!

Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.

Allilouia!

As many as have been Baptised into Christ, have put on Christ: Alleluia! [3]

> Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the

Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of

ages.

Amen

Have put on Christ: Alleluia!

Power/Strength

As many as have been Baptised into Christ, have put on Christ: Alleluia!

S t P a u l ’ s E p i s t l e t t h e H e b r e w s 1 2 : 2 8 – 1 3 : 8 The Pur i ty o f C hr i s t i an C ommuni t y

Brethren: Since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have Grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly Fear. For our God is a Consuming Fire.

Let brotherly Love continue. Do not forget to welcome strangers, for by doing so some have unwittingly hosted Angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them – those who are mistreated – since you yourselves are in the Body also. Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled: but fornicators and adulterers God will Judge. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with the things that you have. For Christ Himself has said; “I will

never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear. What can mankind

do to me?”

Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the Word of God to you, whose Faith you follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

ONLY THOSE THINGS THAT ARE CREATED CAN BE SHAKEN AND

EVEN DESTROYED – THE TEMPORAL, IMPERMANENT AND

IMPERFECT.

THE FINAL CONSUMMATION OF THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD

IS UNSHAKABLE AND INDESTRUCTIBLE AND ENDURES

FOREVER – FOR ALL ETERNITY AND EVERYTHING OF

ETERNITY IS EVERLASTING, UNCHANGEABLE AND

IMPERISHABLE.

That is why we must prepare ourselves throughout this lifetime to become fitting or worthy Spiritual Citizens of God’s Eternal Kingdom of Love, Peace and Joy – by means of all the Spiritual Tools with which Christ our Lord and Saviour has provided us – all His Divine Commandments and Teachings.

ETERNAL LIFE IS CONTINUOUS EUCHARISTIC (THANKSGIVING)

DIVINE LITURGY.

“Grace” is a reference to our sincere and profound gratitude that compels us to serve God and to worship Him in an acceptable manner, with proper “Reverence and Godly Fear.”

Practical Brotherly Love is to be shown towards all fellow Christians and Disciples of Christ – and especially towards the lowly, the powerless, and all victims of cruelty and injustice.

“Strangers” are travellers in need of Christian Hospitality. THE HOSPITALITY OF ABRAHAM THE ANCIENT PATRIARCH IS A

GOOD EXAMPLE TO US: he never ate a meal unless he had others with whom to share it. The day came when he hosted three very special Visitors – the Holy Trinity – at the Oaks of Mamre, where they left their three staffs of cypress, cedar and pine imbedded in the earth, which grew into a most unique Tree. (GENESIS 18 : 1 – 8 & 19: 1 – 3)

(WHEN SOLOMON WAS BUILDING HIS FIRST GREAT TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM

CENTURIES LATER, THE TRINITY TREE WAS CUT DOWN BUT THE WOOD

WAS NEVER USED AND MERELY THROWN ASIDE, UNTIL THE CRUCIFIXION

OF CHRIST WHEN HE WAS FORCED TO CARRY THE HEAVY CROSS-BAR AS

PART OF HIS PUBLIC HUMILIATION AND PUNISHMENT, BEFORE BEING

NAILED AT THE WRISTS TO IT. IT WAS THEN FASTENED TO THE UPRIGHT

POLE WHICH WAS SECURED IN A HOLE IN THE ROCK ON GOLGOTHA. AFTER

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HIS DEATH, THE CROSS-BAR WAS TAKEN DOWN, CHRIST WAS UNNAILED

BUT ACCORDING TO HEBREW CUSTOM, EVERY DROP OF BLOOD WAS

BURIED WITH THE MORTAL REMAINS, SO THE CROSS-BAR AND NAILS

WOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN OUR LORD’S TOMB AND LATER

REMOVED AND PRESERVED BY THE FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS AFTER HIS

GLORIOUS RESURRECTION.)

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 1 1 : 1 – 4 5 Our Lor d Jesus Chr i s t i s t h e Resur r e c t i on and t he L i fe

At that time, a certain man was sick: Lazaros of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister, Martha. It was that Martha who had anointed our Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His Feet with her hair, whose brother, Lazaros, was sick. Therefore, the sisters sent a message to Jesus, saying: “Lord, behold: he whom Thou Love is sick.”

When Jesus heard that, He said: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the Glory of God so that the Son of God may be Glorified through it.”

Now Jesus Loved Martha and her sister, and Lazaros, so when He heard that Lazaros was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this, He said to His Disciples: “Let us go to Judea again.”

The Disciples said to Him: “Rabbi, lately the Hebrews sought to stone Thee, and art Thou going there again?” And Jesus answered: “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the Light is

not in him.”

These things He said, and after that He said to them: “Our friend, Lazaros, sleeps, but I go so that I may wake him up.” And His Disciples said: “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get well.” However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He spoke of taking rest in sleep. So Jesus told them plainly: “Lazaros is dead. And I Am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let us go to him.” And Thomas, who was called “the Twin,” said to his fellow Disciples: “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

So when Jesus went, He found that Lazaros had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Hebrews had joined the women around

Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. And Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary sat in the house.

And Martha said to Jesus: “Lord, if thou had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now, I know that

whatever Thou ask of God, God will grant Thee.” Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him: “I know that he will rise again in the Resurrection at the Last Day.” Jesus said to her: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life: he who believes in me, although he may die, he shall Live. And whoever lives

and believes in Me, shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him: “Yes, Lord, I believe that Thou art the Christ – the Son of God Who is to come into the world.”

And having said these things, Martha went her way, and secretly called Mary, her sister, saying: “The Teacher has come

and is calling for you.” And as soon as Mary heard that, she quickly arose and went to Him. Now Jesus had not yet gone into the town, but was in the place where Martha had met Him. When the Hebrews, who

were with her in the house, comforting her, saw that Mary had quickly arisen and gone out, they followed her, saying: “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”

And when Mary arrived where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His Feet, saying to Him: “O Lord, if Thou had been here, my brother would not have died.” Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Hebrews who had come with her, weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said: “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him: “Lord, come and see.”

Jesus wept. And the Hebrews said; “See how He Loved him!” And some of them said: “Could not this Man Who opened the eyes of

the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” And Jesus, again groaning within Himself, went to the tomb, which was a cave, and a stone lay against it. And Jesus said: “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him: “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days!” Jesus said to her: “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the Glory of God?”

Then they took away the stone from the cave where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His Eyes and said: “O Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me. And I know that Thou always hears Me, but because of the

people who are standing by, I say this, so that they may believe that Thou sent Me.”

Now when Jesus had said these things, He cried with a loud Voice: “Lazaros! Come forth!” and he who had died came out, bound hand and foot with grave-cloths, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. And Jesus said to them: “Loosen him, and let him go.”

And many of the Hebrews who had gone to Mary, and had seen the things that Jesus did, believed in Him, but some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things that Jesus had done.

T h e B e g i n n i n g o f t h e C r o s s – S a t u r d a y o f S t L a z a r o s “Having fulfilled Forty Days ... we ask to see the Holy

Week of Thy Passion.” With these words of Friday Vespers, GREAT LENT COMES TO AN END AND WE ENTER INTO THE ANNUAL COMMEMORATION OF CHRIST’S

SUFFERING, DEATH AND RESURRECTION, WHICH BEGINS

ON THE SATURDAY OF ST LAZAROS. THE DOUBLE FEAST OF ST LAZAROS’ RESURRECTION AND THE

TRIUMPHANT ENTRANCE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

INTO JERUSALEM (PALM SUNDAY) IS described in Liturgical texts as “... the beginning of the Cross...” and is to be understood therefore, within the context of the Holy Week.

The common Troparion of these Holy Days explicitly affirms that BY RAISING ST LAZAROS FROM THE DEAD, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST CONFIRMED THE TRUTH OF THE

GENERAL RESURRECTION. It is highly significant that we are led into the darkness

of the Cross by one of the Twelve Major Feasts of our Church.

Light and Joy shine not only at the end of Holy Week, but also at the beginning – illuminating darkness itself and reveal its ultimate meaning.

All those who are familiar with Orthodox Worship know the peculiar, almost paradoxical character of Lazaros Saturday Services.

It is. a Resurrection Service on a Saturday – a day that is usually devoted to the Liturgical Commemoration of the Reposed.

And the Joy that permeates these Holy Services stresses one central theme: the forthcoming Victory of Christ over Death and Hades.

Hades is the Biblical term for Death in its universal power – for that inescapable darkness and destruction that swallows all life and poisons with its shadow the whole world.

But now – with the Resurrection of St Lazaros – “... Death begins to tremble...” for there the decisive duel between Life and Death begins, and it gives us THE KEY TO THE ENTIRE LITURGICAL MYSTERY OF HOLY PASCHA.

In the early Church, ST LAZAROS SATURDAY was referred to as “the Announcement of Pascha,” since it ANNOUNCES AND ANTICIPATES, INDEED, THE WONDERFUL

LIGHT AND PEACE OF THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY – GREAT

AND HOLY SATURDAY – THE DAY OF THE LIFE-GIVING

TOMB.

Let us first of all, however, understand that ST LAZAROS - A BELOVED FRIEND OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST –

PERSONIFIES THE WHOLE OF MANKIND – he symbolises each and every one of us human beings, while

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BETHANY, the hometown of St Lazaros, SYMBOLISES THE WHOLE EARTH – OUR WORLDLY HOME BECAUSE WE

WERE CREATED TO BE TRUE AND BELOVED FRIENDS

(ADOPTED FAMILY) OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

WE HAVE ALL BEEN CALLED TO THAT DIVINE RELATIONSHIP – by attaining the Knowledge of God, by our Holy Communion with Him and sharing in and partaking of our Holy Life in Christ, which is Eternal Life: “In Him is Life and the Life is the Light of

mankind.” (JOHN 1:4) And yet this special Friend whom God Loves, whom He

created out of His infinite Divine Love and whom He Called back to life was destroyed and annihilated by an evil power that was NOT created by God – Death!

GOD ENCOUNTERS IN HIS OWN WORLD A POWER THAT

INTERFERES WITH AND DESTROYS HIS PERFECT DESIGN

AND THE WORLD BECOMES A PLACE OF LAMENTATION

AND SORROW, TEARS AND LOSS.

We often wonder: How is that possible? How did that happen? And such questions are implied in St John the Divine Apostle, Evangelist and Theologian’s detailed narrative of our Lord Jesus Christ’s going to the tomb of His Beloved Friend, St Lazaros, and there our Lord “Jesus wept.” (JOHN 11:35)

Why did our Lord Jesus weep if He knew that in a moment He would Call St Lazaros back to earthly life?

Byzantine Hymnographers failed to grasp the True Meaning of those most sad and Compassionate Tears, yet they ascribed them to His human

Nature, whereas His Power of Resurrection

belongs to His Divine Nature. However, the Holy Orthodox Church teaches us that ALL

ACTIONS OF CHRIST ARE “THEANDRIC” – BOTH HUMAN

AND DIVINE – AND ARE THE ACTIONS OF THE ONE AND

SAME ETERNAL GOD-MAN.

So then the Precious Tears that our Loving Lord

shed are not only due to His human Nature but

also due to His Merciful and Loving Divine

Nature. Our Lord Jesus Christ wept at the tomb of St Lazaros

because HE CONTEMPLATED THE TRIUMPH OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION IN THIS BEAUTIFUL WORLD THAT HE

HAD CREATED.

St Martha of Bethany, the sister of St Lazaros, tried to prevent Him from approaching the decomposing corpse: “Lord, by this time there is a stench...!”

THESE WORDS APPLIED TO THE ENTIRE WORLD – TO ALL

FALLEN, EARTHLY LIFE.

GOD IS LIFE AND THE GIVER OF LIFE. He Called mankind

into the Divine Reality of Life and yet, behold:

“... there is a stench...!” THE WORLD WAS CREATED TO REFLECT AND PROCLAIM THE

GLORY OF GOD and now “... there is a stench...!” At the tomb of St Lazaros God confronted Death – the

Reality of anti-life, of destruction and despair. He confronted His Enemy who has stolen and

plundered His Creation and made himself its

Prince. And we who follow our Lord Jesus Christ as He

approaches the Tomb, enter with Him into that

Hour of His, which He announced so often as THE CLIMAX AND THE FULFILMENT OF HIS WHOLE WORK.

] THE HOLY CROSS OF CHRIST, ITS NECESSITY AND ITS

UNIVERSAL MEANING, ARE ANNOUNCED IN THE

SHORTEST VERSE OF THE HOLY GOSPEL OF CHRIST:

“JESUS WEPT.”

We now understand that it is because He wept for His Beloved Friend, St Lazaros, that He had the

Power to Call him back to life.

] THE POWER OF RESURRECTION IS NOT A

DIVINE POWER BY ITSELF, BUT THE POWER

OF DIVINE LOVE, OR RATHER LOVE AS

POWER! GOD IS LOVE AND LOVE IS LIFE!

LOVE CREATES LIFE AND IT IS LOVE THAT WEEPS AT THE

TOMB, AND IT IS LOVE THAT RESTORES LIFE.

This is the meaning of the Divine Tears of our Lord Jesus. His Tears clearly show us that LOVE IS ACTIVE – RECREATING, REDEEMING AND RESTORING the darkened life of mankind.

“...He cried with a loud Voice: ‘Lazaros! Come forth’” and so it is that Saturday of the Raising of St Lazaros is THE BEGINNING OF BOTH THE HOLY CROSS –

SYMBOLISING CHRIST’S SUPREME SACRIFICE OF LOVE –

AND HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION, WHICH IS THE

ULTIMATE TRIUMPH OF DIVINE LOVE. ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “LAZAROS SATURDAY” BY THE VERY

REVEREND ALEXANDER SCHMEMANN (2009) http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/29999.htm

T h e R e s u r r e c t i o n o f S t L a z a r o s o f B e t h a n y Today we hear the Apostle – St Paul - reminding us:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today,

and forever.” IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER THESE

WORDS ALWAYS, because there are a lot of people who are speculating - trying to figure out - WHO IS our Lord Jesus - based on I don’t know what sort of speculative, philosophical foundation.

They treat Him as some sort of an idea instead of as being a very real, but most extraordinary Person.

In fact, there are right now plenty of books and articles being written, which flatly reject Jesus Christ as a Person – they treat Him as perhaps only some sort of a proposition, philosophical idea or imaginary myth!

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

WE, WHO ARE CHRISTIANS (STRUGGLING DISCIPLES OF CHRIST) KNOW

HIM PERSONALLY. WE HAVE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF

HIM.

OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF HIM IS THE SAME PERSONAL

EXPERIENCE THAT CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN HAVING FOR

OVER TWO THOUSAND YEARS, and not just in a particular place, but always, and everywhere.

If we go to Borneo today, let’s say, and talk to any Christian there about Jesus Christ, and our

Experience of Him, we are going to find out

that certainly we do know the same Person -

the same Jesus Christ. They know Him, and we

know Him. We could go to Russia, Africa, Australia – around the

world, wherever we like - and OUR EXPERIENCE AS CHRISTIANS WOULD BE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME

TO THEM AS HE IS TO US. HE IS DEFINITELY NOT

DIFFERENT! (HE IS EXACTLY THE SAME ETERNAL SON OF GOD INCARNATE -

TO EACH OF US! HE IS OUR LORD GOD, OUR CREATOR, OUR SAVIOUR, OUR HOPE AND OUR LIFE!)

We are different. We are weak and sick. We are betrayers and deceivers. We try to restrict Him, diminish Him, disrespect Him and ‘control’ Him instead of accepting Him for exactly and truly WHO HE IS.

Nevertheless, it does not matter – OUR LORD JESUS

CHRIST REMAINS THE SAME FOREVER! And it is extremely important for us to remember this

throughout the course of our life. It is vitally important for us - looking at and

remembering what we have just encountered with the Resurrection of St Lazaros - that THIS IS MOST

CERTAINLY THE TRUTH: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Jesus Christ Who raised St Lazaros from the dead (EVEN THOUGH HE HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO DECOMPOSE!) is the same Jesus Christ Who is our Hope, and our Resurrection, too.

THE RESURRECTION OF ST LAZAROS IS THE FORESHADOWING

OF OUR LORD’S GLORIOUS RESURRECTION VERY SOON

AFTERWARDS, AND ALSO OF OUR OWN RESURRECTION.

They are all connected. (THEY ARE ALL ONE AND THE SAME GLORIOUS RESURRECTION.)

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS “THE RESURRECTION, AND THE

LIFE.”

This is a practical application of WHO HE IS - this Jesus Christ Who “ ... is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

HE IS THE RESURRECTION, AND THE LIFE. HE IS OUR ETERNAL

HOPE. HE IS OUR ETERNAL LIFE.

It is interesting, too, to contemplate and remember the words of the sisters of St Lazaros.

Usually when we think of St Mary and St Martha of Bethany, we think of the Sacred Lesson that is read on the Holy Feasts of our Ever Blessed Lady

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Theotokos: St Martha was preoccupied with and flustered by her culinary duties for their Honoured Guest while St Mary sat quietly at the Feet of our Lord Jesus, listening carefully to all He said.

There’s a tendency - especially with our habitual comparison of busy people to St Martha - to regard them as mere “doers,” while those like St Mary are “mere listeners.”

Yet, it is erroneous to distinguish so precisely between two such characters, for St Martha immediately said to Christ when she met up with Him: “Lord, if Thou had been here, my brother would not have died.

But even now, I know that whatever Thou ask of

God, God will grant Thee.” And St Mary, having hastened to meet Him used exactly

the same words as her sister: “O Lord, if Thou had been here, my brother would not have died.”

St Mary and St Martha had different personalities, as sisters normally do. They are sisters, but they are not identical. Yet, their Relationship with Christ was the same.

Together they knew with any doubt exactly WHO HE IS.

Although St Mary of Bethany was a more contemplative person and St Martha was more active, it did not change their relationship with our Lord Jesus, for NEITHER SISTER WAS INFERIOR TO THE OTHER – THEY

WERE JUST DIFFERENT – AND AS UNIQUE AS EACH OF US IS! THESE DIFFERENCES THAT THE LORD CREATES IN US

EXPRESS THE VAST VARIETY OF HIS WONDERFUL

CREATION AND OF HIS INFINITE LOVE.

WE ARE ALL VERY DIFFERENT PEOPLE: our lives are different; our experiences are different; our Gifts are different (even though we may sometimes look similar, like identical twins).

However, even identical twins do not have identical

personalities. As much as arrogant, egocentric, and godless scientists

may think that cloning human beings would make another identical person, they have been proved to be wrong.

ONLY GOD CAN GRANT LIFE to someone who had been cloned by such reckless people who would very quickly realise that the cloned creature is not the same as the prototype.

A CLONE IS STILL A DIFFERENT, UNIQUE

CREATURE with different experiences and with

different abilities ACCORDING TO WHAT GOD HAS GRANTED.

The Lord grants life – and it is most certainly not

due to any human ‘experiment – and if a human being was cloned, our Lord would still use that person for His Glory, Honour and Worship.

And I say that because we are capable of such horrible things.

] NEVERTHELESS, WITHOUT FAIL, THE LORD, WHO IS THE

ETERNAL GIVER OF LIFE, IS STILL THE LORD OF ALL

CREATION – the visible and the invisible and our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is “...the same

yesterday, today, and forever” is not subject to our stupidity and our recklessness!

HE IS THE ONE WHO SHOWS US HIS DIVINE TRUTH and although we may think we are so intelligent, God says, as it were: “All right, I will give life to this

person, and I’ll show you. See if you can

understand. This person is not some exact replica,

because a human being cannot be an exact

replica of another person!” When God grants life to any person, He grants life

uniquely to that person. EVERY CREATURE - NO MATTER WHAT - IS CREATED

UNIQUELY, with its own unique personality, with its own unique gifts, with its own unique responsibilities, with its own unique Ministry.

THE LORD, WHO IS THE GIVER OF LIFE, IS THAT WAY WITH US.

HIS DIVINE LOVE IS LIKE THAT WITH US. IT IS NOT

LIMITED like we are (and think we are not). ] GOD IS THE GIVER OF LIFE - THE SUSTAINER OF

EVERYTHING – ALL CREATION, WHICH IS DUE TO HIS

INFINITE LOVE FOR US.

Therefore, He gives life to St Lazaros today, and He gives Life to you, and to me.

GOD IS OUR HOPE! HE IS OUR SALVATION! HE IS OUR

EVERYTHING!

It is important for us to remember every day of our lives to TURN OVER EVERYTHING TO HIM, TO OFFER

EVERYTHING TO HIM, TO CONNECT EVERYTHING TO, AND WITH HIM, AND TO GLORIFY HIM IN EVERYTHING,

TOGETHER WITH HIS FATHER, WHO IS FROM

EVERLASTING, AND HIS ALL-HOLY, GOOD, AND LIFE-

GIVING SPIRIT, now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS” BY ARCHBISHOP SERAPHIM, † ARCHDIOCESE OF CANADA - ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA

http://www.archdiocese.ca/e_bishop/desk/2008/2008.04.19.Lazarus%20Saturday.htm

T h e E t e r n a l a n d I n s p i r e d W i s d o m o f o u r H o l y C h u r c h F a t h e r s

S t . G r e g o r y P a l a m a s The Commemoration of Christ's Saving Passion is at hand, and the new, great Spiritual Passover, which is the

Reward for Dispassion and the prelude of the world to come. Lazaros proclaims it in advance by coming back from the depths of Hades and rising from the dead on the fourth day just by Voice and Command of God, Who has Power over Life and Death. (CF. JN. 11:1-45 & “THE HOMILIES” VOL. 1- ST. TIKHON'S SEMINARY PRESS - PG. 168)

S t A u g u s t i n e "Emotions and affections - when they are exercised in a

becoming way - follow the Guidance of Right Reason; who will dare to say that they are diseases or vicious passions?

Even the Lord Himself, when He condescended to lead a human Life in the form of a slave, had no sin whatever, and yet exercised these emotions where He judged they should be exercised.

For as there was in Him a True human Body and a True human Soul, so also was there True human Emotion.

When, therefore, we read in the Gospel that the hard-heartedness of the Jews moved Him to sorrowful indignation that - when about to raise Lazaros - He even shed tears, that He earnestly desired to eat the Passover with His Disciples, that as His Passion drew near, His Soul was sorrowful - these emotions are certainly not falsely ascribed to Him.

But as He became Man when it pleased Him, so, in the Grace of His definite Purpose, when it pleased Him He experienced those emotions in His human soul." (CF. MARK 3:5 – JOHN 11:35 - LUKE 22:15 - MATTHEW 26:38 - THE NICENE AND ANTE-NICENE FATHERS: FIRST SERIES VOL. II; EERDMANS PG. 269):

S t A t h a n a s i o s "How can it be other than right to worship the Body of

the Lord, All-Holy and All-Reverend as It is, announced as It was by the Archangel Gabriel, Formed by the Holy Spirit, and made by the Vesture of the Word?

It was, at any rate, with a bodily Hand that the Word stretched out to raise her who was sick of a fever;

with a human Voice that He uttered to raise Lazaros from the dead and, once again, stretching out His Hands upon the Cross, He overthrew the prince of the power of the air, who now works in the sons of disobedience, and made the Way clear for us into the Heavens." (MARK 1:31 - JOHN 11:43 – EPHESIANS 2:2 - THE NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS: SECOND SERIES; EERDMANS PG. 577):

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G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e 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.

8 Apr i l 2 0 1 2

P a l m S u n d a y

O u r L o r d ’ s T r i u m p h a n t E n t r y i n t o J e r u s a l e m

Also the Feast of St Herodion, St Agabos, St Asynkritos, St Rufos, St Phelgon and

St Hermes of the 70 Holy Apostles of Christ – St Niphon of Novgorod – St Rufos

the Obedient Hermit of the Kiev Far Caves –St Pausilippos of Heraclea, Thrace – St

Celestine of Rome – St John the New Martyr

Apo l y t i k ia O f Pa lm Sunday –––– TONE 4TONE 4TONE 4TONE 4

Tin kinin Anastasi pro tou Sou Pathous pistoumenos, ek

nekron igiras ton Lazaron Hriste O Theos; othen ke

imis O i pedes, ta tis Nikis simvia ferontes, Si to

Nikiti tou Thanatou voomen; Osanna en tis

Ipsistis! Evlogimenos O erhomenos en Onomati

Kyriou.

Sindafentes Si di dia tou Baprismatos, Hriste O Theos

imon, tis Athanatou Zois i xiothimen ti Anastasi Sou,

ke animnountes krazomen: Osanna en tis Ipsitis!

Evlogimenos O erhomenos, en Onomati Kyriou!

Of the common Resurrection before Thy Passion assuring us, from the dead Thou raised Lazaros, O Christ our God; therefore we also, like the children, carrying symbols of Victory, to Thee the Victor over Death, we cry: Hosannah in the Highest! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!

As by Baptism we are buried with Thee, O Christ our God, so by Thy Resurrection we are made worthy of Eternal Life; and praising Thee, we cry aloud: Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He Who

comes in the Name of the Lord! Kon tak i on O f Pa lm Sunday

To Throno en Ourano, to polo epi tis gis, epohoumenos,

Hriste, O Theos, ton Angelon, tin enesin, ke ton

pedon animnisin, prosedeho voonton Si:

Evlogimenos O erhomenos, ton Adam

anakalesasthe.

In Heaven upon a Throne, on earth upon a colt, being carried, O Christ our God, Thou accepted the Angels’ praise and the children’s extolling Hymns, as they cried out to Thee: Blessed is He Who comes, fallen Adam to recall again!

M a t i n s G o s p e l : M a t t h e w 2 1 : 1 - 1 1 ; 1 5 - 1 7 The T r i umphan t En t r y I n t o J er usa l em By Ou r T r ue Mess ian i c K ing And Lor d God – J esus Chr i s t

At that time, when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two Disciples, saying to them: “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loosen then and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say: “The Lord has need of

them,’ and immediately he will send them.” All this was done so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, Thy

King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, a foal of a donkey.”

So the Disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes upon the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them upon the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!”

And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying: “Who is this?” So the multitudes said: “This is Jesus, the Prophet from Nazareth of Galilee!”

But when the Chief Priests and Scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the Temple and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and said to Him: “Dost Thou hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them: “Yes. Have you never read: “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants Thou has perfected praise”?

Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem is celebrated by the Holy Church on Palm Sunday.

By the time of Christ, Jewish Nationalism had led to the expectation of a political Messiah to deliver them from Roman oppression and rule and to re-establish King David’s Kingdom.

In utter Humility, our Lord Jesus emphasised the fact that He had not come to establish an earthly Kingdom because He did not enter Jerusalem on a horse or in a chariot like a conquering hero but instead He entered on a donkey – a real sign of His Humility and Peace. (SEE THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH 9:9 LXX)

c CHRIST’S TRIUMPHAL ENTRANCE INTO THE HOLY CITY

DECLARED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM

OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

c IT WAS ALSO A DIVINE PROMISE OF OUR LORD JESUS

CHRIST’S FINAL ENTRANCE INTO THE HEAVENLY

JERUSALEM TOGETHER WITH ALL FAITHFUL

BELIEVERS AND OF HIS ACCEPTING THE NEW

JERUSALEM AS HIS PURE BRIDE. (SEE THE REVELATION OF CHRIST – THE APOCALYPSE 21:2)

THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH – “THE NEW JERUSALEM” - IS TRULY THE ALL PURE BRIDE OF CHRIST WHO IS THE DIVINE BRIDEGROOM

St Matthew recorded in his Holy Gospel that there was A COLT AS WELL AS A DONKEY and our Holy Church Fathers regard the two animals as REPRESENTING THE FAITHFUL

HEBREWS AND THE GENTILES WHO ARE BROUGHT

TOGETHER IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

At Vespers of Palm Sunday we sing: “Thy riding upon a foal prefigured how the untamed and uninstructed

Gentiles would pass from unbelief to Faith.” Those people who spread their clothes upon the ground

before our Lord Jesus Christ, did so as a spontaneous gesture of reverence to a great King and it is Spiritually Interpreted as OUR NEED TO LAY DOWN OUR FLESH AND INDEED, OUR VERY LIVES, FOR CHRIST.

“Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!” comes from Psalm 117:25-26, which was associated with MESSIANIC EXPECTATION.

It was recited daily for six days during the Feast of Tabernacles, and seven times on the 7th Day as branches were waved.

“Hosanna!” means “Save, we pray!” At Vespers of Palm Sunday we sing: “Keep the Feast with

the children, and holding branches in your hands,

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sing ‘Hosanna....’” many Liturgical Hymns of this day emphasise the perfect Praises of the children, which, unlike that of adults, were innocent, fitting, unashamed and from pure Love.

c WE ARE ALL CALLED TO GLORIFY CHRIST IN THE SAME

SPIRIT OF UNASHAMED AND PURE LOVE!

In contrast, the adults’ Praises carried earthly expectations and hidden agendas which, when left unfulfilled, led them to rebel against our Lord Jesus Christ just a mere five days later!

AS USUAL, THE EVIL ONE ALWAYS USES OUR HUMAN WEAKNESSES AND SELFISH DESIRES AGAINST US AND AGAINST THE WILL THE GOD.

IN THE CASE OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR, THE ENEMIES OF GOD USED THE EARTHLY DESIRES AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE PEOPLE AS AN EXCUSE FOR THEIR UNJUST AND UNLAWFUL PUNISHMENT AND EXECUTION OF CHRIST.

HOWEVER, THE LORD OUR GOD, VOLUNTARILY SUBMITTED TO THEIR EVIL SCHEMES SO THAT HE COULD ENTER HADES, SMASH OPEN ITS GATES AND SET THE RIGHTEOUS FREE. FROM THAT MOMENT ONWARDS, THE RIGHTEOUS WOULD REPOSE IN PEACE IN PARADISE UNTIL JUDGEMENT DAY.

P r o k e i m e n o n

BBBBlessed is the Messiah Who comes in the Name of the Lord!

GGGGive thanks to the Lord, for He is Good and His Mercy endures forever! T h e E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e P h i l i p p i a n s 4 : 4 – 9

Exhor t a t i on For Da i l y L i v i ng – T he Secr e t O f Sp i r i t ua l Con ten tment

Brethren: Rejoice in the Lord always! Again, I will say: Rejoice! Let your gladness be known to all mankind! The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by Prayer and Supplication, with Thanksgiving, let your

requests be made known to God: and the Peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, Brethren: whatever things are True, whatever things are Noble, whatever things are Just, whatever things are Pure, whatever things are Lovely, whatever things are of Good Report, if there is any Virtue and if there is anything Praiseworthy – meditate on these things.

The things that you learnt and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of Peace will be with you.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 1 2 : 1 – 1 8 The Ano i n t i ng & The T r i umphal En t r y O f Our Lo rd Jesus Chr i s t

At that time, six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazaros was who had been dead and whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served but Lazaros was one of those who sat at the table with Him. And Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the Feet of Jesus and wiped Them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. And one of His Disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said: “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said - not that he cared for the poor - but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

But Jesus said: “Leave her alone; she has kept this for the Day of My Burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

Now a great many of the Hebrews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but so that they might also see Lazaros whom He had raised from the dead. However, the Chief Priests plotted to put Lazaros to death also, because on account of him, many of the Hebrews had gone away and believed in Jesus.

The next day a great multitude who had gone to the Feast, when they heard that Jesus was going to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, crying out: “Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the

Lord! The King of Israel!” And Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat upon it, as it is written: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting upon a donkey’s colt.” His Disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was Glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. Therefore, the people who were with Him when He called Lazaros out of his tomb, and raised him from the dead, bore witness. For that reason the people also met Him because they heard that He had done that Sign.

This was the third Passover that is mentioned by St John the Divine Theologian in his Holy Gospel and it is the setting for the final week of our Lord and Saviour’s earthly Ministry, which is narrated in careful detail.

c OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD ALREADY BEEN GLORIFIED

THROUGH HIS SIGNS (DIVINE MIRACLES) AND WORDS,

AND IT REMAINED FOR HIM TO BE ULTIMATELY

GLORIFIED THROUGH HIS DEATH AND

RESURRECTION.

The other Disciples had made the same sort of comment as Judas Iscariot concerning the expensive oil of spikenard but with very different motives to his.

At the house of Simon the Leper – (the one grateful leper in a group of ten whom our Lord Jesus had healed) – a woman also used very expensive fragrant oil with which to anoint His Head and although the Disciples protested at the extravagance, our Lord accepted that anointing as an honour from someone who had newly discovered Faith in Him.

He also accepted her loving gesture as a Sign of His approaching Burial. (MATTHEW 26:6 - 13)

Nevertheless, according to St John Chrysostom, His Disciples were not wrong in principle because MERCY SHOWN TO THE POOR IS MORE FITTING THAN OUTWARD

SIGNS OR GESTURES SHOWN EVEN TO GOD. (MATTHEW 25:40;

JAMES 1:27)

However, the Disciples did not understand that ONCE SUCH A GIFT HAD BEEN GIVEN, IT WAS A GREATER MERCY TO

ACCEPT IT WITH LOVE – AGAPE.

“If anyone had asked Christ before the woman did this, He

would not have approved it. But after she had done it,

He looked only to the motive itself. For after the

fragrant oil had been poured, what good was a rebuke?

“Likewise, if you see anyone providing a Sacred Vessel or

Ornament for the walls of a church, do not spoil his

zeal. But if beforehand he asks about it, command

him to give instead to the poor.” (ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM)

JUDAS ISCARIOT WAS MOTIVATED BY HIS INSATIABLE GREED

WHILE THE OTHER DISCIPLES WERE MOTIVATED BY

THEIR VIRTUE OF CHARITY/LOVE.

The fact that our Lord Jesus put such a greedy thief like Judas Iscariot in charge of the money, shows that BY EVERY MEANS POSSIBLE HE TRIED TO SAVE JUDAS

ISCARIOT: Christ fulfilled Judas Iscariot’s lust for money by entrusting him with their limited funds and He allowed him to exercise Apostolic Authority.

Our Lord also washed the feet of Judas Iscariot, just as He did to each of His other Disciples, and HE ALLOWED JUDAS ISCARIOT TO PARTAKE OF THEIR LAST SUPPER -

FROM THE SAME TABLE OF HIS MYSTICAL SUPPER – THE

VERY FIRST HOLY EUCHARIST/COMMUNION.

YET, DESPITE ALL THAT, JUDAS ISCARIOT NEVER OVERCAME

HIS TERRIBLE GREED AND SELFISHNESS.

WHEN JUDAS ISCARIOT IS REFERRED TO AS BEING “ONE OF

THE TWELVE,” IT EMPHASISES THE DEPTH AND EXTENT

OF HIS FATAL BETRAYAL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

WHO ACCEPTED HIM INTO THE INNER SANCTUM OF HIS

EARTHLY MINISTRY.

c It proves and emphasises HOW SHOCKING, DEVASTATING AND DANGEROUS THOUGHTLESS, SELF-SERVING

MOTIVES REALLY ARE – BOTH TOWARDS GOD AND

OUR FELLOW SINNERS!

TRUST IS A PRICELESS, IRREPLACEABLE GIFT WE GIVE TO ONE ANOTHER. IF THAT TRUST IS BROKEN OR DAMAGED, IT CAN NEVER BE REPAIRED OR

REGAINED. CONSEQUENTLY, IF WE BREAK THE TRUST OF OTHERS – WHETHER IN US OR IN

OTHERS - WE WILL BE SEVERELY JUDGED DUE TO THE INESTIMABLE AND IRREPARABLE DAMAGE AND HURT IT CAUSES EVERYONE CONCERNED!

THEREFORE, WITHOUT FAIL TREAT THE WONDERFUL GIFT OF TRUST WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT AND CARE – AND NEVER FOR A MOMENT THINK THAT LIES, DECEPTION, THEFT, ETC WILL REMAIN A HIDDEN SECRET!

SOONER OR LATER, GOD WILL EXPOSE OUR WICKEDNESS TO THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF HIS DIVINE TRUTH FOR THE WHOLE UNIVERSE TO BEHOLD!

ALWAYS BE ABSOLUTELY TRUSTWORTHY TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE TO YOU!!

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EXPOSURE OF OUR SINS IS FAR MORE DEVASTING AND SHAMEFUL THAN WE CAN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND – SO WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE REMAIN STEADFASTLY RIGHTEOUS AND TRUSTWORTHY THROUGH CONSTANT PRAYERS FOR GUIDANCE AND SPIRITUAL ASSISTANCE!

c BE ASHAMED OF YOUR SINS WHEN YOU COMMIT THEM OR ARE TEMPTED TO DO SO, RATHER THAN WHEN YOU REPENT THEM AND CONFESS THEM BEFORE GOD AND HIS HOLY PRIESTHOOD.

S t I g n a t i o s ( B r i a n c h a n i n o v ) O n P a l m S u n d a y

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; proclaim it aloud, O Daughter of Jerusalem; behold, the King is coming to thee, just, and a

Saviour; He is meek and riding on an ass, and a young foal “(ZACHARIAH 9:9).

The Prophet of God pronounced this prophecy over four hundred years before the Event that we commemorate and celebrate today.

Having completed His preaching on the earth, our Lord Jesus Christ made His Triumphant Entry into the Royal City of Jerusalem, into the city where the True God was worshipped, a city in most ways Godly.

The Lord made this Entry as the King and Victor, in order to finish His Service by a decisive exploit: destroying Death by Death; removing the Curse from the human race by taking this Curse upon Himself.

He made His Entry into the Royal City on the colt of an ass, which had never been ridden before, in order to restore to mankind the Royal Dignity which our Forefather had wasted - to restore this Dignity by ascending the Cross. [LUKE 19:30]

The unbroken colt was tamed beneath the Wondrous Rider. The Apostles placed their garments upon the colt; great multitudes of people ran ahead to meet the Lord and to walk alongside Him, shouting in their ecstasy: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name

of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! (LUKE 19:38 - MATTHEW 21:9). Our Lord is proclaimed King in the Name of the Lord God at

His own beckoning—not accidentally, and not by conscious human will.

In the course of four days, those same people who that day proclaimed Him as King would cry: “Away with Him! Away

with Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!… We have no King

but Caesar!” (JOHN 19:15) What is the significance of our Lord's riding into Jerusalem on

an unbroken colt? According to the explanation of the Holy Fathers, this had a

deep, Prophetic Meaning. Our All-Knowing Lord Jesus Christ already saw the Hebrews’

approaching final Apostasy from God. He had announced that Apostasy even as far back as when the

Law was given to the Israelites on Mount Sinai, through the lips of the Inspired Law-giver when St Moses the Patriarch, said: “They have sinned...” which referred to the future sin against the God-Man, as though speaking of something already done:

� “They have sinned; the blameworthy children are not His

– a generation that is twisted and perverse! Is this

how you repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise

people? Is He not your Father Who accepted you?

Has He not made and created you?” (DEUTERONOMY 32:5–6) � “... they are a Nation void of Counsel, nor is there

Understanding int hem. The were not wise enough to

understand these things – let them be concerned for

the coming time!” [DEUTERONOMY 32 – 28 – 29] � “... their Vineyard is of the vineyard of Sodom, and their

Vine is of Gomorrah - their Grapes are grapes of gall;

their clusters are bitter!” [DEUTERONOMY 32:32] While to the contrary, St Moses the Patriarch states: “Rejoice,

O Heavens, together with Him and Worship Him, all the

Sons of God! Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His People! And

let the Angels of God be strong with Him...” [DEUTERONOMY 32 :43]

Consequently the Triumphant Entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem upon an unbroken colt is a repetition of St Moses' prophecy—not in words, but symbolically.

Just as St Moses had foretold the Gentiles rejoiced in the Lord, but the Hebrews rejected Him and were themselves rejected.

The unbroken colt upon which no one had ridden before symbolised the Gentiles, while the garments of the Holy Apostles symbolised the Divine Teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ which were taught to the Gentiles and have continued to teach us throughout the ages.

Thus our Lord is Spiritually Seated upon the Gentiles, restoring their God-like Image. He led them into Jerusalem, into the Bosom of His Holy Church - into the Eternal City of God not made by the hands of men, to the City of Salvation and Blessedness.

However, the rejected Hebrews were also present and while their lips proclaimed Him as ”...the King of Israel...!” in their soul, with their Sanhedrin, they had already resolved to kill our Saviour.

There is another meaning to the colt of an ass: it is an image of every person who is led by their irrational desires, deprived of Spiritual Freedom and attached to the passions and habits of fleshly life [AS OPPOSED TO SPIRITUAL LIFE IN CHRIST].

Christ's Divine and True Teaching loosens or releases the ass from its attachment – i.e. Christ releases us from our habitual, enslaving and sinful, fleshly will – our wicked, untamed, uncontrolled desires and passions.

When His Apostles had led the young colt to Christ, they placed their garments upon its back, and our Lord seated Himself upon it before making His Triumphant, yet so humble, Entry into Jerusalem.

The symbolic meaning is that those who have abandoned their sinful life are led to the Holy Gospel of Christ and are adorned with Apostolic Vestments – they are verbally instructed in the most detailed and refined Knowledge of Christ and His Commandments.

Then they “put on Christ” as our Lord seats Himself upon them by Spiritually Appearing and Abiding in them, as He promised: “He who has My Commandments and keeps them, is he who Loves Me. And he who Loves

Me will be Loved by My Father, and I will Love him

and reveal Myself to him... If anyone Loves Me, he

will keep My Word, and My Father will Love him and

We will come to him and abide with him...” [JOHN 14 : 21 & 23]

The Lord's Coming is accompanied by Peace that surpasses all words and comprehension – a Divine Peace that is Full of Grace, and worthy of the One Who grants it— our Lord Jesus Christ.

And that most wonderful Divine Peace is beyond comparison to the natural rest of fallen man, who may feel rest and pleasure from fleshly delights, and who may consider his own insensibility, his own Eternal Death, to be rest.

THE LORD IS ENTHRONED UPON THE NATURAL QUALITIES OF THOSE

WHO HAVE SUBMITTED TO HIM AND WHO HAVE JOYOUSLY,

WILLINGLY AND EAGERLY ASSIMILATED AND OBEYED ALL HIS

MOST SACRED TEACHINGS – the verbal and the written Divine Truth of God.

CHRIST LEADS US INTO THE SPIRITUAL CITY OF GOD, THE ETERNAL

CITY OF PEACE—INTO THE JERUSALEM CREATED BY GOD, AND

NOT BY MAN.

The soul who upholds our Lord is greeted by THE LIFE-GIVING HOLY SPIRIT, Who GRANTS US SPIRITUAL JOY, WHICH IS INCORRUPTIBLE AND ETERNAL.

REJOICE GREATLY, O Daughter of Zion - the Blessed and Faithful Child of Christ’s Holy Church—because YOU

BELONG TO NO ONE BUT GOD!

“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Proclaim it aloud, O

Daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you!

He is Righteous and Saving; He is Gentle and mounted

upon a donkey, even a young foal.” [ZACHARIAH 9:9] WE HAVE FELT THE GRACE-FILLED PEACE OF CHRIST, and have

become a Daughter of this Peace [OUR IMMORTAL SOUL IS IS FEMININE].

WE HAVE BEEN RENEWED WITH SPIRITUAL YOUTH AND HAVE COME

TO KNOW CHRIST'S KINGDOM BY EXPERIENCE.

The passions are tamed in us by the Grace-Filled Power of the Divine Rider Who steers us in the right direction and our natural qualities cannot break their natural laws - they cannot go beyond their boundaries and be transformed into uncontrolled passions!

Taking all our thoughts, feelings and actions from the Lord, we can and must proclaim the Name of the Lord to our Brethren, and hymn Him in the midst of His Holy Church: “I will declare Thy Name to my Brethren; in the

midst of the Church I will sing to Thee.” (PSALM 21:23 LXX). As one born of the Holy Spirit and a ‘Daughter of the Holy

Spirit’, we are able to behold the Spiritual Procession of our King - we are able to behold the Righteousness of our King Who is “...Gentle and Humble in heart...” and

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“...He will guide the Gentle in Judgement, He will teach the Gentle His Ways.” [MATTHEW 11:29 & PSALM 24:9]

Our God is a Divine Spirit Who is incomparable to any created spirit, as He is in all aspects infinitely different from all His creatures.

His created Holy and intellectual spirits are His Thrones and Chariots. He is seated and rides upon the Cherubim; He is seated and rides upon those Blessed human souls who

have submitted to Him and brought all their natural qualities to Him as a Whole Burnt Offering.

The King of Eternal Glory rides upon such souls, and enters the Holy City of God, bringing Holy souls into it as well.

Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is the King of Israel Who comes in the Name of the Lord!

Amen. ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: ST IGNATIOS (BRIANCHANINOV) - TRANSLATED BY NUN CORNELIA -

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/34671.htm

C h r i s t i a n C h a r i t y – S o m e P r a c t i c a l L e s s o n s (Part 1)How do we give alms? What should we do when we are

offended? And more specifically, how can or should we help our Monastic Institutions, our own Parish, our neighbour?

I can only pass along what I’ve heard from others, and seen others do. But we have an obligation to share the good things we learn, so when we need to remember them, the words and images will be safely stored in the hearts of our friends for us to draw upon in our times of need.

What follows, then, is an ecclectic group of solutions others have found, answers to the question “How can we best

give Alms?”

We have to start by looking at the spirit of Almsgiving. During a bleak spell I asked a Hieromonk once: “How can I

give alms….” “When you’re broke?” he asked. “Yeah,” I replied.

“You give alms from your necessity, not from your surplus. You give alms from what you need most.

“So when you’re tired and grouchy and someone needs

a kind word and you dig deep and provide one -

that’s Almsgiving.

“When you’re exhausted and your Spiritual Father or anyone else asks you to do something and you don’t

want to get up and do it and you do it anyway - that’s

Almsgiving.

“If you can’t give a lot of money, give what you can, but

give a kind word with it. Everyone needs kindness.” He also said, of giving clothes to charities: “Remember that

there is clothing and there are rags. If something

needs mending or is worn out, don’t give it to

charity. Put it in the trash.”) ] ALMSGIVING CAN BE HEALING. I have seen ALMSGIVING TURN PEOPLE’S TEMPTATIONS INTO

VIRTUES.

For example, one man who used to smoke marijuana before converting makes sure to give at least $10 to the Church no matter how broke he is, “...because I was always able

to scare up that much every week for pot,” he says. Another man, a widower, is himself quite poor, but one

standard he holds is that he uses only good quality paper towels. He was upset when he saw that the Sisterhood in his Parish had stocked the church with “that cheap stuff.” But instead of blasting them for it he, as a donation

to the Parish, very quietly purchased “the good

stuff” as and when he could afford it. This is something one can coordinate with the Sisterhood

Committee — if you don’t like the coffee, or wish that there were herbal tea as well as the “real” thing, or wish that the Parish served the kind of soda you like instead of the “cheap stuff,” why not quietly provide it yourself.

Moving to bigger items: does your Parish need a dishwasher? A geyser? Or even just a few new sponges or dish cloths, a broom or dustpan. As you see a need for anything, consider providing it yourself.

Then, INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING OR CRITICISING, PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THOSE PROBLEMS.

If you can’t provide something expensive, faithfully and

willingly provide something inexpensive but

necessary.

A man who works for a grocery store was asked by his Parish to provide ice every week during the hot summer. It only cost him a dollar or two, but because he was faithful and sincere, the Parish Sisterhood knew this need would be provided. And when he knew he was going to be absent the following weekend, he would buy an extra bag or two in case nobody else was able to fulfil his task.

WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT DRIVES YOU CRAZY, THINK WHAT

YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. When you notice that a Monk (or Priest) has a torn, faded

Rasson, consider having a new garment made for him or purchase him a new one. Consider whether you can pay for the fabric for a new Rasson or whether the

old one can be mended.

A woman who lives near a Monastery, as a secret act of charity, informs the Holy Monks when her sewing machine is set up with black thread, and they bring her their clothes that need mending.

Could you do the same with the Vestments that your Parish isn’t using at this time?

What about the cleaning and maintenance of the church? If you’re upset about the state of the candle stands, don’t just

find out WHO cleans them, find out WHEN they clean them, and show up with rags and lemon oil.

If you see that someone is using the wrong cleaner, buy the right cleaner and show them how you use it while

helping them.

And if it costs more than what they were using, keep track of how much there is and replace it when it’s running low.

If you cannot make Vestments, you can clean them. If you cannot buy Icon frames, you can dust, polish or clean

them. If you cannot purchase a Baptismal Font, you can be there to

fill and drain what the Parish has now. These are all little acts of Charity – of Love – which are gifts to

our Holy Parish Church. You don’t like fundraisers? Then prevent the need for them by

providing whatever is required. When a Priest was asked by the Parish Sisterhood if they could

charge for the decorated Palm Sunday branches that they made, he adamantly refused to do so since they are Blessed and thus cannot be sold.

However, the women needed to restore to their funds that had been spent on the decorations, so he reluctantly told them to put out a basket for voluntary donations to defray their costs, cautioning them: “If you make more than you’ve

projected, fine, it’s a Blessing for doing what’s right. If

you make less, I’ll make up the difference.”

They protested, but he insisted. He didn’t have to make up any difference — they made significantly more by voluntary donations than they projected they would have by charging a fee.

IF WE CONTRIBUTE BEFORE A NEED EXISTS, THERE WILL BE NO

NEED FOR FUNDRAISERS OF ANY SORT. ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “CHRISTIAN CHARITY – SOME PRACTICAL LESSONS” BY MATUSHKA

ANN LARDAS – RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST - http://www.pravmir.com/christian-charity-some-practical-lessons/

T h e I n s p i r e d , E t e r n a l W i s d o m o f o u r H o l y C h u r c h F a t h e r s

S t J o h n C a s s i a n :

"It is impossible for the mind to remain undisturbed by thoughts,

but anyone serious about the matter can certainly permit them

entry or drive them away, and although their origin does not

lie entirely under our control we can choose to approve of

them and to adopt them." (CONFERENCES, CONF. 1 SECT. 17; PAULIST PRESS PG. 51):

S t C y r i l o f A l e x a n d r i a :

"We are... called gods, not simply by Grace because we are winging our way towards the Glory that transcends us, but because we

already have God dwelling and abiding within us, in accordance

with the prophetic text 'I will live in them and move among 'I will live in them and move among 'I will live in them and move among 'I will live in them and move among

them.them.them.them.' (2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 & " COMMENTARY ON JOHN 1:13, CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS” BY NORMAN RUSSELL; ROUTLEDGE PG. 103):

13. HHH rrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! AAA lll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! Hol y Pas cha – The Glor i ous Resur r e c t i on o f Chr i s t 15 Apr i l 2012

G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e 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.

1 s t Sunday o f Holy Pascha Tone (8 ) Plaga l 4 15 Apri l 2012

HHHrrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAAnnn eee sss ttt iii !!! AAAlll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAAnnn eee sss ttt iii !!!

H o l y P a s c h a – T h e G l o r i o u s R e s u r r e c t i o n o f o u r L o r d

Apolyt ik ion Of Holy Pascha

>Hristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato

Thanaton patistas, ke tis en tis mnimasi,

Zoin harisamenos!

> Christ has Risen from the dead, by Death

trampling upon Death, and has bestowed

Life to those in the tombs! P a s c h a l I s o d i k o n En Ekklisies Evlogite ton Theon, Kyrion ek Pigon Israil.

Soson imas, Iie Theou, O Anastas ek nekron,

psalontas Si. Allilouia!

In Places of Congregation, Bless God, the Lord, from the Springs of Israel. O Son of God, Who rose from the dead: Save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia!

Ipakoi – TONE 4

Prolavouse ton orthron e peri Mariam, ke evrouse ton

lithon apokilisthenta tou Mnimatos, ikouon ek tou

Angelou: ton en foti aidio iparhonta, meta nekron ti

zitite os anthropon? Vlepete ta entafia spargana;

damete ke to kosmo kirixate, os igerthi O Kyrios,

thanatosas ton thanaton; oti iparhi Theou Ios tou

sozontos to genos ton anthropon.

Arriving before dawn, Mary’s companions found the stone rolled away from the Tomb and heard these words from the Angel: Why do you seek as Man among the dead, the One Who exists in Eternal Light? Behold, the burial shrouds! Go in haste and preach to the world that the Lord has Risen, having put Death to death! And that He is the Son of God Who Saves the human race.

Kontakion – For Holy Pascha – Unt i l Ascension Day

I ke en tafo katilthes athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tin dinamin; ke Anestis os nikitis, Hriste O Theos, Ginexi

Miroforis fthengxamenos: Herete! Ke tis sis Apostolis

irinin doroumenos, o tis pesousi parehon Anastasin.

Although Thou descended in the grave, O Immortal

One, yet Thou destroyed the power of Hades; and

Thou arose as Victor, O Christ our God! To the

Myrrh-bearing Women Thou said: Rejoice! And to

Thine Apostles Thou granted Thy Peace: the One

Who grants Resurrection to the fallen ones. Instead Of The Tr isagion (Agios O Theos)

>Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.

Allilouia! [3]

> Doxa Patri, ke Io, ke Agio Pnevmati ke nin ke Ai ke is tous eonas ton eonon.

Amin

>Hriston enedisasthe. Allilouia!

Dynamis!

>Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.

Allilouia!

>As many of you as have been Baptised into Christ, have put on Christ: Alleluia! [3]

> Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the

Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of

ages.

Amen

>You have put on Christ: Alleluia!

Power/Strength!

>As many of you as have been Baptised into Christ, have put on Christ: Alleluia

T h e A c t s o f t h e H o l y A p o s t l e s o f C h r i s t A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 1 : 1 – 9 F r o m H o l y P a s c h a t o P e n t e c o s t

The former account I made, O Theophilos, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He, through the Holy Spirit, had given Commandments to the Apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His Suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days, and speaking of the Things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

And, being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, He said: “... which you have heard from Me; for John truly Baptised with water, but you shall be Baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying: “Lord, will Thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them: “It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father has put in His own Authority. But you shall receive Power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be

Witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now when he had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a Cloud received Him out of their sight.

And while they looked steadfastly towards Heaven as He went up, behold, two men in white apparel stood by them, who said: “Men of Galilee: why do you stand gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus Who was taken up from you

into Heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into Heaven.”

14. HHH rrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! AAA lll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! Hol y Pas cha – The Glor i ous Resur r e c t i on o f Chr i s t 15 Apr i l 2012

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 1 : 1 – 1 7 T h e W o r d & S o n o f G o d

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things are made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

In Him is Life and the Life is the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came as a Witness, to bear witness of the Light, so that all mankind, through him, might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That is the True Light which gives Light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them he gave the right to become Children of God, to those who believe in His Name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of mankind, but of God.

And the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His Glory – the Glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father – full of Grace and Truth.

John bore witness of Him, and cried out, saying: “This is He of Whom I said: ‘He Who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”

And of His Fullness we have all received, and Grace for Grace. For the Law was given through Moses, but Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ.

The Paschal Vespers Service of Love T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 2 0 : 1 9 – 2 5

Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Appears Before His Ten Disciples

Then, the same day, at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the Disciples were assembled, for fear of the Hebrews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them: “Peace be with you!”

When He had said this, He showed them His Hands and His Side. And the Disciples were glad when they saw our Lord. And Jesus said to them again: “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed upon them, and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other Disciples therefore said to him: “We have seen our Lord!” And he said to them: “Unless I see in His Wrists the print of the nails, and put my

finger into His Side, I will not believe.”

S t J u s t i n P o p o v i c – O n R e s u r r e c t i o n & I m m o r t a l i t y MANKIND SENTENCED GOD TO DEATH; BY HIS RESURRECTION,

HE SENTENCED MANKIND TO IMMORTALITY. In return for a beating, OUR LORD EMBRACES US; for abuse,

HE BESTOWS BLESSINGS; for Death, HE GRANTS US ETERNAL LIFE.

Man never showed so much hatred for God as when he crucified Him; and GOD NEVER SHOWED MORE LOVE FOR US THAN WHEN HE AROSE FROM THE DEAD.

Man tried to reduce God to being only a Mortal, but GOD, BY HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION, MADE US IMMORTAL.

Our crucified God is Risen and has conquered Death! Death is no more! Immortality has surrounded us and all the world!

By the Resurrection of the God-Man, HUMAN NATURE HAS BEEN LED IRREVERSIBLY ONTO THE PATH OF IMMORTALITY, and has become dreadful to Death itself.

For before the Resurrection of Christ, Death was feared more than anything else by mankind, but after the Resurrection of Christ, we no longer fear Death.

WHEN WE LIVE BY FAITH IN THE RISEN GOD-MAN, WE LIVE

ABOVE DEATH - out of its reach; it is a footstool for our feet: “O Death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is

thy victory?” (1 CORINTHIANS 15:55) WHEN THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST REPOSE, THEY SIMPLY

SET ASIDE THEIR BODY LIKE CLOTHING, WITH WHICH THEY

WILL AGAIN BE VESTED AT THE GENERAL RESURRECTION

ON THE DREAD JUDGEMENT DAY.

Before the Resurrection of the God-Man, Death was

our ‘second nature’: life first, death second. But BY HIS OWN DEATH AND GLORIOUS RESURRECTION, OUR

LORD HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING: IMMORTALITY HAS

BECOME OUR SECOND NATURE - RESURRECTION HAS

BECOME NATURAL FOR US AND DEATH UNNATURAL. As before the Resurrection of Christ, it was natural for us

to be mortal, so AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, IT IS NATURAL FOR US TO BE IMMORTAL.

By sin, we became mortal and transient. ] BY THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WE

BECAME IMMORTAL AND ETERNAL.

In this Divine Truth is the Power - indeed the All-Mightiness of the Resurrection of Christ.

] WITHOUT RESURRECION THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO

CHRISTIANITY. Of all Divine Miracles, this is the greatest Miracle! ] ALL OTHER MIRACLES HAVE CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AS

THEIR SOURCE AND LEAD DIRECTLY TO IT.

From His Glorious Resurrection Faith, Love, Hope, Prayer, and Love for God is nurtured and grows.

Behold! the fugitive Disciples, having run away from our Lord Jesus when He was betrayed, arrested, judged, beaten, scourged, humiliated and crucified, all returned to Him because He is Risen!

Behold! the Centurion confessed Christ as the Son of God when he saw His Resurrection from the grave!

Behold! all the first Christians became Christian (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST) because our Lord Jesus is Risen!

Because DEATH IS VANQUISHED! This is what no other Faith has! This is what lifts the Lord Christ above all other ‘gods’ and men!

This is what - without any doubt whatsoever - shows and demonstrates that OUR SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, IS THE ONE TRUE GOD AND LORD OF ALL CREATION!

Because of the Resurrection of Christ - because of His Victory over Death - WE HAVE BECOME, ARE BECOMING, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME TRUE CHRISTIANS.

The entire history of Christianity is nothing other than the

history of a Unique Miracle - namely, the Resurrection of Christ - which is an unbroken thread that runs through the hearts of Faithful

Christians from one day to the next, from year to year, across the centuries, until the Dread Judgment Day.

WE ARE BORN, in fact, not when our mother brings us into the world, but WHEN WE COME TO BELIEVE IN OUR RISEN CHRIST, for then we are BORN TO LIFE ETERNAL -whereas a mother bears children for Death, for the grave.

The Resurrection of Christ is the Mother of us all –for all Faithful Christians- Resurrection is the Mother of

Immortals. BY OUR FAITH IN THE RESURRECTION, WE ARE BORN ANEW WE

ARE REBORN FOR ETERNITY. “That is impossible!” says the skeptic. But listen carefully

to what our Risen God-Man, Jesus Christ, said: “All things are possible to him who believes!” (MARK 9:23).

THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

STRIVE TO LIVE WITH ALL OUR HEART AND SOUL - INDEED,

WITH ALL OUR BEING - ACCORDING TO THE HOLY GOSPEL

OF OUR RISEN LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Faith is our Victory whereby we conquer Death! Faith in our Risen Lord Jesus is our Eternal Victory! “O Death, where is your sting?” The sting of Death is sin - yet now our Lord Jesus Christ

[THROUGH HIS HARROWING OF HADES AND CONQUERING TO DEATH AND BY HIS

15. HHH rrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! AAA lll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! Hol y Pas cha – The Glor i ous Resur r e c t i on o f Chr i s t 15 Apr i l 2012

GLORIOUS RESURRECTION] “...has removed the sting of Death.”

Death is a serpent and sin is its fangs. By sin, Death injects its fatal poison into the body and soul of mankind – and the more sins we commit, the more poisonous bites of death are inflicted upon us.

When a wasp stings us, we make every effort to remove the sting and its effects on us.

Similarly, WHEN SIN WOUNDS US WITH ITS STING OF DEATH, WE MUST IMMEDIATELY CALL UPON OUR RISEN LORD JESUS IN

FAITH AND PRAYER, SO THAT HE MAY REMOVE THE STING OF

DEATH FROM OUR SOUL. Due to His infinite Loving-kindness for us, GOD SAVES US

FOR HE OVERFLOWS WITH HIS GREAT MERCY AND

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

When many wasps attack our body, wounding it with many stings, we are fatally poisoned and we die.

The same happens with our soul, when many sins wound us with their deadly stings and we are poisoned by unrepented sins which cause a Spiritual Death that has no Resurrection!

BY CONQUERING SIN IN OURSELVES THROUGH CHRIST AND TRUE

REPENTANCE, WE OVERCOME DEATH.

If we have passed the day without vanquishing a single sin of ours, we should realise that we have become Spiritually Dead!

Consequently, WE MUST ANNIHILATE ONE, TWO, OR THREE OF OUR SINS EACH DAY - and behold! we become younger than the youth that does not age – we become young in Immortality and Eternity!

Never forget that TO BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST MEANS A PERSONAL, CEASELESS BATTLE OR WARFARE AGAINST TEMPTATIONS AND SINS –

AGAINST ALL EVIL AND DEATH!

] OUR CONSTANT FIGHT AGAINST ALL TEMPTATION, SIN AND

PASSION, DEMONSTRATES THAT WE TRULY BELIEVE AND

LIVE IN OUR RISEN LORD.

Our ceaseless battle against all wickedness and its consequences is A CONTINUOUS PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE FOR ETERNAL LIFE.

] YET IF WE DO NOT STRUGGLE AND FIGHT AGAINST SUCH

DEADLY EVIL, OUR FAITH WOULD BE IN VAIN!

If our Faith does not consist of ceaseless striving for Immortality and Eternity, what is it?

If our Faith in Christ does not result in Resurrection and Eternal Life, what use would it be to us?

If Christ had not Resurrected, which would have meant that neither sin nor Death has been vanquished, would we believe in Him?

[WOULD ALL THE FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS, HOLY SAINTS AND MARTYRS THROUGHOUT THE AGES HAVE GIVEN THEIR ENTIRE LIVES TO PROMOTING HIS HOLY GOSPEL AND DIVINE TRUTH, NO MATTER THE COST TO THEM? CERTAINLY NOT!! mp]

For those who, by Faith in our Risen Lord, fight against each and every temptation and sin, THERE IS AN AFFIRMATION WITHIN THAT HE IS MOST CERTAINLY RISEN

AND THAT HE HAS INDEED CONQUERED DEATH AND THE

STING OF SIN!

] UNREPENTED SIN GRADUALLY DIMINISHES OUR SOUL BY

DRIVING US INTO A STATE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH AND

THEREBY FINALLY TRANSFORMING US FROM

IMMORTALITY TO MORTALITY - FROM INCORRUPTION TO

CORRUPTION.

The more unrepented sins we have, the more we become mortal beings and if we no longer feel our Immortality within us, we will suffer from bad thoughts, bad words and bad deeds.

] CHRISTIANITY IS A LIFE-LONG SACRED QUEST: WE MUST

FIGHT AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL DEATH OF SIN UNTIL

OUR VERY LAST BREATH! WE MUST CEASELESSLY

BATTLE AGAINST ALL WICKEDNESS UNTIL OUR FINAL

VICTORY HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.

Every sin we commit is a desertion from Christ’s Church Militant! Every passion is a retreat from our final

Victory! Every vice to which we surrender is a Spiritual Defeat!

We also die bodily - for the death of the body is ‘sowing.’ THE MORTAL BODY, BEING RETURNED TO THE EARTH FROM

WHENCE IT ORIGINATED, IS SOWN, SAYS ST PAUL, AND IT

GROWS, AND IS RAISED IN AN IMMORTAL BODY. (1 CORINTHIANS 15:42-44) .

] THE BODY DISSOLVES IN THE EARTH LIKE A SOWN SEED,

AND THE HOLY SPIRIT QUICKENS (ENLIVENS) AND

PERFECTS IT.

If our Lord Christ had not Risen in His Body, what use would It have been for Him? He would not have Saved the whole human being.

If His Body did not Rise, then why had He become Incarnate? Why did He take on Himself our human form and flesh, if He gave It nothing of His Divinity in return?

If Christ is not Risen, then why should we believe in Him? We would never have believed in Christ our Saviour had

He not Risen from the dead and thereby vanquished Death.

HOWEVER, OUR GREATEST ENEMY WAS INDEED DEFEATED AND

WE WERE CERTAINLY GRANTED ETERNAL IMMORTALITY.

Without this, our world would merely be a noisy display of revolting stupidity and despair, for NEITHER IN HEAVEN NOR ON EARTH WOULD THERE BE GREATER FUTILITY AND

HOPELESSNESS THAN LIFE WITHOUT RESURRECTION AND

IMMORTALITY!

There is no one more miserable and discouraged than someone who does not believe in the Resurrection of the dead - and it would have been better for such a person never to have been born!

In our human world, Death is the greatest torment and inhumane horror. Freedom from this torment and horror is Salvation and Eternal Life.

That Salvation was granted to all humanity by the Glorious Vanquisher of Death – our Risen God-Man, Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who revealed to us all Divine Mystery of Eternal Salvation by His Resurrection.

TO BE SAVED MEANS TO ASSURE OUR BODY AND SOUL OF

IMMORTALITY AND LIFE ETERNAL, WHICH WE ATTAIN

EXCLUSIVELY BY A THEANTHROPIC LIFE - A NEW LIFE IN

CHRIST - IN AND BY HIS RESURRECTION INTO ETERNAL

LIFE. This short life on earth is a school that teaches us

how to assure ourselves of Resurrection and

Eternal Life.

For what use is this existence if we cannot prepare for and acquire Eternal Life?

But, in order to be Resurrected with our Lord Jesus Christ, WE MUST FIRST SUFFER WITH HIM, AND LIVE HIS LIFE AS

OUR OWN. If we do this, THEN AT HOLY PASCHA WE CAN CERTAINLY

PROCLAIM, together with St Gregory the Theologian: “Yesterday I was Crucified with Him, today I Live

with Him; yesterday I was Buried with Him,

today I Rise with Him!” (TROPARION 2, ODE 3, MATINS, PASCHA). ] CHRIST’S FOUR HOLY GOSPELS ARE SUMMED UP IN ONLY

FOUR WORDS: “Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!”

IN EACH OF THESE WORDS IS A GOSPEL, AND IN THE FOUR

GOSPELS IS ALL THE MEANING OF ALL GOD’S WORLD,

VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.

Knowledge and Understanding are expressed in the proclamation of Holy Pascha: “Christ is Risen!” and our Immortal Joy spontaneously responds: “Indeed He is Risen!”

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “SENTENCED TO IMMORTALITY” BY ST JUSTIN POPOVIC OF CHELJE - SOURCE: PREACHERS INSTITUTE

http://www.pravmir.com/a-paschal-homily-of-blessed-justin-of-chelije/

F a t h e r S t e p h e n – O n T h e G o d W h o I s N o G o d “A GOD WHO REMAINS GENERALIZED AND REDUCED TO IDEOLOGY IS NO GOD AT ALL. ONLY THE DAILY ENCOUNTER WITH THE LIVING GOD, WITH ALL

THE MESSINESS IT ENTAILS, CAN RISE TO THE NAME CHRISTIAN.” [“EVERYWHERE PRESENT: CHRISTIANITY IN A ONE-STOREY UNIVERSE” ]

BELIEF IN A TRUE AND LIVING GOD IS A VERY DIFFICULT THING,

FRAUGHT WITH CONSEQUENCE. Belief in the ‘idea’ of God can be tokenism at its very

worst. This distinction between the True and Living God and the

idea of God goes to the very heart of the secular crisis of the modern world. There is no room in the secular world for a True and Living God – while the idea of God is perfectly suited to the emptiness of the secular mind.

For the individual Christian this distinction is the great crisis of the Believing Life. There is a divide in our culture between the ideas we think and the lives we live – and the division is often accepted as normal.

This is more than mere hypocrisy – our problem is not that we fail to live up to our ideas – our ideas frequently fail to have anything to do with the life we live.

In secularized culture, religion is not eliminated – it is placed at a distance - anywhere that does not matter, anywhere that does not touch our daily lives. The

16. (DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) 1 s t Fr i day o f H o ly Pascha – T he Sour ce o f L i f e 29 Apr i l 201 1

secular genius of the modern world (including America) was its contention that religion and Belief are the same thing. The acquiescence of believers to this arrangement was, in effect, an agreement to render their Faith impotent.

The fatal flaw in this agreement can be summed up simply: True Religion is not a set of beliefs – it is a set of practices.

WE BELIEVE IN PRAYER – BUT WE DO NOT PRAY. WE BELIEVE IN

FORGIVENESS – BUT WE DO NOT FORGIVE. WE BELIEVE IN

GENEROSITY – BUT WE DO NOT GIVE. WE BELIEVE IN TRUTH

– BUT WE LIE.

Again, the manner of our failures goes beyond mere hypocrisy. The divorce between belief and practice is a cultural habit reaching far beyond religion. There is a radical division between thought and action throughout most of our culture. The frequently indistinguishable character of the contemporary Christian from the contemporary unbeliever bears witness to a deeper problem.

The practice of Christianity has been increasingly banned from the public square. We have agreed to privatize our Faith. What we believe has become a matter of “conscience,” rather than the offensive matter of practice.

The Reformation largely erased the outward forms of the Christian Life: Feast Days; Pilgrimages; Vestments, etc.

The Reformers were correct that the Inward Life of the Spirit was far more important than the ephemeral forms in which it was exhibited. HOWEVER, THEY FAILED TO NOTICE THAT WITH THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE

OUTWARD FORMS, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE INWARD

LIFE WOULD PASS WITHOUT NOTICE. Today, the outward debauchery of Mardi Gras is the legacy

of an abandoned Ash Wednesday. Christian practice is reduced to drunkenness (no American city seeks to ban Mardi Gras for its religious content – the practice of drunkenness is not as offensive as a Christmas Creche).

Early Christianity was surely marked by practices: without them, there would have been no need of Martyrdoms in the arenas of the Roman Empire. Early Christianity was not a set of beliefs – philosophies were cheap and plentiful in ancient Rome. IT WAS THE CHRISTIAN REFUSAL TO OFFER WORSHIP TO THE EMPEROR AND THE

GODS OF THE EMPIRE THAT BROUGHT THEM TO THE ARENA. THEY REFUSED TO ENGAGE IN THE PRACTICES OF THE PAGAN

STATE. The radical generosity of Christians came under the abuse of the Platonist philosopher Celsus. He excoriated Christian acceptance of thieves, rogues, prostitutes, drunkards and the like while the Christian refusal to declare upstanding pagans (such as himself) as “just,” was a rejection of Roman society itself.

Christians were dangerous. THE CLOSEST THING TO DANGER PRESENTED BY CHRISTIANS IN

THE MODERN WORLD IS THE INSISTENCE BY SOME THAT

THE UNBORN ACTUALLY HAVE A RIGHT TO LIFE AND SHOULD

BE PROTECTED AGAINST THE ACTIONS OF THOSE WHO

WOULD MURDER THEM. However, many Christians (including some who claim to

be “Pro-life”), accept the secular fiction of the separation of Church and state, and offer the excuse that their private beliefs should not determine the actions of others.

THEIR PRIVATE BELIEFS ARE USELESS – BEFORE GOD AND MAN.

The American Theologian, Stanley Hauerwas, commonly states that “...there is no such thing as private morality.”

It is inherently the case that MORALITY IS A MATTER OF BEHAVIOUR BETWEEN PEOPLE.

A “PRIVATE MORALITY” IS NO MORALITY AT ALL.

TO BELIEVE THAT THE UNBORN HAVE A RIGHT TO LIFE BUT TO

REFUSE TO INSIST THAT SUCH A RIGHT BE OBSERVED BY

ALL, IS, IN FACT, TO DECLARE THAT THERE IS NO SUCH

RIGHT. IF THERE IS A “RIGHT,” THEN IT IS IMMORAL NOT TO DEMAND

THAT EVERYONE ACCEPT SUCH A RIGHT.

WHATEVER WE PROFESS AS CHRISTIANS CAN BE ACTED UPON

AND PRACTICED – OR IT IS A USELESS PROFESSION. CHRIST’S PARABLE OF THE LAST JUDGMENT in Matthew 25

CONFRONTS CHRISTIANS WITH THEIR PRACTICES: feeding

the hungry; visiting the prisoners; clothing the naked; giving drink to the thirsty.

NO MENTION IS MADE OF CREED. It is not that belief is unimportant – but THE DOGMA OF THE FAITH SUPPORTS AND INFORMS OUR PRACTICE OF THE FAITH.

] “FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD,” BECAUSE IT IS NO FAITH

AT ALL. THE HEART OF THE ORTHODOX FAITH (BOTH DOGMA AND

PRACTICE) IS FOUND IN ITS PROCLAMATION OF UNION WITH

CHRIST: “God became Man so that man could become god,” in the words of St. Athanasios.

] HUMAN LIFE WAS INTENDED TO BE LIVED IN UNION WITH

GOD. In the Genesis story of the Fall we learn the essential

character of our brokenness: WE SEVERED OUR

COMMUNION WITH GOD AND TURNED TOWARDS THE PATH

OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. The nature of sin lies precisely in our movement away

from Union with God. THE PATH OF SALVATION IS PRECISELY THE PATH OF UNION

WITH GOD, WHICH IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CHRIST’S UNION

WITH HUMANITY. He took our broken condition upon Himself – trampling

down Death by Death in His Crucifixion and Descent into Hades – He raises us up in His Resurrection to the Path for which we were Created.

FROM GLORY TO GLORY WE ARE RENEWED AND RESTORED INTO

HIS IMAGE AS WE LIVE IN UNION WITH HIM.

This is more than a Doctrinal story – it is also a description of the practice of the Christian Faith.

WE LOVE BECAUSE WE LIVE IN UNION WITH CHRIST, “...Who Loved us and gave Himself for us.” We feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner because in doing so, we do the same for Christ. EVERY PRACTICE OF KINDNESS AND MERCY IS AN ACT OF UNION WITH

CHRIST.

THE CHURCH’S LIFE OF FEASTS AND FASTS, SACRAMENTS AND

SERVICES ARE THE PRACTICE OF WORSHIP – THE LIFE OF

UNION WITH CHRIST. They are not ‘religious entertainment’ nor mere ‘educational’ events: they are THE VISIBLE MANIFESTATION OF THE INNER LIFE OF GOD IN

MAN. Christians in this world are “...as the soul is to the

body...” in the words of a second-century Christian writer (Epistle to Diognetus). As such, they are the life of this world. THE PRESENCE OF PRACTICING CHRISTIANS IS PROPERLY THE PRESENCE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

THE PRESENCE OF THE KINGDOM IN THIS WORLD IS A

DISRUPTION OF THE CULTURE OF DEATH INITIATED IN THE

FALL. The world’s love affair with Death is and should be threatened by the manifestation of the Kingdom. This is only true WHERE CHRISTIANITY IS PRACTISED.

THAT CHRISTIANS “BELIEVE” SOMETHING IS NO THREAT

WHATSOEVER UNLESS THAT BELIEF IS MADE MANIFEST IN

PRACTICE.

The proposed constitution of the European Union (to give an example) offers religious freedom to individuals.

Orthodox Christians have complained that such

“freedom” was guaranteed under Communism –

but that in the name of protecting individuals,

parents were forbidden to teach the Faith to

their children. CHRISTIAN FAITH HAS ALWAYS BEEN PRACTISED AS A

COMMUNITY.

An agreement to define the Faith as ‘an individual matter’ is an agreement to destroy Orthodox Christianity. The world’s onslaught against Christian practise is subtle, sinister and relentless.

CHRISTIANS WOULD DO WELL TO PRACTISE THEIR FAITH AND

REFUSE THE DEVIL’S BARGAIN OFFERED BY MODERN

STATES.

WE ARE CALLED TO A LIFE IN UNION WITH THE TRUE AND LIVING

GOD.

THAT LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS INFUSES EVERY ACTION OF THE DAY

– EVERY BREATH WE TAKE. Anything less is an agreement with the enemy to place our

God at arms’ length and to serve a god who is no God at all! ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “GLORY TO GOD FOR ALL THINGS!” BY FATHER STEPHEN

“A GOD WHO IS NO GOD!” http://fatherstephen.wordpress.com/

(DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) 1 s t Fr iday o f H o l y Pascha – T he Source o f L i f e 29 Apr i l 201 1 17.

G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e 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.

First Friday o f Holy Pascha 20 Apri l 2 0 1 2 T o n e ( 6 ) P l a g a l 2

HHH rrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! AAA lll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!!

T h e L i f e - g i v i n g S p r i n g

Also the Feast of St Theodore Trichinas, “the Hair-Shirt Wearer and Hermit

of Constantinople – St Alexander the Abbot of Oshevensk – St Gabriel,

Child Martyr of Bialystok, Poland – St Gregory of Antioch – St Anastasios

the Sinaite – St Bertran of Lesser Scythia – St Theotimos of Lesser Scythia

– St Nicholas of Zhicha, Translation of Holy Relics – St Joseph of Serbia –

St Zacchaeus, Holy Apostle of Christ – St Athanasios of Meteora

Apolyt ik ion Of Holy Pascha

>Hristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton

patistas, ke tis en tis mnimasi, Zoin harisamenos!

> Christ has Risen from the dead, by Death

trampling upon Death, and has bestowed Life to those in the tombs!

Ipako i – T one 4

Prolavouse ton orthron e peri Mariam, ke evrouse ton lithon apokilisthenta tou Mnimatos, ikouon ek tou

Angelou: ton en Foti Aidio iparhonta, meta nekron ti

zitite os anthropon? Vlepete ta entafia spargana;

damete ke to kosmo kirixate, os igerthi O Kyrios,

Thanato sas ton Thanaton; oti iparhi Theou Ios tou

sozontos to genos ton anthropon.

Arriving before dawn, Mary’s companions found the

stone rolled away from the Tomb and heard these words from the Angel: Who do you seek as Man among the dead, the One Who exists in Eternal Light? Behold, the burial shrouds; go in haste and preach to the world that the Lord has Risen, having put Death to death; and that He is the Son of God Who Saves the human race.

Kon tak i on O f T he Sou rce O f L i f e – Tone (8 ) P l aga l 4

Ex akenotou Sou Pigis Theoharitote, epivravevis mi pigazousa ta namata, aenaos tis Sis Haritos iper

Logon. Ton gar Logon os tekousan iper ennian,

iketevo Se drosizin me Si Hariti. Ina Krazo Si: Here,

Idor Sotirion.

O Lady Graced by God, Thou reward me by letting

gush forth, beyond reason, the Ever-flowing Waters of Thy Grace from Thy perpetual Spring. I entreat Thee, who bore the Logos, in a manner beyond comprehension, to refresh me in Thy Grace that I may cry out, "Hail Redemptive Waters!"

Kon tak i on – For Ho l y Pascha – Un t i l A scens i on Day

I ke en tafo katilthes athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tin dinamin; ke Anestis os nikitis, Hriste O Theos,

Ginexi Miroforis fthengxamenos: Herete! Ke tis sis

Apostolis irinin doroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon

Anastasin.

Although Thou descended in the grave, O Immortal

One, yet Thou destroyed the power of Hades; and Thou arose as Victor, O Christ our God! To the Myrrh-bearing Women Thou said: Rejoice! And to Thine Apostles Thou granted Thy Peace: the One Who grants Resurrection to the fallen ones.

Ins tead O f T he Th r i ce H o l y Hymn:

Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.

Allilouia! [3]

> Doxa Patri, ke Io, ke Agio Pnevmati ke nin ke Ai ke is tous eonas ton eonon.

Amin

Hriston enedisasthe. Allilouia!

Dynamis!

Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.

Allilouia!

As many of you as have been Baptised into Christ,

have put on Christ: Alleluia! [3]

> Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Amen

Have put on Christ: Alleluia!

Power/Strength

As many of you as have been Baptised into Christ,

have put on Christ: Alleluia

T h e A c t s o f t h e A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 3 : 1 – 8 A Lame Man is H ea l ed

Peter and John went up together to the Temple at the Hour of Prayer, the Ninth Hour. And a certain man who had been lame from his mother’s womb, was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the Temple, which is called ‘Beautiful,’ to ask alms from those who entered the Temple. And seeing Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said: “Look at us.” And he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

And Peter said: “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, I give you: in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received Strength. And he, leaping up, stood and walked, and entered the Temple with them – walking, leaping and praising God.

18. (DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) 1 s t Fr i day o f H o ly Pascha – T he Sour ce o f L i f e 29 Apr i l 201 1

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 2 : 1 2 – 2 2 Our Lord Jesus Christ Cleanses the Temple

At that time, Jesus went down to Capernaum together with His Mother, His Brothers and His Disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

Now the Passover of the Hebrews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the Temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers who were doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the Temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.

And He said to those who sold doves: “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s House a house of merchandise!”

Then His Disciples remembered that it was written: “Zeal for Thy House has eaten Me up!” So the Hebrews answered and said to Him: “What Signs dost Thou show to us, since Thou do these things?” Jesus

answered and said to them: “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will Raise it up.” And the Hebrews said: “It has taken forty six years to build this Temple, and Thou will Raise it up in three days?!”

But He was speaking of the Temple of His Body. Therefore, when He had Risen from the dead, His Disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the Word that Jesus had spoken.

F e a s t o f t h e L i f e - G i v i n g S p r i n g During the 5th century, in Constantinople, near the so-

called “Golden Gates,” there was a grove of cypress and plane trees, which had long been dedicated to our Most Holy Lady, Theotokos, and there was a spring likewise long renowned as a Source of Divine Miracles.

Gradually the site became overgrown, and the water grew muddy and only from the dampness of the earth could one deduce the existence of the spring.

In the days of Emperor Marcian, a soldier named Leo Marcellos (the future Emperor Leo I) passed the ancient site, where he met up with a helpless, lost traveller – a blind man who was unable to find his way out of the grove.

So Leo helped him onto the path and into the shade to rest while he went off in search of water to refresh the distressed man.

Suddenly, Leo heard a voice: “Leo, do not search far off for water. It is close by.”

Amazed by the mysterious voice, he searched around the area but could not find any water.

Then, as he stood still, sad and pensive, the same voice spoke again and said: ”King Leo! Go into the shade of the grove, draw some of the water you will find

there, and give it to the one who thirsts.

“Take some of the mud from the spring and put it

upon his eyes and then you will learn who I am –

who it is that for so long has Blessed this site.

“Soon I will help you to build a church here, bearing

my name, and all who come here and with Faith

call on me, will have their Prayers answered and

will be completely healed of their ailments.”

Leo all of a sudden found the Life-giving Spring, scooped some water for the blind man to drink as well as a handful of mud to put onto his eyes.

No sooner had Leo done what he had been instructed to do, when the lost traveller immediately regained his sight and, no longer needing a guide to lead him in the right direction, he joyfully continued journey into Constantinople, all the while glorifying God and His Divine Grace granted to him through the Ever Blessed Theotokos.

In time, Leo did succeed to the Byzantine Throne and having never forgotten the voice of our Ever Blessed Lady Theotokos, he ordered the spring to be cleaned so the water from the Life-Giving Spring could flow into a large marble pool, above which was erected a church in honour of Her.

Approximately a hundred years later the devout and faithful Emperor Justinian the Great (527 – 565) ruled.

He suffered from chronic oedema and finding no medical solution, considered himself condemned to death, until one night when he heard a sweet, soft voice speaking to him: “O King, you cannot return to health unless you drink from my Spring.”

Emperor Justinian did not know of which Spring the voice spoke, and became quite depressed until the

following day when our Lady Theotokos appeared in a Vision to him, telling him: “Arise, O King, go to my Spring, and drink from it, and you will be as

healthy as you were before.”

Having located the Spring of which She spoke, the Emperor did as he had been instructed and very quickly, to his immense relief and great joy, regained his former health.

In order to express his heartfelt gratitude to God, Emperor Justinian erected a new, magnificent church, from which a Monastery was soon founded.

In the 15th Century, the Imperial City fell to the Muslims and the famous Church of the Life-giving Spring was destroyed and its stones used to construct a mosque for Sultan Bayazet.

The site was covered with a layer of earth and crushed stone so that the very foundations disappeared from sight, while the beautiful surrounding area was used as a Muslim cemetery.

A Turkish sentinel kept guard against all Christians who were forbidden from gathering there and they were not even allowed in the vicinity.

Over time the strictness of this ban eased and Christians were permitted to build a small church there until it was once again destroyed in 1821 and the spring filled in.

Once again Christians cleaned the ruins, reopened the Spring and drew water from it.

Even on these shards of the former magnificent Holy Structure, our Lord granted His Merciful Healings through the Intercessory Prayers of the Ever Blessed Theotokos.

Among the broken pieces that were uncovered, a panel had been found upon which were recorded ten Miracles that occurred at the Life Giving Spring during the period 1824 – 1829.

During the reign of Sultan Mahmoud, the Orthodox Christians received a measure of freedom to conduct Holy Services and they used it to build, for the third time a Holy Church above the Life-Giving Spring.

In 1835 the Ecumenical Patriarch, Constantine, celebrating with 20 Bishops and a great multitude of Faithful, Consecrated the Church of the Life-Giving Spring, which stands to this day.

It is impossible to recount all the Miracles that have flowed from the Life-Giving Spring, bringing Divine Grace to great and humble people throughout the ages.

The Great Mercy and Power of Almighty God continues to this day through the waters of this Life Giving Spring, through the Prayers of His Holy Mother, which is experienced by all Faithful people of all Faiths, Nations and Creeds.

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: http://saintsilouan.org/calendar/life-giving-spring/

(DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) 2 n d Sunday o f Ho ly Pas cha – St Thomas Sunday 22 Apr i l 2012

19.

G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e 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 n d Sunday o f Holy Pascha 22 Apr i l 2 0 1 2

T o n e 1

HHHrrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAAnnn eee sss ttt iii !!! AAA lll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAAnnn eee sss ttt iii !!!

S u n d a y o f S t T h o m a s

Also the Feast of St heodore the Sykeote of Anastasiopolis – St Gabriel of

Pskov, Translation of Relics – St Nathaniel, St Luke the Evange l i st ,

St Clement, of the Seventy Apostles of Christ – St Vitalios of Gaza

– St Savva Hieromartyr of Serbia – St Platon New Hieromartyr of

Banjaluka

Apolyt ik ion Of Holy Pascha

>Hristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton patistas, ke tis en tis mnimasi, Zoin

harisamenos!

> Christ has Risen from the dead, by Death trampling upon Death, and has bestowed

Life to those in the tombs! Apolyt ik ion o f S t Thomas Sunday - TONE (7 ) VARYS /GRAVE

Esfragismenou tou mnimatos, i Zoi ek Tafou anetilas

Hriste O Theos: ke ton thiron keklismenon, tis

Mathites epestis, i pantaon Anastasis: Pnevma

evthes di afton egkenizon imin, kata to Mega Sou

Eleos.

While the Tomb was sealed, Christ God, Thou Dawned,

O Life, from the grave; and while the doors were shut, Thou, the Resurrection of all, came to Thy Disciples, through them renewing a right Spirit in us, according to Thy Great Mercy!

Kontakion – For Holy Pascha – Unt i l Ascension Day

I ke en Tafo katilthes Athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tin dinamin; ke Anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos, Ginexi

Miroforis fthengxamenos: Herete! Ke tis Sis Apostolis

Irinin doroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon Anastasin.

Although Thou descended in the grave, O Immortal One, yet Thou destroyed the power of Hades; and Thou arose as Victor, O Christ our God! To the Myrrh-bearing Women Thou said: Rejoice! And to Thine Apostles Thou granted Thy Peace: the One Who grants Resurrection to the fallen ones.

R e s u r r e c t i o n G o s p e l 1

M a t t h e w 2 8 : 1 6 – 2 0 – The Great Commission of Christ our Lord

P r o k e i m e n o n

Great and Mighty is the Lord: His Wisdom is infinite!

Praise the Lord, For He is Good and His Mercy endures forever!

T h e A c t s o f t h e A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 5 : 1 2 – 2 0 Evange l i sm in t he Sp i r i t

Through the hands of the Apostles many Signs and Wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, and the people esteemed them highly. And Believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.

Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tomented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Then the High Priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the Sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison.

But at night an Angel of our Lord opened the prison doors and took them out, and said: “Go, stand in the Temple and

speak to the people all the Words of this Life.”

Having received the Divine Power and Authority from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, His Holy Apostles were Empowered and enabled by God to perform “many Signs and Wonders.”

In other words: GOD ENABLED THEM TO CONTINUE HIS DIVINE MISSION OF LOVE – HEALING THE AFFLICTED AND

ENLIGHTENING THE MINDS AND SOULS WITH DIVINE TRUTH.

] THUS THE DIVINE POWER OF GOD RESTS IN HIS HOLY,

UNIVERSAL CHURCH.

WHILE MANY PEOPLE HAD GREAT FAITH, ST PETER WAS

GRANTED A PARTICULAR DIVINE GRACE TO HEAL people of all their physical and spiritual ailments in order to draw them close to the Holy Unity of Christ’s Church.

J OHN 1 4 : 1 2 Christ said: “Most assuredly, I say to you: he who believes in Me - the Works that I do – he

will do also; and greater Works than these he

will do, because I go to My Father.”

] These “greater Works” indicate that OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WORKS THROUGH US MERE HUMAN BEINGS

AFTER THE GLORIOUS DAY OF PENTECOST, WHEN THE

HOLY SPIRIT CAME TO ASSIST US BY MEANS OF HIS

DIVINE GIFTS, and, ACCORDING TO CHRIST, THESE GOOD WORKS AND MIRACLES ARE EVEN GREATER THAT

HIS OWN DIRECT SIGNS AND WONDERS, which He did while still physically with us, since THEY ARE

FOUNDED ON GENUINE AND TRUE FAITH IN CHRIST.

20. (DONATIONS MOST GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED) 2 n d Sunday o f Ho ly Pas cha – Sunday o f St Thomas 22 Apr i l 2011

These Great Works, which are attested to by St Luke in his Book of the Acts of the Apostles, include the spreading of Christ’s Holy Gospel – Divine Truth – throughout the world, the Miraculous Healings, and the raising of the dead.

Furthermore, this particular passage of Holy Scripture reveals to us how GOD WORKS THROUGH HIS PHYSICAL CREATION, BECAUSE EVEN LIGHT AND “SHADOW” ARE

GRANTED DIVINE POWER – ARE SANCTIFIED OR MADE

HOLY. The Miracles that were initially performed by His Holy

Apostles followed those that were performed by our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore show us clearly that CHRIST LIVES AND WORKS THROUGH HIS FAITHFUL

DISCIPLES – Faithful Believers and Followers – Faithful Christians.

] OF PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCE IS THE MANNER

WHEREBY PHYSICAL OBJECTS - such as handkerchiefs, aprons or cloths, which are Sanctified through contact with Christ and with those of Great Faith - BECOME HOLY OR

SANCTIFIED INSTRUMENTS OF DIVINE GRACE TO

OTHERS WHO ARE BLESSED WITH PROFOUND FAITH – THROUGH CONTACT WITH DIVINE POWER AND WILL.

The fact that Almighty God works Wonders or Miracles through both His Saints and physical objects, shows us that CREATION ITSELF IS CONSTANTLY BEING

RENEWED. FOR EXAMPLES OF OBJECTS BESTOWING SUCH DIVINE GRACE UPON THE

FAITHFUL READ: NUMBERS 21:8-9; 4 KINGS 13:20-21; MARK 6:12-13; LUKE 8:41-48 & JOHN 9:6-7

] DIVINE SIGNS AND WONDERS ARE GRANTED BY GOD, not as ends in themselves, but TO ENCOURAGE AND TO STRENGTHEN THE APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES OF

CHRIST TO PREACH AND TO CONFIRM DIVINE TRUTH

– THE HOLY GOSPEL OF CHRIST JESUS.

Ac t s 4 : 2 9 - 3 1 : (THE APOSTLES PRAYED:) “ ‘... Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Thy Servants that with

all boldness they may speak Thy Word, by

stretching out Thy Hand to heal, and that Signs

and Wonders may be done through the Name of

Thy Holy Servant Jesus.’ And when they had

prayed, the place where they were assembled

together was shaken; and they were all filled with

the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God

with boldness.” The Apostles prayed for “Signs and Wonders,” in order TO

RECEIVE FROM GOD THE “BOLDNESS” OR COURAGE

AND ABILITY TO PREACH AND TO CONFIRM THE DIVINE TRUTH OF THEIR TRUE TEACHINGS – THE HOLY GOSPEL

OF CHRIST.

] WHILE THE HOLY SPIRIT PERPETUALLY ABIDES IN THE

HOLY CHURCH, HIS DIVINE PRESENCE IS

EXPERIENCED AGAIN AND AGAIN IN OUR

LITURGICAL ASSEMBLIES – COMMUNAL WORSHIP –

AND IN RECURRING PENTECOSTAL OUTPOURINGS.

It is of great significance how quickly the Petition of the Apostles and Disciples was answered by God.

With utter confidence – True Faith – in God, we are able to achieve amazing Labours of Love for His Glory, Honour and Worship!

The choice is ours – whether TO SURRENDER OUR HEARTS AND SOULS TO OUR LOVING AND BENEVOLENT GOD AND

ACCOMPLISH HIS GREAT WORKS - or not, and to continue our aimless struggles through our fruitless and futile days!

While Almighty God commands our obedience to earthly governing authorities, OUR HUMBLE OBEDIENCE TO GOD MUST ALWAYS COME BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE.

] BUT AND WHEN THE TWO ARE IN CONFLICT, THE

FAITHFUL MUST RATHER FOLLOW GOD AND BE

WILLING TO ACCEPT THE TEMPORARY

CONSEQUENCES – SUCH AS MARTYRDOM – FOR THE

ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES OF ETERNAL LIFE.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 2 0 : 1 9 – 3 1 Our Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ Appears to Ten of His Holy Apostles & Grants Them Divine Authority to Forgive Sins

At that time, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the Disciples were

assembled, for fear of the Hebrews, Jesus went and stood in their midst, and said to them: “Peace be with you!” When He had said this, He showed them His Wrists and His Side. Then the Disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

So Jesus said to them again: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed upon them, and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Now Thomas, called ‘the Twin,’ one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came and the other Disciples therefore said to him: “We have seen the Lord.” And he said to them: “Unless I see in His Wrists the print of the nails, and put my hand into His Side, I will not believe.”

And after eight days, His Disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came – the doors being shut –

and stood in their midst, and said: “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas: “Reach thy finger here, and look at My Wrists; and reach thy hand here, and put it into My Side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

And Thomas answered and said to Him: “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him: “Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed. Blessed are those who have not

seen and yet have believed!” And truly Jesus did many other Signs in the presence of His Disciples, which are not written in this Book, but these are

written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing, you may have Life in His Name.

THE “FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK” IS SUNDAY. Sunday is known as “The Lord’s Day” because it is

dedicated to the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, which is CELEBRATED AS HOLY PASCHA OR RESURRECTION DAY EVERY SUNDAY

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

Because we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on Sundays, WE DO NOT KNEEL DOWN ON SUNDAYS BUT WE DO BOW DEEPLY – although it is never “wrong” if one does kneel down in genuine worship and reverence before God.

During the week we kneel down at the appropriate moments of the Divine Liturgy or other Holy Services.

“Peace be with you!” is used throughout our Divine Liturgy and Holy Services by the Holy Priesthood to this day.

The Hellenistic Greek word for “hands” and “wrists” is the same.

Pathologically, we know that CRUCIFIXION VICTIMS WERE NAILED THROUGH THE TINY GAP BETWEEN

THE BONES OF THE WRIST AND FEET TO SUPPORT

THE BODY, but which also caused indescribable pain and suffering.

This fulfilled the prediction that NOT A BONE OF CHRIST’S PRECIOUS BODY WOULD BE BROKEN.

The experienced Roman executioners had their grim torture down to the finest detail, not wanting the condemned to die too quickly but to suffer the longest and worst type of pain in “retribution” for their “crimes.”

CRUCIFIXION VICTIMS WOULD BE SUSPENDED FOR DAYS

UNLESS THEIR LEGS WERE BROKEN and they perished in agony from the dreadful effects of green-stick fractures of their legs.

CHRIST, IN HIS DIVINE NATURE, CHOSE THE EXACT HOUR

OF HIS DEATH, to the astonishment of the executioners who then checked whether He was truly dead by piercing His Side between the fifth and sixth Ribs with a lance.

So much “Water and Blood” poured from His Lungs – due to soft tissue damage caused by His unlawful and merciless scourging, as well as the drowning effects of crucifixion, (as lungs filled with unexhaled moisture due to not being able to breathe properly

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21.

while suspended by the wrists, as well as internal bleeding caused by various other means of torture, such as scourging and beating).

The reference to “eight days” is also an oblique reference to THE EIGHT DAY – THE FINAL DAY OF OUR GENERAL RESURRECTION AND JUDGEMENT

WHEN ALL DIVINE TRUTH IS REVEALED CLEARLY TO

ALL CREATION AND THE BEGINNING OF ETERNITY.

The words of Christ spoken directly to St Thomas, show us that HE IS ALWAYS PRESENT AND THAT HE WITNESSES EVERYTHING THAT WE THINK, SPEAK OR

DO!

St Thomas was known as ‘the Twin,’ because he was always in two minds or double-minded about various matters – i.e. HE QUESTIONED AND STUDIED EVERYTHING BEFORE ACCEPTING OR REJECTING IT.

(THIS MAY EVEN HAVE BEEN A NICKNAME BESTOWED ON HIM BY OUR LORD, WHO KNOWS EVERY ASPECT OF EVERY SOUL WHOM HE HAS CREATED!)

] ALTHOUGH ST THOMAS DID NOT ACTUALLY TOUCH

OR FEEL CHRIST’S WOUNDS, DESPITE BEING

INVITED TO DO SO, HE MADE THE MOST

HEARTFELT CONFESSION OF FAITH: “My Lord

and my God!” ] CHRIST THEN AFFIRMS THAT EVERYONE WHO

BELIEVES WITHOUT HAVING TO PERSONALLY

WITNESS EVERYTHING HE DOES, OR SAYS OR

TEACHES, IS EVEN MORE BLESSED WITH A

DEEPER FAITH THAT IS IMPRINTED ON ONE’S

VERY SOUL!

IT IS THE RECOGNITION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF

DIVINE TRUTH BY OUR GOD-GIVEN IMMORTAL SOUL!

] CHRIST COMMISSIONED HIS APOSTLES AND

FAITHFUL DISCIPLES TO CONTINUE HIS DIVINE

MISSION ON EARTH, GRANTING THEM THE HOLY

SPIRIT WHO ENABLES AND ACTIVATES US so that

we can accomplish His Divine Will even beyond our own expectations and abilities.

] CHRIST ALSO BESTOWED HIS DIVINE AUTHORITY TO

FORGIVE THE SINS OF REPENTANT SINNERS.

THROUGH THIS DIRECT CONSECRATION AND THROUGH

THE HOLY APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION OR CONTINUITY,

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST’S OWN HOLY PRIESTHOOD

IS COMMUNICATED TO HIS BISHOPS AND

PRESBYTERS (Priests) of His Holy Church. The “doubt” or rather the incredulity of St Thomas is

described in the Holy Church as “Blessed,” for IT WAS NOT A DOUBT OF RESISTANCE TO DIVINE

TRUTH, BUT ONE THAT DESPERATELY DESIRED A

TRUTHFUL ANSWER – a “... doubt which gave birth to Faith,” when the answer was revealed to him.

In the Hymns of the Holy Church of Christ, our Lord says to St Thomas: “Thy doubt will teach My Passion and Resurrection to all.”

And we affirm that THE “DOUBT” OR INCREDULITY OF ST THOMAS “... BROUGHT THE HEARTS OF BELIEVERS

TO KNOWLEDGE” OF GOD.

The Conversion of St Thomas’ incredulity to Faith LED HIM TO THE CLEAREST AND MOST CONCISE

CONFESSION OF FAITH in Christ’s Divinity, addressing our Lord Jesus Christ as “My Lord and my God!”

Once again St John the Divine reminds us that WHAT IS WRITTEN AND RECORDED IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURE

OF THE NEW TESTAMENT IS ONLY A FEW OF THE

MOST SIGNIFICANT WORKS, DEEDS AND TEACHINGS

OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHICH ARE RECORDED

FOR OUR BENEFIT – SO THAT WE “... may believe that Jesus is the Christ – the Son of God – and

that believing (WE) may have Life in His (DIVINE)

Name.”

S e c o n d S u n d a y o f H o l y P a s c h a - S u n d a y o f S t T h o m a s

C h r i s t i s R i s e n ! Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Throughout Bright Week we live in the Paschal

Joy of our Risen Saviour, and our Joy, just like that of the Holy Apostles, is mixed with confusion because not long ago we had remembered the Death of Him Who is the Source of Life, yet now we Rejoice, having been Raised to Life by Him Who had been in the Tomb.

Just like the Holy Disciples and Apostles during the first days after our Lord’s Resurrection, we vividly recalled the Passions of Christ during the Reading of the Twelve Gospels on Great and Holy Thursday; our Lord Jesus Christ’s Death and the Unnailing of His Body from the Cross on Great and Holy Friday morning, and His Burial after the Funeral Procession and Lamentations that night, followed by the long hours awaiting the Divine Miracle on the Saturday of Great Stillness.

Although from the very early morning hours of that first Sunday of Holy Pascha, the Good News of our Saviour’s Resurrection was conveyed throughout Creation by the amazed Angelic Hosts of Heaven and the astounded Holy Myrrh-bearers on earth - and even by the shocked and traumatised guards of the Sanhedrin [WHO WERE BRIBED TO LIE ABOUT

IT!] – who, being first-hand witnesses, had all reported the Glorious Miracle to others - His Holy Apostles and Disciples were still in a state of fear and doubt, hiding behind locked doors “...for the fear of the Jews.” (MARK 16:6 - LUKE 24:9 - MATTHEW 28:11 - JOHN 20:19).

The Disciples’ doubt is not surprising, for they were witness to the Greatest Miracle in the history of Creation: humans killed God, and

then He Rose from the dead and Saved the dying human race from the claws of Hell!

After their Beloved Teacher’s unjust arrest, trial and execution, the Apostles and Disciples of Christ, forgot all His Teachings and Prophesies concerning everything that occurred and was to still happen.

They did not believe the Miraculous Announcement of the Holy Myrrh-Bearers and even while talking to the Risen One face to face, they hesitated to trust their own hearts, which burnt and trembled in the very Presence of God (MARK 16:11 - LUKE 24:11 - LUKE 24:25 - LUKE 24:32).

Such stunning unbelief – our human weakness that is incapable of encompassing the Magnitude of the Glorious Miracle that had taken place in Christ’s Tomb - is reflected in the famous words of the Apostle St Thomas: “Unless I see the nail marks in His Hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His Side, I will not believe It.” (LUKE 24:41 - JOHN 20:25)

People often refer to St Thomas as “Doubting Thomas,” not really considering the depth and the height of the “doubt” of this Holy Apostle.

Therefore let us look more carefully at this devout and faithful Apostle of Christ.

Was his doubt the same as that of the Judeans who yelled mockingly about the Lord and Saviour Whom they had mercilessly crucified: “Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him...” or was it similar to that which we hear from our sceptic contemporaries: “If there is a God, let Him show Himself to everyone, and we will believe in Him and live happily ever after”? (MATTHEW 27:42)

22. (DONATIONS MOST GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED) 2 n d Sunday o f Ho ly Pas cha – Sunday o f St Thomas 22 Apr i l 2011

The ancient Scribes and Pharisees knew about all of Christ’s Miracles and, it appears, guessed exactly Who ‘Jesus of Galilee’ really was.

But every time they were confronted by the Divine, they became even more rooted in their wilful and ignorant blasphemy!

Having heard that Christ had healed a man born without eyes, instead of lifting praises to God for His Great Mercy, they spewed forth curses upon Him: “This Man is a sinner... ...steeped in sin at birth!” (JOHN 9:24 - JOHN 9:34).

After Christ had Resurrected a four-day-old decomposing corpse – His beloved Friend, St Lazaros - while apparently not having any further doubts concerning our Lord’s Christ’s Divine Nature, the wicked Elders of the Hebrews decided to “...kill Lazaros as well!” (JOHN 12:10).

Finally, after being faced with the overwhelming Truth of our Lord Jesus Christ’s Miraculous Resurrection, and having heard the eyewitness accounts of the shocked guards who had fallen to the ground trembling with abject fear in the presence of a shining Angel, the Elders were forced to bribe the soldiers and deceive the people with their lies, thus even further deepening their terrible blasphemy. (MATTHEW

28:11 -MATHEW 28:4 - MATTHEW 28:12-14)

Don’t modern Pharisees also only further deepen their blasphemy - having come face to face with our Risen Lord Jesus Christ and yet not being convinced even by such a Profound Divine Miracle?

However, St Thomas is not one of them. We know about his devotion, faithfulness and

Sacrificial Love for his Divine Teacher. After following our Saviour for three intense

years, St Thomas understood very well the danger Christ faced from the hypocritical, treacherous Scribes and Pharisees.

The other Holy Apostles and Disciples also understood the circumstances very well and that is why when our Lord Jesus Christ decided to go to Jerusalem, His Apostles tried to talk Him out of it, warning Him of the danger. (JOHN 11:8).

But it was St Thomas who said: “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” (JOHN 11:16).

One would never hear such words from a doubter!

After the Ascension of our Lord, St Thomas, journeyed a very long distance.

He went to preach the Holy Gospel in one of the furthest and most difficult to reach places of the ancient world - India - where he was eventually tortured and killed for Christ.

AFTER THE DORMITION OF THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS, ST THOMAS ARRIVED THREE DAYS LATER AND WHEN HE INSISTED ON PAYING HIS LAST RESPECTS TO THE BELOVED THEOTOKOS, THE OTHER APOSTLES AND FAITHFUL DISCIPLES WHO HAD KEPT VIGIL WHILE WATCHING TO SEE THAT NO ONE DESECRATED HER RESTING PLACE, THEY OPENED THE SEALED TOMB AND DISCOVERED THAT HER IMMACULATE BODY WAS NO LONGER THERE! - MP

But on that most wonderful day - a week after His Glorious Resurrection - when our

Saviour appeared alive and well in the midst of His faithful Disciples, St Thomas was with them.

St Thomas who so selflessly Loved his Most Holy Teacher needed only a little nudge in order for him to realize exactly to Whom he had devoted his life, compelling him to make the heartfelt Confession: “My Lord and my God!”

This was someone who only a few minutes before had been understandably incredulous of the personal accounts of his Brethren.

Now, overwhelmed with intense Joy and Love, St Thomas proclaimed the Truth: “My Lord and my God!”

ST THOMAS WAS CALLED “DIDYMOS” OR “THE TWIN,” BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS TWO-MINDED – HE QUESTIONED EVERYTHING - ALWAYS SEEKING THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH – THE DIVINE TRUTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

God reveals Himself and His Divine Truth to such people like St Thomas – this is the type of person that our Lord allows to touch Him.

In His infinite desire to Save all mankind, Christ suffered everything: public humiliation and mockery, merciless and excruciating scourging, beating and being spat upon, tortured with a crown of thorns and finally, a shameful, naked, criminal’s execution.

If He is awaited, Christ will even enter through closed doors – especially the closed doors of our stubborn, ignorant heart. (JOHN 20:26)

But having entered our heart, what will He hear?

Will He hear from us the Joyous Confession: “My Lord and my God!” or will He only receive more mockery, insults and scourging?

Will we worship Him with hearts filled with Love and Devotion, as did St Thomas, or will we crucify Him with our lack of Repentance, and stone Him with the rocks of our sins?

O Lord, through the Prayers of the Holy

Apostle, St Thomas, grant us unwavering Faith and help our unbelief! (MARK 9:24)

Amen. ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “ST THOMAS SUNDAY” BY FATHER SERGEI SVESHNIKOV

APRIL 26, 2009 http://www.pravmir.com/article_593.html

The Eternal, Inspired Wisdom of St Isaac the Syrian

Glory, O Lord, to Thine Immeasurable Grace! Behold, O Lord, the Waves of Thy Grace

have made me silent; and no thought has been left in me

before Thy Good Graces. With what words can we praise Thee, O Good King,

O Thou Who Love our life? Glory to Thee for the worlds

which Thou hast created for our growth and pleasure,

leading us through all that Thou hast created to the Knowledge of Thy Glory, now and unto the Ages of ages.

Amen

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23.

G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e 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.

23 Apr i l 2012

HHHrrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!!

AAA lll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!!

S t G e o r g e t h e G r e a t M a r t y r , V i c t o r i o u s T r o p h y - B e a r e r

&W o n d e r W o r k e r

Also the Feast of St Alexandra the Empress (wife of Emperor Diocletian),

St Anatolios & St Protoleon (two illustrious Roman Officials) – St Lazaros

of Bulgaria

Apolyt ik ion Of Holy Pascha

Apo l y t i k ion o f S t T homas Sunday - TONE (7 ) VARYS /GRA VE

Esfragismenou tou mnimatos, i Zoi ek Tafou anetilas

Hriste O Theos: ke ton thiron keklismenon, tis

Mathites epestis, i pantaon Anastasis: Pnevma

evthes di afton egkenizon imin, kata to Mega Sou

Eleos.

While the Tomb was sealed, Christ God, Thou Dawned,

O Life, from the grave; and while the doors were shut, Thou, the Resurrection of all, came to Thy Disciples, through them renewing a right Spirit in us, according to Thy Great Mercy!

Apo l y t i k ion O f S t G eo r ge The Gr ea t & V i c t or i ous Mar ty r – TONE 4

Os ton ehmaloton Eleftherotis, ke ton ptohon

Iperaspistis, asthenounton Iatros, vaileon Ipermahos,

Tropeofore Megalomartis Georgie, Presveve Hristo to

Theo, Sothine tas psihas imon.

As the Liberator of prisoners, and the Protector of those in poverty, Physician of the sick, and Defender of ruling Kings, O George Triumphant Great Martyr, intercede with Christ our God, so that our souls may be Saved.

Kon tak i on – S t T homas Sunday – TONE (8 ) PLAGAL 4

Ti Filopragmoni dexia tin zooparohon Sou plevran O

Thomas exirevnise, Hriste O Theos: sigkeklismenon

gar ton thiron os isilthes, sin tis lipis Apostolis evoa

Si: Kyrios iparhis ke Theos mou.

With his probing right hand, Thomas examined Thy

Life-giving Side, O Christ our God. As Thou entered, although the doors were closed, he cried out to Thee with the other Apostles: “Thou art my Lord and my

God!”

Ins t ead O f T he T r i sag i on (Ag i os O Theos)

>Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.

Allilouia! [3]

> Doxa Patri, ke Io, ke Agio Pnevmati ke nin ke Ai ke is tous eonas ton eonon.

Amin >Hriston enedisasthe. Allilouia!

Dynamis!

>Osi is Hriston Evaptisthite, Hriston enedisasthe.

Allilouia!

>As many of you as have been Baptised into Christ, have put on Christ: Alleluia! [3]

> Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Amen >You have put on Christ: Alleluia! Power/Strength! >As many of you as have been Baptised into Christ,

have put on Christ: Alleluia

>Hristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton

patistas, ke tis en tis

mnimasi, Zoin

harisamenos!

> Christ has Risen from the dead, by

Death trampling

upon Death, and

has bestowed Life

to those in the

tombs!

24. (DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED) St Geo rg e t h e Gr e a t Ma r t y r , M i r a c l e Wo rk e r &V i c t o r i o u s Tr o p h y Bea r e r 2 3 Ap r i l 2 0 12

M a t i n s G o s p e l L u k e 2 1 : 1 2 – 1 9 Our Lor d Jesus Chr i s t Revea ls Chr i s t i an Per secu t i on & S t r ugg l e as we l l as t he S i gns o f t he End

At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: “... before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the Synagogues and prisons.

“You will be brought before Kings and Rulers for My Name’s sake, but it will turn our for you as an occasion

for Testimony.

“Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will grant you a

mouth and Wisdom, which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.

“You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to

death. And you will be hated by all for My Name’s sake, but not a hair of your head shall be lost.

“By your Patience possess your souls.”

T h e A c t s o f t h e A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 1 2 : 1 – 1 1 Jerusalem is Shaken by the Persecution of King Herod Agrippa

About that time, Herod the King stretched out his hand to harass some from the Church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Hebrews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also.

Now it was during the Day of Unleavened Bread, so when he had arrested him, he had him imprisoned and delivered to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out before the people after Passover.

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant Prayer was offered to God for him by the Church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were guarding the prison.

Now behold, an Angel of the Lord stood by Peter, and a Light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying: “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his wrists. And the Angel said to him: “Gird yourself and fasten your sandals;” and he did so. And he said to Peter: “Put on your garment and follow me.”

So he went out, following the Angel, and did not know that what was done by the Angel was real, but thought he was seeing a Vision.

When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they got to the iron gate that led to the city, which opened for them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the Angel departed from Peter.

And when he had come to himself, he said: “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His Angel, and has delivered

me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Hebrews.”

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 1 : 1 8 – 2 8 S t J ohn the Bap t i s t & For er unne r t o C h r i s t our Lo r d & Sav i our

No one has seen God at any time. The Only Begotten Son, Who is in the Bosom of the Father, has declared Him. Now this is the Testimony of John, when the Hebrews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him: “Who are

you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed: “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him: “What then? Are you Elijah?”

He said: “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered: “No.” Then they said to him: “Who are you, that we

may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am ‘the voice of one

crying in the wilderness: Make straight the Way of the Lord!’ as the Prophet Isaiah said.” Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked John: “Why then do you Baptise if you are not the

Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” He answered them: “I Baptise with water, but there stands One among you

Whom you do not know. It is He Who, coming after me, is preferred before me, Whose sandal strap I am not

worthy to loosen.”

T h e I n f i n i t e a n d I n s p i r e d W i s d o m o f o u r H o l y F a t h e r s

S t J o h n C a s s i a n Fasts and Vigils, the study of Holy Scripture,

renouncing possessions and everything worldly are not in themselves Perfection - they are its tools. For Perfection is not to be found in them; it is acquired through them.

It is useless, therefore, to boast of our Fasting, Vigils, Poverty, and reading of Holy Scripture when we have not achieved the Love of God and our fellow men.

WHOEVER HAS ACHIEVED LOVE HAS GOD WITHIN

HIMSELF AND HIS INTELLECT IS ALWAYS WITH

GOD.

A b b a M i u s A soldier asked Abba Mius if God accepted

Repentance. After the old man had taught him many things he

said: 'Tell me, my dear, if your cloak is torn, do you throw it away?' He replied, 'No, I mend it and use it again.'

The old man said to him: 'IF YOU ARE SO CAREFUL ABOUT YOUR CLOAK, WILL NOT GOD BE EQUALLY CAREFUL ABOUT HIS CREATURE?'

S t N i c o d e m o s o f t h e H o l y M o u n t a i n Fear of torment is the way of a slave, desire of

reward in the Heavenly Kingdom is the way of a hireling, BUT GOD'S WAY IS THAT OF A SON,

THROUGH LOVE.

S t I s a a c o f S y r i a The man who chooses to consider God an ‘Avenger’ -

presuming that in this manner he bears witness to His Justice - accuses Him of being bereft of Goodness.

Far be it, that vengeance could ever be found in that Fountain of Love and Ocean brimming with Goodness!

THE AIM OF HIS DESIGN IS THE CORRECTION OF

MANKIND; and if it were not that, we should be stripped of the Honour of our free will and perhaps He would not even Heal us by Reproof.

St. John Cl imacus, The Ladder o f Div ine

Ascen t - Step 1, Passage 3 GOD BELONGS TO ALL FREE BEINGS. HE IS THE

LIFE OF ALL, THE SALVATION OF ALL - Faithful and unfaithful, Just and unjust, Pious and impious, passionate and Dispassionate, Monks and laymen, wise and simple, healthy and sick, young and old —JUST AS THE EFFUSION OF

LIGHT, THE SIGHT OF THE SUN, AND THE

CHANGES OF THE SEASONS ARE FOR ALL

ALIKE; '...FOR THERE IS NO RESPECT OF PERSONS WITH GOD.'

S t . S e r a p h i m o f S a r o v "That I am a Monk and you are a layman is of no importance ... rather that we are both in the Light of the Holy Spirit ... Acquire Peace, and thousands around you will be Saved."

(DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) S t Mark t h e Evange l i s t & Apos t l e o f Chr i s t 25 Apr i l 2012 25 .

G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e 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.

25 Apr i l 2012

HHHrrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAAnnn eee sss ttt iii !!! AAA lll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAAnnn eee sss ttt iii !!!

S t M a r k t h e E v a n g e l i s t & H o l y A p o s t l e o f C h r i s t

F i r s t B i s h o p o f A l e x a n d r i a

Also the Feast of St Sylvester of Obnora

Apolyt ik ion Of Holy Pascha

Apo l y t i k ion o f S t T homas Sunday - TONE (7 ) VARYS /GRA VE

Esfragismenou tou mnimatos, i Zoi ek Tafou anetilas

Hriste O Theos: ke ton thiron keklismenon, tis

Mathites epestis, i pantaon Anastasis: Pnevma

evthes di afton egkenizon imin, kata to Mega Sou

Eleos.

While the Tomb was sealed, Christ God, Thou Dawned,

O Life, from the grave; and while the doors were shut, Thou, the Resurrection of all, came to Thy Disciples, through them renewing a right Spirit in us, according to Thy Great Mercy!

Apo l y t i k ion O f S t Mark The Apos t l e & Evange l i s t –––– TONE 3

Apostole Agie, ke Evangelista Marke, Presveve to

Eleimoni Theo, ina ptesmaton afesin, parashi tes psihes imon.

O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, Intercede with our Merciful God to grant remission of sins to our souls.

Kon tak i on – S t T homas Sunday – TONE (8 ) PLAGAL 4

Ti Filopragmoni dexia tin zooparohon Sou plevran O

Thomas exirevnise, Hriste O Theos: sigkeklismenon

gar ton thiron os isilthes, sin tis lipis Apostolis evoa

Si: Kyrios iparhis ke Theos mou.

With his probing right hand, Thomas examined Thy

Life-giving Side, O Christ our God. As Thou entered, although the doors were closed, he cried out to Thee with the other Apostles: “Thou art my Lord and my

God!”

P r o k e i m e n o n

SSSSing praises to our God, sing praises to our King! CCCClap your hands, all ye nations!

T h e F i r s t E p i s t l e o f S t P e t e r 5 : 6 – 1 4 ST PETER’S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE EARLY CHURCH OF CHRIST

St Peter wrote: “... humble yourselves under the Mighty Hand of God so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

“Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the Faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your Brotherhood in the world.

But may the God of All Grace Who Called us to His Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you. To Him be the Glory and the Dominion forever and ever. Amen.

By Silvanos, our faithful Brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the True Grace of God in which you stand.

She who is in Babylon, elected together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. Greet one another with a kiss of Love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.”

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t M a r k 6 : 7 - 1 3 The Ho ly Miss i on o f t h e Twe l ve Apos t l e s o f C hr i s t

At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ called the Twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and granted them Power over unclean spirits. He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts – but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

And He said to them: “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there until you depart from that place. And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet

as a testimony against them. Truly, I say to you: it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the

Day of Judgement than for that city!”

So they went out and preached that people should Repent. And they cast out many demons, and Anointed with Oil, many who were sick, and Healed them.

S t . M a r k t h e E v a n g e l i s t : A p o s t l e , M a r t y r , a n d B e h o l d e r o f t h e D i v i n e

T h e F i r s t P o p e & P a t r i a r c h o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a St. Mark is the Spiritual Father of our Holy Church in

Africa as expressed in his Doxology: “Thou, O Mark the Evangelst, the Apostle and Martyr, who

witnessed to the Suffering of our Lord Christ, came

to our land and taught us of the Father, and the

Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thou fed us the Food of

>Hristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato Thanaton patistas, ke tis en tis mnimasi, Zoin harisamenos!

> Christ has Risen from the dead, by Death trampling upon Death, and has bestowed Life to those in the tombs!

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Life, which came from Heaven. All Nations of the

earth were Blessed by Thee. Thy sayings reached

all countries of the world... Hail to Thee, O Martyr!

Hail to the Apostle! Hail to the Evangelist Mark the

Beholder of the Divine! Intercede on our behalf, O

Mark the Evangelist and Apostle, so that the Lord

may forgive us our sins!” (DOXOLOGY OF ST MARK) St Mark’ s parents - Aristo-Paul and Mary - were North

African Hebrews who were wealthy landlords of Cyrene (“Quayrawan”) in Pentapolis, which is part of the region now known as Tunisia and Libya.

After they lost everything due to barbarian attacks, they immigrated to Palestine.

Aristo-Paul was a cousin of St Peter’s wife and subsequently Mary became one of the faithful women who served our Lord Jesus Christ.

St Mark was surnamed ‘John’ and was 15 years younger than our Lord Who held His Last, Mystical Supper at their home in their Upper Room, which was also where the wonderful Descent of the Holy Spirit occurred on Pentecost Sunday.

From his early youth, St Mark was a faithful Disciple of Christ and was chosen as one of His 70 Apostles –thus St Mark is entitled “Beholder of the Divine.”

The conversion of his father happened while they were travelling in the desert region south of the Dead Sea and encountered a ravenous lion and lioness.

When the wild beasts turned and began to charge towards them, St Mark called out to our Lord Jesus Christ for Divine Protection, and suddenly they stopped dead in their tracks (some say that the lions actually dropped dead).

The relieved Aristo-Paul exclaimed to his son: “You are my son in the flesh, but from now on I am your son in faith!”

Shortly afterwards St Mark’s father reposed in Peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holy Icon of St Mark usually depicts St Mark as a bearded young man, writing his Holy Gospel, while a lion stands at his side. There is also a symbolic depiction of the Holy Church of Egypt.

Furthermore, the insignia of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa also depicts the Lion of St Mark.

St Mark accompanied St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, on his First Missionary Journey together with St Barnabas, but left them along the way in order to go to Rome where he met up with St Peter, whom he then accompanied and assisted.

Later, having matured both physically and spiritually, St Mark and St Paul were reconciled.

St Mark wrote his Holy Gospel while in Rome and the lack of any clear reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 suggest that it was perhaps the earliest of the four Holy Gospels to be written - sometime between 48 and 63.

The early dating, which is accepted by the Holy Orthodox Church, is according to Origen, St Clement, and St John Chrysostom, while the later dating is according to St Ireaneus who proposed that it was written after the Martyrdom of St. Paul -after 63.

St Mark had consulted with the other Faithful Disciples and Apostles of Christ, including St Peter and St Paul, and he addressed his Gospel to the Roman Christian Community, which was already experiencing merciless persecution and would soon be caught up in the apocalyptic fervour caused by the eventual destruction of Jerusalem due to the Jewish Rebellion in 70.

St Mark narrated the Life of our Lord Jesus Christ in a manner that enables readers to see their own personal suffering as a prelude to His Glorious Second Coming (OR PHYSICAL REAPPEARANCE, BECAUSE OUR LORD JESUS IS ALWAYS WITH US!) – and so as to discern the Divine Purpose and Reward of those Faithful Disciples of Christ who endure to the end.

The Holy Gospel of St Mark teaches us about our Lord Jesus Christ as Divine Servant of mankind and Ultimate Blood Sacrifice for the Remission and Forgiveness of our sins forever.

He wrote about our Lord Who acted with Power and Authority but Who was also our Suffering Messiah, Who had come to live amongst us in order to serve us and to give His Life for the sake of all mankind forever.

St Mark teaches us that our Lord Jesus Christ is clearly the Incarnate Son of God Who has Power over demons, Heals the afflicted and Forgives sins yet He also possesses a completely human Nature, which was often evident, and to the extreme during His Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, before His utterly unjust Betrayal and Arrest - and the indescribable public humiliation, torture and execution that He willingly suffered afterwards.

St Mark also emphasised the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ veiled His Divine Messianic Identity by commanding demons, those whom He Healed and even His Faithful Disciples and Apostles to remain silent until He Himself revealed the Great Mystery to the Sanhedrin.

According to St Mark’s account, St Peter confessed our Lord only as “the Christ” until after His Glorious Resurrection when they all acknowledged Him as our Almighty Lord God.

Although St Mark never used the term “Disciple” our Lord Jesus Christ Calls all His Faithful Followers to an uncompromising and heroic Commitment.

Consequently, we all, as Faithful Disciples of Christ, take up our Crosses and courageously follow in His Divine Footsteps - willingly suffering together with Him, confident in the Knowledge that He leads us through this temporary lifespan, and when the going gets too difficult for us, He scoops us up in His Compassionate and Loving Embrace, and carries us through the worst of it.

St Mark did not accompany St Paul on his Second Missionary Journey, but, having been reconciled and asked by St Paul, he is travel with him on his Third Missionary Journey, which is detailed in St Luke’s Book of the Acts of the Apostles.

At the age of approximately 28 years, St Mark went from Rome to North Africa – returning to his birthplace of Pentapolis – Libya and Tunisia, before going on to the great city of Alexandria in Egypt in 48.

In Egypt, as St Mark preached the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ to a cobbler (who made and repaired footwear) named Anianos, his awl slipped and stabbed the palm of his hand, and he screamed in pain: “The One and Only God!”

So St Mark healed his wound by praying before spitting on the ground and taking a dab of clay and putting it on his injury.

Through the Wisdom and Grace of the Holy Spirit, St Mark used the words of Anianos to preach to him the True God whereupon the Cobbler accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour.

Then he and his entire family and household were duly Baptised by St Mark, which marked the beginning of Christianity in Ptolemaic Egypt, (which combined the pagan worship of Greek idols with ancient Egyptian idolatry.)

After instructing them with the True Teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, St Mark ordained Anianos as Bishop and ordained 3 Priests and 7 Deacons to assist him in spreading the Divine Truth and Word of God throughout Egypt and beyond its borders.

St Mark returned to Rome in order to accompany St Paul on his Third Missionary Journey, after which he went back to Egypt in 58.

To his great Joy many Christian Communities had been established and were flourishing by Divine Grace so he appointed more Priests and Deacons, and instituted his own Divine Liturgy, which is also known as the Liturgy of St Cyril the Great and which is still celebrated in the Coptic Orthodox Church.

St Mark had attained many wonderful Virtues such as Courage, Patience, Long-suffering and Agape -Divine, Pure, Unconditional Love, which enabled him by Divine Grace to Preach, to Teach and to Heal both physical and spiritual ailments.

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His absolute devotion to the Lord our God enabled many Miracles to occur through his Intercessory Prayers, and was evident through his indiscriminate, compassionate and humble service to others - even those who persecuted and humiliated him.

St Mark suffered humiliating and cruel persecution when the Roman authorities accused him of stirring up trouble in city of Alexandria.

St Mark was arrested, tied to the tail of a horse and then dragged through the streets of the city until sunset, when he was thrown into a stinking and dank dungeon until the next day, 8 May 68, when the merciless persecutors repeated the same public humiliation and torture until his reverent head was pulled right off his battered and bruised body.

Even after St Mark’s hideous Martyrdom, the ungodly executioners tried to burn his body, but strong wind and heavy rain immediately extinguished the fire.

As soon as they could, the Faithful Christians went to claim his Sanctified Relics and then buried St Mark with great honour and reverence at Bokalia (Cattle Hill), in the region of Alexandria.

Upon the site of St Mark’s interment, the old Cathedral of St Mark still stands to this day.

In the 16th century certain self-serving merchants stole the Holy Relics of St Mark and took Them to Venice, Italy.

However, the venerable head of St Mark remained in Egypt, having been moved to the Monastery of St Makarios until it was later returned to Alexandria.

The Holy Relics of St Mark rested in the Cathedral named in his honour in Venice for 400 years until in 1968 an agreement was reached between the Roman Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church whereby most of them were returned to Egypt in a great celebration commemorating 19 Centuries following St. Mark’s Holy Martyrdom in Alexandria.

All the nations of the earth are certainly Blessed by St Mark through his Inspired Holy Gospel, through his Teachings, Preaching, Healing and Miracles and, in particular by the founding of the Christian Church in Africa.

St Mark is our First Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa and thus, as our Holy Spiritual Father we beseech him to Intercede for us before Christ our Lord and Saviour for the Forgiveness of our sins and for Eternal Life.

May his memory be Eternal! ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: “ST MARK, THE EVANGELIST:APOSTLE, MARTYR, AND BEHOLDER OF

THE DIVINE” BY WILLIAM HANNA, ST LOUIS, MISSOURI

http://stmary-church.com/stmark_1.pdf

T h e S p i r i t o f t h e L a s t T i m e s – A P e n t e c o s t w i t h o u t C h r i s t The Holy Scriptures and our Orthodox Fathers clearly tell

us that the character of the Last Times will not at all be one of a great Spiritual “Revival,” of an “Outpouring of the Holy Spirit,” but rather one of almost UNIVERSAL APOSTASY - OF SPIRITUAL DECEPTION SO SUBTLE THAT THE VERY ELECT, IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE, WILL BE

DECEIVED - OF THE VIRTUAL DISAPPEARANCE OF CHRISTIANITY

FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH. “When the Son of Man comes, shall He find Faith

on the earth?” (LUKE 18:8) IT IS PRECISELY IN THE LAST TIMES THAT SATAN IS TO BE LOOSED IN

ORDER TO PRODUCE THE FINAL AND GREATEST OUTPOURING OF

EVIL UPON THE EARTH. (APOCALYPSE 20:3) THE “CHARISMATIC REVIVAL,” the product of a world WITHOUT

SACRAMENTS [HOLY[HOLY[HOLY[HOLY MYSTERIES]MYSTERIES]MYSTERIES]MYSTERIES], WITHOUT GRACE - a world THIRSTING FOR SPIRITUAL “SIGNS” WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO

DISCERN THE SPIRITS THAT GIVE THE SIGNS, IS ITSELF A “SIGN” OF

THESE APOSTATE TIMES. The Ecumenical Movement itself remains always a

movement of “good intentions” and feeble humanitarian “good deeds”; but when it is joined by a movement with “power,” indeed “...with all power and signs and lying wonders...” then who will be able to stop it? (2 THESSALONIANS. 2:9),

The “charismatic revival” comes to the rescue of a floundering Ecumenism, and pushes it on to its goal.

And this goal, as we have seen, is not merely “Christian” in nature – the “refounding of the Church of Christ,” to use the blasphemous utterance of Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople – that is only THE FIRST STEP TO A LARGER GOAL, WHICH LIES ENTIRELY OUTSIDE

CHRISTIANITY: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE “SPIRITUAL UNITY” OF ALL RELIGIONS, OF ALL MANKIND.

However, the followers of the “charismatic revival” believe their experience is “Christian” - they will have nothing to do with Occultism and Eastern religions - and they doubtless reject outright the whole comparison in the preceding pages of the “charismatic revival” with spiritism.

Now it is quite true that religiously the “charismatic

revival” is on a higher level than spiritism, which is a product of quite gross credulity and superstition - that its techniques are more refined and its phenomena more plentiful and more easily obtained - and that ITS WHOLE IDEOLOGY GIVES THE “APPEARANCE OF BEING CHRISTIAN” – NOT ORTHODOX, but something that is NOT FAR FROM PROTESTANT FUNDAMENTALISM WITH AN ADDED

“ECUMENICAL” COLOURING.

THOSE WHO BRING CHRISTIAN IDEAS TO THE EXPERIENCE ASSUME THAT

THE “BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT” IS A CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.

But if it can be given to those who merely seek a cheap, easy status experience – then THERE IS NO NECESSARY CONNECTION WHATEVER BETWEEN THIS EXPERIENCE AND CHRIST.

The very possibility of an experience of A “PENTECOST WITHOUT CHRIST” MEANS THAT THE EXPERIENCE IN ITSELF IS NOT

CHRISTIAN AT ALL!

“Christians,” although often sincere and well-meaning, are READING INTO THE EXPERIENCE A CHRISTIAN CONTENT WHICH IN ITSELF IT DOES NOT HAVE.

Do we not have here the common denominator of “spiritual experience” which is needed for a new world religion?

Is this not perhaps the key to the “spiritual unity” of mankind which the Ecumenical Movement has sought in vain?

There may be those who will doubt that the “charismatic

revival” is a form of Mediumism; that is only a secondary question of the means or technique by which the “spirit” of the “charismatic revival” is communicated.

But THE FACT THAT THIS “SPIRIT” HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY IS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR. And in fact this “spirit” follows almost to the letter the “prophecies” of Nicholas Berdyaev concerning a “New Christianity.”

IT COMPLETELY LEAVES BEHIND THE “MONASTIC ASCETIC SPIRIT OF

HISTORICAL ORTHODOXY,” WHICH MOST EFFECTIVELY EXPOSES ITS

FALSITY.

It is not satisfied with the “...conservative Christianity, which directs the Spiritual Forces of man only

towards Contrition and Salvation.” Rather it is the apparent belief - like that of Berdyaev -

that such a Christianity is still “incomplete.” That then adds A SECOND LEVEL OF “SPIRITUAL” PHENOMENA -

NOT ONE OF WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY CHRISTIAN IN CHARACTER (although anyone is free to interpret them as “Christian”), which are OPEN TO PEOPLE OF EVERY

DENOMINATION WITH OR WITHOUT REPENTANCE, AND WHICH ARE

COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO SALVATION. It looks to “...a new era in Christianity, a new and deep

spirituality, which means A NEW OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT...” – IN COMPLETE CONTRADICTION OF ORTHODOX

TRADITION AND PROPHECY.

This is truly a “New Christianity” – but THE SPECIFICALLY “NEW” INGREDIENT IN THIS “CHRISTIANITY” IS NOTHING ORIGINAL

OR “ADVANCED,” BUT MERELY A MODERN FORM OF THE DEVIL’S

AGE–OLD RELIGION OF SHAMANISTIC PAGANISM. The Orthodox “charismatic” periodical “The Logos”

recommends Nicholas Berdyaev as a “Prophet” precisely because he was “...the greatest

Theologian of Spiritual Creativeness.” (LOGOS, MARCH, 1972, P. 8).

And indeed, it is precisely the Shamans of every primitive tribe who know how to get in contact with and utilize the primordial “creative” powers of the

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universe – THOSE “...SPIRITS OF EARTH AND SKY AND SEA...” WHICH THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST RECOGNIZES AS DEMONS, and, in serving them, which it is indeed possible to attain to a “creative” ecstasy and joy (the “Nietzschean enthusiasm and ecstasy” to which Berdyaev felt so close) but which are unknown to the weary and half-hearted “Christians” who

fall for the “charismatic” deception.

However, THERE IS NO CHRIST HERE! ] GOD HAS FORBIDDEN CONTACT WITH THIS “CREATIVE,” OCCULT

REALM INTO WHICH “CHRISTIANS” HAVE STUMBLED THROUGH

IGNORANCE AND SELF-DECEPTION. The “charismatic revival” will have no need to enter a

“...dialogue with non-Christian religions...” because, UNDER THE NAME OF “CHRISTIANITY,” IT IS ALREADY EMBRACING

NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGION AND IS ITSELF BECOMING THE NEW

RELIGION THAT BERDYAEV FORESAW - STRANGELY COMBINING

“CHRISTIANITY” AND PAGANISM.

THE STRANGE “CHRISTIAN” SPIRIT of the “charismatic revival” IS CLEARLY IDENTIFIED IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES AND THE

ORTHODOX PATRISTIC TRADITION.

According to these sources, WORLD HISTORY WILL CULMINATE IN AN ALMOST SUPERHUMAN “CHRISTIAN” FIGURE, THE FALSE

MESSIAH OR ANTICHRIST.

He will be “Christian” in the sense that HIS WHOLE FUNCTION AND HIS VERY BEING WILL CENTRE ON CHRIST, WHOM HE WILL

IMITATE IN EVERY RESPECT POSSIBLE, and he will be not merely the greatest enemy of Christ, but in order to deceive Christians, HE WILL APPEAR TO BE CHRIST, come to earth for a second time and RULING FROM THE RESTORED TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM.

“Let no one deceive you by any means, for that

day shall not come except there come a falling

away (APOSTASY) first, and that man of sin be

revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes

and exalts himself above all that is called God,

or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth

in the Temple of God, showing himself that he

is God… even him whose coming is after the

working of Satan with all lying wonders, and

with all deceivableness in them that perish; BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, THAT THEY

MIGHT BE SAVED. And for this cause God shall send

them strong delusion, that they should believe

a lie: that THEY ALL MIGHT BE DAMNED WHO BELIEVED NOT THE TRUTH, BUT HAD PLEASURE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. (2

THESSALONIANS 2:3-4, 9-12).

Orthodox Teaching concerning Antichrist is a large subject in itself and cannot be presented here.

But if, as the followers of the “charismatic revival” believe, the Last Days are indeed at hand, IT IS OF CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE FOR THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN TO BE

INFORMED OF THIS TEACHING CONCERNING ONE WHO, AS THE

SAVIOUR HIMSELF HAS TOLD US, TOGETHER WITH THE “FALSE

PROPHETS” OF THAT TIME, SHALL SHOW GREAT SIGNS AND

WONDERS, INSOMUCH THAT, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, THEY SHALL

DECEIVE THE VERY ELECT (MATTHEW. 24:24). And THE “ELECT” ARE CERTAINLY NOT THOSE MULTITUDES OF PEOPLE

WHO ARE COMING TO ACCEPT THE GROSS AND MOST UNSCRIPTURAL

DELUSION that “...the world is on the threshold of a

great Spiritual Awakening...” BUT RATHER THE “LITTLE FLOCK” TO WHICH ALONE OUR SAVIOUR HAS PROMISED: “It is your Father’s Good Pleasure to grant you the

Kingdom.” (LUKE 12:32). Even THE TRUE “ELECT” WILL BE SORELY TEMPTED by the “Great

Signs and Wonders” of Antichrist; but MOST

“CHRISTIANS” WILL ACCEPT HIM WITHOUT ANY QUESTION, FOR HIS

“NEW CHRISTIANITY” IS PRECISELY WHAT THEY SEEK. ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: EXCERPTS FROM “O“O“O“ORTHODOXY AND THE RTHODOXY AND THE RTHODOXY AND THE RTHODOXY AND THE RRRRELIGION OF THE ELIGION OF THE ELIGION OF THE ELIGION OF THE FFFFUTUREUTUREUTUREUTURE”””” BY

BLESSED FATHER SERAPHIM ROSE @ ST. HERMAN OF ALASKA BROTHERHOOD, PLATINA, CALIFORNIA, 2004.

http://orthodoxword.wordpress.com/2010/04/

A k a t h i s t o f T h a n k s g i v i n g This Akathist is also called the “Akathist of Thanksgiving.” The author was Metropolitan Tryphon (Prince Boris Petrovich Turkestanov).

It contains biographical references to his childhood illness and family life, as well as other material. It was written in perhaps 1934, the year of his death. A copy of this Hymn, in samizdat form, was among the belongings of the Priest Grigori Petrov, who died in a Soviet prison camp in 1940, and has been sometimes attributed to him. The title is from the words of Saint John Chrysostom as he was dying in exile. It is a Song of Praise from amid sufferings.

KONTAKION 1

Everlasting King, Thy Will for our Salvation is full of Power. Thy Right Arm controls the whole course of human life. We give Thee Thanks for all Thy Mercies, seen and unseen. For Eternal Life, for the Heavenly Joys of the Kingdom which is to be. Grant Mercy to us who sing Thy Praise, both now and in the time to come. Glory to Thee, O God, from age to Age.

IKOS 1

I was born a weak, defenceless child, but Thine Angel spread his wings over my cradle to defend me. From birth until now Thy Love has Illumined my Path, and has wondrously Guided me towards the Light of Eternity; from birth until now the Generous Gifts of Thy Providence have been marvelously showered upon me. I give Thee Thanks, with all who have come to know Thee, who call upon Thy Name.

Glory to Thee for Calling me into being! Glory to Thee, showing me the Beauty of the Universe!

Glory to Thee, spreading out before me Heaven and earth Like the pages in a Book of Eternal Wisdom!

Glory to Thee for Thine Eternity in this fleeting world! Glory to Thee for Thy Mercies, seen and unseen! Glory to Thee through every sigh of my sorrow! Glory to Thee for every step of my Life’s Journey!

For every moment of Glory! Glory to Thee, O God, from Age to Age!

KONTAKION 2

O Lord, how lovely it is to be Thy Guest. Breeze full of scents; mountains reaching to the skies; waters like boundless mirrors, reflecting the sun’s golden rays and the scudding clouds. All nature murmurs mysteriously, breathing the depth of Tenderness. Birds and beasts of the forest bear the imprint of Thy Love. Blessed art thou, O mother earth, in thy fleeting loveliness, which wakens our yearning for Happiness that will last fo ever, in the land where, amid beauty that grows not old, the cry rings out: Alleluia!

IKOS 2

Thou hast brought me into Life as into an enchanted Paradise. We have seen the sky like a Chalice of deepest blue, where in the azure heights the birds are singing. We have listened to the soothing murmur of the forest and the melodious music of the streams. We have tasted Fruit of fine flavour and the sweet-scented Honey. We can live very well on Thine earth. It is a pleasure to be Thy Guest.

Glory to Thee for the Feast Day of Life! Glory to Thee for the perfume of lilies and roses!

Glory to Thee for each different taste of berry and fruit! Glory to Thee for the sparkling silver of early morning dew!

Glory to Thee for the joy of dawn’s awakening! Glory to Thee for the new life each day brings! Glory to Thee, O God, from Age to Age!

http://saintsilouan.org/orthodoxy/prayer/akathist/akathist-glory-to-god-for-all-things/

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G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e 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 r d Pascha l Sunday Tone 2 29 Apri l 2 0 1 2

HHHrrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAAnnn eee sss ttt iii !!! AAA lll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAAnnn eee sss ttt iii !!!

S u n d a y o f t h e H o l y M y r r h b e a r e r s , S t N i c o d e m o s &

S t J o s e p h o f A r i m a t h e a

Also the Feast of St Theognes, St Rufos & their Fellow Martyrs of Cyzikos –

St Jason & St Sosipater of the 70 Holy Apostles of Christ – St Memnon of

Egypt

Paschal Apolyt ik ion

R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n –––– TONE 2

Ote katilthes pros ton Thanaton, i Zoi i Athanatos, tote

ton adin enekrosas ti astrapi tis Theotitos. Ote de ke

tous tethneotas ek ton katahthonion anestisas, pase

e Dinamis ton Epouranion ekravgazon. Zoodota

Hriste, O Theos imon, Doxa Si!

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!

A p o l y t i k i o n O f S t J o s e p h O f A r i m a t h e a & T h e H o l y M y r r h - B e a r e r s

O evshimon Iosif, apo tou xilou kathelon, to ahranton

Sou Soma, sindoni kathara, ilisas ke aromasin, en

mnimati keno, kidevsas apetheto; alla trimeros

anestis Kyrie, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos!

Tes Myroforis Ginexi, para to Mnima epistas, O Angelos

evoa: To Myra tis thnitis iparhi armodia, Hristos de

diafthoras edihthi allotrios; alla kravgasate: Anesti O

Kyrios, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos!

The noble Joseph taking down Thy spotless Body from the Tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud with sweet spices and laid it for burial in a new tomb; but on the third day Thou arose, O Lord, granting the world Thy Great Mercy!

The Angel standing by the Tomb cried to the Myrrh-bearing Women: Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has been shown to be a stranger to corruption. But cry aloud: The Lord has Risen, granting the world His Great Mercy!

K o n t a k i o n – F o r H o l y P a s c h a – U n t i l A s c e n s i o n D a y

I ke en tafo katilthes athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tin dinamin; ke Anestis os nikitis, Hriste O Theos, Ginexi

Miroforis fthengxamenos: Herete! Ke tis sis Apostolis

irinin doroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon Anastasin.

Although Thou descended in the grave, O Immortal One, yet Thou destroyed the power of Hades; and Thou arose as Victor, O Christ our God! To the Myrrh-bearing Women Thou said: Rejoice! And to Thine Apostles Thou granted Thy Peace: the One Who grants Resurrection to the fallen ones.

R e s u r r e c t i o n G o s p e l 4 - L u k e 2 4 : 1 – 1 2 The Myrr hbear er s F i nd The Tomb Emp ty

P r o k e i m e n o n

The Lord is my Strength and my Glory !

The Lord has punished me severely , but He has not de l ivered me to Death!

T h e A c t s o f t h e A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 6 : 1 – 7 Deacons are O r da i ned

In those days, when the number of Disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. So the Twelve summoned the multitude of Disciples and said: “It is not desirable that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables. Therefore, Brethren,

seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom, whom we may

appoint over this business; for we will give ourselves continually to Prayer and the Ministry of the Word.”

And their words pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of Faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip Prochoros, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the Apostles; and when they had prayed they laid hands on them.

Then the Word of God spread, and the number of Disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the Priests were Obedient to the Faith.

“The Hebrews” referred to the local Jewish Christians in Jerusalem who spoke Aramaic, while “the

Hellenists” were Greek-speaking Jewish Christians

from other parts of the Hellenised world who had settled in Jerusalem.

St John Chrysostom noted that this particular complaint showed a lack of order among the quickly growing

>Hristos Anesti ek nekron,

Thanato Thanaton patistas,

ke tis en tis mnimasi, Zoin

harisamenos!

> Christ has Risen from the dead, by Death trampling

upon Death, and has

bestowed Life to those in

the tombs!

30. ((((DDDDOOOONNNNAAAATTTTIIIIOOOONNNNSSSS AAAARRRREEEE GGGGRRRRAAAATTTTEEEEFFFFUUUULLLLLLLLYYYY RRRREEEECCCCEEEEIIIIVVVVEEEEDDDD)))) 3rd of Holy Pascha – S u n d a y o f t h e H o l y M y r r h - b e a r e r s - 29 April 2012

multitude of Faithful Christians, even though the neglect of the Hellenistic widows and orphans was certainly not malicious or intentional.

So it is evident that various problems that faced the early Church arose not only from outsiders, but also due to dissension or misunderstanding from within.

However, these various initial difficulties were quickly resolved due to the mutual respect and Love of one another within the Holy Church of Christ.

] PROBLEMS HAVE ALWAYS ARISEN DUE TO THE “HUMAN

FACTOR” – when OUR EGOS AND SELFISHNESS

DOMINATE AND RULE OUR EMOTIONS AND ACTIONS. However, these MUST always be very quickly repented,

resolved and forgiven, so that we may CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON OUR FAITHFUL AND TRUE WORSHIP OF

ALMIGHTY GOD, WHILE CONSTANTLY CORRECTING AND

REPENTING OUR OWN PERSONAL FLAWS, which is the entire Purpose of this earthly life, before Eternity.

The term “Disciples” generally refers to all Faithful Believers and Followers of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and not only to His Twelve Apostles or those who were close to Him and who accompanied Him during His Public Ministry.

] To be A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST means that we are really trying to LEARN ALL THE SACRED TEACHINGS AND COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR SO THAT WE

CAN APPLY THEM TO OUR EVERY WORD, THOUGHT AND

DEED: THIS IS LIFE IN CHRIST, WHICH TAKES MUCH

EFFORT AND A FAITHFUL WILLINGNESS TO OBEY GOD AT

ALL TIMES.

While THE MINISTRIES OF THE WORD AND OF SERVING widows (and orphans) are important Sacred Tasks, they CANNOT BE PERFORMED BY THE SAME PEOPLE AND STILL RECEIVE PROPER ATTENTION.

Therefore, the Holy Church developed diversified Ministries.

In the Orthodox Church to this very day, our Bishops and Presbyters (Priests) are Called to focus on “Prayer and the Ministry of the Word” of God, while the other essential ministries of Christ’s Holy Church are accomplished by Deacons and the laity (the people or congregation) of each Parish.

DEACONS WHO ARE CALLED TO SERVE ARE REQUIRED TO BE

NOT ONLY SPIRITUAL, BUT ALSO “FULL OF WISDOM,”

WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR MANAGING THEIR SACRED

TASKS.

While “the multitude” submitted the names of the first Seven Deacons, THE HOLY APOSTLES OF CHRIST ORDAINED THEM.

Thus the synergy between Laity and Clergy was demonstrated in the selection of these Church Servants and leaders.

Whether these first chosen Deacons held the Liturgical Office of Deacon, or whether their Diaconate was more Service-oriented, THEY RECEIVED THEIR SACRED OFFICE BY MEANS OF HOLY ORDINATION BY THE

DIVINELY AUTHORISED APOSTLES OF CHRIST. ] THE INCREASE IN NUMBERS OF FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF

CHRIST ONLY OCCURS WHEN THREE GREAT PILLARS OF

CHURCH LIFE ARE FULLY IN PLACE:

� WORSHIP

� EVANGELISM

� CHARITY/LOVE

Furthermore, this wonderful Growth occurs WHEN

EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL STRUGGLES OR PROBLEMS

HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, RESOLVED AND REPENTED.

] THE FIRST PRESBYTERS (PRIESTS) WERE CHRISTIAN

CONVERTS WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN HEBREW

PRIESTS but they had not necessarily been Ordained into the Priestly Ministry within the Christian Church after their conversion to the New Covenant of God.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t M a r k 1 5 : 4 3 – 1 6 : 8 The Unna i l i ng & Bur i a l o f ou r C r uc i f i ed Lor d & Sav i our , J esus Chr i s t

At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council Member, who was himself waiting for the Kingdom of God, went courageously to Pilate and asked for the Body of Jesus.

Pilate marvelled that He was already dead; and, summoning the Centurion, he asked him if Jesus had been dead for some time. And when he found out from the Centurion that it was indeed so, he granted the Body to Joseph.

Then Joseph bought fine linen, took Jesus down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the Tomb.

And Mary of Magdala and Mary, the Mother of Joses, observed where He was laid. Now, when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the Mother of James and Salome, bought spices so that they

might go and Anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the Tomb when the sun had risen. And they discussed among themselves who would roll away the stone from the door of the Tomb for them. But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away – for it was very large – and entering the Tomb, they saw a young man, clothed in a long white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

And He said to them: “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth Who was crucified. He is Risen! He is not here.

See the place where they laid Him. Now go: tell His Disciples – and Peter – that He is going before you into Galilee;

there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

So they went out quickly and fled from the Tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

If His Faithful Apostles had buried Christ, doubters and enemies of Divine Truth could claim that His Most Precious Body had simply been hidden away by them and that there was no Resurrection.

] ST JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, BEING BOTH A COUNCIL

MEMBER (OF THE SANHEDRIN) AND AN ACKNOWLEDGED

“GOOD AND JUST MAN” TOGETHER WITH ST NICODEMOS

– ALSO OF GOOD REPUTATION AND SOCIAL STATUS -

REFUTES ANY POSSIBILITY THAT OUR LORD’S BODY WAS

MERELY REMOVED AND HIDDEN BY HIS FAITHFUL

APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES.

As a wealthy and highly prominent, respected member of Hebrew society, St Joseph of Arimathea was able to personally approach the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, to request the Body of Christ, Whom Pontius Pilate had already acknowledged as having been unjustly tried, punished and condemned to death by crucifixion.

] The fact that Pontius Pilate “...marvelled that He

was already dead...” confirms the Divine Truth that CHRIST PANTOCRATOR CHOSE THE EXACT HOUR OF HIS

DEATH, HAVING SACRIFICED HIMSELF FREELY AND

WILLINGLY FOR THE SAKE OF ALL HUMANITY.

Usually crucifixion victims suffered for a very long time, sometimes for days, before dying but when the Sabbath Day was approaching, Hebrew criminals’ legs were shattered so that they quickly died from

the most painful green fracture injuries, YET AS PROPHESIED, NOT A BONE OF OUR LORD WAS BROKEN!

] The Spiritual Significance of a New Tomb that “had been hewn out of rock” and “where no one had

ever lain before” is that CHRIST SUFFERED A DEATH UNLIKE ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING – DEATH WITHOUT

SPRITUAL OR PHYSICAL CORRUPTION – A DEATH

LEADING TO ETERNAL VICTORY OVER THE TOMB ITSELF.

Furthermore, the description of the New Tomb according to several sources, clearly shows that IT WAS A VERY SPECIAL TOMB FIT FOR A MOST

IMPORTANT PERSON – AND WHO IS MORE IMPORTANT

AND INFLUENTIAL THAN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST –

OUR ONE AND ONLY ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST AND KING

– OUR ONLY ETERNAL GOD INCARNATE!

] Another fact to be considered is that NOT ONLY WAS A HUGE, HEAVY ROCK PLACED - WITH MUCH EFFORT - AT

THE ENTRANCE TO THE TOMB AND THEN SEALED, BUT

TWO ROMAN GUARDS STOOD WATCH AS WELL, because the devious Hebrew leaders had alleged that Christ’s Body would be removed by His Disciples so that they could then proclaim His Resurrection from the dead as He had truthfully and precisely foretold.

] AFTER CHRIST HAD RESURRECTED, A POWERFUL

EARTHQUAKE announced the Glorious Event by BREAKING THE SEALS, ROLLING AWAY THE ROCK

blocking the entrance and REVEALING TO ALL

MANKIND THE EMPTY TOMB, containing only the

(DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) 3 r d S u n d a y o f H o l y P a s c h a – T h e H o l y M y r r h - b e a r e r s – 29 Apr i l 2012 31.

discarded Shroud (Soudarion) and carefully folded Facecloth (Mandylion).

] THE ROCK DID NOT ROLL AWAY SO THAT CHRIST COULD

EXIT THE TOMB BUT ONLY TO REVEAL TO MANKIND THAT

HE HAD TRULY RISEN! The terrified guards – who also witnessed the Empty

Tomb - ran away in fear of the punishment they faced from the Roman authorities, but were later paid by the Hebrew authorities to blatantly lie to everyone that the Disciples had removed the Body of Christ after knocking them unconscious!

HABITUAL LIARS, THIEVES AND DECEIVERS ALWAYS ACCUSE OTHERS OF THEIR OWN SINS – AND THEY DO NOT RECOGNISE DIVINE TRUTH – THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH – BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS TOTALLY ALIEN TO THEM.

CHRIST DIED JUST BEFORE THE SABBATH SO THE USUAL

BURIAL CUSTOMS OF THE HEBREWS COULD NOT BE

COMPLETED by His Mother and Disciples, and they had to return on the first day of the week – Sunday – to do so.

ST JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA AND ST NIKODEMOS HAD

UNNAILED OUR LORD FROM HIS CROSS AND WRAPPED

HIS NAKED BODY IN A FOURTEEN FOOT LONG “FINE

LINEN” CLOTH that became the Burial Shroud, also gathering up any bloody soil that surrounded the Cross, to be buried with Him.

THEY HAD CARRIED HIM TO THE TOMB AND WRAPPED HIM

WITH OTHER LINEN STRIPS DOUSED WITH THE 100

POUNDS OF BITTER ALOES THAT ST NIKODEMOS

SUPPLIED.

THE MANDYLION OR FACE CLOTH WAS GENTLY AND

RESPECTFULLY PLACED OVER HIS FACE AS SOON AS THEY TOOK HIM DOWN FROM THE CROSS, WHICH

REMAINED UNDER THE OUTER BURIAL CLOTHS, which were soaked with bitter aloes and dried as hard as concrete.

Therefore, when St Peter and St John saw the folded Mandylion, they were amazed – (AND EVEN MORE SO WHEN

THEY NOTICED THE IMAGE OF CHRIST UPON IT – WHICH BECAME KNOWN AS THE HOLY ICON “NOT-MADE-BY-HANDS” – THE FIRST HOLY ICON OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHICH WAS COPIED MANY TIMES BY OTHERS OVER THE YEARS. mp)

ST JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA AND ST NIKODEMOS SHOWED THEIR ABSOLUTE FAITH, HONOUR AND WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR BY ALL THEIR ACTIONS: GOING DIRECTLY TO PONTIOUS PILATE FOR PERMISSION TO UNNAIL OUR LORD FROM THE CROSS, PURCHASING THE BEST QUALITY OF FINE LINEN AVAILABLE IN WHICH TO WRAP HIS PRECIOUS BODY, DONATING A NEWLY HEWN TOMB CARVED FROM SOLID STONE AND IN A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN – AGAIN NOTHING BUT THE BEST RESTING PLACE FOR CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR – AND THEIR OWN PERSONAL ATTENTION TO ALL THE NECESSARY BURIAL RITES, INCLUDING THE SUPPLY OF 100 POUNDS OF BITTER ALOES!

ST JOHN THE DIVINE APOSTLE, OUR EVER BLESSED LADY THEOTOKOS AND HER CLOSE COMPANION, ST MARY OF MAGDALA WATCHED AND WITNESSED OUR LORD’S BURIAL.

ACCORDING TO OLD COVENANT LAW, THE BODIES OF THE

DECEASED WERE NOT WASHED BUT ANOINTED WITH

AROMATIC OILS – and in the cases of violent death, all blood and body parts were carefully gathered, wrapped and buried together with the rest of the body.

Although the Apostles and Disciples had gone into hiding for fear of the Roman and Hebrew authorities, the eight devoted Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, led by our Most Blessed Lady Theotokos bravely went to fulfil their Sacred Duty out of their profound Love and Respect for Christ our Lord and Saviour.

OUR LADY THEOTOKOS WAS THE LEGAL “MOTHER” OF ST JOSEPH THE BETROTHED’S SEVEN CHILDREN - ST JAMES, ST JOSES, ST JUDE, ST SIMON, ST SALOME (MOTHER OF ST JOHN AND ST JAMES), ST ESTER AND ANOTHER DAUGHTER, WHO WERE ACTUALLY HER COUSINS AND PROBABLY MUCH OLDER THAN HER.

SINCE SHE PREFERRED AND INSISTED ON REMAINING HUMBLY IN THE BACKGROUND OF HER BELOVED SON AND LORD, THE APOSTLES AND EVANGELISTS

RESPECTFULLY REFERRED TO HER IN OBSCURE WAYS SUCH AS “THE MOTHER OF JOSES” OR “THE MOTHER OF JAMES AND SALOME,” ETC.

The Angel of God – possibly Archangel Gabriel who is the Angelic Messenger and Bearer of Good Tidings from God to us human beings – specifically mentioned St Peter, which revealed our Lord’s special Care and Love even for one of His Apostles who had denied Him at a crucial time.

According to St Theophylact the deeply repentant and sorrowful St Peter would have said of himself: ‘I denied the Lord, and therefore I am no longer His

Apostle!’ Yet the Angel’s words showed that our Lord God had already forgiven St Peter and still Loved him as before.

This is another Divine Teaching that clearly shows us that WHENEVER AND WHATEVER WE TRULY REPENT WITH ALL SORROW AND HUMILITY, WE ARE FORGIVEN BY GOD

WHO LOVES US - EVEN THE WORST OF SINNERS - FOR HE

DOES NOT REQUIRE OR DESIRE ANYONE TO SUFFER

ETERNAL CONDEMNATION AND PERPETUAL SPIRITUAL

DEATH.

For this reason, WE MUST NEVER DARE TO JUDGE ONE ANOTHER AND NOT EVEN OURSELVES FOR GOD’S DIVINE

LOVE AND GRACE IS FAR BEYOND ANYTHING WE CAN

BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND OR APPRECIATE.

Our Blessed Lady Theotokos and Mary Magdalene “... said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid...” does not mean that they never told the others what they had experienced so early on that first Resurrection Day.

] OUR LADY THEOTOKOS “...KEPT MANY THINGS TO

HERSELF...” THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, ONLY SPEAKING OF

THEM WHEN IT BECAME NECESSARY TO DO SO and in order to confirm the Absolute Truth of Christ’s Holy Gospel and His sinless Life on earth as God Incarnate and Perfect Man – AND THEN ONLY TO THOSE WHO WOULD FULLY APPRECIATE AND

UNDERSTAND THEM.

Only after our Risen Lord Jesus Christ had appeared to the other Holy Apostles and faithful Disciples, did they speak of their experiences of that very early Sunday morning – Holy Pascha.

] THE STATEMENT THAT “THEY WERE AFRAID,” MIGHT

HAVE REFERRED TO THE ENORMOUS SHOCK OF NOT

ONLY WITNESSING THE OPENED TOMB WITH THE

ABANDONED BURIAL CLOTHS AND THE PRESENCE OF

THE ANGEL OF GOD, BUT ALSO A RELUCTANCE TO TELL

THE OTHERS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE BELIEVED THEM and – being men – they would have thought the women were merely “hysterical” and “delusional” due to their intense grief.

] ALTHOUGH AS THE ADORING MOTHER TO OUR LORD, OUR

LADY THEOTOKOS WOULD HAVE BEEN INDESCRIBABLY

TRAUMATISED BY WITNESSING CHRIST’S TERRIBLE

SUFFERING, SHE WAS ALSO DEEPLY FAITHFUL AND

FILLED WITH DIVINE GRACE THAT ENABLED HER - MORE

THAN ANYONE ELSE - TO APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND

ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS

DIVINE WILL FOR ALL HUMANITY.

IN HER PROFOUND WISDOM AND LOVE FOR GOD AND HER

FELLOW MANKIND, SHE WOULD KEEP MANY THINGS –

ESPECIALLY THE DIVINELY MYSTERIOUS THINGS – TO

HERSELF, knowing that others would either not understand or would misinterpret or blaspheme them.

T h i r d S u n d a y o f H o l y P a s c h a – T h e H o l y M y r r h - b e a r e r s , S t N i c o d e m o s

& S t J o s e p h o f A r i m a t h e a “Shine, shine, O New Jerusalem! The Glory of the Lord has shone on you!

Exalt now, exalt, and be glad O Zion! Be radiant in the Resurrection of Christ!”

Christ is Risen! Truly, He is Risen! Beloved Brethren: Having placed our minds upon the Resurrection of Christ,

let us keep them there during these holy days by the means the Church has proscribed: frequent attendance at the Services, chanting the Paschal Troparion every day, greeting one another with ‘Christ is Risen!’, replacing our Prostrations with Metanias, foregoing kneeling, reading the Acts of the Holy Apostles, forgiving everyone, and considering even those who hate us our Brethren by virtue of the Resurrection.

In so doing we will find ourselves shining, exulting, and being radiant.

One day, having travelled to Irvine to celebrate the Patronal Feast of our sister Parish of St Mark, I went with some friends for a walk on the beach, and as we were went from the parking lot to the sandy shore, we passed by a bench overlooking the water.

It had fixed to it a plaque, noting that it was dedicated to the memory of a young man killed in a car accident.

My friend related to me the tragic story, and explained that the deceased boy’s family had had him cremated, after which his brother paddled out on his surfboard and “scattered his ashes” in the waves.

How unfortunate! And what insult added to the injury of death!

32. ((((DDDDOOOONNNNAAAATTTTIIIIOOOONNNNSSSS AAAARRRREEEE GGGGRRRRAAAATTTTEEEEFFFFUUUULLLLLLLLYYYY RRRREEEECCCCEEEEIIIIVVVVEEEEDDDD)))) 3rd of Holy Pascha – S u n d a y o f t h e H o l y M y r r h - b e a r e r s - 29 April 2012

It is bad enough to be killed at a young age, but then to have your own family throw you in the fire and cast your ashes into the ocean!

These people chose a park bench over a grave. There would be no Trisagions sung for years to come at

that park bench and no frequent visits. I doubt we would see any Priest visiting that bench and

sprinkling it with Holy Water, or a Paschal Procession being made through the parking lot singing “Christ is Risen!”, no visits on Soul Saturdays to that bench, or crosses planted upon it - and I doubt very much that his mother would kneel there and call for Divine Grace upon her departed beloved son with her tears!

That bench is instead a token of the ignorance and cruelty of modern secular mankind!

Thank God for the Righteous St Nicodemos and St Joseph of Arimathea, and for the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women.

Their Love for our Sweet Saviour did not lapse at His Death. Not one bit!

Their Love, rather, was launched into an even greater expression.

What boldness and courage did the noble St Joseph of Arimathea demonstrate when he dared to approach Pontius Pilate, requesting to take our Lord’s Most Precious Body down from the Cross on Golgotha.

For that he was severely punished by the Jewish leaders and was no longer considered as a “...respected member of the Council...” but rejected and dishonoured as an exile – an outcast - of the Synagogue. (MARK 15:43)

The True Piety of the Righteous St Nicodemos and noble St Joseph of Arimathea is demonstrated in their sublime Love for Christ after His Death.

What fearlessness and Faith for being identified with Christ did these two prominent and influential men demonstrate! And that being after our Lord and Saviour was - to all intents and purposes - dead!

How much more ought we to fearlessly identify ourselves with our Lord Jesus Christ - knowing as we do that He is Risen, Ascended, and Reigns over all Creation with a rod of iron!

While Christ was still alive they had followed Him, although secretly for fear of their fellow Hebrews.

Yet, once He had been executed they abandoned any personal concern for their own welfare, and with great boldness and extreme bravery identified themselves

with their Lord and Master. This is sublime Love! It is one thing to Love a living person – and such Love usually is returned with Love. But it is another and deeper matter altogether to Love Someone Who was

deceased. This is Selfless Love – True, Pure Love (Agape) that is

joyously offered with no expectation of return! This is True Love that was verified by St Joseph of

Arimathea, St Nicodemos, and the Eight Faithful and Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women (led by our Ever Blessed Lady Theotokos.)

This is True Love that was clearly demonstrated by their bold request for our Lord’s Most Precious Body, by their tender care in taking Him down from the Cross, washing His Wounds, cleaning Him, anointing Him with aromatic spices, wrapping Him in the purest linen clothes, and burying Him in the newly hewn Tomb.

We have a beautiful custom in this regard in our Holy Church.

When we take down the Stavromenos from the Cross on Great and Holy Friday with the help of two men from the Parish in the role of St Joseph of Arimathea and St Nicodemos, we reverently wrap It in a new linen sheet, in which It remains throughout the Holy Days of Holy Pascha. (UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE ASCENSION THURSDAY.)

At the Apodosis - Leave-Taking - of Holy Pascha, we unwrap the Stavromenos, fold the Blessed Linen, and keep it in the Altar for our next Funeral so that the newly departed can be wrapped and buried in the very linen cloth that wrapped our Saviour.

We have other Liturgical Practices in the Holy Church which call to mind the devotion of the Holy Myrrh-Bearers.

Every Lord’s Day (SUNDAY) we commemorate the Resurrection of our Saviour.

Each Sunday - being a mini-Pascha - during Sunday Orthros (MATINS) we read one of the Eleven Resurrection Gospel Accounts that describe the Eleven Appearances of our Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ before His Ascension.

These Resurrection Gospels are read in a unique way –different to how we normally read the Holy Gospel Lessons, which we usually read either from the Royal Gates or from the Bishop’s Throne.

On Sunday, during Matins, the Priest reads the Resurrection Gospel from the south side of the Holy Table/Altar, while the Deacon, holding a lit candle, stands on the North side.

This is done in this manner because at this moment we stand together with the Holy Myrrh-Bearers, at the Empty Tomb, and hear the Joyful Announcement that our Lord is Risen from the dead.

Let us complete our thoughts this morning concerning our Love for the departed souls by always remembering that no one Loves them more, or cares for them more intensely than our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

We Love God because He first Loved us. We Love our reposed departed family and friends, because

He first Loved them. Our Saviour accepted Death and Burial so that He Himself

could go to His dead children in Hades and Raise them up!

Through His Death He visited those who were dead and His Tomb became the passage to the graves of all His Beloved Children, as well as a Joyous Message of Hope for all His unborn Children.

There is no place where our Saviour has not gone before us.

There is no place where Death can take us that our Saviour has not already invaded with His Divine Presence, denuded, and filled with His Never-Waning Light.

When we kneel before an open grave and commit our loved ones to the earth, we do so knowing that our Lord Jesus Christ has already been below the earth and has conquered Death!

He has turned Death and the grave into Paradisaical Doors. [GATES TO PARADISE]

It is in this Knowledge that we Christians can calmly prepare for our own inevitable, unavoidable death and constantly contemplate it.

If the Righteous St Joseph of Arimathea could have had the Spiritual Care and Forethought to have prepared his own tomb (in which they subsequently buried our Lord Jesus Christ) even before the Resurrection of our Saviour, how much more ought we - living in the Light and Knowledge of the Resurrection – to calmly and studiously often think of our own death, and prepare ourselves for our graves through Repentance-Confession.

May we be numbered amongst the Righteous St Nicodemos and St Joseph of Arimathea, together with the Holy Myrrh-Bearers – and may we all obtain the ultimate Reward of the Resurrection of the Just in the Eternal Kingdom of our Great God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP “THIRD SUNDAY OF PASCHA” - FATHER JOSIAH

TRENHAM - ST ANDREW ORTHODOX CHURCH, RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, USA 29 APRIL, 2001