My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE PALM SUNDAY KERYGMA (Part II)
Saint Gregory Palamas

The people not only sang His praises and called Him God, but they subsequently opposed the Scribes and Pharisees’ evil purpose against God and their murderous allegations. For the latter were mad enough to say of Him, "This man is not of God, and since he doeth many miracles, if welet him thus alone and do not put him to death, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation" (cf. John 9:16; 11:47-48). But what did the people say? "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh" (Mark 11:9-10). By saying, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord," they SHOWED THAT HE WAS FROM GOD THE FATHER AND THAT HE AME IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER. AS THE LORD SAID OF HIMSELF, "I CAME IN THE NAME OF MY FATHER" (cf. John 5:43) and I proceeded forth and came from God" (John 8:42). On the other hand, by saying, "Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh," they showed that this was the kingdom in which, according to prophecy, the Gentiles too, and indeed the Romans, were to believe. For this king was not just Israel’s hope, but also the expectation of the Gentiles (Pagans), according to Jacob’s prophecy: "Binding his foal unto the vine," where "foal" refers to the Jewish people who were subject to Him, "and his ass’s colt unto the branch of the vine" (Genesis 49:11). The branch of the vine is the Lord’s disciples, for the Lord said to them, "I AM THE VINE, YE ARE THE BRANCHES" (John 15:5). By this branch, the Lord binds to Himself His "ass’s colt," namely the NEW ISRAEL OF THE GENTILES, who become sons of Abraham by grace. If, asked the people, this kingdom in which we have put our faith is the hope of the Gentiles (Pagans) too, why should we fear the Romans?

Those who were childlike in innocence but not in intelligence were inspired by the Holy Spirit to offer up to the Lord a faultlessly perfect hymn, and bore witness that, as God, He had brought Lazarus back to life after he had been dead for four days. When the Scribes and Pharisees, on the other hand, "saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the Temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were sore displeased and said unto the Lord, Hearest Thou what they say?" (Matthew 21:15-16). In fact, it would have been more appropriate for the Lord to put the same question to them, "Can you not see, or hear or understand?" To refuse those who were complaining that He tolerated songs of praise that were fitting for God alone, He replied, "Yes, I hear those who, invisibly enlightened by Myself, declare such things about Me. But if these should hold their peace, THE STONES WOULD IMMEDIATELY CRY OUT. Have you never read the prophecy that, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" (Psalm 8:2; Matthew 21:16). This was another amazing fact, that simple, uneducated children should speak perfectly of the Divinity of God made man for our sake, and that their voices should take up the Angelic Hymn. At the Lord’s birth the Angels sang, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth" (Luke 2:14), and now at the time of His Entry into Jerusalem the children offered up the same hymn, "Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest" (Matthew 21:9).

Let us all, young and old, rulers and subjects, be childlike in innocence, that God may empower us to make a public show of the trophies, and carry aloft the symbols of victory, not just victory over the evil passions, but over visible and invisible enemies, and may we find the grace of the word to help in time of need (cf, Hebrews 4:16). The young colt which the Lord deigned to ride for our sake prefigured, although it was only one, the Gentiles’ obedience to HIm and we, governors and governed alike, are all Gentiles come from them.

In Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female, nor Greek, nor Jews, but all, according to the Holy Apostle, are one (Galatians 3:28). In the same way, in Him there is neither ruler nor subject, but by His grace WE ARE ALL ONE IN FAITH IN HIM, AND BELONG TO ONE BODY, HIS CHURCH, WHOSE HEAD HE IS. By the grace of the All-Holy Spirit we have all drunk of the one Spirit, and have all received one baptism. We all have one hope and one God, Who is above all, and through all, and in us all (Ephesians 4:6). So let us love one another. Let us bear with one another, SEEING THAT WE ARE MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER. When He departed from this world, the fatherly inheritance He left us was AGAPE (LOVE), and the last prayer He gave us when He Ascended to His Father WAS ABOUT AGAPE FOR ONE ANOTHER (John 13:33-35).

Let us strive to attain to this fatherly prayer and let us NOT lose the inheritance He left us nor the sign He gave us, lest we should also lose our sonship, our blessing and our discipleship. If that happens, we shall fall away from the promised hope and be shut out of the spiritual bridechamber. Before His Saving Passion, when the Lord entered the earthly Jerusalem, not just the people, but also the true rulers of the Gentiles, the Lord’s Apostles, spread their garments in His way. In the same manner, let us all, rulers as well as subjects, lay down our natural garments before Him, by making our flesh and its impulses subject to the spirit, that we may be made worthy not only to see and worship Christ’s Saving Passion and Holy Resurrection, but to enjoy communion with Him. "For if," says the Holy Apostle, "we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection" (Romans 6:5).

To which may we all attain by the grace and love towards mankind of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, to Whom belong All Glory, Honor and Worship, together with His Father without beginning and the Life-Giving Spirit, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. (Resources: HOMILIES)

A BLESSED AND GRACE-FILLED HOLY AND GREAT WEEK TO ALL!

________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE TRIUMPH OF PALM SUNDAY
(Matthew 21:1-9; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40)

"The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they
heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees
and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

‘Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the
name of the LORD!’
The King of Israel!’

Then Jesus, when He found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

‘Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey’s colt.’

…Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus
out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. For this
reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done
this sign" (John 12:12:1-18).

HOMILY DELIVERED ON PALM SUNDAY
Saint Gregoy Palamas

IN AN ACCEPTABLE TIME have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee," said God through Isaiah (Isaiah 49:8). It is good day to speak these words of the Apostle to your charity: "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2). "Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us work the works of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day" (Romans 13:12-13). 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. Lazarus proclaims it in advance by coming back from the depths of Hades and rising from the dead on the fourth day just by the voice and command of God, Who has power over life and death (John 11:1-45). By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, children and simple people sing praises in advance to the Redeemer from death, who brings souls up from Hades and gives souls and bodies Eternal Life.

"What man is he that desireth life and to see good days? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile: depart from evil and do good" (Psalm 34:12-14; cf. 1 Peter 3:10-11). Evil means gluttony, drunkenness and dissolute living. Evil means vainglory, arrogance and pride. Let everyone turn aside from such vices and do those things which are good. What are they? Self-control, fasting, charity, righteousness, almsgiving, forebrance, love, humility. That by so doing we may worthily partake of the Lamb of God Who was sacrificed for our sake, and so receive the earnest of incorruption, and keep it as an assurance of the inheritance promised to us in heaven. Is it hard to do good, and are the virtues more difficult than the vices? That is certainly not how I see it.

Notice that the Father and the Son are of equal honor and have the same will. The words are in the form of a prayer for the sake of the crowd standing by , but they are not words of prayer but of Lordship and absolute authority. "Lazarus, come forth" (John 11:43). And at once the man who has been dead four days stood before Him alive. Did this come about by the command of the Life-Giver or His prayer? He cried with a loud voice, again on account of the bystanders, since He could have raised him not only by using His normal voice, but just by His will alone.

The simple people believed Him in every respect, and did not keep their faith quiet, but began to preach His Divinity by deeds and words. After the raising of Lazarus on the fourth day the Lord found an ass, and, when His disciples had made it ready, as the Evangelist Matthew tells us (Matthew 21:1-11), He sat upon it and entered Jerusalem, as had been foretold in Zechariah’s prophecy: "Do not fear, O daughter of Zion: behold thy king cometh unto thee: he is just and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass" (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:5). The Prophet shows by these words that his king in the prophecy is the only true King of Zion." "Your king," he says, "does not arouse fear in those who see him. Nor is he an oppressor or an evildoer accompanied by shield-bearers and spearmen, trailing behind him a host of foot-soldiers and cavalry; passing his life in greed for gain, demanding taxes and tributes, and unpleasant and harmful labors and services. By contrast, His banner is HUMILITY, POVERTY AND LOWLINESS, AND HE ENTERS UPON AN ASS, WITHOUT ANY HUMAN PRETENSIONS AT ALL. He is the Righteous King WHO RIGHTEOUSLY SAVES. HE IS MEEK, AND MEEKNESS IS HIS DISTINCTIVE WORK." The Lord said of Himself, "Learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29).

So the King Who had raised Lazarus from the dead entered Jerusalem sitting upon an ass. Everyone, children, men, old people, immediately spread their garments in the way. They took palm branches, which are SYMBOLS OF VICTORY, and went to meet Him as the Life-Giver and Victor over death. They fell at His feet and escorted Him in procession, singing together, not just outside but also inside the precincts of the Temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest" (Matthew 21:9). "HOSANNA" IS A SONG OR PRAISE DIRECTED TO GOD, WHICH MEANS, "SAVE US." The additional words, "in the highest" show that He is not only praised on earth, nor only by men, BUT ALSO BY THE HEAVENLY ANGELS ON HIGH.

(To be continued)

____________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape In His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

LAZARUS THE FRIEND OF CHRIST

"Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town
of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed
the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped HIs feet with her hair,
whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters, sent
to HIm, saying, ‘Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.’
When Jesus heard that, He said, ‘This sickness is not unto
death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be
glorified through it.’ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister
and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed
two more days in the place where He was. Then after this
He said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’
… These things He said, and after that He said to them, ‘Our
friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.’ Then
His disciples said, ‘Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.’
However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He
was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to
them plainly ‘Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes
that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let
us go to him… So when Jesus came, He found that he had
already been in the tomb four days…
Now Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my
brother would not have died. But even now I know that
whatever You ask of God, God will give You.’ 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, though 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 You are the Christ, the Son of
God, Whois to come into the world.’ …Therefore, when Jesus
saw her (Mary) weeping and the Jews who came 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. Then the Jews said, ‘See how He loved him!’
…Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was
a cave, and a stone lay against it. 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 place
where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said,
‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You
always hear Mes, but because of the people who are standing by I said
this, that they may believe that You sent Me.’ Now when He had said
these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’
And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes,
and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose
him, and let him go.’ (John 11:1-45).

The Saturday before Palm Sunday is referred to in the Orthodox Tradition as the Saturday of Lazarus. This day, along with Palm Sunday, occupies a special position between Lent and Holy and Great Week. The Saturday before Palm Sunday celebrates the raising of Lazarus at Bethany This miracle is performed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as A REASSURANCE TO HIS DISCIPLES BEFORE THE COMING PASSION; THEY ARE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THOUGH HE SUFFERS AND DIES, YE THIS LORD AND VICTORY OVER DEATH. THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS IS A PROPHECY IN THE FORM OF AN ATION. IT FORESHADOWS CHRIST’S OWN RESURRECTION EIGHT DAYS LATER, AND AT THE SAME TIME IT ANTICIPATES THE RESURRECTION OF ALL THE RIGHTEOUS ON THE LAST DAY: LAZARUS IS ‘THE SAVING FIRST-FRUITS OF THE REGENERATION OF THE WORLD.’

This miracle is the last of our Lord’s Seven Signs in the Gospel of Saint John: These signs are: (1) changing water into wine; (2) curing the nobleman’s son; (3) healing the paralytic; (4) feeding the 5,000; (5) walking on water; (6) giving sight to the blind man; (7) raising Lazarus from the dead. The sign and miracle of Lazarus sealed the decision of the Jewish authorities to put Jesus to death. Bethany is on the Easter slope of the Mount of Olives, about 2 miles from Jerusalem. Lazarus is the same name as Eleazar (lit. "Gospel helps"). Lazarus’ sickness would not result in permanent "death" because he would be brought back to life by the Christ, an act which would bring "glory" to the Father and the Son. Our Lord Jesus Christ delayed visiting Lazarus to allow for the assured death of Lazarus, which underscores the magnitude of the miracle. As true man Jesus shows by example that weeping is the natural human response to death. As True God He shows compassion upon His creation when the soul is torn from the body. Our Lord comes to the place of burial. A corpse that has by the fourth day begins to deteriorate is enough reason for Martha’s warning. Embalming was prohibited in Judaism. The body was simply anointed with spices and other aromatic substances which would keep the stench of decomposition at bay for a brief time.

Again we see the Evangelist’s insistence on relating Jesus’ dependence upon the Father for all His works. Jesus prays for the bystanders, that they may have the insight to see the glory of God in the miracle. Jesus’ "loud" cry for all to hear is reminiscent of His earlier words, "The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth" (John 5:28-29). Also, that Lazarus came out bound in his linen "graveclothes" is interpreted by Patristic writers as an indication he will need them once again: he will eventually die. Our Savior’s grave linens, by contrast, were left in the tomb. He will have no more use for them, for He will never die again.

In Orthodox Christian Tradition, Lazarus of Bethany is revered as the "Righteous Friend of Christ," who was raised from the dead after four days as a foreshadowing of Christ’s Resurrection and a prophecy of the Universal Resurrection. He was close friend to Jesus, lived in Bethany with his sisters Mary and Martha, and later became a Bishop in Cyprus after fleeing persecution, where he lived for another 30 years. Fearing for his life Lazarus fled to Cyprus, where it is believed Saint Barnabas and Saint Paul ordained him as the First Bishop of Kition (modern-day Larnaca. In our Holy Orthodox liturgical calendar, Lazarus Saturday immediately precedes palm Sunday and Holy and Great Week, setting the theme of Christ as Victory over death. Furthermore Tradition says Lazarus never smiled for the 30 years he lived after being resurrected, traumatized by what he saw in the underworld. The only exception was when he saw someone stealing a ot, saying: "the clay steals the clay." It is believed also that he met with the Ever-Virgin Mary the Theotokos in Cyprus and she presented him with Bishop’s robes or vestments she had woven herself. Lazarus died for the second and last time in Cyprus. His holy relics were later moved or translated to Constantinople in 898 A.D.

In holy icons, Lazarus is shown emerging from the tomb, still tightly bound in funeral cloths (shroud), symbolizing that while resurrected he was still subject to human mortality until his second death. He is of course considered a model of friendship with our Lord Jesus Christ and a living breathing witness to Christ’s power to conquer death. As a result of this miracle, many of he Jews that were present believed in Jesus. Others went and told the Pharisees what Jesus had done. In response the Pharisees and Chief Priests met and considered how they might arrest Him and put Him to death.

Standing with Christ are His Disciples who are witnesses of this great miracle, a true transformation of the power of God that would bring them assurance during the Passion of our Lord and Savior.

The Saturday of Lazarus is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostomos, which his preceded by the Orthros (Matins) service. On Friday before the feast, the Vespers (Esperinos) is done either in conjunction with the Presanctified Liturgy or if this is not held, according to the order of the Triodion. The day and commemoration receives its name from the miracle of Christ recorded in the Gospel of Saint John the Evangelist. Both this feast and Palm Sunday are joyous festivals of the Church, and thus bright colors are used for vestments and the Holy Altar Table. At the Divine Liturgy of Lazarus Saturday, the baptismal verse from Galatians ("As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27) replaces the Thrice-Holy Hymn, thus indicating the resurrectional character of the celebration, and the fact that Lazarus Saturday was once among the few great baptismal day sin the Orthodox Church Year. [Resources: Orthodox Study Bible and The Lenten Triodion]
Hymns of the Feast

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. First Tone

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your
Passion, You confirmed the universal resurrection,
O Christ God! Like the children with palms of victory.
We cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death. Hosanna
in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the
name of the Lord.

Kontakion Hymn. Second Tone

Chriar — the joy, the Truth, and the Light
of All, the Life of the World and the
Resurrection — has appeared in His goodness
to those on earth. He has become the Image
of our resurrection granting divine forgiveness
to all.

Troparion Hymn of Saturday of Lazarus,
Orthros (Matins), Tone 1

O Christ God when Thou didst raise
Lazarus from the dead, before Thy Passion,
Thou didst confirm the Universal resurrection.
Wherefore, we, like babes, carry the insignia
of triumph and victory, and cry to Thee, O
Vanquisher of death, Hosanna in the highest,
Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the
Lord.

____________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +
With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

HOLY AND GREAT WEEK (Part III)

Holy and Great Saturday. On this day we celebrate THE BURIAL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST and HIS DESCENT INTO HELL. At Orthros (Matins), usually on Holy and Great Friday evening, the service begins with the ‘PRAISES’ (in Greek, Enkomia) chanted before the Epitaphion in the center of the church. The predominant note at this divine service is not so much one of mourning as of WATCHFUL EXPECTATION. For the time being God observes a Sabbath rest in the tomb, but we look forward to the moment when He will rise again, bringing new life and RECREATING THE WORLD:

"Today Thou dost keep holy the seventh day,
Which Thou hast blessed of old by resting from Thy works.
Thou bringest all things into being and Thou makest all things
new,
Observing the Sabbath rest, my Savior, and restoring Ty
strength."

At the end of the service, all go WITH THE EPITAPHION AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH, SINGING, ‘Holy God…’ , exactly as they would at a funeral. And yet this is not in fact a funeral processions at all, God HAD DIED ON THE CROSS, AND YET HE IS NOT DEAD. HE WHO DIED, THE LOGOS/WORD, IS THE Life Himself, Holy and Immortal; and our procession through the night SIGNIFIES THAT HE IS NOW PROCEEDING THROUGH THE DARKNESS OF HELL, ANNOUNCING TO ADAM AND TO AL THE DEAD HIS COMING RESURRECTION, IN WHICH THEY ALSO CALLED TO SHARE.

In the morning and early afternoon of Holy and Great Saturday there follow Vespers (Esperinos) and the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great. Originally, this service began later, in the evening, and continued into the early hours of Pascha (Easter) Sunday morning; but now it has been moved back, and its place taken by the existing MIDNIGHT SERVICE of Paschal Orthros (Matins), with the Canon by Saint John Damascus, ‘This is the Day of Resurrection…’, followed by the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostomos. The more ancient Vigil service, now celebrated on Holy and Great Saturday morning, has a strongly baptismal character, reflecting the period when this Mysterion (Sacrament) was administered on Pascha night. The texts at Vespers (Esperinos) are dominated by the three connected themes of PASSOVER, RESURRECTION AND BAPTISMAL INITIATION. Of the Fifteen Readings — constituting the final stage in the teaching imparted to the catechumens before they were baptized — readings 4, 7, 8, 12, and 15 refer TO THE RESURRECTION. readings 4, 6,14, and 15 refer symbolically to Baptism. The BAPTISMAL CHARACTER of the Holy and Great Saturday Office is likewise apparent in the chant sung in place of the TRISAGION, ‘As many of you as were baptized into Christ…’, and in the choice of Epistle reading (Romans 6L3-11). With the verse following the Epistle, ‘ARISE, OF GOD, AND JUDGE THOU THE EARTH; FOR THOU SHALL TAKE ALL HEATHEN TO THINE INHERITANCE’, THE CELEBRATION OF THE RESURRECTION HAS ALREADY BEGUN.

On Holy and Great Saturday evening the faithful gradually reassemble in teh darkened church while the Acts of the Apostles are read adn then the Midnight Office is chanted. As TWELVE O’CLOCK APPROACHES, the lights in the body of the church are extinguished. All wait in silence for the moment when the priest will come out from the sanctuary with the burning candle and THAT SYMBOLIZE THE LIGHT OF THE RISEN CHRIST chanting: ‘COME YE AND RECEIVE LIGHT FROM THE UNWANING LIGHT; AND GLORIFY CHRIST, WHO HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD.’ The faithful light their candles from the lighted candles of the Altar Boys. The procession of Clergy, Altar boys, Choir or Chanters AND THE PERSON HOLDING THE LABARUM OF THE ANASTASIS (RESURRECTION), MOVES TOWARD THE NARTHEX AND OUTSIDE THE CHURCH TO A SPECIALLY PREPARED PLATFORM, WHILE THE CHOIR CHANTS ‘THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN PRAISE THY RESURRECTION, O CHRIST, OUR SAVIOR; MAKE US ON EARTH WORTHY,WITH PURE HEARTS, TO GLORIFY THEE.’ Then the Gospel reading according to Saint Mark 16:1-8 is read and at the conclusion the priest proclaims: ‘Glory to the Holy and consubstantial and Life-Giving and Undivided Trinity, always, now and ever and to the of Ages. Amen. The priest raising the candle high chants, CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD, BY DEATH TRAMPLING UPON DEATH, AND HAS BESTOWED LIFE TO THOSE IN THE TOMBS (three times). The Resurrection hymn is then chanted by all. Soon after the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostomos is conducted. [Resources: (The Lenten Triodion]

___________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

HOLY AND GREAT WEEK (Part II)

Holy and Great Thursday. On this day four events are celebrated: THE WASHING OF THE DISCIPLES’ FEET, THE INSTITUTION OF THE MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST AT THE LAST SUPPER, THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE (but the liturgical texts do not dwell much on this), AND THE BETRAYAL OF CHRIST BY JUDAS ISCARIOT. In certain cathedrals and monasteries, there is a special ceremony of feet-washing at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, with the bishop or abbot (egoumenos) taking the part of Christ and Twelve Priests representing the Holy Apostles. At the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople, and at the centers of other Patriarchates and Autocephalous Churches, the Holy Chrism is blessed during the Divine Liturgy on this day; but the rite does not take place every year. The meaning of Holy and Great Thursday is summed up in a text of singular beauty, repeated many times at the Divine Liturgy, which combines the themes of Eucharistic Communion, Judas’ treachery, and the confession of the Good Thief:

At Thy mystical Supper, Son of God,
Today receive me as a communicant:
For I will not speak of the mystery to Thine enemies;
I will not give Thee a kiss like Judas;
But a the thief I confess Thee:
Remember me, Lord, when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom.

Holy and Great Friday. On this day we celebrate THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST: THE MOCKERY, THE CROWN OF THORNS, THE SCOURGING, THE NAILS, THE THIRST, THE VINEGAR AND GALL, THE CRY OF DESOLATION, AND ALL THAT THE SAVIOUR ENDURED ON THE CROSS; ALSO THE CONFESSION OF THE GOOD THIEF. At the same time, the Passion is not separated from the Resurrection; even on this day of our Lord’s DEEPEST SELF-ABASEMENT, we look forward also to the revelation of His Eternal Glory:

"We venerate Thy Passion, O Christ:
Show us also Thy glorious Resurrection."

THE CROSS AND THE RESURRECTION, AS WE HAVE SEEN, ARE ASPECTS OF
A SINGLE, UNDIVIDED ACT OF SALVATION:

"THY CROSS, O LORD, IS LIFE AND RESURRECTION."

Holy and Great Friday Orthros (Matins) are usually ‘ANTICIPATED’ and held on Holy and Great Thursday Evening. They take a special form, with a series of TWELVE GOSPEL READINGS that begins with Christ’s discourse at the Last Supper and ends with the account of His burial. In the Greek use there comes a ‘high point’ shortly before the SIXTH GOSPEL, when the priest carries a large Cross from the sanctuary and sets it up in the center of the church. This ceremony, which originated in the Church of Antioch, was only adopted at Constantinople as recently as 1824; it is not found in the practice of the Slav Churches. Here we find the principle of dramatic representation carried a stage further than hitherto, through the use not only of words but of visible actions.

On Holy and Great Friday morning, the HOURS take a solemn form, as on the eves of Christmas and Theophany, with an Old Testament reading, an Epistle and a Gospel at each Hour. Vespers follow, either immediately after the Hours (normal Greek use) or in the afternoon (Slav use). At the end of Vespers (Esperinos), as was done earlier at Orthros (Matins) in the Greek use, the events of Holy and Great Friday are represented not only through words but through dramatic actions. The EPITAPHION — AN OBLONG PIECE OF STIFFENED CLOTH ON WHICH IS PAINTED OR EMBROIDERED THE FIGURE OF THE DEAD CHRIST LAID OUT FOR BURIAL — IS CARRIED IN PROCESSION FROM THE SANCTUARY TO THE CENTER OF THE CHURCH, AND IS THEN VENERATED BY THE FAITHFUL. There are few more moving moments in the whole of the Church’s Year. The Greek and Slav Triodia say nothing about this procession with the Epitaphion at the end of Vespers, nor about the corresponding procession at the end of Orthros (Matins) on Holy and Great Saturday. It seems that the practice of carrying the Epitaphion processionally on these two occasions originated at a relatively recent period, in the 15th or 16th century.

The present practice NO LITURGY IS CELEBRATED ON HOLY AND GREAT FRIDAY — neither the complete Liturgy (except when it is the Feast of the Annunciation) nor the Liturgy of the Presanctified. But in earlier times there was a Presanctified Liturgy on this day. (Resources: The Lenten Triodion)

(To be continued)

___________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

HOLY AND GREAT WEEK ACCORDING TO THE
HOLY TRADITION OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

THE SATURDAY OF LAZARUS. This day, along with Palm Sunday, occupies a special position between Lent and Holy and Great Week. Following the forty days of penitence which has just ended, and immediately before the days of darkness and mourning which are to follow in the Week of the Passion, ther come two days of joy and triumph on which the Church keeps festival. The Saturday before Palm Sunday celebrates the raising of Lazarus at Bethany (John 11:1-46). This miracle is performed by Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ AS A REASSURANCE TO HIS DISCIPLES BEFORE THE COMING PASSION: they are to understand that, THOUGH HE SUFFERS AND DIES, YET HE IS LORD AND VICTORY OVER DEATH. The resurrection of Lazarus is a prophecy in the form of an action. It foreshadows Christ’s own Resurrection eight days later, and at the same time it anticipates the resurrection OF ALL THE RIGHTEOUS ON THE LAST DAY: Lazarus is ‘THE SAVING FIRST-FRUITS OF THE REGENERATION OF THE WORLD.’

As the liturgical texts emphasize, the miracle at Bethany, reveals the TWO NATURES OF CHRIST the God-man. Christ asks where Lazarus is laid and WEEPS FOR HIM, and so He shows the FULLNESS OF HIS MANHOOD, involving as it does human ignorance and genuine grief for a beloved friend. Then, disclosing THE FULLNESS OF HIS DIVINE POWER, Christ raises Lazarus from the dead, even though his corpse has already bgun to decompose and stink. This double fullness of the Lord’s DIVINITY and His HUMANITY is to be kept in view throughout Holy and Great Week, and above all on Holy and Great Friday. On the Cross we see A GENUINE HUMAN AGONY, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL, BUT WE SEE MORE THAN THIS: WE SEE NOT ONLY SUFFERING MAN BUT SUFFERING GOD.

PALM SUNDAY. ‘Blessed is He that comes…’: this is THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING — welcomed by the children at His entry into Jerusalem, and to be welcomed likewise BY EACH ONE OF US INTO OUR OWN HEART. ‘Blessed is He that comes…’ — that comes not so much out of the past AS OUT OF THE FUTURE: For on Palm Sunday WE WELCOME NO ONLY THE LORD WHO ENTERED JERUSALEM LONG AGO, RIDING ON A DONKEY, BUT THE LORD WHO COMES AGAIN IN POWER AND GREAT GLORY, AS KING OF THE FUTURE AGE. Palms and branches are blessed after the Gospel at Orthros (Matins), and held with lighted candles during the rest of the service. Although at one time the Eastern Church — like the Western Christendom up to the present — used to hold a procession on Palm Sunday, this has now fallen into disuse and there is no mention of it in the existing Triodion.

Very frequently repeated at the feast is the sticheron beginning ‘Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together…’ It is possible to see reflected here the practice of Saint Efthymios, Saint Savas, and other Palestinian monks in the 5th and 6th centuries. Shortly after the Feast of Epiphany they left their monasteries to make a Lenten retreat in the wilderness, either singly or with a companion, spending the following weeks in silence and continual prayer, eating nothing but wild roots. Then, on Saturday afternoon in the sixth week of Lent, they all returned to their monasteries for the vigil service on Palm Sunday, in order to celebrate Holy and Great Week together with their brethren. In isolated Orthodox parishes throughout the Western world, something similar occurs each year. Scattered members of the parish community, living far from the church and scarcely ever able to attend the services at other times, start to appear in church at the vigil service before Palm Sunday, and as Holy and Great ‘Week continues their numbers steadily increase. Like the monks of ancient Palestine, we in the twenty first century can also say with truth on Palm Sunday, ‘Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together…’

HOLY AND GREAT WEEK: HOLY MONDAY, HOLY TUESDAY AND HOLY WEDNESDAY. On the days following His Entry to Jerusalem, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ spoke to His Disciples in particular about the signs that will precede the Last Day (Matthew 24 and 25); and so this forms the theme of the first part of Holy and Great Week. The ESCHATOLOGICAL challenge of the first three days of Holy and Great Week is summed up in the troparion and exapostilarion hymns at Orthros (Matins), both of which are repeated three times to a slow and solemn melody. The troparion (hymn), ‘Behold, the Bridegroom comes in the middle of the night…’, is based on the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13); the exapostilarion hymn, ‘I see Thy bridal chamber…’, on the Parable of the man cast out from the feast because he had no wedding garment (Matthew 22:11-13). Here, presented in especially urgent terms, is the call that we have heard on many occasions during Holy and Great Lent: the End is near at hand; be watchful; repent while there is still time.
Each of the three days has its own particular theme:

(1) On Holy and Great Monday we commemorate the PATRIARCH JOSEPH, whose innocent sufferings (Genesis, chapters 37 and 39-40) PREFIGURE THE PASSION OF CHRIST. Also we commemorate THE BARREN FIG TREE cursed by our Lord (Matthew 21:18020). — A SYMBOL OF THE JUDGMENT THAT WILL BEFALL THOSE WHO SHOW NO FRUITS OF REPENTANCE; A SYMBOL, MORE SPECIFICALLY, OF THE UNBELIEVING JEWISH SYNAGOGUE.

(2) On Holy and Great Tuesday the liturgical texts refer chiefly to the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which forms the general theme of these three days. They refer also to the Parable of THE TALENTS that comes immediately after it (Matthew 25:14-30). Both these are interpreted as Parables of JUDGMENT.

(3) On Holy and Great Wednesday we commemorate the WOMAN THAT WAS A SINNER, who anointed Christ’s feet as He sat in the house of Simon. In the hymnography of the day, the account in Matthew 26:6-13) is combined with that in Luke 7:36-50) (cf. also John 12:1-8). A second theme is THE AGREEMENT MADE BY JUDAS with the Jewish authorities: the repentance of the sinful harlot is contrasted with the tragic fall of the chosen disciple. The Triodion makes it clear THAT JUDAS PERISHED, NOT SIMPLY BECAUSE HE BETRAYED HIS MASTER, BUT BECAUSE, HAVING FALLEN INTO THE SIN OF BETRAYAL, HE THEN REFUSED TO BELIEVE IN THE POSSIBILITY OF FORGIVENESS: ‘In misery he lost his life, PREFERRING A NOOSE RATHER THAN REPENTANCE,’ If we deplore the actions of Judas, we do so not with vindictive self-righteousness but conscious always of our own guilt: ‘Deliver our souls, O Lord, from the condemnation that was his.’ When the Triodion denounces those who rejected Christ and delivered Him to death, we recognize that these words apply not only to others, but to ourselves: for have we not betrayed the Savior many times in our hearts and crucified Him afresh?

On the evening of Holy and Great Wednesday in church the Mysterion (Sacrament) of the Anointing of the Sick (Efchaileon or Unction) is usually celebrated in church and ALL ARE ANOINTED WHETHER PHYSICALLY ILL OR NOT; for there is not sharp line of demarcation between bodily and spiritual illness, and this Sacrament confers NOT ONLY BODILY HEALING BUT FORGIVENESS OF SINS, THUS SERVING AS A PREPARATION FOR THE RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION ON THE NEXT DAY, HOLY AND GREAT THURSDAY. (Sources: The Lenten Triodion)

(To be continued)

___________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

March 25th – THE ANNUNCIATION OF OUR HOLY MOST HOLY LADY,
THE THEOTOKOS AND EVER-VIRGIN MARY.

Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Fourth Tone

TODAY is the fountainhead of our salvation and the manifestation of
the mystery which was from eternity. The Son of God becometh the
Virgin’s Son, and Gabriel announceth the good tidings of grace; for this
cause, let us cry to the Mother of God with him: Rejoice, thou who art
full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Kontakion. Plagal of Fourth Tone

WHEN the bodiless one learned the secret command, in haste he
came and stood before Joseph’s dwelling, and spake unto the
Maiden who knew not wedlock: The One Who hath bowed the
Heavens by His descent is held and contained unchanging wholly
in thee. Seeing Him receiving the form of a servant in thy womb,
I stand in awe and cry to thee: Rejoice, thou Bride unwedded.

Another Kontakion. Fourth Tone

TO THEE, the Champion Leader, we thy flock dedicate a feast of
victory and of thanksgiving as ones rescued out of sufferings, O
Theotokos; but as thou art one with might which is invincible,
from all dangers that can be do thou deliver us, that we may cry
to thee: Rejoice, thou Bride unwedded.

Six months after Saint John the Forerunner’s conception, the Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth, a town of Galilee, unto Mary the Virgin, who had come forth from the Temple a mature maiden (see November 21st). According to the tradition handed down by the Holy Fathers of the Church, she had been betrothed to Joseph for four months. On coming to Joseph’s house, the Archangel declared: “Rejoice, thou Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” After some consideration, and turmoil of soul, and fear because of this greeting, the Virgin, when she had finally obtained full assurance concerning God’s unsearchable condescension and the ineffable dispensation that was to take place through her, and believing that all things are possible to the Most High, answered in humility: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” And at this, the Holy Spirit came upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her All-Blameless womb, and the Son and Logos/Word of God, Who existed before the ages, was conceived past speech and understanding, and became flesh in her immaculate body (Luke 1:26-38).

Bearing in her womb the Uncontainable One, the Blessed Virgin went with haste from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea, where Zacharias has his dwelling; for she desired to find Elizabeth her kinswoman and rejoice together with her, because, as she had learned from the Archangel, Elizabeth had conceived in her old age. Furthermore, she wished to tell her of the great things that the Mighty One had been well-pleased to bring to pass in her, and she greeted Elizabeth and drew night to her. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, she felt her six-month old babe leap in her womb for joy. By leaping thus even before he had beheld the Light of Life, her babe, Saint John the Baptist, prophesied of the dawning of the spiritual Sun. Immediately, the aged Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and recognized her as the Mother of the Lord, and with a great voice blessed her and the Fruit that she held within herself. The Virgin also, moved by a supernatural rejoicing in the spirit, glorified her God and Savior, saying: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior,” and the rest, as the divine Luke hath recorded (I:39-55). [Resources:  The Great Horologion]

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE ANNUNCIATION

When the Most Holy Virgin had lived and served in the Temple at Jerusalem for 11 years, and was by then 14 years old — when, that is, she entering on her 15th year — the priests informed her that, according to the Law, she could no longer remain in the Temple but must be betrothed and marry. But, to the great surprise of all the priests, the Most Holy Virgin replied that she had dedicated herself to God and wished to a maiden remain till death and enter into wedlock with no-one. Then, by God’s Providence and under His inspiration, Zacharias, the high priest and father of the Forerunner, in consultation with the other priests, chose 12 unmarried men from the Tribe of David so that they might entrust the Virgin Mary to one of them to preserve her virginity and care for her. She was thus ENTRUSTED TO JOSEPH, AN OLD MAN FROM NAZARETH AND A KINSMAN OF HERS. In his house, the Most Holy Virgin continued to live in the same manner as in the Temple of Solomon, passing her time in the reading of the Sacred Scripture, in prayer, in pondering on the work of God, in fasting, and in handiwork. She scarcely ever left the house, nor too, an interest in worldly matters or events. She generally conversed very little with anyone, and never without a particular need. She was intimate only with the two daughters of Joseph. But when the time prophesied by the Prophet Daniel had come and when God was pleased to fulfill the promise made to Adam when He drove him out of Paradise, and to the Prophets (the mighty Archangel Gabriel appeared in the chamber of the Most Holy Virgin, at the precise moment (as some priestly writers have related) that she was holding open on her lap the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and pondering on his great prophecy: ‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son.’ Gabriel appeared to her in Angelic Light and said to her: ‘Rejoice, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee!’, and so forth, just as is related in the Gospel of the divine Luke. With this Angelic greeting and the descent of the Holy Spirit, THE SALVATION OF MANKIND AND THE RENEWAL OF CREATION WERE SET IN MOTION. The Archangel turned the first page of the story of the New Testament with the word ‘REJOICE!’, to show by this the joy that the New Testament signifies for mankind and for all things created. And therefore the Annunciation is looked upon AS A JOYOUS, AS WELL AS A GREAT, FEAST. [Resources: The Prologue from Ochrid]

[Please note:On the Great Feast of the Annunciation

_________
“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of Godd
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Saviour, CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

“Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain
a better resurrection. Still other had trial of mocking and scourging, yes,
and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two,
were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheep-
skins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted tormented–of WHOM THE
WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY. They wandered in deserts and mountains,
in dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11:35-38).

As Orthodox Christians continue their Lenten journey they recall the par excellence of authentic spirituality and example of The Saints, Holy Martyrs, Holy Confessors, Wonderworkers, Unmercenaries, Holy Prophets, Holy Apostles, Holy Fathers, Holy Mothers… are the inestimable treasure and holy source of inspiration for every practicing Orthodox believer. Commemorating and knowing the lives of Orthodox Saints, Martyrs, and Confessors is vital because they provide living proof of Christ’ transforming power, serving as “applied dogmatic theology.” Their holy lives offer concrete examples of virtue, provide intercession in prayer, encourage perseverance through difficult times, and connect believers to the Church’s ongoing history.

Along with prayer, fasting, repentance, the sacred Mysteries of the Church, the study of Holy Scripture, the Orthodox Christian includes in his daily spiritual discipline the Lives of the Saints, especially those commemorated specifically on the current day. The Saints serve as models of Christian life because they demonstrate that holiness is achievable by ordinary men, women and children who are transformed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, showing how to live out the Sacred Gospel in practical ways. Orthodox Christians believe Saints are alive in the “heavenly half” of the Church, serving as patrons who intercede with Almighty God on behalf of the faithful, acting as spiritual mentors and protectors. The holy lives of the Martyrs who literally shed their blood and Confessors who suffered without dying, validate the truth of the Christian faith, demonstrating the power of Divine Grace, especially during persecution. Learning of their struggles and sacrifice, particularly in times of fear or despair, gives believers confidence that our Benevolent and Merciful Lord Who strengthened the Saints will also aid us.

It is, therefore, imperative that the Orthodox faithful study the holy lives of the Saints and by doing so they focus on the spiritual life and the “cloud of witnesses” surrounding our Holy Church. By studying and honoring the Saints the Orthodox believer finds tangible inspiration to “bring your life into conformity with theirs” and, by extension, into conformity with Our Compassionate and Loving Christ. Spirituality is not something abstract but something real and tangible and achievable. According to our Holy Orthodox Tradition there are holy icons that depict the holy people of God, the Saints, and on their feast day the Church presents them to the faithful to onor and venerate.

Just like the Holy Apostle Paul who said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7), the Saints of the Church accomplished their goal too. The dedicated and committed Christian ought to say the same words as he or she nears the end of his earthly life. The fact that Orthodox Christian faithful as the prayers of Saints and their intercession is prefigured in the New Testament. The Holy Apostle Paul asks the Christians and Romans to pray for him (Ephesians 6:19:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:25); Colossians 4:3; and Romans 15:30-31). In every Divine Liturgy, we petition God the Father to accept, on our behalf, “the prayers and the intercession” of all the Saints who now live in heaven.

Saint Basil the Great speaking of the Holy Forty Martyrs, who suffered martyrdom for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he emphasized that “they are common friends of the human race, strong ambassadors, and collaborators in fervent prayers”. Saint John Chrysostom says that we should seek the fervent prayers of the Saints, because they have special “boldness” (parresia), before God. However, one most important point to make is that in our Holy Orthodox Church the worship (latreia) given to the Almighty God is much different from the honor (teemee) of love and respect, or veneration (proskynesis), “paid to all those endowed with some dignity” (St. John Chrysostom). Saint Symeon the New Theologian writes, “God is the Teacher of the Prophets, the co-traveler with the Apostles, the power of the Martyrs, the inspiration of the Fathers and Teachers, the perfection of all Saints.”

Christians are to imitate together with the Martyrs who pray before the Throne of God and wear white robes as a reward of their martyrdom. However, it was Saint Paul with his doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ who provided a theological basis for the venerating and invoking the Saints. According to it, all members have their particular office as “fellow citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God,” (Ephesians 2:19). It has been this teaching about the Church that supplied the Biblical foundation for the practice of devotion to the Saints. The first documentary witness of the devotion to Saints in the early Church comes from the “Martyrdom of Polycarp” (about 156 A.D.). Saint Polycarp’s followers express their intention to ‘celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom’ in all days to come. At the same time this practice was supplemented by the growing veneration of the holy relics of those who had suffered martyrdom.

Is it any wonder why Orthodox Christians include the lives of the Saints in their daily spiritual askesis? The Saints are the heroes of our Christian faith and should always be respected and emulated. The spiritual life of each individual ought to be of substance and profound. It must continue to grow in knowledge, faith and commitment in order for it to have meaning and impact in our lives. Proclaiming and professing to be a Christian does not make it so. Our Lord Jesus says to us, as He spoke to the young ruler, “But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. He said to Him, ‘Which ones?’ Jesus said, ‘ You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and COME FOLLOW ME.” (Matthew 19:16-21). We are taught here that salvation does not depend upon external things, whether they be many or few, great or small, but on the virtues of the soul–FAITH, HOPE, AND AGAPE (LOVE)–the reward of which is salvation. These virtues the young man still lacked.

The Saints of our Church, who inherited from their parents great wealth did exactly that, they sold their estates and then distributed their wealth to the poor and followed our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ.

_____________
“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE BREVITY AND PASSING OF OUR EARTHLY LIFE

“As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is
gone,
And it will no longer know its place.
But the mercy of the Lord is from age to age unto
them that fear Him, and His righteousness is upon
sons of sons; (Psalm 103:15-17).

Father Aimilianos of Simonopetra at the Holy Mountain in Greece in his book Psalms and the Life of Faith writes, “In these lines, the eternity of God stands in stark contrast to the fleeting nature of human existence. Human life is of limited duration, “but the mercy of the Lord is from age to age.” God’s love is Eternal, because God is Eternal, and God is agape (love). Man, on the other hand, is a creature of the moment; his love is weak, wavering , fickle, and often false. If we were to translate verse 15 literally, it would say; “Man, like grass, his days”, and this absence of syntactical order expresses the confused and chaotic nature of our existence, through which we stumble broken and breathless.

“He blossoms like a flower of the field.” Who does not rejoice at the sight of a young person? It’s like seeing the beginning of a glorious day, like a rising sun radiant with possibilities. But this rising sun, this lovely flower of youth, is but a “flower of the field,” and no sooner does it reach its meridian than it begins to whither and fade. The so-called best years of our life, when we are prospering and flourishing, when we were at the height of our powers, were nothing more than a fleeting moment, with no greater reality than that of a distant dream. Thus the Psalmist says that the life of every human being IS LIKE A FLOWER, “A FLOWER OF THE FIELD.” And what is the fate of such flowers?

“When the wind passes over it, it is gone.” When the wind blows, the petals of the poppy are scattered far and wide, and all that remains is a dark stem, which itself will soon succumb to the elements. The “wind pass over it,” it is broken and scattered, and there is no longer any sign that once, on this spot, a flower stood. In the morning you go for a stroll and you see a stretch of hillside covered with beautiful flowers. You walk by there again in the afternoon, but a strong wind has been blowing, and all the flowers are gone. You look closely at the hillside, but you can’t be sure where exactly the flowers were before they were swept away by the wind.

The Hebrew says “And its place will no longer know it,” or “His place will no longer know him.” You see someone as a young man, and then you see him after he’s spent five years drinking and carousing. His face is no longer the same, for each of his sins has left its mark there. You hardly recognize him, and you wonder if this is really him. The flower of youth fades so quickly that the people in the town where he was born may not be able to recognize him, and so “his place will no longer know him.”

“But the mercy of the Lord is from age to age unto them that fear Him.” From this experience of human transience king David is led to reflect on Divine Eternity. The contrast is strong, but by no means is it negative or pessimistic. David sense the love of God for human beings, and so his description of the human condition is immediately followed by the affirmation that the mercy of the Lord is forever. Though his life on earth is tragic, MAN WILL LIVE. God’s hands shall lovingly take up the dust of the earth, and the fleeting and the finite will be wedded to the eternal and the infinite. The life that ends in death WILL BE GIVEN A NEW LIFE, AND THAT WHICH APPEARED TO VANISH FOREVER SHALL REAPPEAR IN ETERNITY. Just as we await the appearance of “new heavens and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13), so too do we await the Advent of a new human being, a new mode of human existence, which will emerge through the life OF THE NEW CREATION, FOR GOD THE CREATOR IS “STILL WORKING, EVEN IN THIS PRESENT MOMENT” (cf. John 5:17). God, as Father, never ceases to generate and create. If God were to cease generating and creating, He would cease to be the Father, and thus cease to be God, which is impossible.

The phrase “from age to age unto them that fear Him” does not refer merely to the life of a particular human being, neither is it limited to the succession of generations. Instead, it encompasses all time, including the endless age before time itself, when the timeless God conceived within Himself the creation of humanity. And because God WILL NEVER CEASE TO EXIST, THE HUMAN PERSON WILL ALSO EXIST “FROM AGE TO AGE,” SO CLOSELY BOUND TOGETHER ARE DIVINITY AND HUMANITY.” [Resources: Psalms and the Life of Faith]

The wisdom of Archimandrite Aimilianos which I have shared with all of you is apparent and most inspiring. As we continue our Lenten journey, I feel, every Orthodox Christian ought to have in mind that our earthly life is transient and brief. Our focus is not in the now, on this earthly existence, but our eternal life with God, our Creator. Our earthly life is an investment for the attainment of our heavenly one. The greater our investment, the greater is our return. Our life is a gift from our Creator to be used according to His commandments and Divine Will. Our stay here on earth is temporary as all of us know, from seeing parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends that are no longer with us. Our time too will come when we will be simply a memory. Therefore, our spiritual preparation during Holy and Great Lent should be more than blindly following a tradition that may or may not have any meaning for us, or a lasting impact in our lives. While we may make a concerted effort to fast, to pray, to repent, we need also, to use this opportunity to reflect and prepare ourselves for our future life in God’s Kingdom. Should that not be our first and foremost priority in life?

No human being can avoid the end of this life on earth. No one person can predict when this end will arrive either. Therefore we must be ready and prepared when that final day comes. The tendency for people is to believe foolishly. that because they are young and healthy that death is far away and that only the old people die. The reality, however, is that death can come any time and without any notice or warning. Our Holy Orthodox hymnology reveals this fact at the funeral service when we chant the following hymns:

“What pleasure in life ever remains unmixed with grief? What glory endures immovable on earth?
All things are feebler than shadows, all more elusive than dreams. In a single moment all are supplanted
by death. But in the light, O Christ, of Your Countenance, and the sweetness of Your Comeliness, rest the
one you have taken, like a true Friend of man.”

“Like a flower it withers, and like a dream it vanishes and dissolves away, every human being. Yet, at
the call of the trumpet, all the dead, as if in an earthquake, shall rise to meet You, O Christ our God; at
that time, Lord, rest the spirit of the one You have taken from us, in the dwelling of the Saints, O
Christ our God.”

“All human things are vanity, which do not survive a person’s death; riches do not go with us, nor
does glory accompany us on the way; for when death comes upon us, all of these shall vanish, indeed.
Therefore, let us cry to Christ, the Immortal King: Give rest to him (her) who is departed from us, in
dwelling place of the blessed.”

“Blessed always be the way you travel on today,
because for you a place of
eternal rest has been prepared.”

__________
“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

WHAT ARE EPITEMIA IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH?

Throughout the ecclesiastical year, but especially during the holy seasons such as Holy and Great Lent Orthodox Christians intensify their preparation for the celebration of the All-Holy Pascha by participating in the Mysteria or Sacraments of the Church such as Confession/Repentance, and receiving the Holy Eucharist more frequently. In addition to the Sacraments the Orthodox Christian prepares spiritually through prayer, fasting, agathoergia or good works.

It is essential for the faithful to approach the Holy Mysteries/Sacraments with a full understanding, humility, sincerity, and a deep sense of unworthiness. It is understood by all believers that the Church is a hospital and a place of healing. All that enter are children of God who are wounded and seek the Physician of our souls and bodies and Great Healer, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He never turns anyone away and He rejoices when we seek His forgiveness through which we are restored back to health.

In the Mysterion (Sacrament) of Confession and Repentance the faithful are in the presence of Lord God Who is the One Who embraces with His Divine agape and mercy and ultimately forgives us and absolves our sins (Gr. amartias). Our father confessor/parish priest serves as our spiritual father and guide. The priest treats those confessing with tender love and care knowing how difficult it is for his spiritual children to reveal and acknowledge openly their transgressions and innermost secrets of their heart. The priest is not there to be a judge or hold court but to be sensitive, compassionate, understanding, and lovingly to offer support, and encouragement, fatherly advice, and to intercede for his spiritual children to our Savior. Every Orthodox priest knows that he is held responsible before God for the spiritual welfare of all of his flock.

A very delicate but important aspect of the Mysterion of Confession/Repentance is for the confessor to have the proper phronema and discernment and carefully administer penance/epitemia to those who need greater care and help to overcome serious sins. It is very much like the ICU in a hospital setting where a very seriously ill person whose life is at risk and needs immediate attention is admitted to undergo a more aggressive and total care to save his/her life. Therefore will explain to the penitent that penance/epitemia is not a punitive fine or punishment, but a therapeutic spiritual remedy aimed at healing the soul’s sickness and reorienting the believer away from sin and toward God. Imposed by the father confessor, it aims to ure the ‘habit’ of sin through actions like increased prayer, fasting, or philanthropy, It is given to those who are addicted to sin and to protect them from committing even a greater sin such as receiving Holy Communion unclean.

PRAYERS IN PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION

How dare I partake of Thy Holiness in my unworthiness? Even if I dare to approach Thee
with the worthy, my garment accuses me, for it is not a wedding garment, and I secure
the condemnation of my most sinful soul. Cleanse, O Lord, the defilement of my soul and
save me, for Thou lost mankind.

5th Prayer of Saint Basil the Great

I know, O Lord, that I have communion unworthily of Thy Most-Pure Body and Thy
Most-Precious Blood, and that I am guilty and drink condemnation to myself not
discerning Thy Body and Blood, O my Christ and God. But daring upon Thy
generous loving-kindness I come to Thee Who hast said: "He who eats My flesh
and drinks My Blood abides in Me and I in him." "Be merciful, therefore, O Lord, and
do not rebuke me, a sinner, but deal with me according to Thy mercy, and let Thy
Holy things be for me purification and healing, for enlightenment and protection, for
the repulsion of every tempting thought and action of the devil which works
spiritually in my fleshly members. Let them be for boldness and love for Thee, for
the correction and grounding of my life, for the increase of virtue and perfection, for
the fulfillment of Thy commandments, for the communion of the Holy Spirit, for the
journey of eternal life, for a good and acceptable answer at Thy dread judgment,
but not for judgment or condemnation. Amen.

7th Prayer of Saint John Chrysostom

O God, absolve, remit and pardon my transgressions–as many sins as I have
committed by word or action or thought, willingly or unwillingly, consciously or
unconsciously, forgive me everything since Thou art Good and lovest mankind.
And by the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother, of Thy spiritual servants, the
holy Angelic powers and all the Saints, who from all ages have been well-pleasing
to Thee, be pleased to allow me to receive Thy Most Pure Body and Thy Most-Pure
Blood for the healing of my soul and body,a nd the purification of my evil thoughts.
For Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory with the Father and the
Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

______
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George