2014 - february sacred lessons

7/27/2019 2014 - February Sacred Lessons

1/2632ND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST M E E T I N G/ P R E S E N T A T I O N O F C H R I S T 2 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 1

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

ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FAT HE R, AND TO THE SON , AND TO THE HOLY SPIRI T, NOW AND FOREVER, AND UNTOTHE AGES OF AGES . AME N .

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOL Y, MOST PUR E , MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LAD Y, MAR IA, THEOTOKOS , YET EVE R VIRGIN ,

TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAI NT S . AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE L I FE TO CHRIST OUR GOD .

AME N.

32nd Sunday After Pentecost Ton e (7) Var ys/ Gr ave 2 Fe brua ry 201 4

T h e M e e t i n g / P r e s e n t a t i o n o f C h r i s t

1 s t S u n d a y o f T r i o d i o n t h e P u b l i c a n & t h e P h a r i s e eAL S O T H E FE A S T O F S T GA B R IE L T HE NE W MAR T Y R OF C O N S T AN T I N O P LE S T J O R D A N T H E

NE W MAR T Y R S T AG A T H A D O R O S O F CA P P A D OC I A

R E S U R R E C T I O N AP O L Y T I K I O N T O N E ( 7 ) V A R Y S/ G R A V E

Katelisas to Stavro Sou ton Thanaton. Ineoxas to listi tonParadison. Ton Myroforon ton thrinon metevales ketis sis Apostolis kirittin epetaxas, oti Anestis, HristeO Theos, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos.

By Thy Cross Thou destroyed Death; Thou openedParadise to the Thief; Thou changed the funerallament of the Myrrh-Bearers, and Commanded themto announce to Thine Apostles that Thou had Risenfrom the dead, O Christ our God, Who bestows onthe world Great Mercy!

R E S U R R E C T I O N KO N T A K I O N T O N E ( 7 ) V A R Y S/ G R A V E

Ouketo to kratos tou thanatou, ishise katehin tousvrotous: Hristos gar katilthe sintrivon, ke lion tasdinamis aftou: desmite O Adis, Profite simfonosagallonte, epesti legontes, Sotir tis en pisti: exerhesthei pisti is tin Anastasin

No longer does the might of Death have power to keepmortals captive: for Christ came down, breaking inpieces and destroying its power. Now Hades isbound, the Prophets with Joy in unison declare: TheSaviour has appeared to those with Faith. Come outyou Faithful to the Resurrection!

F E S T A L AP O L Y T I K I O N M E E T I N G O F C H R I S T

>Here, Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek Sou garanetilen O Ilios tis Dikeosinis, Hristos O Theos imon,Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou ke Si, Presvita Dikee,dexamenos en agkales ton eleftherotin ton psihonimon harizomenon imin ke tin Anastasin.

>Hail, O Lady Full of Grace, O Virgin Theotokos, forChrist our God, the Sun of Righteousness has risenfrom Thee and He Illumined those in darkness. AndThou, O Righteous Elder, be glad in heart, receivingin Thine Embrace the One Who Liberates our souland bestows on us Resurrection.

F E S T A L KO N T A K I O N - T H E P R E S E N T A T I O N O F C H R I S T TONE 1

O Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou, ke hiras touSymeon Evlogisas os eprepe, profthasas ke nin esosasimas Hriste O Theos. All irinefson en polemis topolitevma, ke krateoson Vasilis ous igapisas, O MonosFilanthropos

Thy Birth Sanctified a Virgins Womb and properlyBlessed the hands of Symeon. Having now comeand Saved us O Christ, our God, grant Peace to ThyCommonwealth in troubled times and strengthenthose in authority, whom Thou Love, as the OnlyLover of mankind.

R e s u r r e c t i o n M a t i n s G o s p e l 1 0 : J o h n 2 1 : 1 - 1 4O U R R E S U R R E C T E D L O R D J E S U S S E R V E S B R E A K F A S T T O H I S E L E V E N A P O S T L E S

P r o k e i m e n o n : My s ou l do th magn i f y t he L ord , a nd m y s p i r i t h a s re jo iced i n God my Sa i ou r !

Fo r He has rega rded the l ow es ta te o f H i s Ha ndma idenT h e E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e H e b r e w s 7 : 7 - 1 7

C O N C E R N I N G T I T H E S

Brethren: without all contradiction, the less is Blessed of the better. And here men who die receive tithes; but thereHe receives them, of Whom it is witnessed that He Lives. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receives tithes,paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchezedek met him.

If, therefore Perfection were by the Levitical Priesthood, (for under it the people received the Law,) what furtherneed was there that another Priest should rise after the Order of Melchezedek, and not be called after the Orderof Aaron?

For the Priesthood, being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the Law. For He of Whom thesethings are spoken, pertains to another Tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the Altar. For it is evident thatour Lord sprang out of Juda; of which Tribe Moses said nothing concerning Priesthood.

And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchezedek there arises another Priest, Who is notafter the Law of a carnal commandments, but after the Power of an Endless Life. For He testifies that Thou art aPries forever, after the Order of Melchezedek.

Persecuted Christians were encouraged not to apostasise

to Judaism because THE FOUNDING FATHER OF CHRISTS

HOLY PRIESTHOOD, MELCHIZEDEK ( A PRIEST AND A KING OF

SALEM WHO BLESSED ABRAHAM) WAS SUPERIOR TO THE OLDCOVENANT PRIESTHOOD OF LEVI.

The payment of tithes expressed the desire to enter into

the ministrations of a religious priesthood, which was

only fulfilled once such an offering was made.

This applied to all religions, both pagan Gentile and

Hebrew Jewish.

Throughout the Old Testament, we read how the Israelites

showed their continuing desire for Gods Priesthood by

continuing to give a tenth of all they received.

] However, because CHRIST HAS PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE RANSOM -FOR OUR REDEMPTION,OUR MOST LOVING GOD

OFFERS US HIS INFINITE DIVINE BLESSINGS FREELY.

] OUR UNRESTRICTED, WILLING AND VOLUNTARY OFFERINGS TO

GOD ARE CONSTANT TIME SPENT IN THANKSGIVING,

PRAISING, HONOURING AND WORSHIPPING - AS WELL AS

OUR SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES IN REPENTANCE, FASTING AND

PRAYER.


2/2632ND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST M E E T I N G/ P R E S E N T A T I O N O F C H R I S T 2 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 42

] AS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST WE SHOULD GENEROUSLY OFFER

OUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT TO THE HOLY CHURCH

ESPECIALLY TO THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD - SO THAT AS THE

CHURCH OF CHRIST WE MAY ALL FULFIL OUR SACRED

DUTIES TO GODduring this preparatory period before

Eternity.

Our voluntary offerings and fundraising are vital for the

growth, nurturing and maintenance of our Parish

churches and A rchdiocese.

] NOT ONLY IS THE FOUNDER OF OUR NEW COVENANT WITH GOD

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST SUPERIOR TO THAT OF THE OLD

COVENANT, THE RULES OF THE NEW COVENANTS PRIESTLY

ORDER ARE ALSO SUPERIOR.Any Priesthood is so intertwined with a Covenant that if the

Priesthood is changed, so is the Covenant.

Thus our Holy and Eternal Priesthood is intertwined with OUR

NEW PERFECT AND ETERNAL COVENANT WITH GOD.

] BEING ETERNAL AND ABSOLUTELY PERFECT, LIKE GOD, THE NEW

COVENANT IS UNCHANGEABLE FOR EVEN THE SLIGHTEST

CHANGE WOULD DISTORT IT AND MAKE IT IMPERFECT AND NO

LONGER ACCORDING TO HIS DIVINE TRUTH!

Thus BY MODERNISING OR CHANGING ANYTHING OF THE NEW

COVENANT TO SUIT OURSELVES ISAPOSTASY!

Such a religion even if we pick and choose from Holy

Scripture to suit our flawed concepts - becomes an

ungodly, man-made concept that misguides and

misdirects us away from Eternal Life in Christ

] LIFE IN CHRIST IS A TOTAL ACCEPTANCE OF ALL HOLY THINGS THAT

HAVE BEEN TAUGHT AND INSTITUTED BY OUR ONE AND ONLY

ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST Who

verbally instructed His Holy Apostles.

] BY THE DIVINE GUIDANCE AND INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT -

GODS TRUTH IS PRESERVED AND PASSED DOWN TO US

UNALTERED AND CORRECT -ACCORDING TO THEWORD ANDWILL OFALMIGHTY GOD BY THEAUTHORITY AND MEANS OF

THEAPOSTOLIC SUCCESSION.

THIS MEANS THAT WE CAN TRACE OUR ORTHODOXY OR TRUE

TEACHINGS ALL THE WAY BACK TO CHRIST THROUGH THE

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION an unbroken lineage through

our Holy Church Fathers to the Holy Apostles of Christ

and to Christ our Lord Himself!

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 L u k e 2 : 2 2 4 0T H E M E E T I N G/ P R E S E N T A T I O N O F C H R I S T A T T H E T E M P L E

At that time, when the days of her Purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they took Jesus toJerusalem to Present Him to the Lord, (as it is written in the Law of the Lord; Every male who opens the wombshall be called Holy to the Lord), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is written in the Law of the Lord: Apair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Symeon, and this man was Just and Devout, waiting forthe Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon Him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spiritthat he would not see death before he had seen the Lords Christ. So he went, by the Spirit, into the Temple.And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the Custom of the Law, he tookHim up in his arms and Blessed God and said: O Lord, now Thou art letting Thy servant depart in Peace,according to Thy Word; for my eyes have seen Thy Salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face ofall peoples, a Light to bring Revelation to the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy People, Israel.

And Joseph and the Mother of Jesus marvelled at those thing that were spoken of Him.Then Symeon Blessed them, and said to Mary, His Mother: Behold! This Child is destined for the fall and rising of

many in Israel, and for a Sign, which will be spoken against, (yes, a sword will pierce through Thine own soulalso!), so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Now there was one, Anna, a Prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the Tribe of Asher, who was of a great age, andwho had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-fouryears, who did not depart from the Temple, but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day.

And entering in that instant, she gave Thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked forRedemption in Jerusalem.

So when they had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city,Nazareth.

And the Child grew and became Strong in Spirit, filled with Wisdom; and the Grace of God was upon Him.

On 2 February the Orthodox Church celebrates thePresentation of Christ - also known as The Meeting of theLord- when - according to ancient Holy Tradition that ispractised to this very day The Blessing of a Child onthe Fortieth Day After Birth is done at the Holy Templeof God.

OUR MOST PURE AND HOLY LADY THEOTOKOS FAITHFULLY ANDCORRECTLY FULFILLED ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE OLD COVENANTLAW BY TAKING THE FORTY DAY OLD CHRIST CHILD TO THE TEMPLE INJERUSALEM TO PRESENT HIM AND TO DEDICATE HIM TO THE HOLYSERVICE OF THE LORD OUR GOD.

In the Orthodox Christian Church this is known as The 40th

Day Churching of the Mother and Child.The Old Covenant Law required a sacrificial blood offering of

an unblemished lamb or if the mother of the newborn

infant was unable to afford such an offering, a pair ofturtledoves or two young pigeonswas accepted.

] NOT ONLY DID THE EVER BLESSEDVIRGIN MARY OFFER GOD A PAIROF TURTLEDOVES,BUT ALSO CHRISTWHO IS THE MOST PERFECT ANDUNBLEMISHED LAMB OF GOD THEREBY FULFILLING COMPLETELY THEPRECEPTS OF THE LAW.

This also fulfilled the Prophecy at the time the ancientPatriarch, St Abraham, was ready to offer his belovedson, Isaac, as an ultimate sacrifice to Almighty God:

GE N E S I S 22:8: (Abraham told Isaac) My son, God willprovide for Himself the Lamb for a Whole BurntOffering.

The very old St Symeon symbolises humanity who waited forso long for the coming of The Consolation of Israel.

S t T h e o p h a n t h e R e c l u s e O n t h e M e e t i n g o f C h r i s t a t t h e T e m p l eWhat a tender and Most Wonderful scene the Meeting

of the Lord must have been!The Venerable Elder, St Symeon overjoyed beyond

description - held the Infant God in his arms,while on either side of him stood the Righteous,Elderly Guardian, St Joseph the Betrothed, and theyoung Virgin Mary who is now the Most HolyMother of God.

Another joyous witness was the Prophetess, StHannah, who was an eighty-year-old devotedAscetic.

Their attention was directed towards our Saviour asthey took in His Spiritual Sweetness that feeds our

soul.How Blessed indeed was the state of these witnessing

souls!However, Brethren, we are Called - not only to think

about this joyful Blessedness at the Meeting ofChrist - but also to personally taste it in all ItsReality - for we are all Called to receive to

welcome - and to carry the Lord in ourselves - todisappear in Him with all the powers of our spirit.

When we have reached that state, then ourBlessedness and Joy will be no less than that ofthose who participated in the first Meeting of ourLord no less than those who were so profoundlyBlessed to experience that Great Moment!

Even us Faithful Christian who did not personallywitness that first Meeting of Christ shall be just asBlessed when we also Meet our Lord and SaviourJesus Christ!

Pay attention! And I will explain to you briefly how toachieve this Most Joyful Meeting:

1 . F i r s t o f a l l , R E P E N T !Remember that NOTHING MUST BE DONE IN

SPIRITUAL LIFE WITHOUT REPENTANCE .No matter what anyone endeavors to seek, let the

beginning of it be Repentance.Just as a house cannot be built without a

foundation, nor a field be sown or plantedwithout first being cleared, so also WITHOUT


3/2632ND

SUNDAYAFTER PENTECOST M E E T I N G/ P R E S E N T A T I O N O F C H R I S T 2 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 3.

REPENTANCE WE CANNOT BEGIN OUR

SPIRITUAL SEARCH- because ANYTHING BEGUNWITHOUT REPENTANCE IS BEGUN IN VAIN.

Thus, first of all, REPENTthat is, weep overeverything bad that you have done, andRESOLVE TO DO ONLY WHAT IS PLEASING TO

GOD .This will be like turning your gaze and your whole

body towards the Path of Meeting the Lord,and taking the initial step upon that Path.

2. N e x t , K E E P T H I S S T A T E O FR E P E N T A N C E C O N S T A N T .

Establish for yourself a manner of life andconduct that makes every step or movementsomething that directs your focus on our Lordand Saviour.

Such an Order of Life will establish itself naturally,if:

a) EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO IS FOR THE GLORYOF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR FOR THE

LOVE OF GOD - not only our great deeds,but all our deeds.

For - seeing and hearing, silence andspeaking, food and drink, sitting andwalking, work and rest - ALL CAN BEDEDICATED TO THE LORD AND

SANCTIFIED BY HIS ALL -HOLY NAM E.There is not a minute when we are not doing

something; so, BY THUS DEDICATINGYOUR AC TIVITY , YOU WILL BE MEETING

THE LORD MINUTE BY MINUTE,DIRECTING

ALL OF YOUR ACTIVITIES TO H IS GLORY.You can even more conveniently do this and reap

Fruits from it if you also:b) insert into the order of your daily activities the

practice of Prayerboth in Church and athome.

And, in general, MAKE IT YOUR RULE TOSTRICTLY OBEY AND FULFIL ALL THE RULES

AND ORDER OF THE HOLY CHURCH TO THE

LAST IOTA, without vain elaboration anddistorted commentary, and with simplicityof heart.

As the Content of all Prayer is the Lord and

our turning to Him, by doing it andparticipating in it you will be meeting theLord through your heart's sympathy anddelight.

If after this you:c) fill all your interim time with READING HOLY

SCRIPTURE AND ORTHODOX WRITINGS

CONCERNING OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,

LISTENING TO TALKS ABOUT H IM ,OR WITH

YOUR OWN CONTEM PLA TION OF HIM AND

THE GREAT WORK OF SALVATION THAT

HE WROUGHT ON EARTH , then you will seefor yourself that NOTHING WILL REMAINWITHIN US OR OUTSIDE OF US THAT DOES

NOT BRING REMEMBRANCE OF THE LORD ,

BRING H IM TO OUR ATTENTION, OR CARRY

OUR SPIRIT TO MEET H IM .3. Just the same, you should not forget that A L L O F

T H E S E L A B O U R S A N D O C C U P A T I O N S

A R E O N L Y P R E P A R A T I O N .

We should not stop at them, but rather striveonward.

Just as food taken in rough form later imbuesrefined elements needed for life, SO MUSTTHESE OCCUPATIONS performed visibly andtangibly TURN INTO A SPIRIT OF A VERYREFINED INCLINATION OR STRIVING TOWARD

THE LORD .Namely, the Labour of Consecrating all our

activities to the Lord should have the qualityof REACHING WITH OUR WHOLE SOUL 'S DESIRE

ONLY FOR THE LORD.When we do all our Prayers or attend the Divine

Services, a feeling should form in our heart of

ACCORD ONLY WITH THE LORD AND WHAT IS

HIS .Underlying our reading and hearing the Holy

Scripture about our Lord Jesus Christ shouldonly be THE EAGER DIRECTING OF OUR MIND 'SATTENTION TOWARD GOD ALONE.

These Labours are that very working of the field,and THESE STRIVINGS ARE THE GROWTH OFWHAT HAS BEEN SOWN .

The first are the stem and branches, the latter arethe flower and fruit.

When these inclinations come up in us, it will

mean that OUR SPIRIT HAS GONE OUT WITHALL ITS CONSCIOUSNESS AND DISPOSITION TO

MEET OUR LORD .Since GOD IS EVERYWHERE, and HE H IMSELF SEEKS

TO MEET WITH OUR SPIRIT, our mutual Meetingwill then come about by itself.

From that moment on, OUR SPIRIT WILL BEGIN TOTASTE THE BLESSEDNESS OF RIGHTEOUS ST

SYM EON - it will begin to bear in the embraceof its powers A STRIVING FOR THE LORD , WHOIS OUR COMPLETE SATIETY AND SATISFACTION .

This is what is called ...tasting the Lord... ...resting in Him... ...mentally standing beforethe Lord... ... walking in the Presence of theLord... and ...ceaseless Prayer... - all ofwhich are the object of all God's Saints'

Labour, Desire, and Seeking.I wish that all of you who celebrate the Meeting of our

Lord Jesus Christ will be vouchsafed this Blessing.If anyone complains that he would like the Fruit

although the Labour the effort - it takes to get itis too hard - the answer is: Good!

There is an easier method - a method simpler thanthe one laid out.

Here it is:REPENT!!And then, with zeal for KEEPING ALL OF GOD 'S

COMMANDMENTS , WALK UNFAILINGLY IN THE

LORD 'S PRESENCE, STRIVING FOR H IM WITH ALL

YOUR MIND'S ATTENTION, ALL YOUR HEART 'S

FEELINGS,AND ALL YOUR WILL'S DESIRES.

If you thus dispose yourself, you will soon meet theLord Who will come down to you and abide in you,

as in the embrace of Righteous St Symeon.There is no other way to lighten the Labour needed to

seek a Meeting with the Lord.The Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

have Mercy on me, is powerful and strong tohelp in this Work.

Again, however, not by itself but under the conditionthat all the strength of our spirit be directedtoward the Lord! Be sober, be vigilant... (1 PETER 5:8) Seek those things which are Above and

your life is hid with Christ in God...(COLOSSIANS 3:1, 3)

Then, having become one in spirit with the Lord (CF. 1CORINTHIANS 6:17), you will behold and embrace theLord, ...and your heart shall rejoice, and your

Joy no man takes from you... neither in this age,nor in the age to come. (JOHN 16:22)

Amen.

St. Theophan the Recluse

translated by Nun Cornelia (Rees)

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/44773.htm

S a i n t T h e o p h a n t h e R e c l u s e"The Goal of human Freedom is not in Freedom

itself, nor is it in mankind, but in God.By granting mankind Free Will, God has yielded

to us a piece of His Divine Authority, but withthe intention that we ourselves would

voluntarily bring it as a Sacrifice to God, as a

Most Perfect Offering."


4/264 32ND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST M E E T I N G/ P R E S E N T A T I O N O F C H R I S T 2 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

E l d e r J u s t i n ( P a r v u ) o f R o m a n i a M a n i s H a l f L o v e H a l f S t r u g g l eIf we would be willing to descend into ourselves to

correct a bit this avalanche of wrongdoings, thenour Prayer will be heard, the world would be more atPeace and our Life would be more suitable to ourLords Will.

We have become increasingly hostile towards each otherby our own selfishness we see no one else butourselves and WHEN WE REACH THIS FATAL STATEOF NO LONGER CARING FOR OTHERS , WE

ENCOUNTER OUR GREATEST FALL FROM DIVINE

GRACE!

Freedom becomes precious only when it is lost. Or, atleast, this is how we think. All our life we seek to befree, but WE DO NOT APPRECIATE THE DIVINE GIFT OFFREEDOM UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE.

Freedom is in our body, in our heart, in our actions andalso in our mind and our intellect.

WE ARE FREE TO THE DEGREE WE LOVE AND ARE

ATTACHED TO THE VALUES OF OUR ORTHODOX

FAITH. WE ARE SET FREE WHEN WE ACCEPT GODSPLAN FOR OUR LIFE , AND WHEN WE STRIVE TO

ACHIEVE IT.

Being truly free does not mean being in a state oflethargy and bliss, but instead it means THEFULFILMENT OF OUR HUMAN CONDITION.

Freedom does not mean doing whatever we wish because, usually, DOING WHATEVER WE FEEL LIKEDOING WE ARE IN FACT DOING THE WILL OF THE EVIL

ONE .FREEDOM IS AT THE MEASURE OF OUR DISCERNMENT,AND

OUR CAPACITY TO CHOOSE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.We must realise that ONLY IN TRUTH CAN WE LIVE

FREELY and WITH SO MUCH CONFUSION IN THISWORLD,WE SHOULD ALWAYS AVOID DECEPTION.

Only on the Cross do we gain True Freedom and allcruel methods of TORTURE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL

PRESSURE TO RE-EDUCATE US, HAVE MADE MORESAINTS THAT SLAVES WHO HAVE SANCTIFIED OUR

WORLD BY THEIR HOLY MARTYRSBLOOD.

Freedom is very difficult to properly understand whenwe have not lived in times of great persecution andsuffering...

THE THIRST FOR GOD DIRECTS US TOWARDS THE LOVE OF

OUR NEIGHBOUR AND VICE VERSA.

So great is the Power of Love that those who reach agenuine Love for all others by self-denial, receive theDivine Gift of Healing. These are the True Disciplesof Christ!

Such people Love with the Love of Christ all those whoare fallen and thereby they participate in ChristsDivine Mission on earth and Save themselves.

T H E F O L L O W I N G I S A N E X C E R P T F R O M A N I N T E R V I E W W I T H E L D E R J U S T I N :

Q: Father Justin, from your experience ofburying yourself in mankinds suffering, whatdo you think we all need - to be understood orto be Loved?

ELDER JUSTIN: We all need to be Loved. But to Loveothers, we must first understand them. Wheneverwe see them falling down, then we must helpthem up again.

THE LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR IS THE MEASURE OF OUR

LOVE FOR GOD. If we cannot Love those who areclose to us - if we do not help others - we cannotclaim to Love God.

THE LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS

OUR ETERNAL SALVATION and in order to takethis first step we must Labour and Struggle until

we reach the greatest Love for God.Q: During the Communist regime, we constantlyheard the term new man. Do you think weended up with this new man?

ELDER JUSTIN: You mean, in a materialistic sense?

Maybe that was how the Communists hadimagined a man freed from the bondage ofFaith and of the Holy Spirit! But a New Manwho is Purified and Renewed not so!

However, I want to speak more of the New Man whois Reborn in Christ - someone who is quite rarein our present times. THE RENEWAL OF MANKINDAND OF THE WORLD CAN HAPPEN ONLY THROUGH

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, IN ITS PROFOUND

MEANING.This is the New Man, whom all mothers who are

preparing to bring babies into the world, mustdream of modelling and nurturing!.

Q: Einstein once said that the progress made byman, compared with the development of hischaracter, is enough to terrify

ELDER JUSTIN: - Yes for A SOUL WHO IS AT PEACE

WITH ITSELF CAN FIT THE WHOLE WORLD WITHIN;while in the soul who is bitter, soured anddistressed, nothing can enter

Q: How do you think mankind should be?ELDER JUSTIN:- MAN IS OR SHOULD BE! HALF LOVE

AND HALF SACRIFICE, STRUGGLING TO KEEP LOVE

UNDEFILED.Q: Carl Gustav Jung said: For a young man it is

almost a sin or at least a risk to be too muchpreoccupied with himself, while for the elder

man, it is a duty and a necessity to commit to amore serious self study. How do you see this?

ELDER JUSTIN: - At the end of such a search WE MUST

FIND GOD. God made us in His own Image, and Hedwells in everyone. YOUNG OR OLD, WE MUST

CLEAN UP THE INSIDE OF OUR BEING , FOR NO ONE

KNOWS WHEN THE END COMESQ: Someone said that in an empty mind, the devil

finds shelterELDER JUSTIN: - He is speaking of those who do not

care for the wheat that is needed to be milled.And this Wheat is our constant cry to God: LordJesus Christ, Son of God, save us. IF THE ENEMYFINDS OUR MIND WANDERING IN USELESS THINGS,

HE WILL ENTER AND FIND SHELTER DIRECTING IT AT

HIS PLEASURE.Q: Is there a question to which we will never find

the answer in this life?ELDER JUSTIN: -It depends on what someone wants to

know. We have all the answers within ourselves -

about our birth, our life and the meaning of ourSalvation. But if we seek answers to meaninglessquestions, then we will be constantly miserable.IF WE SEEK ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS RELATED TO

OUR FAITH, OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE , WE WILL FIND

HAPPINESS.Q:- Is doubting a sin for the Christian?ELDER JUSTIN:- Yes, but there are permitted doubts.

A doubt that youre still alive after a FerventPrayer, when your whole being had burned inPrayer This kind of doubt is allowed.

Q: Father, what is Humility?ELDER JUSTIN: - Humility is a fair self-assessment of

our human dimensions in relation to the[universe] infinite. HUMILITY ACCOMPANIED BYPATIENCE MOVE MOUNTAINS - THATS HOW

POWERFUL IT CAN BECOME FOR ANY CHRISTIANQ: What is Golgotha for todays Christian?ELDER JUSTIN: MANS UNBELIEF MAKES EVERY DAY A

GOLGOTHA.

Q: Are we more sceptical than fifty years ago?How can you encourage us to go forward - tocope with the trials of life?

ELDER JUSTIN: We put too much heart into trifles and

details and are assaulted by a lot of false thingsand we do not know how or what to choose. If wechoose wisely, things will become easy and lifebeautiful. If we choose wrongly, we struggle. If wedoubt our choices, our heart is troubled. We havebecome too materialistic - subject to the newtyrant: money. Money is the master of this world.Those who make wealth their master, enslaves

themselves to the devil.Most troubles are caused by the greed for money and

material wealth. THOSE ENSLAVED BY IT LOSETHEIR FAITH AND MORAL VALUES AND THEIR

LIKENESS TO GOD...


5/26SY N A X A R I O N S T SY M E O N T H E G O D R E C E I V E R & S T HA N N A H , P R O P H E T E S S 3 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 5

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 aALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FAT HE R, AND TO THE SON , AND TO THE HOLY SPIRI T, NOWAN D FOR EV ER , AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES . AME N .

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOL Y, MOST PUR E , MOST BLESSED AND G LORIOUS LAD Y, MAR IA,

THEOTOKOS , YET EVE R VIRGIN, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAI NT S . AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND

ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE L IFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD . AME N.

3 February 2014

S y n a x a r i o n S t S y m e o n t h e G o d - R e c e i v e r

& S t H a n n a h t h e P r o p h e t e s s

AL S O T H E F E AS T O F S T J O HN , S T N I C H O LAS & S T S T AM AT I O S O F C H I O S

S T RO M AN O F U G L I C H S T AZ A R I A H T H E H O LY P R O P H E T O F G OD S T

PAP IA S , S T D I O D O RO S & S T C LAU D I AN O S O F P E RG E , PAMP HY L IA S T

AD R I AN , S T E U B O U L O S , & S T B LA I S E O F BAN E AS , CA E S A RE A,

CA P P A D OC IA - S T SYM E O N O F P O LO T S K & TV E R S T JA C O B O F SE RB I A F E S T A L AP O L Y T I K I O N T O N E 1

>Here, Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek Sougar anetilen O Ilios tis Dikeosinis, Hristos OTheos imon, Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou keSi, Presvita Dikee, dexamenos en agkales toneleftherotin ton psihon imon harizomenon iminke tin Anastasin.

>Hail, O Lady Full of Grace, O Virgin Theotokos,for Christ our God, the Sun of Righteousnesshas risen from Thee and He Illumined those indarkness. And Thou, O Righteous Elder, beglad in heart, receiving in Thine Embrace theOne Who Liberates our soul and bestows on us

Resurrection.F E S T A L KO N T A K I O N - T H E P R E S E N T A T I O N O F C H R I S T TO N E 1



F e s t a l P r o k e i m e n o n : T o n e ( 7 ) V a r y s / G r a v e The R igh teous sha l l be g lad i n the Lo rd .

Hea r my vo ice , O God .T h e E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e H e b r e w s 9 : 1 1 - 1 4

O U R L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T I S O U R O N L Y H I G H P R I E S T

Brethren: Christ came as High Priest of the Good Things to come, with the Greater and More Perfect Tabernacle no

made by hands that is: not of this Creation.Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own Blood He entered the Most High Place once for all, havingobtained Eternal Redemption. For, if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling theunclean Sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who through theEternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, Cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the LivingGod?

In contrast to the Old Covenant High Priest of the Hebrews,

our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is the exclusive High

Priest of the New Covenant.

He entered the Heavenly Sanctuary once, for all i.e. His

ultimate Blood Sacrifice was for the sake of all humanity

for all ages and being the Most Perfect Blood Offering

to Almighty God no other Blood Offerings are ever

again required from us for the Forgiveness of sin.

Christs Most Precious and Perfect Blood Offering upon the

Cross Heals all corrupted humanity, Restores us Pure

and Holy - to our proper Relationship with God and

draws us close to God through our proper Worship of

and Obedience to Him.

Dead works are all activities in and of this age that

participate in mortality and corruption and especially in

sin that alienates us from Almighty God.

Furthermore dead works pertain to the Old Covenant

worship (which was only for the Purpose of Preparing us

for the Messianic Age.)

The term Eternal Spirit refers to the Third Person of the Holy

Trinity God the Eternal Holy Spirit.

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 L u k e 2 : 2 5 - 3 8O U R L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T S P R E S E N T A T I O N A T T H E T E M P L E

At that time, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Symeon, and this man was Just and devout,waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by theHoly Spirit that he would not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ.

And he went by the Holy Spirit into the Temple, and when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Himaccording to the custom of the Law, he took Him up in his arms and Blessed God and said: Lord, now let ThouThy servant depart in Peace, according to Thy Word; for mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation, which Thou hastprepared before the face of all people a Light to bring Revelation to the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy People,Israel!

And Joseph and His Mother marvelled at those things that were spoken of Him. And Symeon Blessed them, andsaid to Mary, His Mother: Behold! This Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a Signthat will be spoken against. (Yes! A Sword will pierce through Thine own soul also), so that the thoughts of manyhearts may be revealed.

And there was one, Hannah, a Prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the Tribe of Asher. She was of a great age,and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about 84 years,who did not leave the Temple, and served God with Fastings and Prayers, night and day. And, entering in thatinstant, she gave Thanks to our Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for Redemption in Jerusalem.


6/266. SY N A X A R I O N S T SY M E O N T H E G O D R E C E I V E R & S T HA N N A H , P R O P H E T E S S 3 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

St Symeon had lived for approximately 325 years when hefinally met our long awaited Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Many years before, in Alexandria, Egypt, the Hebrew leadersrealised that their people no longer could read or speakHebrew as the worlds language at that time was Greek.

So they called together 70 of the most erudite Scholars andPriests to carefully translate the ancient Hebrew Scripturesinto Greek.

(This is the Septuagint Bible that we Orthodox Christians usewith all its Holy Books intact, from which our Lord JesusChrist read and quoted.)

St Symeon received the Book of Isaiah which prophesied that

a VIRGIN would bear the Messiah the Saviour of theworld. Obviously he thought it must be a mistake andwas about to translate the word VIRGIN as youngwoman.

However, God immediately intervened by sending HisArchangel Gabriel the Bearer of Good Tidings toexplain to St Symeon that it certainly was to be a VIRGINwho would bear the Christ Child and, in fact, Godwould keep him alive until he personally witnessed theDivine Truth for himself.

St Symeon and St Hannah both resided at the Temple ofJerusalem and they had watched the young VirginTheotokos as She grew from an extraordinary three yearold girl to a pubescent teenager being a perfect rolemodel for all the other young maidens (and boys) who

had been dedicated to Holy Service at the Temple bytheir parents.

They watched in amazement throughout the years as theyoung Virgin, having taken an unbreakable Sacred Vowof Chastity, guided and led her fellow virgins in a Life ofHumility, Obedience, Prayer and Worship, while fulfillingtheir various tasks of spinning, weaving, embroidering andwhatever else was required of them to help refurbish theGreat Temple of Jerusalem.

They also knew about how St Joseph her aged widoweduncle who had been married to her mothers sister,Salome - was chosen by Divine Will to be Her legal

Guardian and Protector.So when St Joseph the Betrothed and his All Pure and HolyNiece, Mary, went to present the Christ Child at theTemple, St Symeon and St Hannah were overjoyed toacknowledge the Truth of the long-awaited Messiah.

Those who have a close Relationship with God, recogniseand accept the innumerable Divine Mysteries that occurfor the benefit of the Faithful without any hesitation, doubtor cynicism.

They KNOW Divine Truth - offering much Thanksgiving andGlorification to God for His Great Mercy because theyfully understand the profound significance and impact ofsuch Things.

At every Vespers, the words of St Symeon are repeated, toremind us that God never disappoints or fails us.

T h e L o r d o u r G o d d o e s n o t w a n t s l a v e s i n H i s K i n g d o m o f L o v eBeloved in the Lord,

Our Lord does not want slaves in His Kingdom.We are living at a time in which most people stress their

total independence of all things or they prefer tocome under the shelter and obedience of acharismatic leader.

Few are they who FOLLOW THE CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLE OFADOPTION AS GOD'S CHILDREN.

NOWHERE IN THE ORAL AND WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF THE

HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST DO WE READ THAT WE

SHOULD BE TOTALLY INDEPENDENT OF ALL INFLUENCE,

WHICH IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY,NOR DO WE FIND THAT WE

SHOULD PRACTICE BLIND OBEDIENCE TO ANY OTHER

PERSON.] Our Lord tells us: "Whoever wishes to come after

Me, let him deny himself and take up his crossand follow Me."(MATTHEW 16:24 & MARK 8:34)

HAVING BEEN CREATED IN GOD'S IMAGE, WE HAVE

INTELLECT, COGNITION, FREEDOM OF CHOICE, AND

UNDERSTANDING.

When our Lord invites us to deny ourselves, He does soin order for us to realize that we must first makethe decision that WE ARE NOT WHO WE THINK WE ARE ,but that WE ARE TO SEEK AND FIND CHRIST WITHIN USAS OUR REAL SELVES.

ONCE WE FIND CHRIST WITHIN US AND WE UNDERSTAND

AND ACCEPT THAT WE ARE CREATED IN HIS IMAGE, HE

THEN ADOPTS US, NOT AS SLAVES, BUT AS FREE AND

LOVING SONS AND DAUGHTERS. (CF. GALATIANS 4:1-7)

For one to have a BLIND OBEDIENCEto another - whethera lover, or a master, or a religious guru - MEANSTHAT SUCH A PERSON NO LONGER HAS A FREE WILL

BUT HAS TURNED IT O VER TO ANOTHER CREATURE.] WHEN CHRISTIANS TURN THEIR FREE WILL OVER TO

CHRIST, OUR LORD PURIFIES IT AND RETURNS IT

TO US SO THAT OUR OBEDIENCE THEREAFTER IS

BASED ONLY ON LOVE EXERCISED THROUGH OUR

FREE WILL.When our Lord expressed His Obedience to the Father

BY EMPTYING HIMSELF OF HIS MAGNIFICENT DIVINE

GLORY IN ORDER TO BECOMEone of us, He did so byexercising His Free Will.

Otherwise He could never have said on the Cross:"Father, forgive them for they do not know whatthey are doing."

It was HIS FREE WILL IN OBEDIENT LOVE TO GOD THEFATHERthat EFFECTED THE SUPREME SACRIFICE.

Today it seems that some people will not make a move

unless they check with their Spiritual Fatherconcerning virtually everything.

This phenomenon happened many years ago withcertain converts who were told where to live andwhere to work and how much money to contributeto the Church.

They thought that they were imitating the firstChristians in the Book of Acts who held everything

in common. But they did realize that the first

Christians lived this way because THEY BELIEVEDTHAT THE LORD WAS TO RETURN DURING THEIR

LIFETIME.8 Consequently, these new converts exercised a blind

Obedience to their religious leaders,RELINQUISHING THEIR FREE WILLS AND THEIR

RESPONSIBILITY for making their own decisionsregarding their families, their livelihood, andtheir welfare.

This spirit of Blind Obedience with the deadening of thefree will is unfortunately still being practised amongsome people and even by some Clergy, who will notdo anything without first receiving a Blessing fromtheir Spiritual Father.

And if they have been convinced that the SpiritualFather is a walking Saint, they will even eat hisunfinished food after the common meal andconsume other things, which may have touched theSpiritual Father in some particular way.

8 THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN IDOLATRY BECAUSE IT

PUTS GOD ASIDE AND CONSTITUTES THE WORSHIP OF

HIS CREATURE.

It may be that some of our people - by following theMonastic Rule in the outside world, feel convincedthat they are becoming more Spiritual.

However, they are sadly mistaken; for THE MONASTIC -AS A NOVICE - IS WILLINGLY OBEDIENT IN ORDER TODETERMINE IF HE WISHES TO LIVE THE LIFE OF A

MONASTIC.Once he is accepted AS A MONK, HE MUST RESUME THE

USE OF HIS FREE WILL I N CONFORMING TO THE WAY OF

LIFE WHICH HE HAS CHOSEN.The laity, on the other hand, cannot use the Monasteryor the Spiritual Elder as a type of horoscope by notfunctioning unless they receive permission fromsomeone else.

Actually, such an attitude betrays the fact that THESEPEOPLE DO NOT WISH TO ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY

OF DIRECTING THEIR OWN LIVES,AND PREFER TO PASS

THIS RESPONSIBILITY ON TO OTHERS.

If there are any members of our Holy Church who havefallen into the error of negating their free will andbeing totally dependent on what their SpiritualMentors instruct them to do, let them know that:

] GOD DOES NOT WANT SLAVES IN H IS KINGDOM,BUT

OBEDIENT CHILDREN WHO CONSTANTLY

EXERCISE THEIR FREE WILL AS SONS AND

DAUGHTERS OF OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.With Paternal Blessings,

METROPOLITAN ISAIAH

PRESIDING H IERARCH OF THE D IOCESE OF DENVER

21 January 1999

HTTP://WWW.JOHNSANIDOPOULOS.COM/2013_02_01_ARC

HIVE.HTML


7/2633AP -1 T R I O D I O N 16T H S UND A Y O F S T LU K E T H E P U B L I C A N & T H E P H A R I S E E 9 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 7


ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FAT HE R, AND TO THE SON ,AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT , NOW AND FOREVER ,AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AME N.REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOL Y, MOST PUR E, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LAD Y, MAR IA, THEOTOKOS , YET EVE R VIRGIN , TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAI NT S . AND LET

US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE L IFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD . AMEN .

33rdSunday After Pentecost Ton e (8 ) Pl agal 4 9 Fe br uar y 20 14

T h e B e g i n n i n g o f t h e L e n t e n T r i o d i o n

A p o d o s i s o f t h e M e e t i n g o f C h r i s t

1 6t h S u n d a y o f S t L u k e : T h e P u b l i c a n & t h e P h a r i s e e

AL S O T H E F E A S T O F S T N I C E P H O RO S O F AN T I O C H , SY R I A S T I N N O C E N T O F I R K U T S K ,

U N C O VE R I N G O F HO L Y RE L I C S S T PAN C R A T I OS O F KI E V CAV E S M O N AS T E RY S T

N I C E P H O R O S & S T GE N N AD I O S O F VA ZH E LA KE MO N A S T E R Y S T MA R KE L L OS O F S I C I L Y ,

S T P H I LAG R I O S O F CY P RS AN D S T PAN KRA T IO S OF T O ARM I N A , D I S C I P LE S O F S T P E T E R T H E

AP O S T LE O F C H R I S T S T S H I O MG V I M E O F GE O R G I A & CAP P A D O C IA, D I S C I P LE O F S T

J O H N Z E D AZE N I & O N E O F T H E F O U N D E RS O F GE O R G I A N MO N A S T I C I S M S T AP O LLO N I A ,

VI R G I N MAR T Y R & D E AC O N E S S O F AL E X AN D R I A S T RO M AN O S O F C I L I C I A

R E S U R R E C T I O N AP O L Y T I K I O N T O N E ( 8 ) P L A G A L 4

Ex ipsous katilthes O Efsplaghnos, tafin katedexotriimeron, ina imas elevtherosis ton Pathon. IZoi ke i Anastasis imon, Kyrie, Doxa Si!

Thou descended from on High, O Tender-heartedOne; Thou endured the three-days burial, sothat Thou might free us from our passions, O

our Life and Resurrection: Glory to Thee!S E A S O N A L KO N T A K I O N - T H E M E E T I N G O F C H R I S T TONE 1



R e s u r r e c t i o n M a t i n s G o s p e l 1 1 J o h n 2 1 : 1 4 - 2 5O U R L O R D J E S U S R E S T O R E S A N D C O M M I S S I O N S S T P E T E R

P r o k e i m e n o n : Vow and p ray un to the Lo rd you r God

In Judah i s God know n H i s Name i s G rea t i n I s rae l

T h e 2n d

E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o S t T i m o t h y 3 : 1 0 - 1 5L O Y A L T Y T O T R A D I T I O N D E F E N C E AG A I N S T AP O S T A S Y Timothy, my Son: you have carefully followed my Doctrine, manner of Life, Purpose, Faith, Longsuffering, Love,

Perseverance, Persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra whatpersecutions I endured!

And out of them all, the Lord Delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will sufferpersecution. And evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

But you must continue in the Things that you have learnt and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learntthem, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you Wise forSalvation through Faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

The Life of St Paul exhibited everything that our Lord Jesus

Christ had taught, especially that in this temporary,

earthly world of ours Godliness elicits persecution.

] J O H N 1 5 : 2 0 : Our Lord Jesus Christ said to His Faithful

Disciples and Apostles: ...Remember the Word

that I said to you: A servant is not greater than

his Master. If they persecuted Me, they will alsopersecute you. If they kept My Word, they willkeep yours also.

Having exhorted St Timothy with the example of his own

Steadfastness, St Paul then reminded him of the depth of

his training, which combined both Oral and Written Holy

Tradition.

To this day, Faithful Disciples of Christ are properly taught by

word of mouth the Oral Tradition of Christs Holy Church,

which teaches a vast amount of Sacred Knowledge

pertaining to our Life in Christ such as all the Holy

Mysteries and the proper manner of worship as well as

the Written Holy Tradition, which consists of both Old and

New Testaments.

We cannot profess to understand the Teachings of Christ

based solely on the New Testament, without knowing and

practising the Oral Tradition of His Holy Church.

The Old Testament prophesied and attested to the Divine

Truth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but without

proper instruction and understanding, we will not fully

appreciate nor comprehend the Divine Truth that Christ

Himself taught us.

Furthermore, it is important to study the writings and lives of all

our Holy Church Fathers (and Mothers) who are Inspired

Spiritual Teachers and Guides whom we can trust and

strive to imitate.

As Orthodox Christians, we are truly Blessed to have so much

beneficial material at our disposal, which our Christian

forebears did not have, yet their Faith was unwavering

and they were utterly committed to 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 L u k e 1 8 : 1 0 - 1 4T H E AR R O G A N T , S E L F - R I G H T E O U S P H A R I S E E & T H E R E P E N T A N T , H U M B L E P U B L I C A N

At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: Two men went up to the Temple to pray one was a Pharisee and theother a Tax Collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank Thee that I am notlike other men extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even like this Tax Collector. I fast twice a week; I givetithes of all that I possess. And the Tax Collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes toHeaven, but beat his breast, saying: O God, be Merciful to me, a sinner!


8/268. 33A P - 1 T R I O D I O N 16T H S UND A Y O F S T LUKE T H E P U B L I C A N & T H E P H A R I S E E 9 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

I tell you this man went down to his house Justified rather than the other: for everyone who exalts himself willbe humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

THE PHARISEE WAS HIGHLY RESPECTED AND A CAREFUL OBSERVER OF

THE OLD COVENANT LAW, WHEREAS THE TAX COLLECTOR

(PUBLICAN) WAS DESPISED AS A TREACHEROUS SINNER who

collaborated with the occupying Roman forces,

betraying and cheating his own Hebrew people.

The practises of the Pharisee were worthy examples to follow.

HIS GOOD DEEDS (FASTI NG AND GIV ING TITHES) ARE INDEED

THE PRIMARY WEAPONS AGAINST THE PASSIONS OF LUST AND

GREED (ADULTE RY AND EXTO RTION).

However, WI THOU T A HUMBLE AND REPENT ANT HEA RT, THESE

OUTWARD PRACTISES ARE WORTHLESS AND LEAD ONLY TO PRIDE

AND JUDGEM ENT OF OTHERS.

It is noteworthy that the Pharisee ... prayed thus with

himself... for GOD IS ABSENT WHERE THERE IS PRIDE,BOASTING AND ARROGANCE.

On the contrary: THE PUBLICAN OR TAX COLLECTOR SHOWS BY HIS

ENTIRE POSTURE A SINCERE AWARENESS OF THE SINFUL STATE OF

HIS SOUL.

He stands ... afar off... with eyes downcast not daring tolook Heavenwards.

His heartfelt Prayer of Contrition O God, be Merciful to me,

a sinner is the foundation of the Orthodox Jesus Prayer:O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God: have MERCY ON ME, ASINNER!

FURTHERMORE, THE REFRAIN LORD, HAVE MERCY K YRIEELEISON PERMEATES ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN WORSHIP AND

PRAYER.

] TO BE JUST IFIED MEANS TO BE FORGIVEN AND SET RIGHT BY

GOD, FOR INWARD HUMILITY IS TRULY BLESSED WHILE

ARRO GANCE AND PR IDE IN OUTWARD DEEDS IS

CONDEMNED.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is our Creator and our Judge so

whatever He teaches us or cautions us against, we must

pay very careful attention and strive to apply His Divine

Principles to our own words, thoughts and deeds, for

these will Judge us consequently, they will either

Condemn us or Bless us.

Our Saviour has given us all the Spiritual Tools necessary indeed, vital for our Eternal Salvation.

However, it is entirely up to our own choice our own free will

whether we will receive Eternal Life in Gods Heavenly

Kingdom, or be Eternally alienated and exiled from God

and all His Wonderful Goodness.

Because of Gods infinite Love for us, while we are still in this

Preparatory Period before Eternity, our errors are able to

be corrected through Humility and Obedience, which

leads us to sincere Repentance and Eternal Life.

May we all root out our sins and through constant

Watchfulness and Prayer grow ever closer to the Loving

Embrace and Presence of our Lord God.

F i r s t S u n d a y o f T r i o d i o n T h e P u b l i c a n a n d t h e P h a r i s e eIn todays Sacred Lesson, the Prayer of the Repentant

Publican (Tax Collector) is shown to draw the GreatMercy of our Loving, Benevolent God, as ChristHimself explained.

He simply, humbly and with heartfelt Prayer Confessedto being a sinner, begging God for His Mercy: OGod, be merciful to me, a sinner!

God heard such a short but sincere Prayer, that waspronounced in the Temple of Jerusalem, during thecommon Worship Services - during the reading andchanting of Psalms and other Prayers.

This Prayer is commended in the Holy Gospels AND IT ISSET FORTH AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF PRAYER, WHICH

WE SHOULD PIOUSLY CONTEMPLATE AND PRACTISE.

The Publican did not choose a majestic and movingPsalm whereby to pour out his contrition before theLord our God, and instead he offered A BRIEF, BUTSINCERE PRAYER, which he repeated continuouslyduring the entire Service.

According to OUR HOLY CHURCH FATHERS WHENTRUE REPENTANCE BEGINS IN OUR SOUL, WHEN

HUMILITY AND CONTRITION OF SPIRIT ARISESbecauseour eyes have opened to the sinful state of our soul,then LOQUACITY BECOMES UNBEARABLE AND EVENIMPOSSIBLE.

Concentrating within ourselves, turning all ourattention upon our disastrous condition, OUR SOULBEGINS TO CALL OUT TO GOD THROUGH SHORT,

CONCISE PRAYERS.When an encompassing view of our own sinfulness isgranted to us by God, IT CANNOT BE DESCRIBED BYELOQUENT SPEECH OR AN ABUNDANCE OF WORDS .

More precisely WE EXPRESS THIS AWARENESS BY MEANS OFDEEP SIGHS AND A GROANING OF SOUL, CLOTHED IN

VERY BRIEF AND SIM PLE WORDS.Those who wish to unfold a profound feeling of

Repentance within themselves USE SHORT PRAYERSTO REACH THAT STATE,PRONOUNCED WITH AS MUCH

ATTENTION AND REVERENCE AS POSSIBLE .Abandoning excessive words, even though they are

Sacred Words, allows our mind to completely freeitself of distractions and to STRIVE FORINTROSPECTION WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH.

ST JOHN KLIMAKOSadvised : When you pray, do not

permit yourself to use many words, so that yourmind might not be distracted from considering thewords.

One word of the Publican granted him Gods Mercy,and one faithful utterance Saved the Thief.

Much speaking in Prayer often brings the mind todistraction and dreaminess, while sparse wordsusually gather the thoughts.

Because of the great benefit that brief, attentive,concentrated Prayer brings, the Holy Churchencourages us to LEARN SOME FORM OF BRIEF PRAYER BECAUSE THOSE WHO HAVE LEARNT SUCH PRAYERS

POSSESS A READY ABILITY TO PRAY IN ANY PLACE ,A T

ANY TIME - while travelling, in the Refectory, doinghandiwork, or even in the company of others, wecan continue to pray to God.

WHEN IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO PRAY WITH THE LIPS, IT IS

ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO PRAY WITH THE MIND.The convenience of brief Prayer is obvious since it is

quite easy to lose the meaning and order of lengthyPrayers when we are occupied with something else,

while SHORT PRAYERS ALWAYS PRESERVE THEIRINTEGRITY.

If it is left off for a time, we can return to it with littledifficulty.

Even during Church Services, it is beneficial to repeat ashort Prayer in the Cell of our soul not only does itnot sway our attention from the Prayers being reador chanted in Gods Temple, but IT EVENFACILITATES PARTICULARLY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO

THEM, PREVENTING THE MIND FROM BECOMING

DISTRACTED .If our mind is not restrained in introspection through a

short Prayer that fills our soul with a feeling ofRepentance, WE BECOME EASILY DISTRACTED byempty musings and daydreams and we lose

concentration on the Sacred Lessons of the ChurchReadings, chanting and Prayers.This is what happened to the self-righteous Pharisee,

who paid only superficial attention to the HolyServices, while being distracted by and drawn intosinful thoughts, which not only deprived his alreadyweak Prayers of any worth, but also allowed him tojudge the Publican and others who sincerely prayedand participated in the Holy Services.

Christ revealed the Fact that GOD REJECTED THEPRAYER OF THE PHARISEE WHO LEFT THE TEMPLE

MARKED WITH THE SEAL OF DIVINE WRATH withoutunderstanding or perceiving the calamitous state ofhis soul, because HIS HEART, WHICH WAS DEAD TOANY SENSE OF REPENTANCE, WAS FILLED WITH SMUG

SELF-SATISFACTION AND SELF-DECEPTION.

When short Prayer becomes a habit through ourfrequent and constant use, it becomes our naturalPrayer.

When something catches our attention, we might uttervarious exclamations, which not only do notobstruct our attention, but even sharpen it.

It is the same when we acquire the habit of brief Prayerthrough which WE EXPRESS OUR CONCORDANCE WITH


9/2633AP -1 T R I O D I O N 1 6T H

SUND A Y O F S T LU K E T H E P U B L I C A N & T H E P H A R I S E E 9 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 9.

AND ATTENTION TO THE PRAYERS AND PSALMS WE

HEAR.Throughout the Forty Day Lenten Fast, at all the Church

Services, the Prayer: O God: have Mercy on me, asinner!is repeated aloud by all who are present.

THIS PRAYER OF REPENTANCE IS REPEATED SO OFTEN IN

ORDER FOR US TO LEARN TO CONTINUE REPEATING IT

AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT OUR LIFESPAN .The shortened form of this Prayer: Lord, have Mercy!-

Kyrie Eleison! is frequently repeated for the same

reason.Christ our Saviour commended the Publicans simple

Prayer, and He allowed us to also use His All HolyName in Prayer, which is known as The JesusPrayer, because it is a Prayer of Repentance that isaddressed to Him, which He instituted.

During the Old Covenant era, mankind turned in Prayerto God Whom he knew only imperfectly.

When the New Covenant era began, an expansivecompletion to the old Prayer was presented to us A NEW MANNER OF PRAYER ADDRESSED TO THE GOD-

MAN OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST WHO

IS OUR DIVINE INTERCESSOR BETWEEN GOD AND

MANKIND.

It was a new way of PRAYING TO THE INTERCESSORTHROUGH WHOM THE DIVINE GODHEAD IS UNITED

WITH HUMANITY.It is Prayer that is addressed to the Intercessor Whom

God had declared, Who described God to us with asmuch precision and fullness as is possible forhuman comprehension.

The Old Covenant Prayer: God, have mercy on me, asinner! sounds like the New Covenant Prayer: OLord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner!

The Old Covenant Faithful used the first Prayer whilethe New Covenant Faithful - although also using theoriginal Prayer - use the second Prayer more oftenbecause IT PLEASED CHRIST TO UNITE AN ESPECIALLYMIRACULOUS SPIRITUAL POWER WITH HIS HUMAN

NAME .Also used for ceaseless Prayer is Lord, have mercy -

Kyrie eleison- which is an abbreviated form of theJesus Prayer, and which replaces it in instanceswhen it is difficult to pronounce the entire Jesus

Prayer when we are terrified, when we areoverjoyed, when we are seriously ill or duringSpiritual Visions.

During the latter instance, our spontaneous exclamationLord have mercy! is our minds response to theGrace-filled Knowledge that comes to us once wehave been Purified A KNOWLEDGE THAT EXCEEDSOUR MINDS COMPREHENSION, WHICH CANNOT BE

EXPRESSED IN WORDS.The meaning of the phrases, ...have Mercy... or ...be

Merciful... are due to our awareness that WE AREPERISHING.

It is our perception of THE MERCY AND COMPASSIONTHAT OUR LORD COMMANDED US TO HAVE FOR EACH

OTHER, but which very few actually do.

It is THE REJECTION OF OUR OWN SELF-OPINION and AREQUEST FOR DIVINE MERCY,WITHOUT WHICH THEREIS NO HOPE OF SALVATION FOR US WHO ARE

PERISHING.

DIVINE MERCY IS THE GRACE OF GOD THE ALL -HOLY

SPIRIT, and being habitually sinful, we shouldceaselessly and unrelentingly beseech it of God.

Have Mercy, my Lord, upon the disastrous state into which Ihave fallen, having been deprived of Thy Grace, and

again, make Thy Grace to dwell in me.

Strengthen me with Thy Governing Spirit (PSALM 50:12), a Spirit of

Thy Power, so that I might withstand the temptation

brought against me by the devil, and the temptation that

comes from my fallen nature.

Send me a Spirit of Chastity, so that I might come out of this

state of delirium, and correct my moral steps.

Grant me the Spirit of Thy Fear, so that I might have [Godly]Fear of Thee, as it is proper for a weak creature to fear his

great God and Creator, so that by my awe before Thee I

might hold Thy Commandments Sacred.

Root Love for Thee within my heart, so that I may never

again be separated from Thee, nor be distracted by an

irresistible attraction to loathsome sin.

Grant me Thy Peace, that it might preserve my soul in

unperturbed calm, not allowing my thoughts to wander

over the entire Universe without need and to my own

injury, to my own confusion; that it might concentrate

them in introspection, and bear them upwards thence to

Thy Throne.

Grant me a Spirit of Meekness, so that I might refrain from

anger and malice, that I might be continually filled with

Goodness toward my Brethren.

Grant me a Spirit of Humility of mind, so that I would not be

high-minded, nor dream about myself, nor seek praise

and human glory; but that I might rather remember that I

am earth and ashes, a fallen being, cast down to theearth for my unworthiness.

I must be taken from this body and world by Death, and

appear before Thy dread and impartial Judgement.

God, be Merciful to me a sinner! Lord Jesus Christ, Son of

God, have Mercy on me! Lord, have Mercy!

Many pronounce these brief Prayers with great haste,caring only to say the required number of them.

By this manner of praying, they do not ALLOW THEPRAYERS TO PENETRATE THE HEART AND PRODUCE

THEIR INHERENT EFFECT,WHICH IS TENDER FEELING.

Our Holy Church Fathers justly note that whoever praysthus prays to the wind, and not to God.

Why do we get bored in Church? Because WE HAVE NOTFELT THE EFFECT OF PRAYER.

Why do we rush to a lavish table? Because we know the

meaning of material food from experience.Why do we not rush to Church, but try to come a little

later, when a significant portion of the DivineServices are already over? Because WE DO NOT KNOWFROM EXPERIENCE THE MEANING OF PRAYER,WHICH IS

FOOD FOR THE SOUL,AND WHICH IMPARTS SPIRITUAL

STRENGTH TO THE SOUL.

We do not know from experience the meaning of prayerBECAUSE WE PRAY HASTILY, SUPERFICIALLY, AND

WITHOUT ATTENTION.The effect on the soul of long but INATTENTIVE PRAYER

IS LIKE THE EFFECT OF COPIOUS RAIN UPON A METAL

ROOF, from which all the water runs off, no matterhow much it pours, WITHOUT HAVING ANY EFFECT ATALL upon the roof.

In contrast, ATTENTIVE PRAYER CAN BE LIKENED TO ABENEFICIAL RAIN THAT WATERS A PLANTED FIELD ,

GIVING NOURISHMENT TO THE GROWTH THERE, AND

PREPARING A RICH HARVEST.

The Disciples of Prayer who lean upon its Breast ourHoly Church Fathers CORRECT A MAJOR MISTAKETHAT DEPRIVES THE PRAYING ASCETIC OF ALL THE

FRUITS OF HIS ASCETIC LABOUR.

They instruct us to PRONOUNCE THE WORDS OF SHORTPRAYERS AND OF ALL KINDS OF PRAYER WITHOUT

HASTE, OBSERVING SCRUPULOUS ATTENTION TO THE

WORDS OF THE PRAYERS.Stand silent, until all the senses have become quiet.

Then begin without haste, without laziness, butwith tender feeling, with contrition of heart, to say:Blessed is the man... (PSALM 1:1)and the rest, quietly

and rationally, with attention, and not hurriedly:that the mind might also understand what is beingsaid. (FROM THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE READING THE PSALTER.)

When the Prayers are read unhurriedly, it is possible tohave such attention, while HURRIED READING LEAVESNO PLACE FOR ATTENTION.

PRAYER WITHOUT ATTENTION IS LIKE A BODY WITHOUT

THE SOUL - IT HAS NO FRAGRANCE OF HUMILITY, ITDOES NOT ASCEND TO GOD.

Stricken and deadened by dispersed thoughts, it crawlsalong the earth of corruption and foul smell,imparting this corruption to those who praycarelessly and coldly.

MENTAL ATTENTION AT PRAYER IS REFLECTED IN THE

HEART BY BLESSED GRIEF OVER SINS, WHICH IS THAT

VERY REPENTANCE THAT GOD COMMANDS US TO

HAVE.When our heart is filled with A FEELING OF REPENTANCE,

it in turn DRAWS THE MIND TO INCREASEDATTENTION.

Once there is attention and tender feeling, ALL THEGIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ENTER INTO OUR SOUL,

MAKING IT A TEMPLE OF GOD.


10/2610. 33A P - 1 T R I O D I O N 16T H S UND A Y O F S T LUKE T H E P U B L I C A N & T H E P H A R I S E E 9 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

Let us provide our Prayer with two qualities: ATTENTIONAND REPENTANCE so that OUR PRAYERS CANASCEND TO HEAVEN WITH TWO WINGS, TO APPEAR

BEFORE THE FACE OF GOD,AND INTERCEDE FOR US TO

GAIN HIS GREAT MERCY.The Blessed Publicans Prayer had these two Qualities.Overwhelmed by the awareness of his sinfulness, he

had no hope in his own deeds to receive Salvation.HIS ONLY HOPE WAS IN GODS GREAT MERCY, WHICH

CALLS ALL SINNERS TO REPENTANCE, AND THEREBY

ALONE,GRANTS US SALVATION.As a sinner who acknowledged his unworthiness, the

Publican stood at a distance from the otherworshippers in the Temple.

As a sinner who is unworthy of Heaven, HE DID NOTDARE TO LIFT HIS EYES UPWARDS AND TURNED HIS

SIGHT TOWARDS THE GROUND, WHILE BEATING HIS

CHEST WITH A PROFOUND AND MOST SORROWFUL

DESIRE FOR TRUE REPENTANCE, CONFESSING AND

BESEECHING GOD WITH HIS ENTIRE HEART AND SOUL:GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME,A SINNER.

His Prayer was so effective and strong, that THEREPENTANT, HUMBLE PUBLICAN DEPARTED FROM THE

TEMPLE OF GOD FULLYJUSTIFIED.

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO KNOWS OUR HEARTS AND

SOULS EVEN BETTER THAN WE DO, WHO IS OUR

SAVIOUR AND OUR JUDGE, TESTIFIED TO THIS TRUE

FACT.And the ancient Prophecy was fulfilled with regard to

this Repentant sinner: ...the Lord shall build upZion... for the human soul that has been destroyedby the Fall, ...and He shall be seen in His Glory. Hehas regarded the Prayer of the humble, and has notdespised their Supplication. Let this be written foranother generation...

Let it be written that all mankind will know it - let it be

written that all Tribes and future generations ofChristians Faithful Disciples of Christ - mightknow it!

And ...the people who are being created... throughRepentance and Attentive Prayer - having felt theirSpiritual Renewal through Divine Grace ... shallpraise the Lord...Who has been well pleased to takeon humanity, and to Save u througsh His WondrousCare, and His Wondrous Teachings. (PSALM 101: 1618),

Amen.

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: A HOMILY ON SUNDAY OF THE PUBLICAN AND THE

PHARISEE BY ST IGNATIOS (BRIANCHANINOV) - TRANSLATED FROM

RUSSIAN INTO ENGLISH BY NUN CORNELIA (REES ) - 04 / 02 / 2012HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU/ENGLISH/44704. HTM

E l d e r P a i s i o s o f M o u n t A t h o s O n t h e L e t t e r o f t h e L a wI once asked someone: "What type of Warrior do you

consider yourself to be? Christ's Warrior ortemptation's warrior? Are you aware that the evil oftemptation also has its own warriors?"

Christians must not be fanatics - they must have(unconditional) Love for and be sensitive towardsall people.

Those who inconsiderately and thoughtlessly toss outcomments - even if they are true - cause harm.

I once met a Theologian who was extremely Pious, butwho had the habit of speaking to the (secular)people around him in a very blunt manner and hismethod penetrated so deeply that it severelyaffected them.

He told me: "During a gathering, I said such and such athing to a lady."BUT THE WAY THAT HE HAD SAID IT,HAD CRUSHED HER.

So I said to him: "Look: you may be tossing GoldenCrowns studded with diamonds to other people, butthe way that you throw them can smash hearts -not only the sensitive ones, but the sound onesalso!"

Let's not stone our fellow-man in a so-called Christianmanner.

Those who - in the presence of others - correctssomeone for having sinned (or speaks in animpassioned manner about a certain person), is notmoved by the Holy Spirit - he is moved by another(evil) spirit!

THE WAY OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS LOVE, whichdiffers from the way of the legalists.

The Holy Church observes everything with tolerance

and seeks to help each person no matter what sinhas been committed or how sinful he or she may be!

I have observed a peculiar kind of logic in certain Piouspeople, whose Piety is a good thing, and theirpredisposition for good is also a good thing.

However, a certain Spiritual Discernment and amplitudeis required so that their Piety is not accompanied bynarrow-mindedness or strong-headedness.

THOSE WHO ARE TRULY IN A SPIRITUAL STATE MUST

POSSESS AND EXEMPLIFY SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT;otherwise they will forever remain attached to the"Letter of the Law", and the Letter of the Law can bequite deadly!

Truly humble people never behave like Teachers.They will listen, and, whenever their opinion is

requested, they respond humbly.In other words, they reply like a student (or Disciple).Those who believe that they are capable of correcting

others are filled with egotism.Those who begin to do something with a good intention

and eventually reach an extreme point, lack TrueDiscernment.

Their actions exemplify a latent type of egotism that ishidden beneath this behaviour of which they are

unaware because they do not know themselves thatwell, which is why they go to extremes.Quite often, people begin with good intentions, but look

where they may find themselves!This was the case with the Iconodules - Icon-

worshippers - and the Iconoclasts - Icon Breakers -of the past - both cases were extremes!

The fanatical, superstitious Iconodules had reached thepoint of scraping Icons of Christ and placing thescrapings into the Holy Chalice in order to improveHoly Communion!!

On the other hand, the obsessive, ignorant Iconoclaststried to destroy, burn and remove all signs of HolyIcons from churches and everywhere else.

Consequently, the Church was obliged to place theIcons in higher places, out of reach, and, only when

the controversial dispute finally ended, loweredthem so that Faithful Christians can venerate themand thus confer the appropriate honour to thePrototypes who are depicted.

AD A P T E D & E D I T E D BY M P :

H T T P : / / O R T H O D O X W A Y O F L I F E . B L O G S P O T . C O M/

G l o r y t o G o d f o r A l l T h i n g s W A K E U P ! !God wants us to attend chiefly to two things: To

Eternity itself, and to that point of time, which iscalled the Present for it is the point at which timetouches Eternity. Of the present moment, and of itonly, we have an experience that [God] has ofReality as a whole- and in it alone freedom and

actuality are offered to us. [C.S. LEWIS - THE SCREWTAPELETTERS]Despite the fact that we only live in the present, we find

that moment to be the most difficult to hold in ourawareness. We dwell in our distorted memories ofthe past or dash about a future whose existence isimaginary. In either case, we avoid the only point atwhich anything is real.

Our Holy Church Fathers who describe the Awarenessof the present as Watchfulness. (Nepsis), exhort usto constantly be watchful and awake. Arise, OSleeper, and wake from the dead! And Christ shallgive thee Light!

The great Struggles of our day are fought and won only

on the battlefield of the present moment for wecannot Repent in either the past or the future.The Desert Fathers teach: There is a voice that cries to

us until our last breath: Be converted today!The Inner Life can be exceedingly creative in its efforts

to avoid God - despite being in an Orthodox Arena!So our Struggle continues unabated until our dying

breath! [HTTP://GLORY2GODFORALLTHINGS.COM/2013/02/15


11/26S T C H A R A L A M B O S T H E G R E A T H I E R O M A R T Y R 1 0 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 11.


ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FAT HE R,AND TO THE SON ,AND TO THE HOLY SPIRI T,NOW AND FOREVER , AND UNTOTHE AGES OF AGES . AME N .

REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOL Y, MOST PUR E , MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LAD Y, MAR IA, THEOTOKOS , YET EVE R VIRGIN ,

TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAI NT S . AND LET US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE L I FE TO CHRIST OUR GOD .

AME N.

1 0 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 4S t C h a r a l a m b o s , G r e a t H i e r o m a r t y r o f M a g n e s i a , T h e s s a l y

AL S O T H E FE A S T O F S T P O RP H YR I O S , S T VAP T O S & 3 FE M A L E H O LY MAR T Y R S O F TH E S S A L Y

SY NA X IS O F T H E HO L Y H I E RARC H S O F N O V G O R O D: S T J O AC H I M , F I R S T B I S H O P O FNO VG O RO D , S T L U KE , S T T H E O D O RE , S T HE RM AN , S T AR C A D I O S , S T JO H N , S T GA B R IE L ,

B I S H O P S O F NO VG O RO D - S T MA R T Y R IO S , S T AN T H O N Y , S T BAS I L , S T MO S E S , S T SY ME ON ,

S T E U T H YM I O S , S T AP H T H O N I O S & S T AN N A O F N O VG O RO D S T P RO C H O RO S O F KI E V

NE A R CA VE S MO N A S T E R Y S T L O G I N O S O F KO R Y Z H E M S K , VO LO G D A S T E N N AT H A , S T

VA L E N T I N A & S T PA UL A, VI RG I N MAR T Y RS OF PA L E S T IN E S T JO H N C H I M C I M E L I T H E

P H I LO S O P H E R O F G E O RG I A

F E S T A L AP O L Y T I K I O N S T C H A R A L A M B O S - T O N E 4

Os stilos aklonitos, tis Ekklisias Hristou, ke lihnos aifotostis ikoumenis sofe, edihthis Haralambes; elampsas ento kosmo, dia tou Martiriou, elisas ton idolon, tinskotomenan makar. Dio en parrisia Hristo, presvevesothine imas

Thou became a firm Pillar in the Church of Christ, OWise Haralambos; a Lamp of Everlasting Light to theworld: Well known to the world through Thy HolyMartyrdom, thou dispelled the dark night of idolatry.Boldly intercede with Christ God so that He may Saveour souls.

F E S T A L KO N T A K I O N S T C H A R A L A M B O S T O N E 4

Thisavron politimon i Ekklisia, tin sin haran kektite,iromartis athlita, tropeofore Haralambes. Dio ke heriton Ktistin doxazousa.

Thou rose from the East like a star, O HieromartyrHaralambos, and Enlightened the Faithful with thebrightness of thy Miracles. Therefore we honour thyHoly Contest.

F E S T A L KO N T A K I O N T H E EV E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S

Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros tonPiitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas,alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, tonpistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke spefsonis ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton timonton se.

OProtection of the Christians unashamable, Mediationto the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleadingvoices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to theAid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: hurryThine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, OTheotokos who always protects all those who honourThee!

M a t i n s G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 2 1 : 1 2 1 9T H E P E R S E C U T I O N O F T H E U N G O D L Y , FA L L E N WO R L D

At that time our Lord said to His Disciples: Beware of men, for they will lay their hands on you and persecuteyou, delivering you to the Synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before Kings and Governors forMy Names sake. This will be a time for you to bear testimony. Settle it therefore in your mind, not tomeditate beforehand how to answer; for I will give you a mouth and Wisdom, which none of youradversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothersand kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; you will be hated by all for My Namessake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your Endurance you will gain your lives.

S t P a u l s S e c o n d E p i s t l e t o S t T i m o t h y 2 : 1 1 0T R A N S M I T T I N G T H E FA I T H , S T R E N G T H E N I N G O T H E R S , D I S C I P L I N E & S U F F E R I N G

Timothy my Son: be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me amongmany witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

You therefore must endure hardship as a Good Soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangleshimself with the affairs of this life, so that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyonecompetes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the Rules. The hardworking farmermust be first to partake of the crops.

Consider what I say, and may the Lord grant you Understanding in all things.Remember that Jesus Christ, of the Seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my Gospel, for which I

suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the Word of God is not chained.

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 5 : 1 7 - 1 6 : 2O U R L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T T E A C H E S U S A B O U T U N I O N & C O M M U N I O N W I T H H I M

At that time our Lord Jesus said: ... These Things I Command you, so that you Love one another. If the worldhates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love itsown. Yet - because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world the world hates you.

Remember the Word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his Master. If they persecuted Me, theywill also persecute you. If they kept My Word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to

you for My Names sake, because they do not know Him Who sent Me.If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.He who hates Me, hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the Works that no one else did, they

would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated Me and My Father.But this happened that the Word might be fulfilled, which is written in their Law: They hated Me without

cause.And when the Helper comes, Whom I shall send you FROM THE FATHER the Spirit of Truth Who PROCEEDS

FROM THE FATHER, He will Testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Mefrom the beginning.

These Things I have spoken to you so that you should not be made to stumble.They will put you out of the Synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers

God Service.And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.


12/2612. S T C H A R A L A M B O S T H E G R E A T H I E R O M A R T Y R 1 0 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

S t C h a r a l a m b o s t h e H i e r o m a r t y r o f M a g n e s i aSt Charalambos was the Bishop of Magnesia, Asia

Minor, who successfully spread the ChristianFaith amongst the people, by teaching andguiding them along the Path to Salvation.

At the time Lucian was the pagan Governor and hismilitary commander was Lucius, both of whombrutally and mercilessly carried out a terriblepersecution of all Christians.

So when St Charalambos came to their attention, hewas immediately arrested and tried but fearlesslyconfessing his Faith in our Lord and Saviour,

Jesus Christ, he and his fellow Martyrs,adamantly refused to renounce the One True,Living God and make sacrificial offerings to thepagan idols.

Despite St Charalambos advanced age (113 yearsold!) he was subjected to monstrous tortures thatincluded laceration of his naked body with ironhooks and his skin being scraped from his body.

Throughout these indescrible torments, StCharalambos managed to address theexecutioners: I thank you, Brethren, for you haverestored my spirit, which longs to pass over to aNew and Everlasting Life!

Having witnessed St Charalambos endurance and hiscomplete lack of malice towards his persecutors,two of the soldiers, (St Porphyrios and St Baptos)

openly confessed their Faith in Christ for whichthey were immediately beheaded by sword.

Three women who were in the watching crowd, alsobegan to Glorify Christ and were quicklyMartyred.

Then the outraged Commander seized theinstruments of torture and began to injure theHoly Hieromartyr but suddenly his forearms werecut off as if by sword, and when the Governorspat at St Charalambos, his head turned aroundand he was forced to look backwards.

Lucius, the terrified Commander, begged the HolyHieromatyr for Mercy and both of the cruelpagans were subsequently healed through theIntercessory Prayers of St Charalambos.

Having witnessed these amazing events, many of thepeople accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour - andLucius was among them. He fell at the feet of themartyred Bishop and asked to be Baptised intothe powerful Christian Faith.

The Governor reported all these things to theEmperor Septimus Severus (193 211) who wasthen at Pisidian, Antioch in Western Asia Minorwho responded by ordering St Charalambos to betaken to him in Antioch.

The cruel pagan soldiers twisted the Holy Fathersbeard into a rope and wound it around his neckand dragged him along.

They also drove iron nails into his body and whenthe godless Emperor ordered them to torture theBishop more intensely, they burnt him with fire.

Nevertheless, our Lord God protected His Holy Saintwho remained unharmed and undefeated.Many Divine Miracles occurred through the

Intercessory Prayers of St Charalambos such aswhen a dead youth was brought back to life, andwhen a man who had been tormented by demonsfor thirty-five excruciating, frightening years wasfinally exorcised...

Consequently, innumerable people began to believein Christ our Saviour and the One True, Living,Almighty God.

[While St Charalambos was being tortured, theEmperor, having heard about his Miracle WorkingPowers, ordered an insane man to be presentedto the Bishop so that he could either prove ordisprove his Wonderworking abilities.

This wretched man had suffered demon-possessionfor thirty-five long years but as soon as heapproached St Charalambos, the demons senseda sweet-smelling Fragrance emanating from the

Holy Hieromartyr, and they shouted: "We begThee, O Servant of God, do not torment us beforeour time! Rather command us and we will departand - if Thou so wishes, we will tell Thee how itcame about that we entered into this man!"

The Saint then commanded the demons to relate thestory, and they said: "This man wanted to stealfrom his neighbour and thought to himself: `If Idon't kill the man first, I will not be able to seizehis goods.' He proceeded to kill his neighbour.And, having caught him in the act, we entered

him, and behold, for thirty-four years we dwelt inhim!"

Then St Charalambos commanded the demons todepart from the man immediately and to leavehim in Peace forever.

The demons departed and the demented man wasrestored to full health and became tranquil andlived in Peace for the rest of his life.]

The daughter of the Emperor, (St Galina) believed inChrist, and twice smashed the idols in a pagantemple.

The Emperor ordered the torturers to smash StCharalambos about the mouth with stones, toprevent him from speaking and when they tried toset his beard on fire, the flames burnt them.

Filled with unbridled wickedness, Septimus Severus

and an official named Crispus hurled blasphemyand mockery at the Lord our God and even daredto challenge Him to come down to the earth,boasting of their own power and might!

Suddenly a frightening earthquake shook the groundand intense fear struck the heart of all the pagans especially when the impious Emperor and hisOfficial were both suspended in mid-air byinvisible bonds, until by the Prayer of StCharalambos were they put down again.

The shocked and dazed Emperor was certainlyshaken but again he ordered further torture ofGods Faithful Bishop, after which he was to bebeheaded by sword.

During the final Prayers of St Charalambos, theHeavens opened and he beheld our Saviouraccompanied by a great multitude of theHeavenly Hosts.

St Charalambos requested Christ to grant that theplace where his Relics would repose would neversuffer famine nor disease.

He also besought our Saviour for Peace, prosperity,and an abundance of fruit, grain, and wine in thatplace, and for the Salvation of the souls of thepeople.

Our Lord promised to fulfil his requests before Heagain ascended into Heaven, with the soul of theSt Charalambos following Him.

By the Great Mercy of God, St Charalambos Reposedbefore he could be executed and St Galina buriedhis Holy Relics with great honour.

In Greek Hagiography and Iconography StCharalambos is regarded as a Priest, whileRussian sources seem to regard him as a Bishop.

St Charalambos continues to be greatly loved andrespected, and he constantly works manyWonders throughout the whole Christian world.

He is especially held in great honour in parts ofGreece, as he was not only from Thessaly, butmany of his Holy Relics are preserved there (e.g. alarge portion of his Sacred Skull is treasured bythe Monastery of St Stephen, Meteora) and he hasHealed and defended the Orthodox so manytimes.

May the memory of St Charalambos be Eternal andmay he always Intercede for us and help us!

AD A P T E D & E D I T E D B Y M P :

H T T P : / / F U L L -O F - G R A C E -A N D -T R U T H .B L O G S P O T .CO M/2 010 /02 / S T -C H A R A L A M B O S-

H I E R O M A R T Y R- O F -M A G N E S I A . H TML


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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 aALL GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP TO THE FAT HE R, AND TO THE SON ,AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT , NOW AND FOREVER ,AND UNTO THE AGES OF AGES. AME N.REMEMBERING ALSO OUR MOST HOL Y, MOST PUR E, MOST BLESSED AND GLORIOUS LAD Y, MAR IA, THEOTOKOS , YET EVE R VIRGIN , TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAI NT S . AND LET

US COMMIT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER AND OUR WHOLE L IFE TO CHRIST OUR GOD . AMEN .

16 February 2014T o n e 1

3 4t h S u n d a y A f t e r P e n t e c o s t2 n d S u n d a y o f T r i o d i o n

1 7t h S u n d a y o f S t L u k e : T h e P r o d i g a l S o n

AL S O T H E F E AS T O F S T PA MP H I L I OS T HE P R E S B Y T E R , S T VA L E N S T H E D E AC O N ,

S T PAUL , S T P O R P H Y R I O S, S T SE LE U C I O S , S T T H E O D O U LO S , S T J U L I AN , S T

SAM UE L , S T E L I A S , S T DAN I E L , S T J E R E M I A H, A N D S T I S A I AH O F CAE S AR E A,

PA L E S T I N E S T MAR U T H A S T HE H I E RO M ART YR O F MAR T Y R OP OL IS ,

ME S O P O T A M I A & H I S F E L LO W H O LY MAR T Y R S S T F L A V I A N O F AN T I O C H

S T N I C H O LAS , E Q U AL T O T H E AP O S T LE S & E N L I G H T E N E R O F JAP A N

R E S U R R E C T I O N AP O L Y T I K I O N T O N E 1

Tou lithou sfragisthentos ipo ton Ioudeon ke stratiotonfilassonton to ahranton Sou Soma, Anestis trimeros,Sotir, Doroumenos to kosmo tin Zoin. Dia touto eDinamis ton Ouranon evoon si Zoodota. Doxa tiAnastasi Sou, Hriste! Doxa ti Vasilia Sou! Doxa tiIkonomia Sou, mone Filanthrope!

While the stone was sealed by the Judeans, and soldiersstood on guard over Thine Undefiled Body, Thou roseon the Third Day, O Saviour Who gives Life to theworld. For which cause the Heavenly Powers criedaloud to Thee: O Giver of Life: Glory to ThyResurrection, O Christ! Glory to Thy Kingdom! Gloryto Thy Providence, O Thou Who alone Loves

mankind!R E S U R R E C T I O N KO N T A K I O N T O N E 1

Exanestis os Theos, ek tou tafou en Doxi, ke kosmonsinanestisas, ke i fisis ton vroton os Theon Seanimnise, ke thanatos ifaniste; ke O Adam horeviDespota, ke i Eva nin ek ton desmon litroumeni, herikrazousa:. Si i O pasi parehon, Hriste tin Anastasin!

Thou rose from the grave in Glory as God and raised theworld up with Thee. Mortal nature sang Thy praiseas God, and Death disappeared. Adam danced, OMaster, and now Eve, freed from her chains, rejoicesas she cries: It is Thee, O Christ, Who grantsResurrection to all!

F E S T A L KO N T A K I O N - T H E P R O D I G A L S O N TO N E 1

Tis Patroas doxis Sou aposkirtisas afronos, en kakiseskorpisa, on mi paredokas plouton. Othen Si tin touAsotou fonin hravgazo. Imarton enopion Sou, Pateriktirmon. Dexe me metanoounta ke piison me os

2014 - february sacred lessons

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