2013 February Sacred Lessons

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
All Glory, Honour a nd Worshi p to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now a nd forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Rememberi ng also our Mos t Holy, M ost Pure, Most Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotok os, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
2 February 2013 The Presentation/Meeting of our Lord Jesus Christ

Also the Feast of St Gabriel, New Martyr of Constantinople - St Jordan, New Martyr St Agathadoros of Cappadoccia
FESTAL APOLYTIKION - PRESENTATION
Here,
Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek sou gar anetilen O Ilios tis Dikeosinis, Hristos O Theos imon, Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou ke Si, presvita dikee, dexamenos en agkales ton Eleftherotin ton psihon imon harizomenon imin ke tin Anastasin. (3)
OF
Hail,O
Lady Full of Grace, O Virgin Theotokos, for Christ our God, the Sun of Righteousness has risen from Thee and He Illumined those in darkness. And Thou, O Righteous Elder, be glad in heart, receiving in Thine Embrace the One Who Liberates our soul and bestows on us Resurrection. (3)
THE
FESTAL KONTAKION PRESENTATION
CHRIST - BY ST ROMANOS
MELODIST - TONE 1
O Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou ke hiras tou

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

and fittingly Blessed the hands of Symeon, Thou art come, O Christ our God, and on this day has Saved us Grant Peace to Thy Commonwealth in times of Battle, and Strengthen the Orthodox People whom Thou has Loved, O Thou Who alone Loves mankind.
OF
Matins Gospel According to St Luke 2 : 25 32

ST SYMEONS MEETING
OF
CHRIST & HIS HYMN
DEEP GRATITUDE
Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Symeon, who was Just and Devout, and who was awaiting the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon Him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ. 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 took Him 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 of all peoples a Light to bring Revelation to the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy People, Israel! 8 S T S YMEON WAS ONE OF THE 70 MOST ERUDITE St Symeon represented all humanity who waited for the H EBREW S CHOLARS WHO WERE CHOSEN FROM ALL Consolation of Israel the long awaited Messiah the Divine Saviour sent to Redeem us by God the T WELVE T RIBES TO MAKE A TRUE AND PROPER Father. TRANSLATION FROM THE ANCIENT H EBREW H OLY H AVING BEEN KEPT ALIVE UNTIL THE AGE OF 325 BY S CRIPTURE INTO H ELLENISTIC G REEK , which was THE W ILL OF A LMIGHTY G OD , S T S YMEON the written and spoken language of the known world FULFILLED THE D IVINE P ROMISE TO ALL WHO at the time - three centuries before the Birth of Christ. L OVE G OD , as recorded in Psalm 90:16: With This translation into Hellenistic Greek became known as length of days I will satisfy him, and show him T H E S E P T U A G I N T and has been used by My Salvation. everyone, including our Lord Jesus Christ and His The Hymns of our Holy Church compare St Symeons Apostles throughout the ages to this very day. Reception of Christ to that of St Isaiahs reception of It is T H E COMPLETE, UNABRIDGED HOLY the Burning Coal from the Angel. I S A I A H 6 : 6 - 7 : ...Then one of the Seraphim was SCRIPTURE OF THE OLD COVENANT. sent to me. He had a live Coal in his hand, St Symeon had been allocated the task of translating a section that mentioned the Virgin Birth of the which he took with tongs from the Altar. He Messiah and just as he was about to translate the touched my mouth, and said: Behold! This word Virgin as young woman, A RCHANGEL has touched your lips. Your lawlessness is taken away and your sin is cleansed. G ABRIEL APPEARED BEFORE HIM AND EXPLAINED In both cases, a Holy Prophet of God received the LifeTHAT C HRIST WOULD TRULY BE BORN FROM AN A LL giving Fire of the Divine Offering St Isaiah received P URE AND M OST H OLY V IRGIN , BUT SINCE S T the type while St Symeon received the Fulfilment S YMEON STILL REMAINED SCEPTICAL , G OD KEPT Christ Himself. HIM ALIVE ALL THOSE YEARS UNTIL HIS MOST 8 THE CANTICLE OF ST SYMEON IS CHANTED DAILY DURING J OYFUL M EETING WITH OUR S AVIOUR AT THE H OLY VESPERS. T EMPLE OF J ERUSALEM . Since Salvation has been Born into the world, all St Symeon like all those who lived at the Temple peoples can embrace death. knew our Most Blessed Lady Theotokos very well, P H I L I P P I A N S 1 : 2 3 ... I am hard-pressed between having watched over her as she grew up and being the two, having a desire to depart and be with well aware of her Sacred Vow of Chastity and the Christ, which is far better. peculiar circumstances of her Betrothal to her elderly 8 For Faithful Christian, DEATH IS NO LONGER uncle and legal guardian, St Joseph the Betrothed. FRIGHTFUL BUT A NECESSARY GATEWAY TO EVERLASTING H IS GREAT JOY IS EXPRESSED IN THIS H YMN OF PEACE. D ISMISSAL , WHICH WE CHANT AT EVERY V ESPERS S ERVICE SINCE THAT TIME .
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THE PRESENTATION/MEETING
OF
CHRIST
AT THE
TEMPLE
2 FEBRUARY 2013
1.
I will remember Thy Name from generation to generation. My heart overflowed with a good word; I tell my works to the King; my tongue is the pen of a swift-writing Scribe.
The Epistle of St Paul to the Hebrews 7 : 7 17
THE RULES
OF THE
Prokeimenon of the Presentation
PRIESTLY ORDERS
Brethren: beyond all contradiction the lesser is Blessed by the Better. Here mortal men receive Tithes, but there He receives them, of Whom it is witnessed that He Lives. Even Levi, who received Tithes, paid Tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. Therefore, if Perfection were through the Levitical Priesthood (for under it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another Priest to arise according to the Order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the Order of Aaron? Or the Priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the Law. For He of Whom these Things are spoken, belongs to another Tribe, from which no man has officiated at the Altar. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which Tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning Priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchezedek, there arises another Priest Who has come not according to the Law of a fleshly Commandment, but according to the Power of an Endless Life. For He testifies: Thou art a Priest forever, according to the Order of Melchezedek. Persecuted Christians were encouraged not to TO THAT OF THE OLD COVENANT, THE RULES OF apostasise to Judaism because THE FOUNDING THE NEW COVENANTS PRIESTLY ORDER ARE ALSO FATHER OF CHRISTS HOLY PRIESTHOOD, SUPERIOR. MELCHIZEDEK ( A PRIEST AND A KING OF SALEM WHO Any Priesthood is so intertwined with a Covenant that if the Priesthood is changed, so is the Covenant. BLESSED ABRAHAM) WAS SUPERIOR TO THE OLD Thus our Holy and Eternal Priesthood is intertwined COVENANT PRIESTHOOD OF LEVI. with OUR NEW PERFECT AND ETERNAL COVENANT WITH The payment of tithes expressed the desire to enter into GOD. the ministrations of a religious priesthood, which was only fulfilled once such an offering was made. 8 BEING ETERNAL AND ABSOLUTELY PERFECT, LIKE GOD, This applied to all religions, both pagan Gentile and THE NEW COVENANT IS UNCHANGEABLE FOR EVEN Hebrew Jewish. THE SLIGHTEST CHANGE WOULD DISTORT IT AND Throughout the Old Testament, we read how the MAKE IT IMPERFECT AND NO LONGER ACCORDING TO Israelites showed their continuing desire for Gods HIS DIVINE TRUTH! Priesthood by continuing to give a tenth of all they Thus BY MODERNISING OR CHANGING ANYTHING OF THE received. NEW COVENANT TO SUIT OURSELVES IS APOSTASY! 8 However, because CHRIST HAS PAID THE ULTIMATE Such a religion even if we pick and choose from Holy PRICE RANSOM - FOR OUR REDEMPTION, OUR Scripture to suit our flawed concepts - becomes an MOST LOVING GOD OFFERS US HIS INFINITE DIVINE ungodly, man-made concept that misguides and BLESSINGS FREELY. misdirects us away from Eternal Life in Christ 8 OUR UNRESTRICTED, WILLING AND VOLUNTARY 8 LIFE IN CHRIST IS A TOTAL ACCEPTANCE OF ALL HOLY OFFERINGS TO GOD ARE CONSTANT TIME SPENT IN THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TAUGHT AND INSTITUTED THANKSGIVING, PRAISING, HONOURING AND BY OUR ONE AND ONLY ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST WORSHIPPING - AS WELL AS OUR SPIRITUAL OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST Who verbally STRUGGLES IN REPENTANCE, FASTING AND instructed His Holy Apostles. PRAYER. 8 BY THE DIVINE GUIDANCE AND INSPIRATION OF THE 8 AS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST WE SHOULD HOLY SPIRIT - GODS TRUTH IS PRESERVED AND GENEROUSLY OFFER OUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT TO PASSED DOWN TO US UNALTERED AND CORRECT THE HOLY CHURCH ESPECIALLY TO THE HOLY ACCORDING TO THE WORD AND WILL OF ALMIGHTY PRIESTHOOD - SO THAT AS THE CHURCH OF GOD BY THE AUTHORITY AND MEANS OF THE CHRIST WE MAY ALL FULFIL OUR SACRED DUTIES APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. TO GOD during this preparatory period before THIS MEANS THAT WE CAN TRACE OUR ORTHODOXY OR TRUE Eternity. TEACHINGS ALL THE WAY BACK TO CHRIST THROUGH Our voluntary offerings and fundraising are vital for the THE APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION an unbroken lineage growth, nurturing and maintenance of our Parish through our Holy Church Fathers to the Holy churches and Archdiocese. Apostles of Christ and to Christ our Lord Himself! 8 NOT ONLY IS THE FOUNDER OF OUR NEW COVENANT WITH GOD OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST SUPERIOR
The Holy Gospel According to St Luke 2 : 22 40

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
WAS
PRESENTED
AT THE
HOLY TEMPLE
FOR
HIS DEDICATION
TO
GOD
At that time, when the days of her Purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they took Jesus to Jerusalem to Present Him to the Lord, (as it is written in the Law of the Lord; Every male who opens the womb shall be called Holy to the Lord), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is written in the Law of the Lord: A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Symeon, and this man was Just and Devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon Him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lords Christ. 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 took Him 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 of all peoples, a Light to bring Revelation to the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy People, Israel. And Joseph and the Mother of Jesus marvelled at those 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 soul also!), 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, and who had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, 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 for Redemption in Jerusalem.
2.
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OF
CHRIST
AT THE
TEMPLE
2 FEBRUARY 2013
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 the 8 NOT ONLY DID THE EVER BLESSED VIRGIN MARY OFFER Presentation of Christ also known as The GOD A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES, BUT ALSO CHRIST Meeting of the Lord- when - according to ancient WHO IS THE MOST PERFECT AND UNBLEMISHED Holy Tradition that is practised to this very day LAMB OF GOD THEREBY FULFILLING COMPLETELY The Blessing of a Child on the Fortieth Day THE PRECEPTS OF THE LAW. After Birth is done at the Holy Temple of God. This also fulfilled the Prophecy at the time the ancient OUR MOST PURE AND HOLY LADY THEOTOKOS FAITHFULLY Patriarch, St Abraham, was ready to offer his AND CORRECTLY FULFILLED ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE beloved son, Isaac, as an ultimate sacrifice to OLD COVENANT LAW BY TAKING THE FORTY DAY OLD Almighty God: CHRIST CHILD TO THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM TO G E N E S I S 2 2 : 8 : (Abraham told Isaac) My son, God PRESENT HIM AND TO DEDICATE HIM TO THE HOLY will provide for Himself the Lamb for a Whole SERVICE OF THE LORD OUR GOD. Burnt Offering. In the Orthodox Christian Church this is known as The The very old St Symeon symbolises humanity who 40th Day Churching of the Mother and Child. waited for so long for the coming of The The Old Covenant Law required a sacrificial blood Consolation of Israel. offering of an unblemished lamb or if the mother KINDLY REFER TO THE AFOREMENTIONED EXPLANATORY NOTES CONCERNING ST SYMEON AND HIS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE of the newborn infant was unable to afford such an HISTORY AND PRACTISE OF OUR FAITH. offering, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons was accepted.
St Sophronios of Jerusalem - The Presentation or Meeting of Christ

OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS, SOPHRONIOS, WAS THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM. AN ARAB BY BIRTH, HE WAS A MONK AND THEOLOGIAN WHO WAS THE CHIEF PROTAGONIST FOR ORTHODOX TEACHING IN THE DOCTRINAL CONTROVERSY ON THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, AND HIS VOLITIONAL ACTS.
Our lighted candles signify the Divine Splendour of the One Who comes to expel the Dark Shadows of evil and to make the whole Universe Radiant with the Brilliance of His Eternal Light. Our candles also show us how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ. The Mother of God, the Most Pure Virgin, carried the True Light in Her arms and carried Him to those who lay in Darkness. We too should carry a Light for all to see and reflect the Radiance of the True Light as we hasten to meet Him. The Light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in Shadows - the Dayspring from on High has Visited us and granted Light to those who lived in Darkness. This, then, is our Feast, and we join in Procession with lighted candles to reveal the Light that has shone upon us and the Glory that is yet to come to us through Him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God! The True Light has come - the Light that Enlightens everyone who is born into this world. Let all of us, my Brethren, be Enlightened and made Radiant by this Light. Let all of us share in Its splendour, and be so filled with It that no one remains in the Darkness.
Let us be Shining Lights ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive - with the aged St Symeon - the Light Whose Brilliance is Eternal! Rejoicing with St Symeon, let us sing a Hymn of Thanksgiving to God - the Father of the Light Who sent the True Light to dispel the Darkness and to grant us all a share in His Divine Splendour. Through St Symeons eyes, we too have seen the Salvation of God, which He prepared for all the Nations and revealed as the Glory of the New Israel, which is ourselves. As St Symeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness. By Faith we, too embraced Christ - the Salvation of God the Father - as He came to us from Bethlehem. Gentiles before, we have now become the People of God. Our eyes have beheld God Incarnate, and because we have seen Him present among us and have mentally received Him into our arms, we are called the New Israel. Never shall we forget this Divine Presence! And every year we keep this Joyful Feast in His Honour.
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: SERMON BY ST SOPHRONIOS OF JERUSALEM PRESENTED BY FATHER JOHN A PECK PREACHERS INSTITUTE HTTP://PREACHERSINSTITUTE.COM/2010/01/28/SERMON-ON-THEPRESENTATION-Y-ST-SOPHRONIUS-OF-JERUSALEM
The Meeting of Christ by St Symeon the God Receiver Today our Holy Church commemorates an important Many years before it had been revealed to him that Event in the earthly Life of our Lord Jesus Christ. he would not die until he beheld the Promised (LUKE 2:22-40). Messiah. Forty days after His Birth the God-Infant was taken to By Divine Inspiration St Symeon was present at the the Jerusalem Temple, the centre of the Hebrew Temple when the Most Holy Theotokos and her Nation's religious life. Righteous Guardian, St Joseph the Betrothed, According to the Law of Moses a woman who gave brought the Infant Jesus Christ to fulfil the Law. birth to a male child was forbidden to enter the The God-Receiver, St Symeon, took the Divine Child Temple of God for forty days. (LEVITICUS 12:2-8) in his aged arms, and giving Thanks to God, he At the end of this period the mother had to take the spoke the words that to this very day are child to the Temple to offer a young lamb or repeated every evening at Vespers: "Lord, now pigeon to the Lord as a Purification Sacrifice. lettest Thou Thy servant depart in Peace, The Most Holy Virgin - the Ever Blessed Theotokos according to Thy Word, for mine eyes have seen had no need of Purification, since She had given Thy Salvation, which Thou hast prepared Birth to the Source of Purity and Sanctity without before the face of all people, a Light to defilement. Enlighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy However, she humbly and obediently fulfilled all the People Israel." (LUKE 2:29-32). requirements of the Old Covenant Law. St Symeon prophesied to the Most Holy Virgin: At that time the Righteous Elder, St Symeon was "Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising living in Jerusalem. again of many in Israel, and for a Sign, which shall be spoken against. Yea, a Sword shall pierce through your own soul also, that the
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OF
CHRIST
AT THE
TEMPLE
2 FEBRUARY 2013
3.
thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

2:34-35)
(LUKE
At the Temple was the 84-year-old widow, St Hannah the Prophetess, a daughter of Phanuel "...who did not leave the Temple, but served God with Fasting and Prayers night and day. She arrived just when St Symeon met the Divine Child. She also gave Thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those who were looking for Redemption in Jerusalem."
(LUKE 2:37-38).
In the Icon of the Feast St Hannah is depicted holding a scroll which reads: "This Child has established Heaven and earth." Before Christ was Born, Righteous men and women lived by Faith in the Promised Messiah, and awaited His Coming. The Righteous St Symeon and the Prophetess St Hannah - the last Righteous People of the Old Covenant - were deemed worthy to meet our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ in the Temple. The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord is among the most ancient Feasts of the Christian Church. We have Sermons on the Feast by the Holy Bishops St Methodios of Patara (+ 312), St Cyril of Jerusalem (+ 360), St Gregory the Theologian (+ 389), St Amphilokios of Iconium (+ 394), St Gregory of Nyssa (+ 400), and St John Chrysostom (+ 407). Despite its early origin, this Feast was not celebrated so splendidly until the sixth century. In 528, during the reign of Emperor Justinian, an earthquake killed many people in Antioch. Other misfortunes followed. ST MAXIMOS THE CONFESSOR: He who persuades himself the physical selfindulgence is commanded by God in the Law gleefully accepts gluttony as a Gift from God. In this spirit he develops forms of behaviour which pollute the senses through misuse." ST PETER OF DAMASCUS: ... the Holy Angels in their infinite happiness and wonder can never satisfy their longing to Glorify God; and because they have been found worthy of celebrating so great a Master, they sing His Praises ceaselessly, marvelling at what He has brought to pass, as St John Chrysostom says, and advancing to still greater Knowledge, as St Gregory the Theologian states. It is the same with all the Saints -, in this world and in the next. Just as the Angels transmit Illumination to each other, so intelligent beings are instructed by each other. Some derive their Knowledge from the Divine Scriptures and teach those who are more in need, while others are taught Spiritually by the Holy Spirit and make known to their Brethren in writing the Mysteries that have been revealed to them. ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT: When you pray that your sins may be forgiven, strengthen yourself always by Faith, and trust in God's Mercy, Who is ever ready to forgive our sins after sincere Prayer, and fear lest despair should fall on your heart -- that despair which declares itself by deep despondency and forced tears. What are your sins in comparison to God's Mercy whatever they be - if only you truly Repent of them? But it often happens that when a man prays, he does not, in his heart, inwardly hope that his sins will be forgiven, counting them as though they were above God's Mercy. Therefore, he certainly will not obtain Forgiveness, even should he shed fountains of involuntary tears; and with a sorrowful, straitened heart he will depart from the Gracious God, which is only what he deserves.
In 541 a terrible plague broke out in Constantinople, carrying off several thousand people each day. During this time of widespread suffering, a solemn Prayer Service (Litia) for Deliverance from evils was celebrated on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, whereupon the plague ceased. In Thanksgiving to God, the Church established a more solemn celebration of this Feast. Church Hymnographers have adorned this Feast with their Hymns: St Andrew of Crete in the seventh century; St Cosmas Bishop of Maium, St John of Damascus, and St Germanos, Patriarch of Constantinople in the eighth century; and St Joseph, Archbishop of Thessalonica in the ninth century. On this day we also Commemorate the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos known as "the Softening of Evil Hearts" or "Symeon's Prophecy." The Mother of God is depicted without Her Child, with seven swords piercing her breast: three from the left side, three from the right, and one from below. A similar Icon, "Of the Seven Swords" shows three swords on the left side and four from the right. The Icon "Symeon's Prophecy" symbolizes the fulfilment of the Prophecy of the Righteous Elder St Symeon who had predicted: "...a Sword shall pierce through your own soul." (LUKE 2:35)
H TTP:/ /WWW. JOH N SANI DO POULO S. COM / 2011/ 02/F E A ST-OF - PRE SE NTA TI ON- OF- OUR -LORD -IN .H TM L
Eternal Inspired Wisdom of our Holy Church Fathers

"Believe that ye receive them," says the Lord, "and ye shall have them." Not to be sure of receiving what you ask God for, is a blasphemy against God. ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT: When you are slandered, and therefore grow disturbed and sick at heart, it shows that pride is in you, and that it must be wounded and driven out by outward dishonour. Therefore do not be irritated by derision, and do not bear malice against those who hate you and slander you, but love them as your Physicians, whom God has sent you to instruct you and to teach you Humility, and pray to God for them. "Love your enemies - Bless them that curse you. Say to yourself, It is not me that they slander, but my evil passions; not me that they strike, but that viper which nestles in my heart, and smarts when anybody speaks ill of it. I will comfort myself with the thought that, perhaps, these good people will drive it from my heart by their caustic words, and my heart will then cease to ache. Therefore, thank God for outward dishonour - those who endure dishonour here will not be subjected to it in the next world. "She hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins." "Lord, Thou wilt ordain Peace for us: for Thou also hast wrought all our works for us." ST SERAPHIM OF SAROV In order to keep Spiritual Peace, it is necessary to chase dejection away from ourselves, and to try to have a joyful spirit, according the words of the most Wise Sirach: Sorrow has killed many, but there is no good in it. [Sirach 30:25] ST MAKARIOS: The Signs accompanying Grace are much Joy, Peace, Love and Truth. Such Truth compels us to seek Truth, but the signs of sin are accompanied by turmoil, no Joy and Love of God.
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All Glory, Honour and Worshi p to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Rememberi ng also our Mos t Holy, Mos t Pure, M ost Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. A nd let us commit ourselves and one a nother and our whole Life to Chris t our God. Amen.
3 5 t h S u n d a y Af t e r P e n t e c o s t 15th
Tone 2
3 F eb r ua ry 2 0 1 3
Sunday of St Matthew The Greatest Commandment
Afterfeast of the Presention St Symeon the Righteous God-Receiver St Hannah the Prophetess St Roman the Right Believing Prince of Uglich St Azariah the Holy Prophet of God St Papias, St Diodoros & St Claudianos of Perge, Pamphylia St Adrianos, St Evboulos & St Blaise of Caesarea, Cappadocia St Nicholas of Japan & Equal to the Apostles St Symeon of Polotsk & Tver St Jacob of Serbia
RESURRECTION/FESTAL APOLYTIKION TONE
Ote katilthes pros ton Thanaton, i Zoi i Athanatos, tote When Thou condescended to Death, O Life Immortal,
ton Adin enekrosas ti astrapi tis Theotitos. Ote de ke tous tethneotas ek ton katahthonion anestisas, pase e Dinamis ton Epouranion ekravgazon. Zoodota Hriste, O Theos imon, Doxa Si!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION - PRESENTATION
Thou slayed Hades with the lightning flash of Thy Divinity. When also Thou raised up the dead from the subterranean abodes, all the Powers of Heaven cried aloud: O Life-giver, Christ our God, Glory to Thee!
Here,
Keharitomeni Theotoke Parthene. Ek sou gar anetilen O ilios tis dikeosinis, Hristos O Theos imon, Fotizon tous en skoti. Evfrenou ke Si, presvita dikee, dexamenos en agkales ton eleftherotin ton psihon imon harizomenon imin ke tin anastasin. (3)
OF
Hail,O
Lady Full of Grace, O Virgin Theotokos, for Christ our God, the Sun of Righteousness has risen from Thee and He Illumined those in darkness. And Thou, O Righteous Elder, be glad in heart, receiving in Thine Embrace the One Who Liberates our soul and bestows on us Resurrection. (3)
CHRIST -TONE 1

Symeon evlogisas, os eprepe, profthasas ke nin esosas imas, Hriste O Theos. All irinefson en polemis to plitevma ke krateoson Vasilis, ous igapisas, O Monos Filanthropos.

Resurrection Gospel 2: Mark 16:1 - 8

THE HOLY MYRRHBEARERS WITNESS THE EMPTY TOMB OF OUR RISEN LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Lord is my Strength and my Song. The Lord has chastened me severely.
St Pauls Second Epistle to the Corinthians 4 : 6 15
REMAINING FAITHFUL
TO THE
Prokeimenon
GOSPEL
OF
CHRIST
Brethren: It is the God Who commanded Light to shine out of darkness, Who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. However, we have this Treasure in earthen vessels so that the excellence of the Power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed always carrying about in the body the dying of our Lord Jesus, so that the Life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus sake so that the Life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but Life in you. And since we have the same spirit of Faith, according to what is written: I believed and therefore I spoke... we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He Who Raised up the Lord Jesus will also Raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that Grace, having spread through the many, may cause Thanksgiving to abound to the Glory of God. The Treasure to which St Paul referred is the impossible, is the Power of Almighty God and Uncreated Light of Gods Divine Glory in our Lord certainly not of mankinds puny ability or strength. and Saviour, Jesus Christ. St Paul clearly reminds us that Christianity to be a The earthen vessels refers to our weak human nature True Disciple of Christ is certainly Victorious but that must depend on God for all Good Things. never trouble-free or easy to achieve. As the Divine Light of God shines through us, others All our trials throughout our lifespan ... show both the will realise will see for themselves that the Power Power of Almighty God and even more, His Divine is Divine the Power to do all things that for us are Grace. [St John Chrysostom]
The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 22 : 35 46

GODS GREATEST COMMANDMENT
At that time, one of the Pharisees a Lawyer asked our Lord Jesus Christ a question, testing Him and saying: Teacher, which is the Great Commandment in the Law? And Jesus said to him: ... you shall Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the First and Greatest Commandment. And the second is like it: You shall Love your neighbour as yourself. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.
35 AP 15TH MATTHEW AFTER
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While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them: What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He? They said to Him: The Son of David. He said to them: How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at My right Hand until I make Thine enemies Thy Footstool. If David then calls Him Lord, how is He his Son? And no one was able to answer Him a word nor from that day on did anyone dare to question Him further. The Pharisees had found 613 COMMANDMENTS in Holy TO THE ONLY TRUE AND LOGICAL CONCLUSION: JESUS Scripture and debated which one was central or CHRIST IS INDEED GOD INCARNATE He is truly the Greatest Commandment. the Eternal, Only Begotten Son of God, Who is of OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST SET FORTH THE FIRST AND THE the exact same Divine Nature and Attributes of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit Who always work SECOND COMMANDMENT, WHICH CONSTITUTES THE together in Perfect Harmony for our Eternal GRAND SUMMARY OF DIVINE LAW THE ETERNAL LAW Salvation. OF GOD. The Hebrews presumed that the Great Messiah the Although the Pharisaic Lawyer had approached our Christ would be a mere man and so they replied Lord with malicious intent to test Him or to get that He would be a Son of David. Him to make a statement that could condemn Him 8 ST DAVID AS ANOINTED KING OF THE OLD COVENANT ACCORDING TO ST MARKS HOLY GOSPEL ACCOUNT ISRAEL COULD NOT AND WOULD NOT ADDRESS OF THE SAME EVENT, THIS LAWYER WAS CONVERTED BY ANYONE AS LORD, EXCEPT THE LORD OUR GOD. CHRISTS ANSWER. [MARK 12 : 28 34] Yet IN HIS PSALM 109:1, ST DAVID REFERRED TO THE The Second Commandment must be understood as MESSIAH AS LORD. CONSEQUENTLY THE GREAT written: You shall Love your neighbour as MESSIAH MUST BE GOD INCARNATE. yourself, or, more clearly as being yourself The only possible conclusion is that THE MESSIAH IS A THIS COMMANDMENT HAS ALL TOO OFTEN BEEN DESCENDENT OF KING DAVID ONLY ACCORDING TO THE MISINTERPRETED as meaning that we should love FLESH HIS ROYAL LINEAGE - BUT HE IS ALSO TRULY others as much as we love ourselves [I.E. SELF-LOVE, EGOTISTICAL LOVE, NARCISSTIC LOVE], which destroys the DIVINE, SHARING HIS DIVINE LORDSHIP WITH GOD THE force of the statement. FATHER AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. HOW MUCH WE LOVE OURSELVES IS NOT THE STANDARD BY The Pharisees were unable to respond because they WHICH CHRIST IS CALLING US TO LOVE OTHERS. must have realised the profound implications and THEY WERE AFRAID TO CONFESS OUR LORD JESUS Rather, WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOURS AS BEING OF THE SAME NATURE as we ourselves are - as CHRIST AS THE TRUE, ETERNAL SON OF GOD. IN THIS QUOTATION FROM PSALM 109, THE FIRST being CREATED IN GODS IMAGE AND LIKENESS just as we all are. REFERENCE TO THE LORD APPLIES TO GOD THE FATHER As our Holy Church Fathers have taught us, WE CAN WHILE THE TERM MY LORD REFERS TO CHRIST OUR ONLY FIND OUR TRUE SELF BY UNCONDITIONAL LOVE SAVIOUR. (AGAPE) OF OUR FELLOW STRUGGLING SINNERS. These facts are evident since OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS Furthermore, we should understand this Divine TRULY THE SON OF DAVID ACCORDING TO HIS HUMAN Commandment to mean that WE MUST LOVE ONE NATURE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY ALSO KING DAVIDS ANOTHER AS MUCH AS GOD LOVES US! LORD (GOD) ACCORDING TO HIS DIVINE NATURE. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ADDRESSED THIS PARTICULAR QUESTION TO THE PHARISEES IN ORDER TO LEAD THEM
The Great Commandment of Almighty God

If we were attentive to how OUR HOLY CHURCH REVEALING TO US THE MYSTERY OF OUR SALVATION GRADUALLY SHOWS US IN THE SUNDAY GOSPEL READINGS THE SACRED LESSONS - THE WAY OF RESURRECTION FOR OUR HUMAN SOUL, then we also noticed that starting from Holy Pascha until today there have been several cycles. One of these cycles convinces us that THE LORD IS OUR SAVIOUR HE SAVES US FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN - AND ALSO THAT HE IS CERTAINLY ALL-POWERFUL.
[THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER AND ENABLED BY GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY AND ULTIMATELY SAVED AND RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE.]
Furthermore we have been shown the disposition or the state of mind that should be in the soul of every struggling Christian, in order to perceive that Power which the Lord has granted us establishing our Salvation in the Plan of Eternal Life. THESE HOLY GOSPEL LESSONS OPENED TO US THE FEELING OF HUMILITY AND DEVOTION TO GOD BY UNDERSTANDING THE WORD OF GOD AS ACTING IN OUR LIFE. As these cycles changed we learnt that ALL THIS, WHICH GOD GRANTS US, CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT ONLY WITHIN THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST. Like the boat in which the Apostles once safely sailed, THE DIVINE LAWS - whereby we and the Holy Church Live in Christ - PROTECT US FROM ALL THE TROUBLES THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE OF IT. However, THIS IS ONLY POSSIBLE ON OUR PART, IF AND AS LONG AS WE ARE OBEDIENT TO THE LORD OUR GOD. Such HUMBLE OBEDIENCE IS CONNECTED WITH CERTAIN HUMAN EXPERIENCES similar to that of the Apostles when they experienced a terrifying storm at sea and other life-threatening circumstances. Yet, IF WE TAKE THE POWER OF GOD FOR GRANTED, THEN WE LOSE ANY CHANCE OF OBTAINING THE GREAT
VIRTUES OF HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE - AND WE BECOME BOLD AND ARROGANT. By trusting implicitly in the Power of God Who makes all things possible, we too might experience Wondrous Things such as St Peter when in a transport of Delight and daring, asked Christ for His Permission to walk to Him on the tossing, wind-swept waves. And Christ responded with one word: Come! as though He said: Walk on the water if you want to. Nevertheless, this was no longer humble Obedience for IT WAS NOT ACCORDING TO THE DIVINE WILL OF CHRIST, but rather the will of St Peter, who suddenly realised the enormity of what he had requested when he focussed on the buffeting winds and saw that the waves were so high that Christ was sometimes not even visible. Suddenly St Peter came to his senses: the law of nature took hold of him; he became frightened and began to sink beneath the waves and started to drown - ONLY HIS STRONG FAITH IN THE LORD AND HIS CONSTANT TRUST IN ALMIGHTY GOD SAVED HIM as he called out: Kyrie eleison! [MATTHEW 14:24-31] THE MIRACULOUS FEEDING OF THE 5000 FAMILIES [AN ESTIMATED 15000 20000 MEN, WOMAN AND CHILDREN!] WITH A CHILDS
PACKAGED MEAL OF FIVE SMALL ROLLS OF BREAD AND TWO LITTLE SARDINES, DEMONSTRATED HOW OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST EXPRESSED HIS WILL IN A MYSTERIOUS MANNER: They do not need to go away. You give
them something to eat! [MATTHEW 14:16] Since OUR LORD declined the Apostles request to let the people go into the neighbouring villages to buy food and drink, it also meant that He ENTRUSTED THEM THROUGHOUT THE AGES both His Holy Apostles and their successors - WITH FEEDING HIS PEOPLE THE NEW ISRAEL WITH HIS MOST PRECIOUS, LIFE-GIVING BODY AND BLOOD, IN THE HOLY MYSTERY OF THE DIVINE EUCHARIST.
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And WHEN OUR LORD ORDERED THE PEOPLE TO SIT IN GROUPS, IT SYMBOLIZED THE ORGANIZATION OF HIS HOLY CHURCH. The Sacred Gospel Lessons convince us more and more that CHRISTIAN LIFE IS POSSIBLE ONLY WITHIN THE CHURCH, UNDER THE DEFINITE LAWS OF THE CHURCH, ALONG WITH THE DIVINE EUCHARIST, WHICH IS THE TREE OF LIFE OF THE NEW COVENANT. So having brought us to this Understanding, our Holy Church begins to show and to explain to us what Life in Christ, which surrounds us, really is. An earlier Sacred Gospel Lesson told us about a certain Rich Young Man who approached Christ and asked Him the most vital question of all: WHAT SHALL I DO TO RECEIVE THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN? [MATTHEW 19:16-23] Unfortunately for him, he was far too materialistic despite the fact that he accurately fulfilled everything prescribed by the Eternal Law of God. He told our Lord Jesus Christ that he fulfilled the Divine Commandments yet HE HAD ONLY FULFILLED THEM ACCORDING TO HEBREW HOLY TRADITION AND AS AN OBLIGATION TO GOD. Knowing intimately the hearts of all His creatures, our Lord accordingly instructed the Rich Young Man to reject everything he had all his worldly possessions and wealth and to (humbly and obediently) follow Him for the rest of his earthly life. In other words, OUR LORD TOLD HIM [AND US!] TO REJECT THE HOPE HE [AND WE!] PUT IN TEMPORARY, EARTHLY RICHES. The Rich Young Man was stunned. He could not understand how it is possible to reject such wealth and power - the false power of the fallen world. After all, he thought, through riches we can have everything we want! However, IT IS IN SUCH A MANNER [THROUGH OUR OBSESSION WITH UNBENEFICIAL, WORLDLY THINGS] THAT THE REPUGNANT ENEMY OF THE HUMAN RACE HAS TEMPTED MANKIND AND PERVERTED OUR UNDERSTANDING. The Holy Gospel Lesson concerning the Wicked Vinedressers concerned those who worked in a certain Vineyard. [MATTHEW 21:33-42] THAT VINEYARD SYMBOLISED OUR WHOLE WORLD, WHICH IS OWNED BY THE LORD OUR GOD. THE VINEDRESSERS - THE WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD - ARE ONLY SERVANTS but WHO RECEIVE EVERYTHING NECESSARY AND MORE - for their maintenance. And in the end, EVERYTHING THAT THE VINEYARD PRODUCES, MUST BE GIVEN BACK TO OUR LORD. Nevertheless, the Wicked Vinedressers noticed the beauty of the Vineyard and the Comfort of Life that ensues from It and became greedy. They realised that THIS DIVINELY BLESSED VINEYARD CONSISTS OF THE WHOLE MEANING OF LIFE - IN FACT, IT IS LIFE ITSELF THAT COMPLETELY FULFILS US. Therefore, WHEN THE RIGHTFUL HEIR CAME TO GATHER THE HARVEST, THEY KILLED HIM AFTER CONVINCING AND JUSTIFYING THEMSELVES WITH EVIL THOUGHTS: What do we need Him for? The Vineyard is ours! Sadly, THIS IS EXACTLY HOW WE BEHAVE with regard to the world and all its goods. WE THINK WE OWN IT ALL that everything is ours to possess and we cannot conceive of leaving it all behind. BEING OBSESSED WITH ALL OUR WORLDLY THINGS WE CONSTANTLY WORRY ABOUT BEING WITHOUT THEM. How are we going to part with all our comforts and pleasures? How can we reject our houses, our vehicles, all the technological inventions that give
us access to the knowledge of the world and all its mysteries - everything that we use or acquire? How are we going to leave it all behind?
ONLY WHEN WE REALISE FULLY THAT GOD HAS LENT US EVERYTHING WE HAVE OR NEED FOR THIS SHORT LIFE AND THAT EVERYTHING BELONGS TO GOD ALONE AND NOT US! THEN WE BECOME FAR LESS ATTACHED TO MATERIAL THINGS AND CAN FOCUS ON WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT FOR OUR ETERNAL LIFE.
Today our Holy Church focuses our attention on THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THIS TEMPORARY LIFE we have to FULFIL ALL GODS DIVINE COMMANDMENTS, AND we have to PARTICIPATE IN THE LIFE THAT SURROUNDS US because God has placed us here so that THROUGH OUR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES
WE ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN THAT WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR OUR SPIRITUAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT.
But what do we need? At the Creation of mankind, God gave us His Divine Commandments: Unconditional Love for God and our fellow mankind - our neighbours. THESE GREAT AND HOLY COMMANDMENTS MUST BE
FULFILLED AT ALL TIMES IN ORDER FOR US TO BECOME WORTHY FUTURE CITIZENS OF GODS HEAVENLY KINGDOM OF LOVE [Agape]. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BECAME MAN became one of
His creatures in order to live amongst us on earth - TO TEACH US AND TO SHOW US BY HIS OWN PERFECT EXAMPLE HOW TO LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD WITH UNRESTRICTED LOVE FOR GOD AND ALL MANKIND. Our Greatest and Most Sacred Lesson is to LEARN TO LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY and this is only possible by FULFILLING THE COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE FOR GOD AND NEIGHBOUR. It is impossible for anyone to achieve such Perfect Love but GOD WHO TRULY LOVE US GRANTS US THE ABILITY AND THE SPIRITUAL STRENGTH TO FULFIL HIS DIVINE COMMANDMENTS AND THEREBY TO RECEIVE HIS INFINITE AND ABUNDANT BLESSINGS. Throughout His Life on earth, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS CONSTANTLY TEMPTED BY SATAN. In the wilderness the Evil One tried to tempt our Lord by means of food (possessions), power and glory. CHRISTS REJECTION OF ALL THESE TEMPTATIONS FULFILLED THE COMMANDMENT OF LOVE FOR GOD. After their encounter on the Mount of Temptation Satan did not approach Him openly, but he continued his deadly deeds through the hearts of men - hoping to stir up in Christ hatred towards His neighbour. On the contrary, OUR LORD NEVER BECOMES ANGRY WITH ANYONE ONLY ANNOYED AT THE PERSISTENCE OF THE EVIL ONE, WHO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WITH WHOM HE IS DEALING: "Get thee behind Me, Satan!" [MARK. 8:33] In such a way our Lord Himself fulfilled this Great Commandment, and IN HIS HOLY MYSTERIES HE GRANTS US THE POWER AND ABILITY TO FULFIL IT. So let us JOYFULLY AND EAGERLY FULFIL GODS GREAT COMMANDMENT, UPON WHICH WE SHALL ALL BE JUDGED! "Which is the Great Commandment?" asked the Lawyer. And the Lord answered: "Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the First and Great Commandment. And the Second is like unto It: Thou shalt Love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." [MATTHEW 22:36-40]
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: THE ONE THING NEEDFUL - SERMONS OF ARCHBISHOP ANDREW RYMARENKO 1893 - 1978 HTTP://WWW.HOLYTRINITYMISSION.ORG/BOOKS/ENGLISH/SERMONS_ARCH BISHOP_ANDREI.HTM#_TOC45953469
Orthodox Teaching on Personal Salvation Part 4

CHAPTER 1. THE ORTHODOX TEACHING ON PERSONAL SALVATION 1.7 RE PE NTANCE IS A NECE SSAR Y C O ND ITIO N OF O NE S P ERSO NAL SALV ATIO N. Faith is only the beginning: Faith only reveals to us the only clears for us the Path to God but does not do Truth that for our prior sins God will not punish us, anything with us. that, on the contrary, He is ready to accept us and Before that we were afraid to turn to God, but now that we have got to know God and stopped fearing Him, pardon us and recognize us as His Children. This [we have] have grown to Love Him.
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But as we are still the same person, it is necessary for us not just to begin Loving God but actively, really turn to Him. [ARCHIMANDRITE (LATER PATRIARCH) SERGII (STRAGORODSKII),
THE ORTHODOX TEACHING ON SALVATION]
In order to believe Truly, it is necessary for us to understand the magnitude of our sins that have been forgiven by God - to realize that we are all sinners worthy of death. We can only have True Love for God when we realise the true horror of our sins that God has forgiven us for free. This state Repentance can even be called the beginning of Faith. Without judging ourselves, we will not ask God for His Forgiveness and without asking for Forgiveness, we will not receive it and thus will not be Saved! Our return to God starts with Repentance. Seeing it, God - like the Father in the Parable of Prodigal Son runs to meet us: ...when he was yet a great way off, his Father saw him, and had Compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. [LUKE
15:20]
And He makes it clear that THE POSSIBILITY OF OUR SALVATION IS TIED TO OUR REPENTANCE: The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand: Repent and believe the Gospel! [MARK 1:15]. Remember therefore from whence you have fallen, and Repent, and do the First Works; or else I will come to you quickly, and will remove your candlestick out of its place unless you Repent!
[REVELATION 2:5]
Faith accompanied by Repentance the Faith of the Wise Thief is thus the True Faith that Saves. Christ expects Repentance from His Disciples: I Am not come to Call the Righteous, but sinners to Repentance. [(Matthew 9:13] 1.8 BAPTISM IS TH E GATEWAY ON OUR PATH TO SALVATION. Repentance is still not sufficient for Salvation. Accordingly, all thereafter who became Believers used We need to reject our old life of sin and start our New to be Baptized. Life in Christ. So too, when he believed in Christ, St Paul also But we cannot be born into the New Life accepted Holy Baptism - and this is the meaning of spontaneously, as we will keep returning to our the Precept [I.E. THE DIVINE INSTRUCTION], which our Lord old life. Jesus had given him [ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS] when St So we need the Grace of God to finish what we cannot Paul had been so dramatically smitten by the finish by ourselves: For [those who intend] to temporary loss of sight: Arise, and go into the pursue Virtue ought to condemn wickedness first, city, and you will be told what you must do. [ACTS 9:6] and then go in pursuit of it. For Repentance cannot St Paul had to be Baptized, which was the only thing prove them [the Hebrews] clean. For this cause they lacking to him, since he had sufficiently learnt and were straightway Baptized, that what they were believed the Nazarene to be the Lord, the Son of unable to accomplish by themselves, this might God. [TERTULLIAN, ON BAPTISM, CHAPTER 13] be effected by the Grace of Christ. Neither then Since the earliest times, the Church has believed in does Repentance suffice for Purification, but and taught the Saving, Redemptive Action of Holy mankind must first receive Baptism. [ST. JOHN Baptism: Baptism also now Save us... [1 PETER 3:21] CHRYSOSTOM, HOMILIES OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS, HOMILY 9, ON HEBREWS 6:1-3] Then Peter said to them: Repent, and be Baptized The early Apostolic and Patristic Church was every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for absolutely clear that Baptism is essential for our the Remission of sins, and you shall receive the Salvation, as Christ Himself said: He who believes Gift of the Holy Spirit. [ACTS 2:38] and is Baptized shall be Saved. [MARK 16:16] WE ENTER, then, THE FONT ONCE - ONCE ARE OUR SINS In His dialogue with St Nicodemos, our Lord Jesus WASHED AWAY. [TERTULLIAN, ON BAPTISM, CHAPTER 13] said to him: Most assuredly, I say to you: unless It, perhaps, goes without saying, that the Church has one is Born again, one cannot see the Kingdom never believed in the magical Powers of Baptism. of God. The condition for receiving the Forgiveness of our Nicodemus said to Him: How can a man be born sins in Baptism is our free desire to stop [ABANDON] when he is old? Can he enter the second time into our old life of sin by means of True repentance. his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered: THE VISIBLE FORM OF OUR SINCERE REPENTANCE Most assuredly, I say you: unless one is Born of IMMERSION - SYMBOLISES THE REJECTION OF THAT OLD Water and the Spirit, one cannot enter the LIFE. Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh It is also important to emphasize that BAPTISM HAS is flesh and that which is Born of the Spirit is NEVER BEEN SEEN AS A LEGAL ACT OF GRANTING US spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you: You PARDON OF SINS COMMITTED. must be Born again... [JOHN 3:3-7] 8 IN HOLY BAPTISM, OUR SINS ARE NOT JUST FORGIVEN BY This quote has been the basis of the Orthodox Belief GOD BUT TOTALLY ERASED from our Book of about THE NECESSITY OF BAPTISM FOR OUR SALVATION. Life. In Chapter 13 of his On Baptism, Tertullian proved ... to be continued... that SALVATION THROUGH PURE FAITH (...thy Faith hath made thee whole...) ONLY EXISTED BEFORE THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. [MATTHEW 9:22 &
MARK 10:52] ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: THE ORTHODOX TEACHING ON PERSONAL SALVATION BY DEACON VICTOR E KLIMENKO, PH.D 12 MAY 2011 HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU/ENGLISH/46463.HTM#_FTN18
Furthermore, RESISTANCE TO THE TRUTH once it is known to us that is, our lack of Repentance IS SOMETHING WITH WHICH SALVATION BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE: All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men! [Matthew 12:31] TRUE REPENTANCE THE ABILITY TO SEE THE DEPTH OF OUR SINS IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE ENTIRE BUILDING OF CHRISTIAN LIFE, which is Humility (Blessed are the poor in spirit), the realization that WE CANNOT RID OURSELVES OF OUR SINS WITHOUT CHRIST. The Holy Fathers agree on the primacy of Humility in our Spiritual Life. Adam had all the Divine Gifts of God but he did not have the experience of Humility. [A.I. OSIPOV]
Then Christ imposed the Law of Baptism, by instructing His Holy Apostles (and their successors throughout the ages) Go therefore, and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU... [MATTHEW 28:19 -20] Christs definition of Spiritual Rebirth as recorded in St Johns Holy Gospel has tied Faith to the necessity of Baptism. [JOHN 3:3-7]
ST SERAPHIM OF SAROV: The example of St Peter the Bread-giver, who for a piece of bread given to a beggar, received Forgiveness for all his sins (as revealed to him in a Vision) may prompt us to be Merciful to our neighbours for even a small alms may contribute to the obtaining of the Heavenly Kingdom.
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All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spiri t, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Rememberi ng also our Mos t Holy, Mos t Pure, Most Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgi n, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
8 February 2013 St Theodore Stratelates (the Commander) The Great Martyr of Euchaita, Asia Minor
Afterfeast of the Presention St Zachariah the Sickle-Seer Holy Prophet of God St Savva II, Archbishop of Serbia
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST THEODORE STRATELATES TONE 4
Stratologia
Alithi Athlofore, tou Ouraniou Stratigos Vasileos, perkalis gegenise Theodore. Oplis gar tis Pisteos, paretaxo emfronos, ke katexolothrevsas, ton demonon ta stifi, ke nikiforos ofthis, athlitis othen Se Pisti ai Makarizomen.
In
Truth enlisted with the King of Heaven, Thou became for Him a Noble Commander, O Trophy Bearer and Great Martyr, Theodore. With the weaponry of Faith Thou armed Thyself wisely and utterly destroyed all the hordes of demons, as a triumphant Athlete of the Lord; wherefore we ever faithfully call Thee Blessed.
TONE 2
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST ZAHARIAH
THE
HOLY PROPHET
Tou
Profitou Sou tin Mnimin Kyrie eortazonted, di aftou Se disopoumen, Soson tas psihas imon.
As
we celebrate the Memory of Thy Prophet, Zacharias, O Lord, through him we beseech Thee to Save our souls.
FESTAL KONTAKION ST THEODORE STRATELATES TONE 2
Andria psihis, tin Pistin oplisamenos, ke rima Theou, In courage of soul, and furnished with the armour of
os loghin hirisamenos, ton ehthron katetrosas ton Martyron kleos Theodore, Sin aftis Hristo to Theo, presvevon mi pafsi iper panton imon. Faith, Thou took in hand the Word of God as though a spear, and put Thy foe to flight, O Thou great boast of Martyrs, O Theodore: now, together with them, O Saint, ceaselessly Entreat Christ our God for all of us.
OF
CHRIST -TONE 1

Symeon evlogisas, os eprepe, profthasas ke nin esosas imas, Hriste O Theos. All irinefson en polemis to plitevma ke krateoson Vasilis, ous igapisas, O Monos Filanthropos.

God is Wonderful in His Saints Bless the Lord our God in the Congregations! The Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians 1 : 7 17
ADMINISTRATION
OF THE
Prokeimenon
SON & FAITHFULNESS
OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT
Brethren: In Christ Jesus we have Redemption through His Blood the Forgiveness of sins according to the Riches of His Grace - which He made to abound towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence, having made known to us the Mystery of His Will, according to His Good Pleasure, which He purposed in Himself, that in the Dispensation of the fullness of time He might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on earth in Him. In Him also we have obtained an Inheritance, being predestined according to the Purpose of Him Who works all things according to the Counsel of His Will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His Glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation; in Whom also, having believed, you were Sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise, Who is the Guarantee of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the Purchased Possession, to the praise of His Glory. Therefore, I also after I heard of your Faith in the Lord Jesus and your Love for all the Saints do not cease to give Thanks for you, mentioning you in my Prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may grant to you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Him... The Holy Mysteries of Baptism (Redemption) and the This Divine Mystery is CENTRED IN CHRIST HIMSELF from Eucharist (His Blood) are alluded to as the necessary His Incarnation to His Resurrection - the Restoration Foundation for drawing near to God. and Culmination of all things. [Colossians 2: 2] Redemption has a technical meaning relative to the The Divine Mystery is the fullness of time - the fullness freeing of slaves. or completion of all things not only for humanity but So our Bondage is to our sins that enslave us and the Act for all Gods Creation. [1 TITOS 3 :16 1 CORINTHIANS 2 :8] of setting us free from this Spiritual Bondage is Although it was announced by the Holy Prophets of God, Forgiveness, while the Price of our Redemption is the God revealed the fullness of time through Christ, and it Most Precious Blood of Christ the human Life of our is made known to us through His Holy Apostles. [EPHESIANS 1-5 1 CORINTHIANS 2 :6-7, 10-16 & 4:1] Saviour, which was voluntarily given over to Death for The Divine Mystery is made manifest (revealed) in history the sake of all mankinds New (Eternal) Life by the fact that GENTILES AND HEBREWS COMPOSE ONE This beginning of LIFE IN CHRIST IS not merely Legal nor BODY. [EPHESIANS 3:6 COLOSSIANS 1:26-28] instantaneous, but LIVING AND DYNAMIC! Furthermore, WE EXPERIENCE THE DIVINE MYSTERIES IN THE MYSTERY IS GODS PLAN OF OUR SALVATION - His Holy GODS HOLY CHURCH (the Holy Sacraments): Baptism, Gospel, His Eternal Kingdom and His Holy Church.
(DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED)
ST THEODORE STRATELATES COMMANDER & GREAT MARTYR
8 FEBRUARY 2013
9.
Chrismation, Eucharist, Confession, Unction, Ordination, Marriage. THE HOLY GOSPEL OF CHRIST UNITES ALL HUMANITY the Hebrews and the Gentiles (non-Hebrews). THE HEBREWS especially those who ... trusted in Christ... one of whom was St Paul himself, hence the use of we WERE THE FIRST WITNESSES to the long-awaited Coming of the Great Messiah. In the fullness of time they were joined by the Gentiles. THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE LAST TIMES THE DAY OF THE LORD HAS COME. Hence, PENTECOST (THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UPON CHRISTS APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES) PROVED to the Hebrews that OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS INDEED THE GREAT MESSIAH.
And THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UPON THE GENTILES WAS PROOF THAT THEY WERE EQUAL TO THE HEBREWS IN THIS FINAL AGE. [ACTS 10 : 44-48] After our Holy Baptism WE ARE SEALED WITH THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HOLY CHRISMATION WHICH ENABLES
US TO WORTHILY AND CORRECTLY PARTICIPATE IN ALL THE HOLY MYSTERIES OF CHRISTS HOLY CHURCH. THE GUARANTEE IS A FIRST INSTALMENT IN KIND a down
payment or earnest of what is later to be completed

WE ARE BOTH REDEEMED AND (DEPENDING ON OUR SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES THROUGHOUT OUR LIFESPAN) SHALL BE REDEEMED ON THE FINAL DAY the Awesome
Day of Judgement and the beginning of Eternity.
The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 8 : 1 10

FEEDING 4000 FAMILIES
At that time, the multitude, being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His Disciples to Him and said to them: I have Compassion on the multitude because they have now continued with Me for three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar. And His Disciples answered Him: How can we satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness? He asked them: How many loaves do you have? And they replied: Seven. So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave Thanks, broke them and gave them to His Disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. They also had a few small fish and having Blessed them, He instructed His Disciples to also set them before them. And they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. And those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, and immediately got into the boat with His Disciples, and went to the region of Dalmanutha. This account of the feeding of a great multitude of seven loaves, which symbolises completeness and followers is not to be confused with the other account Spiritual Perfection. when our Lord Jesus Christ fed 5000 families (an Therefore, in the first Miracle of the 5000 families, Christ estimation of 15000 20000 men, women and revealed Himself as fulfilling the Old Covenant Law of children). God, while here He shows that it is He Who grants us In order to maintain order and to ensure that everyone Spiritual Perfection. was equally fed, the people sat down in groups, which Of particular note as well, is the fact that this crowd of were counted and recorded. (Usually the men are followers had been with our Lord and His Disciples for counted and then the wives and children are three days, symbolising the three days Christ would estimated.) rest in His Tomb before His Glorious Resurrection. These accounts were two distinctively different Divine Participation in the Perfection of our Lord Jesus Christ can Miracles. only come through being truly United with Christs The variance in the number of loaves is also significant. Death and Resurrection. (ROMANS 6 : 3 5) In the first account, there were five little loaves (bread rolls) which symbolised the Law, while here there were
St Theodore Stratelates the Commander & Great Martyr

St Theodore Stratelates came from the city of Euchaita in Asia Minor. He was endowed with many talents, and due to his Charity God Enlightened him with the Knowledge of Christian Truth. His bravery became evident after he, with the help of God, killed a giant serpent living on a precipice at the outskirts of Euchaita. The serpent had devoured many people and animals and terrorised the region. St Theodore, killed it with his sword and thereby glorified the Name of Christ among the people. For his bravery St Theodore was appointed Military Commander [Stratelatos] in the city of Heraclea, where he combined his military service with preaching the Gospel among the pagans who were subject to him. His gift of persuasion, reinforced by his personal example of Christian Life, turned many from their false gods and in a short time, nearly all the pagans of Heraclea had accepted Christianity. Emperor Licinios (311-324) began a fierce persecution against Christians. In an obsessive effort to stamp out the new Faith, he persecuted the Enlightened adherents of Christianity, who were perceived as a threat to paganism. Among these was St Theodore. Emperor Licinios tried to force St Theodore to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods so St Theodore invited Licinios to come to him with his idols so both of them could offer sacrifice before the people. Blinded by his hatred for Christianity, Licinios trusted the words of the Saint, but he was gravely disappointed when St Theodore smashed the gold and silver statues into pieces, which he then distributed to the poor. Thus he demonstrated the vain faith in soulless idols, and also displayed Christian Charity (Love). St Theodore was arrested and subjected to horrific torture. He was dragged along the ground, beaten with iron rods, pierced with sharp spikes, burnt with fire, and his eyes were plucked out. Finally, he was crucified. St Varos, the faithful servant of St Theodore, barely had the strength to write down the indescribable torments endured by his martyred master. God, in His Great Mercy, willed that the death of St Theodore should be as Fruitful for those near him as his life had been. An angel healed the Saint's wounded body and took him down from the cross. In the morning, the astounded imperial soldiers found him alive and unharmed. Seeing with their own eyes the Infinite Might of the Christian God, they were Baptized not far from the place of the unsuccessful execution. Thus St Theodore became "like a day of splendour" for those pagans dwelling in the darkness of idolatry, and he Enlightened their souls "with the bright rays of his suffering." Unwilling to escape Martyrdom for Christ, St Theodore voluntarily surrendered himself to Licinios, and discouraged the Christians from rising up against the torturer, saying, "Beloved, halt! My Lord Jesus Christ, hanging upon the Cross, restrained the Angels and did not permit them to take revenge on the race of man!" St Theodore bent his neck beneath the sword, and received the Crown of Martyrdom, which he had sought, on Saturday, 8 February 8, 319, at the third hour of the day. [HTTP://OCA.ORG/FEASTSAINTSVIEWER.ASP]
10.
(DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED)
ST THEODORE STRATELATES COMMANDER & GREAT MARTYR
8 FEBRUARY 2013

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spiri t, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Rememberi ng also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
Tone 3
1 0 F eb ru ar y 2 0 1 3
Sunday of St Matthew The Talents
The Feast of S T C HARAL AMBOS THE G RE AT H OL Y M ARTYR of Magnesia - St Porphyrios & St Vaptos, and three Woman Martyrs of Magnesia, Thessaly Synaxis of the Holy Hierarchs of Novgorod St Anna, Princess of Novgorod St Prochoros of Kiev Near Caves St Longinos of Vologda St Ennatha, St Valentina and St Paula, Virgin Martyrs of Palestine St John Chimchimeli the Philosopher of Georgia
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE 3
Evfrenestho ta Ourania, agaliastho ta epigia, oti epiise Let the Heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad, for
Kratos en Vrahioni Aftou O Kyrios. Epatise to Thanato ton Thanaton.Prototokos ton nekron egeneto. Ek kilias Adou errisato imas ke pareshe to kosmo to Mega Eleos.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST CHARALAMBOUS -
the Lord has shown Strength with His Arm; He has trampled down Death by Death; He has become the First-born of the dead; from the womb of Hades He has delivered us, and to the world He has granted Great Mercy.
Os
Stylos aklonitos tis Ekklisias Hristou, ke lihnos aifotos tis ikoumenis Sofe, edihthis Haralampes. Elampsas en to kosmo, dia tou Martyriou. Elisas ton idolon, tin sktomenan makar. Dio en parrisia Hristo, presveve sothine imas.
A Pillar unshakable art Thou in Christs Holy Church,

and, as Thine own name denotes, an Ever Radiant Lamp, O All Blessed Charalambos, shining throughout the whole world by Thy Feats as a Martyr, driving away the darkness of the worship of idols. With confidence, therefore pray to Christ, entreating Him to Save our souls. Protector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all those who honour Thee!
KONTAKION
OF THE
EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS
Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton O

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton Timonton Se.
Resurrection Gospel 3:
Mark 16:9 - 20
T HE R ISEN C HRIST A PPEARS T O H IS A POSTLES & D ISCIPLES B EFORE H IS A SCENSION
Prokeimenon
Sing Praises to our God! Sing Praises! O clap your hands, all you Nations!
The Second Epistle of St Paul to St Timothy 2 : 1 10

ST TIMOTHYS HOLY GIFT
THE
POWER
OF
GOD
Paul, and Apostle of Jesus Christ by the Will of God, according to the Promise of Life, which is in Christ Jesus. To Timothy: a Beloved Son: Grace, Mercy and Peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God Whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my Forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my Prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with Joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine Faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your Grandmother, Lois, and your Mother, Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore, I remind you to stir up the Gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of Power and of Love, and of a sound mind. So do not be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His Prisoner, but share with me in the Sufferings for the Gospel according to the Power of God, Who has Saved us and Called us with a Holy Calling not according to our works, but according to His own Purpose and Grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but which has now been revealed by the Appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, Who has abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel... THE GIFT OF GOD IS THE DIVINE GRACE OF THE HOLY Master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My Word, SPIRIT, (CHARISMA) granted to St Timothy at his they will keep yours also. Holy Ordination by the Laying on of Hands of St Paul. M A T T H E W 5 : 1 1 1 2 Blessed are you when DIVINE GRACE FILLS UP OR COMPLETES WHATEVER IS they revile and persecute you, and say all LACKING AND GRANTS AUTHENTICITY to the Holy kinds of evil against you falsely for My Priesthood of Christ. sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for However, DIVINE GRACE IS NOT AUTOMATIC we must great is your Reward in Heaven, for so they ceaselessly stir it up and rekindle it. persecuted the Prophets who were before While any Christian may be persecuted, we REJECT you. FEELINGS OF FEAR OR TIMIDITY. Those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the Path of J O H N 1 5 : 2 0 Remember the Word that I said to the Holy Prophets of God, Saints and Holy Martyrs. you: A servant is not greater than his
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The Greek expression for be exceedingly glad means to leap exceedingly with Joy! W E DO NOT QUENCH THE S PIRIT BUT ACT WITH P OWER AND C OURAGE THAT IS GRANTED TO US BY D IVINE G RACE the Grace of God that enables us to achieve amazing Feats. 1 T H E S S A L O N I A N S 5 : 1 9 Do not quench the Spirit! M A T T H E W 1 0 : 3 3 ... whoever denies Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father Who is in Heaven. L U K E 9 : 2 6 ... whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own Glory, and in His Fathers, and of the Holy Angels. O UR S ALVATION AND C ALLING ARE BASED ON D IVINE G RACE AND L OVE definitely not on anything we have done to merit Gods Divine Favour. Ephesians 2: 8-10 ... by Grace you have been Saved by Faith and that not of yourselves; it is the Gift of God not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His Workmanship created in Christ Jesus for Good Works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
We are not Saved by our Good Works. W E A R E S A V E D FOR GOOD WORKS.

IN OTHER WORDS: THOSE WHO ARE GENUINELY FAITHFUL TO GOD ARE EAGERLY COMPELLED TO FULFIL ALL GOOD DEEDS OFFERED TO US BY GOD HIMSELF. WE CANNOT PROFESS TO HAVE FAITH IF WE DO NOT ALSO FULFIL OUR SPIRITUAL OBLIGATIONS BY DOING WHATEVER GOD REQUIRES OF US WITH REGARD TO ONE ANOTHER AS WELL AS HIS ENTIRE CREATION.
TITOS 3 : 5 6 ... not by Works of Righteousness, which we have done, but according to His Mercy He Saved us, through the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Spirit Whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.... [HOLY BAPTISM &
CHRISMATION]
[CHRIST] submitted (to Suffering) so that He might break the power of Death and demonstrate the Resurrection from the dead thus it was necessary for Him to be manifested [REVEALED] in the Flesh Also [CHRIST] (submitted) so that He might fulfil the Promise to the Fathers and while He was preparing the New People for Himself and while He was still on earth to prove that after He has brought about the Resurrection He will Judge. [St Barnabas 5: 6-7]
The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 25 : 14 - 30

WE
MUST BE
GOOD STEWARDS
OF
DIVINE BLESSINGS
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: ... the Kingdom of Heaven is like a Man travelling to a Far Country, Who Called His own servants and delivered His Goods to them. And to one He gave five Talents, to another two, and to another, one to each according to his own ability - and immediately He went on a Journey. And he who had received the five Talents went and traded with them, and made another five Talents. And likewise he who had received two, gained two more also. But he who had received one talent, went and dug in the ground, and hid his Lords money. After a long time the Lord of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. And he who had received five Talents brought another five Talents, saying: Lord, Thou delivered to me five Talents. Behold, I have gained five more Talents besides them. And his Lord said to him: Well done, Good and Faithful Servant! You were faithful over a few things I will make you Ruler over many things. Enter into the Joy of your Lord! He also who had received two Talents came and said: Lord, Thou delivered to me two Talents: behold, I have gained two more Talents besides them. His Lord said to him: Well done, Good and Faithful Servant! You have been faithful over a few things I will make you Ruler over many things. Enter into the Joy of your Lord! Then he who had received the one Talent came and said: Lord, I knew Thou to be a hard Man - reaping where Thou hast not sown, and gathering where Thou hast not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid Thy Talent in the ground. Behold: there Thou hast what is Thine! And his Lord answered and said to him: You wicked and lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited My money with the Bankers, and at My Coming I would have received back My own with interest! So take the Talent from him, and give it to him who has ten Talents. For to everyone who has, more will be granted, and he will have abundance, but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the Outer Darkness! There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth! The wicked and lazy servant could not evade his This Parable of our Lord Jesus Christ illustrates THE USE OF responsibility for ignoring his Talent for IDLENESS IS THE HOLY GIFTS THAT ARE GRANTED TO US BY ALMIGHTY AS MUCH OF A REJECTION OF GOD AS OUTRIGHT GOD. WICKEDNESS. Even ONE TALENT was regarded as a great sum of money Burying the Talent in the ground is an illustration of USING and in this case, it REPRESENTS THE GOODNESS THAT OUR GOD-GIVEN GIFTS FOR EARTHLY PURSUITS RATHER GOD HAS BESTOWED ON EACH AND EVERY HUMAN BEING. THAN FOR THE GOOD PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS The amount of Talents that each servant receives is based on that persons abilities. INTENDED - AND FOR WHICH EVERY DIVINE GIFT IS GRANTED TO US. R O M A N S 1 2 : 4 - 7 ... as we have many members in one body, yet all the members do not have the The Bankers represent OTHER FAITHFUL SERVANTS OF same function, so we being many are one GOD to whom the worthless and lazy servant could Body in Christ, and individually, members of have turned and WHO WOULD HAVE HELPED HIM TO USE one another. Having then Gifts differing HIS TALENT WISELY AND PROFITABLY. according to the Grace that is granted to us, SINCE HELP WAS AVAILABLE TO HIM WITHIN THE HOLY let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in CHURCH, THE FAITHLESS SERVANT HAD NO JUSTIFIABLE proportion to our Faith; or Ministry, let us use it EXCUSE. in our ministering those who teach, in 8 EVERYTHING IN CREATION IN OUR WORLD BELONGS TO Teaching; those who exhort, in exhortation, GOD WHO GRANTS US WHATEVER WE NEED IN those who give, with liberality; those who ABUNDANCE SO THAT WE MAY SHARE OUR BLESSINGS lead, with diligence, those who show Mercy, WITH OTHERS and thereby become truly good with cheerfulness... and faithful servants. 8 GOD DOES NOT SHOW PARTIALITY IN THE ULTIMATE WE BECOME PROFITABLE SERVANTS OF GOD WHEN WE REWARD, FOR ALL HUMAN BEINGS throughout the FULFIL OUR SACRED DUTIES TO GOD AND TOWARDS EACH ages ARE INVITED TO SHARE THE SAME JOY OF [OUR] OTHER. LORD. God has provided everything necessary for our Eternal Salvation so WE REALLY HAVE NO EXCUSE THAT CAN
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10 FEBRUARY 2013
JUSTIFY OUR SELFISHNESS.
SPIRITUAL
LAZINESS,
APATHY
OR
This Parable is a serious reminder that EVERYTHING WE DO, SAY OR THINK IN THIS LIFE WILL BE JUDGED BY GOD when He returns when He Reappears to us - in all His Glory to Judge THE LIVING AND THE DEAD THOSE WHO ARE IN A STATE OF EITHER SPIRITUAL LIFE (REPENTANCE
& FAITHFULNESS) OR SPIRITUAL DEATH (UNREPENTANCE AND APOSTASY). Furthermore, CHRIST ACTUALLY DESCRIBES WHAT WILL
HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO ARE STUBBORNLY DISOBEDIENT AND SELF-INDULGENT: they will be cast
into Outer Darkness alienation from God and all His Goodness - and will spend Eternity in weeping and gnashing of teeth! Later, as we pass through this life, WE ARE GRANTED YET MORE SACRED GIFTS. Some of us are granted special Gifts of Intelligence, some great wealth, some Gifts of singing or making music, some Gifts of creating beautiful art, some sewing fine clothes, some cooking and baking, and some other Gifts Gifts that are too numerous to mention here. EVERYONE HAS BEEN GRANTED THE GIFTS OF GOD - and to be sure - TO SOME HE HAS GRANTED MORE, WHILE TO OTHERS HE HAS GRANTED LESS. TO THOSE WITH MORE HE WILL ASK MORE, AND TO THOSE WITH LESS, HE WILL ASK LESS. These Gifts God has granted us in order for us TO DEVELOP AND TO USE FOR THE SAKE OF HIS GLORY. Should we, my Beloved Children in Christ, refuse to develop these wonderful, God-granted Gifts SHOULD WE IGNORE THEM, OR SHOULD WE DEVELOP THEM FOR LESS THAN HONOURABLE PURPOSES - then, like the lazy servant, WE WILL BE JUDGED SEVERELY BY CHRIST upon His Return, SINCE HIS INVESTMENT IN US, THROUGH HIS GIFTS, WAS NOT SPIRITUALLY PROFITABLE. Should we, on the other hand, USE OUR GIFTS WISELY AND FOR SPIRITUAL PROFIT, then, as Saint Gregory taught us: even in our sinfulness, "...when the Judge is already approaching to strike us..." the Profit we have madeTHE SPIRITUAL PROFITWILL "PLEAD FOR US," and so impress Christ God the Judge that IT WILL ELICIT HIS GREAT MERCY AND SAVE OUR SOULS. May each of us GIVE FREELY FROM OUR GIFTS TO GOD'S GLORY, so that we may stand before Him with an abundance of the Spiritual Profits we have worthily and faithfully earned.
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: SAINT GREGORY THE DIALOGIST, POPE OF ROME AINT FROM A HOMILY FROM MADE PERFECT IN FAITH (CH. 27) BY FATHER JAMES THORNTON
The Parable of the Talents

St Gregory the Dialogist of Rome wrote : IN TRUTH THE JUDGE WHO IS TO COME WILL EXACT FROM EACH OF US AS MUCH AS H E GAVE. So that everyone may be free from anxiety about the account he must give for his Talent when the Lord returns, let him CONSIDER DAILY, WITH TREMBLING, WHAT HE HAS RECEIVED. The time is now near when the One Who set out on a Journey, i.e. Christ our Lord will return. He Who departed far from this earth where He was Born [IN THE FLESH] went away, so to speak, into foreign parts - but He will truly return to demand an Accounting for His Talents. If we are listless in performing good deeds He will judge us more severely concerning those Gifts He has bestowed on us. Let us then bear in mind the things we have received, and be careful in trading with them. Let no earthly care deter us from our Spiritual Work, lest we provoke the Talent's Master to anger by hiding our Talent in the earth. As the Judge is now weighing his sins, the lazy servant digs up his Talent from the earth, since there are many who withdraw themselves from their earthly desires and works when they are dragged to Eternal Punishment by the Chastisement of the Judge. Let us be Watchful, then, before we must render an account of our Talent, so that when the Judge is already approaching to strike us, the Profit we have made may plead for us. May He Who Lives and Reigns with the Father in the Unity of the Holy Spirit -God forever and ever grant us this." G OD GRANTS EACH OF US CERTAIN D IVINE G IFTS WHEN WE COME INTO THIS WORL D . [BEING IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD,] we are born with these.
http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/frjames_stgregory.aspx

CHAPTER 1. THE ORTHODOX TEACHING ON PERSONAL SALVATION 1.8 BAPTISM IS THE GATEWAY ON OUR PATH TO SALVATION (CONTINUED) THE EARLY CHURCH BELIEVED IN THE REGENERATIVE POWER Death: that as Christ was raised up from the dead OF BAPTISM: According to His Mercy He Saved us, by by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in Newness of Life. (ROMANS 6:3-4). the Washing of Regeneration, and Renewing of the Holy Spirit. (TITUS 3:5) THE NEW LIFE THAT WE RECEIVE IN BAPTISM IS A MYSTICAL In his First Apology, St Justin the Martyr described the UNION WITH CHRIST that Christ Himself LIKENED TO early-Church Rite of Baptism: one between THE BRANCHES AND THE GRAPEVINE: (The new converts) ... are brought by us where there is I Am the Vine you are the branches those who water, and are Regenerated in the same manner in abide in me, and I in them, the same brings forth which we were ourselves were Regenerated much Fruit: for without Me you can do nothing. If In order that we may obtain in the water the a man abides not in Me, he is cast forth as a Remission of sins formerly committed, there is branch, and is withered; and men gather them, pronounced - over those who choose to be Born and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (JOHN 15:5-6) again, and who have repented of their sins - the 8 IN HOLY BAPTISM WE TRULY ACCEPT CHRIST INTO Name of God the Father and Lord of the Universe. OURSELVES - AS A WAY OF LIFE AND WE BECOME (CHAPTER 61) CHRISTS FOR WE HAVE ...PUT ON CHRIST... AS OUR In general, A COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF OUR SINS IS THE GARMENT OF INCORRUPTION AND NEW LIFE. (GALATIANS ONLY FORM OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS KNOWN TO 3:27). CHRISTIANITY. [ARCHIMANDRITE (LATER PATRIARCH) SERGII (STRAGORODSKII), 8 THE HOLY JUSTIFICATION THAT WE RECEIVE IN BAPTISM IS (THE ORTHODOX TEACHING ON SALVATION), CHAPTER 3, (REDEMPTION), CHRIST HIMSELF (ST MAKARIOS THE GREAT.) Having developed the LONGING FOR GOD THROUGH FAITH, 8 BAPTISM RESTORES THE ORIGINAL PREDISPOSITION OF THE WE TRULY UNITE TO CHRIST only in Holy Baptism. HUMAN SOUL AND HUMAN NATURE IN GENERAL. The Church has always understood BAPTISM AS DEATH (ARCHIMANDRITE/PATRIARCH SERGII STRAGORODSKII) AND RESURRECTION WITH CHRIST: Know ye not, that as many of us as were Baptised into Jesus Christ were Baptised into His Death? Therefore, we are buried with Him by Baptism unto
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1.9 PERSONAL SALVATION REQUIRES A SUSTAINED EFFORT EVEN AFTER BAPTISM For this reason we have the commandment of St Paul Our Holy Church Fathers taught us that THE GRACE OF to quench not the Spirit (1 THESSALONIANS 5:19). JUSTIFICATION THAT WE RECEIVE IN HOLY BAPTISM IS, IN A WAY, TEMPORARY AND CAN BE LOST. 8 WE SHOULD NEVER STOP OUR SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES - ... (ARCHIMANDRITE/PATRIARCH SERGII STRAGORODSKII) until we all come in the Unity of the Faith, and 8 THE SEED OF THE NEW LIFE received in Baptism - ... of the Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a the First-fruits of the Spirit... MAY REMAIN Perfect Man, unto the measure of the stature of WITHOUT FRUIT IN THE LIFE OF A LAZY, UNREPENTANT the Fullness of Christ. (EPHESIANS 4:13) CHRISTIAN just like the one Talent from the In other words, WE SHOULD NEVER STOP OUR SPIRITUAL Parable of the Talents, or the Seed from the STRUGGLES TOWARDS OUR DEIFICATION UNTIL WE HAVE Parable of the Sower that did not fall into good, REACHED OUR SPIRITUAL PERFECTION OR THEOSIS! fertile soil. (ROMANS 8:23 -MATTHEW 25:14-30 & MATTHEW 13:3-8) The Teaching of the Church about Spiritual Life as a 8 THROUGH HOLY BAPTISM OUR SINS ARE WASHED AWAY, continuing effort has a solid basis in the Words of BUT WE DO NOT BECOME SINLESS. Christ Himself Who said: Narrow is the Way, Through our many weaknesses, SINS CONTINUALLY FIND which leads to Life, and there are few who find THEIR WAY BACK INTO OUR LIFE. Having now CHRIST IN it! (MATTHEW 7:14). US Who has ENDED THE DOMINANCE OF SIN OVER THE From the days of John the Baptist until now the POWERS OF OUR SOUL WE NONETHELESS HAVE TO KEEP Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the FIGHTING THE REMNANTS OF OUR SINFUL HABITS. violent take it by force. (MATTHEW 11:12) It is not enough to simply reject OUR OLD SINFUL LIFE: it Then said one to [Christ]: Lord, are there a few who HAS TO BE COMPLETELY ERADICATED. will be Saved? And He said to them: Strive to enter 8 OUR SALVATION WILL BECOME ETERNAL IF WE ERASE in at the Strait [Narrow] Gate: for many, I say unto FROM OURSELVES THE VERY POSSIBILITY OF SIN. you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. (ARCHIMANDRITE/PATRIARCH SERGII STRAGORODSKII) Likewise, WE WILL NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IF WE remain satisfied with the Grace of Justification we received in our Baptism and DO NOT SEEK TO INCREASE IT. ST GREGORY OF NYSSA GOD IS INFINITE AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE - and all that is comprehensible about Him is His infinity and incomprehensibility. But ALL THAT WE CAN AFFIRM CONCERNING GOD DOES NOT SHOW FORTH GOD'S NATURE, BUT ONLY THE QUALITIES OF HIS NATURE. For when we speak of Him as Good, and Just, and Wise, and so forth, WE DO NOT DESCRIBE GOD'S NATURE BUT ONLY THE QUALITIES OF HIS DIVINE NATURE. Furthermore, there are some affirmations that we make concerning God, which have the force of absolute negation. For example, when we use the term Darkness, in reference to God, we do not mean darkness itself, but that HE IS NOT LIGHT BUT ABOVE LIGHT: and when we speak of Him as Light, we mean that HE IS NOT DARKNESS. ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT: WHERE THERE IS GOD, THERE IS NO EVIL. EVERYTHING COMING FROM GOD IS PEACEFUL AND HEALTHY - AND LEADS US TO
THE JUDGEMENT OF OUR OWN IMPERFECTIONS AND
(LUKE 13:23-24).
. . . t o b e c o n t i n u e d . ..
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: THE ORTHODOX TEACHING ON PERSONAL SALVATION BY DEACON VICTOR E KLIMENKO, PH.D 12 MAY 2011 HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU/ENGLISH/46463.HTM#_FTN18
The Eternal, Divinely Inspired Wisdom of our Holy Church Fathers

TEACHER ALSO ACTS DECEITFULLY - FLATTERING HIS DISCIPLE IN ORDER TO DISCOVER WHAT IS HIDDEN IN HIS MIND, and in general employing every kind of trick and speaking at length, in spite of the fact that Solomon has said, 'Through talkativeness you will not escape sin. (PROVERBS 10:19). St Basil the Great has also described the sins that come from talkativeness. All this has been said, not so that we should refuse to advise those who come to us readily and with firm Faith - especially if we have attained a state of Dispassion. It is said so that WE SHOULD NOT, OUT OF SELF-ESTEEM, PRESUMPTUOUSLY TEACH THOSE WHO DO NOT EXPRESS THE WISH TO HEAR US either through their actions or through their fervent Faith. While we are still subject to the passions we should not do this even if we feel we have the authority to do so. Rather, as the Fathers have said, UNLESS QUESTIONED BY THE BRETHREN WE SHOULD NOT SAY ANYTHING BY WAY OF GIVING HELP, SO THAT ANY BENEFIT IS A CONSEQUENCE OF THEIR OWN FREE CHOICE. Both St Paul and St Peter followed this principle - and St Peter adds that WE SHOULD NOT LORD IT OVER THE MEMBERS OF OUR FLOCK BUT BE AN EXAMPLE TO THEM. (CF. PHILEM., VERSE 14; 1 PET. 5:2) & (CF. 1 PETER 5:3). And St Paul wrote to St Timothy, The farmer who does the work should be the first to eat of the harvest. that is to say, FIRST PRACTICE WHAT YOU INTEND TO PREACH. (2 TIMOTHY 2:6); Again, he writes, Let no one slight you because you are young that is, DO NOTHING THAT IS IMMATURE OR CHILDISH, BUT RATHER BE AS ONE WHO IS PERFECT IN CHRIST. (1 TIMOTHY 4:12); Similarly, it is said in the Gerontikon that UNLESS QUESTIONED BY THE BRETHREN, THE FATHERS SAID NOTHING THAT MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOULS SALVATION. THEY REGARDED UNSOLICITED ADVICE AS VAIN CHATTER. This is quite right; for it is BECAUSE WE THINK THAT WE KNOW MORE THAN OTHERS THAT WE SPEAK UNBIDDEN. AND THE MORE WE ARE GUILTY OF THIS, THE GREATER THE FREEDOM BEFORE GOD WE ASSUME WE POSSESS, ALTHOUGH THE CLOSER THE SAINTS DRAW TO GOD, THE MORE THEY REGARD THEMSELVES AS SINNERS, as St Dorotheos says. THEY ARE ASTOUNDED BY THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GRANTED and are reduced to helplessness.
HUMILITY. ST PETER OF DAMASKOS: ... HE WHO WISHES TO ADMONISH SOMEONE OR TO GIVE HIM ADVICE - or, rather, to refresh his memory, as St John Klimakos says - SHOULD FIRST BE PURIFIED OF THE PASSIONS, SO THAT HE MAY TRULY UNDERSTAND GODS PURPOSE AND THE STATE OF THE PERSON WHO ASKS FOR HIS COUNSEL. For the same medicine is not suited for all, even when the illness is the same. Then we must ASCERTAIN from the person who is seeking advice WHETHER HE DOES THIS BECAUSE HE HAS ONCE AND FOR ALL COMMITTED HIMSELF TO OBEDIENCE IN SOUL AND BODY; OR WHETHER HE HAS MADE HIS REQUEST SPONTANEOUSLY AND WITH FERVENT FAITH, SEEKING COUNSEL FROM US BEFORE QUESTIONING HIS OWN TEACHER; OR WHETHER THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT
FORCES HIM TO PRETEND THAT HE LONGS FOR SUCH COUNSEL. For if this last is the case BOTH TEACHER AND DISCIPLE WILL SUCCUMB TO FALSEHOOD AND IDLE TALK, DECEITFULNESS AND MANY OTHER THINGS. THE DISCIPLE - FORCED BY HIS SUPPOSED TEACHER TO SPEAK AGAINST HIS WILL - FEELS ASHAMED AND TELLS LIES,
pretending that he wants to do good; and the
14.
36TH AP 16TH
OF
ST MATTHEW THE TALENTS ST CHARALAMBOS
10 FEBRUARY 2013

All Glory, Honour a nd W orship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Rememberi ng also our M ost Holy, Mos t Pure, Mos t Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgi n, together with all the Sa ints. A nd let us commi t ourselves and one a nother and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
Tone 4
1 7 Fe br u ar y 2 0 1 3
Sunday of St Matthew The Canaanite Mother
Feast of S T T H E O D O R E T H E T Y R O ( T H E R E C R U I T ) & G R E A T H O L Y M A R T Y R St Hermogenes the Hieromartyr of Moscow & Wonderworker of All Russia St Theodore the Silent of Kiev Caves Monastery St Mariamne, sister of St Philip the Apostle St Menas Kallikelados (Well Speaking) of Alexandria, Uncovering of Holy Relics The Holy Weeping Icon of Theotokos of Tikhvin, Mount Athos- St Joseph of Dionysiou Monastery, Mount Athos St Auxibios of Soli, Cyprus St Theodore the New Martyr of Constantinople St Theodosios the Bulgarian & St Romanos, his faithful Disciple of Nikolaev Monastery St Nicholas Kandaurov St Finan of Lindisfarne St Theodore the Hieromartyr of Atchara, Georgia
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION
TONE 4
To
fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou Angelou Mathouse e tou Kyriou Mathitrie ke tin Progonikin apofasin aporipsase, tis Apostolis kafhomene elegon: Eskilefte O Thanatos, igerthi Hristos O Theos, doroumenos to kosmo to Mega Eleos!
THE
When
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST THEODORE
TYRO TONE
the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt from the Angels the Glad Tidings of the Resurrection, and had cast away the Condemnation of their Forefather, they spoke exultingly to the Apostles: Death is no more: Christ-God is Risen, granting to the world Great Mercy!
Megala
ta tis Pisteos katorthomata! En ti pigi tis flogos, os epi idatos anapafseos, i Agii Tris, Pedes igallonto, ke O Profitis Daniil, leonton pimin, os provaton ediknito. Tes afton ikesies Hriste O Theos, soson tas psihas imon!
OF THE
Great indeed are Faiths accomplishments!
The Three Holy Youths stood exultingly in the fountain of fire as if beside the still waters of rest. And Daniel the Prophet appeared like a shepherd in the den of lions. At their Entreaties, O Christ God, Save our souls!
KONTAKION

Protector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all those who honour Thee!
Gospel 4:
Luke 24:1 12
THE HOLY MYRRH-BEARERS FIND THE TOMB EMPTY
Prokeimenon
Vow, and pray to the Lord your God! In Judah is God known His Name is great in Israel
The Second Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians 6 : 16 7 : 1

ST PAULS PLEA
FOR
HOLINESS
Brethren: what agreement has the Temple of God with idols? For you are Temples of the Living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My People. Therefore, Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord, Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. So, having these Promises, Beloved, let us Cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God. The passage of St Pauls letter to the Corinthian All too often, SPIRITUAL DARKNESS BECOMES IMPRINTED IN Christians concerns THE SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE OF OUR SOUL AND BODY SO THAT EVEN OUR FREE WILL IS THE NEW COVENANT HOLINESS CODE: LOVE OF GOD BYPASSED and we then sin automatically. AND HIS HOLY CHURCH REQUIRES A SPURNING A In order to Cleanse ourselves by means of the Divine REJECTION OF IMMORALITY AND FALSE RELIGIONS, AND Promises of God, WE MUST EMBARK ON A SUSTAINED A DEVOTION TO PERFECTING HOLINESS IN THE FEAR OF SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE FOR HOLINESS. GOD. This essential CLEANSING INCLUDES GENUINE SORROW FOR An important application of such Spiritual Holiness is OUR SINS, CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE. that THE CHURCH OF CHRIST CALLS US ALL TO It means A DETERMINED, WILFUL AVOIDANCE OF SINMARRIAGE BETWEEN THOSE OF LIKE FAITH IN CHRIST. AROUSING SITUATIONS, RECONCILIATION WITH THOSE Come out... is A DIVINE INVITATION FROM GOD HIMSELF WE HAVE WRONGED, THE RESOLUTE PRACTICE OF TO COME OUT OF THE FALLEN WORLD AND FALSE CHRISTIAN VIRTUE, AND CLEAVING TO GOD THROUGH RELIGIONS AND ENTER ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST OUR FAITH AND PRAYER. LORD AND SAVIOUR. It calls us to REGULAR PARTICIPATION IN THE HOLY An escape from filthiness requires MORE THAN MYSTERIES AND HOLY SERVICES OF OUR ORTHODOX MERELY THINKING REPENTANT THOUGHTS. For WE ARE FAITH. PERPETUALLY ENMESHED IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE It is not too difficult for us to fulfil what is required entrenched in patterns of sin that so easily of us because it is GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO TRULY become habitual.
37TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 17TH
OF
ST MATTHEW THE CANAANITE WOMAN
17 FEBRUARY 2013
15.
It
CLEANSES US FROM EVERY STAIN AND WHO HEALS OUR INFIRMITIES PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL. is by THE GRACE AND ACTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO EMPOWERS US TO LIVE THIS LIFE IN CHRIST OF PEACE AND LOVE WITH GOD IN CONSTANT REPENTANCE OF OUR SINS.
The Fear of God means having such a deep Love and Respect for God so that we never wish to disappoint or fail Him. Our Fear should be A FEAR OF PERSONAL FAILURE THAT WILL PREVENT US FROM ENTERING GODS ETERNAL KINGDOM OF HEAVENLY LOVE.
OF
The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 15 : 21 28

THE GENTILE CANAANITE WOMAN GREAT FAITH
At that time, our Lord Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan who came from that region, cried out to Him and said: Have Mercy on me, O Lord Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed! But He answered her not a word. And His Disciples urged Him, saying: Send her away, for she cries out after us. And He answered and said: I was not sent except to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel. So she came and worshipped Him, saying: Lord, help me! And He answered, and said: It is not good to take the Childrens bread and throw it to the little dogs. And she said: Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their Masters table. And Jesus said to her: O woman: great is your Faith! Let it be to you as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. This account of the Ministry to this particular Gentile only because she was a Gentile and His Divine Canaanite Woman illustrates the Jewish Ministry before His Passion was initially only to orientation of St Matthews Holy Gospel. the Hebrews but also TO REVEAL THE PROFOUND St Mark also mentioned it in his Holy Gospel but with DEPTH OF HER FAITH AND LOVE. two major differences: Several of our Holy Church Fathers regard THE St Matthew recorded the words of Christ concerning APOSTLES REQUEST TO SEND HER AWAY AS AN the Lost Sheep of Israel while St Mark did not. ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO St Matthew recorded the Canaanite Woman HEAL HER DAUGHTER as if to say: Give her what addressing our Lord Jesus as Son of David, she wants, and she will go away. which is the Hebrew term for Messiah. St Mark Christs response indicates this interpretation to be did not mention it at all. correct for He again refused to heal her daughter. EVENTUALLY, HAVING EVOKED THE CANAANITE WOMANS OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES had gone into LOVE AND PERSISTENT FAITH, CHRIST THEN REVEALS the land of the Gentiles in order to withdraw from HER GENUINE HUMILITY. the faithless Pharisees. He DID NOT GO THERE TO SHE ACCEPTS HER HUMBLE POSITION far beneath that of PREACH HIS HOLY GOSPEL to them. the Hebrews who were the Chosen People of God, This is confirmed by St Mark in his Holy Gospel where YET SHE STILL DESIRED A TINY PORTION OF GODS it is written that our Lord wanted no one to know GRACE AND MERCY FOR HER AFFLICTED DAUGHTER. that He was there. Furthermore, Christ makes it clear to the Gentile Our Lord Jesus Christs apparent reluctance to respond to the Canaanite Woman was certainly Woman that HE WAS ONLY SENT (BY GOD THE FATHER) not due to a lack of Compassion for one of His TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL TO GATHER TOGETHER THE LOST AND WANDERING FLOCK OF THE HEBREW NATION. creatures but rather A CONSCIOUS MEANS OF THE CANAANITE WOMAN SHOWED HER IMMEASURABLE REVEALING TO HIS APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES HER LOVE as a mother, she identified with the GENUINE VIRTUES. terrifying suffering of her daughter to such a HER ULTIMATE ACCEPTANCE BY CHRIST ALSO POINTS TO THE GATHERING OF THE GENTILES INTO HIS HOLY degree she called out: Have Mercy on me! CHURCH AFTER THE DAY OF PENTECOST no longer SHE REGARDED HER BELOVED DAUGHTERS WELFARE AS HER OWN AND SUFFERED AS MUCH AGONY AS HER DAUGHTER being regarded as unworthy little dogs but AS HIS ADOPTED CHILDREN WHO ARE INVITED TO EAT THE DID. BREAD OF ETERNAL LIFE. Christ seems to have refused to respond to the mothers desperate pleas for His Great Mercy not
Sunday of the Canaanite Woman

AT THE HEART OF PRAYER IS PERSISTENCE. Todays Sacred Lesson illustrates the extent to which a person will go to secure what he or she needs from our Beneficent, All Loving God. Our Lord Jesus Christ had withdrawn to a distant land (the only instance in the Gospels where He was outside Hebrew territory) just prior to the Epic of His Passion and Death. He was approached by A CANAANITE WOMAN WHOSE
ETHNIC BACKGROUND WAS REPULSIVE TO FAITHFUL
TH OSE WH O WE R E PA GA NS A ND WH O H A D NO R E SPE CT F OR OR U NDE R STA NDI NG OF A LMI GH TY G OD .
HEBREWS. Furthermore, she made a request of the Stranger that He Deliver her daughter from demonic possession. The daughter is broken. The mother is desperate. The Apostles are annoyed at the womans insistence, and at first glance, our Lord Jesus appeared to be indifferent and seemingly ignored her. However the rest of the account needs telling. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT OUR LORD JESUS WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION FOR THIS TROUBLED WOMAN. THERE WERE, HOWEVER, OBSTACLES: SHE WAS GENTILE AND A CANAANITE (PHOENICIAN). Our Lord proclaimed that HE HAD BEEN SENT TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL and it is unseemly (inappropriate) to take the Childrens Bread and throw it to the little dogs.
I T WA S I NA PPR OPR I A TE F OR H E R TO EXPE CT TO R E CE I VE WHA T WA S I NTE NDE D ONLY F OR G OD S C H OSE N P E OPLE A ND GR A NT I T A LSO TO
THE NEEDY WOMAN WAS NOT AT ALL DETERRED by our Lords apparent harshness and she responded: Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their Masters table. HER HUMBLE RESPONSE was enough for our Lord it WAS AN IMPLICIT ACT OF FAITH AN ASSENT TO HIS PERCEIVED POWER AS A HEALER AND SOVEREIGN OVER ALL NATURE. The passage does not tell us whether the Canaanite Woman converted to Judaism (or became a Disciple of Christ). It simply reveals that THE PERSONAL POWER EMANATING FROM THE CHRIST OF GOD WAS ENOUGH TO MOVE HER HEART TO SUBMISSION. WHAT BEGAN AS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN STRANGERS and sworn rivals where she addressed our Lord Jesus as Son of David ENDED IN AN EXCHANGE OF TENDER HEARTS WHEREIN SHE ADDRESSED HIM AS LORD. One of the seminal Lessons of today is THE INDOMITABLE (RESOULUTE) PERSISTENCE OF THIS DEVOTED MOTHER whose daughters soul was at stake. The power of evil had captured her child and stubbornly refused to release her from its enslavement. Imagine THAT FRANTIC MOTHER FACED WITH THE IMPENDING AND PAINFUL LOSS OF HER BELOVED CHILD.
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NOTHING WOULD STOP HER in her quest to bring wholeness to her daughter and to snatch her offspring from the destructive power of the prince of Darkness. It was that single-mindedness that exclusive focus that drove her to seek out the Rabbi from Israel. HE WAS HER LAST AND ONLY CHANCE! What does all this mean for us? Most likely WE DO NOT ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT WHEN WE Thus our Lord Jesus instruction to BE PRAY. PERSISTENT IN PRAYER KEEP ASKING DO NOT STOP SEARCHING AND CONTINUE KNOCKING AT GODS DOOR. In fact, ultimately what is most important for us is not necessarily that we receive what we ask for or find what we search for, or walk through the Door we have been knocking on. No. Rather, WHAT IS ULTIMATELY MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT WE, like the frantic mother, DISCOVER AN EXTRAORDINARY INTIMACY WITH OUR LORD BY PERSISTING IN PRAYER. We come to realise that IT IS ABOUT OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST AND BASKING IN AND VALUING THAT RELATIONSHIP MORE THAN EVERYTHING OR EVERYONE IN THE WORLD. 8 PRAYER IS BEING KNOWN BY AND KNOWING OUR GOD OF LOVE AS OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, OUR MESSIAH AND OUR HOLY SPIRIT. IN THE INTIMACY OF PRAYER, WE NOT ONLY COMMUNE WITH GOD THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, WE ALSO BARE OUR SOULS DEEPEST SECRETS TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST Who is our Most Trustworthy Saviour, Divine Friend and Brother. And WE ARE GRACED WITH THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Who convicts us of sin and reassures us of the Divine Promise that we are Forgiven. With this wonderful Gift of Intimacy with God through persistent Prayer, GOD OFTEN GRANTS US THE SPIRITUAL HUG WE NEED when we are lonely or rejected; or the State of Joy by simply being alive; or the Courage required to face a situation of conflict at home, at work or at school or university. Another way of stating it is that through the Gift of Intimacy with God WE COME TO SEE OUR TRUE WEALTH which is not in what we do not have, but
rather WHICH IS IN WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN GRANTED BY GOD! NEVER STOP PRAYING! God has made the first move towards us in His unbridled Love. God is here in our heart waiting for us to follow Him to chase after Him, to seek Him, to pursue Him as THE ONLY ONE WHO LOVES US UNCONDITIONALLY AND FOREVER. It is there that WORDS MEAN LITTLE. It is in that place that OUR NEEDS TAKE SECOND PLACE. What is important in being persistent with our Lord is THE PERSISTENCE OF PRAYER ITSELF. The frantic Canaanite Mother kept following Christ. She ignored the Disciples who advised her to keep quiet and not to disturb our Lord Jesus. HER PERSISTENCE BECAME HER ACT OF BELIEF in the Son of God and Lord of all human history. She had no guarantee that her efforts would produce the desired end. It did not matter! There was a little girl at home whose very survival was linked to the ability of the mother to seek out Christ and beg for His Divine Healing. So it is with us. With our own multitude of Prayerful Requests some acute, others less important WE MUST PERSIST. God is never deaf. GOD NEVER IGNORES HIS BELOVED CHILDREN. GOD ALWAYS ANSWERS US IN HIS WISDOM AND GRANTS US WHAT WE TRULY NEED. The important thing is that WE MUST NEVER GIVE UP OR BECOME DISCOURAGED. We must KEEP IN MIND this account of the devoted Canaanite Woman and HER PERSISTENCE WHICH BROUGHT HER INTO AN INTIMATE UNION WITH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE INCARNATE, ETERNAL SON OF GOD HIMSELF! THAT SAME PERSONAL INTIMACY WITH THE LORD OUR GOD AWAITS EVERY ONE OF US AS WELL. To Him be all Glory, Honour and Worship unto the Ages of Ages. Amen.
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: SERMON FOR THE SUNDAY OF THE CANAANITE WOMAN BY REVEREND DIMITRIOS J ANTOKAS, PROISTAMENOS, GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ST GEORGE, BETHESDA, MARYLAND, USA (29 JANUARY 2012)
http://nj.goarch.org/clergy/sermons/2012/Fr%20Antokas%20CANAANITE WOMAN.pdf

CHAPTER 1. THE ORTHODOX TEACHING ON PERSONAL SALVATION 1.10 PERSONAL SALVATION IS ACQUIRED THROUGH FULFILLING CHRISTS COMMANDMENTS. WHAT PLAN SHOULD WE FOLLOW IN OUR CONTINUING Because it OPENS FOR US THE REAL PICTURE OF OURSELVES SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE AFTER BAPTISM? THE STATE OF THAT ORIGINAL DAMAGE THAT WE THE BEATITUDES LAY OUT THIS SPIRITUAL PROCESS IN INHERITED FROM ADAM. GENERAL. (MATTHEW 5:3-11) As St Peter of Damascus said: ...the first sign of the THERE IS ALSO A BRANCH OF PATRISTIC TEACHING CALLED beginning of the health of the soul is seeing your ASCETICS AND AN ABUNDANCE OF TEXTS THAT OFFER A sins (as) innumerable as (grains of) sea sand. [A.I. OSIPOV, PUBLIC LECTURES] MORE DETAILED PLAN. In other words, in Orthodoxy our good works are THE ASCETIC FATHERS HAVE IDENTIFIED EIGHT MAIN SINFUL looked at as a means of getting to know ourselves. DISPOSITIONS OF SOUL CALLED PASSIONS AND THE FORCING OURSELVES TO DILIGENTLY KEEP CHRISTS STAGES THROUGH WHICH THEY TAKE POSSESSION OF OUR COMMANDMENTS LEADS US TO HUMILITY. SOUL. And this is where SALVATION BEGINS. BASED ON THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, THESE HOLY This is when WE REALISE THAT WE NEED CHRIST as we FATHERS ALSO DEVELOPED COMPREHENSIVE METHODS OF would realize that we are sick and need a Physician COMBATING EACH PASSION AND PLANTING IN OUR SOUL A TO CURE US. VIRTUE OPPOSITE TO IT. [ST IGNATIUS (BRYANCHANINOV), ASCETIC According to the Holy Fathers, BEFORE WE REALIZE WHO WE ESSAYS] WHILE THE OVERVIEW OF THE ASCETIC TEACHING GOES REALLY ARE WE CANNOT EVEN BE CALLED CHRISTIAN. BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE PRESENT WORK, WE WILL ONLY SEEING HOW AFFLICTED WE ARE IS WHAT PUTS US BEFORE STRESS THAT THE EARLY APOSTOLIC AND PATRISTIC CHRIST. CHURCH NEVER LOOKED AT OUR SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE TO This is why OUR WORKS matter! FULFIL CHRISTS COMMANDMENTS WORKS, IN They are not merits - they do not earn us anything TRADITIONAL TERMINOLOGY AS THE MEANS TO EARN but THEY ARE THE MEANS OF LEARNING THE TRUTH SALVATION. ABOUT OURSELVES THAT LEADS US TO TRUE FAITH IN IN FACT, THE CHURCH HAS ALWAYS TAUGHT THAT WE CHRIST. CANNOT FULFIL ANY COMMANDMENT PERFECTLY. In general, GOD IS SEEKING IN US THE ABILITY TO ACCEPT SAINTS WOULD WEEP OVER THEIR VIRTUES FOR THIS REASON. COMMUNION WITH HIM AND READILY GRANTS IT TO US BUT THEN WHY IS TRYING to keep the Commandments IN PROPORTION WITH OUR ABILITY TO ACCEPT. [ARCHIMANDRITE / PATRIARCH SERGII (STRAGORODSKII), (THE ORTHODOX TEACHING important? ON SALVATION] This ability is what matters.
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This is why even those who did not have a chance to be Baptised (e.g., Christian Martyrs, or the Wise Thief) can still enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It is OUR ZEAL FOR GOOD that makes us worthy Members of the Kingdom of Heaven and GIVES US THE ABILITY TO ACCEPT HOLINESS. It is the disposition of our soul that counts: OUR DESIRE FOR THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST. If we are poor in Spirit and truly long for God, Salvation will be ours - even if we have not done enough good deeds. It is not those who work that are Saved but those who are spiritually always with God - those who live for God. [ARCHIMANDRITE / PATRIARCH SERGII (STRAGORODSKII)], It is through keeping the Commandments that the Virtues are planted in our souls. Our life on Earth can thus be viewed as the time we have for the upbringing [THE NURTURING AND DEVELOPMENT] of our soul and creating in it the disposition that allows us Communion with God. CHRIST DOES NOT NEED THE ACTIONS THAT WE PERFORM WHEN WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS - He does not need our suffering. What HE NEEDS is THE INTERNAL STATE OF OUR SOUL that manifests itself when we, for example, turn the other cheek to our offender. My son, give me thy heart... (PROVERBS 23:26).
[ARCHIMANDRITE / PATRIARCH SERGII (STRAGORODSKII) - THE LEGALISTIC MENTALITY BEFORE THE JUDGMENT BY THE HOLY SCRIPTURE AND HOLY TRADITION]
works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and Death and Hades delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged each one according to their works. (REVELATION 20:12-13) There can be found even a few Old Testament quotes about Redemption (Forgiveness of sins) as a result of works: Water will quench a flaming fire; and alms make an atonement for sins... (SIRACH 3:30) For alms delivers from death, and shall purge away all sin. (TOBIT 12:9) And, of course, there is A STRONG PATRISTIC CONSENSUS
POINTING TO SALVATION. THE NECESSITY OF WORKS FOR OUR
Understood this way, the importance of works for our Salvation finds abundant support in Holy Scripture. Christ Himself said: If anyone Loves me, he will keep My Word: and My Father will Love him, and We will come to him, and make Our Abode with him.
(JOHN 14:23).
The necessity of works is further illustrated when the Rich Young Man asked our Lord Jesus: What shall I do to inherit Eternal Life? Our Lord then explicitly explained what he needed to do and this concerned not just to having Faith or being Baptised: One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have Treasure in Heaven; and come, take up the Cross, and follow Me.
T H I S YOU NG MA N WA S F A R TOO A TTA CHED TO H I S WOR LDLY POS SE SSI ONS , WH I CH PR E VE NTE D H I M F R OM GI VI NG H I S HE A R T TO G OD . H E NCE , C H R I ST S SE VE R E I NSTR U CTI ONS TO H I M - A ND TO TH OSE WH O A R E OBSE SSE D WI TH MA TE R IA L POSSE SSI ONS .
JESUS CHRIST WILL JUDGE PEOPLE BASED ON WHAT THEY HAVE DONE AND NOT DONE - NOT WHETHER THEY BELIEVED: I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me... Those who have not done these things will ...go away into Everlasting Punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal. (MATTHEW 25:31-46). Furthermore, our Lord warns us that Not everyone who says to Me: Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but those who do the Will of My Father Who is in Heaven. (MATTHEW 7:21) THE JUDGEMENT WILL BE ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS NOT OUR FAITH OR MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHURCH: We must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body - according to what he has done -whether good or bad. (2 CORINTHIANS 5:10). He shall reward each one according to his works
(MATTHEW 16:27).
In the 2nd-century text The Shepherd by Hermas that even enjoyed the status of Holy Scripture in some parts of the early Church, are the Commandments given to the author by the Divine Visitor (the Shepherd): Abstain not from any good works, but do them. Hear, he said, what the virtue of those good works is which you must do, that you may be Saved. The first of all is Faith and the Fear of the Lord, then Charity, Concord, Equity, Truth, Patience, and Chastity (THE SHEPHERD PART II, COMMANDS, COMMAND 8, VERSE 8). Interestingly, Faith is mentioned in this list as one of the works. But now I say to you, if you will not observe these Commands, but will neglect them, you will not be Saved. (THE SHEPHERD - PART II, COMMANDS, COMMAND 12, VERSE 16). NEGLECTING THE HOLY COMMANDMENTS WILL RESULT IN THE LOSS OF SALVATION. St Clement of Rome, in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, wrote: Let us clothe ourselves in Concord, being lowly-minded and temperate, holding ourselves aloof from all backbiting and evil speaking, being Justified by works and not by words.(30:3) What then must we do, Brethren? Must we idly abstain from doing good, and forsake Love? May the Master never allow this to befall us at least; but let us hasten with urgency and zeal to accomplish every good work. (ST CLEMENT: FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 33:1). It is therefore needful that we should be zealous unto well doing, for of Him are all things: since He forewarns us saying, Behold, the Lord, and His Reward is before His Face, to recompense each one according to his work. He exhorts us therefore to believe in Him with our whole heart, and to be not idle nor careless towards every good work. (ST
CLEMENT: FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 34:2-4).
The Righteous Judgement of God, Who will render to every one according to his deeds (ROMANS 2:5-6). And I saw the dead - small and great - stand before God; and the Books were opened: and another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books, according to their
In his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, ST. CLEMENT OF ROME, SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING CHRISTS COMMANDMENTS: Nothing shall deliver us from Eternal Punishment, if we should disobey His Commandments. (CHAPTER 6). So does St Polycarp of Smyrna in his Epistle to the Philippians (110-140 AD): Now He Who raised Him from the dead will raise us also; if we do His Will and walk in His Commandments and Love the things which He Loved, abstaining from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing or blow for blow or cursing for cursing; but remembering the Words which the Lord spoke, as He taught: Judge not lest you be judged. Forgive, and it shall be Forgiven to you. Have Mercy that you may receive Mercy. (ST POLYCARP OF SMYRNA - EPISTLE TO THE
PHILIPPIANS 2:2 - 2:3).
... TO BE CONTINUED...
18.
OF
17 FEBRUARY 2013
All Gl ory, Honour and Worshi p to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now a nd forever, and u nto the Ages of ages. Amen. Rememberi ng also our M ost Holy, M ost Pure, M ost Blessed and Gl ori ous La dy, Maria, Theotok os, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commi t ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Chris t our God. Amen.
23 February 2013 St Polycarp the Great Martyr of Smyrna

Also the Feast of St Polycarp of Briansk St John, St Antiochos, St Moses, St Zebinas, St Polychronios, St Damianos & St Antonikos the Holy Ascetics of the Syrian Deserts St Alexander, Founder of the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones St Damianos of Esphigmenou Monastery, Mount Athos - St Damianos the Monkmartyr of Philotheou Monastery, Mount Athos St Nicholas the New Hieromartyr of Tver St Gorgonia, sister of St Gregory the Theologian
FESTAL APOLYTIKION TONE 4
Tin
klisin tis Ergis Sou, episfragisas Sofe, elea katakarpos ofthis en Iko Theou, Polikarpe Endoxe; Si gar os Ierarhis, ke sterros Athloforos trefis tin Ekklisian, logiki efkarpia, Presvevon Ieromartis, iper ton psihon imon.
OF
Thou sealed the Call with Thy Works, O Most Wise, as

Most Fruitful Olive Tree, Thou were seen in the House of God, O Glorious Polycarp; because as a Hierarch, and a Most Steadfast Victor, the whole Church Thou nourished with Spiritual Abundance, as Thou Intercedes, O Hieromartyr, for our souls.
FESTAL KONTAKION ST POLYCARP
SMYRNA TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
Karpous
tous Logikous, to Kyrio prosferon, Polikarpe Sofe, areton di entheon, edihtis axiotheos, Ierarha Makarie. Othen smeron, i Fotisthentes Sis logis, animnoumen Sou, tin axiepenon mnimin, Doxazontes Kyrion.
Through
Godly Virtues, Thou brought forth for the Lord God much Spiritual Fruit, O Thou Most Blessed Hierarch, and so proved worthy of God Thy Lord, O Wise Polycarp. Wherefore, on this day we who have all been Enlightened through Thy Holy Words extol Thy Praiseworthy Memory and Glorify Christ the Lord
KONTAKION
OF THE

Protector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all those who honour Thee!
Prokeimenon
Vow, and pray to the Lord your God! In Judah is God known His Name is great in Israel
The Second Epistle of St Paul to St Timothy 2 : 11 19

APOSTOLIC TEACHING
VERSUS
ERROR
To Timothy a Beloved Son: ... This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also Live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains Faithful He cannot deny Himself. Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit - to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God a worker who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetos are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the Truth, saying that the Resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the Faith of some. Nevertheless, the solid Foundation of God stands, having this Seal : The Lord know those who are His, and: Let everyone who names the Name of Christ depart from iniquity. For if we died with Him, we shall also Live with Resurrection was already past having occurred at Holy Baptism. They used the language of Baptism Him... is a very early Baptismal Hymn. but in a non-Orthodox manner. Ministry is based on OUR UNION WITH OUR LORD JESUS UNFORTUNATELY, SUCH ERRONEOUS, MISGUIDED IDEAS CAN CHRIST AND IMMOVABLE LOYALTY TO HIM. AND DO SPREAD THROUGHOUT A COMMUNITY LIKE The end, for those who minister to His Holy Flock and CANCER. for those who pay attention to what they teach, is HERESY CORRUPTS: BAD BELIEFS LEAD TO BAD BEHAVIOUR. LIFE WITH CHRIST IN HIS ETERNAL, HEAVENLY The Church on earth is a mixture of Wheat and Tares KINGDOM. sown together i.e. good and bad. ... a worker who does not need to be ashamed MEMBERSHIP IN THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST GUARANTEES rightly dividing the Word of Truth... is quoted in NOTHING AT ALL even the Baptismal Confession, an Orthodox Liturgical Prayer for our Bishops. which is quoted above, acknowledges THE Profane and idle babblings is an apt description of NECESSITY FOR OUR CEASELESS AND DETERMINED HERESY, BLASPHEMY AND APOSTASY. SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE THROUGHOUT OUR LIFESPAN. The heresy of Hymenaeus and Philetos was perhaps a superspiritual interpretation of the Resurrection On the contrary, GOOD THEOLOGY HELPS US ALONG THE PATH TO GOOD BEHAVIOUR. as affecting only the soul and not the whole person. ALTHOUGH THE DIVINE TRUTH STANDS FIRM AND (Greek Philosophy thought bodily resurrection was UNALTERABLE AND CANNOT TOLERATE THE FALSE, IT absurd and impossible.) INSTILS A REASONABLE PATIENCE AND GENTLENESS Therefore, these heretics not only believed but also TOWARDS ALL especially towards false teachers encouraged others to believe their heresy that while NOT LOSING SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THEY ARE
ST POLYCARP
THE
GREAT HOLY HIEROMARTYR
OF
SMYRNA
23 FEBRUARY 2013
19.
ENEMIES OF DIVINE TRUTH AND ARE TO BE AVOIDED AS
MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
The Holy Gospel According to St Luke 18 : 2 8

THE TENACIOUS WIDOW
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: There was in a certain city a Judge who did not fear God nor regard man. And there was a widow in that city; and she went to him, saying: Get Justice for me from my adversary. And he would not for a while; but afterwards he said within himself: Although I do not Fear God nor regard man, yet because this Widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she wearies me! And our Lord said: Hear what the unjust Judge said. And shall God not avenge His own Elect who cry out day and night to Him, although He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find Faith on the earth? Our Lord Jesus Christ has so often tried to make us DIVINE SIGHT AWAY from their evil ways by understand that GODS LOVE FOR MANKIND IS withdrawing His Presence and Light - when, BEING IN ABSOLUTELY UNCONDITIONAL AND UNBIASED, whereas A STATE OF SPIRITUAL DARKNESS AND DEATH, SATAN with us flawed human beings, personal AND HIS DEMONS ARE ABLE TO CAUSE HAVOC. characteristics and motives usually cause us to act ALMIGHTY GOD NEVER DOES ANYTHING CRUEL OR WICKED TO ANYONE BECAUSE IT IS SIMPLY NOT HIS DIVINE NATURE, unjustly and discriminatingly doing things for all the wrong reasons and usually motivated by which is Absolute Goodness and Love. personal history and circumstances. As long as we are IN A STATE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE JUST AS RAIN AND SUNSHINE FALLS ON THE GOOD AND THE (REPENTANCE) HE AND HIS HEAVENLY HOSTS WATCH BAD, SO DOES GODS DIVINE LOVE, JUSTICE AND MERCY. OVER US AND PROTECT US. However, GOD NEVER FORCES HIMSELF ON ANYONE and Our Lord Jesus Christs rhetorical question: ... will (the because HE CREATED US WITH FREE WILL TO CHOOSE, Son of Man) really find Faith on the earth? EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON WHETHER WE EMBRACE HIM OR concerns specific human characteristics that are so REJECT HIM i.e. we make the choice ourselves. rarely found. Those who have developed a close, intimate IN THIS LAST AGE BEFORE OUR LORDS SECOND COMING His Relationship with God receive His Divine Grace far Reappearance as Son of Man in His visible Form more profoundly, which they immediately THE FALLEN WORLD HAS GONE BERSERK AND SPIRITUAL acknowledge with Thanksgiving and Worship. DARKNESS (SIN) SEEMS TO OVERWHELM EVERYTHING Surely, it is obvious, therefore that GODS ELECT THOSE EVERYWHERE. WHO TRULY LIVE IN CHRIST AND STRIVE TO FULFIL HIS Nevertheless, the FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST MUST DIVINE WILL AT ALL TIMES AND IN ALL SITUATIONS WILL ENDURE AND REMAIN STEADFAST AND TRUE TO GOD IN BE STRENGTHENED AND EMPOWERED AND PROTECTED BY HUMBLE OBEDIENCE IN ALL THINGS. SUCH DIVINE GRACE AND MERCY. This is only possible for us if we CLING TIGHTLY TO THE A perfect example of this is the fact that GODS HOLY LORD OUR GOD AND EAGERLY FOLLOW HIM BY CEASELESS MARTYRS WERE ABLE TO ENDURE THEIR UNSPEAKABLE PRAYER AND PROPER WORSHIP living according to TORTURES AND PERSECUTIONS WITHOUT HESITATION AND Divine Truth and not being misguided by all the WITHOUT RENOUNCING CHRIST, which was only heretical nonsense that threatens to engulf us these possible BY THE AMAZING GRACE OF OUR LOVING GOD. days. GOD ALLOWS BAD THINGS TO HAPPEN to those who persecute His Beloved Children BY TURNING HIS St Polycarp the Great Hieromartyr of Smyrna St Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, who was "fruitful in every prepare himself for his impending Martyrdom, which is good work," was born in the first century, and lived in recorded in the ancient Epistle of the Christians of the Smyrna in Asia Minor. (COLOSSIANS 1:10), Church of Smyrna to the Other Churches. Orphaned at an early age, he was raised by the pious St Polycarp foreknew from a Vision that he would be burnt widow, St Kallista, and after her Repose, St Polycarp alive and when he finally entered the dreadful arena, a gave away his possessions and began a life of Chastity, Voice from Heaven encouraged him while the roar caring for the sick and the infirm. from the bloodthirsty pagans was deafening. Having ascertained his identity, the Proconsul ordered St St Bucolos, Bishop of Smyrna, ordained St Polycarp as Deacon, and later he also ordained him to the Holy Polycarp to Swear by the fortunes of Caesar! Repent! Priesthood. Say: Away with the Atheists! St Polycarp was a Disciple of St John the Divine Apostle & However, St Polycarp looking at the lawless heathen Theologian since early childhood, and had sometimes surrounding the Arena, ...beckoned to them with his accompanied him on his Apostolic Journeys. hand, sighed, and looking up to Heaven, said: Away St Bucolos had expressed his wish that St Polycarp with the Atheists! succeeded him as Bishop of Smyrna, and at his Then the Proconsul demanded him to renounce Christ but Consecration, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him. St Polycarp said loudly so all could hear him: St Polycarp guided his Flock with Apostolic Zeal, and was For 86 years I have served Him, and in nothing greatly Loved by all the Clergy, including St Ignatios has He wronged me; and how, then, can I the God-Bearer of Antioch, who, while travelling to blaspheme my King, Who Saved me? Rome for his execution, he wrote to St Polycarp: The executioners wanted to nail him to a post, but he "...This age is in need of you if it is to reach God, just declared that God would give him the Strength to as pilots need winds, and as a storm-tossed sailor endure the flames, so they tied him with ropes. needs a port." The flames encircled St Polycarp but did not touch him, Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180) ascended the Roman coming together over his head in the shape of a vault. throne and began a most fierce persecution against Seeing that the fire did him no harm, the executioners Christians and wanted to get rid of St Polycarp, "...the stabbed him with daggers. So much blood flowed from Father of all the Christians..." and "...the seducer of all him that it extinguished the flames. His body was then Asia." burnt but Christians reverently preserved his Holy Meanwhile St Polycarp, at the persistence of his Flock took Relics. refuge in a small village outside Smyrna, but when the , arresting soldiers arrived, he went to welcome them and invited them to eat while he prayed in order to
20.
ST POLYCARP
THE
GREAT HOLY HIEROMARTYR
OF
SMYRNA
23 FEBRUARY 2013
All Gl ory, Honour and Worshi p to th e Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spiri t, now a nd forever, and u nto the Ages of ages. Amen. Rememberi ng also our M os t Holy, M os t Pure, M ost Blessed and Gl orious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Sai nts. A nd let us commi t ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
1st Sunday of Triodion 24 February 2013 Tone (5) Plagal 1 Sunday of the Publican & the Pharisee
FEAST OF THE FIRST AND SECOND FINDING OF ST JOHN THE BAPTISTS HONOURABLE HEAD St Erasmus of Kiev Near Caves Monastery
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE (5) PLAGAL 1
Ton
sinanarhon Logon Patri ke Pnevmati, ton ek Parthenou tehthenta is Sotirian imon, animnisomen, Pisti, ke proskinisomen. Oti ivdokise Sarki anelthin en to Stavro ke Thanaton ipomine ke egire tous tethneotas en ti Evdoxo Anastasi Aftou.
The Word, Who with the Father and the Spirit has no
beginning, and Who, for our Salvation, was born of a Virgin, let us Faithful Believers hymn and adore. For it was His Good Pleasure to ascend the Cross in the Flesh, and to Suffer Death, and through His own Glorious Resurrection to raise the dead. Protector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all those who honour Thee!
KONTAKION
OF THE

Resurrection Gospel 5 Luke 24 : 13 35 Prokeimenon
The Righteous shall be glad in the Lord. Hear my voice, O God

OF AN
The Second Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians 4 : 6 - 15

THE POWER APOSTLE
OF
CHRIST
Brethren: ... it is the God Who commanded light to shine out of darkness, Who has shone in our hearts to grant the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. And we have this Treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the Power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed. We are perplexed, but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed always carrying about in our body the Dying of our Lord Jesus, that the Life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to Death for Jesus sake, that the Life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then Death is working in us, but Life in you. And since we have the same spirit of Faith, according to what is written: I believed and therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He Who raised up our Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sake, that Grace having spread through the many may cause Thanksgiving to abound to the Glory of God. THE GOAL OF PREACHING IS never to glorify ourselves but and, furthermore, disclose His Grace. [ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM] ONLY TO GLORIFY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP GOD BY The Orthodox Faith [i.e. the True Teaching of Christ] GLORIFYING AND FAITHFULLY FOLLOWING CHRIST. teaches us that OUR ETERNAL SALVATION IN OUR LORD This Treasure is THE LIGHT OF GODS GLORY IN OUR JESUS CHRIST INCLUDES: LORD JESUS CHRIST. 1. A PASSAGE FROM DEATH TO LIFE, FROM SPIRITUAL Earthen vessels refers to OUR HUMANITY. [We were DARKNESS (SIN) TO SPIRITUAL LIGHT THROUGH created from earth and become Sanctified Temples REPENTANCE, FAITH AND HOLY BAPTISM: we have of God God dwells within us when we are in a state been Saved. of Spiritual Life (Repentance.)] 2. A PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND MATURATION As THE DIVINE LIGHT OF GOD SHINES IN AND THROUGH US, THROUGH ONGOING REPENTANCE, FAITH AND others will see that the Power is of God and COMMUNION often referred to as Deification: we definitely not of mankind. are being Saved. CHRISTIANITY DISCIPLESHIP IN CHRIST IS TRULY 3. A PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE, CALLING US TO VICTORIOUS, but by no means trouble-free. PERSEVERANCE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS: we shall be These TRIALS THAT ARE SUFFERED FOR THE LOVE OF Saved. CHRIST GOD ... show both the Power of God
38th AP 1ST SUNDAY
OF
TRIODION THE PUBLICAN
AND THE
PHARISEE
2 4 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 21.
The Holy Gospel According to St Luke

THE PUB
LICAN AND THE
1 8 : 1 0 14
PHARISEE
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: Two men went up to the Temple to pray one was a Pharisee and the other a Tax Collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this Tax Collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess. And the Tax Collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to Heaven, but beat his breast, saying: O God, be Merciful to me, a sinner! I tell you this man went down to his house Justified rather than the other: for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. On the contrary: THE PUBLICAN OR TAX COLLECTOR THE PHARISEE WAS HIGHLY RESPECTED AND A CAREFUL OBSERVER OF THE OLD COVENANT LAW, WHEREAS THE SHOWS BY HIS ENTIRE POSTURE A SINCERE AWARENESS TAX COLLECTOR (PUBLICAN) WAS DESPISED AS A OF THE SINFUL STATE OF HIS SOUL. TREACHEROUS SINNER who collaborated with the He stands ... afar off... with eyes downcast not occupying Roman forces, betraying and cheating daring to look Heavenwards. his own Hebrew people. His heartfelt Prayer of Contrition O God, be The practises of the Pharisee were worthy examples Merciful to me, a sinner is the foundation of the to follow. Orthodox Jesus Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ, HIS GOOD DEEDS (FASTING AND GIVING TITHES) ARE Son of God: have MERCY ON ME, A SINNER! INDEED THE PRIMARY WEAPONS AGAINST THE PASSIONS FURTHERMORE, THE refrain Lord, have Mercy OF LUST AND GREED (ADULTERY AND EXTORTION). Kyrie Eleison PERMEATES ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN However, WITHOUT A HUMBLE AND REPENTANT HEART, WORSHIP AND PRAYER. THESE OUTWARD PRACTISES ARE WORTHLESS AND LEAD To be Justified means TO BE FORGIVEN AND SET RIGHT ONLY TO PRIDE AND JUDGEMENT OF OTHERS. BY GOD, for inward HUMILITY IS TRULY BLESSED It is noteworthy that the Pharisee ... prayed thus with while ARROGANCE AND PRIDE IN OUTWARD DEEDS IS himself... for GOD IS ABSENT WHERE THERE IS PRIDE, CONDEMNED. BOASTING AND ARROGANCE.
Living the Life of the Publican

For many people in our culture, the idea of private Confession is neither attractive nor comforting. We prefer to put our best foot forward, and make the best impression on others. Everyone is aware that everyone has faults. Those who have grown up Protestant may have been frequently reminded, For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. (ROMANS 3:23). In the polite Southern Protestant culture in which I grew up, it was also made clear that gentlemen did not discuss those shortfalls despite the fact that their presence was universally true. EVERYONE QUICKLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ALL HAVE SINNED IT WAS THE SPECIFICS THAT WERE AVOIDED. And so it is that most can easily acknowledge that they have sinned generally it is the particulars that we find embarrassing and hard to discuss. Churchs that practice private Confession within our culture notice that Confession is the Holy Sacrament most avoided. People rarely stand in line or rush to their Priest. And upon reaching the Priest, they frequently rush to describe their general sins and tend to avoid their specific personal sins. One of my closest and most beloved Archpastors once told me, I still hate going to Confession. The Church frequently contrasts the Prayer of the Publican and the Prayer of the Pharisee in the Parable told by Christ. There is no discussion of the legal merits of either Prayer or either man: EVERYTHING DEPENDS UPON THE STATE OF THE HEART OF THE ONE WHO PRAYS. THE SAME IS TRUE OF CONFESSION AND OF THE WHOLE OF OUR ORTHODOX LIFE. There are no measures of achievement no Rules, which once kept, render us safe and secure. In this Life THE HEART ALWAYS RESTS ON THE LINE BETWEEN PARADISE AND HADES and rests nowhere else. In many Protestant models of the Christian Faith, it is paramount to render the question of Paradise and Hades as moot. We perform certain actions, or accept certain ideas, and all is settled. We are Forgiven - our place in Heaven is secure. Orthodoxy can be unnerving in this regard it recognizes the on-going and dynamic state of the line between Paradise and Hades and the movements of the human heart. THE STABILITY WITHIN ORTHODOXY IS FOUND IN THE STATE OF CONTINUAL REPENTANCE. ...A humble and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise... (PSALM 51:17). Of course, abiding in a state of continual Repentance runs deeply counter to those habits formed within a legal or forensic context. We would like the matter to have been settled once and for all and never discussed again. We would like God to abide by the rules of polite Southern culture. A gentleman would never discuss such things more often than necessary. But God is not presented to us as a Gentleman nor is the problem of our sin presented to us as a series of legal problems to be rectified by a pronouncement of forgiven! Rather, GOD IS PRESENTED TO US AS THE GREAT PHYSICIAN and we are told that WE SUFFER FROM A MORTAL WOUND OR DISEASE. THE DOCTOR, HAVING DIAGNOSED US, WOULD BE DERELICT
IN HIS DUTIES WERE HE NEVER TO MENTION OUR MORTAL WOUND EVER AGAIN FOR FEAR OF SCANDALIZING THE MORES OF A DISSOLUTE BUT POLITE CULture. For THE WOUND WE BEAR IS NOTHING OTHER THAN A HARD AND UNREPENTING HEART. THE SICKNESS THAT INFECTS US IS PERNICIOUS [DESTRUCTIVE] for its very character is that IT HATES AND RESISTS BOTH ITS DIAGNOSIS AND ITS CURE.
And so the Publican and his Prayer become the model for healthy Christian Living. We do not repent one time WE REPENT ALL THE TIME. REPENTANCE is not a discussion with God over the legal status of our sins it IS A DISCUSSION WITH THE GREAT PHYSICIAN OVER THE MEDICAL STATUS OF A HEART THAT IS HARD AND FAR FROM CONTRITE. REPENTANCE IS another word for LIVING WITH A BROKEN AND CONTRITE HEART. I have sometimes counselled Parishioners that they should ...learn to pray like a Publican. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE TO FAIL. We fail at Prayer. We fail in our sins. We fail in our well-intentioned and sworn obligations. The most common reaction to such failures is not making another effort, but giving up all together. OUR PRIDE OVERCOMES US: If I cannot pray as I have sworn I would, then I will not pray at all! This, of course, is simply A DELUSION SENT US BY THE ENEMY.
22.
38th AP 1ST SUNDAY
OF
AND THE
PHARISEE
24 FEBRUARY 2013
We want to pray like a Pharisee to pray with a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. We have (erroneously) been taught to hate the feeling of Contrition, and to despise ...a broken heart. The so-called middle class in our cultures embraces a middle class standard of Virtue. No one is really good, but no one is really all that bad (or so we think). Mediocrity is the perfect standard for its measure is those around us and thus we easily engage in judging others and comparing our life to theirs. We trust that there is safety in numbers. Holy Scripture tells us that OUR MEASURE IS THE ...STATURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST. (EPHESIANS 4:13). TO MAKE ANYTHING OR ANYONE ELSE OUR STANDARD OF MEASURE IS, AT BEST, BLASPHEMOUS. It is an agreement TO BE LESS THAN HUMAN, MUCH LESS THE DIVINE UNION WITH CHRIST INTO WHICH WE HAVE BEEN CALLED. IT REDUCES CHRISTIANITY TO MERE RELIGION, and a mediocre religion at that. THE FULL MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF CHRISTS FULLNESS IS FOUND ONLY IN FOLLOWING THE PATH WHICH CHRIST HIMSELF HAS SET FOR US: THE SELF-EMPTYING WAY OF THE CROSS. This too, is nothing other than THE DAILY AND CONTINUAL PATH OF REPENTANCE. CHRIST ACCEPTED HIS HUMILIATION as though it were Just as though it belonged to Him. HE NEITHER SOUGHT TO DEFEND NOR JUSTIFY HIMSELF.
Like a Sheep led to the slaughter or a blameless Lamb before its shearers is mute so He opened not His Mouth. (ISAIAH 53:7). CHRIST EMPTIED HIMSELF according to St. Paul. He went to the Cross with A BROKEN AND CONTRITE HEART. THIS WAY OF THE CROSS IS THE WAY OF REPENTANCE and is normative for daily LIFE IN CHRIST. ALL THEORIES WHICH SEEK TO SET THIS MIND ASIDE and replace it with rationalized atonement theories, IS CONTRARY TO THE CLEAR TEACHING OF HOLY SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS AND THE WAY OF SALVATION AS TAUGHT US IN CHRIST. We learn to pray like a Publican - for like him, we LEARN TO BE MEEK AND LOWLY OF HEART. We learn to ACCEPT OUR BROKENNESS, not as a problem to be solved or overlooked, but A STATE OF HEART TO BE EMBRACED AND FROM WHICH TO SEEK GOD. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. And thus it is that Publicans and sinners will enter the Kingdom of God before many who thought themselves Righteous. Pray to be found among the repentant Publicans and sinners on that great day.
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: LIVING THE LIFE OF THE PUBLICAN BY REVEREND FATHER STEPHEN FREEMAN GLORY TO GOD FOR ALL THINGS - 9 NOVEMBER 2011 HTTP://WWW.PRAVMIR.COM/LIVING-THE-LIFE-OF-THE-PUBLICAN/

CHAPTER 1. THE ORTHODOX TEACHING ON PERSONAL SALVATION 1.11 G O D D O E S N O T F O R C E S A L V A T I O N O N A N Y O N E B U T A S S I S T S T H O S E W H O C H O O S E I T . want It and turn away from It. [A.I. OSIPOV - PUBLIC As was already mentioned before, THE ORTHODOX LECTURES] TEACHING ON SALVATION IS BASED ON THE DOCTRINE Likewise, THE DREAD JUDGMENT IS DREAD not because OF FREE WILL. someone will be cast out into Hell against his In his Fall, mankind did not lose his free will. will but BECAUSE THAT WILL BE THE FINAL SELFWe can still choose to be with God or without Him DETERMINATION OF EACH HUMAN. we just could not return by ourselves back to St Irenaeus of Lyons believed that ...our Lords God, as the Path was closed by the original sin. expression: How often would I have gathered [ANCESTRAL SIN] OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST CLEARED THAT PATH FOR US, thy children together, even as a hen gathers her and NOW OUR ETERNAL SALVATION IS SOLELY A chickens under her wings, and you would not! MATTER OF OUR PERSONAL CHOICE. ...set forth the ancient law of human liberty, because God made man a free [agent] from the GOD HONOURS OUR CHOICE WHATEVER IT IS. beginning, possessing his own power, even as he This is the reason why God has not made the demons does his own soul, TO OBEY THE BEHESTS OF GOD disappear: God respects even their free will, as FREE WILL IS A FEATURE OF DIVINITY (THAT, VOLUNTARILY, AND NOT BY COMPULSION OF GOD. UNFORTUNATELY, CAN BE MISUSED.) (Matthew 23:37), We are Saved through cooperation of our will with FOR THERE IS NO COERCION WITH GOD, but a Good Will Gods Will called Synergy in Orthodox Theology [towards us] is present with Him continually. And the Doctrine famously expressed by St therefore He gives Good Counsel to all. [AGAINST HERESIES, BOOK 4, CHAPTER 37] Athanasios the Great as: God does not Save us Furthermore, St Irenaeus taught us that: God, without us. [A.I. OSIPOV - PUBLIC LECTURES] therefore, has given that which is good, as the Christ Himself promised His response to those Apostle tells us in his Epistle, and they who work it seeking His Help: Ask, and it shall be given you; shall receive Glory and Honour, because THEY seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be HAVE DONE THAT WHICH IS GOOD WHEN THEY HAD IT opened to you: for every one who asks receives, IN THEIR POWER NOT TO DO IT; but THOSE WHO DID and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, NOT DO IT SHALL RECEIVE THE JUST JUDGEMENT OF it shall be opened. (MATTHEW 7:7-8). GOD, BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WORK GOOD WHEN THEY On the other hand, GOD DOES NOT FORCE SALVATION ON HAD IT IN THEIR POWER SO TO DO. [ROMANS 2:4-5], [ST ANYONE: OTHERWISE, THIS WOULD NOT BE SALVATION BUT RATHER HIS RE-MAKING US INTO Obviously, the early Church believed that GODS SOMETHING THAT CONTRADICTS HIS OWN ORIGINAL JUDGEMENT and, as a result, the possibility of DESIGN OF US. our Salvation IS AFFECTED BY WHAT WE First He made us in His Image and now He Saves us CONSCIOUSLY AND FREELY DO OR DO NOT DO. by taking His Image away from us and essentially The Grace of God does not enslave the conscience equating us with all other living creatures?! and freedom of man but, having revealed to When St John Chrysostom was asked everybody why him the Love of God and the horror of sin, it is not Saved, he said: Because you yourselves do leaves it up to man to strive towards this Love not want to [be Saved]. Even though the Grace is and Communion with it. [ARCHIMANDRITE / PATRIARCH indeed the Grace, and It Saves, but It Saves only SERGII (STRAGORODSKII), those who desire It, but not those who do not 1.12 N O O N E C A N E V E R B E A S S U R E D O F S A L V A T I O N The early Church did not believe that Baptism common for ourselves and for the Baptised guarantees our Salvation: After we have thus [Illuminated] person, and for all others in every washed him who has been convinced and has place, that we may be counted worthy, now that we assented to our Teaching, bring him to the place have learnt the Truth, by our works also to be found where those who are called Brethren are assembled, good Citizens and keepers of the Commandments, so in order that we may offer hearty Prayers in
IRENEAUS: AGAINST HERESIES]
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that we may be Saved with an Everlasting Salvation. (ST. JUSTIN THE MARTYR, FIRST APOLOGY, CHAPTER 65) Again, it is worth noting that the EVERLASTING SALVATION IS LINKED TO OUR WORKS. Even Apostle Paul himself did not feel that his Salvation was guaranteed: Now is our Salvation nearer than when we believed... nearer but not a done deal. (ROMANS 13:11) Thus I fight - not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body, and bring it into subjection: lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. (1 CORINTHIANS 9:26-27). We notice immediately that for St Paul the possibility of his Salvation was tied to his Ascetic Feats. If by any means I might attain to the Resurrection of the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already Perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended... (PHILIPPIANS 3:11-13). Holy Scripture does say that IT IS POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE, AFTER HE HAS BELIEVED, TO FALL AWAY FROM FAITH AND LOSE HIS SALVATION: For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the Knowledge of the Lord and Holy Scripture tells us that after St John the Baptist was beheaded, the impious Herodias forbade the Prophets head to be buried together with his body. Instead, she desecrated the honorable head and buried it near her palace. St Johns faithful disciples had secretly taken their Teachers body and buried it. The wife of King Herods Steward, St Joanna, knew where the wicked Herodias had buried St Johns head, and she duly recovered it, reverently cleaned it and buried it on the Mount of Olives, on one of Herods estates. JERUSALEM: THE FIRST UNCOVERING OF MaNy years later, during the reign of Emperor Constantine, his Pious mother, St Helena, began restoring the Holy Sites of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Many Pilgrims streamed into Jerusalem - amongst whom where two Monks from the East, wishing to venerate our Lords Life-giving Holy Cross and Holy Sepulchre. St John the Baptist entrusted these two Pilgrims to recover his head by appearing to them in a dream. Then, having found the Holy Relic exactly where he had shown them, they decided to return to their native city. However, Gods Will determined otherwise for, along the road, they met a destitute potter from the Syrian town of Emesa (modern-day Homs), whose poverty had forced him to seek work in a neighbouring country. Having found a fellow traveller, the Monks - either out of laziness or carelessness - entrusted him with carrying the sack containing the Holy Relic. As the potter was carrying it, St John the Baptist appeared to him and told him to forget the careless Monks and run away from them, taking the sack they had given him.
Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them, and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness, than, having known it, to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them. (2 PETER 2 : 20 - 21). This is the reason why THE CHURCH NEVER GLORIFIES ANY LIVING PERSON AS A SAINT. EVEN THE GREATEST SAINTS, UP TO THEIR LAST HOUR, NEVER TOOK FOR GRANTED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HEAVEN. ST SISOES THE GREAT, on his deathbed, saw the Angels who came to take his soul and he told his disciples that he WANTED TO ASK THE ANGELS TO GRANT HIM MORE TIME BECAUSE, IN HIS OPINION, HE HAD NOT EVEN STARTED TO REPENT YET. MANY SAINTS REPEATEDLY DECLARED, throughout their life, the words: Everybody will be Saved - I alone will perish! [HIS EMINENCE, METROPOLITAN OF DIOKLEIA, KALLISTOS
(TIMOTHY WARE) ]
... TO BE CONTINUED...
The Untold Account of St John the Baptists Head

The Russian Orthodox Ascension Convent is now located on this site, and a church dedicated to the Holy Forerunner stands over it. When word reached the royal palace about our Lord Jesus Christs Preaching and Miracles, Herod went with his evil consort, Herodias, to see if St John the Baptists head was still located where they had left it and when they did not find it there, they thought that our Lord Jesus Christ was actually St John the Baptist resurrected from the dead. The Gospels witness to this error of theirs. (CF. MATTHEW 14:2).
THE HEAD OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST. For the sake of the Precious Head of St John the Baptist, the Lord Blessed the Potters house with an abundance of goods and the grateful Potter lived the rest of his life Commemorating his Benefactor by generously giving alms to the needy. Not long before his death the Potter entrusted the Precious Holy Relic to his sister, commanding her to pass it on to other God-fearing, Virtuous Christians. Thus, the Venerable Head of St John the Baptist and Forerunner to Christ was passed along from one generation to the next, until it passed into the hands of one Hieromonk, Eustasios, who sided with the Arian heresy. Nevertheless, many ailing people who went to him received Healing, not knowing that it was not due to Eustasios false piety, but to the Divine Grace emanating from the hidden Holy Relic of St John. Eventually the conniving Eustasios ruse was exposed, and he was banished from Emesa. A Monastery grew around the cave where the heretical Hieromonk had lived and in which the head of St John the Baptist was buried. EMESA & CONSTANTINOPLE - THE SECOND & THIRD FINDING OF THE PRECIOUS HEAD. After many years, the head of St John the Baptist was After some time, the Holy Relic of St John the Forerunner uncovered a second time. was translated to Constantinople, where it was located We know about this from a description by Archimandrite until the time of the iconoclasts. Markellos of the Monastery in Emesa, as well as from Pious Christians who left Constantinople, secretly took the the Life of St Matrona, written by St Simeon head of St John the Baptist with them, and then hid it Metraphrastes. in Comana (near Sukhumi, Abkhazia), the city where St According to the first description, the head was discovered John Chrysostom died in exile in 407. on 18 February 452. After the Seventh Ecumenical Council in 787, which reA week later, Bishop Uranios of Emesa established its established the Veneration of Icons, the head of St. veneration, and on 26 February of the same year, it John the Baptist was returned to the Byzantine capital was translated to the newly-built church dedicated to circa 850. St John. The Church Commemorates this event on 25 May /7 June These events are celebrated on 24 February 24/8 March, as the Third Finding of the Precious Head of St. John along with the Commemoration of the First Finding of the Baptist. the Precious Head.
24.
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2013 February Sacred Lessons

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

2 February 2013 The Presentation/Meeting of our Lord Jesus Christ

FESTAL APOLYTIKION - PRESENTATION

FESTAL KONTAKION PRESENTATION

O Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou ke hiras tou

Thou Who has Sanctified by Thy Birth a Virgin Womb

Matins Gospel According to St Luke 2 : 25 32

CHRIST & HIS HYMN

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Prokeimenon of the Presentation

The Holy Gospel According to St Luke 2 : 22 40

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St Sophronios of Jerusalem - The Presentation or Meeting of Christ

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thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

Eternal Inspired Wisdom of our Holy Church Fathers

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Sunday of St Matthew The Greatest Commandment

FESTAL KONTAKION PRESENTATION

O Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou ke hiras tou

Thou Who has Sanctified by Thy Birth a Virgin Womb

Resurrection Gospel 2: Mark 16:1 - 8

The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 22 : 35 46

35 AP 15TH MATTHEW AFTER

CHRIST - ST SYMEON & ST HANNAH

The Great Commandment of Almighty God

35 AP 15TH MATTHEW AFTER

CHRIST - ST SYMEON & ST HANNAH

Orthodox Teaching on Personal Salvation Part 4

35 AP 15TH MATTHEW AFTER

CHRIST - ST SYMEON & ST HANNAH

35 AP 15TH MATTHEW AFTER

CHRIST - ST SYMEON & ST HANNAH

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST ZAHARIAH

FESTAL KONTAKION ST THEODORE STRATELATES TONE 2

FESTAL KONTAKION PRESENTATION

O Mitran Parthenikin Agiasas to Toko Sou ke hiras tou

Thou Who has Sanctified by Thy Birth a Virgin Womb

SON & FAITHFULNESS

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ST THEODORE STRATELATES COMMANDER & GREAT MARTYR

payment or earnest of what is later to be completed

Day of Judgement and the beginning of Eternity.

The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 8 : 1 10

St Theodore Stratelates the Commander & Great Martyr

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ST THEODORE STRATELATES COMMANDER & GREAT MARTYR

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Sunday of St Matthew The Talents

A Pillar unshakable art Thou in Christs Holy Church,

EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS

Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton O

T HE R ISEN C HRIST A PPEARS T O H IS A POSTLES & D ISCIPLES B EFORE H IS A SCENSION

The Second Epistle of St Paul to St Timothy 2 : 1 10

We are not Saved by our Good Works. W E A R E S A V E D FOR GOOD WORKS.

The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 25 : 14 - 30

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ST MATTHEW THE TALENTS ST CHARALAMBOS

JUSTIFY OUR SELFISHNESS.

The Parable of the Talents

Orthodox Teaching on Personal Salvation Part 5