2012 May - Sacred Lessons

8/2/2019 2012 May - Sacred Lessons

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

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever,and unto the Ages of ages. Amen.

Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Holy , Mo st Pu re , Mo st Bl es se d an d Gl or io us La dy , Ma ri a, Th eo to ko s, ye t Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole

Li fe to Ch ri st ou r Go d. Am en .

2 M ay 2 0 1 2

HHH rrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! AAA lll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! S t A t h a n a s i o s t h e G r e a t A s c e t i c o f A l e x a n d r i a

Also the Feast of St Boris & St Gleb, Passion Bearers, Translation of Holy Relics – StAthanasios of Constantinople – St Hesperos, St Zoe (his wife) and St Kyriakos & StTheodoulos (their children), Holy Martyrs of Attalia – St Boris Michael, Equal to theApostles, Prince & Baptiser of Bulgaria

P a s c h a l A p o l y t i k i o n

A p o l y t i k i o n o f H o l y M y r r h b e a r e r s S u n d a y - T ON E (7 ) V A R Y S /G RA VE

O efshimon Iosif, apo tou xilou kathelon, to ahrantonSou Soma, sindoni kathara, ilisas ke aromasin, enmnimati keno, kidefsas apetheto; alla trimeros anestis Kyrie, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos!

The noble Joseph taking down Thy spotless Bodyfrom the Tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud withsweet spices and laid it for burial in a new grave;

but on the third day Thou arose, O Lord, grantingthe world Thy Great Mercy!

R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n – T ON E 2

Ote katilthes pros ton Thanaton, i Zoi i Athanatos, tote

ton adin enekrosas ti astrapi tis Theotitos. Ote de ketous tethneotas ek ton katahthonion anestisas, pase e Dinamis ton Epouranion ekravgazon.

Zoodota Hriste, O Theos imon, Doxa Si!

W hen Thou condescended to Death, O Life Immortal,

Thou slayed Hades with the lightning flash of Thy Divinity. When also Thou raised up the dead from thesubterranean abodes, all the Powers of Heaven criedaloud: O Life-giver, Christ our God, Glory to Thee!

A p o l y t i k i o n O f S t A t h a n a s i o s - T ON E 3

St ylos gegonas Orthodoxias, thiis dogmasin

ipostirizon, tin ekklisian Ierarha Athanasie: to gar

Patri ton Ion Omoousion, anakirixas katishinas Arion. Pater Osie, Hriston ton Theon iketeve, dorisasthe

imin to Mega Eleos.

T hou became a Pillar of Orthodoxy, strengthening the

Church with Divine Dogmas, O Hierarch Athanasios.For by preaching that the Son is One in Essence withthe Father Thou put Arius to shame. O VenerableFather, to Christ our God pray earnestly, entreatingthat Great Mercy be bestowed on us.

K o n t a k i o n – S t T h o m a s S u n d a y – T O N E ( 8 ) P L A G A L 4

T es Myroforis Ginexi, para to Mnima epistas, O Angelos

evoa: To Myra tis thanitis iparhi armodia, Hristos dediafthoras edihthi allotrios; alla kravgasate: Anesti O

Kyrios, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos!

T he Angel standing by the Tomb cried to the

Myrrhbearing Women: Myrrh is fitting for the dead,but Christ has been shown to be a stranger tocorruption. But cry aloud: The Lord has Risen,granting the world His Great Mercy!

T h e E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e H e b r e w s 1 3 : 7 – 1 6 L oya l ty t o O r t h odo x D oc t r in e & W or sh i p

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

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Do not be carried away with various and strange doctrines, for it is good that the heart be established by Grace – not with foods that have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

We have an Altar from which those who serve the Tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is taken into the Sanctuary by the High Priest for sin, are burnt outsidethe camp.

Therefore, Jesus also – so that He might Sanctify the people with His own Blood – suffered outside thegate.

Therefore, let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His Reproach, for here we have nocontinuing city, but we seek the One to come.

Therefore, by Him, let us continually offer the Sacrifice of Praise to God – that is: the Fruit of our lips –giving thanks to His Name.

But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t M a t t h e w 5 : 1 4 – 1 9Fa i th fu l D is c ip le s o f Ch r is t a re L ig h t i n t h e S p i r i t u a l D a rk n e s s

At that time, our Lord Jesus said: “...You are the Light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Not do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

“Let your Light so shine before others so that they may see your Good Works and Glorify your Father in Heaven.

§ H ristos Anesti ek nekron, Thanato

Thanaton patistas, ke tis en tis mnimasi, Zoin harisamenos!

§ Christ has Risen from the dead, by Death

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


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“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil.For assuredly, I say to you: until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or tittle will by any means pass from the Law until all is fulfilled.

“Whoever, therefore, breaks one of the least of these Commandments, and teaches others so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever does and teaches them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

“For I say to you, that unless your Righteousness exceeds the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

S t A t h a n a s i o s t h e G r e a t A s c e t i c o f A l e x a n d r i a

St Athanasios, Archbishop of Alexandria, was a great Holy Church Father and a Pillar of Orthodoxy.He had been born around the year 297 in the city of

Alexandria into a family of pious Christians.He received a fine secular education, but he acquired

further knowledge by diligent study of Holy Scripture.In his childhood, the future Hierarch became known to

St Alexander, Patriarch of Alexandria when a group of children, which included the young St Athanasios, was playing on the seashore.

The Christian children decided to Baptize their paganplaymates so having been designated the role of “Bishop” by the other children, St Athanasiosperformed the Baptism, repeating precisely the words of the Holy Mystery as he had heard them somany times in Church.

Having observed the entire scene from a window, thePatriarch requested the children and their parents tobe brought to him and after conversing with thechildren for a while, he determined that the Baptismperformed by them had actually been perfectly doneexactly according to the Church Order.

Consequently, he acknowledged that the Holy Mystery of Baptism was valid and He then Sealed it with theHoly Mystery of Chrismation.

From that moment, the Patriarch supervised the SpiritualEducation of St Athanasios and in due time acceptedhim into the Clergy - at first as a Reader, and thenordained as a Deacon.

As Deacon St Athanasios accompanied Patriarch Alexander to the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea inthe year 325.

At the Council, St Athanasios refuted of the heresy of Arius. His speech met with the approval of theOrthodox Fathers of the Council, but the Arians andtheir secret supporters began to hate St Athanasiosand would continue to persecute him for the rest of his life.

After the Repose of St Alexander, St Athanasios wasunanimously elected as his successor to the See of Alexandria.

However, in all Humility St Athanasios initially refusedthe great responsibility and honour, regardinghimself as most unworthy, but at the insistence of allthe Orthodox populace he finally agreed and wasconsecrated Bishop at the very young age of twenty-eight, and Enthroned as the Patriarch of the Alexandrian Church.

St Athanasios faithfully guided the Holy Church for forty-seven years, during which time he enduredcontinuous persecution and grief from his hereticalantagonists.

Several times they managed to expel him from Alexandria and he would be forced to hide fromthem in desolate places, since they repeatedly triedto kill him.

St Athanasios spent more than twenty years in exile,returning to his beloved Flock, only to be banishedor forced to flee again and again.

There was a time when he was the only truly Orthodox Bishop in the area, since all the other Bishops hadfallen into heresy.

At the false councils of Arian Bishops he was deposed asBishop.

Despite being persecuted for so many years, St Athanasios continued to defend and protect thePurity of the Orthodox Faith by writing countlessletters and tracts against the misguided Arian

heresy. When Julian the Apostate (361-363) began a persecution

against Christians, his wrath first fell upon St Athanasios, whom he considered a great,unshakable Pillar of Orthodoxy.

Emperor Julian intended to murder the faithful Saint inorder to strike a grievous blow against Christianity,but he himself soon perished after being mortally wounded by an arrow during a battle.

Finally, just before he died the Apostate Emperor criedout in despair: "Thou hast conquered, O

Galilean!" After Emperor Julian's death, St Athanasios guided the

Alexandrian Church for seven years until he reposedin our Lord in 373, at the age of seventy-six.

Numerous works of St Athanasios have been preserved:

four Orations against the Arian heresy - an Epistle toEpictetos, Bishop of the Church of Corinth, on theDivine and human Natures of Jesus Christ and fourEpistles to Serapion, Bishop of Thmuis, about theHoly Spirit and His Equality to the Father and theSon, directed against the heresy of Macedonios.

Other apologetic works in defence of Orthodoxy havebeen preserved, among which is the Letter toEmperor Constantios.

St Athanasios wrote commentaries on Holy Scripture,and books of a moral and didactic character, as wellas the Life of St Anthony the Great with whom St Athanasios had had a close relationship.

St John Chrysostom advised every faithful Orthodox Christian to read St Athanasios’ Life of St Anthony the Great.

St Athanasios is also commemorated on 18 January together with St Cyril of Alexandria.

May his memory be Eternal!

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP : “ST ATHANASIOS THE GREAT OF ALEXANDRIA” http://ocafs.oca.org

S t A t h a n a s i o s ’ S e c o n d L e t t e r t o A b b o t O r s i s i u s ....I have heard about the decease of the Blessed

Theodoros... NOW IF IT HAD NOT BEEN HIM, I SHOULD

HAVE USED MANY WORDS, WITH TEARS, CONSIDERING

WHAT FOLLOWS AFTER DEATH. But since it is Theodoros whom you and I have known,

what need I say except: " B LESSED IS T HEODOROS , WHO HAS NOT WALKED IN THE COUNCIL OF THE

UNGODLY .” [CF. PSALM 10:1]

But IF "... HE IS B LESSED WHO FEARS THE LORD...” WE

MAY NOW CONFIDENTLY CALL HIM BLESSED, HAVING

THE FIRM ASSURANCE THAT HE HAS REACHED - AS IT

WERE - A H AVEN, AND HAS A LIFE WITHOUT CARE.

Would that the same had also befallen each of us; would that each of us in our endeavours might thusarrive; WOULD THAT EACH OF US, ON OUR V OYAGE,

MIGHT MOOR OUR OWN BOAT IN THE S TORMLESS

H AVEN, SO THAT , AT R EST WITH THE F ATHERS, WE

MIGHT SAY , ".. HERE WILL I DWELL , FOR I HAVE DELIGHT

THEREIN .” [PSALM 132: 14.] Wherefore, Brethren Beloved and Most Longed-For,

WEEP NOT FOR T HEODOROS, FOR HE "... IS NOT DEAD ,

BUT SLEEPS.” [MATTHEW 9:24] ."LET NONE WEEP when he remembers him, but IMITATE

HIS LIFE. F OR ONE MUST NOT GRIEVE OVER ONE WHO

HAS GONE TO THE P LACE WHERE GRIEF IS NOT .

... now that HE HAS FALLEN ASLEEP , you may ... take hisplace among the Brethren. For while he survived, you two were as one, and when one was away, the Work of both was carried on: and when both werethere you were as one, discoursing to the BelovedOnes what made for their good...

http://www.voskrese.info/spl/athan-ep5758.html


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A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now andforever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen.

Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Ho ly , Mo st Pu re , Mo st Bl es se d an d Gl or io us La dy , Ma ri a, Theo to ko s, ye t Ev er Vi rg in , to ge th er wi th al l th e Sa in ts . An d le t us co mmit ou rs el ve s an d on eanother and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

Apodosis (Leave-tak ing) o f the Holy Myrrh-Bearers

5 May 2 0 1 2

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

S t I r e n e t h e G r e a t H o l y M a r t y r o f T h e s s a l o n i k a

Also the Feast of St Euthymios the Wonder Worker of Maditos - St James the Wonder

Working Abbot of Zhelezny Bor Monastery, Uncovering of Holy Relics - St Ephraim, New

Martyr & Wonder Worker of GreecePaschal Apolyt ikion

A p o ly t ik ion Of S t Ire n e T h e G re a t Ma r ty r ---- T ON E 4 ::::

I rinis ton arhonta, ihnilatousa semni, Irinis Eponimos,di epipnias Theou, edihthis paneffime; si gar tou

polemiou, tas enedras figousa, ithlisas iper fisin, os parthenos fronimi; dio Megalomartis Irini, irinin imin

etise.

T he steps of the Prince of Peace, following O NobleOne, the namesake of Peace, by the prompting of God, thou became O Most Blessed One; for havingescaped the snares of the devil, supremely thoucontended, as a most prudent virgin; wherefore, OGreat Martyr Irene, ask for Peace for all of us!

Pa s ch a l A p o ly t ik ion – H o ly Myrrh -b e a re rs

O evshimon Iosif, apo tou xilou kathelon, to ahranton

Sou Soma, sindoni kathara, ilisas ke aromasin, en Mnimati keno, kidevsas apetheto; alla trimeros

Anestis Kyrie, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos!

T he noble Joseph taking down Thy spotless Body from

the Tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud with sweet spices and laid it for burial in a new tomb; but on thethird day Thou arose, O Lord, granting the world Thy Great Mercy!

A p o ly t ik ion o f a Fe ma le H o ly Ma r tyr

I Amnas Sou Iisou, krazi megali ti foni. Se Nimfie mou

potho, ke Se zitousa athlo, ke sistavroume, ke

sinthaptome to Vaptismo Sou. Ke Pasho dia Se, osVasilefso Sin Si, ke thnisko iper Sou, ina ke ziso enSi. All’ os thisian amomon, prosdehou tin meta

pothou tithisan Si. Aftis presvies, os eleimon, Sosontas psihas imon.

T hy Lamb, O Jesus, cries to Thee with a loud voice: O

my Bridegroom, Thee I Love; and seeking Thee I now

suffer everything in search of Thee, and am crucifiedand buried with Thee in Baptism; and suffer for Thy sake, so that I may reign with Thee, and give my lifefor Thee, that I may Live with Thee; but accept asPure Sacrifiece, the one who desired to give her lifefor you. Through her Intercessions, O Most Compassionate, Save our souls.

P a s c h a l E x a p o s t i l a r i o n o f t h e H o l y M y r r h - b e a r e r s – T O N E 2

Ginekes akoutisthite, Fonin agalliaseos. Tirannon Adin

patisas, fthoras exigira pantas. Dramete Filis ipate,tis emis Evangelia. Voulome gar to plasma Mou,

haran ekithen avgase, ex is exilthen i lipi.

O Women: hearken to the Voice that echoes with Joy.

Trampling on Hades, that tyrant, I raised up all fromcorruption. Run now with hast and tell My FriendsGood Tidings as Evangelists. For I Will that My Creatures see Joy distinctly arising from Women, from whom came sorrow!

K o n t a k i o n O f S t I r e n e T h e G r e a t M a r t y r – T ON E 3

P arthenias kallesi, pepikilmeni Parthene, ke Martion stemmasi, Stefanothisa Irini, emati tou martiriouerrantismeni, thavmasi katastrafthisa ton iamaton,

evsevos Martis edexo, vraveion Nikis tis sis athliseos.

Being fair adorned before with pure and virginal beauty, Thou became fairer still in Thy brave Contest, O Virgin; for when Thou, in Thine own spilt blood, wasstained and reddened, O Irene, Thou overthrew ungodly error. Hence, Thou hast received the Prizesof Thy Good Vict'ry from Thy Creator's right Hand.

T h e A c t s o f t h e H o l y A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 9 : 1 9 - 3 1 The Beginning of S t Paul ’s Holy Missi on

After Saul (St Paul) had received food, he was strengthened. Then he spent some days with the Disciple in Damascus.Immediately HE PREACHED THE CHRIST in the Synagogues – that HE IS THE SON OF GOD. And all who heard, were amazed, and

said: “ Is this not he who destroyed those who called on that Name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the Chief Priests?” But Saul increased all the more in Strength, andconfounded the Hebrews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Now, after many days, were past, the Hebrews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. And they watchedthe gates day and night – to kill him. Then the Disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in alarge basket.

And when Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the Disciples, but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a Disciple. But Barnabas took him to the Apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord onthe road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly in Damascus in the Name of Jesus. So he was with them in Jerusalem, going in and out. And he spoke boldly in the Name of the Lord Jesus and disputedagainst the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.

When the Brethren found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.






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Then THE CHURCHES THROUGHOUT ALL JUDEA , G ALILEE AND S AMARIA HAD P EACE AND WERE EDIFIED. A ND WALKING IN THE F EAR OF THE

LORD AND IN THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT , THEY WERE MULTIPLIED.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 1 5 : 1 7 – 1 6 : 2Our Lord Jesus Christ Warns Us About the Hatred of the Fal len World

At that time our Lord Jesus Christ said: “... These things I command you, that you LOVE ONE ANOTHER. If theworld hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because YOU ARE NOT OF THE WORLD , BUT I CHOSE YOU out of the world, THEREFORE THE

WORLD HATES YOU . Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A SERVANT IS NOT GREATER THAN HIS M ASTER.’ I F THEY PERSECUTED M E , THEY

WILL ALSO PERSECUTE YOU . I F THEY KEPT M Y W ORD , THEY WILL KEEP YOURS ALSO. But all these things they will do to you for My Name’s sake, because THEY DO NOT KNOW H IM W HO SENT M E. If I

had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but NOW THEY HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR THEIR SIN . H E WHO HATES M E , HATES M Y F ATHER ALSO. If I had not done among them the Works that no one else did, theywould have no sin; but NOW THEY HAVE SEEN AND ALSO HATED BOTH M E AND M Y F ATHER.

Yet this happened so that the Word might be fulfilled, which was written in their Law: ‘T HEY HATED M E WITHOUT

A CAUSE.’ And when THE H ELPER COMES – W HOM I SHALL SEND TO YOU FROM THE F ATHER – THE S PIRIT OF T RUTH W HO P ROCEEDS

FROM THE F ATHER – H E WILL T ESTIFY OF M E. And YOU , ALSO , WILL BEAR WITNESS , because you have been with Me from the beginning.

T HESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU , SO THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO STUMBLE. They will put you out of theSynagogues: yes, the time is coming that WHOEVER KILLS YOU WILL THINK THAT HE OFFERS SERVICE TO GOD...”

St Irene the Great & Holy Martyr of ThessalonikaSt Irene was born in the city of Magedon in Persia during

the fourth century. She was the beautiful daughter of the pagan King, Licinius, who was named Penelope.

Her father kept her isolated in a high tower from the ageof six so that she would not be exposed to Christianity.

He also placed thirteen young maidens in the tower withher under the guidance and supervision of an aged

tutor, Apellianos, who was responsible for Penelope’sbest possible education.

However, Apellianos was a Christian, and he secretly taught the young girl about our Saviour and His Divine Teachings, as well as the Acquisition of the Virtues that lead to our Salvation and Eternal Life.

When Penelope reached adolescence, her parents beganto consider a suitable bridegroom for her.

One day, a dove flew through the window carrying an olivebranch in its beak, which it set down upon a table. Then an eagle swooped in with a wreath of flowers inits beak, which was also placed upon the table.

Finally, a raven flew in carrying a snake, which it droppedon the table.

Naturally, Penelope was puzzled by these strange eventsso Apellianos explained that the dove signified hereducation, and the olive branch symbolised the Graceof God, which is received in Holy Baptism. The eagle with the wreath of flowers represented the success of her future life, while the raven and the snake foretoldher impending suffering and sorrow.

Then Apellianos explained that the Lord wished to Betrothher to Himself although Penelope would endure muchsuffering for her Heavenly Bridegroom.

Consequently, Penelope was secretly Baptized by a Priest, Timothy, taking the name of Irene (Peace). She evendared to destroy all her father's household idols, and,having dedicated herself entirely to Christ, sheadamantly refused all the suitors whom her parentschose for her.

When Licinios was informed that his daughter not only refused to worship the pagan gods, but had alsodestroyed them all, he was infuriated to such a degreethat he ordered the executioners to torture her inorder to force her to renounce Christ.

St Irene was tied up and thrown beneath the hooves of wild horses so that they might panic and trample herto death, but the horses stood still and instead of harming the young Martyr, one of the horses suddenly

charged at Licinios, seized his right hand and tore it from his arm. Then it knocked Licinios down andbegan to trample him.

The executioners quickly untied St Irene, and through herFervent Prayers to Christ, her father was able to standup unharmed and with his severed hand once againintact.

Having witnessed such an amazing Miracle, Licinios andhis wife, and many of the gathered multitude, (about 3000 men) believed in Christ and turned from thepagan gods.

Licinios resigned from his administrative duties anddevoted the rest of his life to the Holy Service of ourLord Jesus Christ, while St Irene resided in the homeof her beloved, aged Teacher, Apellianos, from whenceshe preached Christ among the pagans, thereby converting them to the Eternal Life of Salvation.

When Sedecius, the new Governor of Thessalonika, heardof this Great Miracle he summoned Apellianos andquestioned him about St Irene's manner of life.

Apellianos explained that St Irene, like other Christians,lived in strict temperance, devoting herself to constant Prayer and reading Holy Books.

Sedecius summoned St Irene to him and urged her tostop preaching about Christ. He also attempted toforce her to sacrifice to the idols.

However, St. Irene resolutely and boldly confessed herFaith before the Governor, prepared to undergo

Martyrdom for Christ – and, as expected on the orderof Sedecius she was thrown into a pit filled withpoisonous serpents for ten days yet remainedunharmed, for an Angel of the Lord protected her andfed her.

Ascribing her wondrous survival to ‘sorcery,’ Sedececiushad St Irene put through many other unspeakable

tortures, yet, by the Grace of God, she remainedunharmed.

When the torturers tried to saw her in half, the bladesrebounded from her flesh as though from granite, sothey tied her to a mill wheel and tried to drown her but the water flow stopped and the wheel could not beturned so as to submerge her.

Then having been sent to King Sapor, the son of KingSedechias, for further punishment, St Irene’s feet wereshod with nails, a heavy sack of sand was placed uponher back, a bridle was shoved between her jaws andshe was harnessed and led like a beast through thecity and into the countryside. "Truly, I am a beast before Thee, O Lord!" said the Holy Martyr, as she triedto run behind her torturers, until suddenly an Angel of God violently shook the earth, which opened up andswallowed the merciless persecutors.

Through St Irene’s Preaching and Miracles many morepeople were converted to Christ – the True, Living and Almighty God - rejecting the ridiculous worship of inanimate man-made idols.

Sedecius was deposed by his son Savorus, whopersecuted Christians with an even greater zeal thanhis father and when St Irene returned to Magedon, she went to him to beseech him to end the persecution.

When he refused, his entire army was suddenly blindedbut when St Irene offered intercessory Prayers forthem, they gladly recovered their sight. In spite of this, Savorus stubbornly refused to acknowledge theDivine Power of God and due to such insolence, he was instantly struck dead by a bolt of lightning.

St Irene continued her preaching and performed many Miracles, thereby converting over five thousand peopleto Christ.

In Callinicum she was arrested and tortured by beingthrown into three bronze oxen, which were heated tocapacity by fire, yet as she was transferred from one toanother, miraculously she remained uninjured andthousands of witnesses embraced Christianity upon

beholding such a wondrous Event.Sensing the approach of death, Numerian instructed hisEparch Babdonus to continue torturing the Saint inorder to force her to sacrifice to idols and again, by Divine Grace, the cruel tortures were ineffective, andconsequently many more people turned to the reality and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ.

St Irene travelled to Constantina, forty miles northeast of Edessa. By 330, the Persian King Sapor II (309-379)had heard of St Irene's Great Miracles. To prevent herfrom gaining more people for Christ, she wasimmediately arrested, beheaded, and buried.

However, God sent His Angel to raise her up again, andshe went to Mesembria where, seeing her alive andhearing her preach, the local King joyfully acceptedHoly Baptism together with many of his subjects.

St Irene went to Ephesus to continue her Good Work untilthe Lord revealed to her that the end of her life wasapproaching. Accompanied by six people including herformer teacher Apellianos St Irene left the city

precincts and found a new tomb in which no one had yet been buried. After making the Sign of the Cross,she entered, directing her companions to close theentrance to the cave with a large stone, which they did.

Apellianos returned after only two days, and found thestone rolled away and the tomb empty. Thus Godglorified St Irene, who Loved Him and devoted herentire life to serving Him.


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A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and tothe Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen.

Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Ho ly , Mo st Pure , Mo st Bl es se d an dGlorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with allthe Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our

whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

6 May 2 0 1 2

4 t h P a s c h a l S u n d a y T o n e 3

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

AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!!

S u n d a y o f T h e P a r a l y t i c

Also the Feast of St Job the Much Afflicted – St Barbaros the

Soldier, St Bacchos, St Callimachos & St Dionysios of Morea – St

Micah the Disciple of St Sergios of Radonezh – St Savva the First

Archbishop of Serbia – St Seraphim the Holy Ascetic of Lebadeia

Paschal Apolyt ikion

R e ur r e ct i o n A po ly t i k i on – T O N E 3

Evfrenestho ta Ourania, agaliastho ta epigia, oti epiise

Kratos en Vrahioni Aftou O Kyrios. Epatise to

Thanato ton Thanaton.Prototokos ton nekronegeneto. Ek kilias Adou errisato imas ke pareshe tokosmo to Mega Eleos.

Let the Heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad, for the

Lord has shown Strength with His Arm; He hastrampled down Death by Death; He has become theFirst-born of the dead; from the womb of Hades Hehas delivered us, and to the world He has grantedGreat Mercy.

Pa s ch a l Kon ta k ion

I ke en tafo katilthes athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles

tin dinamin; ke Anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos,

Ginexi Miroforis fthengxamenos: Herete! Ke tis sis

Apostolis Irinin doroumenos, O tis pesousi

parehon Anastasin.

A lthough Thou descended in the grave, O Immortal

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

R e s u r r e c t i o n G o s p e l 5 : L u k e 2 4 : 1 2 – 3 5Ou r Ris e n Lord Je s u s A p p e a rs A lon g T h e Roa d T o E mma u s

P r o k e i m e n o n

S i n g Pr ai ses to ou r G o d ! S i n g Pr ai ses to o u r K i n g!

C l ap yo u r h an d s, a l l yo u r Nat i o n s!

The Acts o f the Apost les Accord ing to St Luke 9 : 32 – 42St Peter in Genti le Judea

Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also went down to the Saints who dwelt inLydda. There he found a certain man names Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralysed. AndPeter said to him: “ Aeneas, Jesus the Christ Heals you. Arise, and make you bed .” And he arose immediately.

And all who dwelt in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. At Joppa there was a certain Disciple, named Tabitha, which is translated “ Dorcas.” This woman was full of Good Worksand Charitable Deeds, which she did. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the Disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. Then Peter arose and went withthem.

When he arrived, they took him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him, weeping, showing the tunics andgarments that Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out, and knelt down, and prayed. And turning to the body, he said: “Tabitha, arise!” and she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the Saints and widows, he presented her alive.

And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Lydda is approximately 25 miles northwest of Jerusalemand Sharon was a region north of Lydda along theMediterranean coastline.

T HE TERM “S AINTS” REFERRED TO ALL CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS,for all who believe in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus

Christ with their whole heart AND WHO ARE S ANCTIFIED

BY THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE BY DEFINITION “S AINTS.”

The later use of the term, referring to Holy People wholived particularly exemplary lives and who have beenCanonised (Glorified) by the Holy Church of Christ does not negate this primary meaning.

St Peter was able to completely heal the paralysed AeneasBY INVOKING THE A MAZING DIVINE HEALING P OWER OF

OUR LORD THROUGH HIS HOLY N AME, WHICH CONTINUES

IN CHRIST ’S HOLY CHURCH TO THIS VERY DAY .

The Divine Signs or Miracles of the Holy Apostles of Christ

convinced many witnesses and others who then turnedto the Lord.

T HESE DIVINE SIGNS OR MIRACLES PROVE THE GREAT MERCY

AND P OWER OF A LMIGHTY GOD – THUS CONFIRMING

CHRIST ’S HOLY GOSPEL AND LEADING MANY SOULS TO

SINCERE R EPENTANCE AND E TERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST .






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St Peter’s raising St Tabitha from the dead parallelsChrist’s raising the daughter of the Synagogue Ruler,

Jairus, from death.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 5 : 1 – 1 5Ch r is t ou r Lord & S a v iou r H e a ls th e Pa ra lys e d Ma n a t B e th e s d a

At that time there was a Feast of the Hebrews, and our Lord Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem, by the Sheep Gate, a pool, which is called in Hebrew: ‘ Bethesda,’ having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people: blind, lame and paralysed – waiting for the moving of the water. For an Angel went down at a certaintime into the pool and stirred up the water; then, whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

Now A CERTAIN MAN WAS THERE WHO HAD AN INFIRMITY FOR THIRTY -EIGHT YEARS. When JESUS SAW HIM LYING THERE, AND

KNEW THAT HE ALREADY HAD BEEN IN THAT CONDITION FOR A LONG TIME, He said to him: “Do you want to be madewell?” The sick man answered Him: “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and

while I am going, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him: “ Rise. Take up your bed and walk.” Andimmediately the man was made well, took up his bed and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.

The Hebrews, therefore, said to him who was cured: “ It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” Heanswered them: “He Who made me well said to me: ‘Take up your bed and walk.’” Then they asked him: “Who isthe Man Who said to you: ‘Take up your bed and walk?’” But the one who was healed did not know Who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn – a multitude being in that place.

Afterwards JESUS FOUND HIM in the Temple and said to him: “Behold: you have been made well. SIN NO MORE, LEST A

WORSE THING COME UPON YOU.”

The man departed and told the Hebrews that it was Jesus Who had made him well.

This Divine Healing was the third Sign or Miracle that St John the Divine Apostle recorded in his Holy Gospel.

V IT EXEMPLIFIES THE DIVINE POWER OF CHRIST OUR LORD

TO RESTORE A PERSON TO WHOLENESS – TO FULL

HEALTH, DESPITE THE DEGREE OF AFFLICTION.

The Feast, which is referred to, was the Old Covenant Pentecost – also known as “the Feast of Weeks,” which celebrates the granting of the Divine Law – the Ten Commandments of God – to St Moses on Mount Sinai. (THE REFERENCES TO THE LAW OF MOSES LATER IN THIS CHAPTER

CONFIRM THIS INTERPRETATION OF OUR HOLY CHURCH FATHERS..)

The double-basin Pool of Bethesda, which was believedto have had miraculous curative powers, has beenre-discovered about 100 yards North of the Templearea, near to the Sheep Gate.

The water for this high-ground pool came fromunderground springs and was used to wash theS ACRIFICIAL L AMBS before they WERE SLAUGHTERED

AS BLOOD OFFERINGS FOR THE ATONEMENT AND

FORGIVENESS OF SINS ACCORDING TO THE OLD

COVENANT L AW .

V

T HE P OOL OF BETHESDA FUNCTIONED AS A TYPE OF HOLY B APTISM:

® UNDER THE OLD COVENANT , ALTHOUGH A GREAT

MULTITUDE WAITED to enter the water forphysical healing after an Angel of God hadtouched it and stirred it up, ONLY ONE PERSON

WAS HEALED AT A TIME. The water was special because IN AN INDIRECT MANNER IT

WAS PART OF THE BLOOD SACRIFICES of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, since the sacrificial animals were cleansed in the water.® However, DIVINE GRACE WAS LIMITED TO THE FIRST

PERSON WHO ENTERED THE WATER – BUT NOT TO

THE REST .

V GOD’S NEW COVENANT B APTISM IS GRANTED TO ALL

N ATIONS AS A DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN CHRIST ’S

OWN S ACRIFICIAL DEATH – WITHOUT THE MEDIATION

OF HIS A NGELS.

® Holy Baptism of the New (Bloodless) Covenant GRANTS US ALL HEALING OF THE BODY AND OF

THE IMMORTAL SOUL,

® AS WELL AS THE DIVINE P ROMISE OF E TERNAL

R ESURRECTION OF THE BODY .

Furthermore, DIVINE GRACE OF THE NEW COVENANT IS

INEXHAUSTIBLE AND IS OFFERED TO ALL WHO SEEK IT. V According to St John Chrysostom, OUR LORD JESUS

CHRIST SINGLED OUT THE MAN WHO HAD SUFFERED

FOR THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS – PATIENTLY WAITING TO

BE HEALED – IN ORDER TO TEACH US TO PERSEVERE

AND TO HAVE PATIENCE, WHILE BEING A JUDGEMENT

OR CONDEMNATION AGAINST THOSE WHO LOSE HOPE

OR PATIENCE ALTOGETHER – THOSE WHO DESPAIR –

WHO LOSE ALL HOPE AND FAITH IN GOD’S DIVINE

PROVIDENCE because their circumstances are not according to their own will and desires – andespecially when we have only minor problemsthat can be easily resolved if we make an effort to do so.

V GOD DOES EVERYTHING IN HIS OWN TIME AND

ACCORDING TO HIS OWN DIVINE WILL BECAUSE ONLY

HE KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR US AND HOW TO HELP

US.WE USUALLY HAVE TO CORRECT SOMETHING TO DO WITH OUR OWN PERSONAL

SPIRITUAL CONDITION BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE OR EXPERIENCE GOD’S

DIVINE GRACE AND MERCY:WE NEED TO REPENT OUR SINS, TO HUMBLE OURSELVES, TO LEARN OBEDIENCE TO

GOD, TO FORGIVE OTHERS, TO DO UNSELFISH AND LOVING (CHARITABLE) ACTS OF

MERCY WITHOUT EXCEPTION, LEARN TO BE PATIENT, KIND, GENTLE, GENEROUS,

DEVELOP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND TO FULFIL ALL OUR SACRED DUTIES AND

COMMITMENTS WITH WILLING AND EAGER HEARTS.

V ALTHOUGH IT MAY SEEM STRANGE THAT OUR LORD ASKED

THE PARALYSED MAN IF HE WANTED TO BE HEALED,

IT WAS A MOST RELEVANT QUESTION FOR SEVERAL

REASONS:® It made public the fact that THE SICK MAN KEPT

HIS FAITH EVEN IN A SITUATION THAT WAS

SEEMINGLY HOPELESS, for how could aparalytic ever be the first into the water?

® Our Lord drew attention away from the water andtowards THE NEED WE ALL HAVE FOR THE HELP

AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF OTHERS, WHICH IS

FULFILLED IN CHRIST HIMSELF , Who became

Man in order to heal all ailing and fallenmankind.

® NOT EVERYONE WHO IS ILL ACTUALLY DESIRES

HEALING, for sadly, some prefer to remaininfirm in order to have an excuse or licenceto complain, to avoid any responsibility fortheir lives, or to continue drawing the pity of others!

Although Mosaic Law did not specifically forbid thecarrying of burdens on the Sabbath, it wasprohibited and explicitly forbidden in Rabbinical Teachings.

J e r e m i a h 1 7 : 2 3 The Lord said: “... if you will not hear Me so as to Sanctify the Sabbath Days, and

bear no burdens, nor enter the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath Days, then I will

kindle a fire in her gates. It will consume the streets of Jerusalem and will not be

quenched.” St Jeremiah the Holy Prophet of God delivered the Word

of the Lord which commanded that Israel stop violating the Sabbath Day. The Reward forObedience to God is a gathering of the nations into Jerusalem to offer sacrifice and although this wasdone after the Exile, it was not completely fulfilleduntil the Gentiles joined the procession on the Day of Pentecost.

The Truth that Christ is Lord over the Sabbath is madeclear by His Command to the Paralytic and by theman’s unhesitating Obedience to Him.

As is often the case in the Holy Gospel according to St John, “ HEBREWS” REFERS TO THE LEADERS - and not to

the people in general – WHOSE MALICE IS QUITE

EVIDENT BECAUSE THEY FOCUSED SOLELY ON THE

“VIOLATION” OF THE SABBATH RATHER THAN ON THE

GREAT MIRACLE OF THE LONG-SUFFERING PARALYTIC.V THE GENUINE AND PROFOUND FAITH OF THE MAN IS

DEMONSTRATED BY HIS IMMEDIATELY GOING TO THE


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TEMPLE TO OFFER HIS HEARTFELT THANKSGIVING

AND WORSHIP, instead of going home, oranywhere else to show off his healed body.

Furthermore, ALL MIRACULOUS HEALINGS HAD TO BE

CONFIRMED BY THE TEMPLE PRIESTS, FOLLOWED BY

VARIOUS CLEANSING AND SACRIFICIAL RITES ACCORDING

TO MOSAIC LAW.

While there is a general connection between sin andsuffering, this connection is not always one to one,for the innocent often suffer while the guilty seem tobe spared earthly consequences.

Nevertheless, OUR SINS USUALLY LEAD DIRECTLY TO MOST OF THE SUFFERING OF THIS WORLD – OUR OWN

SUFFERING AND – EVEN WORSE - THE SUFFERING OF

OTHERS DUE TO OUR SELFISH OR THOUGHTLESS

ACTIONS.

Christ’s dire warning: “Sin no more...” was NOT ONLY

ADDRESSED TO THE HEAL MAN, BUT TO EACH AND EVERY

ONE OF US!

V SIN CAUSES SPIRITUAL DEATH, WHICH ONLY REPENTANCE

CAN RESOLVE BY RETURNING US TO SPIRITUAL LIFE

IN CHRIST.

® However, IF WE STUBBORNLY REFUSE TO

ACKNOWLEDGE, CONFESS AND REPENT OUR SINS

THEY WILL DESTROY OUR SOUL – leading to a far worse consequence than any terrible, painfulor disabling affliction of the body!

Our only hope is to RESIST ALL TEMPTATION AND SIN BY

BESEECHING THE LORD OUR GOD FOR HIS DIVINE

STRENGTH AND ASSISTANCE. THE HEALED PARALYTIC DID NOT REPORT OUR LORD JESUS

TO THE HEBREW LEADERS IN A MALICIOUS MANNER BUT

AS A WITNESS OF CHRIST’S ABSOLUTE GOODNESS, foreven though those misguided leaders were only interested in the violation of the Sabbath, therestored man emphasised that it was our Lord Jesus Who had healed him, without saying anything about carrying his bed – i.e. WITHOUT BLAMING CHRIST FOR

CAUSING HIM TO BREAK THE SABBATH.

F o u r t h P a s c h a l S u n d a y – o f t h e P a r a l y t i c a t B e t h e s d a P o o l"H E HAS SHOWN YOU , O MAN , WHAT IS GOOD ; and what does the Lord require of you but to DO JUSTLY , to LOVE

M ERCY , and to WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD." (MICAH 6:8)

Just as when a child is born and must develop properly,

and eventually learn to walk, THE CHRISTIAN MUST ALSO

LEARN TO “ ...WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD...” – an

expression that emphasises how F AITH MEANS HAVING A

CLOSE, PERSONAL R ELATIONSHIP WITH A LMIGHTY GOD.ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY IS not about a list of “do’s and

don’ts,” but rather about GROWING IN A LOVING

R ELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR CREATOR AND HIS

CREATION – AN INTIMATE R ELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR

DIVINE F ATHER AND HIS CHILD.

Furthermore walking humbly also implies that this is to be

A R ELATIONSHIP THAT IS CONSTANTLY MOVING FORWARD and as we continue our Journey, BECOMING CLOSER

AND CLOSER TO GOD THROUGH OUR SPIRITUAL M ATURITY

AND E XPERIENCE. We do not regard a two year old child as being “immature”

when he plays because that is what toddlers do. Yet by the time that youngster reaches adulthood, hisbehaviour should have changed as dramatically as hiscontinually maturing body.

And GOD WANTS TO TRANSFORM OUR LIFE so the more we walk with God, the more OUR HEARTS CHANGE and ourportraits of hurt are eventually replaced by landscapesof Mercy; walls of anger are demolished and shaky foundations become stable and firmly grounded.

I T IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO REALLY WALK WITH GOD YET

REMAIN UNCHANGED.

Today we hear about someone who could not walk at alluntil he was confronted by our Lord Jesus Christ.

For 38 long and painful years the Paralytic had beenunable to do anything freely and independently of others – and even those who had helped him beforeseem to have abandoned him where he lay.

Although the question that our Lord put to him seemsutterly inappropriate and most peculiar: “Do you

want to be made well?” and the answer seemsobvious, in reality, IT IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT QUESTION

BECAUSE IF WE SINCERELY WISH TO WALK WITH GOD, IT

REQUIRES OUR OWN PERSONAL CHOICE – OUR FREE WILL –and this Paralytic had to make his own decision

because GOD NEVER FORCES HIS DIVINE W ILL ON

ANYONE.For 38 years the Paralytic had relied on the compassion,

kindness and assistance of others for his daily survivalbut if he were made well HE WOULD HAVE TO EARN HIS

LIVING FOR THE FIRST TIME – HE WOULD HAVE TO ACCEPT

HIS PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES. There are certain people who would rather suffer a painful

affliction and be dependent on others – and, no doubt accept financial and material assistance - rather thanbeing healthy enough to do an honest day’s work and

fulfil their personal responsibilities.Now this particular Paralytic who had waited for a Divine

Miracle for so long at the Pool of Bethesda no longerhad any excuse to avoid taking on his commitmentsdue to his incapacity.

Similarly, CHRIST PUTS THE EXACT SAME QUESTION TO US:

“ Do you want to be made well?” Quite often people do not want to make the choices

required in order to improve their physical and

spiritual circumstances and consequences.W E ALL TOO OFTEN CHOOSE NOT TO R EPENT OUR SINS – OR

EVEN TO RECOGNISE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEM – because we enjoy the instant self-gratification that has no long-

term benefit, in THE MISGUIDED BELIEF THAT WE CAN

R EPENT “LATER !”

W E PREFER TO HOLD GRUDGES AGAINST OTHERS EVEN THOUGH

WE ARE AWARE HOW MUST PAIN WE CAUSE – to others as well as to ourselves.

W E ALL WANT TO BE MADE WELL, YET WE ARE NOT PREPARED

TO UNDERTAKE WHATEVER IS REQUIRE OF US in order tobe restored to full physical and spiritual health.

Spiritually aching and alienated from God due to our own

unrepented sins, WE FEEL UTTERLY ‘EMPTY ’ AND HAVE NO

WISH TO TURN TO GOD IN P RAYER .

We say we want to be closer to God and that we have a

desire to develop our Unity with Him, yet WE REFUSE

TO WALK HUMBLY WITH HIM.

W E ARE ENSNARED BY OUR STUBBORN WILFULNESS AND

RIDICULOUS EXCUSES, ALWAYS READY TO BLAME OTHERS

OR VARIOUS UNRELATED SITUATIONS FOR OUR DEEP

UNHAPPINESS AND HURT .

HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE MAKES OUR R EPENTANCE-

CONFESSION POSSIBLE, which subsequently restoresour souls to a good state, and enables us to truly walk humbly with Christ.

However, WE NEED TO CHANGE – WE NEED TO BE

T RANSFORMED BY A GAPE – DIVINE, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

- SO THAT WE CAN REJECT EVERY OBSTACLE THAT MIGHT

HINDER OUR LIFE IN CHRIST .

SINCERE SELF -EXAMINATION – A DEEP SEARCH OF OUR INNER

BEING – WILL REVEAL WHATEVER BLOCKS OR REPELS OUR CLOSE INTIMATE UNION WITH GOD: an obsession with wealth, and/or possessions, a time-consumingoccupation that keeps us from our duties to God andour fellow man, a destructive personal habit or theassociation with ungodly or wicked people whoinfluence us detrimentally... the list is endless.

Nevertheless, we have to make a conscious effort tochoose to walk humbly with God instead of “doing ourown thing.”

Although we do not like others to have authority or powerover us, OUR BLESSED LIFE IN CHRIST IS ONLY POSSIBLE

THROUGH OUR COMPLETE SUBMISSION TO THE DIVINE

W ILL AND LORDSHIP OF OUR S AVIOUR , JESUS CHRIST .

And only when we can say with every fibre of our being: “O

Lord, let it be according to Thy Will and not

mine!” that we find True Peace and Joy.SPIRITUAL F REEDOM MEANS THAT WE NO LONGER MAKE EVEN

THE SLIGHTEST EXCUSE. W E STRIVE TO ALWAYS BE

COMPLETELY HONEST AND ACCEPT OUR RESPONSIBILTIES

WITHOUT HESITATION OR FAILURE.


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Satan always has an endless supply of worthless excusesfor us to use but the big question is simple andstraightforward: “Do you really want to be made

well?” W ALKING WITH GOD AND LIVING IN CHRIST REQUIRES THE

COMBINED, INSEPARABLE V IRTUES OF HUMILITY AND

OBEDIENCE, WHICH MAKES OTHER V IRTUES POSSIBLE. Without these Virtues, we are unable to make any Spiritual

Progress whatsoever because we must be eager and willing to Obey the Lord our God, which requires utter

Humility to achieve and because OUR PRIDEFUL EGOS

ARE THE ROOT CAUSE OF ALL SPIRITUAL DOWNFALL AND

DEATH!

E VERY DIVINE MIRACLE IS LINKED TO OBEDIENCE: the man with the withered hand stretched out his hand and washealed; the man born without eyes struggled all the way to the Pool of Siloam to wash, and he receivedsight; the 5000 families were fed with a child’s littlelunch of 5 small rolls and two sardines; the ten lepers went off to show themselves to the Priests and werehealed... the Miraculous Accounts are innumerable andcontinuous.

Whenever anyone is Healed, THE PERSON CONCERNED HAS

OBEYED THE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST , AND TRUSTED

HIM IMPLICITLY – WITHOUT HESITATION OR ARGUMENT –

AND CONSEQUENTLY RECEIVED GOD’S W ONDERFUL

BLESSINGS. We all want God to work in our lives but HE IS WAITING FOR

US TO ACT IN ALL HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE TO THE

INSTRUCTIONS HE HAS ALREADY GIVEN TO US – i.e. wealready know what is required of us, but WE HAVE NOT

YET BEGUN TO OBEY HIM DUE TO OUR PRIDE AND

SPIRITUAL S TUBBORNNESS.

CHRIST HAS TAUGHT US TO FORGIVE those who hurt us andhate us, but we remain unforgiving.

CHRIST HAS TAUGHT US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER – INCLUDING

OUR ENEMIES – but we remain resentful, angry and evenfilled with hatred- always ready with any excuse toavoid our Sacred Duties to God and our neighbours.

W E CANNOT EXPERIENCE HIS LOVING P RESENCE AND

INDWELLING WHEN WE ARE IN SUCH A STATE OF SPIRITUAL

DEATH!

CHRIST OUR S AVIOUR HAS TAUGHT US TO TRUST HIM AND TO

OBEY HIM AND TO PURSUE EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD AND

HOLY – and to avoid or reject everything that is wicked,harmful and hateful.

GOD’S COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT BURDENSOME. He does not

give us a long list of restrictions that make our lifedifficult, but rather He teaches us everything that enables us to grow close to Him – TO REGAIN OUR LOST

DIVINE LIKENESS as He has created us to be.

Our Lord God wants only the best for us and He wants to walk with us through this preparatory period, but Hedoes ask us to walk obediently with Him.

As we Journey towards Eternity, we will often beconfronted by those who oppose us, and those who will tempt us into wandering off God’s Path of Righteousness.

W ITH EVERY TEMPTATION, WE HAVE THE CHOICE OF

SURRENDERING TO IT OR RESISTING IT .

“... to H IM W HO IS ABLE TO KEEP YOU FROM STUMBLING AND

TO PRESENT YOU FAULTLESS before the Presence of His Glory with exceeding Joy...” (JUDE 24)

GOD NOT ONLY FORGIVES US OUR PAST ERRORS BUT THROUGH

THE WONDERFUL P OWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN US,

HE KEEPS US FROM STUMBLING AND FALLING INTO A STATE

OF PERMANENT SPIRITUAL DEATH!

Some time after having healed the Paralytic, our Lord Jesus sought him out at the Temple and cautionedhim: “... Sin no more, lest a worse thing come

upon you!” (JOHN 5 : 14)

This does not imply that the man had been paralysed dueto some past personal sin, but instead, OUR

COMPASSIONATE AND LOVING LORD JESUS CHRIST

WARNED HIM AGAINST COMMITTING FURTHER SINS THAT

WOULD CAUSE HIS E TERNAL CONDEMNATION AND

A LIENATION FROM GOD AND ALL GOOD T HINGS.

So the more we STRIVE FOR HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE, themore we are able to truly walk humbly with Godthrough the days of our lifespan, until we reach ourultimate destination – Eternity – and, hopefully, EternalLife in His Heavenly Kingdom.

And THE MORE WE S TRUGGLE TO REMAIN CLOSE TO THE LORD

OUR GOD, THE LESS WE WILL STUMBLE AND FALL. As Orthodox Christians – as faithful Disciples of Christ our

Beloved Lord and Master – WE HAVE WITHIN US THE

HEART OF CHRIST GOD, so we need to ask ourselvesconstantly: is that Divine, Pure Heart showing? As wetry to walk humbly with God, can others see us and join us?

How is your walk with Christ this morning?

A RE YOU READY , WILLING AND ABLE TO ANSWER WHEN CHRIST

CONFRONTS YOU and asks you directly: “Do you want

to be made well?” All Glory, Honour and Worship, to the Father, and to the

Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the Ages of Ages.

Amen

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: SERMON BY FR. DANIEL SWIRES -

HTTP://WWW.HOLYCROSSOHIO.ORG

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

S t . H e s y c h i o s t h e P r i e s t W E SHOULD OF OUR OWN FREE CHOICE GLADLY CUT OFF OUR

WHOLE WILL THROUGH OBEDIENCE. In this way, WITH

GOD'S HELP , WE SHALL BECOME TO SOME DEGREE

TRACTABLE AND FREE FROM SELF -WILL.It is good to acquire this art, for then our bile will not be

aroused and WE SHALL NOT EXCITE OUR INCENSIVE

POWER UNNATURALLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY , AND SO BE

DEPRIVED OF COMMUNION WITH GOD IN OUR UNSEEN

W ARFARE.

IF WE DO NOT VOLUNTARILY CUT OFF OUR SELF -WILL, IT WILL

BECOME ENRAGED WITH THOSE WHO TRY TO COMPEL US TO

CUT IT OFF ; and then our incensive power will become

abusively aggressive and so destroy that Knowledge of the Warfare which we have gained only after great effort.

T HE INCENSIVE POWER BY NATURE IS PRONE TO BE

DESTRUCTIVE.If it is turned against demonic thoughts it destroys them;

but IF IT IS ROUSED AGAINST PEOPLE IT THEN DESTROYS

THE GOOD THOUGHTS THAT ARE IN US.

In other words, THE INCENSIVE POWER , ALTHOUGH GOD-

GIVEN AS A W EAPON OR A BOW AGAINST EVIL, CAN BE

TURNED THE OTHER WAY AND USED TO DESTROY GOOD

THOUGHTS AS WELL, for it destroys whatever it isdirected against ." (THE PHILOKALIA VOL. 1; FABER AND FABER PG. 167):

S t D o r o t h e o s o f G a z a"Listen to what the Lord Himself tells us: 'LEARN OF ME ,

for I Am Meek and Humble of heart AND YOU SHALL

FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.' (MATTHEW 11:29).

There you have it in a nutshell: HE HAS TAUGHT US THE

ROOT AND CAUSE OF ALL EVILS AND ALSO THE REMEDY FOR

IT , leading to all good. He shows us that PRETENSIONS TO SUPERIORITY CAST US DOWN and that IT IS IMPOSSIBLE

TO OBTAIN MERCY EXCEPT by the contrary, that is tosay, BY HUMILITY .

Self-elevation begets contempt and disobedience begetsperdition whereas HUMILITY BEGETS OBEDIENCE AND THE

SAVING OF SOULS. And I call that real Humility which is

NOT HUMBLE IN WORD AND OUTWARD APPEARANCE BUT IS

DEEPLY PLANTED IN THE HEART ; for this is what He

meant when He said that 'I Am Meek and Humbleof heart.'"(DISCOURSES AND SAYINGS; CISTERCIAN PUBLICATIONS PG. 81):


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A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, andunto the Ages of ages. Amen.

Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Holy , Mo st Pu re , Mo st Bl es se d an d Gl or io us La dy , Ma ri a, Th eo to ko s, ye t Ev er Vi rg in , to ge th er wi th al l th e Sa in ts . An d le t us co mm it ou rs el ve s an d on e an ot he r an d ou r wh ol e Li fe to

Christ our God. Amen.

Apodosis o f the Paraly t i c 8 May 2012


S t J o h n t h e D i v i n e T h e o l o g i a n & B e l o v e d A p o s t l e o f C h r i s t

Also the Feast of St Tamara the Queen – St Arsenios the Great – St Pimen the Faster of KievFar Caves – St Arsenios the Lover of Labor of Kiev Far Caves Monastery


R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n – T ON E 3

Evfrenestho ta Ourania, agaliastho ta epigia, oti epiise

Kratos en Vrahioni Aftou O Kyrios. Epatise toThanato ton Thanaton.Prototokos ton nekron

egeneto. Ek kilias Adou errisato imas ke pareshe tokosmo to Mega Eleos.

Let the Heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad, for the

Lord has shown Strength with His Arm; He hastrampled down Death by Death; He has become the

First-born of the dead; from the womb of Hades Hehas delivered us, and to the world He has grantedGreat Mercy.

A p o l y t i k i o n O f S t J o h n T h e D i v i n e T h e o l o g i i a n & A p o s t l e O f C h r i s t

A postole Hristo to Theo igapimene, epitahinon, rise laon

anapologiton. Dehete se prospiptonta, O epipesonta

to stithi katadexamenos. On iketeve, Theologe, keepimonon nefos ethnon diaskedase, etoumenos imin

irinin, ke to Mega Eleos.

O Apostle, Speaker of Divinity, the Beloved of Christ

God, hasten and deliver Thy people powerless inargument; for He on Whose Bosom Thou leant accepts Thee as an Intercessor. Beseech Him, onour behalf for Peace and His Great Mercy.

K o n t a k i o n o f S t J o h n t h e D i v i n e T h e o l o g i a n & A p o s t l e

T a Megalia Sou Parthene, is diigisete? Briis gar

Thavmata, ke pigazis iamata, ke presvis iper ton

psihon imon, OS THEOLOGOS KE FILOS HRISTOU.

W ho can describe Thy Magnificence, O Virgin? Thou

pour out Miracles and Thou overflow with cures, and Thou Intercede on behalf of our souls, AS A

THEOLOGIAN AND FRIEND OF CHRIST.

T h e F i r s t U n i v e r s a l E p i s t l e o f S t J o h n t h e D i v i n e 1 : 1 – 7

T h e In car n a t i on o f t h e W ord & S on o f G odBrethren, THAT WHICH WAS FROM THE BEGINNING, WHICH WE HAVE HEARD, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN WITH OUR OWN EYES, WHICH WE

HAVE LOOKED UPON, AND WITH OUR HANDS HAVE TOUCHED, CONCERNING THE W ORD OF LIFE – the Life was manifested, and

we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you THAT E TERNAL LIFE THAT WAS WITH THE F ATHER AND WHICH WAS

MANIFESTED TO US – that which we have seen and heard, we declare to you, so that you also may have Fellowship withus; and truly, our Fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

And these things we write to you so that your Joy may be full. This is the MESSAGE THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM HIM AND

DECLARE TO YOU, THAT GOD IS LIGHT AND IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL.

If we say that we have Fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the Truth. But IF WE WALK IN

THE LIGHT AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT , WE HAVE F ELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER , AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON

CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN.

Contrary to heretics who claim communion directly with

God through “spiritual” (non-material) means, S T

JOHN THE DIVINE T HEOLOGIAN AND BELOVED

A POSTLE OF CHRIST TAUGHT US COMMUNION WITH

GOD THROUGH

HIS

INCARNATE

SON

–ESPECIALLY WITH

REGARD TO THE HOLY EUCHARIST – the Body andBlood of Christ – where the physicality of Christ isrepulsive to the heretics.

The term “we” is a reference to THE HOLY A POSTLES OF

CHRIST WHOSE T ESTIMONY IS T RUE – unlike that of

the false apostles.W HILE S T JOHN THE DIVINE T HEOLOGIAN MADE A

DISTINCTION BETWEEN DIVINE R EVELATION (“...which

was from the beginning... the Word of Life...” AND

HUMAN SENSORY PERCEPTION (“... heard... seen...

looked upon... touched ...”), HE HAD NO PROBLEM

CONNECTING THEM.

NOTE S T JOHN’S CLARITY OF T EACHING WITH REGARD TO

CHRIST ’S TWO N ATURES: DIVINE “... from the

beginning... the Word of Life...” AND HUMAN: “...

heard... seen... touched .” When St John mentioned “... which was from the

beginning ...” he touched upon THE GENERATION

WITHOUT BEGINNING OF GOD THE SON W HO IS CO-

EXISTENT WITH GOD THE F ATHER .

“Was” therefore, indicates E TERNITY W ITHOUT

BEGINNING, JUST AS GOD THE W ORD HIMSELF , THE

SON OF GOD, BEING ONE WITH GOD THE F ATHER IN

REGARD TO EQUALITY OF SUBSTANCE, IS E TERNAL AND

UNCREATED.

That THE W ORD AND SON OF GOD ALWAYS EXISTED is

signified by the words: “ In the beginning was theWord...” b T HE DIVINITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS

REVEALED IN HIS LIFE ON EARTH – ESPECIALLY

THROUGH HIS DIVINE T EACHING AND MIRACLES.

“ Koinonia” is FAR MORE THAT SIMPLY F ELLOWSHIP . IT IS

OUR PERSONAL PARTICIPATION WITH OTHER BELIEVERS

IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST . (W E LIVE IN CHRIST .)

“ Fellowship with us,” refers to COMMUNION – ESPECIALLY

EUCHARISTIC COMMUNION – WITHIN THE HOLY ,

A POSTOLIC CHURCH OF CHRIST .

I T WAS INCONCEIVABLE TO S T JOHN THE DIVINE THAT THE

HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST COULD NOT BE ONE AND

UNITED OR THAT F ELLOWSHIP COULD NOT BE FOUNDED

UPON HOLY DOCTRINE – THE T HEOLOGICAL

IMPLICATION OF “... W ITH THE F ATHER AND WITH H IS

SON , J ESUS C HRIST ...” A ND ON THE HOLY

M YSTERIES /S ACRAMENTS – THE LITURGICAL

IMPLICATION OF K OINONIA.

For St John the Divine Theologian, LIGHT IS DIVINE

ENERGY MANIFESTED OR REVEALED AS T RUTH – GOD’S

T RUTH – T RUE DOCTRINE /T EACHING, V IRTUE AND






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HOLINESS – T RUE BEHAVIOUR – AND COMMUNION WITH

GOD IN HIS HOLY CHURCH – T RUE SPIRITUALITY .

b T HE STRONGEST OF ALL W EAPONS AGAINST SPIRITUAL

D ARKNESS IS OUR LOVE FOR GOD – A STRONG,

VIBRANT R ELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

St John addressed three false gnostic teachings onLight. Their intertwined errors are that :

1. Union with God is indifferent to sin! T HE T RUTH IS THAT F AITH MUST BE EVIDENCED BY GOOD

W ORKS – F AITH MUST PRODUCE P URITY - “PRACTISE THE

T RUTH” – WHERE T RUTH IS A R IGHT R ELATIONSHIP WITH

GOD MANIFESTED IN A HOLY AND R IGHTEOUS LIFE IN

CHRIST . AND F AITH MUST SEEK F ORGIVENESS ANDCLEANSING OF SIN – “... the Blood of Jesus

Christ... Cleanses us from all sin.” 2. Sin does not exist!

T HE T RUTH IS THAT SIN DOES MOST CERTAINLY EXIST , AND

THE PRACTISE OF R EPENTANCE-CONFESSION IS THE

ESTABLISHED BASIS FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH TOWARDS

R IGHTEOUSNESS 3. One in union with God cannot sin!

The Truth is THAT ALTHOUGH WE CONTINUALLY SIN TO A

GREATER OR LESSER DEGREE, WE SHOULD MAKE EVERY

EFFORT TO RESIST TEMPTATION AND STRIVE

CONSTANTLY TO REPENT THE SINS WE COMMIT .

SALVATION IN CHRIST IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS, in part

towards Theosis – i.e REGAINING OUR LIKENESS TO

GOD IN W HOSE IMAGE AND LIKENESS WE WERE

CREATED – meaning that we DEVELOP SPIRITUAL

S TRENGTH THAT RESISTS TEMPTATIONS.

THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THIS LIFE IS TO REGAIN - TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY -

OUR LIKENESS TO GOD SO THAT WE ARE FITTING CITIZENS FOR HIS ETERNAL

KINGDOM OF LOVE.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l o f S t J o h n 1 9 : 2 5 - 2 8 ; 2 1 : 2 4 - 2 5 T h e C ar e O f T he Ev er B le s s e d T h eo t ok os & C on f ir m a t ion O f T h e T r u t h O f S t J oh n ’ s H o ly G os pe l

At that time there stood by the Cross of Jesus His Mother, and His Mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus therefore saw His Mother, and the Disciple whom He Loved standing by, He said to His Mother: “Woman: behold thy son!” Then He said to the Disciple: “Behold, thy Mother!” And from that hour that Disciple took herto his own home...

This is the Disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is True. Andthere are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the worlditself could not contain the books that would be written.

Amen.

In this passage, which is read on the Feast of St Johnthe Divine Theologian and Apostle of Christ,SEVERAL IMPORTANT T RUTHS CONCERNING THE E VER

BLESSED T HEOTOKOS – THE E VER V IRGIN MOTHER OF

GOD, M ARY – ARE EVIDENT :

b By calling the Ever Blessed Theotokos “Woman,”

OUR LORD USED A TERM OF DIGNITY AND

AFFECTION. Contrary to certain modern usages,this is a Sacred Title in Holy Scripture. It is anaddress conveying deep respect and distinction.

b By saying to St John, His Beloved Apostle: “ Behold

thy Mother!” OUR LORD SYMBOLICALLY

ESTABLISHED THE A LL P URE V IRGIN M ARY ’S R OLE

AS MOTHER OF ALL F AITHFUL DISCIPLES OF

CHRIST IN EVERY GENERATION.

b IF OUR E VER BLESSED L ADY HAD HAD OTHER NATURALCHILDREN, CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PLACE

HER IN THE CARE OF S T JOHN AND HIS FAMILY –

their close and most trusted relatives.He would not have insulted other siblings.However, the “sons” and “daughters” who are

mentioned in conjunction with the Blessed Virginare in fact her cousins – the children of her lateaunt Salome (sister of St Anna) and her legalguardian, St Joseph the Betrothed.

W HEN THE T EMPLE P RIESTS PLACED THE YOUNG,

PUBESCENT M ARY INTO THE PROTECTIVE GUARDIANSHIP

OF S T JOSEPH THE BETROTHED, HE WAS IN HIS LATE

EIGHTIES AND WAS A MOST R IGHTEOUS MAN WHOM THE

P RIESTS KNEW COULD BE TRUSTED TO PROTECT THE

CHASTITY OF THE YOUNG MAIDEN AND HER FELLOW

VIRGIN COMPANIONS.SHE HAD TAKEN A V OW OF CHASTITY FROM EARLY

CHILDHOOD and because V OWS WERE SO S ACRED AND

COULD NOT BE BROKEN, God chose her elderly uncle

to protect her and take care of her since her ownfamily had long since passed away.

SHE IS OBLIQUELY REFERRED TO IN THE HOLY GOSPELS AS

BEING “THE MOTHER OF J OSES” OR J AMES, OR JUDE,

etc. The children of St Joseph the Betrothed and his late

wife, Salome, were St James the Just (Adelphotheos), Jude, Joses, St Salome, (mother of St John the Divine Theologian and Apostle and St James (the Lesser) and Holy Myrrh-bearer) andanother daughter whose name is uncertified.

So, until her repose in Peace, several years later, theEver Blessed Theotokos lived with her cousin,Salome, and her family.

T HE A POSTOLIC T EACHING THAT THE E VER BLESSED

V IRGIN T HEOTOKOS MAINTAINED HER V OW OF CELIBACY THROUGHOUT HER LIFE IS CONFIRMED BY

CHRIST ’S ACTION.

b CHRIST DEMONSTRATED BY HIS OWN E XAMPLE THAT

WE MUST “... EVEN TO OUR LAST BREATHE...” SHOW

EVERY CARE FOR OUR PARENTS.

In those days, and even in certain cultures to this day, when a woman was no longer protected by a malerelative, all her possessions were taken from herand she would be cast out, homeless, destitute andat the mercy of everyone else.

Christ’s Compassion for these women was clearly evident when He resurrected the Widow of Nain’sson.

S T JOHN THE DIVINE T HEOLOGIAN AND A POSTLE OF

CHRIST HAD ALSO TAKEN A V OW OF CELIBACY AND

REMAINED CELIBATE HIS ENTIRE LIFE, HAVING DEVOTED

HIMSELF ENTIRELY TO THE HOLY SERVICE OF GOD.He was the only Holy Apostle of Christ to eventually

repose peacefully – over 100 years of age, while theothers had all suffered Holy Martyrdom.

T h e I n s p i r e d , E t e r n a l W i s d o m o f o u r H o l y C h u r c h F a t h e r sSt Leo th e Grea t"It is not enough to know the Son of God in the

Father's Nature only, unless WE ACKNOWLEDGE HIM

IN WHAT IS OURS - WITHOUT WITHDRAWAL OF WHAT IS

HIS OWN.

FOR THAT SELF-EMPTYING, WHICH HE UNDERWENT FOR

MAN'S RESTORATION, WAS THE DISPENSATION OF

COMPASSION, NOT THE LOSS OF POWER.

For, although BY THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD THEREWAS '...NO OTHER N AME UNDER H EAVEN GIVEN TO

MEN WHEREBY THEY MUST BE S AVED ' , THE

INVISIBLE MADE HIS SUBSTANCE VISIBLE, THE

INTEMPORAL TEMPORAL, THE IMPASSABLE PASSABLE:

NOT THAT POWER MIGHT SINK INTO WEAKNESS, butTHAT WEAKNESS MIGHT PASS INTO INDESTRUCTIBLE

POWER." (ACTS 4:12) (THE NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS: SECOND

SERIES VOL. XII; EERDMANS PGS. 185-186):

St Mark th e Asce t i c"OUR FUTURE REWARD IS MADE MANIFEST THROUGH THE

IMPULSES OF THE HEART. A MERCIFUL HEART WILL

RECEIVE MERCY, while a merciless heart willreceive the opposite." (THE PHILOKALIA VOL. 1; FABER AND FABER

PG. 112):


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Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Ho ly , Mo st Pure , Mo st Bl es se d an d Gl or io us La dy , Ma ri a, Th eo to ko s, ye t Ev er Vi rg in , to ge th er wi th al l th e Sa in ts . An d le t us co mm it ou rs el ve s an d on e an ot he r an d ou r


9 M ay 2 0 1 2


M i d P e n t e c o s t W e d n e s d a y

Also the Feast of St Isaiah, Holy Prophet of God – St Shio the Anchorite of Georgia –

St Christopher, St Callinike & St Aquilina of Lycia – St Nicholas of Myra, Translation of

Holy Relics – St Joseph of Optina


A p o l y t i k i o n O f M i d – P e n t e c o s t – T ON E (8 ) P LA G A L 4 :

M esousis tis Eortis, disosan mou tin psihin, efsevias

potison namata; oti pasi Sotir evoisas: O dispasonerhestho pros me ke pineto. I Pigi tis Zois, Hriste

O Theos imon Doxa Si.

Halfway to the Feast, refresh my thirsty soul with flowing

Streams of Piety; for Thou, O Saviour, cried to all: Those who thirst, come to Me and drink! OFountain of Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee!

K o n t a k i o n O f M i d - P e n t e c o s t

T is Eortis tis nomikis mesazousis, O Ton apanton Piitis

ke Despotis, pros tous parontas eleges Hriste O

Theos. Defte ke arisasthe, idor athanasias. Othen Si prospiptomen, ke Pistos ekvoomen. Tousiktirmous Sou dorise imin. Si gar iparhis Pigi tis zois

imon.

W hen the Paschal Feast was half-completed, O the

Creator of all and their Master, Thou said to those

present, O Christ our God: Come to Me and draw

now, the Water that is Immortal. Wherefore, wefall down before Thee and cry out in Faith: Thy Great Mercies grant to us; for Thou art indeed, theFount of our lives.

T h e A c t s o f t h e A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 1 4 : 6 – 1 8 T h e C h u r c h o f C h r i s t i n I c o n i u m , G a l a t i a

Brethren: When a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Hebrews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone the

Apostles, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And they preached the Gospel there. And in Lystra a certain man was sitting, who had no strength in his feet– a cripple from his mother’s womb – who had

never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently, and seeing that he had Faith to beHealed, said with a loud voice: “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leapt and walked.

Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language: “The gods

have come down to us in the likeness of men!” And Barnabas they called ‘Zeus,’ and Paul, ‘Hermes,’ since he wasthe chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, took oxen and garlands to thegates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

But when the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard this, they tore their clothing and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying: “ Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to

you so that you should turn from these useless things to the Living God , Who made the Heavens, the earth,

the sea, and all things that are in them; Who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.“Nevertheless, He did not leave Himself without Witness, in that He did Good: He gave us rain from heaven and fruitful

seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”

And with these sayings, they could scarcely retain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

According to St John Chrysostom, THE UNFITTING PRAISE

OF THE L YCAONIANS WAS “... A CONTRIVANCE OF THE

DEVIL...” WHO TRIED TO LEAD THE PEOPLE TO A NEW

FORM OF IDOLATRY AS WELL AS TRYING TO TEMPT S T

P AUL AND S T B ARNABAS INTO THE FATAL SIN OF PRIDE

AND ARROGANCE.

While St Paul preached Christ to the Hebrews by usingthe Old Testament, in Lycaonia he used a startingpoint that was most accessible and understandableto his audience.

T HE PEOPLE’S IMMEDIATE CHANGE FROM WORSHIPPING THE

HOLY A POSTLES OF CHRIST TO PERSECUTING THEM

SHOWS THEIR MOB MENTALITY , AND TEACHES US THAT A

F AITH THAT IS BASED SOLELY ON OBVIOUS MIRACLES IS

FICKLE, WEAK AND UNSTABLE BECAUSE IT IS SO EASILY

SHATTERED AND LOST .

We must have F AITH IN GOD DUE TO A DEEP , PERSONAL

CONVICTION AND LOVE OF GOD – SOMETHING THAT

COMES NATURALLY ONLY FROM WITHIN OUR HEARTS AND

SOULS BUT WHICH CANNOT BE FORCED NOR TAUGHT .

It is A NATURAL RESPONSE OF OUR SOUL, WHICH HAS COME

FROM GOD AND WHICH NEEDS TO RETURN TO HIM. T RUE F AITH IN GOD IS A DEEP -SEATED A CKNOWLEDGEMENT

AND RECOGNITION OF HIS DIVINE T RUTH AND A

PERSONAL COMPULSION OR YEARNING TO LIVE EVERY

MOMENT IN CHRIST .

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 7 : 1 4 – 3 0

Ou r Lord Je s u s Ch r is t T e a ch e s in th e T e mp le a t Mid -Pe n te cos t At that time, about the middle of the Feast Jesus went up into the Temple and taught. And the Hebrews marvelled,

saying: “ How does this Man know letters, having never studied ?” And Jesus answered them and said: “ M Y DOCTRINE

IS NOT M INE , BUT H IS W HO SENT M E. I F ANYONE WILLS TO DO H IS W ILL , HE SHALL KNOW CONCERNING THE DOCTRINE , WHETHER IT IS FROM GOD or whether I speak on My own Authority. He who speaks from himself, seeks hisown glory; but H E W HO SEEKS THE G LORY OF THE O NE W HO SENT H IM , IS T RUE , and no unrighteousness is in Him. Did not Moses give you the Law? Yet none of you keeps the Law. Why do you seek to kill Me?”






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The people answered and said: “Thou hast a demon! Who is seeking to kill Thee?” Jesus answered and said: “ I did one

Work, and you all marvel. Moses, therefore, gave you Circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but fromthe Fathers), and you Circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives Circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the Law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely

well on the Sabbath? DO NOT JUDGE ACCORDING TO APPEARANCE , BUT JUDGE WITH R IGHTEOUS J UDGEMENT !” Now some of them from Jerusalem said: “ Is this not He Whom they seek to kill? But behold! He speaks boldly, and

they say nothing to Him. Do the Rulers know indeed that this is Truly the Christ? However, we know where this

Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”

Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the Temple, saying: “You both know Me, and you know where I Am from;

and I have not come of Myself, but He Who sent Me is True, Whom you do not know. But I KNOW H IM , FOR

I A M FROM H IM , AND H E SENT M E.”

Therefore, they sought to take Him; but NO ONE LAID A HAND ON HIM, BECAUSE HIS HOUR HAD NOT YET COME.

T HE SIMPLE DESIRE TO KNOW AND TO FOLLOW GOD’S W ILL

IS THE K EY TO UNDERSTANDING IT .

SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS COMES FROM UNWILLINGNESS TO

KNOW GOD OR TO RECOGNISE HIS DIVINE A UTHORITY .

St John Chrysostom paraphrases Christ our Saviour’s Words as follows:

“ R ID YOURSELF OF WICKEDNESS: the anger, the envy, and

the hatred that have arisen in your hearts, without

provocation, against Me. T HEN YOU WILL HAVE NO

DIFFICULTY IN REALISING THAT M Y W ORDS ARE

ACTUALLY THOSE OF GOD. As it is, these passionsdarken your understanding and distort sound

judgement. I F YOU REMOVE THESE PASSIONS , YOU

WILL NO LONGER BE AFFLICTED in this manner .” By providing Old Testament examples of blameless

violation of the Sabbath, our Lord Jesus Christ

demonstrated to the Hebrews that THE L AW IS NOT

ABSOLUTE OVER OUR HUMAN NEED OR SERVICE TO GOD. When the Hebrews professed to know where Christ was

from, they were mistaken, both in the earthly senseand in a Divine sense.

Humanly speaking, they thought of our Lord as beingfrom Nazareth, Galilee for they were unaware that HE

WAS ACTUALLY BORN AND SPENT HIS VERY EARLY YEARS

IN BETHLEHEM, BEFORE THE HOLY FAMILY ’S FLIGHT TO

EGYPT .

Beyond that, they could not comprehend that CHRIST

HAS TRULY COME FROM OUR F ATHER IN HEAVEN, that He

is E TERNALLY BEGOTTEN OF GOD THE F ATHER , BEFORE

ALL AGES, and thus His Divine Origin remained

unknown to them as well.CHRIST ’S “HOUR ” IS A REFERENCE TO THE EXACT MOMENT

OF HIS SUFFERING AND DEATH, FOR HE IS LORD OVER

ALL TIME, WHICH IS A DIVINE A UTHORITY POSSESSED BY

A LMIGHTY GOD ALONE.

OUR LORD AND S AVIOUR VOLUNTARILY – ACCORDING TO HIS

DIVINE W ILL – WENT TO HIS P ASSION AND DEATH – andexclusively according to His own timing – certainly not according to the plots and schemes of wickedmen.

M i d P e n t e c o s t Today the Holy Church of Christ begins to sing the

meaningful and touching Troparion of the Feast of

Mid-Pentecost: “At Mid-feast grant Thou mythirsty soul to drink of the Waters of Piety.”

This appeal to the Christian soul is understandable toeveryone, especially, of course, in our terrible time, when we hear not about the “Waters of Piety,” but rather about the waves of impiety pouring more andmore over the entire world and over the entire human

race. T HE CHRISTIAN SOUL, UNDER THE PRESSURE OF THIS IMPIETY ,

PRAYS THAT THE LORD WOULD WATER IT – BEING THIRSTY -

WITH THE W ATERS OF P IETY . The answer to this appeal is in the Gospel Lesson in which

St Matthew had recorded the words of our Lord, Whosaid - as if going to meet the soul who called out to

Him in the Troparion: “ Come to Me, all you who

labour and are heavily laden, and I will grant you rest.” [MATTHEW 11:28].

Our Lord also told us: “ Take My yoke upon you, and

learn of Me, for I Am meek and lowly in heart:and you shall find rest for your souls. For M Y

Y OKE IS EASY , AND M Y BURDEN IS LIGHT .” [MATTHEW 11:29]

An Apostle said once that THE LORD’S COMMANDMENTS “... ARE

NOT GRIEVOUS.” [1 JOHN 5:3]Our Lord Calls us to learn from Him, for He is Meek and

Lowly of heart.IF WE LEARN THIS MEEKNESS AND HUMILITY FROM HIM, WE

WOULD IMMEDIATELY FIND R EST FOR OUR SOULS.Here is our present life, with its vanity and defilement, with

all its hardships and difficulties – is it some evil trick lying upon mankind, under which he suffocates andloses strength?

The Lord says, in contradiction to this: “ My Yoke is easy,

and My Burden is light, and not at all thatterrible burden that the world, gone out of itsmind, lays on its children.”

If only the children of this age would understand the

Lord’s appeal - that ONLY THE LORD CAN GIVE REST TO

THE SOUL AND REMOVE THAT BURDEN that lies on it, then

all of life would change quite wonderfully. But alas! We know both from the Gospel and from the works of the Holy Fathers that THE DARKNESS

RESTING OVER MANKIND WILL CONTINUE TO THICKEN

AND CONDENSE, AND WILL GROW DARKER YET .

We only need to remember that BOTH THE GOSPEL

AND OUR HOLY F ATHERS HAVE WARNED US THAT LIFE

WILL BECOME WORSE AND MORE DIFFICULT .Certain of them speak of some sort of subsequent

improvement. But the great Elder Ambrose of Optina warned us that this darkness will thicken and thicken,and that things will become more and more difficult for people.

Finally the era of the Antichrist will arrive, in which THOSE

WHO ARE TRULY FAITHFUL TO GOD AND THE CHURCH WILL

ENDURE SUCH TRIBULATIONS AS NO ONE HAS EVER BEFORE

KNOWN.

A T THE SAME TIME, THOSE WHO ARE F AITHFUL TO THE LORD

WILL KNOW THAT THE LORD’S Y OKE IS EASY , AND HIS

BURDEN LIGHT and those who bow their head under

this Good Yoke and this light Burden of Christ WILL

IMMEDIATELY FEEL FREE - THE Y OKE OF CHRIST will not choke them and will not make their life more difficult

but, to the contrary, WILL EASE IT .IF ONLY MANKIND, gone out of its mind, WOULD AT LAST

UNDERSTAND THIS E VANGELIC A PPEAL AND TURN TO OUR

S AVIOUR , Who Calls them to Himself, and learn from

Him – THEN EVERYONE WOULD UNDERSTAND WHERE IN

FACT T RUTH AND LIGHT ARE, and where lies andfalsehood are.

However, there is no hope that mankind will understand,

because the predictions of Holy Scripture and the Holy Fathers do not speak of this at all.

Nevertheless, CHRISTIANS SHOULD NOT GROW DOWNCAST IN

SPIRIT BECAUSE OUR LORD KNOWS HIS F AITHFUL F LOCK ,

AND HE PROTECTS US AS HIS BELOVED CHILDREN.

He said: “ Because you kept the word of My Patience

(His Divine Word), I also will keep you from the Hour of Temptation, which shall come upon allthe world ..” [REVELATION 3:10].

Therefore, OUR S ACRED T ASK IS TO REMAIN F AITHFUL TO GOD

for we will keep His Divine Word Holy, and fulfil it, thenHE WILL FULFIL HIS DIVINE W ORD, AND S AVE US FROM

THOSE AFFLICTIONS - from those years of temptations -that have already begun and which will certainly continue.

Amen.ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP - METROPOLITAN PHILARET OF EASTERN AMERICA &

NEW YORK - HTTP://ISHMAELITE.BLOGSPOT.COM/2009/05/METROPOLITAN-

PHILARET-ON-MID-PENTECOST.HTML


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A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now andforever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen.

Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Ho ly , Mo st Pu re , Mo st Bl es se d an d Gl or io us La dy , Ma ri a, Th eo to ko s, ye t Ev er Vi rg in , to ge th er wi th al l th e Sa in ts . An d le t us co mm it ou rs el ve s an d on eanother and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

5 t h Paschal Sunday Tone 4 13 May 2 0 1 2

HHH rrr iii sss ttt ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! AAA lll iii ttt hhh ooo sss AAA nnn eee sss ttt iii !!! S u n d a y o f t h e S a m a r i t a n W o m a n ( S t P h o t i n i / S v e t l a n a )

Also the Feast of St Glykeria, Virgin Martyr & St Laodikios the Prison Keeper ofHeraclea – St Glykeria, Virgin Martyr of Novgorod – St Makarios of Obruch (Kanev),translation of Holy Relics – St Alexander of Rome – St Pausikakos of Synnada – StGeorge the Confessor, St Irene, his wife, & their Martyred Children ofConstantinople – St Euthymios the New, Founder of the Iveron Monastery & hisfellow Georgian Monk Martyrs such as St John, St George & St Gabriel

Paschal Apolyt ikion

R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n - T ON E 4 T o fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou Angelou

Mathouse e tou Kyriou Mathitrie ke tin Progonikin

apofasin aporipsase, tis Apostolis kafhomeneelegon: Eskilefte O Thanatos, igerthi Hristos OTheos, doroumenos to kosmo to Mega Eleos!

W hen the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt from

the Angels the Glad Tidings of the Resurrection, andhad cast away the Condemnation of their Forefather,they spoke exultingly to the Apostles: Death is nomore: Christ-God is Risen, granting to the worldGreat Mercy!

A p o l y t i k i o n O f M i d – P e n t e c o s t – T ON E P LA G A L 4 :

M esousis tis Eortis, disosan mou tin psihin, efsevias

potison namata; oti pasi Sotir evoisas: O dispason

erhestho pros me ke pineto. I Pigi tis Zois, HristeO Theos imon Doxa Si.

Halfway to the Feast, refresh my thirsty soul with flowing

Streams of Piety; for Thou, O Saviour, cried to all:

Those who thirst, come to Me and drink! OFountain of Life, Christ our God, Glory to Thee!

P a s c h a l K o n t a k i o n – U n t i l A s c e n s i o n D a y

I ke en tafo katilthes athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tin

dinamin; ke Anestis os Nikitis, Hriste O Theos, Ginexi Miroforis fthengxamenos: Herete! Ke tis sis Apostolis

irinin doroumenos, O tis pesousi parehon Anastasin.

A lthough Thou descended in the grave, O Immortal One,

yet Thou destroyed the power of Hades; and Thouarose as Victor, O Christ our God! To the Myrrh-

bearing Women Thou said: Rejoice! And to Thine Apostles Thou granted Thy Peace: the One Whogrants Resurrection to the fallen ones.

G o s p e l 6 : L u k e 2 4 : 3 5 - 5 3Ou r Lord Je s u s A p p e a rs T o T h e A p os t l e s & A s ce n d s T o H e a ve n


O L o r d , h o w m an i fo l d ar t Th y W o r ks . Th o u h ast cr eated th em al l i n W i sd o m !

B l ess th e L o r d , O m y so u l !

T h e A c t s o f t h e A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 1 1 : 1 9 – 3 0 T h e G e n t i l e C h u r c h o f A n t i o c h

Those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen, travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the Word to no one but the Hebrews only. But some of them were from Cyprus and Cyrene, who,then they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.

And the Hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. Then news of these things was heard by the Church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.

And when he went and saw the Grace of God, he was glad, and he encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy spirit and of Faith.

And a great many people were added to the Lord. Then Barnabas departed for Tarsos to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he took him to Antioch.So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the Church and taught a great many people and the Disciples were

first called ‘Christians’ in Antioch. And in those days Prophets went from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabos, stood up and showed by

the Spirit, that there was going to be a great famine throughout the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the Disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the Brethren dwellingin Judea.

This they also did, and sent it to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

THE EVANGELISATION OF THE GENTILES CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CONFLICT TO THE EARLY CHURCH.

Even though Christ had commanded His Holy Apostles to

preach His Holy Gospel universally – to all Nations – it took a while for this to be put properly into practice.

Much debate arose over what requirements from the OldCovenant Law – if any – the Gentile Christians wouldhave to follow.

The “ Hellenists” referred to actual Greeks, not toHellenistic Hebrews.

THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST IN ANTIOCH WAS INSTRUMENTALIN BRINGING UNTOLD NUMBERS OF GENTILES TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Two key Truths are revealed in the fact that St Barnabas was “ sent out to Antioch”:1. HOLY APOSTLES OF CHRIST WERE SENT FORTH TO

PREACH THE HOLY GOSPEL OF CHRIST BUT THEY NEVER WORKED IN ISOLATION FROM OR INDEPENDENT TO THE REST OF THE BODY OF THEHOLY CHURCH.






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2. THE HOLY CHURCH OF ANTIOCH NEEDED THE SEAL OF HOLY APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY IN ORDER TO BECOMEINTEGRATED INTO THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH OF CHRIST.

ST BARNABAS REVEALED HIS GENUINE HUMILITY BY SEEKING THE HELP OF ST PAUL (SAUL) – A HUMBLE RECOGNITION OF HIS OWN PERSONAL LIMITATIONS, AND HIS TRUECOMMUNION WITH AND DEPENDENCE ON THE OTHER HOLY APOSTLES OF CHRIST.

V TWO KEY ELEMENTS OF LITURGICAL WORSHIP INCLUDED THE EUCHARISTIC (THANKSGIVING) ASSEMBLY –COMMUNAL WORSHIP – AND THE CORRECT TEACHING

OF THE HOLY GOSPEL OF CHRIST . The fact that the Disciples of Christ were first called

‘Christians’ in Antioch is more than just historical Truth. It demonstrates that CHRIST’S COMMANDMENT TOPREACH HIS HOLY GOSPEL AMONG THE GENTILES AS WELL,WAS FIRST FULLY REALISED IN ANTIOCH.

St John Chrysostom commented: “ It was (in Antioch) for the first time that people were accounted worthyof that Name.”

The “Prophets” were Christian Believers within the Holy Church who had the Divine Gift of Prophecy.

1 Cor in th ian s 1 2 : 2 9 “Are all Apostles? Are all Prophets? Are all Teachers? Are all Workers of Miracles?”

THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A WONDERFUL HIERARCHY OF HONOUR IN THE HOLY CHURCH OF THE NEW COVENANT WHICH CONTINUES TO THIS VERY DAY – AND WILL CONTINUEUNABATED, UNTIL ETERNITY.

THE APOSTOLIC WORK OF THE BISHOPS SETS THE PACE FOR

ALL THE REST OF CHRIST’S HOLY FLOCK and when theoversight is in correct working order, THE REST OF CHURCH IS FREE TO FUNCTION AT OPTIMAL LEVEL FOR THE

GLORY, HONOUR AND WORSHIP OF GOD.V Yet, even with all the Divine Gifts in place and

operative, THERE IS SOMETHING FAR MORE

EXCELLENT – THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS THE TRUESIGN OF THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

1 Cor in th ian s 14 : 3 “ He who prophesies speaksedification and exhortation and comfort tomankind.”

1 Cor in th ian s 14 : 2 9 “Let two or three Prophets speak,and let the others judge.”

GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION and the Truly Spiritual can control themselves, since GENUINESPIRITUALITY IS MANIFESTED IN PREPAREDNESS,PROPRIETY AND ORDER, COURTESY AND SELF-CONTROL/DISCIPLINE.

V IF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TRULY PRESENT, THERE IS DIVINEPEACE AND UNDERSTANDING.

Ephes ian s 4 : 1 1 “(Christ) Himself gave some to be Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, for the equipping of theSaints for the Work of Ministry , for the edifying of the Body of Christ until we all come to the Unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of Christ...”

V THE HOLY SPIRIT BESTOWS HIS DIVINE GIFTS IN ORDER TO

FORM ONE COHESIVE, HARMONIOUS GROUP who areresponsible for equipping – TEACHING, GUIDING AND PREPARING OTHERS - FOR THE SACRED TASK OF CHRIST’S HOLY MINISTRY.

Every Faithful Christian has the Sacred Task of guiding,helping and encouraging one another as we all journey through this preparatory period of earthly lifetowards Eternity – whether we are Believers or not – allhumanity will enter Eternity.

The great famine that was predicted, did indeed happenthroughout the known world in 44 – 51 – having begunin Judea and spreading as far as Greece and Italy.

V THE PRINCIPLE OF GIVING “EACH ACCORDING TO HIS ABILITY” IS ONE THAT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY IN OUR HOLY CHURCH.

The Elders (“the bearded ones”) were the Presbyters(Priests) who were Ordained by the Holy Apostles andput in charge of the local Parish churches, which hadinitially been founded by the Holy Apostles.

Since those days, the Orders of the Holy Ministry or Holy Priesthood of Christ consist of the Bishops (the Apostles and their direct successors), the Presbyters orPriests, and the Deacons.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 4 : 5 – 4 2 T h e S a m ar i ta n W om a n at Ja c ob ’ s We l l

At that time Jesus arrived at a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son, Joseph. And Jacob’s Well was there. And being wearied from His journey, Jesus sat at the well. It was about the sixthhour.

A woman of Samaria went to draw water. Jesus said to her: “Give Me a drink,” for His Disciples had gone into the city to buy food. And the woman of Samaria said to Him: “How is it that Thou, being a Hebrew, ask for a drink from me,a Samaritan woman?” For Hebrews had no dealings with Samaritans.

Jesus answered and said to her: “If you knew the Gift of God, and Who it is Who says to you: ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you Living Water.” The woman said to Him: “Sir, Thouhast nothing with which to draw, and the well is deep. Where then dost Thou get that Living Water? Art Thou

greater than our Father, Jacob, who gave us this well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and hislivestock?”

Jesus answered and said to her: “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the Water that I shall give, will never thirst. And the Water that I shall give will become in him a Fountain of Water

springing up into Everlasting Life.” The woman said to Him: “Sir, give me this Water that I may not thirst, norcome here to draw.”

Jesus said to her: “Go. Call your husband, and come back here.” The woman answered and said: “I have no

husband.” Jesus said to her: “You have well said: ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

The woman said to Him: “Sir, I perceive that Thou art a Prophet. Our Fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you Hebrews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her: “Woman, believe Me:

the Hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. Youworship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for Salvation is of the Hebrews. But the

Hour is coming, and now is, when the True Worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and Truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and Truth.”

The woman said to Him: “I know that Messiah is coming.” (Who is called ‘Christ’). “When He comes, He will tell us all

Things.” Jesus said to her: “I, Who speak to you, Am He.” And at this point, His Disciples returned and they marvelled that Jesus talked with a woman; yet no one asked: “What

dost Thou seek?” nor “Why art Thou talking to her?” The woman left her water pot, went into the city and said to the men: “Come. Behold a Man Who told me all things that I

ever did. Could this be the Christ?” And they went out of the city to Him.Meanwhile, His Disciples urged Him, saying: “Rabbi, eat.” And He said to them: “I have Food to eat of which you do

not know.” And the Disciples asked one another: “ Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” And Jesus said tothem: “ My Food is to do the Will of Him Who sent Me, and to finish His Work. Do you not say: ‘There are still four months before the harvest?’ Behold: I say to you: Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for

they are already white for harvesting! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers Fruit for Eternal Life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is True: ‘One

sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not Laboured; others have Laboured, and you have entered into their Labours.” And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the Woman who testified: “He told me all

that I ever did!” And when the Samaritans had gone to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed theretwo days. And many more believed because of His own Word.


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Then they said to the Woman: “Now we believe – not because of what you said – for we, ourselves, have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ – the Saviour of the world!”

The Old Testament does not mention “ Jacob’s Well”although St Jacob did dwell in the area. (GENESIS 33:19)

Wells had great significance because of their rarity ad their value in desert life. Therefore, wells came tosymbolise life itself. (PSALM 35:9–10; PSALM 45:4; ISAIAH 55:1)

Jacob’s Well has been maintained as a Holy Shrine by theGreek Orthodox Christian Church to this very day andpilgrims still drink from it. (ST PHILOMENOS THE NEW MARTYR GAVE

HIS LIFE FOR ITS PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION IN 1979.)

Our Lord Jesus was “wearied from His journey” - meaning

that IN HIS HUMAN NATURE, HE, TOO, SUFFERED HUNGER, THIRST, TIREDNESS - the same weaknesses of our ownhuman condition.

The “Sixth Hour” is midday – 12:00 – the hottest part of the day, when most inhabitants of hot areas rest fromthe heat.

THE SAMARITAN WOMAN WAS THE EARLIEST EVANGELIST (BESIDES THE APOSTLES) WHO TESTIFIED TO THE ADVENT OF CHRIST.

TOGETHER WITH HER TWO SONS AND FIVE DAUGHTERS (SOME SAY ‘SISTERS ,’) SHEBROUGHT THOUSANDS OF SOULS TO CHRIST.

AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST SHE WAS BAPTISED WITH THE NAME OF “PHOTINI ”(“THE ENLIGHTENED ONE ,”) AND WENT TO CARTHAGE TO SPREAD THE HOLY GOSPEL.

SHE WAS EVENTUALLY MARTYRED WITH HER ENTIRE FAMILY BY ORDER OF EMPERORNERO BY BEING THROWN INTO A VERY DEEP WELL.

WE COMMEMORATE HER MEMORY ON 20 MARCH AND ON THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF HOLY PASCHA.

The Samaritans were a mixed breed and traditionalenemies of the Hebrews. Although they worshippedthe God of Israel and also awaited the Advent or

Coming of the Messiah – the Christ – they acceptedonly the first five Books of the Old Testament Scriptures – the Pentateuch.

They had built their own temple on Mount Gerizim, whichthe Israelites had destroyed in 128 BC.

In the ordinary sense, living water means, fresh, flowing water from a stream or spring, rather than from astagnant pond or cistern.

V CHRIST’S USE OF THE TERM “ LIVING WATER” MEANT THEDIVINE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT LEADS US TOETERNAL LIFE, WHICH NOT ONLY REMAINS IN A FAITHFUL PERSON BUT IS SO ABUNDANT THAT IT OVERFLOWS AND AFFECTS OTHERS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE MANNER.

However, St Photini misunderstood our Lord Jesus andthus enquired whether He was greater that St Jacob,the ancient Patriarch who was a type of Christ becausehe had received the Vision of the Divine Ladder, whichour Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled. (GENESIS 28:12)

Furthermore, just as St Jacob gave this Well for earthly life,CHRIST GRANTS US THE WELL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR ETERNAL LIFE.

Since our Lord Jesus knew that St Photini was living in sin,and as He was aware of her five previous husbands,she assumed Him to be a Holy Prophet but since theSamaritans did not accept or recognise any Prophetsafter St Moses, THE ONLY PROPHET THEY EXPECTED WAS

THE MESSIAH Whom St Moses had foretold. (DEUTERONOMY

18: 15-18)

CHRIST’S INSIGHT INTO ALL OUR HEARTS, which is repeatedly mentioned throughout the Holy Gospels, EMPHASISESHIS DIVINE NATURE.

Our Lord Jesus was indeed the expected ‘Holy Prophet,’ soHe could settle the historical argument about where True Worship was to be offered. However, OUR LORD JESUS REFUSED TO ANSWER SUCH AN EARTHLY QUESTION AND ELEVATED THE DISCUSSION TO THE ONE WHOM WEWORSHIP: ALMIGHTY GOD HIMSELF.

According to Christ Himself, GOD IS SPIRIT AND CANNOT BECONFINED TO ANY PARTICULAR LOCATION: GOD ISOMNIPRESENT – HE IS EVERYWHERE!

V THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST – THE SON AND WORD OF GOD THEFATHER – CAN WORSHIP GOD WITH PURITY OF HEART.

Our Lord Jesus Christ affirmed that TRUE REVELATION

COMES FROM JUDAISM: “Salvation is of the Hebrews.”

St Athanasios the Great taught us: “The commonwealthof Israel was the School of the Knowledge of God for all nations.”

More importantly, our Lord Jesus Christ testified that THEMESSIAH WHO WAS PROPHESIED AMONG THE HEBREWS,HAS RISEN FROM THE HEBREWS.

WHILE THE GIFT OF THE SALVATION IN CHRIST IS TO ALLNATIONS, IT HAS COME FROM WITHIN JUDAISM.

“The Hour ” refers to THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AND TO THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AT

HOLY PENTECOST , which inaugurated the Worship of ourNew Covenant with Almighty God.“I, Who speak to you, Am He,” is literally translated: “I

AM (EGO EIMI) Who speaks to you.” “I Am” is theDivine Name of God and its use indicates A THEOPHANY OR DIVINE REVELATION OF GOD HIMSELF.

The use of this Most Holy Name by a mere man wouldhave been considered as the worst blasphemy ever –punishable by stoning to death! (JOHN 8:58; MARK 14:62)

However, as our Lord Jesus Christ is Truly Divine – the Sonof God and thus one of the three Persons of the Almighty Godhead – the Holy Trinity – HIS OWN USE OF THIS DIVINE NAME REVEALS HIS TRUE UNITY WITH GOD THEFATHER AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.

He most certainly reveals that HE IS INDEED GOD INCARNATE!

His Apostles “marvelled ” not only because our Lord Jesusspoke with a Samaritan, but that HE SPOKE WITH ANUNACCOMPANIED WOMAN, WHICH WAS POTENTIALLY SCANDALOUS FOR THEM BOTH!

V CHRIST IS ABOVE ALL SOCIAL NORMS AND CUSTOMS, SO HE TREATED ALL WOMEN WITH THE HIGHEST OF RESPECT, THEREBY SHOWING THEIR VALUE AND IMPORTANCE INEARTHLY AND HEAVENLY LIFE. (JOHN &;53-8:11; LL:20-30; 20:

11-18 & LUKE 8:1 – 3)

On many occasions CHRIST IS MISUNDERSTOOD BY PEOPLEDUE TO OUR LIMITED HUMAN EXPERIENCE ANDKNOWLEDGE.

Nevertheless, THROUGH THESE MISUNDERSTANDINGS, OUR LORD FULFILS HIS DIVINE ROLE AS MESSIAH BY DOING THEWILL OF HIS HEAVENLY FATHER – AND THIS IS HISSPIRITUAL FOOD.

Our Lord Jesus, by His own Perfect Example, has taught usto PERFORM THE DIVINE WILL OF GOD THROUGHOUT OUR

LIFE WITHOUT BEING DISTRACTED BY EARTHLY CARES suchas hunger, shelter and comfort . (JOHN 6:27; MATTHEW 4:4; 6:25-

33)

According to St John Chrysostom, when Christ commanded His Apostles to “ Behold ” He wanted them

to witness the approaching multitude of white cladSamaritans who were ready and eager to believe inChrist Jesus.

Our Lord compared these Samaritans (RELATIVE TO THE HEBREWS) to fields of crops that were ready to harvest.

In addition, our Lord’s command to “ Behold !” is alsoaddressed to all Faithful Christians – to all FaithfulDisciples of Christ – to LOOK AT THOSE AROUND US AND TO SHARE HIS HOLY GOSPEL WITH ANYONE WANTING TORECEIVE IT – REGARDLESS OF ETHNICITY OR SOCIALSTATUS.

St John Chrysostom believed that THOSE WHO SOWED AND THOSE WHO REAPED WERE THE HOLY PROPHETS OF THEOLD COVENANT AND THE HOLY APOSTLES OF THE NEW COVENANT RESPECTIVELY.

The Holy Prophets sowed the Seeds of Faith in preparationfor the Advent of the Messiah, yet they did neither witnessed it nor reap the Spiritual Fruit of their Holy Labours.

The Apostles who did witness and experience the Presenceof God Incarnate, did not prepare either the Hebrewsnor the Gentiles yet, after the Resurrection andespecially after Pentecost, they drew millions of soulsto Faith in Christ our Lord and Saviour, in their ownlifetime.

The fact that these Samaritans were amongst the first torecognise and to acknowledge our Lord Jesus as theSaviour of the world, shows us exactly how HIS HOLY GOSPEL IS FOR ALL PEOPLE OF EVERY NATION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WORLD.

5 t h P a s c h a l S u n d a y – T h e S a m a r i t a n W o m a nNot only did our Lord Jesus Christ teach large crowds of

people, but He also spent time with individuals – Faceto face – and AT J ACOB’S W ELL HIS MEETING WITH THE

S AMARITAN W OMAN WAS ONE EXAMPLE OF THE MOST

DETAILED, REVEALING AND FAR REACHING – consequently

Saving thousands of lives forever!Having arrived near the city of Sychar, Samaria, our Lord

had stopped to rest at Jacob’s Well, while His Discipleshas gone into the city to purchase some food.

A woman (later known as St Photini) arrived to draw waterfrom the well and, being hot, tired and thirsty, ourLord asked her for a drink.

Two facts made this encounter significant: THE WOMAN WAS

A S AMARITAN and all Samaritans were USUALLY AVOIDED

OR REJECTED FOR BEING HEBREW HERETICS – and A

HEBREW MAN WOULD NEVER CONVERSE DIRECTLY WITH A

WOMAN, especially if she was unaccompanied by a

male relative. Y ET ON THIS DAY , OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST – THE MESSIAH

AND SON OF GOD – SEEMED TO BREAK TWO IMPERATIVE

HEBREW L AWS!Even the Samaritan Woman was astounded that this

Stranger would dare to speak directly to her, and


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being a straight forward, honest character, she voiced her amazement.

And so began a conversation that would lead – not only toher own Eternal Salvation and devotion to Almighty God – but also to that of her entire family and all thecitizens of that city, who would become the first trueconverts to Christianity, which would affect the entireknown world!

Our Lord told St Photini: “I F YOU KNEW THE G IFT OF GOD , AND W HO IT IS W HO SAYS to you: ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and H E WOULD HAVE

GIVEN YOU L IVING W ATER.” Now, when our Saviour said “ Living Water ” He meant

S ANCTIFIED W ATER THAT GRANTS US E TERNAL LIFE.First, our Lord spoke of A DIVINE “G IFT ,” WHICH IS

SOMETHING WE CANNOT PURCHASE NOR EARN – IT IS

FREELY GRANTED TO US BY GOD. Then, He made it clear that HE IS THE ONLY ONE W HO CAN

GRANT THIS MOST WONDERFUL DIVINE GIFT OF E TERNAL

LIFE AND UNION WITH GOD TO THOSE WHO ARE

OTHERWISE DEAD IN SIN – SPIRITUALLY DEAD - as she was.

His Words of absolute Truth had an immediate effect onher and realising that He was definitely Someoneextraordinary, she initiated a Theological discussion with Him, asking Him whether - since He was able togrant her “Living Water” - He was greater than theancient Patriarch St Jacob, at whose well they wereconversing.

Our All-Knowing Lord saw that she had not yet understoodand said more clearly: “Whoever drinks of this

water will thirst again, but WHOEVER DRINKS OF THEW ATER THAT I SHALL GIVE , WILL NEVER THIRST . And THE

W ATER THAT I SHALL GIVE WILL BECOME ... A F OUNTAIN

OF W ATER SPRINGING UP INTO EVERLASTING L IFE.” OUR IMMORTAL SOUL HUNGERS AND THIRSTS FOR GOD AND HIS DIVINE TRUTH, LOVE

AND LIFE, WHICH ALONE TRULY FULFILS AND GRATIFIES OUR NEED – EVEN IF WE

ARE NOT CONSCIOUS OF IT - FOR IT IS NATURAL TO SEEK GOD AND ALL HIS

GOODNESS. THE LIVING WATER OF CHRIST BEGINS WITH OUR H OLY B APTISM AND C HRISMATION ,

AND CONTINUES AS L IFE IN C HRIST THROUGHOUT OUR LIFESPAN INTO ETERNITY .

Immediately recognising her Spiritual Yearning, St Photiniasked our Lord to grant her His Living Water.

Our Lord told her: “Go. Call your husband, and come back here.” And in this way CHRIST GENTLY BEGAN TO

EXPOSE HER SINS TO HER , WHICH WERE MANY AND

SERIOUS, AND WHICH SHE NEEDED TO R EPENT BEFORE

BEGINNING HER MOST WONDROUS SPIRITUAL JOURNEY that would lead her and untold numbers of other souls

to Salvation and Eternal Life.St Photini was well aware of the fact that THE MESSIAH

WOULD SOON COME TO THEM AND TEACH THEM

EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO KNOW - but not as amilitary conqueror who would defeat the Romans andset the Nation free – like many Hebrews erroneously believed.

Indeed she seemed to have a clearer understanding of Christ than even some of His Apostles and Disciples!

And then OUR LORD SAID: “I, W HO SPEAK TO YOU , A M H E.” Several times in the Holy Gospels our Lord Jesus Christ

clearly declares His Divine Identity by speaking very clearly and precisely, which was recognizable to thoseHebrews who knew their Holy Scripture.

W HEN OUR LORD SAID TO S T P HOTINI: “ I ... A M H E”, HE

USED THE GREEK WORDS FROM THE BOOK OF E XODUS where THE LORD GOD REVEALS HIS PERSONAL N AME: “I

A M .” (EXODUS 3:14 LXX)

Our Lord Jesus Christ used these exact words in order toshow that HE AND THE F ATHER ARE ONE; HE AND THE

F ATHER ARE GOD. This particular Holy Gospel Lesson consists of such an

abundance of Spiritual Treasure and Divine Truth that it cannot be fully and exhaustively explored in just oneSermon.

As an Orthodox Priest commented: “ We could speak for days and not exhaust the account of theConversion of Saint Photini , Equal to the Apostles,the Samaritan Woman.”

Our Holy Church Fathers tell us that, safely tucked away inthis remarkable Encounter, like a priceless SpiritualNugget, is A S ACRED LESSON CONCERNING HOW WE MAY

OBTAIN THE HOLY SPIRIT —for St Photini – the Samaritan Woman - did indeed receive the Holy Spirit!

IN BOTH HOLY SCRIPTURE AND THE W RITINGS OF OUR HOLY

CHURCH F ATHERS, GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT IS REFERRED TO

AS BOTH “W ATER” AND, SOMETIMES, “ F IRE.” A S W ATER —FOR EXAMPLE, IN HOLY B APTISM— THE HOLY

SPIRIT WASHES THE SINNER CLEAN.

W HEN THE SPIRIT IS DESCRIBED AS “FIRE,” IT BURNS AWAY

SIN AND ALSO WARMS US – KEEPING OUR FAITH AGLOW .In their discussion AT J ACOB’S W ELL, OUR LORD CHOSE TO

USE THE IMAGE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS LIVING W ATER . Jesus Christ put Himself at Jacob’s Well at just the right

time when that particular woman went to draw waterfrom the Well.

IN SIMILAR MANNER HE OFTEN COMES FACE TO FACE WITH US IN ORDER FOR US TO

CONFRONT OUR SINS AND TO REPENT SO THAT WE MAY JOYFULLY RECEIVE HIS

LIVING WATER – SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE – BY THE DIVINE WILL OF GOD THE

FATHER, THROUGH GOD THE SON AND BY THE ENABLING OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.

He did this for St Photini because HE WANTED TO FORGIVE

HER SINS AND ALSO BECAUSE HE WANTED TO GIVE HER

HIS LIVING W ATER , WHICH IS THE S ALVATION AND

E TERNAL LIFE BY MEANS OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT .In order for us TO HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT FULLY AND

COMPLETELY LIVING IN US, IN OUR HEARTS AND SOULS, WE

MUST CHANGE THROUGH TRUE REPENTANCE. We must not shrink away or hide when Christ confronts us,

which happens more often than we think or will admit.Instead, we must be like the Samaritan Woman, and

EAGERLY ASK FOR AND RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT - THIS

LIVING W ATER . To “change” means to BECOME SOMETHING OTHER THAN

WHAT WE ARE RIGHT NOW .R EPENTANCE MEANS ADMITTING – CONFESSING - THAT WE

CANNOT CONTINUE IN OUR USUAL, WICKED WAYS andMAKING A CONCERTED, DETERMINED EFFORT TO CORRECT

OUR FLAWED HABITS.But THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF WE CHOOSE TO COOPERATE

WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THIS S AVING W ORK , for, as we

are now, we have changed very little or not at all from what we were a year ago, and THIS LACK OF ONGOING

CHANGE COULD WELL KEEP US OUT OF THE K INGDOM OF

HEAVEN UNLESS WE WAKE UP , TRULY R EPENT AND LIVE

EACH DAY IN CHRIST .CHRIST WILL NOT CONTINUE TO CONFRONT US, AND A TIME

WILL COME WHEN - IF WE CONTINUE TO DISDAIN AND

REJECT HIM - HE WILL STOP C ALLING US TO R EPENTANCE

AND S ALVATION.Consequently WE WILL NOT MAKE ANY EFFORT TO CHANGE

OURSELVES, and the Living Water of the Holy Spirit willno longer fulfil us, AND WE WILL BECOME LOST , DELUDED

SOULS WHO ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD!Orthodox Christianity is the continuous Spiritual Struggle

for the Holy Acquisition of the Holy Spirit.(Read St Seraphim of Sarov’s famous conversation with Motovilov about

the Acquisition of the Holy Spirit – especially in preparation for thecoming Feast of Pentecost and the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon

the Holy Church of Christ.)For faithful Orthodox Christians, this is our Way of Life –

this is Life in Christ. Yet we persist in doing, saying and thinking so many

unworthy things that are clearly NOT part of Life inChrist!!

H AVING RECEIVED THE HOLY M YSTERIES OF B APTISM AND

CHRISMATION, WE WERE GRANTED THE POTENTIAL FOR

ALL THE DIVINE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE

WASHING AWAY OF OUR SINS. Whether we were babies, little children, teenagers or

adults, WE ALL RECEIVED THE SAME HOLY P OTENTIAL AND

A BILITIES. Whether we are Orthodox from birth or by Conversion, AT

SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES WE HAVE HAD THE SPIRITUAL

E XPERIENCE OF MEETING CHRIST F ACE TO FACE!Perhaps it was very subtle and fleeting - perhaps it was

much more than that. But IT HAPPENED, AND IT WASREAL!

However, WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED OUR LORD, DID WE

CHANGE? This is the question which I want us all toDEEPLY CONTEMPLATE AND REMEMBER .

F ATHER SERAPHIM OF P LATINA constantly reminded hisSpiritual Children: “ It is later than you think!” Andhe was right. We are running out of t ime!

Nevertheless I prefer to remind everyone: “It is still NOT TOO LATE for us!” But ONLY IF WE BEGIN NOW , TODAY , AND DO NOT POSTPONE IT ONE SINGLE DAY LONGER .

The Lord God is here - in the Mystery of the Eucharist,through the Power and Authority of the Holy Priesthood, He will descend and enter into the Holy Gifts, the Bread and the Wine, when the Priest callsupon the Holy Spirit to complete this MysticalConsecration.

Our Lord is right here before each of us, through theDescent of the Holy Spirit.

Brethren: Let us eagerly listen to His Divine Teachings andRevelations just as St Photini did and let us beseechGod the Holy Spirit for the Strength to truly Repent!

FR. AMBROSE Y OUNG - HTTP://WWW.PRAVMIR.COM /SUNDAY -OF-THE-SAMARITAN-WOMAN /



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A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now andforever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Ho ly , Mo st Pu re , Mo st Bl es se d an d Gl or io us La dy , Ma ri a, Th eo to ko s, ye t Ev er Vi rg in , to ge th er wi th al l th e Sa in ts . An d le t us co mm it ou rs el ve s an d on e an ot he r an d ou r


6 t h Paschal Sunday Tone (5) Plagal 1 20 May 2 0 1 2


S u n d a y o f t h e B l i n d M a n ( B o r n w i t h o u t E y e s ! )

Also the Feast of St Thallelaeus, St Alexander & St Asterios of Aegae, Cilicia – St

Alexis the Wonderworker of Moscow & All Russia – St Dovmont, Prince of Pskov – St

Asclas of Egypt – St Zebulon & St Susanna, Venerable parents of St Nino the

Enlightener of Georgia – St Stephen of Piperi, Serbia - St Lydia of Philippisia


R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n - T ON E (5 ) P LA G A L 1

T on sinanarhon Logon Patri ke Pnevmati, ton ek Parthenou tehthenta is Sotirian imon, animnisomen, Pisti, ke proskinisomen. Oti ivdokise Sarki anelthinen to Stavro ke Thanaton ipomine ke egire toustethneotas en ti Evdoxo Anastasi Aftou.

T he Word, Who with the Father and the Spirit has nobeginning, and Who, for our Salvation, was born of a Virgin, let us Faithful believers hymn and adore. Forit was His Good Pleasure to ascend the Cross in theFlesh, and to Suffer Death, and through His ownGlorious Resurrection to raise the dead.

P a s c h a l K o n t a k i o n I ke en tafo katilthes athanate, alla tou Adou kathiles tin

dinamin; ke Anestis os nikitis, Hriste O Theos, Ginexi Miroforis fthengxamenos: Herete! Ke tis sis Apostolis

irinin doroumenos, o tis pesousi parehon Anastasin.

A lthough Thou descended in the grave, O Immortal One,

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

G o s p e l 8 : J o h n 2 0 : 1 1 - 1 8O u r R i s e n L o r d J e s u s C h r i s t S p e a k s t o S t M a r y M a g d a l e n e


O OO O Lord, Protect us and Preserve us both now and forever.

S SS S ave us, O Lord, for there is not one godly man left!

T h e A c t s o f t h e A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 1 6 : 1 6 – 3 4S t P a u l & S t S i l a s ’ I m p r i s o n m e n t

Now it happened, as we went to Prayer, that a certain slave girl who was possessed with a spirit of divination met us, whoprofited her masters much by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying: “These men arethe Servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the Way of Salvation!” and this she did for many days. SoPaul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit: “I command you in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out of her that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hopes of profit were gone, they seizedPaul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.

And they brought them to the magistrates, and said: “These men – being Hebrews – exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs that are unlawful for us – being Romans – to receive or observe.” And the multitude rose up

together against them; and the Magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the Jailer to keep themsecurely. And having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

And at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing Hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.Suddenly there was a great earthquake, and the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all thedoors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosened.

And the Keeper of the prison, having awoken from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, and supposing that theprisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. So Paul called with a loud voice, saying: “Do

yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Then the Jailer called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Pauland Silas. And he took them out, saying: “Sirs: what must I do to be Saved?” And they said: “Believe in the Lord

Jesus Christ, and you will be Saved – you and your household.” Then they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them that same hour of the

night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were Baptised. And when he had taken theminto his house, he had set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God, together with all his household.

FAITH IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST LED IMMEDIATELY TOHOLY BAPTISM – NOT ONLY OF THE JAILER AND THE

ADULT MEMBERS OF HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY, BUT TO HISENTIRE HOUSEHOLD – men, women and children – thefree and the enslaved.

V RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW HOLY COVENANT WITH ALMIGHTY GOD, HOLY BAPTISM (I.E.

THREE FULL IMMERSIONS) IN WATER AND WITH FAITH INCHRIST ARE BOTH ESSENTIAL FOR ENTRANCE INTOHIS HOLY ORTHODOX CHURCH (THE HOLY CHURCH OF JESUS

CHRIST, OUR LORD GOD AND SAVIOUR – WITH ITS BLOODLESS SACRIFICES ANDOFFERINGS.)

V THE APOSTOLIC PATTERN OF CONVERSION IS HEARING

BELIEVING AND HOLY BAPTISM- (i.e. LEARNING

CORRECTLY AND THEN APPLYING EVERYTHING TODAILY LIFE – LIVING IN CHRIST FAITHFULLY ANDCONSTANTLY – NOT ONLY WHEN WE FEEL LIKE IT OR HAVE A NEED FOR IT !)

V BEING CHRISTIAN – A FAITHFUL DISCIPLE OF CHRIST – IS

A CONTINUOUS LIFE-LONG PROCESS and that is oneof the reasons why GOD GRANTS EACH SOUL ITS

OWN UNIQUE NUMBER OF DAYS in this material world.







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It is LIFE IN CHRIST – meaning that EVERY MOMENT OF THEDAY WE STRIVE TO IMITATE HIM WITH OUR WORDS,

THOUGHTS AND DEEDS – always remembering ourHoly Baptism and our inevitable, unavoidable, death, when we will face our First Judgement, which is theSpiritual Foretaste of the Final Judgement of Christ on the Eighth Day – the beginning of Eternity for us.

LIFE IN CHRIST means a DEDICATION TO EVERY ASPECT OF

FAITHFUL WORSHIP, PRAYER AND DAILY LIVING – not merely being a token “member” of the Orthodox Christian Church – as though it was a mere “hobby”that we can pick and choose to do, whenever orhowever we feel like it.

Sadly far too many “converts” apostatize almost as soon

as they have made their Sacred Vows before Holy Baptism!

This is usually due to the fact that either they havenot been taught correctly and thoroughly or they had no real intention of living in Christ

Jesus at all! They have betrayed God!Many unenlightened, misguided “converts” revert to their

former lives either as non-believers altogether or by living as before.

Once we have converted and COMMITTED OURSELVES toOrthodox Christianity – HAVING SWORN OUR

ALLEGIANCE TO OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST - we cannot continue to “shop around” for a type of religion or sect that “suits us!”

V AS ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS WE HAVE A FAR GREATER RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMITMENT TO LIFE INCHRIST THAN OTHERS – AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHOHAVE FREELY CHOSEN TO BECOME ORTHODOX

CHRISTIANS, for IF WE CHOOSE TO APOSTATIZE BY

REJECTING ANY ASPECT OF THE ORTHODOX FAITH –as taught by Christ and His Holy Apostles - WE

WILL BE SEVERELY JUDGED BY GOD, unless wecontritely Repent our rebellion against God andreturn to His Sacred Fold.

® THE CHOICE IS OURS AND WE MUST ACCEPT THECONSEQUENCES UPON OURSELVES – WE CANNOT AND MUST NOT BLAME ANYONE ELSE AT ALL – AND NEITHER SHOULD WE SHRUG IT OFF ASBEING A “MAN-MADE” IDEA !

® OUR LORD HIMSELF CAUTIONED US AGAINST BEINGPHARISAIC “ HYPOCRITES,” “WOLVES,”“ HIRELINGS,” “GOATS,” “THIEVES AND ROBBERS,” ETC. – meaning all those who are not of the Sacred Fold of our Good Shepherd, Christ our Lord– or WHO PRETEND TO BE COMMITTED TO GOD YET DESERT HIM AND/OR DESTROY OTHERS THROUGH THEIR OWN MEAN, SELFISH ACTIONS!

® WE MUST EXAMINE OUR HEART AND SOUL REGULARLY

AND METICULOUSLY - PLUCKING OUT ANDERADICATING ANY SIGN OF SPIRITUAL REBELLION AGAINST THE LORD OUR GOD – THROUGHREPENTANCE-CONFESSION.

Only through such regular “housekeeping” can we beginto prepare ourselves for our Final Judgement andEternity.

EXORCISMS IN THE NAME OF CHRIST ARE PART OF APOSTOLICMINISTRY.

The Holy Baptism Service begins with three Exorcisms in“The Making of a Catechumen,” which EXPELS SATAN AND HIS DEMONS FROM HAVING ANY FURTHER INFLUENCEOVER THE NEW BELIEVER – THE NEW DISCIPLE OF CHRIST - who must from that moment onwards LIVE DAILY BY THE PERFECT EXAMPLE AND TEACHINGS OF CHRIST OUR

LORD AND SAVIOUR .

Although the demon-possessed slave girl declared the Truth concerning the two Holy Apostles of Christ,she herself needed to be set free in order toaccept Christ by means of her own free will.

Furthermore, St Paul could not endure seeing her beingtormented and possessed by the evil spirit, whichmisguides and deceives people into believingSatanic inventions rather than Divine Truth, for thedevil and his servants always bait their deadly hooks with a tiny, tempting morsel of truth,

which as soon as accepted by their prey, provesto be fatal.

V THE IMPURE PRAISE OF HYPOCRITES AND ENEMIES OF GOD IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND SHOULD BE

INSTANTLY REJECTED.W i s do m O f S i r a c h 1 5 : 9 – “Praise is not proper in the

mouth of a sinner, because it is not sent fromthe Lord.”

L u k e 4 : 4 1 ”...And demons also came out of many,crying out and saying: ‘Thou art the Christ, theSon of God!’”

THE ACCUSERS OF ST PAUL AND ST SILAS – the owners of the slave girl - CARED LITTLE FOR RELIGION YET THEY USED RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE AGAINST THE HEBREWS TO

RETALIATE FOR THEIR FINANCIAL LOSS when she couldno longer make money for them through her“fortune telling” - by cheating the superstitiouspeople out of their hard-earned wages.

NEVERTHELESS, BEING UNJUSTLY PERSECUTED FOR CHRIST LED ST PAUL AND ST SILAS TO GREAT SPIRITUAL JOY RATHER THAN SORROW .

WE SHOULD THANK GOD FOR ALL ADVERSITY, WHICH BRINGS US CLOSER TO HIM AND

STRENGTHENS OUR FAITH AS WE DEPEND ON AND APPRECIATE MORE AND MORETHE GREAT MERCY OF ALMIGHTY GOD WHO PROTECTS US AND PROVIDESEVERYTHING WE COULD POSSIBLE NEED FOR THIS EARTHLY AS WELL AS ETERNALLIFE.

Luke 6: 22-23 Christ warned us: “... Rejoice in that dayand leap for Joy! For indeed your Reward is great in Heaven. For in like manner their fathers did to the Prophets. But woe to youwho are rich, for you have received your consolation!”

THE “ PRAYING AND SINGING HYMNS” BY ST PAUL AND ST SILAS PREPARED THE OTHER PRISONERS FOR CONVERSION LATER THAT NIGHT.

Any Roman Jailer whose prisoners managed to escapefaced extremely cruel torture and even possibly execution, for the Roman oppressors ruled anddominated the people through fear and mercilessbrutality. So the Jailer thought it would be betterand quicker to commit suicide rather than endure

the vicious suffering inflicted by the Executioners. After St Paul had reassured him that he and St Silas werestill there, the Jailer asked a double-sided question:“What must I do to be Saved ?”

This might have referred to his impending problem of the Roman authorities’ punishment for escapees, but IT ALSO REFERRED TO ETERNAL SALVATION, WHICH ST PAUL IMMEDIATELY GRANTED THE JAILER AND HISENTIRE HOUSEHOLD THROUGH HOLY BAPTISM.

THE UNNAMED ROMAN JAILER HAD LISTENED CAREFULLY TOST PAUL AND ST SILAS PROCLAIMING THE WAY OF SALVATION, AS WELL AS THEIR DEVOUT, HEARTFELT PRAYERS AND HYMNS.

The miraculous earthquake and St Paul’s concern for the Jailer’s life – earthly and Eternal – strengthened theman’s Faith and led to his and his entire household’sConversion to Christ Jesus.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 9 : 1 – 3 8

A Man Born Without Eyes is Healed by Christ our Lord & Saviour At that time, as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His Disciples asked Him: “Rabbi: who

sinned – this man or his parents – that he was born blind?” Jesus answered: “Neither this man nor his parents

sinned, but that the Works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the Works of Him Who sent Mewhile it is day; the night is coming when no one can Work. As long as I Am in the world, I Am the Lightof the world.”

When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of theBlind Man with the clay. And He said to him: “Go. Wash in the Pool of Siloam,” which translated means ‘Sent.’) And he went and washed, and returned, seeing.

Therefore the neighbours and those who previously had seen that he was blind said: “ Is this not he who sat and

begged?” Some said: “It is he.” Others said: “He is like him.” He said: “I am he.” And they said to him: “How were your eyes opened?” He answered: “ A Man called ‘Jesus’ made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me: “Go to

the Pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed. And I received sight.” And they asked him: “Where is He?” Hereplied: “ I do not know.”

They took him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. And it was a Sabbath when Jesus had made the clay and openedhis eyes. And the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them: “He put clay on

my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Therefore, some of the Pharisees said: “This Man is not from God because Hedoes not keep the Sabbath!” Others said: “ How can anyone who is a sinner do such Signs?” And there was adivision among them.

They said to the Blind Man again: “What do you say about Him because He opened you eyes?” He said: “He is a

Prophet.” But the Hebrews did not believe concerning the Blind Man – that he had been blind and had received hissight – until they called his parents. And they asked them: “Is this your son who you say was born blind? How then

does he now see?” His parents answered them, and said: “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what Means he now sees, we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.”



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His parents said these things because they feared the Hebrews, for the Hebrews had agreed already that anyone whoconfessed that He was the Christ, would be put out of the Synagogue. Therefore, his parents said: “He is of age; askhim.”

So they again called the man who was formerly blind, and said to him: “Give God the Glory! We know that this Man is a sinner!” He replied: “Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I do know is that although I was

blind, now I see!” And they questioned him again: “”What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” Hereplied: “ I have told you already, yet you do not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to

become His Disciples?” And they reviled him, and said: “You are His Disciple, but we are Moses’ Disciples. Weknow that God spoke to Moses; as for this Fellow – we do not know where He is from.”

The man answered them: “Why, this is a marvellous thing – that you do not know where He is from - yet He hasopened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a Worshipper of God and does

His Will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was

born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing!” They answered and said to him: “You werecompletely born in sins, and are you teaching us?!” And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him: “Do you believe in the Son of God?” And he answered and said: “Who is He, O Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him: “You

have both seen Him and it is He Who is speaking to you.” And he said: “O Lord: I believe!” And He worshipped Him.

And Jesus said: “For Judgement I have come into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and

those who see may be made blind.”

This Divine Healing is the sixth Sign in St John’s Holy Gospel.

V OF ALL THE MIRACLE ACCOUNTS THROUGHOUT HOLY

SCRIPTURE, THIS IS THE ONLY ONE WHEREBY A PERSON

WAS “ BLIND FROM BIRTH ” – I.E. BORN WITHOUT EYES

AT ALL!

V THE BLIND MAN SYMBOLISES ALL SPIRITUALLY BLIND

HUMANITY FOR WE ALL NEED SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION

BY CHRIST OUR LORD WHO IS THE LIGHT OF THE

FALLEN, SPIRITUALLY DARKENED WORLD.

This Divine Miracle is AN ILLUSTRATION OF HOLY BAPTISM, which is also referred to as “ Holy Illumination.”

As Pascha (Easter) was the traditional day on whichCatechumens were received into the Holy Church of

Christ, the Sacred Lessons of the Holy Pascha

period – from the Glorious Resurrection of Christ

until Pentecost – all reflect a Baptismal

Theology . Thus, this Sacred Lesson is read on theSixth Sunday of Holy Pascha.

OUR SAVIOUR REJECTED THE ASSUMPTION - which wascommon in the ancient world - THAT ALL TROUBLES

AND MALADIES WERE NECESSARILY THE CONSEQUENCE OF

PERSONAL SIN OR EVEN THE SINS OF PARENTS. (REFER EXODUS

20:5; DEUTERONOMY 5:9 AND EZEKIEL 18:19-21)

ALTHOUGH SUFFERING CAN BE THE DIRECT RESULT OF

PERSONAL SIN, THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. THE MAN WAS BORN WITHOUT EYES, WHICH PROVIDED THE

MOST AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DIVINE WORKS OF

ALMIGHTY GOD TO BE REVEALED TO EVERYONE CONCERNED – so the man was not blind due to anyone’s personalsin at all.

The “Work” – i.e. the Spiritual Labour - that we are ableto fulfil consists of FAITH, GOOD DEEDS AND REPENTANCE.

The “night” to which our Lord referred meant THE TIME

AFTER OUR DEATH AND THE AGE TO COME – ETERNITY –

WHEN THERE IS NO LONGER ANY OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS

OUR FAITH because at our departure from this

world or earthly life, there is no chance of

Repentance or Confession and ALL IMMORTAL,

HUMAN SOULS – WHETHER BELIEVERS OR NOT – WILL HAVE

TO SUBMIT TO DEATH – WHETHER WILLINGLY OR

UNWILLINGLY .

V THE UNPRECEDENTED HEALING OF THE MAN BORN WITHOUT EYES CONFIRMS OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST’S TRUTHFUL

PROCLAMATION THAT HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.® St Irenaeus regarded THE MIXTURE OF CLAY FROM

THE EARTH AND THE SALIVA OF CHRIST OUR

ALMIGHTY LORD AND CREATOR LIKE THE ORIGINAL

CREATION OF HUMANITY FROM THE EARTH. (REFER

GENESIS 2:7)

® CHRIST REVEALS HIS DIVINE NATURE BY RESTORING A

TINY PART OF CREATION BY USING THE SAME

MATERIAL WITH WHICH HE HAD CREATED

HUMANITY AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR EXISTENCE.

The Pool of Siloam, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, was aconsiderable distance from the Temple and providedthe water for the Holy Rites connected with the Feast of Tabernacles (WHICH TOGETHER WITH PASCHA AND PENTECOST WAS ONE OF

THE MOST IMPORTANT FESTIVALS OF THE ANCIENT HEBREWS, WHICH INCLUDED

NUMEROUS SACRIFICES AND CELEBRATIONS. (LEVITICUS 23:33 – 43) ® “Siloam” meaning “Sent” symbolises CHRIST WHO

IS SENT BY GOD OUR HEAVENLY FATHER and just as the Healing of the Blind Man confirmsChrist’s claim as the (Divine) Light of the World,so also HIS USE OF THE POOL OF SILOAM

CONFIRMS THAT HE IS THE TRUE AND DIVINE

PURIFICATION OF THE HOLY TEMPLE AND ALL WHO

WORSHIP IN IT WITH TRUE FAITH IN GOD.

Just as the hypocritical Pharisees had ignored the Healingof the Paralytic and focused only on the perceived violation of the Sabbath, so too on this occasion MANY

OF THEM COULD NOT BEHOLD THE GLORY OF GOD DUE TO

THEIR PERSONAL WICKED PREJUDICE.

When Christ was not present, the Pharisees dared topronounce Him as a “ sinner,” yet earlier, WHEN HE HAD

ASKED THEM FACE TO FACE: “WHICH OF YOU CONVICTS ME

OF SIN?” THEY HAD ALL EVADED THE VITAL QUESTION. “Give God the Glory” was an Oath Formula, which

was always used before giving testimony .V THE FORMERLY BLIND MAN MOST CERTAINLY GAVE GOD THE

GLORY FOR THE MORE HE WAS QUESTIONED BY THE

HYPOCRITES AND DOUBTERS, THE MORE FERVENT HIS

FAITH BECAME, WHILE THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS

PHARISEES LAPSED DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO

SPIRITUAL DARKNESS AND DEATH.

V THE HEALED BLIND MAN IS A MODEL OF CHRISTIAN

WITNESS. ® MOST PEOPLE DO NOT BEAR WITNESS TO CHRIST

SINCE THEY FEAR THEY WILL BE ASKED QUESTIONS

THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER OR

EXPLAIN. ® THIS MAN’S HONEST AND SIMPLE ANSWER TO EVERYONE

– EVEN THOSE WHO WERE FAR BETTER EDUCATED

THAN HIM – PROVIDES THE TRUTH ®

HE ADMITS SOMETHING THAT HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT YET FOLLOWS UP WITH WHAT HE MOST

CERTAINLY DOES KNOW AND WHICH HE CAN

POSITIVELY CONFIRM: “... One thing I do knowis that although I was blind, now I see!”

BY CONFIRMING WHAT WE DO MOST DEFINITELY KNOW – IN

UTTER TRUTH AND WITHOUT ANY DOUBT – IS FOUNDATIONAL

TO WITNESSING OUR TRUE FAITH TO OTHERS.

Have created perfectly healthy eyes for the formerly BlindMan – OUR LOVING LORD JESUS OPENED UP BOTH HIS

PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGHT – FOR GOD ALONE CAN

OPEN OUR HEART AND SOUL BY HIS DIVINE ILLUMINATION. All healings had to be confirmed by the Priests, followed

by various ritual cleansings, sacrifices, etc. This is theonly full account of a healing being examined andquestioned by Hebrew authorities.

THE BLIND MAN PROGRESSES RAPIDLY FROM KNOWING

NOTHING ABOUT CHRIST TO HIS REALISATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CONFESSION THAT THAT OUR

LORD JESUS IS INDEED THE TRUE MESSIAH: “... you donot know where He is from - yet He has opened my

eyes! Now we know that God does not hear

sinners; but if anyone is a Worshipper of God and does His Will, He hears him. Since theworld began it has been unheard of that anyoneopened the eyes of one who was born blind. If

this Man were not from God, He could donothing!”

The self-righteous, hypocritical Pharisees could not refutehis Inspired Logic and Truth so they resorted topersonal insult.

V THE DIVINE HEALING OF THE BLIND MAN WAS ONE OF THE

GREAT SIGNS OR MIRACLES OF THE MESSIAH AND A

PREROGATIVE (RIGHT) UNIQUELY AND EXCLUSIVELY OF

ALMIGHTY GOD. (ISAIAH 35:5 & 42:7 –PSALM 145:8)

The coming of God Incarnate into our world brought Divine Judgement to us – not because He came to Judge us but because of OUR ACCOUNTABILITY TO GOD.

V ALL THOSE WHO SEE HIM AND WHO HEAR HIM BUT WHO DO

NOT BELIEVE OR WHO REJECT HIS DIVINE TRUTH ARE

JUDGED BY THEIR OWN FAITHLESSNESS!



(DONATIONS ARE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED) 6 t h S u n d a y o f H o l y P a s c h a – T h e B l i n d M a n 2 0 M a y 2 0 1 2 21.

6 t h P a s c h a l S u n d a y – T h e B l i n d M a n ( b o r n w i t h o u t e y e s ) A LL OF US ARE BORN SPIRITUALLY BLIND - WE ARE BORN, FOR

THE MOST PART , OUTSIDE F AITH IN GOD. According to an ancient plan (of the Evil One), our Spiritual

Eyes should have remained closed until our death. And ALL HUMANITY WOULD HAVE ENTERED E TERNITY WITHOUT

KNOWING GOD, THE IMMORTALITY OF OUR SOULS, OR EVEN

THE SPIRITUAL W ORLD ITSELF .

Everything was done to ensure that we - BORN SPIRITUALLY

BLIND FROM PARENTS WHO WERE ALSO SPIRITUALLY

BLIND - would remain that way forever – in a state of Spiritual Ignorance and Death.

HOWEVER , EVEN BEFORE CREATION, A LMIGHTY GOD HAD

PREPARED A GREAT MIRACLE FOR US – E TERNAL

S ALVATION AND LIFE - and without asking us whether

we believe or not, KNOWING THAT THIS F AITH IS

EMBEDDED DEEP WITHIN OUR IMMORTAL SOUL, THE LORD

ANOINTS US WITH CLAY AND SORROWS AS THOUGH WITH

HOLY M YRRH, and MANKIND IS HEALED and OUR

SPIRITUAL E YES ARE OPENED – OUR SPIRITUAL SIGHT IS

RESTORED. T HOSE WHO WERE SPIRITUALLY BLIND BUT WHO HAVE BEEN

HEALED LIKED THE MAN BORN WITHOUT EYES - ARE OFTEN

SUBJECTED TO DIFFICULT TRIALS, INTERROGATIONS, AND

MOCKERY BY THE SCEPTIC, SELF -SERVING P HARISEES OF

THIS AGE, and many struggling Disciples of Christ are

SHUNNED OR DISPARAGED BY MODERN SOCIETY OF THE

SPIRITUALLY BLIND. But why did our Saviour heal that particular Blind Man?

Why was this Divine Healing granted to this specificperson, and not to the whole crowd of similar sufferingpeople who surrounded him.

Two weeks ago we heard how our Lord Jesus Christ hadhealed the Paralytic who had yearned and hoped forhealing for thirty-eight agonising years, while thisBlind Man did not even appear to have Faith, for he didnot know Who to believe in—he could not see our Lord Who had anointed his eye-sockets with His Saliva and

clay and then instructed him: “Go, wash in the Pool

of Siloam.” When the healed Blind Man returned to the Temple for the

required ratification of the Priests, he could not identify the One Who had performed such an amazing, unique

Miracle, despite being severely interrogated by thePharisees and Scribes, who became so infuriated andfrustrated by what they heard they “cast him out” the Temple!

Later, OUR LORD SOUGHT THE FORMERLY BLIND M AN AND

ONLY THEN REVEALED HIS DIVINE IDENTITY TO HIM,

having watched his courageous Confession before THE

ENEMIES OF DIVINE T RUTH, WHO GREW MORE SPIRITUALLY

BLIND THE MORE THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT THIS

OBVIOUSLY DIVINE W ONDER .

Even so, why was one man healed, but not another? Why did our Saviour pass by the crowd of wretched souls

and heal that particular man? W HY , OUT OF THE

INNUMERABLE SPIRITUALLY BLIND DO ONLY A SMALL

F LOCK OF F AITHFUL GAIN THEIR SPIRITUAL SIGHT ? Why,

out of hundreds of different nations, do ONLY A FEW CONFESS THE S ALVIFIC ORTHODOX F AITH?

What made some people more suitable for MiraculousHealing than others? And what made the otherparalytics who lay by the Pool of Siloam any different to that Paralytic who was healed after 38 years of suffering?

Why ARE WE ANY DIFFERENT to the millions of our fellow

sinners in this world - those who are not Enlightenedby the Light of God’s Truth and Faith?

During our Lord’s earthly Life, when He walked the earth,He chose (AND CONTINUES TO CALL) only THOSE WHO TRULY SOUGHT

HIS DIVINE T RUTH AND LOVE (I.E. THOSE WHO WELCOME HIM AND WHO

EAGERLY AND FAITHFULLY CO-OPERATE WITH HIM, BECAUSE HE NEVER FORCES ANYTHING ON US.)

T HE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES APPLY NOW AND WILL DO SO

FOREVER .

Before His Passion, at the Last Supper, He told HisDisciples: “ I have CHOSEN you out of the world...” (JOHN 15:19).

Later, in his High-Priestly Prayer, He said to His Heavenly

Father: “ Holy Father, keep through Thine own Name THOSE WHOM T HOU HAST GIVEN M E...” (JOHN17:11).

A MONGST GOD’S CHOSEN ARE PEOPLE OF EVERY ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL CLASS.

T HERE HAVE BEEN WISE PEOPLE WHO RECOGNIZED THE

FEEBLENESS OF THEIR MINDS, AND THERE HAVE BEEN

PEOPLE WHO ARE ENTIRELY UNEDUCATED AND EVEN HOLY

F OOLS, TO WHOM EXTRAORDINARY R EVELATIONS WERE

SUDDENLY GRANTED.

Perhaps these were people rich in sins, because THE LORD

WAS SENT TO SAVE SINNERS – and we know all too well

that EVERYONE OF US IS SINFUL IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.

Maybe these were people rich in Faith, for THE LORD

REQUIRES US TO HAVE F AITH.

Yet CHRIST HEALED THE MAN BORN WITHOUT EYES DESPITE

HIS LACK OF F AITH AT THE TIME, BUT WHICH INCREASED

AS HE LATER DEFENDED OUR LORD’S MERCIFUL MIRACLE.He also healed the paralysed man whose friends had

opened a hole in the roof to lower him down beforeour Lord in Whom they had utter Faith. (MARK 2:4),

Furthermore, we know that the DEMONS KNOWING GOD AND

BELIEVING IN HIM, TREMBLE IN FEAR OF HIS A LMIGHTY

P OWER AND EVENTUAL F INAL CONDEMNATION…

So who does our Lord Jesus Christ choose for His DivineInheritance?

As St Paul the great Apostle stated in his Epistle to theGalatians: “...I LIVE ; YET NOT I, BUT C HRIST LIVES IN

ME...” (Galatians 2:20).

T HESE ARE THOSE WHOM OUR S AVIOUR CHOOSES: THOSE WHO

CAN DENY THEMSELVES AND BECOME GOD’S HOLY

DWELLING P LACE.B Y GOD’S UNFATHOMABLE LOVE FOR ALL MANKIND, EVERYONE

HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE CHOSEN ESPECIALLY THOSE

WHO STRUGGLE TO LIVE IN CHRIST THROUGH CONSTANT

SELF -DISCIPLINE - even though as faint-hearted as theParalytic, who could say - if only at one time in his life -“See — Christ Lives in me!” He could have becomeGod’s Temple forever. Judas Iscariot was also God’s Temple at one time!

However, GOD WILL GIVE OVER TO CORRUPTION THOSE WHO

CORRUPT GOD’S T EMPLE…“... I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me.” Anyone

who has been chosen by God can say the same. T HE

“OLD MAN ” IS DONE AWAY WITH, AND CHRIST IS

ENGENDERED IN US.

However, CHRIST LIVES IN US IN A WAY THAT IS NOT AT ALL

SPECULATIVE - NOT ONLY IN OUR MINDS. There are many “believing Christians” who may have

Christ merely in their minds but who are not firmly rooted in Divine Truth and Life in Christ – especially those who simply proclaim to believe in Christ, but who have not committed themselves to Him throughHis Holy Church, Commandments and Teachings.

There are those who philosophize about Christ, who makedreamy assumptions about Him, and want to hearabout Him; but they do not Live in Christ. They exist outside the Holy Body of Christ - outside the Holy Church of Christ.

CONSEQUENTLY , MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HEARD ABOUT

CHRIST NEVERTHELESS LIVE OUTSIDE CHRIST , HIS BODY ,

HIS CHURCH AND HIS DIVINITY .

T HE CHOSEN F LOCK OF CHRIST IS GOD’S GREAT MERCY TOWARDS SINFUL PEOPLE, but IT IS ALSO A GREAT

RESPONSIBILITY FOR EACH OF US AS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES

OF CHRIST because, unfortunately, we can also be like

Judas Iscariot; we can become APOSTATES, IN WHOM

CHRIST ONCE LIVED, BUT WHO WILLINGLY AND

CONSCIOUSLY BETRAY , REJECT AND CRUCIFY OUR S AVIOUR .

SPIRITUAL SIGHT ENABLES US TO SEE OURSELVES CLEARLY -

SINFUL AND CAPABLE OF EVERY EVIL AND BETRAYAL. It

enables us TO SEE THE WORLD AS IT REALLY IS -

WALLOWING IN WICKEDNESS - and so WE BEGIN TO

REALISE AND APPRECIATE GOD’S GREAT MERCY AND THE

DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS ON

EVERYTHING!May our Lord deliver us all from Spiritual Blindness –

granting us New Spiritual Eyes to behold His Divine

Truth and Light!ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: ARCHIMANDRITETIKHON (SHEVKUNOV), TRANSLATED FROM RUSSIAN BY

NUN CORNELIA (REES) HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU /ENGLISH /35149.HTM



22. (DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED) S u n d a y A f t e r P e n t e c o s t


A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, nowand forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen.

Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Ho ly , Mo st Pu re , Mo st Bl es se d an d Gl or io us La dy , Ma ri a, Th eo to ko s, ye t Ev er Vi rg in , to ge th er wi th al l th e Sa in ts . An d le t us co mm it ou rs el ve s an d

one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

21 May 2 0 1 2


S t C o n s t a n t i n e & S t H e l e n a E q u a l s t o t h e A p o s t l e s

Also the Feast of St Constantine & his sons, St Michael & St Theoore,

Wonderworkers of Murom – St Cassianos the Greek of UglichPaschal Apolyt ikion

R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n - -- - T ON E (5 ) P LA G A L 1

T on sinanarhon Logon Patri ke Pnevmati, ton ek

Parthenou tehthenta is Sotirian imon, animnisomen, Pisti, ke proskinisomen. Oti ivdokise Sarki anelthinen to Stavro ke Thanaton ipomine ke egire toustethneotas en ti Evdoxo Anastasi Aftou.

T he 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. Forit was His Good Pleasure to ascend the Cross in theFlesh, and to Suffer Death, and through His ownGlorious Resurrection to raise the dead.

A p o l y t i k i o n O f T h e H o l y C r o s s –––– T O N E 4

T ou Stavrou Sou ton tipon en Ourano theasamenos, ke

os O Pavlos tin klisin ouk ek anthropon dexamenos,

O en Vasilefsin Apostolos Sou Kyrie, Vasilevousan polin ti Hiri Sou paretheto; in perisoze dia pantos en

Irini, Presvies tis Theotokou, Mone Filanthrope!

T he Sign of the Cross in the sky having beheld, and like

Paul having received the Call that did not come frommen, Thine Apostle among all the Kings, O Lord,built his capital city and placed its care in Thy Hands; which, we ask Thee to guard in Peace, forever, by theIntercessions of the Theotokos, O Only Lover of mankind!

K o n t a k i o n o f t h e B l i n d M a n – T O N E 4

T is psihis ta ommata pepiromenos, Si Hriste

proserhome, os O Tiflos ek genetis, en metaniakravgazon Si. Si ton en skoti to Fos to iperlampron.

W ith the Sight of my soul, completely Blind, O my Christ

to Thee I come, like the man blind from birth, and inRepentance cry out to Thee: for those in Darkness, Thou art the Brightest Light!

P r o k e i m e n o n :T hou art Blessed, O Lord, God of our Forefathers.

F or Thou has always dealt Righteously with us.

A c t s o f t h e A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 2 6 : 1 & 1 2 – 2 0S t P a u l D e f e n d s H i m s e l f

Agrippa said to Paul: “You are permitted to speak for yourself .” So Paul stretched out his hand and answered forhimself: “... while thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the Chief

Priests, at midday, O King, along the road I saw a Light from Heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around

me and those who journeyed with me.

“And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a Voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language: ‘ Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? It is difficult for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said: ‘Who art

Thou, Lord?’ And He said: ‘ I A M J ESUS , Whom you are persecuting. Rise and stand on your feet, for I HAVE

A PPEARED to you for this Purpose – TO MAKE YOU A M INISTER AND A W ITNESS BOTH OF THE T HINGS THAT YOU HAVE

SEEN AN OF THE T HINGS THAT I WILL YET REVEAL TO YOU . I WILL DELIVER YOU from the Hebrews and from theGentiles, to whom I NOW SEND YOU , TO OPEN THEIR EYES , IN ORDER TO TURN THEM FROM D ARKNESS TO L IGHT , AND

FROM THE POWER OF S ATAN TO GOD , THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE F ORGIVENESS OF SINS AND AN I NHERITANCE AMONG THOSEWHO ARE S ANCTIFIED BY F AITH IN M E.’

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I WAS NOT DISOBEDIENT TO THE H EAVENLY V ISION , but declared first to those in Damascus and

in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region in Judea, and then to the Gentiles, THAT THEY SHOULD R EPENT , TURN TO

GOD , AND DO W ORK BEFITTING R EPENTANCE.”

A REPORT OF THE CHARGES AGAINST A PRISONER WAS

REQUIRED BY R OMAN L AW . A new Governor, after all, would not want to look bad before the RomanEmperor.

There was a slight twist of absurdity here SINCE THE

CHARGES AGAINST S T P AUL WERE GROUNDLESS AND HE

WAS ABOUT TO BE TAKEN TO R OME TO BE SENTENCED BY

C AESAR BUT THERE WAS NOTHING WITH WHICH TO ACCUSE

HIM!BEING OF HIGHER R ANK THAN S T P AUL, A GRIPPA – King and

Governor of the region – OPENED THE PROCEEDINGS. Agrippa was knowledgeable in Hebrew customs.IT IS BELIEVED THAT HEROD THE GREAT AND HEROD AGRIPPA WERE APOSTASISED

HEBREWS WHO WERE SYCOPHANTS AND LACKEYS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND

THEREFORE WERE FEARED AND DESPISED BY THE HEBREWS.

S T P AUL STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND IN A COMMON GESTURE

FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS OF THAT ERA .NO ACCUSERS WERE PRESENT AND S T P AUL WAS FREE TO

PROCEED as he pleased, although he used the

Hebrew’s false charges against him as his point of reference.

A S PART OF S T P AUL’S EARLIER PERSECUTION AGAINST

HEBREW CHRISTIANS, HE FORCED THEM TO BLASPHEME

OR CURSE THE N AME OF OUR LORD JESUS. [1 CORINTHIANS

12:3]

T HIS IS THIRD ACCOUNT OF S T P AUL’S D AMASCUS R OAD

CONVERSION.S T P AUL DESCRIBED THE UNCREATED LIGHT OF GOD that he

experienced on the road to Damascus as being“ brighter than the sun.”

The context suggests IT WAS THE GLORIFIED CHRIST

HIMSELF WHO CONFRONTED S T P AUL [whose Hebrew name was Saul]. [1 CORINTHIANS 9:1; 15:8]

OUR R ESURRECTED LORD JESUS CHRIST COMMISSIONED S T

P AUL AS HIS W ITNESS JUST LIKE HE COMMISSIONED HIS

HOLY A POSTLES. A DIRECT C ALL FROM GOD CONSTITUTES THE HIGHEST

A UTHORITY AND S T P AUL OBEYED the Heavenly Vision by declaring to BOTH HEBREWS AND GENTILES that they







(SPONSORED BY DIMITRI P AIZIS ) S t C o n s t a n t i n e & S t H e l e n a – E q u a l s T o T h e A p o s t l e s – 2 1 M a y 2 0 1 2

23.

SHOULD “R EPENT , TURN TO GOD AND DO GOOD

W ORKS...” THAT PROVE THEIR GENUINE R EPENTANCE AND

COMMITMENT TO A LMIGHTY GOD.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 1 0 : 1 – 9Je s u s Ch r is t Ou r Lord & S a v iou r Is Ou r G ood S h e p h e rd

At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: “Most assuredly, I say to you: HE WHO DOES NOT ENTER THE S HEEPFOLD BY

THE DOOR , BUT CLIMBS UP SOME OTHER WAY , IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER. But H E W HO ENTERS BY THE DOOR IS THE

S HEPHERD OF THE S HEEP . T O H IM THE DOORKEEPER OPENS , AND THE S HEEP HEAR H IS V OICE ; and H E CALLS H IS OWN

S HEEP BY NAME and leads them out.“And when He brings out His own Sheep, H E GOES BEFORE THEM ; and THE S HEEP FOLLOW H IM , FOR THEY KNOW H IS

V OICE. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the

voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things that He spoke to them. Then Jesus said to them

again: “Most assuredly, I say to you: I A M THE DOOR of the Sheep. All who ever came before Me arethieves and robbers, but the Sheep did not hear them. I Am the Door. I F ANYONE ENTERS BY M E , HE WILL BE

S AVED , and will go in and out and find Pasture.”

Our Lord’s conversation with THE P HARISEES continued

after He told them that they WERE ALIENATED FROM

GOD, not the Blind Man whom they had so self-righteously cast out of the Temple.

T HEY WERE SPIRITUALLY BLIND AND THEY WERE FALSE

SHEPHERDS OF GOD’S P EOPLE

“ ... he who does not enter ... by the door is A THIEF

AND A ROBBE r” IS A REFERENCE TO THOSE WHO DO NOT

FOLLOW GOD’S L AW ACCORDING TO ITS SPIRIT AND

MEANING.

V It is a reference to THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOD’S

DIVINE P ERFECT T RUTH AND MANKIND’S FLAWED,

OPINIONATED CONCEPTS.V B Y FOLLOWING OUR OWN IDEAS RATHER THAN GOD’S

T RUTH, WE Become “Thieves And Robbers” Who

DECEIVE OURSELVES AND OTHERS, thus StealingSouls From God.

“...he who enters by the Door is the Shepherd...” means that THOSE WHO FAITHFULLY FOLLOW THE

E XAMPLE OF CHRIST OUR T RUE SHEPHERD WITH HUMILITY

AND OBEDIENCE ARE WORTHY LEADERS AND SPIRITUAL

GUIDES – True Shepherds of His Faithful Disciples. They are the R IGHTFUL SHEPHERDS OF GOD’S F LOCK s

because they OPERATE LEGALLY ACCORDING TO GOD’S

DIVINE L AWS AND T EACHINGS.

“... The Sheep HEAR HIS V OICE...” suggests A CLOSE

R ELATIONSHIP between our lord the good shepherd

and us, his loyal sheep.

V A S WE GROW SPIRITUALLY S TRONGER AND CLOSER TO

GOD, WE DO INDEED RECOGNISE THE V OICE OF HIS

T RUTH AND W ISDOM.

“... He Calls His own Sheep by name ...” because GOD

KNOWS EACH SOUL better than anyone else.THE NAMES GIVEN TO US AND MENTIONED DURING THE 8TH DAY NAMING AND AT OUR

HOLY BAPTISM AND CHRISMATION, ARE THOSE BY WHICH GOD CALLS US.

WHENEVER WE RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION OUR PRIESTS ANNOUNCE OUR CHRISTIAN

NAMES ALOUD TO THE HEAVENLY AND EARTHLY WITNESSES SO IF A PRIEST DOES

NOT KNOW US, WE MUST ANNOUNCE OUR BAPTISMAL NAME ALOUD BEFORE

PARTAKING.

“... He goes before them...” is a reference to THE HUMAN

EXPERIENCES THAT CHRIST OUR INCARNATE GOD

ENDURED FOR OUR SAKES:

®HIS TERRIBLE SUFFERING upon the Cross – theultimate Blood Sacrifice for the sake of allhumanity throughout all the ages.

®HIS ENTRY INTO H ADES whereby His Death conqueredDeath thereby releasing those who had awaitedHis Coming in Faith, Hope and Trust.

®HIS DEATH AND THE SUBSEQUENT “ H ARROWING OF

H ELL” makes it possible for Repentant sinners to“ repose in Christ” – to rest in the comfort of Christ’s Love - while awaiting His Second GloriousComing to Judge the living and the dead.

®HIS GLORIOUS R ESURRECTION showed us what all

humanity can expect on the Final Day.®HIS A SCENSION INTO HEAVEN, witnessed by so many reliable people, is also a Divine Promise of futureEvents.

All these Wondrous Events were strictly FOR THE SAKE OF

OUR IMMORTAL SOULS, GIVING US HOPE, JOY AND P EACE

and showing us that IT IS ALL INDEED TRUE AND

DEFINITELY POSSIBLE FOR ALL REPENTANT SINNERS suchas ourselves.

“...I Am the Door...” means THAT OUR LORD JESUS

CHRIST IS THE ONLY MEANS BY WHICH WE CAN BE

ASSURED OF E TERNAL LIFE.

V IT IS HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO GAIN ENTRY

INTO GOD’S HEAVENLY K INGDOM EXCEPT THROUGH

CHRIST OUR LORD AND S AVIOUR .

®WE NEED TO KNOW HIS T EACHINGS so that we are able

to live in Eternity – to be worthy citizens in HisEternal Kingdom of Love/Agape.

®EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HIS HOLY CHURCH HAS A

P URPOSE – Prayers, Hymns, Liturgical Practises,etc. Prepare us for that very special existence that will never end.

®WITHOUT ANY DIVINE K NOWLEDGE AT ALL, WE SHALL BE

LIKE ALIENS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY AND UNABLE TO

EXIST THERE.

V “...if anyone enters by Me, he will be Saved...” is

A S ACRED P ROMISE OF GOD.

GOD’S SACRED AND DIVINE PROMISES ARE 100%

GUARANTEED

S t C o n s t a n t i n e & S t H e l e n a – E q u a l s t o t h e A p o s t l e sSt Constantine's parents were Emperor Constantius

Chlorus and the Empress Helena. Chlorus had otherchildren by another wife, but from St Helena he hadonly Constantine. After his coronation Constantinefought three great battles: one, against Maxentius, aRoman tyrant; the second, against the Scythians onthe Danube and the third, against the Byzantines.

Before the battle with Maxentius, while Constantine wasgreatly concerned and in doubt about his success, A

BRILLIANT CROSS APPEARED TO HIM IN THE SKY DURING

THE DAY , ADORNED WITH STARS AND INSCRIBED WITH THE

WORDS: " B Y THIS S IGN CONQUER." Astonished, theEmperor ordered a large cross to be forged similar tothe one that had appeared to him and to be carriedbefore the army. B Y THE P OWER OF THE CROSS HE

ACHIEVED A GLORIOUS VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY WHO HAD

OUTNUMBERED THEM. Maxentius drowned in the TiberR IVER .

S T CONSTANTINE ISSUED THE FAMOUS EDICT OF MILAN IN THE

YEAR 313 HALTING THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS.Defeating the Byzantines, St Constantine built a beautiful

capital on the Bosphorus, which was later called‘Constantinople.’ Before that, however, Constantinesuccumbed to the dreaded disease of leprosy. As acure, the pagan priests and physicians advised him tobathe in the blood of slaughtered children. However,

he refused to do so and in a Vision St Peter and St

Paul told him to locate Bishop Sylvester who wouldcure him of that dreaded disease. St Sylvester theninstructed him in the Christian Faith and Baptized himand consequently, he was healed. When a controversy arose in the Church caused by the heretic Arius, theEmperor convened the First Ecumenical Council inNicaea, 325. whereby the heresy was condemned andOrthodoxy confirmed.

St. Helena, the pious mother of the Emperor, went on aHoly Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and various other Holy Sites, uncovered the Holy Cross of our Lord, had theChurch of the Resurrection on Golgotha built as wellas many other churches throughout the Holy Land.She finally reposed in the Lord in her eightieth year in 327.

St Constantine outlived his mother by ten years. He died inNicomedia in his sixty-fifth year in 337 and his body was interred in the Church of the Twelve Apostles in

Constantinople.ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: BISHOP NIKOLAI VELIMIROVCH

T TT T HE HE HE HE P PP P ROLOGUE FROM ROLOGUE FROM ROLOGUE FROM ROLOGUE FROM O OO O HRID HRID HRID HRID

© SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH DIOCESE OF WESTERN AMERICA

httpwwwwestsrbdioorgprologprologcgi



24. (Sponsored by Dimitri Paizis) A s c e n s i o n o f o u r L o r d & S a v i o u r , J e s u s C h r i s t 2 4 M a y 2 0 1 2


A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, nowand forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen.

Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Ho ly , Mo st Pure , Mo st Bl es se d an d Gl or io us La dy , Ma ri a, Th eo to ko s, ye t Ev er Vi rg in , to ge th er wi th al l th e Sa in ts . An d le t us comm it ou rs el ve s

and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

24 M a y 2 0 1 2

A s c e n s i o n o f o u r L o r d & S a v i o u r , J e s u s C h r i s t

Also the Feast of St Symeon the Stylite of Wonderful Mountain – St Nikitas the

Wonderworking Stylite of Pereyaslavl, Zalesski – St Meletios Stratelates the General

& 1218 Martyred Soldiers, their wives and children, including : St Stephen, St John,

St Serapion the Egyptian, St Callinikos the former Sorcerer, St Theodore, St Faustos,

St Festos, St Marcellos, St Meletios, St Sergios, St Marcellinos, together with, St

Marciana, St Felix, St Photinos, St Theodoriskos, St Mercurios, St Didymos, St

Susanna, St Palladia, St Kyriakos Infant Martyr, St Christine, Child Martyr & other

Martyred Innocents of Galatia – St Vincent of Lerins

S e c o n d F e s t a l A n t i p h o n :

Soson imas Iie Theou, O EN DOXI ANALIFTHIS AF’

IMON IS TOUS OURANOUS, psallontas Si: Allilouia! O Son of God, TAKEN UP FROM US IN GLORY INTO

HEAVEN, Save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia! E n t r a n c e o f A s c e n s i o n & C o m m u n i o n H y m n

Anevi O Theos en alalagmo, Kyrios en foni salpingos. God Ascended with a shout; the Lord with the sound of

the Trumpet A p o l y t i k i o n o f t h e A s c e n s i o n

Anelifthis en Doxi, Hriste O Theos imon, Haropiisas tous

Mathitas, ti epangelia tou Agiou Pnevmatos,

vaveothenton afton dia tis Evlogias, oti Si i O Iios touTheou, O Litrotis tou kosmou.

T hou Ascended in Glory, O Christ our God, after Thou

filled the Disciples with Joy, by promising to sendthem the Holy Spirit, and Thou Blessed them andestablished their Faith, that Thou art the Son of God,the Redeemer of the world.

K o n t a k i o n o f t h e A s c e n s i o n o f C h r i s t o u r S a v i o u r - T ON E (6) P LA G A L 2

T in iper imon plirosas ikonomian, ke ta epi gis enosas

tis Ouraniis, anelifthis en doxi, Hriste O Theos imon,oudamothen horizomenos, alla menon adiastatos,

ke voon tis agaposi se. EGO IMI METH IMON, KE

OUDIS KATH IMON.

W hen Thou had fulfilled the Dispensation for our sake,

and united things on earth with the Things in Heaven, Thou were taken up thither in Glory, O Christ our god,going not away from any place, but continuinginseparable, and to the m who Love Thee, crying out:

I AM WITH YOU AND THERE IS, THEREFORE, NONE

AGAINST YOU .

P r o k e i m e n o n o f t h e A s c e n s i o n–

T O N E ( 7 ) V A R Y S / G R A V E

B e exalted, O God, above the Heavens...! M y heart is ready, O God...

T h e A c t s o f t h e H o l y A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 1 : 1 – 1 2 The former account I made, O Theophilos, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until THE DAY ON WHICH HE

WAS TAKEN UP , AFTER HE, THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT , HAD GIVEN COMMANDMENTS TO THE A POSTLES WHOM HE HAD CHOSEN – to whom HE HAD ALSO PRESENTED HIMSELF ALIVE AFTER HIS SUFFERING, BY MANY INFALLIBLE P ROOFS – being seen by

them DURING FORTY DAYS AND SPEAKING OF THE T HINGS PERTAINING TO THE K INGDOM OF GOD. And, being assembled

together with them, He Commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father,“which...” He said: “... you have heard from Me; for John truly Baptised with water, BUT YOU SHALL BE

B APTISED WITH THE H OLY S PIRIT NOT MANY DAYS FROM NOW .” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him: “Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore the Kingdom of Israel?”

And He said to them: “ I T IS NOT FOR YOU TO KNOW TIMES OR SEASONS , which the Father has put in His own Authority. But YOU SHALL RECEIVE P OWER WHEN THE H OLY S PIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU ; and you SHALL BE

W ITNESSES TO M E in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Now, WHEN HE HAD SPOKEN THESE T HINGS, WHILE THEY WATCHED, HE WAS TAKEN UP , AND A CLOUD RECEIVED HIM out of theirsight. And while they looked steadfastly towards Heaven as He went up, behold, two Men stood by them in white

apparel, who also said: “O Men of Galilee: why do you stand gazing up into Heaven? T HIS SAME JESUS, W HO WAS

TAKEN UP FROM YOU INTO HEAVEN, WILL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER as you saw Him go into Heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called ‘Olivet,’ which is near Jerusalem – a Sabbath Day’s journey.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 2 4 : 3 6 – 5 3 T h e P a s s ion o f ou r L or d Je s u s C hr i s t

At that time the soldiers also mocked our Lord Jesus, offering Him sour wine, and saying: “If Thou art the King of the

Jews, save Thyself! ” And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin and Hebrew: “ T HIS IS THE

K ING OF THE JEWS! ” And one of the criminals who were hanging beside Him blasphemed Him, saying: “If Thou art the

Christ, save Thyself and us! ” But the other one rebuked him, saying: “ Do you not even fear God, seeing that you areunder the same Condemnation? And we indeed Justly, for we receive the due Reward of our deeds; but this Man

has done nothing wrong .” And he said to Jesus: “ LORD , REMEMBER ME WHEN T HOU COME INTO T HY K INGDOM .” And Jesus said to him: “Truly, I say to you: TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH M E IN P ARADISE.”

Now it was about the Sixth Hour, and THERE WAS DARKNESS OVER ALL THE EARTH UNTIL THE NINTH HOUR . And the sun was

darkened, and the Veil of the Temple was ripped in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud Voice, He said:“Father, into Thy Hands I commit My Spirit!” Having said this, HE BREATHED HIS LAST . So when the Centurion

saw what had happened, he Glorified God, saying: “C ERTAINLY THIS WAS A R IGHTEOUS M AN !” And the whole crowd whohad gathered together for that sight – seeing what had been done – beat their breasts and returned. But all Hisacquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.



(Sponsored by Dimitri Paizis) A s c e n s i o n o f o u r L o r d & S a v i o u r , J e s u s C h r i s t 2 4 M a y 2 0 1 2 2 5.

Now behold: there was a man named JOSEPH – a Council member, a good and just man. He HAD NOT CONSENTED TO

THEIR DECISION AND DEED. He was from Arimathea – a city of the Hebrews – WHO HIMSELF WAS ALSO WAITING FOR THE

K INGDOM OF GOD. This man went to Pilate and asked for the Body of Jesus. Then he took It down, wrapped It in

linen, and LAID I T IN A T OMB THAT WAS HEWN OUT OF ROCK , WHERE NO ONE HAD EVER LAIN BEFORE.

L i v i n g o n t h e T h r e s h o l d o f t h e D i v i n e K i n g d o m T ODAY WE REMEMBER AN ENTIRELY UNIQUE E VENT THAT

COMPLETES THE EARTHLY SOJOURN OF OUR LORD AND

S AVIOUR , JESUS CHRIST .

A FTER HIS R ESURRECTION, HAVING APPEARED MANY TIMES

BEFORE THE HOLY A POSTLES, SHOWING THEM THE

W OUNDS OF HIS H ANDS, F EET , AND R IBS, EATING FOODWITH THEM AND T EACHING THEM THE M YSTERIES OF THE

K INGDOM OF GOD, OUR LORD SUDDENLY DEPARTED FROM

HIS DISCIPLES IN AN EXCEPTIONAL MANNER ON THE

MOUNT OF OLIVES – AN EXTRAORDINARY CLOUD RECEIVED

HIM. And the astonished Disciples all understood that their

Divine Teacher has been taken up - has Ascended intoHeaven (TO CONTINUE HIS RIGHTFUL POSITION – SEATED AS A DIVINE EQUAL

ALONGSIDE GOD THE FATHER)

Why did our Lord need to be taken up? As God is He not beyond time and space? If He had wished to withdraw visibly from the history of mankind as Jesus Christ from Nazareth, He could just have become invisible -as He had become invisible many times after theResurrection, when departing from His Disciples.

Of course all of this is possible for God. But THERE IS ANIMMENSE MEANING IN THE VERY A CT OF HIS A SCENSION.

Firstly, THIS IS THE END OF OUR LORD’S SOJOURN ON EARTH,

and IF HE HAD REMAINED INVISIBLE, THIS MIGHT HAVE

HAD DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES FOR THE FIRST

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY .

Even BEFORE HIS DEATH OUR LORD HAD INFORMED US THAT

THE TIME WOULD COME WHEN MANY WOULD TRY TO

MISLEAD US BY PROCLAIMING: “ Behold: here is the

Christ!’ or “There...!” Therefore He categorically warned us: “DO NOT BELIEVE IT

FOR FALSE CHRISTS AND FALSE PROPHETS WILL RISE AND

SHOW GREAT S IGNS AND W ONDERS TO DECEIVE , IF

POSSIBLE , EVEN THE E LECT !” and “... if they say:

‘Look, He is in the desert!’ DO NOT GO OUT ; or:‘Look, He is in the Inner Rooms!’ DO NOT BELIEVE

IT !” (Matthew 24:23-26) SO THAT NO ONE WOULD EVER BE ABLE TO MAKE THESE FALSE

CLAIMS, OUR LORD LEFT HIS F AITHFUL DISCIPLE AND THIS

VISIBLE WORLD IN A VISIBLE WAY .

This wonderful moment of the Ascension is extremely significant because THERE WAS NO HUMAN GLORY IN THE

LIFE OF OUR LORD.Only once, as He approached His Passion in Jerusalem,

did THE PEOPLE - WHO WERE OBVIOUSLY IMPRESSED BY

THE FACT THAT HE HAD RAISED S T L AZAROS FROM THE

DEAD - JOYOUSLY WELCOMED HIM AS OUR GLORIOUS

V ICTOR – loudly exulting: “ Hosanna to the Son of

David! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!” as they spreadtheir garments before Him and waved branches.(MATTHEW 21:8-9)

However, it was all short-lived vainglorious, humanhonour, which was unacceptable to our Divine Saviour Who did not participate in such human triumph,

knowing how SOON THEIR GENERAL ATTITUDE WOULD

CHANGE – AND THAT MANY OF THOSE WHO WERE

GLORIFYING HIM AT THAT MOMENT WOULD SOON BE

DEMANDING HIS EXECUTION from the Roman Governor,

Pontius Pilate. T HE COMPLETION OF THE E VENTS OF THE HOLY GOSPEL OF

CHRIST IS A VISIBLE T RIUMPH, A VISIBLE V ICTORY OF OUR

S AVIOUR .

A T THE ACTUAL MOMENT OF CHRIST ’S R ESURRECTION, THERE

WERE NO EYE-WITNESSES IN THE T OMB AND HIS F AITHFUL

A POSTLES AND DISCIPLES ONLY SAW THE SIGNS OF HIS

R ESURRECTION – the abandoned Burial Shroud, the

neatly folded inner Face Cloth and rock-hard, outer wrappings – AN UNFATHOMABLE DIVINE M YSTERY .

Although the Divine Power and Glory of our ResurrectedLord was later revealed to many people, no humanbeing was allowed to witness that Mysterious, DivineGlory when it occurred.

Nevertheless, THE GOSPEL WAS COMPLETED WITH ACTUAL,

EVERLASTING T RIUMPH AND V ICTORY : ALL GOALS WERE

FULFILLED AND THE HUMAN RACE WAS R EDEEMED, thedevil was conquered, and evil and death was trampledupon.

GOD IS V ICTOR TOGETHER WITH MANKIND IN JESUS CHRIST ,and the visible expression of this Glorious Victory of the God-Man is the physical Ascension of our Lord.

As the Faithful Apostles and Disciples stood in utteramazement, two Holy Angels of God drew theirattention by saying: “Men of Galilee, why do you

stand gazing up into Heaven? T HIS SAME J ESUS , W HO

WAS TAKEN UP FROM YOU INTO H EAVEN , WILL COME AGAIN

IN SIMILAR MANNER as you saw Him go into Heaven.” (ACTS 1:10-11).

Those words sent the Faithful Disciple rejoicing into Jerusalem in the erroneous belief that within a day, ortwo, or three, or maybe a week or a month our Saviour would return. In such intense anticipation for theReappearance of our Lord, the first years of theChristian Community was nurtured, spread and

developed… Yet as St Peter reminded us: “... WITH THE LORD ONE DAY IS

LIKE A THOUSAND YEARS AND A THOUSAND YEARS LIKE

ONE DAY ...” (2 PETER 3:8) [ETERNITY IS FOREVER NOW... THE PRESENT]

W E DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH EARTHLY TIME WILL PASS

BEFORE THE LORD WILL R EAPPEAR IN ALL HIS GLORY .

This is not that important because TIME DOES NOT

APPLY TO GOD. Yet it is absolutely important for us tounderstand that WE LIVE ON THE THRESHOLD OF THE

DIVINE K INGDOM AND, therefore, EVERYONE SHOULD

PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THEIR ENCOUNTER WITH OUR

S AVIOUR , which NO ONE KNOWS WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. However, EVERY HUMAN BEING – LIVING AND DEAD - WILL

STAND FACE TO F ACE BEFORE GOD. So THE JOYFUL

HOPE OF THE F AITHFUL OF REUNITING WITH OUR LORD

WAS SOON FULFILLED when they gave their lives for the

sake of Him and His Divine Truth. Thus, AS WE STRUGGLE TO LIVE OUR LIVES IN CHRIST , WE

BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE OUR

R ELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND LOOK FORWARD WITH

GREAT P EACE, LOVE AND JOY TO THE L AST D AY WHEN WE

WILL ALL STAND BEFORE THE GLORIOUS T HRONE OF

A LMIGHTY GOD.

A LTHOUGH MANY PEOPLE ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S DIVINE

E XISTENCE, THEY DO NOT ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE IN THE

ESSENTIAL HOLY SERVICES AND HOLY M YSTERIES, AND

THEY IGNORE THEIR NEED FOR R EPENTANCE AND

R ECONCILIATION WITH GOD AND NEIGHBOUR . They useevery excuse they can invent and will sometimes even

admit: “Of course I need to Repent and to changemy life ...but there is still time and I have so

many other things to do...!” No one knows when they will die so WE ALL NEED TO LIVE

EVERY MOMENT IN SPIRITUAL W ATCHFULNESS AND

R EPENTANCE, so that WE WILL REJOICE AT OUR

JUDGEMENT NOT HAVING WASTED THIS PRECIOUS TIME FOR

CORRECTING OUR SELVES.W E MUST LIVE EACH DAY SO THAT OUR FINAL ENCOUNTER WITH

GOD IS AS INEXPRESSIBLY JOYFUL AS THAT OF THE HOLY

A POSTLES AND DISCIPLES WHO REMEMBERED THE

A NGELS’ WORDS ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.

T HE F EAST OF THE A SCENSION IS AN ESCHATOLOGICAL F EAST ,

WHICH REFERS OUR THINKING TO THE FUTURE. At the

same time, it is a very personal Feast because IT

CONCERNS NOT ONLY HUMAN CIVILIZATION, NOT ONLY THE

WHOLE WORLD BUT EACH OF US.

ON A SCENSION D AY - maybe more than on any other day of

the year - WE SHOULD CONTEMPLATE OUR OWN LIFE, OUR

OWN DEATH, OUR JUDGEMENT BEFORE GOD, AND ABOUT

E TERNITY .ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: B Y PATRIARCH KIRILL OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA - TRANSLATED

BY SVETLANA BROOKS

http://www.pravmir.com/we-live-on-the-threshold-of-the-divine-kingdom/



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Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Ho ly , Mo st Pu re , Mo st Bl es se d an d Gl or io us La dy , Ma ri a, Th eo to ko s,

ye t Ev er Vi rg in , to ge th er wi th al l th e Sa in ts . An d le t us co mm it ou rs el ve s an d on e an ot he r an d ou r


25 M a y 2 0 1 2

T h i r d F i n d i n g o f S t J o h n t h e B a p t i s t ’ s V e n e r a b l e H e a d

Also the Feast of St Therapon, Hieromartyr of Cyprus – St Urbanos of Rome –

St Olbianos the Confessor – St Celestine – St Aldhelm of Sherborne

S e c o n d F e s t a l A n t i p h o n :

Soson imas Iie Theou, O EN DOXI ANALIFTHIS AF’

IMON IS TOUS OURANOUS, psallontas Si: Allilouia! O Son of God, TAKEN UP FROM US IN GLORY INTO

HEAVEN, Save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia! E n t r a n c e o f A s c e n s i o n & C o m m u n i o n H y m n

Anevi O Theos en alalagmo, Kyrios en foni salpingos. God Ascended with a shout; the Lord with the sound of

the Trumpet

A p o l y t i k i o n o f t h e A s c e n s i o n

Anelifthis en Doxi, Hriste O Theos imon, Haropiisas tous

Mathitas, ti epangelia tou Agiou Pnevmatos,vaveothenton afton dia tis Evlogias, oti Si i O Iios tou

Theou, O Litrotis tou kosmou.

T hou Ascended in Glory, O Christ our God, after Thou

filled the Disciples with Joy, by promising to sendthem the Holy Spirit, and Thou Blessed them andestablished their Faith, that Thou art the Son of God,the Redeemer of the world.

A p o ly tk ion o f t h e T h i rd F in d in g o f S t Joh n T h e B a p t is t ’ s H e a d – T on e 4

O s thion thisavrisma, egkekrimmenon ti gi, Hristos

apekalipse, tin Kefalin sou imin Profita ke Prdodrome. Pantes oun sinelthontes, en ti taftis evresi, asmasitheigoris, ton Sotira imnoumen, ton sozonta imas ek fthoras, tes ikesies sou.

Christ God has revealed to us Thy Truly Ven'rable Head

as a Divine Treasure that had been concealed in theearth, O Prophet and Forerunner. Wherefore, as wegather on the Feast of its Finding, with our HymnsInspired of God, we praise Christ the Saviour, Whoby Thy Mighty Prayers Saves us from every kind of harm.

K o n t a k i o n o f t h e A s c e n s i o n o f C h r i s t o u r S a v i o u r - T ON E (6) P LA G A L 2

T in iper imon plirosas ikonomian, ke ta epi gis enosas

tis Ouraniis, anelifthis en doxi, Hriste O Theos imon,oudamothen horizomenos, alla menon adiastatos,

ke voon tis agaposi se. EGO IMI METH IMON, KE

OUDIS KATH IMON.

W hen Thou had fulfilled the Dispensation for our sake,

and united things on earth with the Things in Heaven, Thou were taken up thither in Glory, O Christ our god,going not away from any place, but continuinginseparable, and to the m who Love Thee, crying out:

I AM WITH YOU AND THERE IS, THEREFORE, NONE

AGAINST YOU .


T TT T heir sound has gone out into all the earth: and their words to the ends of the world.

T TT T he Heavens declare the Glory of God!

T h e S e c o n d E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e C o r i n t h i a n s 4 : 6 – 1 5 T h e P ow er of t h e H o ly A p os t l es

Brethren: It is the GOD

W HO

COMMANDED LIGHT TO SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS

, WhoHAS SHONE IN OUR HEARTS TO GRANT THE

LIGHT OF THE K NOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE SIGHT OF JESUS CHRIST . But we have this Treasure in earthen vessels so that THE EXCELLENCE OF THE P OWER MAY BE OF GOD and not of us.

W E 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 F AITH, according to what is written: “ I believed and therefore I spoke...” we also

believe and therefore speak, knowing that HE W HO RAISED UP OUR LORD JESUS WILL ALSO RAISE US UP with Jesus, and

will present us with you.For all things are for your sakes, that GRACE, HAVING SPREAD THROUGH THE MANY , MAY CAUSE THANKSGIVING TO ABOUND TO

THE GLORY OF GOD.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t M a t t h e w 1 1 : 2 – 1 5S t Joh n T h e B a p t is t ’ s Qu e s t ion T o Ou r Lord A n d S a v iou r , Je s u s Ch r is t

At that time, when John had heard in prison about the Works of Christ, he sent two of his Disciples and said to Him: “Art

Thou the Coming One, or do we look for Another?” Jesus answered and said to them: “Go and tell John the Things that you hear and see: THE BLIND SEE AND THE

LAME WALK ; THE LEPERS ARE CLEANSED AND THE DEAF HEAR ; THE DEAD ARE RAISED UP AND THE POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL

PREACHED TO THEM . And Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness

to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments?



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Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in Kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A Prophet? Yes, I say to you, and MORE THAN A P ROPHET , FOR THIS IS HE OF WHOM IT IS WRITTEN : ‘Behold, I send My Messenger before Thy Face, who will prepare Thy Way before Thee.’

“Assuredly, I say to you: among those born of women THERE HAS NOT RISEN ONE GREATER THAN J OHN THE B APTIST ;

but he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptistuntil now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For ALL THE P ROPHETS

AND THE L AW PROPHESIED UNTIL J OHN . And if you are willing to receive it, HE IS E LIJAH WHO HAS COME.

“H E WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR , LET HIM HEAR!”

According to our Holy Church Fathers, S T JOHN THE

B APTIST ASKED THIS QUESTION OF CHRIST IN ORDER TO

GUIDE HIS OWN DISCIPLES TO OUR LORD JESUS.ST ISAIAH, THE HOLY PROPHET OF GOD, PREDICTED THAT

THESE MIRACLES AND SIGNS WOULD ACCOMPANY THE

COMING OF THE LONG AWAITED MESSIAH.

Our Lord Jesus performed these Divine Miracles in thepresence of ST JOHN THE BAPTIST’S DISCIPLES sothat they PERSONALLY WITNESSED MIRACLES THAT

ONLY THE MESSIAH COULD PERFORM.

In terms of the Old Covenant Laws, ST JOHN THE

BAPTIST WAS INDEED THE GREATEST OF ALL THE

HOLY PROPHETS OF GOD. However, THE NEW COVENANT IS OF SUCH

INCOMPARABLE VALUE THAT THOSE WHO

PARTICIPATE AND SHARE IN THE NEW COVENANT ARE

FAR GREATER than St John the Baptist who was of the Old Covenant.

Several interpretations have been offered to explain our

Lord’s statement: “... the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence...” Some believe that it refers to THE HEBREW OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL OF

CHRIST , while others felt that it was a reference to THE E TERNAL HEAVENLY KINGDOM BREAKING INTO

THE WORLD “VIOLENTLY” – MEANING WITH GREAT

POWER AND FORCE. Still others maintain that THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

REFERS TO CHRIST HIMSELF – the Son of God Whohas been Incarnate since St John the Baptist was six months in his mother’s womb – WHO WOULD SUFFER

THE VIOLENCE OF HIS PASSION AND CRUCIFIXION.

According to St John Chrysostom, the “violent” who takethe Kingdom of Heaven “ by force,” are THOSE WHO

HAVE SUCH AN EARNEST DESIRE FOR CHRIST THAT

THEY DO NOT LET ANYTHING STAND BETWEEN THEM

AND THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST. OUR LORD JESUS ASCRIBED THE ROLE OF THE HOLY

PROPHET, ST ELIJAH, TO ST JOHN THE BAPTIST – not St John himself who was utterly humble andobedient to God.

ST JOHN THE BAPTIST FULFILLED THE SACRED MISSION

OF ST ELIJAH AND HIS DESTINY WAS SIMILAR AS

WELL. YET ST JOHN THE BAPTIST IS HONOURED ABOVE ST

ELIJAH BY OUR LORD SINCE ST JOHN ACTUALLY

PREPARED THE WAY – PREPARED THE PEOPLE – FOR

THE ADVENT OF CHRIST - the long-awaited Messiah –the Saviour of the world – BOTH IN LIFE AND AFTER

DEATH IN H ADES.

H AVING HEARD THE WONDERFUL A NNOUNCEMENT OF S T

JOHN THE B APTIST IN H ADES, THOSE WHO HADREPOSED BEFORE, WERE READY FOR CHRIST WHEN HE

ENTERED H ADES IN HIS HUMAN N ATURE AND, IN HIS

DIVINE N ATURE, SMASHED OPEN THE IMPRISONING

GATES TO SET THE R IGHTEOUS FREE TO REPOSE IN

P EACE IN THE NEWLY OPENED P ARADISE UNTIL THE

FINAL D AY .

S T JOHN THE B APTIST IS THE LAST GREAT HOLY P ROPHET

OF GOD WHO FULFILLED THE DIVINE P URPOSE OF GOD

TO A FAR GREATER DEGREE THAN ANY OTHER .

T h e T h i r d F i n d i n g o f S t J o h n t h e B a p t i s t ’ s V e n e r a b l e H e a dIn the 8th century, during the bitter violence of

Iconoclasm, the Venerable Head of St John the Baptist was taken to Comana, the place of exile of St JohnChrysostom, until the end of the conflict in 850 when it was translated to Constantinople and laid to rest in theImperial Chapel.

Part of the Holy Relic was taken to thePodromos Monastery in Petra, and theupper part to the Forerunner Monastery of the Studion until 1204 when theinsolent Crusaders took it to Amiens,France. .

Three other locations of pieces of the Holy Relic are the Dionysiou Monastery onMount Athos, the Ugro-WallachianMonastery of Kalua, and the Church of St Sylvester in Rome, where a piece was taken from the Relic in Amiens.

The history of the Baptist’s Head’s inFrance differs little from the history of many othergreat Christian Holy Relics.

On 15 April 1204, during the Fourth Crusade, an army of uncouth knights from Western Europe looted anddecimated Constantinople.

In one of the ruined palaces Wallon de Sarton of Picquigny found casket containing a silver platter on which,under a glass covering, were the remains of a humanface - missing the lower jaw. Over the left brow was adeep stab wound.

An inscription in Greek confirmed it as being the Holy Relicof St John the Forerunner and Baptist of Christ.

The stab wound over the brow corresponds with thetestimony of Christian witnesses that the wickedHeriodias had stabbed the Saint’s severed head in a fit

of rage and terror when she continued to hear his words of condemnation after his unjust execution.

On 17 December 1206, on the Third Sunday of theNativity Fast, the Catholic Bishop of Amiens,solemnly met the procession carrying the Holy Relics of St John the Baptist at the town gates of

Picardy – and the Veneration of the Head of St. Johnthe Baptist in Amiens and all of Picardy continued fromthat time.

In 1220, the Bishop of Amiens placed the cornerstone inthe foundation of a new Cathedral, (which after many

reconstructions would later become themost magnificent Gothic edifice inEurope) and the Holy Relics of St John theBaptist were transferred there, causing theCathedral of Amiens to become a place of Veneration for all Faithful Christians as well as powerful and influential Royalty and Rulers. The first King to come and venerate thehead in 1264 was Louis IX, called “theHoly”. After him came his son, Phillip IIIthe Brave, then Charles VI, and Charles VII, who donated large sums for the relic’s

adornment.In 1604, Pope Clement VIII of Rome, wishing to enrich theChurch of the Forerunner in Rome (Basilica di SanGiovanni in Laterano), requested a piece of St. John’sHoly Relic from the Canon of Amiens.

In 1789, during the French Revolution, an inventory wasmade of all Church property and most Holy Relics wereconfiscated – and destroyed!

The Reliquary containing the Head remained in theCathedral until November, 1793, when it was strippedof all valuable adornments before being buried but theMayor secretly hid it at home until it could be safely returned to the Cathedral of Amiens in 1816 where it remains to this day.

At the end of the 19th century, historical science – with theparticipation of ecclesiastical figures, determined that

there had been many false relics during the Middle Ages and due to a general mistrust, Veneration of the Amiens Shrine eventually began to wane.



28. (SPONSORED BY DIMITRI P AIZIS) 7 t h Pascha l Sunday - 318 Holy Fathe rs o f th e 1st Ecumenical Council – 27 May 2012


A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the HolySpirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen.

Re me mb er in g al so ou r Mo st Ho ly , Mo st Pu re , Mo st Bl es se d an d Gl or io us La dy , Ma ri a, Th eo to ko s, ye t Ev er Vi rg in , to ge th er wi th al l th e Sa in ts . An d

let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our

God. Amen.

27 M a y 2 0 1 2

7 t h P a s c h a l S u n d a y T o n e ( 6 ) P l a g a l 2

S u n d a y o f t h e 3 1 8 H o l y F a t h e r s o f t h e F i r s t

E c u m e n i c a l C o u n c i l

Also the Feast of St Therapon, Hieromartyr of Sardis – St Nilos of

Stolobensk, Translation of Relics - St John the Russian & Confessor of

Euboia – St Therapon of White Lake – St Cyprianos of Moscow & All

Russia, Translation of Relics – St Photios & St Jonah of Moscow & All

Russia, Translation of Holy Relics – St Therapon of Monza – St Theodora,

Virgin Martyr & St Didymos the Soldier of Alexandria – St Bede the

Church Historian – St Basil of Georgia of Khakhuli Monastery – St Michael

of Parekhi

R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n ---- T ON E (6 ) P LA G A L 2

Angelike Dinamis epi to Mnima Sou ke i filassontes

apenekrothisan. Ke istato Maria en to tafo, zitousato ahranton Sou Soma. Eskilefsas ton Adin, mi pirasthis ip aftou. Ipintisas ti Partheno, Doroumenostin Zoin. O Anastas ek to nekron, Kyrie, Doxa Si.

T he Angelic Powers were in Thy Sepulchre, and the

guards became as dead men, and Mary stood by the Tomb seeking Thy Most Pure Body. Thou led Hadescaptive, yet were not tempted thereby: Thou Who art the Bestower of Life came to meet the Woman. Glory to Thee, O Lord, Who Rose again from the dead!

Fe s ta l A p o ly t ik ion – H o ly Ch u rch Fa th e rs

I perdedoxasmenos i Hriste O Theos imon, O Fostiras

epi gis, tous Pateras imon themeliosas, ke di afton, pros tin Alithinin Pistin pantas imas odigisas,

Poliefsplahne § Doxa Si!

Supremely praised art Thou, O Christ our God, Who

established on earth, our Fathers as Luminaries; andthrough them, to the True Faith all of us Thou hasGuided, O Most Compassionate One: § Glory to Thee!

F e s t a l K o n t a k i o n - A s c e n s i o n o f C h r i s t O u r G o d ---- T O N E ( 6 ) P L A G A L 2 :

T in iper imon plirosas Ikonomian, ke ta epi gis enosas

tis Ouraniis, Anelifthis en Doxi, Hriste O Theos imon; oudamothen horizomenos alla menonadiastatos, ke voon tis agaposi se: Ego Imi methimon, ke oudis kath imon.

Having fulfilled the Dispensation for us, and uniting

the earthly with the Heavenly, Thou Ascended inGlory, O Christ our God; being in no way separated,

but remaining inseparable, and calling out to thosewho Love Thee: I Am with you and no one can be against you!

M a t i n s R e s u r r e c t i o n G o s p e l 1 0 : J o h n 2 1 : 1 – 1 4Ou r Re s u r re c te d Lord Je s u s S e rve s B re a k fa s t T o H is E le ve n A p os t l e s


T TT T h o u ar t B l essed , O L o r d , G o d o f o u r F o r efath er s .

F FF F o r Th o u h ast a l w ays d eal t Ri gh teo u s l y w i th u s

T h e A c t s o f t h e A p o s t l e s A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 2 0 : 1 6 – 1 8 & 2 8 – 3 6

S t Pa u l ’ s Fa re we l l A d d re s sPaul had decided to sail past Ephesos, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at

Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost. From Miletos he sent to Ephesos and called for the Elders of theChurch. And when they had gone to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, inwhat manner I always lived amongst you, serving the Lord with all Humility, with many tears and trials...

“... Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the Flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you Overseers, to shepherd the Church of God, which He purchases with His own Blood.

“For I know this: that after my departure savage Wolves will come in you, not sparing the Flock. Also from among yourselves, men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the Disciples after themselves.

“Therefore, watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone – night and day – with tears.So now, Brethren, I commend you to God and to the Word of His Grace, which is able to build you up and give you an

Inheritance among all those who are Sanctified.“I have coveted no one’s silver or gold, or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my

necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way – by labouring like this – that youmust support the weak.

“ And remember the Words of our Lord Jesus – that He said: ‘ It is more Blessed to give than to receive.’”

And when Paul had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.St Paul wanted to be together with the other Holy Apostles

of Christ in Jerusalem for the Feast of Holy Pentecost,since A LITURGICAL CALENDAR BASED ON SACRED FEAST

DAYS HAS ALWAYS BEEN OBSERVED BY THE HOLY CHURCH

OF CHRIST.

Consequently, ALL FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS – TRUE DISCIPLES

OF CHRIST – LIVE ACCORDING TO THE FESTAL CALENDAR OF

MAJOR FEASTS, FASTS AND CELEBRATIONS.



(SPONSORED BY DIMITRI P AIZIS) 7 t h Pascha l Sunday - 318 Holy Fathe rs o f th e 1st Ecumenical Council – 27 May 2012 29.

A c t s 18 : 2 1: St Paul told his Holy Flock: “I must by all

means keep this coming Feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you – God Willing.”

THE SINCERE WORDS “GOD WILLING,” UNDERSCORED ST

PAUL’S CONSTANT RELIANCE ON GOD AND HIS CONTINUAL

DEVOUT SUBMISSION OF HIS OWN PLANS AND FREE WILL TO

THE WILL OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

J ames 4 : 1 3 - 1 7 “... you who say: ‘Today or tomorrow we

will go to such and such a city, spend a year there,

buy and sell, and make a profit; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appears for a little

time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to

say: ‘ If the Lord Wills , we shall live and do this and

that...’ But now you boast in your own arrogance.

All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to those who

know to do good and who do not do so, to themit is sin!”

The budding Christian Liturgical Calendar revealed THE

DEEP DESIRE OF THE HOLY APOSTLES AND FAITHFUL

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST TO GATHER TOGETHER IN

REMEMBRANCE OF THE GREAT CHRISTIAN FEASTS FOR THE

PURPOSE OF WORSHIPPING GOD AND THE COMMEMORATION

OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN A COMMUNAL MANNER.

At that time, the Holy Church of Christ was alive anddeveloping in Ephesos and had already established a

permanent pattern of Sacramental Leadership withElders (Presbyters) and Overseers (Bishops).

However, the threat of false teachers and various heresiesarose from both within and without the Holy Church.

Furthermore, THE FATAL THREAT OF SUCH FALSE TEACHERS

AND HERESIES CONTINUES TO THIS DAY, CAUSING SO MANY

SOULS TO BECOME PLUNGED IN DEEP, DARK SPIRITUAL

DEATH CAUSED BY ALIENATION FROM GOD AND

UNREPENTED SINS.

V Therefore, we must LEARN TRUE HUMILITY AND

OBEDIENCE TO THE DIVINE WILL OF GOD AND FOLLOW

ONLY WHAT HE HAS TAUGHT US – not the lies,deceptions and heresies that other less intelligent beings try to convince us of, which misguide andcondemn us.

There is so much Divine Truth available to us these

days that we have absolutely no excuse for “doing ourown thing.”

V WITHOUT THE INSEPARABLE VIRTUES OF HUMILITY AND

OBEDIENCE, WE CANNOT MAKE ANY SPIRITUAL

PROGRESS AND WILL REMAIN IGNORANT, SELFISH AND

IN A STATE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH DUE TO OUR

ALIENATION FROM ALMIGHTY GOD WHO MAKES

EVERYTHING THAT IS TRULY GOOD POSSIBLE FOR US.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 1 7 : 1 – 1 3Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Prayer for Himself & for His Holy Apostles

At that time, Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His Eyes to Heaven, and said: “O Father, the Hour has come. G LORIFY

T HY SON , THAT T HY SON ALSO MAY G LORIFY T HEE , as T HOU HAST GIVEN H IM AUTHORITY OVER ALL FLESH , THAT H E SHOULD

GIVE ETERNAL L IFE TO AS MANY AS T HOU HAST GIVEN H IM . And this is Eternal Life: that they may know Thee, THE

O NLY T RUE GOD , AND J ESUS C HRIST W HOM T HOU HAST SENT .“I have Glorified Thee on the earth. I have finished the Work, which Thou hast given Me to do. And now, O

Father, Glorify Me together with Thyself, with the Glory that I had with Thee before the world was. I have manifested Thy Name to the men whom Thou hast given Me out of the world. They were Thine.

Thou gave them to Me, and they have kept Thy Word. Now they have known that all things, which Thouhast given Me, are from Thee. For I have given to them the Words that Thou hast given Me; and theyhave received them, and have known surely that I came forth from Thee; and they have believed thatThou sent Me.

“I pray for them. I DO NOT PRAY FOR THE WORLD BUT FOR THOSE WHOM T HOU HAST GIVEN M E , for they are Thine. And all Mine art Thine, and Thine art Mine, AND I A M G LORIFIED IN THEM .

“Now I Am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. O Holy Father, keep

through Thy Name, those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be One as we are One.“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy Name. Those whom Thou gave Me I have kept; and

none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to

Thee, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My Joy fulfilled in themselves...”

THE PRAYER OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST , isoften referred to as “the High Priestly Prayer” becauseit CONTAINS THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF A PRAYER THAT

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN PRIESTS OFFER TO THE LORD OUR

GOD BEFORE A (BLOODLESS) SACRIFICE OR OFFERING IS

OFFERED TO HIM:

® GLORIFICATION of Almighty God® REMEMBRANCE of God’s Divine Works® INTERCESSION on behalf of others® A DECLARATION of the Holy Offering Itself

This particular passage of New Covenant Holy Scripture isread on the Seventh Sunday After Holy Pascha in

remembrance of the 318 Holy Church Fathers of theFirst Ecumenical Council, which had been convened inNicaea in 325 in order to condemn and correct theheresy of Arianism (which taught that the Son of God was created

by God the Father and thus there was a time when the Son and Word of God did not exist!)

® OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST’S ACTUAL WORDS BEAR WITNESS

TO HIS TRUE, ABSOLUTE AND ETERNAL DIVINITY, AS

WELL AS HIS ETERNAL FILIAL RELATIONSHIP TO GOD

THE FATHER.

This Divine Testimony alone is more than sufficient todismiss any form of heretical Arianism.

“The Hour has come,” signifies that CHRIST IS LORD OVER

TIME: “ He voluntarily Willed to ascend the Crossin the Flesh...” (HYMN OF SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY)

® The expression “Glorify” refers to THE REDEMPTION OF

ALL CREATION THAT WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED

THROUGH OUR LORD’S CRUCIFIXION (THE FINAL, ULTIMATE AND

MOST PURE BLOOD SACRIFICE FOR SINS AND ETERNAL LIFE) AND

GLORIOUS RESURRECTION (THE HARROWING OF HADES), which was THE DIVINE PURPOSE FOR WHICH THE DIVINE

WORD AND SON OF GOD WAS SENT BY GOD THE FATHER

INTO THE SIN ENSLAVED AND DARKENED WORLD.

® IN HIS DIVINE REDEMPTION, GOD THE FATHER AND

GOD THE SON ARE GLORIFIED.

® FOR THAT REASON THE CROSS OF CHRIST - which was a hideous form of execution with itsexcruciating suffering and death - IS NOW

GLORIFIED IN HIS HOLY CHURCH AS “ LIFE-GIVING”

AND A “WEAPON OF PEACE.” ® THE (EMPTY) HOLY CROSS OF CHRIST HAS BECOME A

VICTORIOUS EMBLEM OF DIVINE GOODNESS:

RESURRECTION AND ETERNAL LIFE:

® The Holy Cross of Christ CONQUERS ALL SINFUL

ENSLAVEMENT, ALIENATION FROM GOD. ® The Holy Cross of Christ is OUR SANCTIFIED BADGE

OR EMBLEM OF HONOUR whereby we strive to liveeach moment of the day, for it REMINDS US OF

THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR IN WHOM WE LIVE and it INFORMS OTHERS OF OUR

SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE.

® The Holy Cross of Christ is THE MOST POWERFUL

FORM OF DIVINE PROTECTION, which repels andrejects Satan and his evil schemes.

® The Holy Cross of Christ is ALL WE NEED.TRUE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST DO NOT WEAR “EVIL EYES” OR ANY OTHER SO-CALLED “GOOD

LUCK CHARMS!”

SUCH PAGAN TALISMANS, AMULETS OR TRINKETS EXPOSE DEEP-SEATED SUPERSTITIONS,

WHICH REVEAL A LACK OF FAITH IN GOD - THE DENIAL OF GOD’S INFINITE POWER

AND LOVE THAT CONQUERS ALL THREATS AND WICKEDNESS AGAINST US.

TRUE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST WEAR THE (EMPTY) CROSS ONLY AGAINST THEIR HEARTS (NOT

AS MERE ORNAMENTATION SUCH AS EAR-RINGS, ETC) AND NE V E R T O G E T H ERN E V E R T O G E T H E RN E V E R T O G E T H E RN E V E R T O G E T H E R

W I T H A N Y S U P E R S T I T I O U S “ L U C K Y C H A R M S ! ”W I T H A N Y S U P E R S T I T I O U S “ L U C K Y C H A R M S ! ”W I T H A N Y S U P E R S T I T I O U S “ L U C K Y C H A R M S ! ”W I T H A N Y S U P E R S T I T I O U S “ L U C K Y C H A R M S ! ”

BELIEF IN ANYTHING ELSE IS A REVERSION TO PAGANISM – THE REJECTION OF OUR ONE

TRUE AND LIVING GOD!

T H E S OT H E S OT H E S OT H E S O ---- C A L L E D “ P E A C E S I G NC A L L E D “ P E A C E S I G NC A L L E D “ P E A C E S I G NC A L L E D “ P E A C E S I G N ” I S I N F A C T T H E C U R S E O F S A T A N : A” I S I N F A C T T H E C U R S E O F S A T A N : A” I S I N F A C T T H E C U R S E O F S A T A N : A” I S I N F A C T T H E C U R S E O F S A T A N : A

C L O V E N H O O F A N D A B R O K E N , U P S I D E D O W N C R O S SC L O V E N H O O F A N D A B R O K E N , U P S I D E D O W N C R O S SC L O V E N H O O F A N D A B R O K E N , U P S I D E D O W N C R O S SC L O V E N H O O F A N D A B R O K E N , U P S I D E D O W N C R O S S ––––

D E C L A R I N G T H E W E A R E R A S A S L A V E O F S A T A ND E C L A R I N G T H E W E A R E R A S A S L A V E O F S A T A ND E C L A R I N G T H E W E A R E R A S A S L A V E O F S A T A ND E C L A R I N G T H E W E A R E R A S A S L A V E O F S A T A N T H A TT H A TT H A TT H A T M U S T MU S T M U S T MU S T

B E A V O I D E D A T A L L C O S T S B Y T R U E D I S C I P L E S O F C H R I S T B E A V O I D E D A T A L L C O S T S B Y T R U E D I S C I P L E S O F C H R I S T B E A V O I D E D A T A L L C O S T S B Y T R U E D I S C I P L E S O F C H R I S T B E A V O I D E D A T A L L C O S T S B Y T R U E D I S C I P L E S O F C H R I S T ....

® KNOWLEDGE OF THE ONLY TRUE GOD IS FAR MORE THAN

INTELLECTUAL UNDERSTANDING. IT IS PARTICIPATION

OF CHRIST’S DIVINE LIFE AND BEING IN COMMUNION

WITH HIM.

Consequently, ETERNAL LIFE IS AN ONGOING, LOVING

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT .



Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Divine Work can never beseparated from Who He is.

® “ I have Glorified Thee on the earth. I have finished the Work, which Thou hast given Meto do...” is a statement that every Faithful Discipleof Christ should be able to make at the end of life –no matter how long or short our Life in Christ hasbeen!

® “...the men whom Thou hast given Me...” are THE

HOLY APOSTLES OF CHRIST THROUGH WHOM THE WORD

OF GOD COMES DOWN THROUGH THE AGES –CAREFULLY PRESERVED – TO US, WHICH IS KNOWN AS

OUR “ APOSTOLIC TRADITION ” – THE TRUE TEACHINGS OF THE SON OF GOD, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

HIMSELF.

® St Isaiah prophesied that IN THE DAYS OF THE MESSIAH,

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE NAME OF GOD WOULD BE

REVEALED. (ISAIAH 52:6)

According to the Old Covenant, THE EXPRESSION “the

Name” WAS MOST REVERENTLY USED instead of God’s

actual Name, “ Yahweh,” which was considered asbeing FAR TOO SACRED TO PRONOUNCE.

® THE FULLER REVELATION OF THE DIVINE NAME WAS

GRANTED TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST

OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, FOR HE MANIFESTED THE

DIVINE NAME NOT ONLY BY DECLARING GOD THE

FATHER, BUT BY BEING THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD ON

EARTH AND BY SHARING THE DIVINE NAME WITH HIM!

® OUR LORD JESUS FIRST PRAYED FOR HIMSELF AND THENFOR HIS HOLY APOSTLES WHO WERE GRANTED TO HIM

BY GOD THE FATHER – AS WELL AS ALL THE SOULS WHO

BELIEVE IN HIM THROUGHOUT THE AGES.

® The reference to “the world ” means the fallen world consisting of ALL THOSE WHO LIVE

ACCORDING TO THE DESIRES OF THEIR BODY – THE

FLESH – which is used against us through thetemptation – the wiles and deceptions - of Satan.

T H E P H Y S I C A L W O R L D A N D A L L T H A T I S I N I TT H E P H Y S I C A L W O R L D A N D A L L T H A T I S I N I TT H E P H Y S I C A L W O R L D A N D A L L T H A T I S I N I TT H E P H Y S I C A L W O R L D A N D A L L T H A T I S I N I T ---- W H I C H G O DW H I C H G O DW H I C H G O DW H I C H G O D

C R E A T E DC R E A T E DC R E A T E DC R E A T E D ---- I S A L L G O O D A N D B E A U T I F U LI S A L L G O O D A N D B E A U T I F U LI S A L L G O O D A N D B E A U T I F U LI S A L L G O O D A N D B E A U T I F U L ---- A N DA N DA N DA N D W E WE W E WE – –– – A S A S A S A S

E A R T H L Y I N T E L L E C T U A L B E I N G S E A R T H L Y I N T E L L E C T U A L B E I N G S E A R T H L Y I N T E L L E C T U A L B E I N G S E A R T H L Y I N T E L L E C T U A L B E I N G S - -- - H A V E B E E N O R D A I N E D B Y H A V E B E E N O R D A I N E D B Y H A V E B E E N O R D A I N E D B Y H A V E B E E N O R D A I N E D B Y

G O D T O P R E S E R V E A N D N U R T U R E I T G O D T O P R E S E R V E A N D N U R T U R E I T G O D T O P R E S E R V E A N D N U R T U R E I T G O D T O P R E S E R V E A N D N U R T U R E I T , YET THROUGH OUR SINFUL

DESIRES OF GREED AND SELFISH INDULGENCE, WE HAVE ALMOST DESTROYED IT

BEYOND RECOVERY!

® The fallen world consists of ALL WHO ARE IN

REBELLION AGAINST THE DIVINE WILL OF GOD AND

WHO PREFER SPIRITUAL DARKNESS ANDBLINDNESS TO HIS DIVINE, LIFE-GIVING LIGHT AND

SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT.

V The term “ Holy Father ” is echoed in THE EUCHARIST

PRAYER OF DIDACHE: “We give Thee Thanks, O Holy Father, for Thy Holy Name, which Thouhas made to dwell in our hearts...” (DIDACHE 10:2)

V The lost “ son of Perdition” (Destruction) is JudasIscariot to whom Old Testament Prophesy alluded.(PSALM 40:10; PSALM 108:2 – 13; ZECHARIAH 11: 12-13)

® JUDAS ISCARIOT, THE SON OF PERDITION WHO

BETRAYED CHRIST, EPITIMISES ALL WHO FALL

AWAY, RENOUNCE REBEL AGAINST OR BETRAY GOD

- ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST DAYS, WHICH IS NOW!

According to St Paul in his Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, THE SON OF PERDITION IS “THE

ANTICHRIST” who is the manifestation of everything

that is ungodly, evil and destructive but WHO WILL BECOMPLETELY DEFEATED AND BANISHED TO HELL –

TOGETHER WITH ALL WHO ARE WILLINGLY ENSLAVED BY

HIM - BY CHRIST ALMIGHTY AT THE FINAL JUDGEMENT OF

ALL CREATION. (2 THESSALONIANS 2:3)

S u n d a y o f t h e 3 1 8 H o l y F a t h e r s o f t h e F i r s t E c u m e n i c a l C o u n c i lFORTY DAYS AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, CHRIST ASCENDED

BODILY INTO HEAVEN WHERE HE SITS AT THE RIGHT

HAND OF GOD THE FATHER.Before He left His Disciples He Promised to send them

His Holy Spirit, which we celebrate on Sunday of Pentecost.

In this way - THROUGH THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT -

HE PROMISED NOT TO LEAVE US ORPHANED AND BEREFT,and has assured us that HE WOULD ALWAYS BE WITH

US, EVEN UNTIL THE END OF TIME.Christ is present with us in a number of ways - one is

through HIS REAL PRESENCE IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST,which presently sits on the Holy Altar and of which we shall communicate shortly.

CHRIST ALSO ACTS IN OUR LIVES THROUGH HIS CHURCH,having stated: “I will build My Church; and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”

THE HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDED ON THE HOLY APOSTLES ON

THE DAY OF PENTECOST and they were the firstleaders of the Church - GUIDING IT THROUGH THE

DIVINE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.WHENEVER THEY FOUNDED A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

somewhere and the time came for them to moveon to another area, THE HOLY APOSTLES OF CHRIST

ORDAINED BISHOPS (OVERSEERS) TO GUIDE THE HOLY

FLOCK IN THE SPIRITUAL LIFE – I.E. LIFE IN CHRIST -and through the laying on of hands, THESE

ORDAINED BISHOPS ALSO RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT and were thus in a proper state to guide andprotect the Holy Church of Christ.

THEY IN TURN ORDAINED OTHER BISHOPS WHOM THEY HAD

TAUGHT AND SPIRITUALLY NURTURED and so on downthe line, throughout the ages until today.

This is what is called the APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION.The Bishops of the Church are the Successors of the

Holy Apostles, because THEY CONTINUE TO UPHOLD

THE TRUE FAITH, WHICH WAS HANDED DOWN TO US BY

CHRIST HIMSELF, THROUGH HIS APOSTLES, DISCIPLES

AND THEIR SUCCESSORS.

TODAY IS THE SUNDAY AFTER THE ASCENSION AND BEFORE

PENTECOST that has been established by our HolyChurch Fathers to Commemorate the 318 God-

Bearing Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council,which was held in the city of Nicea in Asia Minor.

AN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL WAS A SPECIAL MEETING OF

BISHOPS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD DURING WHICH

THEY PUT TO REST SOME SERIOUS DISPUTES THAT WERE

RAGING IN THE CHURCH AT THAT TIME.The Creed that we recite at every Liturgy is called

“THE N ICENE C REED ” because it was written at theCouncil at Nicea, which we celebrate today.

At that time there several disputes concerning theDogma or Teaching of the Holy Trinity.

THE HOLY FATHERS ARE ENTITLED “GOD-BEARING”

BECAUSE THEY BORE GOD WITHIN THEIR HEARTS AND

SOULS AND THEY ALL EXPERIENCED THE SAME DIVINE

ENLIGHTENMENT WHICH THE HOLY APOSTLES AND

DISCIPLES HAD EXPERIENCED ON THE DAY OF

PENTECOST.

CONSEQUENTLY, THEIR DECISIONS - AND ESPECIALLY THE

DECISIONS OF THE SEVEN ECUMENICAL COUNCILS - ARE

DIRECTLY INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CANNOT

BE QUESTIONED.If we sometimes refer to the decisions of the

Ecumenical Councils it should not bemisunderstood that they defined the Dogmas of the Church by majority vote.

St Constantine did not ask the Bishops at the Council:“All who think that the Son is Consubstantial withthe Father, raise your hands ” and the majoritywon. Certainly not!

THE 318 FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL SIMPLY

EXPRESSED OR PUT INTO WORDS THE HOLY TRADITION

THAT HAS BEEN HANDED DOWN TO THEM BY THE

APOSTLES OF CHRIST IN ORDER TO COMBAT WHATEVER

HERESY OR FALSE TEACHING WOULD ARISE THROUGH

TIME.Truly there are few who have the strength of

character to follow what is right at all costs butfear not, little Flock; for it is your Father's GoodPleasure to grant you the Kingdom.

EDITED & ADAPTED BY MP: GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE DORMITION

– CLEARWATER, FLORIDA, USA -http://www.kimisis.net/component/content/article/14-

information/priest/15-sermon-the-fathers-of-the-1st-ecumenical-

council

Documents

2012 May - Sacred Lessons